Recently, we blogged about the Thai government’s efforts to lift the restrictions that kept superyacht charter vessels away from Thailand. Now that the door has been opened for foreign-flagged yachts. In addition, American charterers and tourists are welcome. Here are some cultural taboos that could save you from being branded an “Ugly American.”
Keep in mind almost 95% of the Thai population is Buddhist. As in much of southeast Asia, there are cultural taboos that non-Buddhists would not know, some of which are considered religiously offensive.
Three things NOT to do on your yacht charter Thailand:
Always use your right hand to pass or receive an object. [Sorry left-handed charterers.]
In conclusion, one of the great joys of a yachting vacation is The Superyacht Experience™. It is the chance to embrace diversity, participate in unique cultural events, and rejuvenate mind, body, and spirit. By avoiding these taboos, think how much more enjoyable your Phuket yacht charter vacation will be. You won’t offend the wonderful people of Thailand, and your mother won’t scold you for putting your feet up on the yacht’s furniture!
For more information on chartering a yacht in Thailand, contact us today. The team at 1-800 Yacht Charters +1.800.922.4824 / toll-free in North America or +1.305.253.7245 stands by to educate and assist you. Feel free to use our convenient online contact form, if you’d rather. #knowbeforeyougo #yachtcharter
This entry was posted in Yacht Charter Destinations Frequently Asked Questions Educational and tagged What to never do, Jana Sheeder, What to always do, 1800yachtcharters, Ugly American, Education, Where did the term, Trivia, come from?, yacht charter Thailand, Is the head sacred in Thailand, Taboo, Are the feet sacred in Thailand, Buddhism, Traditions, president of 1-800 Yacht Charters
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While direct booking of a self-drive bareboat is common and the norm, the same cannot be said for renting a crewed yacht. Organizing vacations on crewed yachts, especially ultra-expensive superyacht charter vessels, requires assistance. Intermediary experts are important since few owners have the time. Additionally, they do not have patience or interest in dealing directly with prospective charter customers. After all, few yacht owners became billionaires by chatting with strangers on the phone!
It’s hard to dispute the important role retail brokers play in arranging crewed private yacht charter vacations. Most have an extensive understanding of the industry. For instance, first-hand experience of inspecting charter yachts and interviewing the crews. In addition, preparing charter agreements. A good broker is key to a successful and unforgettable (The) Superyacht Experience™.
Using a retail yacht charter broker, however, is not a guarantee of a great yachting vacation. There are many misconceptions – some promulgated by the brokers themselves. Exposing these fallacies can save headaches and money. Let’s look at, and debunk, three common myths associated with the services of a retail charter broker.
This is the most common misconception. Subsequently, many brokers quickly use this line to encourage a prospective client not to call competitors. It is partially true. There is a published “rack rate” available to all retail brokers. As compared to upscale resorts, villas, and jets, sometimes there are multiple pricing options.
Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters explains,
“In situations where we have delivered multiple charters to a particular yacht owner, we are in a unique position to secure ‘best column pricing’ for our preferred clients – prices that other retails brokers cannot obtain.”
Sheeder goes on to explain how relationships and reputations also play a role in securing preferred pricing.
“If you’re honest and respectful, over the years, you build relationships with captains and yacht managers. I can’t tell you how many times we have reached out to a captain to ask for a professional courtesy discount for one of our clients. The captains have the ear of the owner and often can encourage an owner who would normally not offer any discounts, to give our client a special rate.”
The bottom line – the best brokers can, on occasion, secure rates not available to other brokers. When considering the hiring of your charter broker, directly ask the broker if all brokers gets the same prices. If he or she says “Yes,” move on and find another broker!
It serves as a great marketing phrase for many brokers. “My advice to you is free.” Consequently, it is simply untrue. Yes, the commission check received by the broker comes from the yacht owner’s account, but just as in real estate, the list prices have been adjusted to account for the fees earned by brokers.
Sheeder bristles at the notion of free advice. “Many brokers are quick to state their services are free, and you’ll see this marketing slogan prominently displayed on their websites. We have greater respect for our clients. While there is great value in the services we offer – nothing is free, and an educated consumer is aware that the prices offered by a yacht owner include the cost of the retail charter broker’s services.”
This is even more evident when booking a bareboat yacht charter, as bareboat companies take in direct reservations and will often give customers discounts of 10 to 15% – the amount they save if no charter broker is involved.
Sheeder feels complete transparency is the best course of action. “We tell our clients exactly how much our services cost in terms of a commission. We don’t apologize for what we earn, and we bend over backwards to deliver killer customer service. I believe our clients appreciate our confidence and our candor.”
Sample actual luxury yacht charter competitors’ promises to you:
“Our advice is free…”
“…provide you with free advice…”
“…THAT GIVES YOU FREE INDEPENDENT CHARTER ADVICE”
The bottom line. Don’t fall for flashy marketing terms and buzzwords. Nothing is for free, and you, the buyer, are paying the cost of the charter reservation services rendered to you.
Many brokers are employees of large yacht management companies. These companies, sometimes called “Central Agents,” handle crew placement, yacht sales, and charter management.
Sheeder explains how this multi-service model can lead to bias on the part of a retail broker: “A retail broker who is employed by a central agency is in a position to present a potential charterer with yachts that are managed in-house. Not only is a commission generated when an in-house managed yacht is booked for a charter, but an additional ‘management’ fee is earned by the central agency.”
In other words, a central agency makes more money when their own retail brokers book yachts in their own fleet. Those yachts are not necessarily the best choice for your customized charter.
The bottom line – To minimize bias, Sheeder recommends retaining an independent retail yacht charter broker. Similar to hiring an independent insurance agent who represents multiple product lines, an independent charter broker is more likely to present prospective clients with yacht selections from a multitude of Central Agency fleets.
Thinking about a private charter vacation? Speak to the industry team with more than 30 years’ experience. Call 1-800 Yacht Charters today at 1-800-922-4824 or 305-253-7245, or fill out our convenient online contact form at https://1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/
This entry was posted in Yacht Charter News Frequently Asked Questions Educational and tagged rack rates, Ask The Pro's, pricing options, retail yacht charter broker, myth busting, yacht charter costs, preferred pricing, yacht charter commission, why use a yacht charter broker, what myths exist about yacht charters?, Education, are yacht charter brokers important?, Trivia, bareboat vs. crewed yacht, Superyacht
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Many years ago, we first started blogging about private luxury yacht charters. We would get bored writing about the same topics over and over. For instance, “presenting XYZ sailboat,” “welcome ABC motoryacht,” or “explore this amazing destination.”
To jazz things up, our company President, Jana Sheeder made a command decision. She says blogs about off-the-wall, mostly nautical-themed trivia, entitled “Did You Know” peaked interest. She was right.
Have another!
When newly appointed Secretary of the Navy Joe Daniels took his post in 1913, he banned wine and spirits aboard ships. So, the strongest drink aboard Navy ships was coffee. Over the years, a cup of coffee became known as “a cup of Joe.”
This one is a little sketchy so I picked the explanation that sounded the best to me. Some sources claim the phrase originates from the British Royal Navy. Supposedly, officers would order sleeping sailors to throw a leg out from their hammocks to wake up! (Just a fun image…little guinea pig looks exhausted!)
In the 1700’s, it was thought (and possibly true) crows like to be on dry land and will fly straight to shore, bypassing any obstacles in their path. Ships would carry crows aboard, and in cases of poor visibility, let one free and chart the bird’s flight to shore. [Sounds cool, but I’ll stick to Google Maps!]
This entry was posted in Frequently Asked Questions Educational and tagged Nautical terms, As The Crow Flies, Cup of Joe, Shake a Leg, Secretary of the Navy, Where did these sayings originate, Navy, Nautical trivia, guinea pig, Nautical questions, black crow, Jana Sheeder, why is it called a cup of joe, Trivia, what does shake a leg mean, president of 1-800 Yacht Charters, what does as the crow flies mean, Did you know
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Recently, we told our readers that Hollywood icon Steven Spielberg had put his spectacular Monaco yacht charter vessel up for sale. The Spielberg yacht SEVEN SEAS is scheduled to be replaced with an even larger vessel.
In a, “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” kind of way, we thought this would be fun. We want to look at an interesting tie-in between Spielberg and the James Bond movie franchise. Obviously Spielberg loves yachts. James Bond movies correlate to fast, luxurious yachts. In fact, there are several yachts named in honor of Bond films and currently available for private yacht charter – yachts like OCTOPUSSY and CASINO ROYALE.
So, back to the tie-in between Spielberg and Bond.
Did you know that Steven Spielberg Was Twice Rejected to Direct a James Bond Film??!!!
Yep, it’s true.
Spielberg makes no secret of his affinity for the Bond film franchise. He desires to, and is a top choice, to direct a Bond movie.
It turns out that he had two opportunities to pitch longtime Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli. On both occasions, Broccoli said NO.
According to Broccoli’s daughter, Barbara (who took over the production reigns after her father’s death), a young, relatively unknown Spielberg made his first directorial pitch to her father early in his career. Broccoli was impressed by the young director’s passion, but felt he lack the experience to helm a major title like Bond.
Barbara said her father told Spielberg, “Kid, ya gotta get some more films under your belt.”
After Spielberg released one of his best-reviewed films, ‘Schindler’s List,’ he sent a letter to Broccoli asking again if he could direct a Bond movie. Barbara says her father once again turned down Spielberg, this time saying, “Now I can’t afford you!”
It’s safe to say things turned out ok for Mr. Spielberg. He’s directed over a dozen blockbuster films, and when not in use by Academy Award-winning director and his family, his yacht SEVEN SEAS is available for hire in the Mediterranean at a price of $1.2 million per week…
Interested in a yachting vacation this winter in the warm waters of the Caribbean? Contact us at https://1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/ and tell us your preferences! We look forward to planning The Superyacht Experience for you.
This entry was posted in Yacht Charter Good Times News and tagged Awards, Steven Spielberg, Schindler's List, 1800yachtcharters, Albert R. Broccoli, 007, who to call for a yacht, Trivia, how to book a yacht charter], how to rent a yacht, James Bond, Celebrities Who Enjoy Yacht Charter
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