# why does it cost so much?



## serpa4 (Aug 2, 2015)

I chartered a Lagoon 2005 Lagoon 440this June for 8 days 7 nights from Florida to Bahamas. I found a good deal at about $6000.
I enjoyed it a lot, don't think I can afford it again. 
Seems that if I want to do BVI in a 42-45 it will be about $8,000. You have to be rich to do that. 
Chartering seems way over priced for what you get and then there is boat food, fuel, etc. Lots of other little things.
I can fly to Hawaii with 5 people, a week in a hotel, and it would be about the same cost. Carnival cruise ships are also 60-100 a day for 7-12 day trips to the Caribbean. 
I"d love to charter again, but just get the feeling there are better things to do with my money.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

It's not nearly as expensive as owning. Trust me.


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## albrazzi (Oct 15, 2014)

That's the nature of competition, Buy the same Boat and put it in charter service and see what you need to charge to make it work. Let me know how it turns out.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

I believe those prices are based on beds, plain and simple. If you've got 8 beds then 8g's isn't really that expensive a sailing vacation per person, or for each couple, in the charter company's mind. It is tougher if you have a big family and there's just one person paying for the whole thing, but there are some pretty good breaks available if you aren't set on high season charter rates.
Right now is probably the worst time in many years to even contemplate chartering in an area like the BVI's. Choose another area and perhaps it would be much more affordable.


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## Don L (Aug 8, 2008)

It’s supply and demand just like everything. The OP just proven it!


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

It is cheaper if you charter with a company that does has older boats in the fleet. We chartered a 43' catamaran in SVG for 8 days. $5000. Two families. $2500 each.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

serpa4 said:


> I chartered a Lagoon 2005 Lagoon 440this June for 8 days 7 nights from Florida to Bahamas. I found a good deal at about $6000.
> I enjoyed it a lot, don't think I can afford it again.
> Seems that if I want to do BVI in a 42-45 it will be about $8,000. You have to be rich to do that.
> Chartering seems way over priced for what you get and then there is boat food, fuel, etc. Lots of other little things.
> ...


Why does it cost this much? Because enough people will buy the service at this price. If you think it's too much, don't buy it.

It's capitalism 101. Prices are set by what consumers are willing to pay, not by any intrinsic or absolute value.


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

You should probably stick to Carnival Cruise then if sailing was not worth it.

That's a big boat, how many people did you have onboard? I chartered a 40 foot Jeanneau last summer and it added up to the most expensive vacation I have ever taken. It was worth every penny.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

Price per bed... I did the math, and generally the price per bed equates best. The bigger boats you are expected to suck it up and split it more ways... if not, they expect you are paying for the extra "space" much like upgrading to a luxury suite on the cruise.

But you are our own captain. You go on your schedule. You pick your roommates. You pick your destination. How exactly does this equate to Carnival, and the people who want to drink or eat their "money's worth" dragging you and 3000 of your "friends" to various tourist traps? Other than monetarily?


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

it dawned on me.. "Carnival" is an appropriate name for the experience. They should give cotton candy out for free, and it'd be pretty much on par.


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## alanbe (Jan 28, 2014)

I am in Queensland Australia and I do 3 days 3nights for 4 adults and charge $2,600AUD. ($2,000USDapprox) This includes Fuel, all meals, wine and beer, snorkeling gear and me as your Captain/Cook.  Is that too much??


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

alanbe , I posted earlier about how the world is full of possibilities for charter. It would seem that most Americans tend to stay in their back yard for a multitude of reasons. As for the value of your offering ,it depends. In the world of the wisdom of the crowd trip advisor will make or break you in seconds . A good web page ( a link??) is now a major part of bait ,then the hook of running a really good show. I've seen boats I'd be embarrassed to own up for charter and skippers ,//well.. Focusing on market type/share determines the money thing, then adjust to taste. (old backpacker from Arlie Beach)


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I understand the BVIs are the most popular sailing destination in the world. That clearly prices them up. 

The Catamarans are the most expensive, not just because they have more beds, but those beds are more easily divided up. The Lagoon 44 would have four identical staterooms, right? Most monos need to have better and worse bunks split up. Makes it tough. Further, the big cats have four ensuite heads/showers, etc. That makes it much easier to bring non-sailing crew that don't get the sail/camping thing. 

Even in the BVI, that $2k per room, per week. About the same as a good hotel room, but you get a boat to go with it. That's not really a bad deal and certainly not comparable to a cruise ship, which you wouldn't catch me aboard for any price. 

If you don't want to bring a ton of people, you can easily find a mono in the mid 30ft range for roughly $3k per week. $4k to $5k per week, will get you a nice mid 40ft mono for two couples. All in the BVI.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"Carnival cruise ships are also 60-100 a day "
If you're reading the advertised prices? More likely $60/day buys you one bed in an inboard broom closet. $100 might buy you one bed in the ends of the ship (rocking) with a porthole. Double that and now you're getting a "balcony" and some air, more akin to a private yacht charter. Although I grant you, the yacht won't have the same cash bars, staff circulating with drinks (Oh, what room should we charge that too?) and dining rooms (extra costs for the good ones). And then you are often expected to book shore excursions, which the vendors are prohibited from selling except through the cruise line, at roughly the same price you paid for your booking, day for day. So the $100 quickly doubles to $200, and then of course tips are expected.
Even if you like traveling with 5000 of your new best friends en masse, it ain't so cheap unless you travel steerage class and stick to the free buffets. There's nothing wrong with that, if it keeps you happy, or you'd prefer to just go car-camping, chartering a yacht is a total waste of money.
If you are one of the many people (billions served!) who think McDonalds or Burger King is a choice of two great HAMBURGER joints? Assuredly, yacht charters are a waste of money for you.
The charter companies just tack another zero on to their prices in an attempt to keep the hoi-polloi off the yachts. Honest.


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## Minnesail (Feb 19, 2013)

Want to make chartering seem cheap?

We chartered a boat from Long Beach and sailed to Catalina Island. When we came back we went to Disneyland. Disneyland made the sailing seem cheap.


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## mbianka (Sep 19, 2014)

We diverted from the BVI to the Maldives this winter. The 45 foot St. Frances Catamaran charter (includes a three person crew) was much cheaper than the BVI charter. But, the airfare is a killer.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

mbianka said:


> We diverted from the BVI to the Maldives this winter........But, the airfare is a killer.


......and the jet lag. The really nice thing about a Caribbean vacation from the NE US, is the lack of jet lag.


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

^The other huge problem with the Maldives is there is no Pork, ***** or Piss (beer)....


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## mbianka (Sep 19, 2014)

Minnewaska said:


> ......and the jet lag. The really nice thing about a Caribbean vacation from the NE US, is the lack of jet lag.


Yeah there is that too. My gal arranged for two days at a beach Hotel in Dubai to help her er us get over that.


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## mbianka (Sep 19, 2014)

aeventyr60 said:


> ^The other huge problem with the Maldives is there is no Pork, ***** or Piss (beer)....


True but the boat we chartered had a permit to carry wine, beer and liquor. Though when sailing with an all Muslim crew their familiarity with provisioning certain libations can be a problem as it was on our first charter in the area:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: CAPT. MIKE IN THE MALDIVES: DAY TWO

BTW the chicken sausage was pretty good.


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## PerryRight (Nov 6, 2017)

where did you get this? what place?


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## serpa4 (Aug 2, 2015)

Jammer Six said:


> If you can't afford to sail, earn more or pick a cheaper hobby.


Stated like a sailing snob.


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## serpa4 (Aug 2, 2015)

PerryRight said:


> where did you get this? what place?


Fun in the sun yatch charter in fort Lauderdale, FL.


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## serpa4 (Aug 2, 2015)

mbianka said:


> We diverted from the BVI to the Maldives this winter. The 45 foot St. Frances Catamaran charter (includes a three person crew) was much cheaper than the BVI charter. But, the airfare is a killer.


Who did you charter with?


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## mbianka (Sep 19, 2014)

serpa4 said:


> Who did you charter with?


We booked through Indian Ocean charters. Indian Ocean Charters Maldives - Charter a luxury boat in Maldives
Always had great Captains who knew the waters unlike in some other areas where we have chartered like in the Bahamas. As Jimmy Buffet says in the "Tropics they come and they go" In the Maldives Captains have to be locals and really know the waters. We just sit back and enjoy. Great fishermen too:
THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: CAPT. MIKE IN THE MALDIVES: DAY SIX


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## ianjoub (Aug 3, 2014)

Jammer Six said:


> If you can't afford to sail, earn more or pick a cheaper hobby.





serpa4 said:


> Stated like a sailing snob.


Sailing snob? His statement is true for everything in life. If you can't do something you want to due to lack of money, make more money or pick something else!


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## serpa4 (Aug 2, 2015)

ianjoub said:


> Jammer Six said:
> 
> 
> > If you can't afford to sail, earn more or pick a cheaper hobby.
> ...


Or one could offer alternative solutions like, try this company, a larger mono hull, ever tried crewing for someone, or etc. As opposed to go make more money or get out of the hobby..with an exclamation point.


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