How To Book
Chartering a yacht through Anacortes Yacht Charters is easy and affordable. Our team is dedicated to making it as easy as possible to book your vacation and enjoy time on the water in the Northwest. We have entry level boats that are great for first timers and families plus yachts for more experienced yachtsman. Chartering is also a great opportunity to try before you buy!
Booking is as easy as calling our toll free number at 1-800-233-3004.
Booking Summary
- Select your preferred yacht (or several that you are considering).
- Call us for yacht availability on your preferred vacation dates. Charter rates vary based on the season and are noted on each vessel page. See our Seasonal Rate schedule below for applicable dates.
- Request a quote. We will include any applicable Special Offers.
- Submit 30% Reservation Deposit that includes a non-refundable $200 Booking Fee to book a yacht on the dates you prefer.
- As needed, participate in a Boating Class or Pre-Qualification, or schedule a Cruise and Learn Course
- Submit Final Payment
Select a Boat
Our fleet includes Power Yachts and Sailing Yachts in a variety of sizes to suit nearly any small group of family and friends. We have entry level boats that are great for first timers plus larger yachts for more experienced yachtsman. Please review the boat information on this website to narrow the choice of boats that you prefer.
Check Availability and Special Offers
Call us to share your vacation dates, confirm that your preferred yacht is available, and allow us to answer any questions you have. Charter rates vary based on the season and are noted on each vessel page. See our Seasonal Rate schedule below for applicable dates and check out our Specials to take advantage of any current offers.
Choose Your Season
Charter rates differ across our fleet because of the variety of types, sizes and amenities. Rates also differ based on the season of the year. The following graphic shows the dates and color coding for the 2024 charter season.
Get a Quote
Our team can easily provide detailed quotes for multiple boats and seasons so you can clearly see the costs and service fees for each option to enable you to make a fully informed decision without the worry of hidden costs.
Book Your Charter
To confirm your charter booking, a small, non-refundable Booking Fee and a Reservation Deposit is required. The Booking Fee is applied to your total Charter Fee. We will then forward to you the necessary charter paperwork including your Charter Agreement, Boating Experience Resume form, and a Vacation Planning Packet for you to complete and return.
The balance of the charter fees along with payment for provisioning and extra services is due 75 days or 120 days prior to your departure date depending on vessel size.
| Payment | Boats less than 70’ | Boats 70’ and longer |
| Booking Fee | $200 | $200 |
| Reservation Deposit | 30% | 50% |
| Final Payment | 75 days before departure | 120 days before departure |
Qualifications
Our duty to you and the boat owner is to ensure that you are qualified to safely operate the yacht. To achieve this:
- We will assess your skills and experience with a review of your submitted Boating Resume and may have a short conversation to better understand your abilities.
- We may suggest or require that you successfully complete a Boating Class, Pre-Qualification or arrange for a Cruise and Learn.
Short Charters
Most of our charterers reserve a vessel for 7-nights, but for some, a vacation isn’t a full week, or doesn’t easily stretch from one weekend to the next. We can accommodate shorter charters on certain vessels depending on availability and with some restrictions. If you are interested in a shorter charter, it is best to contact us for specific options.
- Discounts and Special Offers do not apply to charters less than 5-nights.
- During Gold Season, a minimum of 6-nights is required. However, we may be able to accommodate short charters if they can be scheduled between other, existing charters. Please contact us for more information or to be wait listed for short charter availability during Gold Season.
- During Red, Blue and White seasons, we can schedule charters of less than 5-nights. These short charters are calculated at the applicable season rate for each yacht and are subject to a surcharge and yacht fee* as noted below.
| Nights | Season | Surcharge and Fee | Booking |
| 1 | Red, Blue, White | Gold rate + 20% surcharge + yacht fee | May be booked in advance based on vessel availabilty. |
| Gold | 20% surcharge + yacht fee | Limited availabilty. | |
| 2 | Red, Blue, White | Gold rate + yacht fee | May be booked in advance based on vessel availabilty. |
| Gold | Yacht fee | Limited availabilty. | |
| 3 | Red, Blue, White | Gold rate + yacht fee | May be booked in advance based on vessel availabilty. |
| Gold | Yacht fee | Limited availabilty. | |
| 4 | Red, Blue, White | Gold rate | May be booked in advance based on vessel availabilty. |
| Gold | No surcharge or yacht fee | Limited availability. Must be booked between other, longer charters. |
The short charter policy above is effective March 6, 2024.
* The yacht fee is a specific amount for each vessel and covers fixed costs required for each charter. Specific fee amounts will be quoted on request.
Cancellations
If you must cancel your charter the following terms will apply:
| 120 or more days: | Booking Fee ($200) forfeited |
| 60 to 119 days: | Booking Fee ($200) plus 30% of Reservation Yacht Fees forfeited |
| 0 to 59 days: | 100% of all fees forfeited |
Optional Travel Protection Insurance, once purchased, is non-refundable. Specialty Charters (e.g. Boats 70′ and up, Long-term Charters of 20+ days, One-Way Charters, Crewed Yacht Charters) are subject to a boat-specific cancellation policy. Please call for details.
Daily Damage Fee
Our low Daily Damage Fee covers hull and machinery damage aboard your chosen yacht with the exception of the following Operator Errors:
- Running out of fuel
- Wrapping dock lines around running gear. This has the potential of causing major damage especially on sailing vessels with small shafts & struts. Wrapping a dock line around the vessel’s running gear can cause it to “snap” tight, causing shaft and/or struts to be bent out of alignment.
- Batteries allowed to run dead. Know when to recharge!
- Plugged Heads/Overfilled Holding Tanks
- Filling tanks with incorrect fluids. Removing diesel fuel from water tanks or water from diesel tanks can be very expensive. Complete removal of the physical fresh water tanks, lines and pumps may be required if diesel is introduced into the water system. Water in diesel tanks can cause extensive engine damage.
- Service calls for operator error. Examples of this would be:
- No Start due to Shift Lever in Forward/Reverse instead of in NEUTRAL
- No Start due to Fuel Shut-Off
- Failure to open thru-hull valves after checking sea strainers causing over-heating, impeller failure or more serious engine problems/repairs
- Lack of vigilance while anchored, or grounding due to tidal swings or dragging. Client will be responsible for damage, dives, tows, chase boat calls, etc. for such issues.
- Groundings in areas with known hazards, rocks, shallows, including but not limited to Red Zone/Frequently Hit Rocks map supplied by AYC. Insurance deductibles and/or repairs and associated costs are not covered due to this type of negligence by charterer or charterer’s crew. Know where you are at all times!
If it is necessary to respond to these or similar problems, the charterer will be responsible for all associated costs.
The Daily Damage Fee applies to the first 21 days, with a 3-night minimum. Additional days beyond 21 are calculated at 50% of the daily fee or $30 whichever is greater. Upon arrival, a credit card imprint will be required and held on file in lieu of a security deposit. This credit card may be charged for outstanding fees and items not covered by the daily damage fee, such as plugged heads.
P&I (Liability) Fee
A small flat rate premium for Property & Indemnity (Liability) insurance is also required that provides $1,000,000 of coverage. This is for third party claims initiated for the time you are in charge of the vessel against You, the Yacht Owner, or AYC. Rates for this P&I policy vary by boat and are listed below the Charter Rates table on each boat’s detail page.
Travel Protection Insurance
We encourage you to consider purchasing one of our exclusive Travel Protection Plans with TripAssure. These plans protect against cancellation penalties if your trip is cancelled for covered reasons. The products offered range in price as some plans cover more than others.
For a quote or more information about the policies offered, please click here. You can view plan certificates by clicking the Read More button under “How Do I Buy Travel Protection?” and purchase your plan by clicking “Buy Now” for the program you prefer.
Please ask about our Insurance Program for yachts traveling outside our cruising grounds.
Specials
We offer several year-round Standard Discounts as well as seasonal promotions and other Special Offers at times throughout the years. To view our current special offers and and standard discounts, please visit our Specials page.
Our Guarantee
Should you have a breakdown during your charter, we will complete repairs within four hours of notification for any vessel within 20 miles of our charter base.