Booking Procedures & FAQ's| 1. Booking Procedures and Conditions | Back to Top |
| If you wish to book a charter holiday or a day trip, and you know the yacht is available, please, email us to confirm your booking. You will then receive an invoice stating the amounts to be paid: the Deposit 30% (50% for Bavaria Yachts and other variations apply) and the Final Payment 70% (50% for Bavaria Yachts). The Deposit is due no later than 7 days after the invoice has been sent. After paying the Deposit, please, inform us of your payment. We will immediately send you a confirmation by email upon receiving the Deposit. The Final Payment of the invoice is to be paid no later than 60 days before the departure date of your charter. | |
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| Booking is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3 | |
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Please note: |
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| - more than 12 weeks before the charter date - between 12 and 8 weeks before the charter date - between 8 and 4 weeks before charter date - within 4 weeks of the charter date |
-> you pay 30% of the total charter fee -> you pay 50% of the total charter fee -> you pay 80% of the total charter fee -> you pay 100% of charter fee. |
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We strongly recommend obtaining cancellation insurance! We also recommend that guests obtain holiday insurance covering the activities and sports they intend to undertake. Itineraries
Where itineraries are given they may be subject to change due to weather conditions or other circumstances. The final decision regarding the itinerary lies with the skipper of the charter. In all cases safety aboard has priority. Information Provided Equipment Breakdowns
A modern yacht contains many pieces of machinery and equipment, which have to work in a marine environment. Although the yachts are very well maintained, equipment breakdown can still occur. As long as the quality of the trip is not unduly affected in the event of equipment breakdown, such a breakdown by itself is no ground for complaint. Complaints
Should a guest have a complaint they should inform the skipper of the yacht, or in case of bareboat charter the guest should inform the shore base. The skipper (or the shore base) will do the utmost to rectify the problem. Complaints, which have not first been expressed to the skipper (or to the shore base in case of bareboat charter) can not be taken into consideration. We reserve the right to change any of the above as circumstances dictate without prior notice.
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| 2. How do I book a charter yacht? | Back to Top |
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Charter enquiry In either case, please give as much details as possible. We will personally reply to you within 12 hours. The people of the Faraway Team are based in Phuket, where most of the charter yachts are located. We will work closely with you to put together an itinerary, including any special requirements you may have. All of us are experienced sailors and have been working in yacht charter and diving for many years. We are happy to advise you on any question you may have, whether it concerns the yachts, the cruising area, sailing with children, things to do, Thai and European catering, dive sites, weather conditions, local travel arrangements, etc ... Here is how you can contact us: Please, keep in mind that many of our charters are often booked 6 months in advanced, so it is better not to leave your inquiry to the last minute. Book your yacht Before you arrive here A few weeks before your charter, we will send you a Preference Sheet, through which you can indicate your wishes for the catering: preferred breakfast and cuisine, vegetarian mails, special dietary requirements, wines, your favourite sun downer drink ... Also we like to know more about the guests on board, ages of children, sizes for dive equipment. And you can ask us to arrange the pick up from the airport or your hotel. When you arrive here At the end of your trip Sounds OK? What are you waiting for? Send us an email ! Related FAQ's and links: |
| 3. What are the charter options? | Back to Top |
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Choose the Service Level that you like.
1. Bareboat Charter 2. Bareboat Charter with Engineer/guide For crewed yacht charter Phuket please click the link, also available are high end luxury charters Phuket The most important thing is to get in touch with us as soon as possible and communicate your special wishes early. With enough warning, most things are possible. Related FAQ's or links: |
| 4. Why take a charter vacation with Faraway? | Back to Top |
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Simply because its the greatest vacation on Earth! Why with Faraway? |
| 5. How do charter holidays compare with land-based vacations? | Back to Top |
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Much better: total freedom and variety in a perfect setting. The yacht is many things at once: your hotel, restaurant, bar, swimming pool, favourite lounge place, all in a perfect marine setting. And if you wish to go to the next destination: you and your group can decide where to go and when to go, the yacht is yours.
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| 6. What activities are available? | Back to Top |
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Water sports All our yachts have equipment on board for water sports activities. These include snorkeling, kayaking, fishing and of course the main activity sailing. On many of the yachts, Scuba Diving is also available on request. Some of the yachts offer additional activities such as: water skiing, surfing or wind surfing. Land based activities - rock climbing in Phi Phi Island, Raile Beach (Krabi) Related FAQ's or links |
| 7. What will the food be like? | Back to Top |
| Yummy and plenty! The cooks on the yachts are excellent. Your best bet is to let them do what they do best, and sit back and enjoy the magic. Sailing builds up a healthy appetite. We have developed a reputation over the years for providing exquisite meals and we are proud of this. We pay particular attention to the freshness of meals aboard, working hard to maintain their quality, variety and creativeness. Fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood all prepared in the Asian style are standard fare. Vegetarian dishes are our specialty and dietary requirements can be catered for. We also know what kids like to eat and drink, they will be very pleased. |
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Each morning starts with a hearty breakfast (Asian, European or American) with plenty of fresh fruit. Lunch is often enjoyed at leisure at an anchorage out-doors on deck under the awning. or perhaps under way in the saloon. Before you start on your evening meal on board, there are snacks or a fresh fruit platter in the afternoon. And don't forget your sun downer when the sun is at a 10 degree angle to the horizon. On some occasions a sumptuous beach barbeque is offered. And of course feel free to venture ashore to taste the local cuisine if you are tempted. |
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With notification ahead your particular requirements can be catered for in most cases. In the Preference Sheet that you receive from us before your charter, you can indicate all your special wishes and preferences for food and drinks. Would you like to learn to cook Thai? On many of the yachts the chefs are happy to share their recipes with you and show you how delicious Thai dishes are prepared. You will be able to astonish your friends back home! |
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| 8. Can we bring children? | Back to Top |
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Yes, children love being aboard! Still curious about what kids do on the yachts? Related FAQ's or links: Baby Equipment Rental - www.phuketbabyrentals.com |
| 9. What should we bring? | Back to Top |
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This is all you need for an unforgettable sailing holiday! Clothing Your bags The yachts provide bedding, sheets and towels. |
| 10. Are there pirates in Thailand? | Back to Top |
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YES, but they are very small!!. We understand that this is a genuine concern of many people unfamiliar with the waters around Thailand. It is with the utmost confidence that we can say: There is NO piracy whatsoever in the areas we charter (Northern Malaysia, Thailand and Burma) as is also clear from the on-line piracy reports from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO, click here to go to the web site of the IMO on the topic of piracy). The last act of piracy in the Andaman Sea around Thailand was recorded over 60 years ago. |
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Hints, tips, and why it's generally a good idea! |
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It is our own, firsthand experience of the unexpected which gives rise to our strongly stated recommendation to take out trip insurance. For many different reasons; medical, loss of baggage, delays, other unforeseen circumstances which may cause you to cancel entirely - we've seen many varieties. Yes, it does add to total trip cost - but then so does household insurance add to the cost of your home! We are not going to think you foolhardy if you decide not to take out insurance; it's a personal choice to accept the risk of the unexpected or not. Here are some links to insurance companies whom we have researched, and appear to offer adaptable and thorough policies; plus some which come specifically recommended from past clients. All of these offer policies you can take out online; or most travel agents can also issue them. Please note, we have no affiliation with nor derive any commission from any of these companies, and take no responsibility in the event of disputes arising with any of them; these are purely suggested links which we hope will help you in your travel-planning. Why do I need travel insurance at all? It has long been a source of great surprise to us at Faraway Yachting (several of us being primarily from Europe or Australia) - that many folks from the States don't appear to consider trip insurance when they travel. For us, it's simply part of the expected routine; only if the budget is tight, one sometimes decides to take a calculated risk and no travel insurance. We learned that this was not the case in the States - trip insurance was not an automatically considered option. In fact, we discovered that many people thought they were covered for medical and baggage by their household policies - only to find out the hard way that this cover is often quite inadequate! Of course, this does not apply to ALL household/medical policies; but we'd like to suggest that you do read the small print. Nor are we trying to scare you into thinking "I must have travel insurance!!" - we just want you to be aware of your choices in the matter. Medical insurance is not quite as vital in Thailand and/or Malaysia as it would be, eg, for a non-US citizen visiting the States. Both these countries have State-run medical facilities which are usually very good. In fact, one often does not even pay at all for minor treatment. However, for any major medical emergency, most people would still want the facility to be flown home, ASAP - a bill that could be shockingly high. Ask a couple of our clients who had motorbike spills last year; one in particular requiring a helicopter airlift - we know how glad this guy was of his travel insurance policy! To Explode a Few Insurance Myths No-one is going to cover you if you just change your mind at the last minute. But most policies will cover you if there is a serious change of circumstances not under your control, such as a death/medical emergency in your family/your travel companion, loss of employment, problems with airlines. Many companies even offer compensation if you are delayed because of the weather ! Fortunately, extreme weather conditions in Thailand/Malaysia are very rare, but there was once a time when the winds were so strong that some clients were stuck in Bangkok for 2 days. The insurance company paid up for their loss of sailing time uncomplainingly. The "Change Your Mind" clause One very useful item to note is the "Change Your Mind" clause now offered by several companies, which gives up to $250 compensation towards non-refundable deposits if you simply change your mind. If You're Going To Do It - Do It Soon!! If you're going to get travel insurance at all - it pays to get it as soon as you book your trip. Any trip, not just ours! This does vary between companies, and not all companies offer these "extras" - but be aware that by taking out the policy within 7 days of paying your initial trip deposit MAY give you this Change Your Mind option; it may also mean coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Check out your chosen policy carefully! And finally, we're always happy to hear reports of travel insurance companies, good or bad! - if you have any experiences or recommendations, we'd love to hear them. |
