Charter Booking Procedure
How to Charter a Boat
For any event, preparation is key. Whether you’re organising a small family get together, a day out on the harbour with friends, or a high-end corporate event, our guide below will walk you through the process of bringing your event idea to life.
The Initial Process
It’s true when people say ‘the early bird gets the worm’, or in this case, the boat. Getting in early to reserve a vessel and a date is one of the most critical factors in planning your event – especially the charter date is in Summer. Coming in to Spring and Summer, our boats are often booked out fast for birthdays and Christmas Parties over the festive season. By getting organised early, you will have more options available for your event, and even more time to plan it out with us. The team at Flagship Cruises strive to ensure that you and your group have the best time possible on beautiful Sydney Harbour, and we will do everything from suggesting vessels for you right down to helping you choose the right location to board your boat. Let’s get started!
Finding the Right Boat
Once you have an idea of the approximate guest number for your charter, you can go straight to the Boats section of our website where you can enter the type of event you are planning e.g. Christmas Party, Birthday, Wedding, Hens (the list goes on) and how many guests will likely attend. Just like that, vessel options for your event will pop up. Alternatively, you can call our friendly staff in the office on (02) 9555 5901 and we will be more than happy to discuss everything over the phone and suggest the absolute best option(s) for you.
Making an Enquiry
Now that you have an idea of the type of vessel you would like to book, you can submit an enquiry online, or make an over the phone enquiry with one of our experienced staff. Please make sure you include the date, time, approximate passenger numbers, as well as the nature of the event, as this will help us to narrow down the perfect vessel for you based on availability and suitability.
Securing Your Vessel
When the vessel you’ve chosen to charter has been determined, our staff will put a tentative hold on the vessel for you and send over a deposit invoice. In order to secure the vessel for a particular date and time, 50% of the total amount must be paid as a deposit. Once your deposit payment has been received you will be sent a confirmation email, and the boat is secured for your chosen date and time.
Catering, Beverages and Entertainment
To ensure that your charter runs smoothly and is enjoyable and hassle-free, all details of your charter including number of guests, menus and beverage selection will need to be confirmed with us no later than one (1) week prior to your cruise, as this is when your final payment will be due.
A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
Flagship Cruises maintains an excellent reputation as one of Sydney’s leading yacht charter agencies. We strive to ensure that your entire charter with us runs smoothly from start to finish, and that you and your guests thoroughly enjoy cruising our glorious harbour. Your best interests and the interests of the Captain and Crew are always of upmost importance to us, therefore we take the following steps to ensure everyone is satisfied and happy:
Bonds – For certain charters, we require a security bond. The amount of the bond is determined by the number of guests on board and the nature of your event. This bond is held for any potential damages or harm to the vessel during the charter. Providing there is no incident, the bond is promptly released to the charterer.
BYO Charters – Many people are extremely keen to get out on the Harbour with their mates and relax in the sun with a few drinks, but what some don’t realise is that guests will get hungry eventually. For all BYO charters, the charterer must supply substantial food for all guests on board. A classic, easy option is a BBQ sausage sizzle, as most of our BYO vessels have a BBQ on board, and if you’re lucky, the crew on the day might even cook your food for you! Alternatively, you can grab a box of hot lamb, pork, potatoes and buns from somewhere like the Hellenic Bakery in Marrickville and bring this on board with you. Simple platters of cheese, meats, fruit and crackers are also a favourite to have on board for guests to graze on.
Final Guest Numbers – It is important that the final numbers for all charters are confirmed no later than 1 week before your charter date. The caterer will need to be notified, and if guest numbers significantly increase or decrease, we will need to re-organise staff.
Payments – It is important that all charters are paid for on time. Once we receive final guest numbers and any other amendments, we will send a final invoice to the charterer. This invoice requires settlement 7 days prior to the cruise.
If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team in the office on (02) 9555 5901, or send an email through to mail@flagshipcruises.com.au and one of our booking consultants will be in touch with you shortly!