It's no secret that the health and safety measures onboard a luxury yacht vacation are second to none, but many clients have been asking, "how safe will a charter be during the COVID-19 climate?". While there have been plenty of discussions going on behind the scenes, we wanted to share an update from some of our preferred yacht partners to showcase exactly what measures are being taken to ensure the utmost attention to detail so you can book with confidence.
Rascal, available for charter in Indonesia
For those looking to head over to Indonesia and the Pacific, we spoke with Nikko Karki, Director of Indo Yachts. "Before a charter, we will be testing crew members three weeks before a charter and then ensuring they are largely self-isolating on the yacht before sailing. We’ll do another test of the whole crew a week before the charter. In addition to increased attention to sanitation, the crew will also extend caution when interacting with suppliers and officials. In addition, the crew will be tested for COVID, not just temperature checks, and will require two negative COVID test results before coming into contact with guests. All of the yachts have access to PPE and are by habit cleaned constantly so are immaculately clean at all times." One of the most favoured aspects of a yacht charter is, of course, privacy. "We can be fairly certain that on charters we will not have contact with any people, so that is definitely on our side to limit exposure," concludes Karki.
Firefly, available in the Mediterranean
In the Mediterranean, Dawn Mooney of West Nautical assures us that they are taking similar measures through a 'Best Practices Guide' in use on all of their yachts. "From pre-boarding health and COVID contact questionnaires, daily temperature checks of the crew, and regular deep cleaning and disinfecting of the entire yacht with a minimum three-day gap between charters to ensure a total sanitization, to crew wearing PPE, and limiting third parties onboard," the team is ensuring every aspect has been addressed before a client joins the yacht. The Med is slowly reopening with both Croatia and Greece recently announcing tourism re-open dates with more sure to follow suit.
Cedar Island, available in the US, Bahamas and Caribbean
Americans looking to book closer to home, similar operations are being taken on yachts available across the US, Bahamas and Caribbean. As partner Dhardra Blake of LuxuryDayCharters.com shares, "each yacht currently has their own guidelines in place for handling upcoming charters in the post-COVID-19 landscape. These include strict cleaning and disinfecting policies in place, daily temperatures being taken for the crew and any clients joining the yacht, as well as guests wearing their own masks should they wish, and requesting that of the crew as well."
Your yacht crew are used to the meticulous attention to detail that goes hand in hand with working within this high service industry. As such, they are taking the risks of COVID-19 very seriously to ensure their own safety and that of every guest that comes onboard. If you're looking for a way to escape safely with your friends and family, please don't hesitate in contacting us to see how we can help!
