Cameron Bray​

ARTICLE | AUGUST 2026 First Time Chartering a Yacht? Here’s Everything You Need to Know Step aboard with confidence. Let us show you how extraordinary your first yacht charter can be. Make an Enquiry Home | Superyacht News | First Time Yacht Charter Guide Whether you’re planning a birthday in the Med, a family trip in the Whitsundays, or just exploring the idea of a yacht holiday, this guide will walk you through it all. How it works, what it’s like, and why The Superyacht People make it easier than you think. First Time Yacht Charter Guide Chartering a yacht for the first time is something else. It’s private, flexible, and unlike any other kind of trip. No strict schedule, no crowds, just the freedom to explore your way. It’s totally normal to feel unsure about how it all works. We’re here to guide you through it and make things feel simple from the start. New to all of this? No worries. This guide covers everything from choosing a yacht to what it’s actually like once you’re on board. Make an Enquiry What Makes a Yacht Charter Different? Some holidays are about the destination. A luxury yacht charter is about the journey. Imagine waking to the gentle sound of the ocean, stepping out onto the deck as the sun rises over a secluded bay. Your coffee is already waiting, prepared exactly the way you like it. There are no crowds, no schedules and no rush to secure the best spot by the pool. All you have on your to do list today is enjoy the endless views and the feeling that comes with a day that’s entirely your own. Complete Privacy Your private yacht and onboard spaces are shared only with the people you choose. DEDICATED SERVICE Your dedicated crew takes care of navigation, dining, activities and every detail on board. FREEDOM TO EXPLORE Explore several destinations in comfort, from secluded islands to remarkable coastlines. TAILORED TO YOU Your itinerary, menus and days are shaped entirely around your interests and preferred pace. How Does a Yacht Charter Work? Put simply, a charter is a private yacht with crew, service, and an itinerary all tailored to you. It’s not a hotel at sea. It’s your space to move at your own rhythm, private, personalised, and completely yours. You’re in control. Choose where you cruise, what you eat, and how you spend each day. One might start with sunrise yoga, the next with diving in the Whitsundays or a long lunch in Santorini. Make an Enquiry Explore Our Website Finding the Right Yacht There is no single “best” yacht. The right choice depends on where you want to go, who you are travelling with and how you imagine spending your time on board. Beyond size and style, consider the cabin arrangement, outdoor spaces, cruising capabilities, water toys and crew. A family may prioritise flexible cabins and easy water access, while guests planning a remote itinerary will need longer range and different capabilities. Your dates, destination, preferred activities and budget will help narrow the options. From there, our team can recommend the yachts that genuinely suit the charter you have in mind. Explore All Yachts Motor Yacht From approximately USD 50,000 per week Fast, effortless cruising, generous spaces and modern comfort on board. Discover Motor Yachts Sailing Yachts From approximately USD 25,000 per week Life under sail, refined interiors and the comforts of modern cruising. Discover Sailing Yachts Luxury Catamarans From approximately USD 35,000 per week Stable cruising, broad deck spaces and easy water access for island-hopping and family charters. DISCOVER CATAMARANS Expedition Yachts From approximately USD 100,000 per week Long-range capability, robust design and onboard comfort for exploring remote coastlines and travelling further. Discover Expedition Yachts Explore All Yachts Understanding the Full Charter Cost The advertised weekly rate is the starting point. To understand the full cost of your charter, you will also need to account for APA, local taxes and crew gratuity. Before booking, our team will provide a clear breakdown of the expected costs for your chosen yacht and itinerary. Base Rate Includes the yacht, professional crew and use of its standard onboard facilities. APA Covers variable expenses such as fuel, food and beverages, marina fees and itinerary-related costs. Any remaining funds are reconciled at the end of the charter. Local Taxes Taxes vary depending on the destination, cruising area and applicable local regulations. Where and When to Charter Where you go will shape the pace of your charter, the activities available and even the type of yacht best suited to the journey. Timing matters too, as most cruising regions have distinct charter seasons. Some guests begin with a destination already in mind, while others start with preferred dates or the kind of holiday they want. Our team can help bring these elements together and recommend the region that best fits your plans. Explore All Destinations The Mediterranean France • Italy • Greece • Croatia • Turkey • Balearics Historic ports, island anchorages and long lunches ashore, with diverse coastlines and cultures waiting at every stop along the way. Best time to go: May to OctoberDiscover The Mediterranean The Caribbean British Virgin Islands • St Barths • Antigua • Grenadines • Bahamas Warm water, white-sand islands and relaxed cruising, with colourful reefs, sheltered bays and lively communities to explore at your pace. Best time to go: December to AprilDiscover The Caribbean The South Pacific Fiji • French Polynesia • Tonga • Vanuatu • Papua New Guinea Clear lagoons, extraordinary marine life and remote islands, where the yacht becomes your route into places few travellers ever reach. Best time to go: May to OctoberDiscover The South Pacific Further Afield Indonesia • Palau • Maldives • Alaska • Norway • Antarctica From tropical atolls to glaciers and polar coastlines, these journeys open up some of the world’s remarkable and remote regions. Best time to go: Varies by destinationDiscover All Destinations Explore All Destinations Why Charter a Yacht Instead of Booking a

ARTICLE | AUGUST 2025 Somewhere Between Tahiti and Bora Bora: Cam Onboard BIG SKY A seven-day trip through French Polynesia’s cruising grounds with BIG SKY and The Superyacht People Make an Enquiry Home | Superyacht News | Somewhere Between Tahiti and Bora Bora: Cam Onboard BIG SKY​ Cam, our founder, recently embarked on a relaxed seven-day charter through French Polynesia aboard BIG SKY. Hosted by The Superyacht People, the trip was designed to showcase the yacht, the crew, and the destination in their element — no set itinerary, just good people and a loose plan to explore Moorea, Huahine, Tahaa and Raiatea. Read on for a look at the week and hear from the guests on what made BIG SKY and French Polynesia so memorable. DAY 1 Moorea An early morning departure from Papeete and a comfortable 2 hour cruise across to Opunohu Bay in Moorea. We anchored in deep blue water with sheer volcanic mountains bordering you that make it feel like a scene in Jurassic Park. Breakfast on board while the crew set the yacht up ready for a day of fun, activity and enjoying the toys. Jet skis, paddleboards, sea bobs, efoil, wakeboarding and snorkelling are just some of the experiences throughout the day. After a shared style grazing lunch, we were back in the water for more activities. The day ended with cocktails in the jacuzzi and Dinner al fresco on the upper deck enjoying the freshest tuna caught that morning. First impressions? “We arrived at 3am and were still greeted with warm towels and a welcome drink. Everyone was smiling. That set the tone for the whole week.”   DAY 2 Moorea Awaken to the sounds of the tropics and enjoy coffee on the sun loungers. After breakfast we jump in the 34ft Nortec chase boat with 2 x 400hp outboard engines, for a fast ride to sting ray city. One of the most incredible experiences of my life, something truly unique with large sting rays and reef sharks swimming around you in waist deep, crystal clear blue water. With our sense of adventure sparked, we return to find the inflatable waterslide setup from the bridge deck, letting our inner child be released, this is way too much fun! The rest of the day was spent enjoying water toys, relaxing with music by the jacuzzi, and sunset cocktails on deck. A more formal dinner tonight saw us enjoy the newly refurbished dining and saloon. Late in the evening the captain ups the anchor for an overnight journey north to the island of Huahine. Trip highlight? “Every day was a highlight! Just when you think it could not possibly get any better, it does.” DAY 3 Huahine & The Motu Today brought one of the most unique cultural experiences of the trip, a private lunch on a remote motu island. The table is set in the edge of the lapping water, the tender delivers you to the shore where locals greet you and adorn you with the traditional woven head piece. Locals are playing the ukelele and singing traditional songs, the BBQ is burning coconut husks in the coals, ready to cook the fresh lobsters and fish caught on the fringing reef this morning. A day spent enjoying local games of spearing a coconut, learning to dehusk and core a coconut, tying a traditional sarong, music, dancing and the feeling of being the only people on earth. Hearts and cups are full while we reminisce about the day under the stars on the sundeck. DAY 4 Tahaa An early departure across to the neighbouring island of Tahaa, only a few hours away, so we can enter the lagoon on sunrise, quite a sight to behold as we navigate around the north side of the island inside the fringing reef. Today we explore the local activities and visit a pearl farm, home of the famous Tahitian black pearl. A local guide takes us through the vanilla farm to see how they’re grown and the care it takes to produce some of the world’s best vanilla. Sunset cocktails as we cruise to our overnight anchorage inside Ha’amene Bay, a deep water anchorage surrounded by sheer cliffs. The crew have dressed the table for a night of fun, it’s time to dance and sing to our hearts content. Favourite way to spend an afternoon? “Sitting in the jacuzzi with a drink in hand and music playing. That was my favourite time of day!” DAY 5 Raiatea It’s time for the snorkelling gear to come out again, charge up the seabobs. We’re diving down to explore the Mamado Turtle, a striking four-metre sculpture by renowned artist Evrad Chaussoy. Sitting three metres below the surface, it’s a surreal addition to the reef. Big Sky has relocated to Raiatea, so a short fast tender ride reunites us with the mothership where we change ready for lunch ashore. We visit the northern village of the island with its distinct French Caribbean feel. After lunch it’s into another incredible anchorage at Fa’aroa bay awaiting our evening departure. Departing in the dark of the night, we head south to Moorea Most memorable meal? “That motu lunch was something else! Crystal-clear water, fresh lobster, and live music on the beach.” DAY 6 Cook’s Bay This visit to Moorea sees us in Cook’s Bay, neighbouring Opunohu Bay, arriving just after sunrise. After breakfast the morning is ours to enjoy the water toys, visit sting ray city again, or relax and unwind as we near the end of the trip. Lunch is a special treat today as our crew take us in the tender a few hundred yards away to the newly opened Cooks Bay hotel. An exquisite restaurant with a private tender dock, relaxed atmosphere of feet in the sand, with a stunning wine list and menu showcasing the freshest of Tahitian ingredients. What made BIG SKY stand out? “The yacht was amazing inside and out, but the crew made the trip. They were always one