FAQs
General Questions: Wine and Catamaran Club
The archipelago lends itself to leisure sailing, for which catamarans are perfectly suited. The legs between the islands are extremely manageable, with line of sight sailing on our first day from Capo d’Orlando to Vulcano a particular comfort for newcomers to the sailing experience. This means being able to see your next destination steadily come into view right from the outset. Our average legs are around three hours per day – we always try to use the sails as much as possible to minimise our environmental impact. The conditions in September, our sailing month, are tremendous. The air is warm without being overbearing and the sea is delightful to swim in; often you’ll find a refreshing breeze blowing across the decks in the evening.
Two private vineyard tours on Salina and Lipari. Tenuta di Capofaro on Salina and Tenuta di Castellaro on Lipari.
Tenuta di Capofaro on Salina: Each catamaran has a designated driver who will bring our guests to the Tenuta di Capofaro and back to their catamaran. The tour of vineyard is limited to eight guests at any time, ensuring that each small group has enough time for the full Tenuta di Capofaro experience. The tour of the vineyard is followed by a private tasting of six wines, one from each of the Tasca d’Almerita estates. To round off the day at the Tenuta di Capofaro lunch is prepared by Chef Ludovico De Vivo and his team.
Tenuta di Castellaro on Lipari: Each catamaran has a designated driver who brings our guests to the Tenuta di Castellaro and back to their catamaran. The programme of the day includes an extensive tour of the vineyard, the winery and the cellar. After the tour, guests gather along the panoramic terrace at the vineyard with views of all the Aeolian Islands and enjoy an aperitivo and sunset wine tasting. The programme for the evening includes dinner catered by the Filippino Restaurant at the vineyard followed by live music.
Guests can book by the cabin for either double or single occupancy on the following catamarans only: Lagoon 46, Lagoon 50 and Lagoon 52. These catamarans have four cabins.
The Lagoon 42 is available for exclusive charters with a maximum of six guests. This catamaran has three cabins.
Would you prefer to charter a catamaran with your family, friends or colleagues?
All five catamarans can be booked for exclusive charters. The Lagoon 42 can accommodate up to six guests. Both of our Lagoon 46 plus the 50 and 52 can accommodate up to eight guests.
We’ll be offering a free-cancellation policy up until the end of May 2021. We hope that it is an unlikely scenario, but in the event that borders are shut between the UK and Italy on either side, we’d transfer bookings to 2022, honouring 2021 pricing.
In order to book your cabin or catamaran, we require a 30% deposit and the 70% outstanding balance is due no later than 45 days prior to your embarkation date.
Speak to one of our team about our payment protection plans.
Depending on the choice of catamaran, your holiday includes either the cost of your individual cabin or the exclusive use of the catamaran plus all running costs including a crew of two.
Breakfast is served daily by your steward chef.
Open bar, comprising 72 bottles of hand-picked premium whites, reds, rosés and sparkling wine. Selection of soft drinks and water included.
Day 1: Dinner at The King of Fish restaurant on Vulcano including complimentary soft drinks and wine.
Day 2: Dinner prepared by your steward chef on board your catamaran in Salina.
Day 3: Private wine tour of the Capofaro Vineyard Estate in Salina. Exclusive wine tasting of six wines from the six Tasca d’Almerita Estates. Lunch prepared by Ludovico De Vivo and his team at the Capofaro Vineyard Estate.
Day 4: Lunch prepared by your steward chef on board your catamaran with a spellbinding view of Stromboli. Dinner prepared by the steward chef on board your catamaran in Panarea.
Day 5: Dinner at restaurant Da Adelina in Panarea including complimentary soft drinks and wine.
Day 6: Private Wine Tour of the Tenuta di Castellaro Vineyard Estate. Sunset wine tasting with panoramic views of all Aeolian Islands. Dinner catered by Filippino Restaurant at the Vineyard followed by live music. Soft drinks and wine are included throughout the course of dinner.
Day 7: Light lunch prepared by your steward chef on board your catamaran.
Insurance
Personal travel Insurance
Travel
Flights to Catania or Palermo
Transfers from Catania or Palermo to Capo D’Orlando
Car Rental from Catania or Palermo to Capo D’Orlando
Meals
Day 2: Lunch at leisure in Vulcano
Day 3: Dinner at leisure in Salina
Day 5: Lunch at leisure in Panarea
Day 6: Lunch at leisure in Lipari
All dietary requirements should be informed at the time of booking.
Preferences for breakfast, lunch and dinner on board or at any of our events or selected restaurants can be tailored to your dietary needs.
We will ensure that your steward chef along with chefs at the events and restaurants are informed of your preferences.
Travel duffle bag recommended instead of suitcases. Suitcases can’t be stored on boad.
Passport and travel insurance documents
Comfortable casual clothing for the day
Polo shirts or casual short-sleeve shirts and smart shorts for vineyard visits
Blouses and skirts; shorts; light-weight trousers
Chic clothes for events and the evening
Long / short sleeve shirts and chinos or smart shorts
Blouses & skirts; dresses; trousers
Swimwear with kimonos/kaftans to be covered easily
Sunhats
Sunglasses
Sunscreen (high SPF of 30 or higher)
Mosquito repellent
Global travel adapter
Lightweight binoculars
Folding walking stick if required
Small waterproof daypack
Motion sickness tablets
Prescriptions and medication
Flip flops
Soft soled deck shoes
Trainers for walking and sports
We aim to maximise the use of sails, this is subject to safety and operational requirements.
While our catamarans are underway, we ensure that nothing non biodegradable is thrown overboard.
We ensure that biodegradable waste is disposed of in accordance with MARPOL (The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships).
We use paper that is either recycled or manufactured from sustainably managed forests.
We ensure that our waste is separated when appropriate and disposed of at facilities specifically provided for yachts.
When ashore, we leave each site cleaner than when we arrive.
We provide sunscreen that is free from oxybenzone and octinoxate. This is for optional use.
We purchase fresh and locally produced foods for all meals that are prepared on board by the steward chef.
Actually, the small numbers we have on board each catamaran have slightly worked in our favour in terms of cruising. Apart from the enhanced cleaning procedures we’ll have on board, our visits to the vineyards are exclusive to us so there won’t be other visitors there at the same time. We’re able to operate dining and on-shore activities in bubbles if required. With each catamaran’s capacity at a maximum of 10 people including skipper and chef, if required in August/September 2021, guests would remain in catamaran bubbles during visits to vineyards and other on-shore activities.
On the first day of the tour, our crew will carry out a safety briefing for all customers which is mandatory to attend. In the very rare event of an emergency all our catamarans are linked through VHF communication. All catamarans are equipped with emergency life-rafts and emergency kits, as well as fire extinguishers.
Stringent cleaning procedures are already in-place across all boats globally for the well-being of our crew and guests. These will be further enhanced to meet government guidelines in the UK and Italy which are in place in July 2021 in relation to the COVID pandemic. These will include temperature checks prior to boarding; hand-sanitising stations in public areas; additional deep cleans of public areas including decks; social distancing if required. With each catamaran’s capacity at a maximum of 10 people including skipper and chef, if required in August, guests would remain in their catamaran social ‘bubbles’ during visits to vineyards and other on-shore activities.
In case of a medical emergency we have 24/7 emergency telephone support and there are medical facilities on all islands which we visit, as well as a hospital on Lipari.
General Questions: Yacht Charters
Our customers book with confidence and are always delighted with our delivery. Our partnerships with certified yacht charter companies cross borders and continents. For further information on how to book with SailSterling, email us at info@sailsterling.com or give us a call for a free consultation on your next charter.
If you wish to charter a boat without a skipper, then yes. In the Caribbean, Seychelles and Cuba, a sailing resume will often suffice. We offer skippered charters should you not have a sailing license. If you are unsure whether your sailing license is valid for your particular destination of choice, please get in touch and we shall verify it.
We can provide the following on request: skipper, blister, gennaker, spinnaker, outboard engine, additional charts, food provisioning, transfer to the marina, flight connections (commercial flights or jet charters). If there is anything you require, just let us know and we will do our best to meet your every requirement.
This depends on the yacht charter company. Those that do allow pets on board the yacht charge an additional cleaning fee. Please contact us to find out on which yachts and under which conditions pets may be permitted on board.
We can only offer weekend charters as early as 1 week or 2 weeks prior to your planned date. Yacht charter companies prefer renting their boats for a minimum of 1 week, hence why short term charters can only be considered nearer to the planned date. For charters that fall before and after the season (April & October), short term charters are more likely. We recommend that you contact us in a timely manner, allowing us to select the ideal yacht for your charter.
Many of the certified yacht charter companies that we work together with offer early booking deals. These deals are available for a limited period of time. Beyond that, it is up to the yacht charter company to decide whether they will apply further discounts to the boat price. This includes special discounts and last minute discounts. For multiple week charters there are always discounts and these are available throughout the year. For clients that have booked with us before, take advantage of our loyalty programme. We offer packages that deliver the best product at the best available price with the best charter conditions. Book with us and see what it means to be a member of the SailSterling nautical family.
As soon as the initial payment is made, you will receive a booking confirmation and from that point onwards you enter into a contractual agreement with the yacht charter company. In the event that you cannot go ahead with the charter, we encourage you to let us know immediately. This will guarantee that the cancellation fees are kept at a minimum. Cancellations that fall within the period leading to the second payment (as outlined in your booking confirmation and charter conditions), then the initial payment outlined in the contract is payable. Should you cancel after the due date for the second payment, then the full charter amount is payable. We will assist you in trying to find a charterer that may be interested in renting the yacht with the same conditions, however we cannot guarantee that the yacht will be chartered. In the event that an alternative charterer is found, you will receive the payment minus the handling costs of minimum 20% of the total charter fee. We recommend that you opt for travel insurance.
We cannot provide you with an answer that is applicable to all worldwide charter destinations. Additional costs will depend on the boat, charter company and the sailing area. Obligatory additional costs are the extras, such as the final cleaning, and in some cases the bed linens, towels or an outboard engine. SailSterling will provide a detailed account of the extras. We advise our charterers to consider the total cost of chartering a yacht including the extras, rather than just the yacht price.
Payments are split in two instalments. The first payment is 50% of the yacht price to confirm the booking. The second payment is due 30 days prior to your departure date, this totals the outstanding balance of the yacht price. In some cases the extras are due together with the two instalments. The exact amounts and deadlines for payments are outlined in the booking confirmation and the charter conditions.
Speak to one of our team to find out about our payment protection plans.
We have to provide the yacht charter company with the crew list at least 30 days prior to your departure date. This limits the potential for an over-occupancy on the yacht. Moreover, in the event of an emergency, we are able to provide the rescue services with a specific passenger list. Likewise, you must submit your sailing qualifications in advance so that we can double check them before forwarding them on to the charter company. If you do not have the relevant qualifications, we will still have time to provide you with possible solutions, such as hiring a skipper.
This must be clarified in advance. Many charters are safety-approved only for the berths in the cabins, even if the shipyard also includes the saloons. So you can only have as many crew members as cabin sleeping places on some charters. If you arrive at the marina with a larger crew, the yacht charter company reserves the right to deny you access to the yacht. It is, therefore, in your interest to speak to us first regarding any questions you may have about occupancy in the saloon.
The majority of charter companies have fixed check-in times. These can generally be found in your charter contract. Normally, the previous crew will check out on the Saturday morning. Then the yacht is cleaned inside and outside and prepared for the new crew. This can take some time depending on the size of the yacht. We recommend contacting the charter company on the day of your arrival to ask for an earlier check-in. Our partners do their best to have the yacht ready for you as early as possible. Early check-ins are more likely outside of the high season. Note: some charter companies offer early check-in as a premium service which can be booked in advance.
Yes, as long as the yacht is available in the week prior to your charter or the week following your charter, you can of course extend your trip. However, this can only be arranged at short notice, 7 days before the start of the trip. The charter company will determine the cost of the additional days. If you wish to arrive the evening before, the charter company will leave the boat open for you. A prerequisite is, of course, that the yacht is available. The handover is then scheduled for the following morning. Any further details will be discussed in advance on a charter to charter basis.
Your yacht must always be returned clean and in a tidy state. Please make sure that the rubbish is brought from the yacht to the bins in the marina and that all dishes are clean. Everything must be put back neatly in its place. The charter company will then carry out the final cleaning.
Skippers are available on all of our yacht charters. The skippers are both experienced and professional. The skipper is responsible for your safety on board and ensuring that you have an unforgettable experience. Skippers have extensive knowledge of the sailing area. We encourage you to draw upon this and make the most of your charter. If you have any language preferences, please let us know. Note: the skipper will require their own cabin and will have their meals covered by the charterer.
The skipper is calculated per day. This ranges from 100€ to 160€ on sailing boats and 150€ to 220€ on catamarans. The cost of a skipper on a motor yacht depends on the sailing area and the model of the yacht.
Absolutely, yes. You may choose your skipper from a pool of available skippers with the charter company that is managing your boat. Once you have made your reservation, the skipper contact details will be shared with you. Please bear in mind that the skippers are always out at sea, so don’t be disappointed if you have to wait a couple of days before you receive a response.
The yacht will be handed over to you by the yacht charter manager. Check-in takes place on Saturdays at 17:00. In most cases, the yacht charter manager will do their utmost to allow you to board the yacht earlier. The yacht must be returned to the marina by 18:00 on the night before your departure. However, in some cases the charter company will agree for you to return the yacht back to the marina early on Saturday morning. This must be clarified in advance; check-in and check-out may be tailored to suit your travel plans. In the event that you arrive at the marina late at night when the office has closed, the charter manager will make sure that you have access to the yacht and check-in will then take place on the following morning. Once you confirm your booking, you will receive a map with detailed information about the marina and meeting places, as well as the names and phone numbers of your contact person at the marina.
The security deposit is usually paid by VISA, Mastercard or in cash on site (first day of the charter). The conditions for the security deposit are set out in the charter contract by the yacht charter company. Some yacht charter companies accept only cash payments. The security deposit is returned after the charter, subject to the yacht being inspected and returned with no damages.
All yachts are covered by liability insurance.
As a rule, all yachts available for charter are adequately insured against loss or damage. Nevertheless, there are some risks that are not covered by the insurance. Along with the charter contract, we will send you information on possible additional insurance, such as travel insurance, skipper insurance and security deposit insurance. We always recommend that you also opt for travel insurance. Please note that even if you purchase security deposit insurance, you will still have to pay the security deposit. Please contact our partners European Insurance Services directly if you have any further questions.
Any issues should be noted down and recorded so that they may be discussed with the charter company on returning the yacht to the marina. In most cases, you will be able to come to an agreement with the charter company on an appropriate amount of compensation. For example, they may wave the fee for the final cleaning of the yacht.
Your first point of contact for problems is the charter company or a designated representative from the charter company. If you are unable to reach someone from the charter company, then you can also call us – we will take care of your request. Most charter companies have special telephone numbers for clients to use during the charter. These can be found in your charter folder onboard.
Our travel consultants dedicate their time to preparing bespoke yachting itineraries for you and your loved ones. Whether it be an afternoon on land full of adventure, exploring cultural sites on a private tour or relaxing with a glass of wine and some local cuisine, simply let us know what you like to do on holiday and we’ll do the rest.
