There are limitless possibilities for a sailing vacation. Luxury boat charters range from small sailboats to enormous powerboats to suit every price range and individual need. Rather than be a slave to cruise ship itineraries, a crewed yacht charter works to serve you, the client, taking you to any island, port of call or body of water your heart desires.

You can sleep and eat on your boat or stop on land to explore. Not all yacht charters cost a fortune, either. Choosing sailing yachts will make your time more unique regardless of where you’re going be it Mediterranean, the Caribbean, or the Indian Ocean.. There are a few things to keep in mind before you go.

Do you want to be a skipper? This is an important consideration when thinking of a private boat charter. If the answer is “yes,” then be prepared to hand over your boating resume to the charter company, which includes several years of experience sailing the size and type of boat you intend to charter. At www.ebare.com, you can take an assessment to see if you are ready for smooth sailing and to see what your options are if you are not quite prepared.

You may need to take a few boating and safety courses before being allowed to hold supreme power aboard your private yacht. On the day of your charter, some companies may take you out on a demo cruise, where you will demonstrate your knowledge. If you flunk the demo, then the company will place a captain aboard your vessel. If, on the other hand, you pass your demo, then congratulations! You will be commanding your first bareboat charter.

Not everyone is keen on the idea of being responsible for the safety of their guests, plotting the entire route and actually sailing the ship. If you are looking for a more laid-back, hassle-free boating experience, then crewed yacht boat charters is more your speed. Of course your own captain, skipper, crew and chef will cost you extra, but it’s worth it. Your beds will be made every morning, your table set, and your meals made. You will have access to the combined expertise of the crew who will be happy to assist you in planning shore excursions or participating in water activities. Most of the time you won’t see anyone on the boat since the crew quarters are separate. The food is most always sumptuous and tailored to your preferences.

The cost of boat charters is entirely up to you. To make the trip more affordable, many beginners chose to share sailing yachts with a few other couples. Affordable trips can also be taken in a flotilla fleet, which offers a good middle-ground for relatively inexperienced sailors who still crave the privacy of their own boat.

Smaller boats, sailboats and off-season trips all offer deep discounts. Choosing an all-inclusive sailing vacation is a good way to prevent overspending on port stops, food or other unanticipated expenses. As you travel more and more, you will soon be ready to command your own boat, sail on luxury yacht charters or throw an extravagant party aboard a crewed yacht charter!

Consumers of today are being given the privilege of choice. They can customize almost every detail of our luxury vacation, yet also have that package wrapped up as an all-inclusive vacation if so desired. They have tasted the cruise ship lifestyle and have had their fair share of airplanes. Now they want something a little different. Whether it is a vacation, a wedding, a special event or just the journey of a lifetime, luxury yacht charters are the best way to travel and see all the hard-to-reach corners of the world. Before you begin planning, here are a few things you should know about yacht brokers.

A yacht broker makes his or her living off commissions from a number of local charter companies, without costing you extra money. Essentially, the broker acts as your personal travel agent by interviewing crews, looking at boats and researching itineraries. There are more than 200 luxury yacht charter brokerage firms. Before selecting one, be sure they are affiliated with the American Yacht Charter Association, the Charter Yacht Brokers Association or international groups like the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association, and get references.

The yacht brokers will help you choose a crewed yacht that suits your tastes. You may be able to choose a particular cuisine like Italian, French, American, Asian fusion, West Indian or a combination. Perhaps you would like crew members who double as travel agents, armed with the knowledge to help you plan your activities. Or maybe you would like crew members who are also performers, adding to the entertainment of your trip. Planning on kayaking, water-skiing, diving, snorkeling or doing some on shore biking? Let your luxury yacht charter professional know so they can accommodate you. Cabin layouts vary as well. Some have equal amenities in each room, while others have master suites and less luxurious cabins. Brokers will typically issue you a questionnaire before they begin searching.

There are a number of places to find professional brokers. On the east coast, Nicholson Yachts (www.nicholsonyachts.com) and Sanderson Yachting (www.sandersonyachting.com) service Rhode Island. On the west coast, Angela Connery Yacht Charters (www.acyachtcharters.com), Ocean Voyages (www.oceanvoyages.com) and Ann-Wallis White Charter Yacht Consultants (www.awwyachtcharters.com) service Sausalito, California. In Florida you can try Gilman Yachts (www.gilmanyachts.com) serving Fort Lauderdale. Northrop and Johnson Luxury Collection yachts (www.njcharters.com) service San Diego. For a more expansive listing, try the Charter Yacht Brokers Association at www.cyba.net.

There are more than 126,000 new and used boats for sale from 2,533 brokers at the Yacht World website. That is enough to make anyone searching for a sailing yacht feel a little intimidated. What style should you look for? What brands are well known? Which sail boats best fit your particular needs? The prices for new and used sailboats range from $897 for a 10-foot 2003 Hunter Liberty to $148,476,500 for a magnificent 2006 three-sail, 289-foot Maltese Falcon. Here are a few reviews of popular sailboats to help you make a wise selection.

The Feeling 55 is a large offshore-cruising monohull sailing yacht offered by Alliaura Marine that caught the eye of Sail Magazine editors. The twin 55-horsepower diesel engine picks up when the sail-drives lack the wind power to fly. There is good maneuverability for such a wide boat, which houses a large cockpit and a garage-sized saloon with 360-degree sea views, not to mention opulent accommodations. The gorgeous interior houses a wood-finished bar area with sinks and counter space, comfy bench seating and master suites with lots of storage space and a quaint reading lounge. It is no surprise that many luxury yacht charters have added The Feeling 55 to their repertoire. Visit www.williamsandsmithells.co.uk or www.alliaura.com for more information.

Bavaria Yachts is another European builder that prides themselves on innovative designs, speed and comfort. The Bavaria 38 Cruiser sections off areas with stained light mahogany paneled half-walls to give each space a “nook” feel without being overly closed-off. The built-in microwave, stove and kitchen area is modern-looking and practical. There are tucked away lockers in the fore-ship providing a place to stash your stuff. The cabins are not as Elysian as those found on The Feeling 55 sailing yacht, but these little sail boats do the trick for a day out on the water. More information can be found at www.bavariayachts.com.

You may choose to buy a sailing yacht outright, although there are other financing options available to you. Some people opt for fractional ownership, where you own a title to the boat, but you also sign an agreement sharing it with several other titled owners. You can agree to a rotating schedule or work out some other kind of legal arrangement and a cleaning crew will make sure your boat looks brand new every time. Fractional ownership is an affordable way to get bigger, more luxurious new boats at a quarter of the price. You may also decide to rent a boat from a local broker. Often rentals can be found for as low as $495 to $1,000 per month, which is great if you live in any area where the summers are nice but the weather is unpredictable the rest of the year. A sailing charter is yet a third option for people who may not need a sailboat 365 days a year but who wish to go on the occasional sailing vacation. No matter which solution you choose, you will be glad you took the time to enjoy nature and to enjoy the freedom of the open water.

A private yacht charter is a wonderful way to spend a honeymoon or vacation. Instead of hustling through crowded, austere airports, you will be luxuriating on the sunny deck of your own personal boat! Rather than riding a giant party ship with hundreds of people, you will be having the time of your life with just a few of your closest friends. While you’ll need to decide who to bring, what sort of boat to get and when to leave, the hardest decision you will have to make is where to go first.

A Mediterranean private yacht charter has much to offer. In Spain, you can discover the passionate flamingo dancers and proud matadors, sip sangria, eat delicious olives and enjoy modern marinas from Barcelona to Valencia. Euro club goers and party animals can’t miss the amazing entertainment venues on Ibiza, where vibrant beaches are as world renowned as the nightlife. Some of the other Balearic Islands offer a quieter respite, from the secluded beaches of Formentera, to the cobble street village of Cindadella, to the culture-rich fishing village of Mallorca to the National Park on Dragonera. Other Mediterranean destinations include Greece, Croatia, Turkey, France and Italy.

For those chilly winter months, why not take a private yacht charter to the warm Caribbean waters? Travelers come to the Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas for the white sandy beaches, the pleasant trade winds, turquoise waters, West Indian cuisine and fun activities year-round. There are more than 100 Virgin Islands, offering a plethora of coves for snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving, surfing, marine-life watching and lounging.

On the shores, you will enjoy dancing, frozen blender drinks, crafts from local artisans and the dramatic mountain peak topography. In the Bahamas, you can feast on spicy cuisine, fish on beautiful beaches, snorkel underwater grottos, gaze upon a habitat of 60,000 flamingos, star gaze the midnight skies, dance in nightclubs and splash around at the world-renowned Atlantis water-park and culture center. A sailing charter in the Cayman Islands will whisk you away to the famous Seven Mile Beach (one of the best in the world!), the historic Pedro St. James castle, scuba diving shipwrecks in Cayman Brac, bird watching the rare red-footed Booby on Little Cayman and partaking in the museums and shops of George Town. Nothing beats the winter blues like a Caribbean yacht excursion!

Now that you are ready to take that private yacht charter, you are probably wondering where to find one. All of these sailing vacation destinations are available at www.inthewild.org, www.1800sailaway.com, www.yacht-charters.tv and www.internationalyachtchartergroup.com. The cost of private yacht charters vary greatly. Prices depend upon the time of year, the type and size of the yacht, crew requirements and the number of people you bring. Keep in mind that power yachts cost more than sailing yachts due to fuel costs. You can find week-long charters for as little as $1,000 per person for a group of four or $1,800 per couple, including your boat, crew, captain, chef, food and drinks included. Great deals can be found on small intimate cabin charters if you don’t mind a handful of other people. As well, trips during the off season may save you 10% or more.

Choosing a charter yacht is easy if you grew up sailing before you could walk. Your father hoisted you up on his strong biceps and showed you how to open a sail. Your uncle chuckled with a frothy mug of beer and belabored the importance of cleaning and winterizing power boats for storage. You owned fishing boats with outboard motors, sail boats and racing catamaran at one point. Now you are ready for a sailing vacation. You understand that choosing the right boat is essential to your enjoyment of the trip. Of course, not of all us were so lucky, so here is a quick guide to choosing which yacht charter to take.

A sailboat charter is a great choice if you want the ocean, the wind and the marine life to be part of your whole travel experience. Yet, it is not about getting where you are going. For you it is about the journey. You can coast leisurely during calm weather or be whisked away with the trade-winds, feeling the breeze through your hair and the mist on your face. You enjoy learning to raise the sail, ducking so you don’t whack your head on the boom occasionally and coasting over the waves with natural wind power. Sail boats provide exhilarating rides and the price is right, although they may not be for everyone. When they speed up, the boat may tilt to the left a little and provide a wilder ride for novices. There is also less space on a sailing charter than what the powerboats have to offer.

A catamaran may come in power or sail, but they offer a stable ride that will not make you sea sick. They are faster than mono-hulls, with more indoor and outdoor space. The nets in the front of the catamaran provide a great vantage point for dolphin watching and taking in the fresh ocean spray. Unlike a sailboat, which may tilt while sailing quickly, the catamaran is a level ride, making it ideal for children, senior citizens or the faint-of-heart, first-time sailors. The small draft of this charter yacht allows you the ability to anchor in shallow waters, so you can go just about anywhere. The downside of a catamaran is the width of the boat, which hogs a lot of space at the marina.

Say you want a more historic looking boat like the pilgrims came to America on. Used by fishermen, traders and sponge divers, the Turkish gulet charter yacht is just as comfortable as it is beautiful. If you are going to the Mediterranean, you will want one of these motor-sail boats to get you around, sailing when the conditions are right but speeding out of port even when the wind isn’t blowing. These wide beam boats, which range from 50 to 108 feet, allow you tons of space to luxuriate on deck and below, relaxing in dining rooms, en-suite bathrooms and aft decks. Since these boats run on diesel, you will be looking at a pretty penny for these beauties, so you may decide that a group charter is more your thing.