QUESTION:
What happens if there is an emergency on board or the yacht breaks down during our charter?
ANSWER:
Editorial Team
There are provisions in the charter agreements / contracts to address such matters, and every effort is made to prevent any kind of emergency or disaster on board.
At the outset of your charter you will be given full safety information, and told what to do in the event of an emergency by your captain and crew. It is vital that you listen carefully to this procedure and ask any questions if you unsure.
Should there be any problem with the superyacht that results in guests having to shorten their stay onboard, then there will be liquidated damages paid out by the yacht owning company in addition to the reimbursement of the fees covering the share of the charter that could not be completed — which could also be the whole charter should the vessel not be delivered where and when expected for the start of the charter.
Of course, all associated costs with disembarkation and repatriation of the charter guests following such curtailment will also be borne by the yacht owning company.
However, it must be remembered that weather conditions and force majeure scenarios are excluded from such clauses, which mostly cover technical breakdowns that do come under the responsibility of the yacht Owner /owning company.
