One of the best things about a yacht charter is your ability to travel all around the world. Many yachts are built to maximize time outside in warm weather. That’s why many popular warm destinations are the charter vacation places of choice. However, there are distinct charter seasons that differ around the world. But what are the main charter seasons and when is best to charter a yacht in a specific location?
What Are the Main Yacht Charter Seasons?
The Summer Charter Season: The Mediterranean
The traditional summer season is in the Mediterranean and takes advantage of the Northern Hemisphere’s summer. The typical charter season in the Mediterranean, which includes destinations such as France, Southern Italy, Croatia, and Greece runs from May until September. However, there are some areas in the eastern Mediterranean that benefit from better weather for longer. For example, many yachts cruise in Greece and Turkey from April to October as these places still enjoy warm sunshine and seas.
The Winter Charter Season: The Caribbean and Florida
Many people ask: where do superyachts go in the winter? Two of the most popular destinations are the Caribbean and Florida. The winter charter season in the Caribbean typically lasts from early December through to late April. These months offer yacht charter guests the best weather but also avoid the tropical storm and hurricane season. The yacht charter season in the Caribbean is when many sailing yacht regattas take place, including the famous St Barth’s Bucket in March each year. The winter months are also a very popular time to charter a yacht in Florida.
How Long Is a Yacht Charter Season?
The Mediterranean summer charter season can last up to six months, from early May to late September. The winter season in the Caribbean is shorter at a maximum of four months. However, there are destinations around the world that have almost year-long charter ‘seasons’ where you can enjoy warm charter weather and sailing conditions for many months.
When Is the Yacht Crossing for the Charter Season?
To maximize time on board the luxury yacht and to ensure that yachts can take advantage of both charter seasons, some yachts will undertake an Atlantic crossing from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and vice versa. This typically takes place around October or November for yachts traveling from Europe to the Caribbean and around March or April for Caribbean charter yachts heading back to Europe.
When Are the Charter Seasons Around the World?
If you were to venture further afield to places such as Indonesia, the South Pacific or Australia, the ‘charter season’ may be very different. With no real seasons and thousands of islands to explore, a yacht charter can take place in Indonesia and Malaysia throughout the year. Australia and New Zealand have two distinctive charter seasons: The summer season from May to October and the winter season from November to April.
