Charter Etiquette: Tipping, Shoes and the Unwritten Rules

Is tipping expected, and how much?

In the United States, yes. The convention on day charters is 15 to 20 percent of the base charter fee, handed to the captain in cash or paid through the charter company at the end of the day; the captain divides it among the crew. For a week aboard, the same range applies to the weekly rate. If the crew has been extraordinary, you will know, and so will they. If something went wrong, tell the charter company rather than tipping less and saying nothing.

Do I really have to take my shoes off?

Almost always, and it is not ceremony. Street soles carry grit that scores varnish and teak, and dark rubber leaves marks that take a crew an hour to lift. Bare feet or soft, non-marking boat shoes are the standard. Bring a pair you can slip off at the passerelle; the crew will have a basket waiting. Heels never make it past the dock, and that includes the wedges.

Which sunscreen is welcome aboard?

Any sunscreen is welcome; some are welcome twice. Spray formulas drift onto teak and cushions and leave a film that turns slippery underfoot. Lotions with a mineral base (zinc or titanium) are kinder to the deck and to the reef you will be swimming over, and reef-safe rules are enforced in parts of the Keys and the Bahamas. Apply it before you board or in the head, not on the sunpad.

Can I bring my own food and drinks?

On most Miami day charters, yes, and many guests do: a cooler from a favorite market, a case of a particular rosé, a birthday cake with a name on it. Tell the charter company in advance so the galley makes room and the crew knows what is coming. Glass is the one thing to ask about; some crews prefer cans and boxed wine near the water for obvious reasons. Red wine on white cushions is its own etiquette lesson.

Is smoking allowed?

Assume no until told otherwise. Smoke settles into upholstery, and a lit cigarette anywhere near a fuel dock is a conversation nobody wants. Many yachts allow smoking on the aft deck or swim platform, downwind, with an ashtray the crew provides. Ask at the safety briefing rather than mid-charter. Vaping follows the same rule, whatever the packaging says about it.

Are kids welcome, and what should I know?

Welcome, and often the happiest people aboard. Tell the crew the ages in advance so the right life jackets are on the boat; on most vessels children under six wear them on deck while underway, no exceptions. A crew that knows three under-tens are coming will plan the sandbar stop first and keep the mats and the snacks within reach. One adult stays responsible per child in the water; the crew helps, but they are running a boat.

Who controls the music?

You do, within reason. Send a playlist ahead or hand the crew your phone; most yachts run a system that reaches the flybridge and the swim platform. The unwritten part: volume drops at anchorages where other boats are close, and it drops again after sunset, because sound carries over water in ways that surprise people. If the captain turns it down, there is usually a neighbor or a manatee involved.

What happens if we are late?

The clock starts at the booked time, not at boarding. A charter is a block of the vessel's day, with crew called in and often another group waiting behind you. Fifteen minutes is forgiven; an hour comes off the end of your trip, never the start of someone else's. Arrive twenty minutes early, park, and let the crew know you are there. Early guests get a calmer briefing and a better first drink.

How do I thank the crew properly?

By name, at the passerelle, and it costs nothing. Learn the names at the briefing (there are usually two to four) and use them through the day. A note to the charter company afterward, mentioning who did what, travels further than you think: crews are hired and rehired on exactly that kind of feedback. The tip is appreciated. The name is remembered.