FAQ

• Up until the booking

  • What can you offer?

    • RIVIERA VENTO CHARTER offers sailing holidays bareboat and with skipper. Our base is in Andora, in the Italian Riviera, only 45min driving from Nice and the Cote d'Azur; we can organize charter also in the French Riviera and Tuscany (Elba Island).

    • You can also explore the offers of our friends of the Sailing Club : they arrange combinations of sailing holidays and sailing courses, to discover the culture, the traditions and the food of this beautiful coast.

  • Sailing holidays; only for the rich?

    • It is a misconception that yacht chartering is only for the wealthy. In reality, we have solutions for almost any budget. While sailing has always been a favorite pasttime of the wealthy, the vast majority of our clients are people with a normal income level. If they have something in common, it is their taste for adventure!

  • It this a suitable type of holiday for children?

    • Most definitely! We have ourselves sailed with children from 7 months of age and upwards. Parents often have three worries: Safety, seasickness, and that the children will become bored. Our experience tells us the are never bored, seasickness is rarely a problem and can be dealt with in different way, and with the necessary safety precautions, few things are safer than sailing. But please do ask for our recommendation for destinations, suitable yachts, etc. We will help make this a worry free experience for parents and children alike.

  • Do you accept dogs?

    • Yes! We have often had dogs on our boat, and, in our experience,  sailing can be great fun for your 4-legged friends too! We can even provide a safety harness designed for medium to large dogs!We  require a little extra for final cleaning.

  • What are the requirements for chartering bareboat?

    • You do not need to hold a sailing certificate or license, but must be able to document the necessary experience to safely handle a bareboat yacht. A sailing license/certicifate can of course be useful for this, but upon confirmation of your booking, we'll send you a self declaration to fill in and return, and issue the necessary documents based on this.

  • If we charter with a skipper, what kind of skipper are we likely to get?

    • The competent, friendly and English or German speaking kind! Not only will he make sure you get safely from port to port, but he'll be your guide to best best places to visit, and if you'd like, your personal sailing instructor!

  • Can we use the services of a skipper for the first couple of days only?

    • Of course! For those who can sail but feel a little "rusty" this is a great - and safe - way to begin your holidays.

  • How do we book?

    • We will help you find the right yacht for you, where and when you want it. The booking itself can be done by email or phone. Either way, we'll send you the booking confirmation and other documents right away.

  • Can we find accomodation through your company?

    • Yes, we work with local hotels at all our destinations, and will be happy to help you and your party with accommodations before or after your sailing holiday.  We can also find an apartment or cottage, if you wish to spend part of your holidays on solid ground!

• After the booking

  • How do we pay?

    • You will receive a booking confirmation from RivieraVento with all the details of your charter, including payment. Normally, 50% of the charter is payable upon confirmation, and the rest 60 days prior to embarkation. At embarkation you will be requested to leave a deposit that will reimboursed to you after check-out. For last-minutes and special offers, different rules may apply.

  • What forms of payment are accepted?

    • RivieraVento Charter accepts payments through  regular bank transfer, cheque and cash.

  • What type of electricity is there on board the yacht?

    • All yachts  have 12 V systems.  Shore power (220V)is widely available at local marinas or ports.

  • Are there life vests and other safety equipment on board?

    • All yachts chartered through RivieraVento are very well equipped with regard to safety equipment. This includes approved safety vests, harnesses, life raft, VHF, radar reflector, lighted buoys, distress signals, fire extinguishers, and much more.

  • How about safety equipment for children?

    • Since children come in all shapes and sizes, we recommend that you bring suitable life vests. However, there are also childrens vests in the yachts or at the bases, so please let us know the number you require, and the size (weight) of the children.

  • Does my travel insurance cover sailing holidays?

    • Sailing holidays are, quite correctly, not considered high risk by the insurance companies, and do not require any special insurance arrangement beyond your ordinary travel insurance. Upon request we can advise you about different travel and personal insurance.

  • Is there anything special I need to bring?

    • This may sound strange, but the most common problems on sailing holidays are related to what many come for: The Sun! Please do bring (and wear!) adequate protecion for eyes and skin. As for sunscreen, while sailing you should use twice the factor you would on a holiday ashore, due to the reflection for the water surface and the fact that the breeze will make it very easy to get sunburn without even noticing.

    • As for other equipment, avid snorklers might bring their own gear (though there are at least one set on board each yacht). Also, though there are towels onboard for regular use, you may want to bring some large beach towels for sunbathing.

  • How about rough weather gear?

    • You might want to bring some light water and wind-tight gear in case it should get a little rough - just so you stay dry and confortable.

• During the sailing trip

  • From where can I obtain weather forecasts?

    • This depends on the area you are sailing in. We will provide you with all the information on how to listen to radio weather forecast.  Of course, you can always call the base for weather forecasts also

  • Should I report back to base during the sail?

    • We appreciate you calling once or twice a week, if only to confirm that everything is OK. Of course, if you encounter any problems related to the yacht or its operation, you should always call.

  • How about expenses incurred while we are sailing?

    • If you find that anything is missing or need to be replaced, please contact the charter company before purchasing. If you do purchase something which you want to get reimbursed, remember to get a receipt.

  • I have a problem with the engine/sails/electric equipment and cannot sail on. What now?

    • This shouldn't happen on any sailing holiday, but unfortunately, on rare occasions, it does. Please contact us as soon as possible, so that the problem can be taken care of in an expedite manner and you'll back in holiday mode in as short a time as possible.

  • I am at sea and in need of assistance. What do I do?

    • The safety of crew and yacht is your first priority, so if necessary use the VHF on channel 16 to ask for assistance. However, if at all possible, try to contact us.  Here you will find experienced sailors who know how to handle an emergency.

• After your return

  • Please send us some comments! We love raves, and are blessed with a large majority of satisfied clients. However, there are occasions where we do not succeed 100%, and since we are constantly working to improve our services and those of our partners, we need to hear from you in this case also. We are ourselves avid sailors, dedicated and in love with our work.

  • We want to do the very best job we can, so we listen to you!