Most guides to booking a crewed charter read like brochure copy — everything sounds included, everyone sounds five-star. Here's what to actually check before you book, and why each one matters.
Is the charter actually private?
Some "crewed catamaran" listings are cabin charters — you book one cabin, and other unrelated guests book the others, on the same boat, at the same time. That's a different vacation than having the whole yacht to your own group. Ask directly: is the boat mine for the week, or am I sharing it? On Aquanimity, every charter is private. The yacht is never shared with another party.
What does "all-inclusive" actually include?
This is the question most worth pinning down before you book, because "all-inclusive" means different things on different boats. Ask specifically about alcohol — some operators include a full bar, some charge for every drink, and some only include soft drinks. Ask about water toys — are paddleboards and snorkel gear included, or a rental add-on? Ask what happens to meals eaten ashore, and whether specialty experiences like scuba diving are part of the fee or arranged separately at extra cost.
On Aquanimity, the charter fee covers three meals a day plus snacks, the ship's standard bar — beer, wine, spirits and mixers — and water toys including snorkeling gear, paddleboards, kayaks and towables. Premium wines and spirits beyond the standard selection, meals ashore, and rendezvous experiences like scuba diving are the exceptions, and we say so upfront rather than let you find out mid-charter.
Does the boat actually fit your group?
Cabin count and guest capacity matter more than they sound like they should. A boat rated for eight guests in four cabins sleeps differently than a boat built for six in three — smaller charter catamarans stretched past their comfortable capacity get cramped fast, especially with gear and water toys aboard. Aquanimity takes a maximum of eight guests in three private queen cabins, each with its own ensuite bathroom, plus separate crew quarters. That's a hard ceiling, not a marketing number that flexes for a bigger group.
What's the crew's actual experience?
A captain and chef are aboard for a week with you — their experience is worth asking about directly. What you should hear back: years actually crewing a boat this size, not just years sailing recreationally. Local knowledge of the specific cruising ground matters as much as raw experience — knowing which BVI anchorage is calm in a north swell, or which mooring field clears out by late afternoon, is the kind of thing that only comes from having actually worked these waters.
What happens if plans change?
Deposit terms, cancellation policy, and how the operator handles weather or a change in guest count are worth asking about before you book, not after something comes up. A charter operator who answers these plainly, in writing, before you've paid anything is a good sign. One who's vague about it is worth a second question.
Where does the boat actually sail?
Cruising ground is worth confirming too — not every "Caribbean" charter operates where you think it does, and not every operator sticks to one territory. Aquanimity sails exclusively in the British Virgin Islands.