Questions, answered

For July and August, as early as you can, especially for a superyacht or a full week, as the most requested yachts are reserved well ahead. June and September usually leave a little more choice. Last-minute charters are sometimes possible, so it is always worth sending us your dates.

Once you choose a yacht from your shortlist, we send the charter contract and the payment schedule. A deposit is commonly paid on signing, with the balance due before boarding. Your date is confirmed once those steps are complete.

Every charter is quoted individually, with prices on request. On a day charter the quote covers the yacht and her captain, with fuel, catering and extras either included or listed separately. On a week charter the fee usually covers the yacht and crew, while running costs are paid from an APA. The contract sets out exactly what is included.

The Advance Provisioning Allowance is a sum paid ahead of a crewed charter, typically a week on MYBA terms, to cover running costs such as fuel, food, drinks and berths. The captain manages it, keeps the receipts and shares the account, and any unused balance is returned at the end. The amount and terms are agreed in the contract.

Spanish VAT at the standard 21% generally applies to charters that begin in Spain, and on a week charter it is charged on the charter fee rather than on the APA. Your quote shows how VAT applies to your yacht, so options are easy to compare, and the contract confirms it.

Changes and cancellations follow the terms of your charter contract, which we walk you through before you sign. A change of date depends on the yacht's availability. For a week or a superyacht charter, cancellation insurance is worth considering at the time of booking.

No. Every charter with Serman Yacht Charter runs with a professional captain, who holds the required licences and takes responsibility for navigation, anchoring and safety. You are free to relax and swim while the captain and crew look after the yacht.

It depends on the yacht. Each one has a licensed passenger limit, and overnight the number of berths decides who can stay aboard. Many larger charter yachts are certified for up to 12 guests, because above 12 passengers international SOLAS rules treat a vessel as a passenger ship. Bigger groups can sail on two yachts that meet at the same anchorage.

Yes, and families are very welcome. Tell us the children's ages when you enquire, so life jackets in the right sizes are aboard and the captain can plan shorter passages and calm, sandy anchorages. A catamaran's wide, stable decks suit young families particularly well.

Pack in soft bags rather than hard suitcases, which are difficult to stow on board. Bring soft-soled shoes, or go barefoot to protect the teak decks, plus swimwear, high-factor sun protection, a hat, sunglasses and a light layer for the evening breeze. Bring ID or a passport for every guest, as a passenger list may be required.

On a day charter, usually yes, and we can also arrange catering delivered to the yacht. On a crewed week the chef provisions from your preference sheet, paid through the APA, so particular wines and special requests are best listed early. Tell us what you have in mind and we will confirm what works on your yacht.

Only within the rules. In Spain drone operators generally must be registered with AESA, the aviation safety agency, and flights in controlled airspace, such as the area around Palma airport, can be limited or prohibited without the required coordination. Spanish law also restricts low overflight of national parks, Cabrera included, without express authorisation. If aerial footage matters to you, tell us early so it can be planned properly.

The main season runs from late spring to early autumn. July and August bring the warmest sea and the busiest anchorages, while June and September usually pair warm water with quieter coves and more choice of yachts. May and October can be lovely too, with fresher evenings and a little more weather to watch.

Safety comes first and your captain makes the call. Mallorca's long coastline usually offers a sheltered side, so the first answer is often a change of route rather than a cancellation. If the yacht cannot sail safely, the options set out in your agreement apply, and we agree the best solution with you.

In summer the embat, a sea breeze, often builds across the Bay of Palma in the afternoon, so mornings and evenings are usually calmest for swimming. The tramuntana, a strong wind from the north to north-west that blows mostly in the colder months, hits the north coast hardest while the south-east stays sheltered. Your captain reads the forecast and chooses the lee side.

Charter yachts carry the safety equipment required for their category and area of navigation, including life jackets for every guest. Before departure your captain gives a safety briefing on life jackets, the swim ladder, moving around on deck and what to do in an emergency. Ask anything at any time: a good crew is always glad to explain.

Tell the captain early. A calmer route, a sheltered anchorage and fresh air on deck all help, and the choice of yacht matters too: a catamaran sits level at anchor, and many modern superyachts carry stabilisers, some of which reduce roll at anchor as well as underway. If anyone is prone to it, mention it when you enquire.

Yes, once the captain has anchored and confirmed the conditions. Guests swim from the stern platform with a ladder while the crew keeps watch. Near beaches, yellow buoys mark bathing areas reserved for swimmers, so the yacht stays outside them, and the tender uses the marked access lanes where a beach has them.

Most charters start in Palma, the island's main yachting hub. Depending on the yacht and the route, boarding can also be arranged at marinas such as Puerto Portals, Port Adriano or Port d'Andratx, where a delivery fee may apply. The boarding port is agreed when you book and written into your contract.

No. Under the Balearic Posidonia decree, Decree 25/2018, anchoring on Posidonia oceanica seagrass is prohibited, so captains drop anchor on clear sand or use a regulated buoy field, booked in advance where required. Yachts also stay outside the buoyed bathing areas. In practice it means a few minutes of careful choice and much clearer water for your swim.

Yes, with prior authorisation. Sailing inside the park requires a navigation permit, and staying at anchor needs a booking on one of the park's mooring buoys, both requested online through the Balearic Government. Buoys are assigned by length up to 35 metres, and larger yachts need a special authorisation. Daily numbers and stays are limited, especially in July and August, so we arrange the permits with your captain early.

Yes, on multi-day charters. The crossing from Mallorca is open water, so it is timed around the forecast and best enjoyed with nights on board. Between Ibiza and Formentera, the Ses Salines Natural Park has its own rules: anchoring is allowed only on sand, and an overnight stay at anchor needs a permit, which your captain arranges in advance.

Usually a mix, chosen with the weather. A quiet anchorage gives you a swim at sunset and dinner under the stars, while a night in a harbour such as Port de Sóller or Port d'Andratx lets you dine ashore. Summer berths are in high demand, so the captain books ahead, and berth fees are paid as your contract sets out.

Always a professional captain. Depending on the yacht, the crew ranges from a captain and deckhand on a smaller yacht to a full team on a superyacht: deck crew, engineers, stewards and stewardesses and a chef. Your shortlist shows who is aboard each yacht, so you know the level of service to expect.

Yes. Superyachts and many larger yachts sail with their own chef, who plans the menus from a preference sheet you complete before arrival, covering allergies, favourite dishes, wines and meal times. On smaller yachts we can arrange catering delivered to the yacht instead, depending on the galley and the day you have planned.

It depends on the yacht. Snorkelling gear and paddleboards are often aboard, and larger yachts may carry kayaks, seabobs, inflatables and a tender for towed toys. Jet skis follow their own Spanish licensing rules and are not allowed in some protected areas, such as the Ses Salines Natural Park. Tell us your favourites and we will shortlist yachts that carry them.

A crew gratuity is customary in the charter industry, but it is always at your discretion. It is usually handed to the captain at the end of the charter, to be shared among the crew. It is not part of your charter contract or the APA, so you decide once you have seen how well you were looked after.

Yes. We can help arrange airport or hotel transfers so you arrive at the marina relaxed and on time. If you would like a car for the rest of your stay, SERMAN RENT, the premium car rental within the same SERMAN group in Palma, can arrange one, and we coordinate the details with your charter.