Frequently Asked Questions
You are not alone if you have questions about the on-board experience or how bookings work. If we've been asked before, we try to put it into the FAQ. If you don't see your question here, by all means give us a call or send a message.
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About the Experience
All about being on board the yacht.
How Many Paid Passengers?
The Luxury Yacht Ciamar provides un-matched private, elegant experiences for up to 6 people.
The Westport is a luxury ride for groups of up to 12.
The Stephens yacht is certified up to 49.
The Ted Geary Fantail yacht is comfortable for up to 100.
If your group is larger, let us help you find exactly the right high end yacht for your event. We are pet-friendly vessels, and your pet does NOT count against the person max. (See pets below)
Ciamar can sleep three couples (6 people) and the Westport can sleep 8.
Marquis Charters is proud to have donated use of a yacht for fundraisers and cruises where we can take about 30 people on Ciamar. If you have a worthy cause where you think a yacht party fundraiser could help you out, please get in touch.
What's Included?
We maintain a 'No Surprises' promise to rapidly confirm total cost for you based on your specific needs BEFORE you commit to the charter with a deposit.
All prices quoted for Marquis Charter trips are ‘no hidden cost/fixed price’ trips including everything described by the Trip Description.
Alcohol is is not included in the charter price. We provide free provisioning of a customized alcohol order at cost/no markup.
Regardless the type of charter, our quoted pricing is inclusive of all expected costs and you don't need to worry about post-trip surprises. Gratuity is also not required or expected.
Please contact us regarding special requests. We pride ourselves in being a 'turnkey' experience that doesn't pester you with upselling or surprise you with upcharges.
Service On-Board?
Every trip will be commanded by a Captain licensed by the USCG to commercially operate a 100 ton motor yacht in the inland waters of the Bay and rivers of the USA and/or in the coastal ocean waters outside of the bay as your itinerary demands. Our captains also have extensive experience in the cruising this area and have been trained on and have experience running these specific yachts.
On longer trips, depending on group size, you will be served by one to five Steward(s). Most trips include a private chef on-board for custom dining experience. Often there is an Engineer, Bosun or Deckhand supporting the Captain's operation of the vessel and to provide rest breaks for the Captain to ensure safe operation of the yacht at all times. On full day or overnight trips, there will be additional crew on-board sufficient to maintain round-the-clock watch and rest schedules at all times.
Marquis Charters' elite crew represent the region's top luxury service staff, on-call for Marquis Charter trips. Our captains and crew hail from the Navy, giga yachts, ferry boats, TowBoat US, worldwide deliveries and members who've been to Alaska and back on Ciamar. They all have some stories to tell if asked.
Who are the Crew?
All of your crew members are professional crewed charter yacht crew with training and experience in their role. Every crew member has also been trained in the yachts they work on.
All crew members carry current First Aid/CPR/AED, Alcohol handling and Food Handler certifications. Every crew member is drug & alcohol screened, subject to random testing and statutory crew are enrolled in a federally regulated random drug testing program. We use the Maritime Consortium's Drug Free Vessel Program.
Crew in our Chief-level ranks hold additional professional credentials such as STCW, Interior I/II or Engineering certifications as appropriate to the role. Captains hold at least a Masters 100T license, with Near Coastal preferred.
What About Alcohol?
Our crew are certified to serve the alcohol that you bring or that we provision for you. The most cost effective alcohol strategy is to have us provision the supply of your desired alcohol on the yacht in advance. This service is free and the actual store cost is simply passed through to you with no markup. On a few yachts, we can also operate a cash bar where your guests pay for their drinks, with the note that bar service is at premium bar prices.
Of course, underage drinking on-board is strictly forbidden at all times.
Red wine is allowed if you desire, however, we ask that it be consumed on the flybridge and exterior spaces of the yacht and not in the carpeted areas of the interior.
Will I get Seasick?
Very, very few guests have ever experienced nausea or sea sickness on board. And there are some clear practices that keep it that way.
Our Captains steer clear of rough water and steer through water at angles that keep things as smooth as possible.
Guests who have a history of motion sensitivity are advised to partake in their preferred remedy before boarding the vessel. But in the event that you feel a little unsettled underway, the nearly foolproof method to avoid sea sickness is to look out at the water, watch the land on the horizon and count the number of sail boats that you see. We may even ask you to take some time on the wheel, steering the yacht under the supervision of the Captain. This is a great antidote.
What About My Allergies?
To make sure everyone is protected, we will ask you about food allergies when you book. We will confirm any food sensitivities with you again when we finalize your custom food plan about a week in advance of your trip. An often overlooked benefit of using a private chef is that your custom designed menu can easily 'thread the needle' of multiple food allergies or preferences in a group in a way that catered or restuarant style meal prep can not.
Drug Policy?
Your yacht is federally documented by the USCG and is governed by federal law. That means when state law and federal law conflict, the federal law is what governs. So even though marijuana is legal in California, it is illegal on board any USCG documented vessel, such as your chartered yacht.
All crew on Marquis Charters are drug / alcohol tested. Furthermore, we have a zero tolerance policy on illegal drugs on all charters, anywhere on-board. If illegal drugs are discovered, the charter will be ended immediately, with no refund.
Yacht owners, captains and crew take this very seriously. They are all subject to arrest, prosecution, license revocation and yacht seizure if anyone on board is found to be in possession of illegal drugs. The Captain is authorized to seize illegal drugs, deposit all members of the party directly to the closest point ashore and report the incident to law enforcement.
Do You Allow Pets On-board?
We are a Pet Friendly company with pet-tested vessels.
To be absolutely sure that our yacht and your pet are going to be a good match, we require that the Pet On Board Request be disclosed to us and approved in our charter agreement at the time of confirmation of your booking.
To be sure that your pet will be a welcomed addition to your trip and won't subtract from your experience, here are some things we suggest you consider before you book:
Will I hold my pet the entire time, keep them on leash or control them by verbal command while on-board?
Is pet accustomed to boats?
Do they travel well in cars?
Will I be able to walk him/her immediately before boarding?
Am I willing to bring his/her travel crate on-board to be stowed for use in case needed?
Has my pet ever exhibited aggressive behaviors toward strangers (e.g. the crew) or people in uniforms?
On an airshow and July 4 and New Year's Eve trips, the Captain may instruct that your pet be placed in their crate and located in a quite space below decks during the portions of the trip that will have extremely loud noises (low flybys, fireworks). Am I ok with that?
To discuss pets on board, please contact us in advance of booking so we can answer any questions and also get comfortable approving your pet.
Cancellation of a charter due to denial of boarding of a Pet is only refundable if the Pet that is denied boarding is the Pet identified in the charter agreement's Pet On Board Request at the time of booking and that the description of the pet in the Pet Request is in all respects an accurate description of the pet that was denied boarding.
About Booking
All about the booking process.
How to Start?
The best way to start is to reach out and contact us to inquire about the type of trip that most fits your desires. We will be in touch soon to get to know you and flush out aspects of the trip that you desire to make it a perfect experience.
You can also simply start by calling, requesting a callback. or scheduling a call.
Don't worry about fitting a mold, or a template for what a trip is 'supposed' to be. We love doing things that are special, or even unprecedented.
Date/Time
When we have an idea on what you want to do, and when, we'll rapidly research it and get back to you to confirm. The tides (water depth) and currents of the area where we're going to travel could be no big deal, or they could present a real challenge where a small change in your desired schedule could make all the difference. Of course, sunset times change every week and will guide what the best times are for sunset trips. Sometimes we need to contend with drawbridge schedules, or be sure we can make a reservation to lift a bridge when we arrive.
Your date/times are not confirmed until we are aligned and you sign the Charter Agreement for your trip.
Pickup/Drop Off
The short answer is that we can most likely get you on and off the yacht from wherever you like. Favorites are San Francisco's Pier 1.5, Pier 39, Pier 40 and Pier 52. The new Alameda Bohol International Circle Park Public Dock is a very nice parkside boarding location, as are the Marina Village Marina, Ballena Bay Marina or the Oakland/Jack London Square Guest Dock. Then there's Oyster Point in South San Francisco, Sausalito, Horseshoe Cove, Angel Island, Berkeley, Emeryville, Tiburon, Richmond, Redwood City, Benicia, Vallejo, Napa and Petaluma. You might have even seen us down the coast or up the rivers too for guests orginating outside the main bay.
Let us come to you. We can work out a pickup/dropoff plan for practically anywhere you wish. Challenge us! We haven't been beaten yet. Let us know what you'd like to do, and we can talk about what the logistics of pickup and drop off look like for that location. Where your yacht is too big to come to the dock, we will use our luxury tender(s) to transfer you you with penache.
Also combining ground transportation from your home/hotel into the equation can be a great idea. When we do that, the entire trip logistics gets easier, and more options crop up, you avoid parking and have a built in designated driver for the ride home after partying on the yacht. Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto and Half Moon Bay clients like the limo bus/party bus service we can provide.
Forms of Payment
We can take all forms of credit card, EFT and cash payments and have started taking Crypto payments.
All Marquis Charters commitments are finalized upon receipt of a signed charter agreement and initial deposit are required to secure the vessel’s calendar.
25% of the charter fee is paid at contract signing;
50% of the charter fee is paid at 30 days prior to commencement;
25% of the charter fee is paid at 14 days prior to commencement.
For demise charters, the payment milestones on your Advanced Provisioning will be defined in your Yacht Services agreement depending on the nature of the services being funded by APA.
At 7 days prior to your booking, your damage deposit is paid.
If we have agreed to anything different than the above, our agreed terms, will be documented in the contract that we sign for the Charter.
Special Events/Holidays Demand: On Special Event Days such Airshow, NYE, July 4, BottleRock/LaOnda, SailGP, Rolex Big Boat Series, Super Bowl, FIFA, America's Cup, Opening Day on the Bay, Parades and holidays such as Valentines Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc all bookings are paid 100% when booked.
See our Cancellation and Rescheduling policies.
Gratuities
No gratuity is required, expected, or sought.
Marquis Charters operates on a strictly all-inclusive basis. In alignment with the "Marquis Life" philosophy, we have eliminated the traditional industry custom of post-charter gratuities to ensure a seamless, non-transactional experience for our principals and their guests.
Our world-class crew members are among the highest-compensated professionals in the maritime industry. We believe that exceptional, intuitive service should be a baseline expectation, not a variable outcome. By providing our teams with industry-leading compensation upfront, we allow them to focus entirely on the art of hospitality without the distraction of a "gratuity culture."
While the standard in the USA yachting industry often involves a 20%–30% tip at the end of a voyage, this practice inconsistent with a true owner-level experience. At Marquis Charters, your focus remains on the journey; the excellence of the service is already secured. No further gratuity is required, expected, or sought.
Cancellation / Trip Insurance
A signed charter contract is required for all bookings and the actual and full cancellation details will be included in the contract. If they differ from what's listed here, the contract prevails.
In keeping with global luxury yacht charter practices, there are no refunds for cancellations, no-shows, or early terminations, regardless of the cause. This includes, but is not limited to, medical emergencies, travel disruptions, or changes in personal itineraries. We strongly advise clients take advantage of luxury yacht-charter experienced trip cancellation insurance products to protect themselves from financial loss in the event that they need to cancel. We have arranged for the following partners to provide clients with insurance to protect their investment: MHG Insurance or Yonder Travel Insurance.
Marquis Charters does support rescheduling of a charter booking if requested in advance subject to a pricing adjustment if a 'regular' charter is rescheduled to a Special Event/Holiday booking. Special Event and Holiday bookings may not be rescheduled. Rescheduling must be re-booked within six months and be completed within 9 months, subject to availability. Cancellations made less than 24 hours from departure can not be rescheduled, except under extreme circumstances solely at our discretion.
Refusing to commence a charter due to denied boarding of too many humans or unapproved pets is considered a same day cancelled charter. Arriving more than 2 hours late is considered a cancellation.
In the event that environmental conditions prevent safe passage, the Captain will offer the charterer the option to proceed as a "Dockside Charter" at the vessel’s berth. Under these circumstances, the charter is considered performed in full, and no credits or refunds will be issued. If in the Captain's discretion the Dockside Charter is also unsafe to perform, or the charterer refuses that option, then the charter will have become interrupted by an act force majeur.
We strongly advise that principals or their management teams mitigate financial risk through specialized high-limit trip insurance that can cover 100% of the charter's risk. We have pre-arranged with MHG Insurance and Yonder Travel Insurance to be two world-class options for Marquis Charterers.