Questions
The things people ask before they book.
These are the cross-cutting questions — money, timings, rules, weather. Questions about a particular charter are answered on that charter's own page.
01
Booking and payment
How a date gets held, what it costs to hold it, and what happens if plans change.
- How do I book a boat in Dubai?
- Call, WhatsApp or send an enquiry with the date, rough timing and how many guests. We come back with which boats are free and what each costs for your hours. A 25 percent deposit holds the date; the balance is due on the day.
- How far in advance should I book?
- Two to three weeks for a weekend or sunset slot between October and April. Two or three days is usually enough midweek, and in summer we can often take a booking for tomorrow. Eid, New Year and the Grand Prix weekend need a month or more.
- How much deposit do you take?
- Twenty-five percent to hold the date. Nothing is taken to ask about availability or to receive a quote.
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Cancel more than seven days before the charter and the deposit moves to another date within six months. Inside seven days the deposit is retained. If we cancel for weather, you choose between a new date and a full refund.
- How can I pay?
- Bank transfer or card. Companies with a UAE trade licence can be invoiced in dirhams with our TRN and payment terms. We do not take payment in cryptocurrency.
- Can I get a VAT invoice?
- Yes. Every charter can be invoiced in dirhams with our TRN. Ask for it at the booking stage rather than after the charter and it will be ready on the day.
02
On the day
Arrival, timings, what is aboard already and what you should bring.
- When does the charter time start?
- When the boat leaves the berth, not when you arrive. We ask you to be there fifteen minutes early for that reason — a group arriving twenty minutes late has bought twenty fewer minutes on the water.
- Where do we meet the boat?
- At a numbered berth in Dubai Marina. We send the berth number, a map pin and the captain's name the day before. Park at Dubai Marina Mall or Pier 7, both about five minutes on foot.
- What is already on the boat?
- Towels, drinking water, soft drinks, ice, snorkels, floating mats, life jackets in adult and children's sizes, and a Bluetooth sound system. Fuel, crew and marina fees are in the rate.
- Can we bring our own food and drink?
- Yes, on any boat and any charter, at no charge. Every yacht has a fridge and ice. Glass is best avoided on deck. Alcohol is by prior arrangement and subject to UAE law.
- Can we extend the charter on the day?
- Sometimes. If the boat has no booking behind yours the crew can usually add an hour at the standard rate. At weekends there is normally a charter waiting, so plan the hours you want at the booking stage.
- Is there a toilet on board?
- Yes, on every boat in the fleet, along with a freshwater shower on the swim platform for rinsing off after a swim.
03
Safety and rules
Licensing, capacity limits, and the handful of rules that are not negotiable.
- Are the boats licensed and insured?
- Every yacht holds current UAE marine registration and third-party insurance and sails with a certified captain. The operator named on your charter agreement holds the licence, and we will name them before you pay anything.
- How strict is the guest limit?
- Absolute. The number on the vessel licence includes children and infants, and a captain cannot exceed it under any circumstances. Give us the real headcount when you enquire so we put you on the right boat.
- Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
- No. Every boat comes with a certified captain and crew. You only need a licence to drive a boat yourself, which is a separate UAE qualification.
- What is not allowed on board?
- Open flames of any kind, including candles on a cake. Fireworks. Anything thrown over the side, including biodegradable confetti. Shoes with heels. Smoking is permitted on deck only, at the captain's discretion.
- Can non-swimmers come?
- Yes. Swimming is optional on every charter and life jackets are aboard for anyone who wants one. Tell the crew beforehand and they will position the boat and the ladder accordingly.
- Is alcohol allowed on a yacht in Dubai?
- On boats that permit it, with a licensed supply and by prior arrangement. UAE law applies on the water exactly as it does on land, and no boat operating in Sharjah serves alcohol at all. We will tell you plainly what your boat allows.
04
Weather and season
What gets cancelled, what does not, and when the water is at its best.
- What happens if the weather is bad?
- If the captain judges conditions unsuitable we move the charter or refund it in full — your choice. That decision is made on the morning rather than days ahead, because forecasts here change quickly.
- Does rain cancel a charter?
- Almost never. Rain in Dubai is brief and does not raise a sea. Wind does, and the shamal that blows through the Gulf several times each winter is the thing that actually moves bookings.
- Is it too hot to charter in summer?
- Not at the right time of day. A charter starting at 8am or 6pm in July is comfortable, and the sea in high summer is the calmest of the year. Midday between June and September is the part to avoid.
- When is the sea warmest for swimming?
- May through October, when the water sits in the high twenties to low thirties. January and February are the coldest — swimmable, but the first few minutes are a shock.
05
Groups, children and accessibility
Fitting the boat to the people rather than the other way round.
- What is the largest group you can take?
- Thirty-five on our own 85ft yacht. Above that, a privately hired dhow takes up to a hundred guests from about AED 9,000 for two hours with dinner, which is the cheapest route for a large party in Dubai.
- Is a yacht charter suitable for young children?
- Yes, on a boat with a low swim platform and good shade, on a route that stays inside the Palm Jumeirah crescent. Children's life jackets are standard. Tell us the ages when you book so the right sizes are aboard.
- Can someone with limited mobility board a yacht?
- It depends on the boat and the tide. Some berths allow near-level boarding onto a wide platform; others need a step down. Tell us at the enquiry stage and we will put you on a boat and a berth that work rather than discover the problem on the pontoon.
- Can we bring a pet?
- Not on shared cruises. On a private charter we will consider a well-behaved dog with prior agreement, subject to the owner of the vessel. Ask before you book rather than on the day.
Check a date
Still not answered?
Call and ask — a three-minute conversation settles most things faster than any page. Or leave your number below and we will call you.
- No deposit to enquire
- A reply within a couple of hours
- Licensed boats, licensed crew, price all-in