How do I book?
Just jump on a 15-minute call with us and we discuss the next steps. You’ll will also get the chance to join a Facebook group where you can get further info and ask us and other participants questions!
…after that:
Book your space:
Fill in the booking form that we send you, and pay the 50% deposit - by PayPal or bank transfer - to secure your place You have until 6 weeks before the starting date of your Tour to pay the remaining cost You'll receive a confirmation immediately after booking
If you're not sure, you can reserve:
Whilst filling in the booking form, you can select to reserve a space on your chosen Tour You can reserve a place on any of our Tours for 5 days, completely for free, as long as you do so at least 6 weeks before the starting date
I’ve booked, now what?
Your adventure starts long before you meet your Crew in person:
Crew-Chat
Right after booking, you'll be added to the Crew-Chat to get to know the other members of your Crew and your Skipper. You can even plan your flights together.
Packing your bags
To help you know what you'll need on board, we've created a handy Packing List for Sailing. Remember, there's limited space onboard a yacht, so less really is more.
Reading material
First time sailing with us? Once you've booked, you'll receive an information pack, detailing important information about the concept of our Tours and the basics of sailing.
Setting sail
After a successful flight, drive or train ride, you'll get to meet your Crew and Skipper in person, by the afternoon/early evening on Day 1 at the latest. We go shopping for supplies, discuss the coming week and once everyone has arrived and the weather is just right, we set sail!
How do I get to the marina?
That depends mostly on where you’re coming from. If you’re unsure, just ask any of our team members (facebook/instagram/email) who’ll love to help you out, or take advantage of our community (via the Facebook group you just joined) and partner up with future crew members to share a ride (we can help organizing this as well)!
What is a Skipper?
Our Skippers are part of our team and will accompany you throughout your entire Tour. They are skilled in handling the boats and are typically around the same age as your Crew, speak English, and assist with organizing and planning your Tour. Familiar with the local area, they will inform you about available activities, both on land and at sea.
Your Skipper is there to support you. Feel free to ask them anything, especially when planning the week: they will tailor the week's activities to your group's preferences (taking the weather into account).
Can I book as a beginner/novice sailor?
Absolutely! As we said before - “There are no prerequisites for joining us; all you need is an interest in sailing, an open mind, a spirit of cooperation, resourcefulness, and a willingness to learn the ropes (literally)” - and learn them you certainly will, with the help of our knowledgeable skippers!
How do individual, couple and group bookings work?
Individuals
Most of our participants book individually and will be assigned a bed in a double cabin on board a yacht. You will decide together as a Crew on Day 1, who shares a cabin with whom.
We take great care in assembling groups that mesh well together. Before your journey begins, we'll provide you with a questionnaire to understand your preferences. Based on your responses, we'll craft a perfect match, considering factors like age, gender, interests, past sailing experience and many more. Whenever possible, we’ll aim for an even split between male and female crew members.
… and there's always the option of sleeping under the stars, if you're feeling like it.
Couples
Want to book with your partner or one other friend? When filling out your booking form, provide the number of people you are booking for, and we'll make sure you're allocated to the same cabin/yacht.
For our Flotilla Tours (where more than one yacht is sailing together), we make sure that there are no more than two couples/pairs per yacht, so that the individuals who've on the yacht don’t feel like the odd ones out.
Groups
In the same vein, to make sure that those who've booked alone aren't left out, we have two solutions for those coming on Tour as a group:
Up to four people: book your place normally, and (if booking separately) let us know who else is part of your group - we'll make sure you're on the same yacht
More than four: If there are more than four of you in a group, you can book an entire yacht to yourselves and we'll provide the Skipper
Am I too old?
Let's start with who does normally take part in our Tours:
Who's in the Crew?
Our Tours get booked by relaxed, open-minded, nature-loving individuals. The average age on Tour is around 30 (with 80 % between 27-33). There's an even split between male and female too.
We believe that nobody is too old for a sailing trip. If you find yourself wanting to join this trip, meet new, like minded people and like the idea of sharing a cabin with one of them, you’re definitely not too old in our books! :)
How do we eat while sailing?
Cooking on board is one of the highlights of the day!
Every day of the Tour, we cook together on board the yacht. We try to buy locally and cook delicious, healthy meals together and then enjoy it with the most stunning backdrops imaginable.
Restaurants
When we dock in a harbor, or directly at a Restaurant’s mooring, or just anchor in a beautiful bay with some nice restaurants in them, we always try to visit them, so you and your Crew can get a real taste for the local cuisine - we promise you won't be disappointed!
Dietary requirements
Whether you're vegan, vegetarian or have any allergies or intolerances, don't worry. In every Tour, different Crewmembers have preferences when it comes to food. Let your Skipper and Crew know in the Crew-Chat before the Tour begins, and you'll be safe hands on Tour. We have had many tours with gluten intolerant and also vegan crew members and never had an issue.
Why book with UpSail?
With many successful tours at multiple beautiful locations under our belt, we are extremely confident that we can provide an extraordinary and worry free experience. Having navigated the charter boat industry in different countries, organized guest pickups and dropoffs at multiple remote locations, and (perhaps most importantly) experienced the full range of weather conditions and destinations from great bustling marinas to completely remote anchorages, encountered and solved many difficulties (which we believe just add to to whole experience), exchanged stories with local restaurateurs and fellow cruisers, we are more than capable of (and extremely happy to) involve you as well in these experiences and to have many many more together!
Our Crews are made of excited adventurous and experienced Skippers - it doesn't take long for strangers to become friends, and friends to become like family
A community
When you book with us, you don't just get an incredible holiday you'll never forget: you will be part of this whole community!
Expert Skippers
Learn from the best, with your trip in safe hands.
Their main job is to help their Crew have the best possible experience together while on Tour with us, allowing you to switch off and just enjoy the experience:
Our concept is perfect for both the beginner and the experienced sailor
What should I pack?
Due to the limited space on board, we recommend that you pack your gear in a duffel-bag, or some other type of collapsible bag; a suitcase would take up too much space in your cabin. When packing, think about the following:
Passport & visa (the latter if required)
Cash (in the appropriate currency) for the Crew Cashbox - this pays for the shared expenses such as grocerie shopping, marina fees (see how much is recommended for each Tour under "What's included?")
Phone or similar device with USB or AUX connection - you can connect this to the onboard radio, and enjoy your favorite music
Raincoat or sailing jacket (we recommend getting one from Decathlon’s sailing line, as they are good quality, affordable and can double as a normal rain jacket for everyday use)
Sunglasses and sun cream (biodegradable with min. SPF 25)
For anyone who wants to sleep under the stars on deck: a (light) sleeping bag, mosquito repellant
Check out the Packing List we prepared, with a list of everything you should need on Tour. Check the Tour page if it's stated otherwise, but almost all of the advertised Tours provide a clean towel, clean sheets and bedding, wool blanket and mattress cover.
What if I get seasick?
Its perfectly normal to feel seasick in rough seas. Luckily such conditions don’t happen often and there are a number of OTC pills counteracting the effect, which you can stock up on in advance, but your boat’s skipper will carry some as well.
After a short time most people get adjusted and won’t feel seasick any longer.
If you feel like you’re susceptible to being seasick, make sure to let your skipper know in advance so they can make preparations accordingly!
More information
If you have any other questions, or would like more information, you can find it by:
Reading the Frequently Asked Questions above, or
Contact us by email, Facebook and Instagram chat or give us a call!
Packing list
- One T-shirt per day
- Reef-safe sunscreen, after sun as well as shower gel, shampoo
- Credit cards and at least a few hundred EUR in cash (as some remote places don’t accept credit cards)
- Duffel bag (make sure its collapsible)
- Small day pack (collapsible)
- Sailing jacket (or windproof rain jacket)
- Toiletries
- Sunglasses (high quality, preferably with spec savers)
- A hat/cap
- A few different swimwear options
- Coverups (rash guards / lycras)
- Deck shoes (important, to avoid injury)
- Flip flops
- 1 packable microfibre towel
- Two sets of nice evening wear
- Good book or two, or a kindle
- Undergarments
- Three pairs of shorts
- Medication (if necessary)
- Insect Repellent
- In date passport and important documents
Optional items:
sailing gloves, light sleeping bag, action camera, power bank, snorkeling mask, reef shoes
Decathlon has an amazing selection of affordable sailing gear (as well as travel and beach gear), definitely worth browsing through once!