Is this level of strictness normal on a private catamaran charter?

[Itsgettinghotinere]

We’re currently on a private catamaran charter in Croatia. For the most part, the week has been great, the Islands are beautiful and it’s been wonderful to see so many different places.

That said, I’m not sure if our experience of our skipper and hostess is usual or not…

We planned a sailing holiday as we wanted to do an activity holiday with our teens. I’ve sailed and grew up with small pleasure boats. We made this clear when we booked via the charter company and specifically listed it on our preference list. The preference list also stipulates that learning to sail is one of the possible options. We have not been allowed near the helm let alone sail! To be fair, the wind has been minimal so we’ve been under engine all week but yesterday would have been perfect but no, we are not allowed.

We are also not allowed to:

1. wear shoes on the boat. We know this however our hostess constantly shouts “shoes, shoes, shoes” at us as soon as we walk on to the sugar scoops! Every time. Without fail.
2. Sit on any outside seating while wet from swimming. When swimming we have to stay at the front of the cat until we dry off. I’m referring to the all weather outside seating. It’s making it very difficult as we’re not allowed to get any water while we swim as were might drip on the teak.
3. We are not allowed to drip anything anywhere: my husband was washing his hands in our cabin but the cabin door was open. While drying his hands some water dripped on the floor and our host saw and immediately came into our cabin and dried up the 3 spots.
4. We are told to eat over our plates. Our teens are 14 and 13 so it’s not as though food is dropping everywhere. My son was told to eat his watermelon over the plate as our host didn’t want to spend her time cleaning after him. We are not allowed to leave any crumbs on the table and look out if any accidentally end up on a cushion (out door cushion).
5. One evening my husband had a glass of red wine and it came with a warning not to spill any.
6. They have made restaurant bookings ahead for us which is fine for the most part but one was very expensive- (€650) and we only had two drinks each. The next evening was the same so we said we’d like to move our booking to a different restaurant and was told that it would make things awkward for them, they wouldn’t honour future bookings maybe and we ended up eating there.

There are other instances like this. The obsession with everything being clean all the time. We are very clean, tidy and respectful people. We just feel like we’re intruding on their boat.

While I’ve typed this I’ve been told we can only apply sunscreen off the boat, nowhere on the boat as apparently the front is full of sunscreen! I make us all stand on the front and apply sun cream. We don’t use sprays and I’m very careful about applying it. But it’s not enough and now we can’t use sunscreen unless we’re in the harbour or on land! In fact, our packing list said sun cream would be provided as they understandably want to use creams that won’t damage the boat. We arrived to find none so I suspect they prefer guests don’t use anything.

We’re walking on eggshells and just don’t feel welcome. Is this normal behaviour? I’d like to hear from those who had chartered before. Thank you

This does not sound usual, no (rules are usually no shoes and usually a bit of plumbing intel). I charter a lot and DD is a Below Decker. What is the name of the boat/company?! This a bad charter, I'm sorry. Deffo don't tip. I'd start being a bit arsey back, tbh.

It sounds like they are trying to minimise the amount of cleaning they have to do - but it's not normal at all. Crewing is very hard work, but that's the nature of it. Apart from no shoes, and trying to keep decks not slippery, it's bizarre. And the restaurant thing - sounds like they get a kickback. How developed is the tourism industry there? I have been to a number of countries before the tourist trade was well developed and the idea that paying customers are not there for your convenience does seem to be a learning curve.

When you get home and your husband irritates you you can say “no, no, no” and wiggle your finger at him.

I've done exactly this holiday but without the host, just the skipper. And been on another similar holiday but a friend's boat. Rules are stricter on a catamaran, people are neurotic about the boats ... these are very expensive pieces of kit. I've had my friend crawling around the deck with a toothbrush scrubbing it down. He also asked us not to use the loo at night, which was stressful for some of us. So it's not like staying in a villa or hotell and you have to be mindful of that. Having said that this is OTT ...

No shoes is totally normal.

Not getting the furnishings soaking wet is normal - a bit damp s fine, say sitting on them wrapped in a towel, Ditto try not to flood the bathroom

No sun cream - we didn't have that, I understand the reasoning but they need to provide you with cream as promised.

No crumbs - the odd crumb is fine, in general eat over a plate and try not to make too much mess.

Not sailing, we said we'd learn to sail and then when we got there immediately realised that was a mad idea and not relaxing at all. But if you set your sights on it then you should be having a go ...

The restaurant thing is ludicrous - you can book wherever you like and this is obviously about kickback. Do you have to take the skipper/host with you and pay for them? We did though one night we just gave him cash and sent him his own way. He was a nice guy but after a week I was sick of eating all my meals with him.

Anyone think they are actually the caretakers of the boat and don’t actually have permission to do what they are doing. Hence the OTT rules. If this boat isn’t put back in exactly the same pristine state it was left in the owner is going to find out .

but you allow boat shoes and don't INSIST on bare feet.

Sounds awful, even worse that you can't escape them. I'd hate being followed around and monitored the whole time. I had once thought that this would be my ideal kind of holiday if funds allowed and it could be but your crew have the power to make or break it.

Can you do some discreet recording of their behaviour to evidence your claim?

Normal rules on a boat tbf. However their application of them is ott and the restaurant booking is ridiculous. Tell them you'll make your own reservations

Contact the company now and request 50% refund

Sounds more like a prison boat than a holiday charter.

DS and five male friends did the catamaran cruise in Croatia. They clocked the restaurant fiddle after a couple of days and just refused to go choosing their own choice if they wanted to. No shoes fair enough, otherwise it was a very laid back holiday. No weird issues with sunscreen. They did take care with teak decks being sailors back home.

Eat where you want to is my advice. Do leave a pithy review.

Handing a grown man a glass of wine and telling him not to spill it is unreasonable. He is the client. He is paying thousands to you for your hospitality. He knows not to spill it. It’s patronising.

So what if they own the boat? It’s bloody rude. Even Gordon Ramsay wouldn’t shout at clientele in his restaurants and tell them not to spill the wine.

I would carry on and leave an honest review. But I would be inclined to say something every now and then like ‘I know! Shoes! Shoes! I know! You’ve told us!

Absolutely I don’t insist on bare feet - stubbing your toe on a stanchion is almost as bad as standing on Lego! If the boat is underway, sometimes you need to be able to move quickly and with confidence. Hopping up and down in pain is not a good look if you need to be putting out fenders/berthing ..

FFS……….I would have told where to shove their catamaran! And I would defined complain to the charter company too! It sounds like a boot camp endurance not a flaming holiday!

I hope you can all look back and laugh at this one day OP. How has she been since you had a word?

It’s almost as though they’ve borrowed the boat from someone and need to give it back in perfect nick. Not before they’ve made loads of money out of it though.
I know that’s unlikely but would explain the attitude.

You absolutely need to speak to them and the office, you have paid for your holiday they are there as employees, don’t let it continue and don’t be dictated to about where to eat, they are obviously onto a nice little agreement with some restaurants. You need to speak up and complain!

You need to take on advice from another recent, unrelated thread and keep answering them with "There We Are Then"

Nothing is standard about drying a splash of water from a man washing his hands in his private cabin. Don't be absurd.

Their attitude is appalling and you people are being treated as mugs (the restaurant scam) and/or cash cows.

Do you know if anyone else has complained?. I would have a conversation with some of the other guests.

Complain to their charter company about their behaviour now rather than when you arrive home.

And yes they are being bloody difficult for the sake of it. Indeed nothing is standard about drying three splashes of water from a man washing his hands in his private cabin.

I can understand the no wearing of shoes on boats but the rest of it is OTT and nit picking. It sounds like they have forgotten that they are supposed to be hospitable not hostile and not subject their guests to restaurant scams where they get a kickback.

This. They sound like a nightmare. I'd try to contact the company and get some compensarion. Say it was ruined by their behaviour.

That's a good idea.

You need to start saying more stuff. Start talking back. Complain to the company. Start being loud. If you don't too late they will minimise and justify.

This is your holiday and you're being treated terribly. I'm cross on your behalf.

I agree with the people who are wondering do they actually own the boat. I wonder do they actually look after it for someone who lives in another country and lets them know when they are flying in to have it ready for them

This hadn't occurred to me but is actually an interesting thought

Only thing is, if they're not supposed to be hiring, surely it wouldn't have been listed with a charter company, for fear of the real owner finding out?