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

I think the no shoes is absolutely standard and not letting you near the helm is obviously covering their arses (perfectly understandable).

The rest sounds a bit OTT. Sounds like they don’t have the right type of personality to ‘host’

I am so angry on your behalf! Sounds like the atmosphere is already so bad it’s ruining your holiday. You need to have it out with your “hosts” pronto and try to salvage what’s left of your break.

i turned around and jumped in the water as we have very limited time and must go approximately. Wuss I know.

Until fairly recently, all yachts had teak decks. Many still do. Water only stains the teak if it's not been treated properly and even then it's easy to get rid of the stains (not red wine stains though).

If this couple are so precious about their yacht then they shouldn't be chartering it, simple as that.

Understandable, but COME ON!

Put your big girl pants on and start calling them out on their rudeness.
You are paying to have them treat you like children.

What is the worst that can happen if you tell them you are not happy with things? They are hardly going to off you into the sea

Totally doesn't match my experience of sailing in Croatia at all.
I went with a sunsail flotilla and had a skipper, no hostess on the boat. I don't remember being asked to remove shoes immediately (although I don't remember there being much teak, maybe ours was a less fancy boat). Definitely we were encouraged to wear sunscreen, the skipper was happy to chat & teach and we were under sail pretty much whenever it was windy enough. Anyone who wanted to could steer, tack etc with whatever level of supervision they needed. Actually sailing is desirable to most people (weirdly not everyone) who goes on a sailing trip and yanbu if you want them to sail when possible even though it's more effort.
We also had no pressure to do any particular activity, we spent quite a bit of time snorkeling, jumping of the boat etc.

Not chartered myself but a mate of mine's husband used to run a mainly corporate hospitality business based around boats and they would tell me about it because I was interested. I'd say rules not normal, although you'd expect people to take normal care when eating and drinking etc, deck shoes only when on the boat normal, but bare feet not. Attitude totally and utterly not normal and my mate would not have used them in his business. Honestly don't know about the restaurants as all his charters came with a chef but I'd bet my boots that they are getting a kick back. No reviews says to me they are new to the game. I suspect once a few people have tried them you will see "honest" reviews.

I cannot believe you are tolerating this.
Also for your children to see you accepting being spoken to and treated like this.
Whilst having paid through the nose.

However, I do feel as you are sailing you must feel a bit vulnerable.
I certainly wouldn't like the dynamic you are describing.

That is why I think it is so important that you leave a very comprehensive review and how the overall feeling was of a stressful, unpleasant, expensive experience.

There is nothing enjoyable about being at the mercy of such rude, inhospitable people at sea.

I think it's normal to ask your son to use a plate to eat water melon. None of the rest of it is. I'm not sure I agree with the advice to push back - it will create a horrible atmosphere. I may just complain at the end.

My Son works on yachts. The client is king. You can literally do all of the things they are forbidding.
What happens when they sail in big weather? The teak gets wet.
The suncream is essential fir your skin.
Crumbs are part of eating with or without children.
They are lazy & just want the money.
I would just tell them you've paid alot of money, you are using the decks respectfully, & then just carry on.
& NO way should anyone be in your cabin without knocking, & prepare the cabin/heads etc.
You need to complain & give shit review

Then why have a boat hosting people in the sunshine? It's so contrary it's unbelievable.

I would be so upset and angry with this . It’s such a waste of your precious time off and money !
I would want to cut the holiday short.
There’s nothing to stop you leaving really , it just sounds so uncomfortable, life is too short !

Wow this sounds so horrendous. I’ve been with my parents on many chartered boats, including in Croatia, but my father and I both have our boat license, so he is the skipper and we self-cater. We’ve only used the company SunSail in Europe, and have had an excellent experience every time.

Not being able to relax, have a glass of wine on the deck, or sit on the all weather seating after a swim would be AWFUL. What a waste of money. I’m so sad to hear that your kids are stuck in their cabins.

You could complain to the chartering company, but I suspect that this couple are just super tight and stuck up, and that even if they were told a million times they wouldn’t understand why they are making you all so uncomfortable.

You poor things. I absolutely hate spending a lot of money and for it to be disappointing.

Ok, time to find your voice!
Is this a pleasant and relaxing holiday?
Is it value for money in terms of hospitality and service?
No. So complain!

You're essentially paying to be bullied.

This is bonkers. It’s a boat - how can they expect everything to be dry all the time?! And your experience is materially different from what you were promised, e.g. with the sailing. I don’t know what you can do about it, unfortunately, but definitely report to the company and give an honest review. It sounds awful, and frankly, I would start making a mess just for the sake of it.

Most of my boat charter knowledge comes from watching Below Deck but I think this sounds insane! How much are you paying to be barked at and bullied like this? Guessing the charter wasn't cheap if you can afford to drop 650 Euro on dinner for 4 and then go back to the same place the following day... if you'd spent the same money on a hotel stay would you accept being treated like this? You should have been onto the charter agency on day one.

I used to work on yachts- no shoes is normal but shouting about it isn’t.
Wear and tear is expected and that’s what dry dock at the end of the season is for- any minor repairs would be factored into charter cost and anything outside of that taken out of your deposit.

Then I think if people knew this the charter industry would die a very quick death.

I go on holiday to relax and if droplets of water is a huge deal then what happens when they are in a storm at sea.

I wouldn’t book a holiday that involves sailing because I get sea sick but if this was an Airbnb host I would be leaving very bad reviews.

Either you are one of their very first bookings or they are having bad reviews

Telling you how you can eat, isn’t it their job to clear up after you?

Presumably there is a chef/waiter/cleaner or is it just the 2 of them doing everything because it saves money or they have scared off too many employees because they are horrific to work for and can’t get anyone to help.

This sounds miserable OP. I hope you've all still been able to enjoy some of it despite their behaviour.

The skipper and batshit host hold all the cards though don't they. The op is very much at their mercy. If they start standing up for themselves God knows how much more difficult they could make this awful trip.

I'd just grin and bear it and then submit a stinking complaint about their hostility and unwelcome behaviour once home.

No, it's about challenging rude and bullying behaviour. Say nothing out of fear?! What else can they do?
The OP and her family are paying guests.
It's not a freebie that the owners have to deal with under duress.

That explains it.

I was wondering what's the bloody point of a boat if it can't get wet!

They are already making the op and her family feel very uncomfortable. The hosts clearly are hostile, unpleasant people.

I very much doubt if the op says 'do not talk to me like that and stop being so unreasonable' that they'll say 'oh sorry we had no idea'. They know, they don't care.

Complain to the company once home and let them deal with it.

1, 2 and 3 are normal. 4 and 5 are borderline, depends on form of you guys (was there an issue already?). 6 is unacceptable. For 6, I’d raise a complaint but you actually went and ate so not sure. The rest I’d accept, 4 and 5 begrudgingly so if there was already an incident.