7 ways to world-class yacht operations

When every vessel is a mobile, multi-million-dollar business, you need systems and services that can support operations in a unique set of circumstances.

Our new, free guide can help.

We’ve drawn on our experience working with some of the world’s largest superyachts – both charter and private – to outline 7 ways to world-class yacht operations. The guide looks at ways to support or improve:

• Guest services

• Security

• Reporting and admin

Let’s look at one example.

Use payment cards with high limits

Captains often use cards for their yacht’s daily operational expenses, to pay for passengers’ requests from a charter APA or for both.

To empower your people to quickly respond as opportunities or issues arise, you should ensure your card solution is up to the job.

Firstly, check that your card solution has transaction and balance limits that are high enough for your needs.

For example, the Centtrip card has high balance and transaction limits, allowing you to:

• Spend up to $250,000 in a single point-of-sale or online transaction

• Withdraw up to $5,000 daily from 2.1 million ATMs worldwide

• Instantly transfer up to $275,000 per day to one or multiple cards

Consider issuing multiple cards to each key member of crew. Not just the captain but the chef, chief steward and anyone else who needs to spend on behalf of the yacht or guests. Multiple cards make it easy to keep charter clients’ funds segregated, even when managing consecutive, short-term charters. For example, key crew members could have cards for “APA Account 1”, “APA Account 2”, etc. – as many as you need for flexibility and control.

To simplify and speed support from the shore-based team, consider a solution that gives head office real-time visibility and control across multiple, independent accounts from a single interface.

Also look for a card and app combination. This makes it easier for individuals to track what they spend. A receipt capture function ensures that no expense goes unaccounted for while tailored, real-time reporting makes it simple for the captain to keep on top of spend to date. 

Systems like Centtrip’s award-winning app also give authorized users like head office or the captain the ability to instantly lock or unlock cards, and to remove, add or switch funds between cards from a simple, anytime, anywhere interface.

“For charter APAs [advance provisioning allowances], we have a separate card in the captain's name. Each card has its own separate, real-time reporting so it's easy to match that up to our charter accounts. And it's super quick. If we switch a boat from private to commercial and need an additional charter account, it’s set up and the cards are sent out within two days to wherever the boat is in the world. It's all very easy.”

- Rob Dolling, Director of Sales & Purchase, Management and New Construction, VERPEKA DOLLING

 Other questions to consider include:

• Do suppliers of your critical services give you 24/7 support from real people who understand your world?

• Is there a way to reduce the cost, risk and hassle of relying on a safe full of cash?