Your Sailing Holiday
Your Sailing Holiday – Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully You’ll find the answer to your question here.
If you can’t find the answer, drop us an email. Most of the time we should get back to you the same day.
Or phone us on the boat phone. The number is 00 44 (0) 7977 594649 and you will be speaking to directly with either Su or John.
During the summer, you might quickly check The Sailing Holidays itinerary page to see where we are.
If we are Sailing Offshore we might take a few days to get back to you. If we are coastal sailing we’ll probably reply the same day.
How Do I Book?
Fill in the online booking form. We will get in touch to confirm if there is a space available for you. If you are happy to go ahead then pay the first 50% of your voyage fee.
Once the initial payment is made your space on that voyage will be confirmed by email and you can then go ahead to book flights and buy sailing holiday travel insurance.
SchoonerSail’s How To Book Your Sailing Holiday page has fuller information and a road map for what happens after you book.
Why do I have to be able to climb a three-metre vertical ladder etc?
Sailing can be both physically and mentally challenging. If your agility level is such that you can’t confidently climb a 3m vertical ladder, step across a 0.65m gap and step down from 0.4m then you may find it difficult to get down the companion way ladder and on and off the boat. You will certainly find life at sea a struggle. Agility is generally more important than strength onboard.
If you are in any doubt about your fitness level or your ability to cope with activities onboard, please do phone us for a chat. If we can safely accommodate you we will. We may recommend that you try one of our Sailing Weekends before committing to anything longer.
I am a beginner, can I book any Sailing Holiday or Voyage?
Yes, plenty of people do and the basic skills are picked up quite quickly. We are always happy to talk through with you exactly what to expect on any particular sailing holiday or voyage. Just give us a ring on the boat phone.
Here are some useful pages on this website, if you are looking for more information:
I am sailing on my own, will it be mostly couples onboard?
This is unlikely. We do get some bookings from couples but most people come on their own.
Can someone not interested in participating in the sailing come with me?
This is not a good idea. Over the years, we have found that this does not work well for good crew dynamics.
Can I book for someone else as a present or as a surprise?
Lots of people do this, it’s not a problem. Just let us know when you book and we can arrange the details.
We do recommend that you run the idea past the person you are booking for first. We have had some stunning successes with surprises over the years but also a couple of occasions where people very obviously wouldn’t have booked a sailing holiday for themselves.
I am a woman, will there be other women onboard?
Yes – the first mate is female. We obviously can’t guarantee how many other women there might be on a particular sailing holiday, but lots of women sail with us and it is not uncommon for there to be more women than men.
Can couples have a double cabin?
Yes, so long as the cabins are not already booked and you let us know you are a couple when you book your sailing holiday.
Is there an upper age limit?
No. We just ask that you are realistic about your physical capabilities.
Offshore voyages in particular can be both physically and mentally challenging and you will need to be able to cope in rough weather. As a general rule agility is much more important than brute physical strength. Also see the question above regarding the booking requirements.
Is there a lower age limit?
Yes. Trinovante is an adult boat and we normally don’t take under 18s.
Occasionally we will take a mature under 18 by individual arrangement if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
If you want to bring an under 18 with you give us a ring and we can discuss.
Can we arrange a private charter on Trinovante?
Yes, but you would need to give us plenty of notice. You may be able to group book one of our voyages if you book early.
I’ve never sailed before - is there anything useful I can learn before I arrive onboard?
The short answer is probably no.
The longer answer is that we run through everything that you will need to know onboard as a matter of course. There is no need to get stressed out about it. It’s supposed to be fun!
We think it’s a lot easier to learn by doing than by reading, but if you are keen it can help to learn the names of the sails before you come.
If you are really keen, maybe try our Learning To Sail A Schooner Articles
What do I pay and when?
It’s simple – you pay 50% when you book and the balance 10 weeks/56 days before you arrive onboard or shortly before.
You can find all the information About Booking Your Sailing Holiday here and there is also a road map for what happens after booking.
What is included in the price?
- All meals onboard.
We provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Obviously if you choose to eat ashore this is at your own expense. We can cater for most diets but you must let us know about special diets at the time of booking. - Non-alcoholic drinks.
Ship’s rules are no drinking alcohol at sea or if we are about to sail. This does not mean Trinovante is a dry boat. We don’t have bar of any sort onboard so everyone brings their own. - Use of life-jackets and wet-weather gear.
See here for a list of what you need to pack for your sailing holiday.
What is not included in the price?
- Your travel to and from the ship.
Every voyage has notes for travel and finding the ship in harbour.
There are travel notes fo rthe individual ports for your sailing holida.
- Travel insurance
This is compulsory for all voyages. We have a page on Buying Travel Insurance For Sailing Holidays
I’ve changed my mind - can I cancel?
Yes, if it is within the time limits specified in our Sailing Holiday Terms And Conditions.
You may cancel at any time within 14 days of your booking being accepted, if the voyage starts more than 8 weeks from your booking date.
If the voyage starts within 8 weeks of your booking, you may cancel at any time within 48 hours and we will refund any payments received.
This is to give you time to book associated flights and travel insurance and provides a cooling-off period.
During the periods specified above, any payments received will be refunded in full and there is no cancellation fee.
Do you hold my money in a client account?
Yes, we hold all advance voyage fee payments in a separate account until the start date day of your voyage.
We do not use your deposit as part of our cash flow.
How much spending money will I need?
You could arrive with no spending money at all.
Crews ocasionally opt to eat out but this does not happen on every voyage and, you can always stay and eat on the boat if you want.
We don’t have a bar onboard, so if you want to drink alcohol you need to buy it ashore or bring it with you.
What time do I join and leave?
Arrival time is 4pm. We provide an evening meal on the first day and the safety briefing for the voyage will start almost immediately on arrival. You need to be on time for Taster Weekends and if you are going to be late make sure you let us know.
Leaving time for Taster Weekends is 4pm and we are usually fairly prompt arriving back at the marina.
Arrival time is usually 4pm or 6pm but check your voyage notes. We provide an evening meal on the first day and the safety briefing for the voyage will start almost immediately on arrival.
However, we know flight times can be tricky and vary hugely in price.
If you can only get a morning flight on the day of arrival we are usually around so you can drop your bags on the boat. Just bear in mind we may not be onboard all day.
For leaving, it is often possible to catch a late flight on the evening before you are due to leave or an early morning flight on the official day of departure. Check things with us before booking flights to see if you can arrive a bit late or leave early.
Can I join the boat early or leave late?
If you arrive early you can drop your bags off at the boat if you pre-arrange it with us.
John and Su will be onboard an hour before your voyage joining time. Before that we will probably be out shopping.
For leaving, again it is fine to leave your bags onboard and pick them up later if you have a late flight, but please let us know in advance.
Please be considerate about arriving early or leaving late. We need some down time between voyages in order to be able to give our best when our guest sailors are onboard. Most of our time between voyages is taken up cleaning, shopping, and answering emails etc.
My flight times mean I arrive a little late, does this matter?
It depends on what a ‘little late’ means. If you want to book a flight that gets you to the boat late please check with us first.
Chances are it will probably be okay. We do know it can sometimes be very difficult to make flight times work.
How do I find the boat when I arrive?
Please see your joining email for full instructions. There is also a Travel To the Ship page with instructions on how to find the boat and maps of all the voyage joining and leaving ports.
Will I have to do any cooking?
Only if you want to – cooking onboard is a bit of a skill, particularly at sea. You will be expected to have a go at the washing up though, its all part of the team building!
See Life Onboard to get an idea of what to expect.
Can I charge my mobile phone onboard?
Yes. We have a large number of USB ports for our guests usual gadget charging fest. You know, all those expensive electrical things we advise you not to bring.
Do I really need to bring wellies?
Probably yes, but you can get away without wellies if it doesn’t rain. However, if it does rain, having wet feet for a week is no fun.
We might have a pair that we can lend you from our pile of wellies onboard – let us know what size and we can have a look.
If you are worried about weight when you are packing, short yachtie wellies are a lot lighter than old style black wellies but either will do.
Please do not count on being able to buy wellies when you arrive.
Do you have a list of what to pack?
Yes we do. What To Pack For Your Sailing Holiday
Where can I find suitable sailing holiday insurance?
Check out our Buying Sailing Holiday Insurance page for some points to consider before you buy. Please note that we cannot provide individual insurance advice or look at specific policies.
You will find a link to one insurer here but please do not feel you need to use there, there are lots of insurers to choose from and prices can vary considerably. We actively encourage you to shop around.
I get travel insurance included with my bank account etc... and it covers sailing. Will that do?
Maybe or maybe not – you need to read their terms and conditions. If you are not sure ask the company concerned. In any event make sure that you read our notes on Buying Sailing Holiday Insurance to find out some of the pitfalls.
