Something Is Wrong on Your Charter: What to Do in the First 24 Hours

Day 3. Six guests. Anchored off a small island in the Saronic Gulf.

The toilet in the forward cabin stops working at 21:40.

The guest is annoyed. They think about waiting until morning.

Instead they tell the captain. The captain writes down the time and what happened.

Then the guest sends one message to their broker. It takes two minutes.

The broker replies that evening and says when the next update will come.

A technician is arranged for the next port. A note goes to the yacht’s management in writing.

One message. One note. A fix with a time on it.

The short answer

Tell the captain first. Say what is wrong, and ask the captain to note the time and date.
Message your broker the same day. Short is fine.
Under the MYBA charter agreement (2017 version), Clause 21, if it is not resolved on board you notify the owner or your broker within 24 hours of the event, and confirm it in writing as soon as possible.
Do not leave the yacht before you have spoken to your broker.
No one can promise an outcome. Raised early, most problems have a fix.

Your own contract governs. Clause wording differs between versions and contract forms, so ask your broker to show you the clause.

The first hour

1. Tell the captain

The captain is the first stop. Clause 21 of the MYBA 2017 form says you complain to the captain on board, and note is taken of the time, date and nature of the complaint.

Say it calmly and plainly. What is wrong, since when, and what you would like to happen.

The captain informs the broker and the stakeholder as soon as practicable. The captain also has a duty under Clause 7 to tell the broker and stakeholder promptly about breakdowns, disablements, crew changes and other significant incidents.

2. Write it down yourself

Keep your own note on your phone. Date, time, what happened, who you told.

Take a photo or a short video if it helps. A cabin that is too hot, a leak, a unit that will not start.

Notes made at the time carry weight. Notes written from memory a week later carry less.

3. Message your broker

Same day. WhatsApp, text or a call.

Three lines are enough. What, when, what you want.

Your broker answers the same day and tells you when you will hear next.

Within 24 hours

If the captain cannot solve it on board, the MYBA 2017 form asks you to notify the owner or your broker within 24 hours of the event. The only exception is where communications fail.

It may start as a phone call. The contract then asks you to confirm it as soon as possible in writing, specifying the precise nature of the complaint.

This matters for a simple reason. Under Clause 20, the stakeholder holds the balance of the charter fee if it receives written notice of a complaint. A complaint that was never written down is harder to protect later.

Your broker helps you put it in writing on time and puts the same issue to the yacht’s management in writing the same day.

Do not leave the yacht first

It is tempting to leave a yacht that feels wrong. A hotel for the night. A transfer to the airport.

Speak to your broker first.

The reason is practical. Your broker may have a fix ready for the same evening or the next morning. Leaving before you speak can cost you options you did not know existed.

If you feel unsafe, that is different. Safety comes first. Tell the captain, and tell your broker at once.

The resolution ladder

Most issues are solved at the first or second step. The ladder runs in this order.

Fix on board. The crew repairs, resets or works around the problem.
Technician. A specialist is sent to the yacht or meets it in the next port.
Crew change. For a service or fit problem that the guest and captain cannot settle on board, the owner may change a crew member.
Replacement equipment. A new part or unit is brought in.
Replacement yacht. Sometimes arranged for a serious failure. The MYBA 2017 form has no substitute yacht clause, so this is agreed case by case and never guaranteed.
Credit or commercial remedy. For things not delivered, a credit on your APA statement, or an agreed adjustment after the charter.

Your broker pushes the owner for the specific fix that fits. Longer failures have their own clause. See what happens if your charter yacht breaks down.

Calm scripts

Exact wording helps when you are tired and annoyed. These are short and polite.

If this happens	Say or do this
Something stops working	Tell the captain. Say “Could you note the time, and let the management know?” Message your broker.
The captain says it will be fixed tomorrow	Say “Thank you. Please confirm what time, and I will tell my broker.” Then tell your broker.
The food or service is not what you were told	Raise it on day 1 or 2 with the captain and your broker. Say what you were expecting and ask what can change.
You are told “everything is fine” but it is not	Say “It is not fine for us, and I would like it noted.” Then write to your broker.
You cannot reach the captain	Message your broker at once. The contract’s 24 hours begins at the event.
You think about leaving the yacht	Call your broker before you decide.

What your broker does

Answers the same day and always tells you when you will hear next.
Checks in personally on day 2 of the charter: “Are you having a 5-star vacation? If not, what can be done?”
Puts your issue to the yacht’s management in writing the same day.
Helps you put a complaint in writing on time so your rights under the contract stay protected.
Pushes the owner for specific fixes: a technician, a crew change, replacement equipment, credits for things not delivered shown on your APA statement.
Keeps separate problems separate. A payment question does not hold up a charter issue.
After the charter, chases the APA account and any balance, and keeps you updated until it is closed.

The bigger picture is in when a yacht charter goes wrong. What happens to the APA is in is APA refundable. If you are home already, read how a complaint actually works.

Questions people ask

What should I do if something is wrong on my yacht charter?

Tell the captain, ask for the time and date to be noted, and message your broker the same day. If it is not solved on board, confirm it in writing within 24 hours where you can.

How long do I have to complain on a yacht charter?

Under the MYBA 2017 form, Clause 21, you notify the owner or broker within 24 hours of the event if it is not resolved on board. Caribbean contracts use different forms, often with a 24-hour breakdown threshold and their own complaint deadlines; your broker will show you yours.

Do I have to complain in writing?

It can begin verbally. The MYBA 2017 form asks you to confirm it as soon as possible in writing, specifying the precise nature of the complaint. Your broker helps you do that.

Can I leave the yacht if I am unhappy?

Speak to your broker first, unless you feel unsafe. Leaving before the issue has been raised can reduce the options for a fix.

Will I get a replacement yacht?

Not as a rule. The MYBA 2017 breakdown clause has no replacement yacht obligation. Brokers can ask for one and sometimes arrange one, but it is a request and never a guarantee.