Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many guests can you accommodate?
A: 12 total passengers- Jade Yacht Charters strictly adheres to the USCG laws and guidelines for Charters. Uninspected Passenger Vessels (which is the official name for all the captained charters in our class and smaller…ie the non Argosy type vessels) are limited to a total of 6 paying passengers unless you are greater than 100 Gross Tons. Jade Panama’ is a 110 GT vessel, which allows us to carry up to 12 paying passengers plus crew. This is not a number we can or will ignore as many others in the industry do.
Q: I see a lot of similar and smaller vessels claiming 12 and 13 passengers. Are they legal charters?
A: There are a lot of vessels claiming 12 and 13 passenger limits when you search for charters. These vessels are claiming to be Bare Boat Charters. For this to be a legal charter, you must be given the opportunity to pick your own captain and crew for that charter, and the owners of the vessel may not be aboard during the charter. There is only 1 person who is the charterer, and this person takes on all legal obligations of the vessel. This person can have up to 12 total passengers on board with them as part of the charter. Violation of this is a serious offense if stopped by the USCG while on charter. Please be aware that there are many illegal charter operations in the Seattle area. If you are not given the ability to choose your captain (they can certainly provide you a list), then the charter is an Illegal charter and if stopped there will be severe fines. (Note, there are a few well run legal charters that operate in this manner in the area…but unfortunately the number is very small) Remember, you as the charterer take on the legal obligations.
Here is a simple set of Rules by the USCG for a LEGAL Bare Boat Charter:
Charter (bareboat) Operation: A valid (bareboat) charter is an agreement where the charterer has use of the vessel for a period of time and is considered the owner. A charterer takes on the legal obligations, is responsible for the crew, passengers carried, and others. Elements of a valid bareboat charter may include:
1) The charterer must have the option of selecting & paying crew, although the owner may require general levels of proficiency for the crew that is retained based on federal statutes;
2) The master/crew are paid by the charterer;
3) All food, fuel and stores are provided by the charterer;
4) Insurance is obtained by the charterer;
5) The charterer is responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel;
6) A platform for events that does not involve consideration, even when moored at the pier; and
7) The vessel is surveyed upon return to the owner.
See here for a simple guide to USCG Charter Rules: USCG Charter Rules
Q: Can I bring my own food and drinks on board the Charter?
A: We absolutely can work with you to bring on your food or work with a caterer to properly cater your cruise. We will work closely with you to work this all out in advance to ensure everything is smooth come charter day. As for drinks, we do provide bottled water, as well as an assortment of non alcoholic beverages as part of the fee. For alcoholic beverages, we will have an assortment of premium beer stocked, as well as several alcohols for mixed drinks (Vodka, Rum, Whiskey) all available for a small fee to be charged at end of charter. If there is a particular type of beer or alcohol that you wish to have please work with us in advance to be sure we have this for you. Due to the logistical challenges associated with bringing your own beverages on board, we limit this to only special circumstances that must be worked out in advance. For wine we do allow both Red and White wine onboard, but we do need to arrange for this in advance. Red wine is only allowed on the upper and aft deck, and not in the interior of the salon.
Q: Where is the vessel located. Is there ample parking available at the pickup location?
A: Jade Panama’ is moored in Bellevue, WA, but we can arrange a pickup wherever is convenient. We have locations in downtown Seattle on South Lake Union, as well as in Kirkland and Renton.
Q: Can I smoke on the vessel?
A: Unfortunately this is a strict No. This is a very strict rule aboard this vessel. In addition, while legal in the State of Washington, no Marijuana use or possession of Marijuana of any kind is allowed aboard the vessel. The waters are Federal Waterways, and therefore subject to Federal laws where all non prescribed drugs are illegal. Any violation of this rule is an immediate cancellation of the charter and the cruise will stop immediately. The vessel will immediately head to the closest public dock and all passengers will be asked to depart. There will be no refunds given for any violation of this rule. We are sorry to be so strict about this, but should ANY illegal substance be found aboard the vessel, the USCG can immediately seize the vessel and is subject to forfeiture. We are not willing to compromise on this.
Q: Can we bring our own music to play on the vessel?
A: Absolutely. We have a zoned Sonos system aboard the vessel to allow for your music to be played on the bow, Salon, Aft Deck, and Upper Deck. Any device with a bluetooth or standard headphone jack can be used to stream music. We also have subscriptions to Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music and will work with you to find something that works for your party.
Q: Can you host a wedding aboard the vessel? Can your captain perform the ceremony?
A: We absolutely can accommodate this and would be honored to participate in your special day. We can work with your wedding planner to come up with a plan to make your day as special as it can be. Our captain is also authorized to perform wedding ceremonies in the State of Washington.
Q: What does a typical 4 hour Charter consist of?
A: We depart from South Lake Union, and allow everyone to take in the beauty of Seattle from the water as we cruise slowly along the southern shore of the lake. From there we proceed north and up into Portage bay passing by the floating homes including the Sleepless in Seattle home used in the Movie. We pass by the historic Seattle Yacht Club, and through the Montlake Cut where the UW rowers compete each year. You will then come into Union Bay where we get a magnificent view of the UW Husky Football Stadium.
We continue on along the floating 520 bridge and head south along the waterfront past both Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos compounds and on down to Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue. We head down to circumnavigate Mercer Island eventually heading back north along the western shore of Lake Washington near the Leschi area of Seattle. We then continue back to where we began and typically will cap it off with a cruise by the Fishing vessels made famous on the TV Series Deadliest Catch.
Of course, any alterations you wish to make to this we will work to accommodate. Ultimately we want this day to be special for you and your guests and will work hard to make that happen.
Q: Does our fee include the Tip, or should we plan for that to be additional.
A: A tip is customary for the crew in a cruise like this. This goes directly to the lovely stews and crew that work so hard to make your day special. This is their primary form of compensation for the day, and they spend several hours both before and after your event to prepare for and clean up afterward in an effort to provide you with an amazing time out on the water.