How to Book a Super Yacht with HELM

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Sundeck on the bow of the Gatsby super yacht, chartered by HELM. Photo credit: Kim Orlando

Booking a yacht on HELM.yt is refreshingly straightforward, even if you’re new to chartering. It reminded me of booking a hotel room, with check-in and check-out dates required.  

The site walks you through thoughtful prompts, such as:

  • where and when you want to sail,
  • the number of people in your group and
  • whether you want a skipper, crew, or prefer to sail yourself.

Along the way, it explains key terms (like “bareboat” vs. “crewed”) so you understand exactly what you’re booking and why certain choices impact the price.

For example, if you’re planning a summer trip in Croatia for six people and select a crewed catamaran, HELM will show you a selection of vetted yachts, estimate the cost, and break down what’s included—like fuel, provisioning, and port fees—so you can gauge the true value of your charter.

It’s a lot like booking a luxury Airbnb. You can filter by crew, price, and destination.

Step-by-Step: How Booking Works on HELM

1. Visit HELM.yt

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2. Plug in your basics

  • Destination
  • Dates
  • Number of guests
  • Type of charter: crewed, skippered, or bareboat
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Screenshot of search criteria on HELM Yacht booking page.

3. Browse vetted yachts
HELM only works with the top 5% of yachts. Each listing shows real pricing breakdowns—what’s included (like port fees, crew, meals) and what’s not (like gratuity or alcohol).

4. Speak with a real person
After you submit your request, a HELM advisor will contact you to customize everything—from dietary needs to itinerary preferences.

How Much Does It Cost?

The company works with yacht owners around the world and charter prices listed on the website are in euros. Prices vary depending on the size of the yacht, crew, and season.

Here’s a look at a few real pricing samples for the Amalfi Coast:

  • Forever Rosanna – €29,000/week (~ $34,000), 3-person crew, 4 cabins, sleeps 9
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Forever Rosanna yacht. Photo credit: HELM.
  • GIGI – €68,000/week (~ $79,000), 4-person crew, 4 cabins, sleeps 8
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Interior living area GIGI super yacht. Photo credit: HELM.
  • GIOIA – €200,000/week (~ $233,000), 9-person crew, 5 cabins, sleeps 12, Includes a jacuzzi and giant sundecks
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Jacuzzi and giant sundecks on Condesca super yacht. Photo credit: HELM.
  • Gatsby – Starts at €85,000/week (~ $99,000), 5-star service, exceptional food, custom excursions, and privacy
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Master suite on the Gatsby super yacht. Photo credit: Kim Orlando.

All prices are for the full yacht (not per person), and often include water toys, chef, crew, and concierge-level support.  All yachts on this route must add 22% Italian VAT + 35% APA.

Common FAQs About Booking a Yacht on HELM

Q: Is this only for the ultra-rich?
 A: No. That’s why I am so excited about sharing this luxury travel option.  When you divide the total cost by the number of guests, it can be comparable to a luxury resort or big boat cruise, especially if you’re planning for a special occasion or optimal way to see several places without driving.

Q: Is gratuity included?
 A: No. Plan to tip the crew 10–15% of the charter cost, just like in the hospitality industry. I was hosted on a trip and still tipped the very attentive crew.

Q: Can I book just a room on a yacht?
 A: Not with HELM. These are full-yacht private charters only, not shared bookings.

Q: What’s the difference between “bareboat” and “crewed”?
 A: A bareboat is essentially a rental you captain yourself (or hire your own skipper). A crewed charter includes a full professional crew—chef, captain, hosts, etc.  You can select full crew or partial (captain only).

Q: What’s included in a crewed chartered yacht price?
 A: Usually:

  • Crew – partial or full
  • Meals
  • Fuel
  • Port fees
  • Water toys
  • Cleaning

Always double-check the listing for specifics.

Why I Recommend HELM

HELM is more than a booking platform, it’s a boutique agency with a concierge-style approach. I met Simon Morgan, one of HELM’s co-owners, on board the Gatsby. His knowledge blew me away. He could identify nearly every boat we passed by engine type, age, and stabilization system.

Explore charters at HELM.yt or learn more from my full review of Gatsby here.

Kim Orlando, founder of SheBuysTravel, is a lifelong traveler, an entrepreneur and a sought-after social media and marketing consultant. She has made hundreds of appearances on TV and in digital and print media, sharing advice and tips built on decades of travel experiences. Hailing from the hills of Kentucky and taking her story to New York, Los Angeles, and beyond, Kim built an online platform, the original TravelingMom, that has reached millions of moms and empowered them to explore the world with their families. Today, TravelingMom has evolved into SheBuysTravel. Kim has been featured on “News Nation,” “Today,” “Good Morning America” and on numerous satellite media tours. She has contributed travel guidance to outlets including The Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and more. (Read more about Kim’s media appearances here) Her travel mantra is simple: All travel counts. “You don’t have to go far. Leaving your home is travel,” Kim says. “Wherever you go, even just to the next town over, you can learn something new, see someone and something you haven’t seen before. “It’s good for the brain and good for the soul.” An epiphany in early parenthood started Kim on the journey that led to SheBuysTravel. She’d been a fan of a newsletter for women travelers, and she saw an opportunity. “I thought something like that for moms could be extraordinarily helpful,” she said. “I was traveling for work, traveling for fun, and I was looking for support.” That seed grew into the award-winning website TravelingMom, created as a resource for traveling families of all stripes. Today, TravelingMom has evolved into SheBuysTravel, with an expanded mission to serve women travelers at any stage of life. Millions of readers have visited the site for trip planning help, travel secrets, destination information and gear recommendations. What sets SheBuysTravel’s content apart, Kim says, is its foundation in real-world experience. “Our writers and editors have actually gone out there and done this stuff,” she says. “They’ve booked the flights, tried the tour, tested travel clothing, visited that new hot spot to see if it’s worth the hype. It’s all real.” Memorable Adventures A 2022 tour Kim guided to Bhutan was a particularly standout experience. “Bhutan sounds so exotic, of course,” she said. “But the part where my heart just glows and warms is thinking of the people we met – amazing women doing amazing things in Bhutan.” Their ranks included a former police officer whose ventures into food science helped mitigate food insecurity for residents of Bhutan’s highlands. Top Tips Planning for travel can be daunting, Kim acknowledges. “I always say: Go anyway. No trip is going to be perfect. There’s always going to be something you didn’t expect, something that doesn’t go the way you pictured or planned it. And that something is what’s going to make it a great trip.” And on a practical note: “Go early! Getting to the airport or hitting the road just an hour earlier relieves so much stress.” Kim’s Background Kim, a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, holds degrees in finance and entrepreneurship and has deep experience in developing and running businesses. Her previous work includes developing and running communications workshops and overseeing document management for corporations. SheBuysTravel hits a sweet spot where Kim’s two loves of travel and entrepreneurship meet. “The longer I work in this field, I only want to do more,” she says. “I find the travel world so exciting – not just the trips, but the whole online world of travel. There are still so many opportunities.” The World Awaits “The ‘best trip ever’ probably won’t be the same for an empty-nester or mom of three versus a single woman celebrating a bachelorette party with her friends,” Kim says. “We want to keep it real for traveling women, no matter what their age, life stage, where they came from or where they’re going. “We want to inspire women to travel in any shape or form.” In her free time, Kim enjoys visiting her adult kids, creating trips and traveling with her BFFs to explore the world. Her most recent adventures can be found on InstagramFacebook and LinkedIn.
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