Is the proposed vacation operationally realistic?

9. Has the captain or operational team assessed the itinerary?

Request an operational itinerary, not only a list of attractive stops. MYBA’s published broker guidance calls for checks on distances, delivery time and the suitability of the itinerary for the area’s weather conditions. (myba-association.com)

• A — 0: We have a destination wish list.
• B — 1: We have a sample itinerary that has not been checked for this yacht.
• C — 2: The route has been discussed, but transit hours, access, fuel assumptions or alternatives remain unresolved.
• D — 3: The captain or operational team has assessed the proposed route, practical access, cruising time, expense assumptions and fallback options; the family has accepted the trade-offs.

Evidence to keep: A day-by-day outline separating cruising from leisure time. For a Bahamas or Caribbean itinerary, ask explicitly about draft, tide-dependent access, tender transfers and exposed passages. Treat this as a request for professional assessment, not a navigational plan produced by the quiz.

10. Can you explain who represents whom and why this yacht is preferred?

Check the role being performed in this transaction. A brokerage can offer charter services to guests and charter-management services to owners, as Burgess’s published service pages illustrate. (burgessyachts.com)

• A — 0: We do not know the contracting parties or intermediary roles.
• B — 1: We recognise the brand, but have not clarified representation or remuneration.
• C — 2: Roles are understood, but compensation, relevant relationships or the recommendation’s rationale remains unclear.
• D — 3: Roles and remuneration arrangements have been explained in writing, relevant interests disclosed, and the yacht’s selection justified against our brief and credible alternatives—or a documented reason for a single-yacht choice.

Evidence to keep: A simple party-and-role map plus a comparison using consistent assumptions. If the same yacht appears in several proposals, treat it as one vessel option, not several independent alternatives.

11. Have you accepted the weather and disruption trade-offs?

Seasonal suitability is not a guarantee for your week. NOAA identifies June 1–November 30 as the official Atlantic hurricane season and notes that tropical cyclone activity can occur outside those dates. (nhc.noaa.gov)

• A — 0: We assume the advertised itinerary will happen as shown.
• B — 1: We have chosen a preferred season but have not discussed disruption.
• C — 2: We understand the main risks, but fallback arrangements or family expectations remain unsettled.
• D — 3: We have discussed weather-related changes, acceptable alternative routes or activities, travel connections and who communicates decisions; the principal accepts the limitations.

Evidence to keep: A short contingency note identifying who monitors conditions, when plans are reassessed and which experiences are preferences rather than guaranteed deliverables. Cross-check the financial consequences under Questions 13 and 14.

12. Are approvals and payment dates mapped to the actual agreement?

Copy payment dates from your transaction documents, not a generic checklist. Published broker processes differ: Burgess describes a balance deadline five weeks before departure, while IYC’s reservation guide describes four weeks. Your agreement needs its own calendar. (burgessyachts.com)

• A — 0: We do not know who signs or authorises payment.
• B — 1: We know the deposit amount, but not the remaining commitments.
• C — 2: We have a payment calendar, but an approval, funding, currency or document requirement is outstanding.
• D — 3: The authorised parties have accepted the payment schedule, funding arrangements and required documentation, with responsibility assigned for each deadline and any APA top-up.

Evidence to keep: A calendar showing amount, currency, due date, recipient, approver and supporting document. Flag related flight or hotel commitments for separate approval rather than assuming they can be changed without cost.