Why you should book the Stay Aboard

Did you know when you book a sailing charter with Whitsunday Escape, you have the option to Stay Aboard the boat the night before you go for only a flat fee $200?

We can also guarantee that the option to stay aboard will always be available for our charterers. It’s simply the way we operate.

1.      Arrive on any flight and make your way to the marina at your leisure.

2.      If you arrive early and your boat is not yet ready for boarding, we can mind your luggage to give you freedom for the afternoon.

3.      You can collect your snorkelling gear and hire wetsuits, and leave them in our storeroom until boarding time. The dive shop is only open from 8am to 4pm so you will be able to do this without being rushed, or eating into your charter time.

4.      You can do your own grocery shopping and provisioning at leisure. There are several supermarkets and other specialty stores you can visit, all within 5km of the marina. The local butcher and fish shops are worth a visit to choose some picks of the day.

a.      If you want to do an online order, we recommend you ‘Click and Collect’ rather than have it delivered –delivery is notoriously tricky at the marina and some deliveries have not turned up, or turned up 1000km away.

5.      Loading your things on board always takes longer than people realise. Not only do you need to bring your luggage and personal items aboard, you have to load your shopping too! The Stay Aboard gives you the whole afternoon prior to get all this organised.

6.      You can use the evening to go over your briefing paperwork and complete a few things in advance, which will make your briefing go faster and more smoothly.

7.      Take the time to settle into the boat and find where everything is stowed away.

8.      Enjoy a nice restaurant meal in Airlie Beach, or sample the nightlife, before you head off into the marine park.

9.      For a large crew, there’s no other accommodation available anywhere near this price.

10.   You can have your briefing as early as 8am on your first full day, and the whole crew can give it their full attention, then get out onto the water as quickly as possible.