1) Where does your yacht cruise? What route do you take? What will
we see?
We cruise out of Burnham Harbor and head north across Chicago's Famous
Skyline, past Navy Pier and then back south, cruising again past Navy
Pier and across the Skyline. This is considered a Chicago Skyline Cruise. Back to Top
2) Do the packages you offer include everything, for one simple per-person
price?
Everything
you see listed in each package is included in the price quoted in that
package. You will notice that each unique package includes your exclusive
use of Valara VI for the period of time stated, and the menu, beverages
listed in the package, and all utensils needed are provided. Everything
will be on board and ready for you when you and your guests arrive
at the slip at the scheduled time. Back to Top
3) After reviewing your packages and finding the
one that best suits my needs, are there any extra costs I need to know
about?
You will notice that each package quotes its price. There are no add ons as far as your billing is concerned. Crew Gratuities are the only element that is not included in our prices. That being said, gratuity amounts are provided in accordance to what the customer chooses to provide to the crew. It is customary, however, to provide a gift of gratuity for the services the crew has provided.
Feel free to ask our office for general guidelines in this regard. Back to Top
4) Do you require a certain minimum number of
guests to offer these all-inclusive packaged rates?
Because we are a "Private Event Yacht", meaning that you
will not be sharing the yacht with any other groups during your event,
we do require minimum guest counts in order to offer these all-inclusive
package rates. The minimum guest counts allow us to provide our yacht
to you for exclusive use during your particular party.
Our minimum guest-count requirements vary, depending upon the day of
the week you are choosing, together with the package you are choosing.
It is best to call our office, and discuss your needs. Should you have
a smaller group than we require for our all-inclusive packaged rates,
we will then simply bill you on an “ala carte” non-packaged
rate basis. This is how we provide smaller groups exclusive use of
this very fine yacht.
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5) Can I customize your package with an upgrade
to the beverage bar? Can I add dessert or a few other things to my
package?
Yes, you definitely can! Simply call our office for a listing of extras
offered and prices of these extras.
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6) Can I add extra time aboard the Valara, beyond
what my favorite package offers?
Yes, call our office for information about charges for extending the
yacht rental time. Back to Top
7) Can I arrange to bring my own food on board
and even use my own caterer?
Yes. Our staff can also advise you about our “ala carte” yacht
rental and beverage rates. There are some cruise days during the season
which are exempt from “ala carte” rate offers. Back to Top
8) Does your yacht have room to accommodate a DJ
service or a band?
Yes - we have plenty of space to accommodate these requests.
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9) Do I need a DJ service? Can you provide a stereo
system for music and CDs aboard the Valara?
The Luxury Yacht Valara VI is fully equipped with a built-in stereo & CD
player system that holds up to 25 CDs. We have a large selection of
CDs on board that fits most peoples’ needs. You are also welcome
to bring your own favorite CDs, if you would like. We do not charge
for usage of our system. All we ask is that you choose the type of
music you would like to hear, and stick with that request. We are unable
to accommodate frequent music changing requests and appropriately service
your guests at the same time.
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10) Why should I rent the Luxury Yacht - Valara VI
for my event vs. other yachts?
Whether it's a private family get-together, wedding or reception party,
corporate outing, entertaining clients, etc., the experiences and then
the memories are very important to those hosting the events. We realize
that people do care where their events take place, and a welcoming,
luxurious atmosphere is essential.
The Luxury Yacht Valara VI is a beautiful and unique yacht, one that
you will be proud to entertain on, and we are confident that you will
be happy with the experience we provide to you and your guests. We
invite you to view the photographs and virtual tours of the Valara
VI, and wedding photographs we have provided here. We will be happy
to give you a personal tour of our yacht and provide references, if
you wish. Back to Top
11) Are there any differences in one yacht vs. another yacht?
Surprisingly, we have learned that many people know little or nothing
about yachts. Some people think all yachts are the same, but this is
not the case. Some boats are poorly maintained, of poor construction
and atmosphere, or are not suited for private social events. Others
fail when it comes to food quality and service.
If you cannot visit a yacht in person, look very closely at the company’s
website photographs. Are there any interior photographs in their website?
Are the interior photographs offered clouded up with people in the
photos, blocking what you wish to really see? Is the furniture you
see nice? What about the beverage bars - do the beverage bars look
nice and large enough to accommodate good service? Are there wedding
photographs on the website?
If you see a lot of wedding photographs, this is a sign that this
may be a very nice yacht you are looking at. When you see nice wood
furnishings throughout the photographs, this is a sign of a highly
maintained and finely appointed luxury yacht.
If the event you are having is a "special event" - we recommend
you do this homework. You may also wish to ask for past customer references
if you cannot see the yacht for yourself, in person.
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12) Now that I've learned that yachts are indeed very different from
one another, what about the companies that run the offices of these
yachts and arrange my event details? Are there any differences in one
company vs. another?
Yes there are differences here as well. You might see ads for "charter
services” or “charter specialists," saying that they
find you “The best yachts to suit your needs for events up to
750 or 800 people," or "Avoid all the hassles, just call
us and we will take care of your event arrangements," or "We
represent all the yachts in Chicago."
Think twice about these ads, especially if your event is a "very
special event." Some companies that run these ads own the boats
they are sending you to. They use two different company names to conceal
this information.
Other charter services send you to the yacht that pays them the most
for their referral. Arrangements such as these make it difficult for
these services to really send the customer to the best places. Simply
knowing what you are purchasing is your key to success!
At Adventure Sea Tours, our office is
a direct link to our yacht. No third-party or outside person is making
your arrangements. The person who takes care of your arrangements
might also be leading the serving of the events on board, along with
our other staff. Mary Antoniette,
Valara VI’s event specialist, also hires and trains our on-board
service staff. You cannot get more personalized service than this anywhere! Back to Top
13) I'm just having a party, but I'm searching around for the lowest
price. Do you offer the lowest prices?
Have you ever heard the saying: "You get what you pay for?" While
we offer many different packages, our prices do differ depending upon
the package that you choose. We have some packages which are very simple
and might fit your budget at a lower price.
However, we may not have the lowest prices you can find. We offer
a very finely-appointed yacht that is more expensive to maintain than
some others, which are not in the same category as ours. Therefore,
the type of customers we attract are those who care about the atmosphere
and receiving quality and good service for their money. See our Quality and Price Promise
14) How far in advance should I make my deposit to secure my event
date with your company? How much is your deposit?
You should always plan your event as far in advance as you can. The
sooner you book, the better chances the Valara will be available on
the day you have in mind. Deposits for standard corporate and family
cruises are $1,500, and deposits to secure specialty cruise dates and
weddings are $2,500. The date you have requested cannot
be guaranteed until deposit is received in our office. Back to Top
15) Do you have any support companies you’d recommend?
If you're looking for a DJ, band, limo
service, bus service, photographer, hotel, minister to perform your
marriage ceremony on board, or any other extra services for your
event - simply ask for a copy of our "Favorite
Vendors” list. These vendors have worked on our yacht many times
and our experience has shown that they are reputable, reliable and
reasonably priced. Back to Top
16) I want to take my spouse out on a Chicago Skyline Cruise; do you offer ticket sales for individuals and public cruises?
Our yacht is mainly an exclusive use event yacht and our office does not sell individual public tickets to board our yacht. However, we do provide pre-selected cruise dates for individual public ticket cruises
to a company named: Skyline Cruises. For individual ticket public cruise sales on pre-selected dates, you may call
773-704-1200.
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