Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most.
All topics
What is included in the charter price?
The charter fee covers the boat hire, the pre-charter briefing and the equipment on board.
Every boat comes fully equipped with kitchen utensils, safety equipment and navigation charts. Snorkelling gear is provided at no charge.
All vessels have 240V power with an inverter and a marine stereo system, with Bluetooth. Air conditioning is free of charge while plugged into shore power at the marina.
Whitsunday Escape monitors the radio between 8am and 4pm, scanning all stations, with the emergency frequency Channel 16 monitored by the Mackay port after hours.
All you need to organise is your food and drinks.
What extra costs should we budget for beyond the charter fee?
Beyond the charter fee, budget for fuel, provisions, an environmental management charge of $25.50 per person and a sundries fee of $38 per person.
Fuel works like a rental car. The boat is full at the start and you top it up at Coral Sea Marina on return, so you only pay for what you use.
Public moorings are free. Island marina berths, such as Hamilton Island, are optional and charged by the marina. On-water air conditioning is $10 per hour, and extras such as paddle boards, fishing gear and portable Starlink can be hired.
Is a charter better value than a resort for a group?
For most groups, yes. Charter pricing is for the whole boat rather than per person, so the cost doesn’t rise with every extra guest the way a hotel room or package does.
One price covers your accommodation, your transport between islands and access to reefs, beaches and anchorages you’d otherwise reach one tour at a time.
What does it cost to berth at island marinas like Hamilton Island?
The use of public moorings is free throughout the Whitsundays cruising area, and most nights on a charter are spent in a bay.
Berthing at an island marina is optional. Hamilton Island Marina sets its own rates, which vary by boat length, and are charged directly by the marina rather than through your charter fee.
Rates are higher for New Years Eve and not available during the August Hamilton Island Race Week, so booking a berth well ahead is worthwhile if a marina night is part of your plan.
Hamilton Island is also the one place on a Whitsunday Escape charter where you berth the boat yourself, so you will be asked to demonstrate that confidently at your pre-charter briefing.