Are you going on a cruise without a crew or with a skipper and want to be sure to organize your provisioning so that you don't run out of food once on board? You don't want to take the risk of spoiling your sea trip due to poor organisation and you are right. After all, who wants to go on a forced diet while on holiday? Just as packing your suitcase for a cruise is important, being well-organized for your food on board is crucial. Here are the best ways to stock your ship with food before and during your cruises on the seas around the world.
Buy your own food locally
Many of our 55 bases are close enough to a supermarket to buy the food you need for your cruise. Managing your own supplies allows you to choose exactly what you want to eat and drink during your holiday at sea. It is also often the most economical option. Just remember not to have your eyes bigger than your stomach! Because any food that is not finished by the end of your cruise will end up in the garbage. On the other hand, there is one indispensable resource for which you should not restrict yourself: water! Our advice: stock up on groceries at a supermarket near your base before you leave and supplement in local shops during your cruise. Organising in this way will allow you to get fresh, seasonal food and it will also be an opportunity to get to know the locals. However, this refuelling option may prove more difficult if you are sailing in sailing areas consisting of mainly uninhabited islands, such as the Seychelles, Canarreos, San Blas Islands and many others.
Let our teams do the shopping for you
If you don't want to waste valuable time shopping yourself, there's another solution to refuel your boat: we can take care of it for you! Contact our teams in advance and take advantage of food assortments perfectly adapted to all kinds of diets: gourmet, healthy or even food intolerances. The price varies according to the number of days and people for each meal. Many sailors who go on an unmanned cruise agree that the expense is worth it, given the ease with which their ship can be provisioned and the time saved in enjoying the cruise. Simply return the supply list available in the forms and you will find everything on the boat when you arrive on board. Then, during your cruise, you can complete the list at your leisure from local fishermen or small markets that you will find on your itinerary.
Order your supplies online in advance
There are many opportunities to stop at ports and marinas close to supermarkets. Small or large depending on the region, the latter are increasingly practising home delivery. Remember to place your orders online in advance, as soon as you know where you'll be anchored for the night and have your supplies delivered to your boat when you arrive! In the British Virgin Islands, for example, the Riteway sign will deliver to the foot of your sailboat. The other close option is to choose a departure base for your cruise that is very close to the city and its shops, supermarkets and local markets, as is the case for our bases in Marseille, Pointe-à-pître, Noumea, etc.
Have your order delivered on board
Finally, the last option for the most gourmet refuelling: have restaurant meals delivered on board. Sometimes you may not feel like going shopping or even cooking. Good new sailor friends pushed by a calm wind: food delivery has never been so fashionable! Thanks to services like Deliveroo, Foodora, Just Eat, Skip, Uber eats and many more, you can enjoy your meals just like in a restaurant, while staying on your sailboat. The only condition is to be accessible enough for the delivery man, with a precise address to enable him to find you (it will be all the more simple if you are moored in a port).
Some shoreline restaurants even offer their own delivery service directly to your boat. If you prefer to rely on your base for delivery, you should know that some do offer this service to their customers. This is the case at the Ischia base in the Bay of Naples in Italy. You will be able to enjoy the best Italian pizzas on the deck of your monohull or catamaran. La vita è bella!
Don't forget your skipper
If you have opted for a Dream Yacht Charter cruise with a skipper, don't forget that you must also provide for its provisioning. There are two options: some crews include the skipper's share in their own provisioning, while others prefer to give the skipper the corresponding amount so that he can procure his own supplies to his liking. It's up to you.
