Frequently Asked Questions

What means Go Where The wind will take you?

“The answer my friend is blowing in the wind,” said Bob Dylan.

 

On board Sailzen we let the wind guide us in our scheduling and let Mother Nature surprise us, so that we have no fixed itinerary, schedule or planned activities.

 

You are on vacation! So we expect you to trust us and we will decide together where and what we will do next.

Is this sailing trip for me?

If you are willing to experience life on a boat, then, yes! Learn about sailing, swim in the deep blue, eat fresh food, watch the sea life and look at the endless blue horizon – guaranteed!

 

Aboard a sailboat, you will share a small space with others for a long time. Common sense is therefore necessary, and in general, everyone who travels on a boat shares the same way of thinking. Respect for others is obligatory so that we can all experience a positive vibe during our trip.

 

Please be aware that our trips can be physically demanding and passengers must ensure that you are reasonably fit to participate fully. You must be able to walk up and down steep stairs and be able to “jump” in and out of the boat in the marinas or dinghy. If you have any physical limitations, do not give up, talk to us and together we will find a solution!

What is the difference between shared and private trip?

If you are taking part in a shared trip, you will embark with other like-minded passengers (maximum 6) and share this experience together according to the group dynamics!

 

If you book as a private trip, you can expect us to meet your wishes regarding routes, activities and catering.

What type of accommodations are available?

Shared trips:

. Private Cabin for 2: Share a cabin with your loved one, familiar or friend.

 

. Shared cabin: If you are a solo traveler under the age of 50 years old, it is possible to share a cabin with another passenger of the same gender. The double bed is separated by a lee cloth to ensure your private bed is in the same cabin.

 

Private cabin for 1 person: If you are not willing to share your cabin with another passenger, you can reserve your cabin at any time for a 50% surcharge on the price.

 

Private trips:

You have two cabins at your disposal, which can accommodate up to 4 passengers. You can benefit also from the bunk beds in the saloon, in which 2 other passengers can sleep comfortably. Perfect for families or friends. Contact us to discuss the possibilities.

What means half-board?

Half board is the way we have found to say that you shall not expect us to serve every single meal aboard during the entire journey.

 

We advise you to also visit and taste the local cuisine. The fact that we are not blocked in the galley cooking each meal gives us more time to prepare and participate in the activities we organize for you.

 

Breakfast is always served aboard.

 

Examples:

1 – When we serve breakfast and lunch. Then, dinner will be ashore.

 

2 – When we serve breakfast and dinner. Then lunch will be ashore.

 

3 – When we are underway navigating, all meals are cooked and served on board.

 

All meals served onboard are included in the price.

What kind of food will we eat aboard?

Before your sailing trip, you will fill a form in which you tell if you have any special diet, allergy, or some food you don’t eat. Based on your answers, we will do our best to meet your needs.

 

We are aware of the quality of the food we eat on board and therefore we prefer seasonal food and local products, which we buy directly from farmers we know and small markets.

 

We try to adjust our diet to the fish we catch along the way. Sometimes we also like to eat meat that grows in the Azorean fields.

 

Every day we work to be responsible consumers, whenever possible, we look for products that are produced close to us, we refuse unnecessary packaging and we give a second life to those we cannot avoid.

What can I expect as extra expenses?

Shared trips:

 

Alcoholic beverages onboard or ashore, food ashore, car rental and activities booked to third parties.

 

Your crew will suggest making a “kitty”. This means that everyone will pool some money to facilitate the purchase of items not included in your trip. The average suggested amount for the “kitty” is about 35€/day per person.

 

Private trips:

 

Alcoholic drinks on board can be arranged in advance, but are not included in the price.

 

Any expenses for food and drinks consumed on land, rental cars or activities booked for third parties are not included in the price.

When should I book my sailing trip?

Since we are a small family-run business with a short season of operation our availability is very limited.

 

So we recommend that you contact us as soon as possible to get more information about the availability of your desired dates.

How can I Book?

If you are interested in sharing this experience with us, the best way to book is to contact us by clicking here or send us an email at booking@sailzen.net.

 

We will personally advise you on a trip that suits your dreams, as well as the itinerary and current availability and prices.

What if I am booking as a shared cabin?

You can only book as a shared cabin once there is already someone interested in the same trio or another cabin sold already. Unfortunately, we cannot risk running a trip with only one shared cabin as it does not cover the basic trip costs.

We will set up a stand-by reservation without any compromise from both parties until we match two passengers to share the cabin and finally confirm the departure.

 

How to guarantee my departure being the first solo traveller interested on a shared trip?

Being a solo traveler you can guarantee your departure if you book as a private cabin, otherwise we will go on the stand-by reservation system.

What are the prices and why ?

The price is based on 275€/day pp.
Have you ever thought about how much you get for that?

 

  • An unforgettable experience for life!
  • Accommodation for the full experience.
  • The food and beverages aboard are almost 100% from local products and suppliers.
  • Local guidance ( which means you will always find the best deals around).
  • Fishing experience.
  • All kinds of wildlife watching
  • Toys and all the fun you can get playing from a boat
  • Visiting multiple islands without being compromised by time schedules, packing, organizing, stressing…

 

All our passengers have recommended us to raise our prices as it was deserved and we need to keep our sustainability so we can keep bringing more people to connect with life in nature.

When and how to pay?

If you book more than 8 weeks before the date of departure, you must pay a deposit of 50% of the trip to confirm your booking.

 

If you book within 8 weeks before the departure date, you must pay 100% of the trip in order for your booking to be confirmed.

 

You can pay by bank transfer, PayPal or with a credit card.

 

Please contact us if you’d like to pay some amount in cash upon your arrival.

Is there an age limitation?

Shared trips:

Passengers aged 70+ must be accompanied by a trusted person.

 

Passengers aged between 50 and 70 must book a private cabin if joining the trip solo.

 

All passengers must be over 14 years of age and if they are under 18 years of age, they must be accompanied by an adult who is in possession of a written document containing the conditions of parental responsibility.

 

Private trips:  No age limitation.

What happens if I have to cancel my sailing trip?

If you intend to cancel your trip please contact us as soon as possible at booking@sailzen.net, according to the following conditions:

 

– Up to 34 weeks before departure we will refund your deposit in full;

 

– Between 34 weeks and 8 weeks prior to departure, you can choose to request a 30% refund of the deposit amount or let us keep the full deposit, which becomes valuable, for a lifetime;

 

– Less than 8 weeks before departure, the deposit is worth a lifetime and the remaining amount paid will be charged.

 

If you are entitled to a lifetime deposit, this means that we will keep your deposit until you reschedule your trip.

 

In the event that you fail to join our trip on time, arrive after departure or leave before the end of the trip, we are not obliged to make refunds for services not used.

How can I find a travel insurance?

We have experienced in the past a passenger that had to cancel their trip and got their reimbursement through ALLIANZ insurance

 

Also according to our research, we found Heymondo insurance motor  and International travel insurance

What and where are the Azores?

In the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, the Azores are an archipelago that includes nine green islands, several islets, submerged mountains and reefs.

 

The islands are aligned from NW to SE along 345 nautical miles and are positioned within 36ºN and 43º N of latitude and 25º W and 31ºW of longitude.

 

The oriental group with Santa Maria & São Miguel Islands, the central group with Terceira, Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico & Faial Islands and the occidental group with Flores & Corvo Islands.

Accommodation recomendations

You can click on the links below to enter their website and check for availability.

 

Do not forget to mention that you are recommended by SailZen, so we are sure you will get special service.

 

 

– Quinta dos Curubás, bungalows in Vila Franca do Campo, Sao Miguel 

A 5 minutes drive from the Marina

 

 

– A Villa by the sea, Bead & Breakfast in Vila Franca do Campo, Sao Miguel

A 5 minutes walk from the Marina

 

 

 – Vinha d’Areia Hotel, Vila Franca do Campo, Sao Miguel

1-minute walk from the Marina

 

 

– 2RC Housing in Sao Miguel

Airbnb style

 

 

– Octant Hotels in Sao Miguel

Luxury hotels

 

 

– Pé Direito Hostel in Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel

Urban hostel in the city center

 

 

– Internacional Azores Boutique Hotel in Faial Island

1 minute walk from the Marina

 

– Azul Pastel in Faial Island

5 minute taxi from the Marina

 

– Quinta da Meia Eira in Faial Island

2 minute taxi from the airport and 15 min from the marina

Flying to the Azores

We highly recommend to book your flights whenever you receive the reservation confirmation from us.

 

Flights can get super expensive if booked late nearby your embarkation time.

 

Kindly click on this link here to visit the ultimate guide on how to get to the Azores.

 

Do not forget that there are daily flights from Boston, Toronto, Lisbon, and Porto to Ponta Delgada and that can work out as the main anchorage for organizing your trip.

 

Main companies are:

 

TAP 

 

Azores Airlines

 

RyanAir

 

Swiss Airlines

 

Tui Fly