HELM Reviews 201

Peter and the team at helm went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed, knew what was happening where we were in the process and I can’t say enough good things about it! We will definitely use them again!

We loved the boat, as well as the skipper. Everything easy once we were on board. The islands were beatiful. We were able to adjust the daily itinerary as we went. The boat was large enough to comfortably fit two families of 4. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Amazing Trip and Experience!

I cannot write enough good things about Helm, the boat, Chef Rubrio and Chef Liza.

Starting with Helm. They were very responsive to my inquires as we were not really sure where to even begin, given this was our first charter experience. The Helm team got on a call and walked us through the process and what we could expect. They were not trying to sell us on Helm, rather put together a picture of what our trip would look like. Even after booking, they would email us frequently with information about the charter and what we should and should not bring on the trip. If I emailed them with a question, they wrote back the same day.

As the charter itself, just an amazing experience that was elevated even more by Captain Rubrio and Chef Liza. Rubrio made sure that he hit the areas on our preference sheet, but also added his own experience and knowledge on where to go and what to see. He knows the BVIs like the back of his hand and we are lucky to have had him. Chef Liza was just absolutely amazing. My kids and I are picky eaters, but she found a way to elevate our boring food choices and just blow us away.

If you are having second thoughts about booking a trip like this, don't. This trip was everything I thought it would be and even more, and we cannot wait to go back. I would highly recommend Helm as your broker as well.

This comment only has to do with the booking process and not the quality of the trip or boats.
Chartered in Croatia last year. Chartered about 4 months before the trip time. Between the down payment and the second payment Helm changed where the payment was to be paid. That Seemed strange but after it bounced, we got it figured out and had a nice charter. The Gulet was great and aside from bad air-conditioning as expected.
We enjoyed the trip enough that we decided to do it again. But instead of a week, for two. This year we looked at several options and landed on Mallorca. Worked with Ed again and he found us a few options that fit our time and budget. The first boat we wanted would not negotiate although we were looking at booking a few weeks. ( The APA should not be based on the cost of the boat...but the actual costs of the food, gas and port fees) SO we went with our second choice and asked to place a hold on it. Needed to confirm family schedules. It was reserved, then not reserved, then supposedly 'booked ' by someone else and now we have it reserved with a contract. The status changed every few days. This was either a negotiating/pressure tactic or just poor relationship management.
Then...we signed the contract. Unfortunately, as a US person we wire money through the SWIFT system and Helm doesn't seem to accommodate this. They seem to use an intermediary bank which is odd for a company that supposedly does 20000 charters a year? My assistant is having a heck of a time getting the money to HELM.
In short, it hasn't been a smooth process this year. The time difference may have something to do with it (US east coast vs London) but as a premium service its incumbent upon Helm to make the customer feel good about the vacation they are booking. At this moment I do not have that warm fuzzy feeling.

Very good options offered by Eljo and eventually settled on a skippered yacht. Listened to what I wanted to achieve being an inexperienced skipper with an elderly father on board. Excellent & seamless process with the local charter operation. Made the whole process Rey easy and all the more enjoyable.

HELM was amazing from start to finish. They were flexible and responsive when our plans changed mid-stream and worked hard to make everything perfect for our trip. Every person on the team was professional and knowledgeable. I highly recommend them for whatever yacht charter you have in mind. 5-stars.

HELM was exceedingly helpful in providing us with sailboat options to consider in our first charter in Greece. Kasia is very knowledge — sails herself— and patient with my bevy of questions regarding where to charter and when to travel. Others at HELM provided my crew and me just the right amount of pre-charter emails and guidance. They work hard for their commissions, and contributed to a pleasant trip, well timed in late September.

Big thanks to Bella at Helm who helped us all the way to a great holiday. Super service from finding us a boat for bareboat charter that was super well fitted out and in great condition, to suggesting an itinerary and helping us with how to plan and provision, to helping on the ground with lots of support. Superb holiday - so many great experiences and memories.

Every company is only as good as the people who work for it. In this case, I found Helm to be a great charter company due to the professionalism, the focus, and the responsiveness of Isabella Brown. Bella was so responsive to all our inquiries; she was always available to address questions and provide options. She never showed frustration or crossness with our never-ending changes and questions. I highly recommend Helm and suggest that you ask for Isabella Brown as your Charter Broker - she is the best!

Had a really good experience with Helm. From our qoute right through to our charter!
Our skipper “Pale” was exceptional. Siobhan was always quick to respond and always super helpful.

Had an incredible time with HELM! Everything ran smoothly from start to finish, and the support we received was top-notch. Huge shoutout to our broker, Maddy – she was super helpful, responsive, and made the whole process so easy. Even after the trip, she checked in to make sure everything went well. Can’t wait to book our next adventure with HELM!

Exceptional experience from start to finish thanks to Maddy who went above and beyond. I couldn’t recommend her and Helm enough!

Helm did a great job in the marketing and sales process. The process of booking and pre pick up info was good. However they are badly let down by the company Hellenica Vessel management who charter the boat “ Lady Flora 1” the hand over was delayed for hours due to one guy rushed off his feet doing others. One toilet did not operate correctly and then continued to not work during the charter, ac failed, generator packed up day two. Lots of little things broken. I could go on and realise things do break but the boat is poorly maintained and some essential things should be checked. The turn around is so quick on these boats that the new skipper has to wait during their valuable itinerary to get stuff fixed.
My criticism of Helm is they showed no interest or empathy with the issues we experienced. They clearly have no insight to the operations that they represent in Greece.

Listened carefully and was able to deliver the cruise we asked for.

This was our first holiday on a catamaran and Helm were very helpful helping me navigate through the process.
The catamaran was just perfect, the skipper and host/chef were so knowledgable, amazing food, great restaurant recommendations, lovely bays to swim and explore.
We will be back again !

This is our second time in 2 years we booked a yacht with Helm. Both times the process has been seamless and enjoyable. It was nice after 2 years to get to talk to the same customer officer who remembered us. Zach was, again, amazing in thinking with us and making things work for us. arriving on site everything was well organised and the yacht was in perfect condition. We will definetely be using Helm again in the future.

Working with Helm on the planning, booking and execution related to our catamaran charter was truly fantastic. They took care of every detail and were incredibly responsive. The boat was amazing, the skipper (Giuseppe) was fantastic and we had a vacation of a lifetime. Highly recommended!

An amazing trip. The boat was in great condition! And a great skipper who took us to amazing beaches and bays. Booking through Helm was easy, knowing that the boat would be high quality. Would definitely recommend if you're looking to do a sailing trip and want a bit of security that its going to be a great trip.

The boat was immaculate on handover. The ground crew were excellent in detailing the boat's features. The electrical and diesel engines were all in perfect running order. We did encounter problems with the mains halyard and the outboard on the tender, but the ground crew sent a rib out with 3 technicians to sort the problems very efficiently. Good weather and smooth seas contributed to a perfect week of motor-sailing.

What an amazing trip sailing around The Dalmatian Islands. Thank you so much to Tom & Erin at Helm & to our local Croatian skipper, Andy. The boat, organised by Tom, (we boarded in Split) was perfect (8 girl trip), it was a really high spec & in great condition, ice & water making, air con & wifi.. Thank you to Erin who looked after us once Tom had expertly guided us through the boat selection and booking process. Great service all round leading to a very memorable holiday.