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FAQ Frequently asked questions

Cancelling your place on a voyage

In this case our cancellation terms apply to you, and you can find them herenamely paragraph 8, cancellation of the contract by the participant. When cancelling participation in a voyage, it matters very much when you inform us of this fact – see the Terms and Conditions.

We strongly recommend taking out insurance for such cases! Cancellation insurance is offered by many insurance companies, and we will supply you with all the documents that the insurer will require from us. Another option is to send someone else on the voyage in your place.

Catering and the ship's kitty

We buy food together for the whole voyage and the cost is then divided equally between everyone on board. Each participant therefore pays only the shop price of the food. Given the size of the ship's galley, it is not possible for everyone to cook for themselves from their own supplies. The price of food may vary slightly depending on the country we buy it in, so the food contribution may also vary slightly according to the port of departure. In most countries we reckon on 14 euro per person per day. That price includes drinks: water, juice, tea and coffee. The ship's kitty also covers the toiletries and cleaning materials needed. It does not cover alcoholic drinks or bottled soft drinks. The group decides for itself how much is needed per day, and there is no problem raising it for a celebration, say, or for a richer and more expensive menu by agreement.

The contribution to the ship's fund covers the cost of water, gas for cooking, petrol for the outboard motor and mooring in marinas and ports. On a typical week-long voyage these come to a maximum of around 105 Euro. On the basis of our many years of experience we are able to use your money in such a way that you stay within this amount.

In total, then: unless you have special requirements, we have set the highest possible ceiling for costs paid on board at 4.375,- Kč or 175 euro per week. This information applies to 2023.

We are not a travel agency, so the cadets buy what is needed out of this kitty themselves. We collect the money in cash, which we then use for all your payments during the trip. In an account or in the Czech Republic that money would be of little use to us. From an accounting point of view this way is much simpler too, because the goods bought with it are taxed in the country we happen to be sailing in.

Boarding

Boarding takes place on the day the voyage starts, usually between 15:00 and 17:00. By prior arrangement it is possible to board later, because the ship usually stays in place until the next day. We never know the exact place in advance. The anchorages tend to be full, and not every one of them can always be used, given the weather. That is why it is always necessary, on the morning before boarding, to write or telephone the captain on +420 604 269 192 and arrange the details of boarding with him. The ship's position can also easily be followed at:

  • https://www.vesselfinder.com/?mmsi=270467000
  • https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:838195/mmsi:270467000/imo:0/vessel:LA_GRACE

The ship is usually already in place the evening before boarding.

Cadets and passengers

A cadet is no professional but an entirely ordinary person, often with no experience or practice, who wants to feel what a voyage on a historic ship is like at first hand. During the voyage cadets are divided into watches of 2 to 4 hours. The watch takes care of steering, lookout duty in the bow, trimming the sails and small day-to-day repairs. All the cadets then help together with the bigger jobs, such as setting and furling sail, anchoring and cleaning the ship. About once a week each cadet takes a turn in the galley as the cook's assistant. Cadets are accommodated in the ship's common spaces, in hammocks, or in cabins of three.

Passengers have no obligation to take part in the training or in the handling or operation of the ship, except in emergency situations. But if they feel like it, we will be very glad to involve them in the training or in any of the activities on board. They are accommodated in cabins for a maximum of 2 people.

Climbing the rigging

Yes, that's not a problem. If you have some serious reason why you couldn't manage it, we won't force you. There are many different tasks to be taken care of on the ship, and even when handling the sails a considerable part of the lines is worked from the deck. Nevertheless, a cadet who doesn't climb up to the crow's nest is robbing himself of one of the most beautiful experiences of all. Climbing the rigging is surprisingly easy. On ships like ours, cadets from the age of 15 work on the yards without any problem, but seventy-year-olds are no exception either. If there are not enough people willing to help us on the masts during the voyage, we will set only a limited number of sails, or we will sail under engine alone.

Guests and cabins

In many countries of the world La Grace is permitted to take up to 12 guests, accommodated in five separate cabins, each bathroom being shared between two cabins. Cabins are always let as a whole, and it is up to you whether you use one as a single, a couple or a family, that is two adults and a child on an extra bunk. The price is always the same. We are, however, first and foremost a training and club ship, so we do not always take guests. Please ask in advance whether it is possible on the voyage you have in mind.

Experience and preparation

You do not need previous experience. We will show you everything and teach you; all it takes is effort and willingness on your part. We have put together a simple handbook where you can get to know the terminology, the commands and the manoeuvres. In time we hope to open a small training centre for cadets in the Czech Republic. The La Grace cadet handbook is available to download.

Seasickness

There is no need for excessive worry. Motion sickness is a state in which the sense of movement from the vestibular system does not agree with what the eyes see. It is short-lived and, happily, not everyone notices it. Over the years we have gained a great deal of experience in dealing with it, and you can be sure we will find a way to take your mind off it. If you are still worried, you can always take something preventively, such as the remedies available over the counter at any pharmacy. The very good news is that La Grace is already a fairly large, heavy ship, so you will soon find that she rolls markedly less than other vessels. People rarely suffer from seasickness aboard her.

What to bring

That depends very much on the season, the route, and the length and character of the voyage. For an easy summer voyage, bring:

  • light summer clothing (shorts, T-shirts, sandals) — you will use these most,
  • for the evening a long-sleeved top, trousers or tracksuit bottoms and a sweatshirt or jumper,
  • clean trainers with non-slip soles for moving about on deck, and water shoes if you use them,
  • a windproof or something waterproof in case you take part in night sailing,
  • a light peaked cap or a hat, swimwear and sunglasses,
  • travel documents (passports valid for at least several months to come),
  • valid insurance covering medical expenses abroad, money and payment cards,
  • personal medication, sun cream and toiletries,
  • a sheet and a sleeping bag or blanket,
  • a sleeping mat, if you want to sleep on deck or on the beach and watch the stars,
  • a diving mask, fins and snorkel, if the underwater world interests you,
  • and above all, good spirits.

Cadets will certainly also appreciate good shoes for climbing the rigging, ideally trainers, a torch for night watches, ideally a head torch, and waterproof sailing gear if you have it.

Do not bring suitcases or rucksacks with a rigid frame. Use luggage that folds up easily and does not take up much room.

Food for the journey

You only need food for the journey itself. Once aboard you pay your contribution to the ship's and food kitty. As standard we count on you for dinner on the day you board, and you finish with breakfast on the last day of the voyage. Food for 35 people cannot be brought piecemeal from the Czech Republic, nor can everyone cook separately. We buy the food together on the spot and there is plenty of everything. Beyond that, bring only your own favourite treats, such as beer and other drink, biscuits and sweets.

If you would like to help us, offer us the spare space in your car and we will use it for food that is expensive in the area or simply unobtainable there. Meat, salami, bread, vinegar, marjoram or coarse flour, for instance. We will gladly draw up a list and settle up with you on board once you arrive.

Special diets

Yes. We cook for vegetarians as a matter of course. For vegans we do our best, but we will expect a certain amount of tolerance from you. If you have allergies and tell our cook about them in advance, you will certainly manage with us. What worries us most, though, is gluten allergy. We understand that this means cooking separately, but since the necessary ingredients are often hard to find, we ask you to bring them with you. Your own private food of this kind is not deducted from the rest of the catering.

Pets

Unfortunately La Grace is not really suitable for your pets. Small, clean breeds of up to 8 kg may be an exception. Owners are fully responsible for their pet for the duration of the voyage. Do think carefully about bringing your pet, as life aboard can be stressful for the animal. Always discuss it with the ship's captain in advance.

A programme for children

The ship carries a permanent crew of four to seven who look after her normal running. If you are planning a group programme for children — games, competitions, a pirate treasure hunt and the like — you need to consider whether you can prepare it yourselves, with us helping only with what the ship allows or with the choice of place, or whether you would like us to provide it turnkey. In that case you need to say so in advance, ideally when booking the ship, and we will take one extra person along in the permanent crew. All we ask of you is to leave them one berth free of charge, and to allow for 500 Kč per child per week to cover preparing the games, props and prizes for the children.

Numbers on board

It very often happens that groups try to cram the ship to bursting for the sake of the price. We often hear that it is nothing, that this person will sleep on deck, or that it is only a child after all. Please do not do it. It is not simply that the maximum number of people is set by law and by our safety equipment. It is also that the whole ship is sized for the maximum we offer you. With extra people we have too little stowage, the heads cannot cope, we have that much less fresh water and there is not enough soup in the pots. If it really is unavoidable — and there are such desperate cases — we will make an exception by agreement for a particular voyage that meets the regulations with two places in hand, but at the price of a hammock, that is, not free of charge.

Make-up of the permanent crew

We understand why, having got on well with certain members of the permanent crew on a previous voyage, you ask whether you can sail with them again. But believe us, La Grace's sailing schedule is drawn up more than a year ahead and changes to it are not always possible. Where we can, we will accommodate you by arrangement, but you should rather expect to sail with whoever is scheduled for that voyage. All our people are good sorts. If even so you are not happy, you can by arrangement bring, at your own expense, your favourite cook for example, or move to a voyage where that person is sailing.

Chartering the whole ship

If you have decided to book the whole ship, always bear in mind that together you will have to ensure the running of the ship, from climbing the yards to galley duty. If you know that you won't manage it, or if you are already planning that all of you will come as guests, please tell us in advance, and if you leave us at least 8 free beds (in the forecastle), we will find you a bunch of sailors from the La Grace club who will take care of running the ship for you (free of charge).

Living together on board

La Grace is a ship for 38 people who have to live in a space smaller than 24 × 6 metres. That in itself is a great strain on anyone who is not comfortable in a large group, and it naturally demands decent, considerate behaviour towards one another. That is rarely a problem. What can turn out to be a problem is snoring. Unfortunately it is not something a person can do anything about, so if you are a light sleeper you need to bring earplugs, or else sleep on deck.

Luggage

However large La Grace may seem to you, believe us, luggage has to be carefully measured and weighed even for a Boeing, which is far bigger. Do not drag things you do not need out to us. We are prepared to stow roughly one bag of the size an aircraft would take, plus one smaller one. Even so, you will soon find that you use less than half of what you bring on the voyage.