What is the kitty?

The shared pool of money used to provision the boat is called a “kitty.” Yes, you can pet or pound it, just make sure to take care of it together!

Unless otherwise specified in the trip details, we’ll ask each person to contribute to the kitty. The amount will vary by location due to different costs to provision, but is typically between €325-375 per person (or the local currency equivalent for trips outside the Eurozone). If you do not drink any alcohol, please ensure to mark this on your pre-trip food/drink preferences form (we’ll share a link with you). In the spirit of fairness, we are happy to offer a 15% discount on the kitty to those who do not drink alcohol.

During the trip, all costs to provision the boat and dock in a marina are taken out of the kitty. If the kitty runs out, then each person is asked to top up the kitty. If there is extra money at the end of the trip, then it is divided evenly between the crew. The skippers and official BWS crew are exempt from contributing to the kitty, and their costs are covered by the kitty.

What does the kitty cover?

The costs of the boat, fuel, cleaning after the trip, and mooring at the home port(s) of embarkation / disembarkation are included in the cost of the trip and are not paid by the kitty. Typical costs that are paid by the kitty include, but may not be limited to:

• Food, including meals prepared on the ship as well as those at restaurants on land
• Supplies listed on the shopping list if not already included on the boat (eg: tea towels, trash bags, etc.)
• Mooring / docking fees at marinas (excluding the “home port(s)” on the first and last nights)
• Drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic
• Any other supplies the passengers wish to purchase for communal use

How to manage the kitty

To ensure fairness, here are a few rules we suggest for each crew of passengers:

1. There is one kitty per boat, for use by those booked on that boat
2. Each person (except the skippers and any other official BWS crew) contribute equally to the kitty
3. Avoid buying items for personal use that are not to be shared communally (eg: tobacco products, food/alcohol you want only for yourself, etc.). Exception: if you have an allergy or food intolerance, you may purchase substitute products from the kitty (eg: plant-based milk instead of cow’s milk)
4. Each person contributes equally to top up the kitty if there are not enough funds to cover the remaining expenses (15% reduction applies to non-alcohol drinkers if alcohol will be purchased in the top-up). Similarly, each person receives an equal amount back if there are leftover funds at the end of the trip
5. In case there are those who drink significantly different amounts of alcohol on board, we have found that it may be in the best interest of the group for those who drink significantly more to add a little extra to cover the difference. However, we recommend against being overly critical of small differences in cost (eg: if some have one or two drinks at a restaurant when others have none), as this can cause unnecessary tension over a few Euros
6. The crew selects one person to be responsible for the kitty on the first day prior to provisioning. This person (aka: “Minister of Finance Fabulousness”) will: collect the funds from each person (except the skippers and official BWS crew), safeguard the money, and pay for items / services related to the community as mentioned on this page
7. In case the group disagrees on how to manage the kitty, the skipper will have final word to make a fair decision in the best interest of the entire group
8. Sissy that kitty!