Well worth it.
The first two times that I went (starting in 1988), three couples took a crewed 51’ from the Moorings. It was fantastic! The crew did all the work (sailing, cleaning, cooking, itinerary). They'll teach you big boat sailing techniques. But that didn’t stop us from participating in any of these events, if we wanted to. It saved a lot of pre-planning of meals, booze, itinerary planning - just show up and go. The crew will suggest where to go, or go where you want to go. Open bar, gourmet meals. You just let them know your preferences beforehand.. The crew knows where/when to go to a destination. We became very familiar with the islands/waters and have subsequently returned on our own. The crew stays with the boat (and live on it full time) for crewed charters, so they maintain it, keep it clean and know the boat intimately. And they became good friends. It’s worth the few extra bucks. We’ve bareboated three times since then. Have fun, good luck.
