That way, you can book now and secure your spot on board, and then have time to organise the logistics of your trip with the certainty of getting your money back in case something doesn't work.

Check our cancellation policy for full details

People that want to have more free time when we arrive at port, or that are not so physically fit, or that just want to contribute more to our charity book their trip as premium participants. Then it's still up to them if they want to be as engaged as the normal participants.

Atyla is not a cruise, so we don't have small 2-person cabins. We have group cabins with bunk beds that host from 5 to 9 people.

To keep some sense of privacy, every bunk bed has a thick curtain that can be closed individually.

See some pictures of the cabins on this page.

*This question is only relevant if you're looking at a trip that is level 4 or more.*

That email contains an "embarkation form" that has to filled out by every person joining the trip. If you booked for somebody else you'll have to send them the link to the form.

When you fill out your embarkation form you will receive a "Welcome pack" with all the information you need to be ready for your adventure.

If there is any relevant change to your trip after you've booked, we'll inform you accordingly via email. And if it's a big change we'll let you change or cancel your booking for free.

Most probably, we'll be doing Antigen tests to everyone on board upon embarkation. With that we'll be able to create a bubble on board and avoid using masks during the trips.

The exact measurements will depend on the evolution of the pandemic and the regulations in place when your trip starts.

You can see here our current Covid-19 protocol in more detail.

If any trip needs to be cancelled, it will be indicated on this page, and everyone with a booking will be informed per email and compensated according to our cancellation policy.

We would recommend you to choose according to:

• The dates that fit for you (if you can avoid the middle of the summer -the high season-, you'll find better prices).
• The duration that you're looking for (if you want a longer length, you can do two trips in a row).
• The area that is more convenient/interesting for you.

The reason why we recommend this is because, honestly, even though every trip is unique, our trips are not too different from one another: Even if the challenges that we do on each trip are always changing, the program on board is always the same.

The weather conditions do make trips different (tougher and more adventurous, or easier and more chill), but these we cannot foresee until right before the beginning of the trip.

So, check the description of the trip(s) that fit your schedule, and choose one or more. You'll be good no matter what you choose.

Yes, that’s not a problem. You can also book several spots on the same trip for a group of people. The name in the booking is just for the invoice.

If your trip requires a passenger list or a crew list, the booking confirmation email you receive will include a link to a form to include the names of the people actually joining.

As a social not-for-profit organisation, we don’t want to exclude anyone from participating on our trips because they lack the funds.

There are different things you can do to get funding:

• Apply for our volunteering opportunities in Bilbao (Spain)
• Apply for the Youth Funding from STAG
• Apply to our Scholarship Fund or see other ideas on this same page.

We recommend you to find a different trip since normally our trips get sold out with confirmed reservations. If no other trip fits, you can send us an email and we’ll let you know if there are any cancellations.

Yes you can! Atyla ship Foundation has been accepting Bitcoin as a payment method since 2017!

Transfer the corresponding amount for your chosen trip to the following wallet (3HkbsAuvq86BT8yHtigmdnnk51Dn78wj9L) and right away send us an email telling us about your transfer and about which trip you'd like to do.

Or first email us, and then do the transfer, both work.

Nothing special, the same as any other outdoor adventure. On your booking confirmation email you’ll receive a welcome pack with a detailed list of what to bring.

Here is a list of the most essential items:

• Waterproof clothing & warm clothing
• Towel(s) & wash kit.
• Headlamp with red light
• Seasickness chewing gum or tablets
• Sleeping bag

But again, after booking you'll receive a document with a longer and much more detailed list.

FOR TRIPS IN LEVELS 1, 2 AND 3:

No you're not. If you want to join, and can embark the ship on your own (or you're coming with someone that can help you embark) you'll be fine. Children can join with their parents no matter their age.

FOR TRIPS IN LEVELS 4, 5 AND 6:

Diversity is one of the elements that make the experience on Atyla so special. Our trips welcome people from different countries, with different professions and different social backgrounds. These many different perspectives make the conversations on board very interesting and enriching.

The ages of the people on board normally span from 16 to 65 years of age, and it is very rare that there won’t be more people of your same age range in your trip.

We also use the generational diversity as a valuable tool, not only to make everyone feel integrated but also because it is great to learn, work and make friends with people of ages different to yours.

The minimum age to join is 15 years old, but if you're coming with a parent or a guardian, sometimes we can make exceptions for younger ages. Get in touch and explain your case.

You are not too old to join as long as you are fit enough to move around the deck. We've had people as old as 87 joining, and they had a blast. This being said, for people older than 60 we require a medical certificate stating that you are in an ok physical condition to participate in an experience like this. If you are concerned you won't be able to participate fully, you can always book as a premium participant.

FOR TRIPS IN LEVELS 1, 2 AND 3:

You'll embark the ship. Once everyone is on board, a member of the crew will make a welcome speech to explain the basics of the trip. Then we will set sail.

During the trip, you can walk around the deck, sit in any of the sitting areas around the deck, and mingle with other passengers and with the crew on board.

If we set some sails, the crew will ask for help with the manoeuvre. You can volunteer for that and get a feel of what it is to sail as a member of the crew.

During the trip, you can of course take as many pictures as you want on different parts of the ship and with the coastal background. Please tag us if you publish them: @atyla_ship.

We will arrive to the harbour a bit before the ending time, so that you can be disembarking at the disembarkation time.

FOR TRIPS IN LEVELS 4, 5 AND 6:

On the embarkation day:

• Be sure to be at the ship at your embarkation time (look here if you don't know when it is).
• You'll be welcomed on board by the permanent crew, and we'll do a round of introductions.
• The crew will give you a series of briefings related to safety and the life on board, and they'll show you this video.
• If the ship doesn't set sail that same day, you'll have a bit of free time to explore the city with your new shipmates.

Sailing as crew:

During the sailing, the crew gets divided into 3 groups to be on watch. Every 12 hours, you'll be 4 hours on watch and 8 resting (premium participants can choose to skip one or more watches if they want).

Being on watch means being on deck with the harness on, and ready to participate in the following activities with the guidance of the permanent crew:

• Keeping the ship on course (this includes taking the helm).
• Pulling the ropes and climbing the masts to set the sails (hoist the sails), lower them (strike the sails), and adjust their position.
• Keeping track of the ship's position on the sailing chart.
• If the engine is running, keeping an eye on the engine sensors and gauges.
• Maintenance works if they are required.
• Helping with other sailing manoeuvres, like mooring and undocking.

Through all these activities, you'll learn how to sail the ship. You'll learn by doing and also from the explanations of the crew.

Challenges & more:

The experience itself, but also our crew, will present you with several challenges. Some of those challenges will be related to sailing, and others not so much.

The idea of these challenges is that you take them as opportunities to get to know yourself better (self-knowledge), reflect on and improve the 8 skills that are part of our program, and grow as a person in general.

There are also many moments of free time during the trip. In those moments you can chat with the other adventurers, relax on your own, read a book, sunbathe, play games (card games, boardgames, chess, etc.) play the guitar we have on board (or any instrument you bring), etc.

On most trips, we try to do one or more stops, anchoring at a bay or an island along the way. When this happens, you'll be able to jump from the ship and swim around, and even go for a hike if you want.

You can check this video to get a fast idea of how living on board Atyla is.

Upon arrival at the destination harbour:

We normally arrive to port one day before disembarkation, so that we can celebrate the end of the trip with the group and explore the city.

We often also do open doors and some maintenance jobs in which you'll have to help. Premium participants can choose not to join these activities and have more time to explore the city.

Sadly not. Embarkation time is important, and everyone needs to be there for the start of the adventure.

During the embarkation day (for levels 4, 5 and 6), you can normally come to the ship early to drop your bag, so you can walk freely around until embarkation time. See this page to see if the ship is already docked.

For trips in levels 1, 2 and 3, no, you'll need to leave the ship at the end.

For trips in levels 4, 5, and 6, if you need to disembark before is normally not a problem.

Check the Estimated Time of Arrival to your disembarkation port on the ship's timeline. In principle, you can disembark as soon as we arrive (of course, tell the crew in advance).

Disembarking later is also sometimes possible (latest, when the next group embarks).

If the extra stay is one or more full days, you'll need to pay 59€ per day to cover the costs of meals and the stay on board (you can do the payment on this page).

Yes you can!

All levels of experience are welcome, and if you'd ever want to become part of the permanent crew, joining us for a trip as a participant is the best way for us to get to know you and see your potential.

The short answer: Have seasickness pills with you, and you'll be fine no matter what.

The long answer:

Unless you know that you don't get seasick, chances are that you can get seasick if we find big waves at some point during the trip.

The higher the level of the trip, the more chances of finding waves during the trip. In trips of level 1 it's almost impossible, in level 2 is not very likely, in level 3 is quite possible (depending on the weather), in level 4 is possible (but we can find shelter if it happens), in level 5 it will happen if the weather is rough, and in level 6 we won't even care about some waves (unless they are too crazy).

If you happen to get seasick, it doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be able to enjoy the trip. It has happened to many of the people that have sailed with us, and most of them were able to enjoy. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Seasickness pills are super effective if you take them ON TIME (at least one hour before the ship starts rocking), if you take them when you already feel dizzy it's too late. Better to be safe: When in doubt, just take them. If you want to be sure, you can ask the crew to let you know whenever they expect the ship to start rocking, so that you know when to take your pill.
• For longer trips (levels 4 and up): Even if you get seasick and the weather doesn't improve, most people get used to the ship's rocking in 2 days. So it's rare that you'd be seasick during an entire trip.
• If you get seasick, you can take the sensation as a challenge to train your resilience and your emotional intelligence: Can you remain positive and enjoy the experience while enduring the horrible way how seasickness makes you feel? How is that situation similar to other moments in life? You can talk with your shipmates about it.

For trips in levels 1, 2 and 3, see in the trip's description if any food/drinks are included. You can in any case bring your own food (of course, taking care of not dropping any rubbish), but we ask you not to bring drinks apart from water (if you want to get drink on board, please contribute with our charity and buy it on board).

For trips in levels 4, 5 and 6, meals are included, but you're always welcome to bring anything else that you'd like to have (of course, know that you cannot get drunk while sailing as part of the crew). We don't normally have much spare space in our fridge, so try to avoid bringing food that requires refrigeration.

Please see here our Cancellation Policy.