Rumbonorte レビュー 

A complete scam. Almost 2 month later still without receiving back the refund from our security deposit 4000€, when they signed that everything was perfect at checkout. They do not reply calls/emails or whatsapps. True pirates.

⚠️ BE CAREFUL WITH RUMBO NORTE AND BOATAROUND ⚠️

Our experience has been simply unacceptable.

We booked a catamaran through Boataround, paid the required €4,000 deposit, and, once the charter had ended, Rumbo Norte still failed to return our money.

Several weeks have now passed and, despite formally requesting the refund, we are still waiting for our €4,000.

What is even more outrageous is Boataround’s attitude. We booked and paid for the catamaran through their platform, so we expected them, faced with a problem of this magnitude, to defend their customer and demand a solution from the operator.

Nothing of the sort happened.

When it is time to collect payment, everything works perfectly. But when a problem arises and they have to respond to the customer, it seems that everyone washes their hands of the matter and the customer is left alone to fight for their money.

We are talking about €4,000, not a minor issue or an administrative delay.

We have allowed sufficient time and have pursued the appropriate channels. If the money is not returned, we will continue through the relevant legal and administrative channels.

We are publishing this because we believe that other customers have the right to know about our experience before booking.

Our recommendation: exercise extreme caution with both companies, especially regarding the terms and guarantees relating to security deposits.

Rumbo Norte: return the €4,000.
Boataround: accept your responsibility as an intermediary platform and defend your customer.

Trust is earned when everything goes well, but it is demonstrated when a problem arises. In this case, our experience with both companies has been deeply disappointing.

Beware of this company!
We chartered a skippered Lagoon 46 catamaran (Silver Elli) through Rumbo Norte for one week in August 2026. The experience was extremely disappointing, and their handling of our departure was deeply problematic, raising serious questions over their operations.

The yacht on arrival:
The boat we were given was in terrible condition and not worth the premium prices they charge. Essential systems were non-functional: the water maker did not work, the generator failed (leaving no air conditioning for two nights). Equipment was missing or broken throughout: no blinds in cabins, broken toilet seats, missing bathroom bins, broken shower, broken swim ladder (a safety hazard), broken dinghy fuel line, non-functioning fridge door, cracked and missing cushions, frayed halyards, insufficient refrigeration. Sheets were threadbare and dirty. Overall cleanliness was shocking.

The deposit dispute:
We were requested to pay a €4,000 security deposit before being allowed on the boat. The charter terms stated the deposit would be returned within one week if no damage was caused to the vessel. Upon return on 14 August, our skipper signed off the yacht condition form confirming no damage was incurred and that any damage was existing before our charter. We did not cause any damage.
Despite this signed condition form, Rumbo Norte refused to release the deposit. They claimed a hull inspection was required. As of our communication in late August 14 days after we returned the boat, they had still not released it and provided no evidence of damage or damage claims.
This is deposit theft. They took €4,000, required us to sign off that the boat was in an acceptable condition on return, then refused to honour their own terms by releasing it. No damage was caused. The signed condition form proves this.

Communication:
When we raised the deposit issue, Rumbo Norte did not respond meaningfully. They gave vague excuses about needing inspections and provided no documentation of damage or justification for withholding customer funds. They are refusing to reply to emails, phone calls and whatsapps.

Our conclusion:
Rumbo Norte delivered a shockingly maintained yacht and then wrongfully withheld customer deposits in breach of their own terms. They failed to communicate or resolve the issue fairly. If you charter with this company, be aware that your deposit may not be returned even if you comply with all terms and have a signed condition report.
Do not book with Rumbo Norte unless you are willing to lose your deposit and be given a sub-standard yacht.

"Abandon all hope, you who enter". The injunction is well-known: Dante placed it at the entrance to his Inferno.

Had he known Rumbo Norte / Mediterranean Zest (RN / MZ), he could have used it as an epigraph to introduce the company. Perhaps with a slight change: Abandon all hopes, you who enter. Abandon the hope of being paid correctly and on time, if you are crew members or suppliers; abandon the hope of finding boats in good condition, if you are clients; abandon all hope of having your vessels well maintained, if you are owners; abandon all hope of being respected, whatever your status and the reason for your interaction with the company.

RN/MZ is a mixture of disorganization, incompetence, and dishonesty. In varying proportions depending on the issues and moments. Disorganization and incompetence are structural; dishonesty is circumstantial, a consequence of that old saying that those who have no money have no word. The company is bankrupt. It makes you think of a captain caught in the middle of a terrible storm who, instead of telling the crew, "Men, we're in a difficult situation, we have to unite and work together to save ourselves," would prefer to assault them, lie to them, tell them they'll have to pay for the damages and that only with a lot of luck will they be paid. There's a certain dignity in silence, but not in cowardice and evasion, which is how RN/MZ manages dialogue with the crew. "I'll pay you tomorrow" is a phrase that can be heard for days on end. "We'll review your accounts"—accounts that were sent to the company daily—and after two weeks they "discover" that they don't owe us any money after all. We owe them. Of course, they could have told us that right away—but it wouldn't have worked so well because the amount in "error" would be much smaller.

The only way to get paid is by resorting to threats, the courts, or force, believing those two old Portuguese sayings: "For a bastard, a bastard and a half"; and "A thief who steals from a thief has a hundred years of forgiveness."

Want to work for that company? Want to charter their boats? Good luck. Don't be fooled. Rumbo Norte is now called Mediterranean Zest? It's like a snake shedding its skin: the venom is the same.

Review: Avoid – Deposit Not Refunded After Charter

In October, we chartered a catamaran bareboat in Ibiza. Everything went smoothly both at check-in and check-out — the boat was in perfect condition, and no damages or issues were reported.

However, serious problems started after the charter ended. We have not been able to recover the €4,000 deposit we left at the beginning of the rental. Despite the fact that the boat was returned in excellent condition and there was no reason for the company to withhold the money, we have received no reply to our emails or phone calls.

At this point, the situation feels very much like a fraud. I strongly recommend avoiding this company to prevent similar problems.

Aquí te joden de verdad!