Delivering Your Superyacht Experience Since 1976
local and international
+1.305.253.7245
toll-free north america
+1.800.922.4824
 

Yearly Archives: 2009

10 Reasons to Purchase Travel Insurance

Posted on

BUY TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE OR NOT?

Anyone who has booked a Benetti yacht charter or a Feadship yacht charter vacation knows that charter agents heavily promote trip cancellation insurance. For mega yacht charter agents, trip cancellation insurance is a substantial profit point.  Commissions of 20% of the insurance cost for selling this product for a Feadship yacht charter or a Benetti yacht charter are common.

 

SUMMER WEATHER IS SOMETIMES AN ISSUE

Charter brokers often offer this coverage to their Caribbean yacht charter customers who fear trip delays due to summer tropical weather disturbances.   Mediterranean yacht charter customers also hear the pitch to purchase this coverage, as concerns for lost baggage are common with long, international flights.

 

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

Putting aside the fact that someone “profits” from the sale of these policies, a luxury yacht charter customer should give serious consideration to this coverage option.  Whether you rent a private yacht, a megayacht, or a superyacht, for a Caribbean yacht charter or elsewhere, or whether you plan crewed catamaran charters or sail boat charters – the facts remain the same: you are spending a lot of money and you may wish to protect your investment!

 

CIRCUMSTANCES OF CANCELATION

There are hundreds of circumstances that could cause you to cancel your trip, return home early, or force you to seek emergency medical treatment while traveling.  What if you booked a MIPIM yacht or a Monaco Grand Prix yacht for the yearly event in Cannes and Monte Carlo, and suddenly you could not attend?

TEN REASONS TO PURCHASE TRAVEL INSURANCE

To demonstrate the importance of purchasing travel insurance, and emergency travel services, here are 10 common examples of what could go wrong.

  1. CANCELED FLIGHTS — It’s 10 p.m. and you and your immediate family arrive at the airport for a connecting flight, only to find that your flight has been cancelled. Who can assist you with finding new flights to get everyone home?
  2. INSULIN IN LOST LUGGAGE — Your bag is lost with your insulin inside. You need help to locate your bag as soon as possible and have your emergency prescription filled. Who do you call?
  3. PASSPORT AND WALLET STOLEN — It’s your first visit to Europe, and your passport and wallet are stolen before you board your Monaco Grand Prix yacht. Where do you turn for emergency cash, and how will you get your passport replaced?

    THE LIST CONTINUES

  4. MEDICAL EVACUATION NEEDED — You’re involved in an accident during your Benetti yacht charter, and adequate medical treatment is not available. Who will help arrange and pay for a medical evacuation?
  5. ILL CHARTER PARTY MEMBERS — Your sister-in-law becomes seriously ill and you must cancel your MIPIM yacht trip. What happens to your non-refundable deposits or pre-payments?
Marina of yachts
6.  LOST LUGGAGE — You arrive for your Feadship yacht charter in Jamaica, and your luggage doesn’t. If it’s lost, who will help you find it? Or if delayed, who will pay for your necessities?  What if it’s stolen, who will pay to replace it?

Woman sitting on an empty baggage carrousel holding head - lost luggage

THE LAST OF 10 REASONS

7.  BANKRUPTCY OF TOUR OPERATOR — Your luxury sailing charter tour operator goes bankrupt. Who will pay for your non-refundable expenses? Who will help get you to your destination?

8.  MEDICAL HELP NEEDED — You’re walking down a street in Rio and twist your ankle. Who can help you find an English-speaking physician?

9.  TERRORISM — It is three weeks until your scheduled arrival for your Croatia yacht charter.  A terrorist incident occurs in the city that you are planning to visit. Who will pay if you want to cancel your trip?

10. HURRICANE — You are at a beach resort in the Florida Keys during your luxury sailing charter vacation, and you are forced to evacuate due to an approaching hurricane. Who will help you evacuate and who will reimburse your lost vacation investment?

WILL YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE?

There are so many circumstances where your vacation may be interrupted.  It’s important to understand your options to safeguard your holiday investment.  Remember travel insurance is optional and should be analyzed before each vacation begins.

HOW TO BOOK A YACHT CHARTER

This entry was posted in News Special Events Frequently Asked Questions and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

A One-Day Caribbean Yacht Charter Can Be Fun!

Posted on

WEEKLONG CHARTER OR JUST ONE DAY?

While crewed sail boat charters and bareboat charter vacations normally last 5 to 7 nights, not everyone has the time for a multi-night term luxury yacht charter. In this economy, saving up for a special bareboat charter or luxury yacht charter holiday might mean postponing until 2010.

 

GREAT NEWS

Now for the good news – sailboat charters can be as short as one day and are the perfect compliment to a land-based Caribbean island vacation.

Let’s take a look at a single-day luxury yacht charter escape in the British Virgin Islands (also known as the BVI or BVI’s).

 

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CHARTER

There are four major inhabited islands in the BVI, as well as dozens of (nearly 60) smaller islands, cays, and rocks scattered throughout the archipelago. Of course, the fun way to see these sights is by boat on a luxury sailing charter.

You can rent a small Caribbean yacht charter sailboat or a fast powerboat for the day in Road Town, Nanny Cay, West End, or several other locations. Some experience driving a powerboat or basic chart-reading skills are important to ensure you have a pleasurable day.

 

ITINERARY

A great trip could start from Road Town, Tortola and head south across the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Peter Island. You can tie up to the dock in Sprat Bay, or anchor off the beach in Deadman’s Bay and swim ashore (remember to wear your water socks). Visitors are welcome in the public areas, the boutique, and the beach grill.

girl swimming over a reef and camera showing fish underneath her and rock formation and sky above

 

NEXT LEG

From Peter Island, it’s a short boat ride to Norman Island. This is author Robert Louis Stevenson’s legendary Treasure Island, and the source of countless tales of pirates and buried chests of gold. Today, the island is uninhabited except for a small restaurant on the beach in the Bight. Anchored in the bay is the old ship, William Thornton, affectionately known by bareboat charter lovers and the locals as the “Willy T,” a trading vessel converted to a bar and restaurant. It’s a great stop for a little “pirate” ambiance. Be warned – on holiday weekends, the Willy T is not appropriate for kids as it takes on a bawdy “adults only” atmosphere.

 

THE AMAZING CAVES

Just outside the bay are the Caves. These are more like grottoes and are a true snorkeler’s delight. You can tie up your boat to one of the National Park moorings and swim in. Don’t be surprised if a school of tropical fish swim alongside you, looking for a handout. The locals ask that you resist the temptation to feed the little critters, however. Human food is not healthy for the fish and may do them great harm in the long run.

 

INDIANS

After snorkeling at the Caves, it is a short boat ride to The Indians. These rock outcroppings are the size of houses and full of nesting seabirds in the summer. The waters around the rocks are teeming with fish of every shape and color. One local describes a swim here as a magical experience: “Floating among the fish, corals and sea fans will make you feel like Peter Pan flying through an enchanted forest.”

 

SALT ISLAND

If the sun is still high in the sky, and you still feel fresh for more adventure, zip over to Salt Island. You can tie up to the dock and walk around the abandoned houses to the salt pond where workers harvest and sell sea salt. If you still have any get-up-and-go in your tank, hop back on your boat and cruise around the corner to the wreck of the HMS Rhone, the BVI’s first underwater park. Snorkel over the wreck and try to imagine what it looked like before it sank in 1867!

 

ISLAND TIME

By now, you realize you are on “island time.” There’s little reason to hurry back to Tortola, unless you have an early dinner reservation at your hotel or resort. Assuming you are in the island groove, we suggest a cruise east to Cooper Island. Accessible only by boat, this island has a few rental homes and a tiny resort that’s looks like a vacation postcard from the water – palm trees and long, white sand beach. By now, you must be hungry from a morning/afternoon of exploring. Drop in a local restaurant for a late lunch. With a full belly and a big smile, it’s just a short sail or cruise back to Tortola.

 

DAY TRIP ITINERARIES

There are many other itineraries for a day trip by boat. Your hotel concierge can recommend the best local boat rental operators and give you some ideas as to where to go and what to see there. You can go fast on a powerboat or slower on a sailboat – the choice is yours. Either way, a day boat trip around the British Virgin Islands will be the highlight of your land-based island holiday!

 

HOW TO BOOK A ONE DAY YACHT CHARTER

For more information, call the yacht charter specialists at 305-720-7245.  Fill out our online inquiry form at https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/

This entry was posted in Caribbean Destinations and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

A Year in the Life of a Superyacht

Posted on

The yachting industry has long held to the belief that a successful luxury yacht charter vessel can expect 12 weeks of charter business a year.  This expectation included both Caribbean yacht charter and Mediterranean yacht charter business.

Excluding the small sail boat charters that dominate the Caribbean market, in the world of megayacht and superyacht vessels, there are about 830 yachts 80 feet and larger available for a luxury yacht charter worldwide.  What might be surprising to many is this fact: some 600 of these vessels do no more than 3 or 4 weeks of chartering each year.

superyachts in a row - showing size perspectives

Thus, the upcoming Mediterranean yacht charter summer season has a lot riding on it for boat owners and captains who have — perhaps ill-fatedly from the start — factored 12 weeks of megayacht charter business into their calculations.

So what does a 52 week year in the life of a superyacht look like?  A recent industry survey breaks it down like this:
*Owner’s personal use – 6 weeks.
*Yard time (for repair and maintenance) and crossing time to reposition (Caribbean to the Mediterranean, etc.) – 26 weeks.
*Undesirable charter dates – 14 weeks
*Actual Possible Charter Time:  14 weeks.

Charter fleet managers believe there is a a realistic goal.  In specific, a luxury mega yacht charter vessel is no more than 8 weeks per year…

This entry was posted in Yacht Charter Frequently Asked Questions Educational and tagged , , , , , ,

Posted on

Bareboat or crewed yacht charter?

Posted on

Bareboat or crewed yacht charter?

Yacht charter vacations fall into two categories – bareboat charter and crewed charter.

 

WHAT IS A BAREBOAT?

A bareboat charter is where you rent a sailboat or powerboat that has no crew. It is similar to renting a car that you drive yourself.  Bareboat charters are for experienced sailors or yachtsmen and can be “self-drive” (where you do all the work and driving), or you can hire a skipper to drive the boat for you for either part of the trip or for the entire trip.

 

WHAT IS A YACHT CHARTER WITH CREW?

Crewed charters are where you rent a sailboat or powerboat that has a crew that consists of a captain/skipper to drive the boat and any number of other members.  Additional crew members can be such positions as hostess/stewardess (waits on the charter guests), chef (prepares all meals), first mate (helps with the operation of the vessel), and engineer (handles the engines), for example.

 

HOW MANY CREW MEMBERS ARE ON A YACHT WITH CREW?

The largest yachts (megayachts and superyachts) can have as many as 18 crew members, and some even have more crew members than guests onboard at any time!

WHY CHOOSE A BAREBOAT?

Charter guests select bareboat yacht charters for a number of reasons;  bareboats are more affordable than crewed yachts, an independent customer can pilot the yacht him/herself, or the customer owns the same kind of boat and wants to enjoy it in a different location than he/she does at home, for example. Florida yacht charters are often bareboat charters, as guests like to experience sail boat charters and pilot the boat around the islands of the Florida Keys.

 

UNIQUENESS OF BAREBOATING

Bareboaters will often participate in Virgin Islands Yacht Charter flotillas, where multiple Beneteau sailboats or Robertson and Caine catamarans will sail together throughout the islands, stopping in port to enjoy the Caribbean flair of such popular Virgin Island landmarks as Pusser’s or Foxy’s, or visiting the must-visit, no dock, swim-up Soggy Dollar Bar in the British Virgin Islands (aptly named Soggy Dollar because once you swim up to it, your dollars are soggy)!

Photo of beach with people sitting in beach chairs. There are multiple sailboats anchored in the water just off of the beach. Palm trees sway on the beach.,

 

WHY CHOOSE A YACHT WITH CREW?

On the other hand, charter guests select crewed yacht charter vacations because they are celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a corporate event, they want to enjoy a vacation where they don’t have to do any work, or they have a large group of people and want to spend a special vacation with them without having to do any of the vacation planning once underway.

WHAT ARE TRADITIONAL CREWED YACHT VACATIONS?

Corporate events include such things as Monaco Grand Prix yacht charters, where a company will rent a megayacht to be used as a meeting place (and floating hotel), what to pack on a sailboat vacation, as well as its being a perfect venue for entertaining clients and for watching the Monaco Grand Prix race. Crewed yachts are often selected for unique first-time vacation destinations, for instance, a Croatia yacht charter or Greece yacht charters, as captains and crewmembers know the waters, the locals, and the area.

 

HOW TO BOOK YOUR YACHT CHARTER VACATION

Are you ready to charter a bareboat in the Caribbean?  Or do you want to rent a yacht with crew for a Mediterranean vacation with friends?  Whatever you choose, above all, we are ready to take care of every detail for you.  To charter a yacht, contact us at https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/ TODAY

This entry was posted in Yacht Charter Frequently Asked Questions and tagged , , , , ,

Posted on

Exercise to prepare you for Greece yacht charter

Posted on

VACATION IN GREECE

You’ve decided to charter a motor yacht in Greece for a week. What an exciting idea!  You can’t decide whether you want to go on a Trinity Yacht Charter or a Feadship Yacht Charter, and you’re also thinking that sail boat charters are also a romantic way to vacation.

 

Planning the Trip

Thoughts go through your mind.

  • Do I need exercise to go yachting? 
  • How do I prepare for the vacation? 
  • Is a yacht charter physically difficult?

Regardless, all Greece yacht charters are fun, educational, and adventurous – no matter what kind of private yacht you enjoy.

EXERCISE BEFOREHAND – GET IN SHAPE

If you haven’t exercised in a long time, you’ll want to prepare your body with some basic exercises before heading to the Aegean.

Since you’ll be hiking up rocky hills and exploring historic landmarks like the Parthenon and the Acropolis, do a series of ankle stretches, ankle rolls, and knee bends to prepare.

greece. Photograph of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Will I need to exercise before being able to walk around this huge location?

 

STAIRS IN GREECE

Since all megayachts have stairs that you’ll descend and ascend each day on your boat, practice climbing stairs with a stairmaster, walking manual stairwells in your area, or just simply walking an inclined area where you live.

WALKING AT LANDMARKS

Visiting landmarks is wonderful, but it does entail a lot of walking.  To maximize your cardio (heart) and overall fitness, just walk. Park your car far from a store when you grocery shop.  Walk around the block and enjoy nature. Take your dog for a long overdue walk. Hop on the treadmill and go for a stroll.

 

GREECE DOES NOT REQUIRE EXERCISE…

No worries.  The best thing is that you really don’t NEED exercise for your Mediterranean yacht charter event – it is just good for your heart, your mind, and your overall attitude!  Your crew will do the majority of the exercising during your yacht charter, but you will also be exercising for fun in your daily activities onboard!  The food on your yacht charter will be amazing, too, and it will be based on your desires!

 

YACHTING IS GOOD FOR THE MIND

Mega yacht charter vacations, whether on a sail boat charter or a superyacht, are a great way to travel – they are good for the mind as well as the body!

 

HOW TO BOOK YOUR YACHT CHARTER VACATION

For more information and to book your Mediterranean yacht charter, call 1-800-YACHTCHARTERS or email info@1800yachtcharters.com

This entry was posted in Educational Yacht Charter Destinations and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

Ferretti Yacht SEA STREAM brings Luxury Charter to Seychelles

Posted on

The world of luxury yacht charter has finally arrived in the Seychelles.  Motor yacht SEA STREAM, a 76 foot Ferretti with room for 8 guests, is now available for Caribbean yacht charter enthusiasts looking for a new destination.

Ferretti yacht SEA STREAM is now available as the only high quality, luxury crewed motor yacht available in the Seychelles, year round. 

Sea Stream. Photograph of motoryacht SEA STREAM underway.  Headed to the right.

Built in 2006 yacht SEA STREAM is a Ferretti 761 with accommodations for 8 guests in 4 cabins. Designed with speed and comfort in mind, her interior is light, clean and comfortable.  Cabins are spacious and the layout is functional – everything you could want on a yachting holiday in the Seychelles.

In addition to usual luxury yacht charter amenities, the vessel has also been extensively retrofit with the latest state-of-the-art game fishing equipment such as forward-facing sonar, fish finder, fighting chair, bait rigging station, and outriggers.  A comprehensive range of rods, reels, and lures are onboard, rivaling any professional big game fishing collection internationally.

SEA STREAM is based in Mahe, and the crew looks forward to welcoming you on board.

Her standard charter rate is € 29,000 per week plus tax and all expenses (items such as food, fuel, and bar). 

Introductory special: 25% discount on any charters (except Christmas/New Year dates) booked prior to July 31st, 2009. That is a savings of over € 7,200 for a private luxury mega yacht charter!

For availability and to reserve SEA STREAM for your Seychelles yacht charter vacation, please contact the team at 1-800-YACHT CHARTERS at  https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/

This entry was posted in News Yacht of the Week and tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

FLIBS 2009 Record Number of Superyachts

Posted on

FLIBS Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show dock. Shows multiple superyachts lined up on the left side of the photograph. All at dock with there backs to the dock. One yacht has a black helicopter on top of it.

THE FLIBS LINEUP

Are you a Trinity, Benetti, or Feadship enthusiast?  Other builders, maybe?  For instance, Abeking & Rasmussen, Amels, or Heesen?  FLIBS 2009 cites a record number of luxury yacht charter superyachts attending.  FLIBS stands for Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Andrew Doole of Show Management reports that this year’s FLIBS Golden Anniversary attracts an amazing 149 superyachts over 30m to be displayed.  Thousands of people attend the show, and the internet buzzes with uploaded photos of one gorgeous yacht after another.

WHAT IS A SUPERYACHT?

The standard definition of a superyacht is a luxury yacht over 24 meters long.  The FLIBS show attendance increases from 149 to 209 yachts to celebrate the anniversary.

 

WHICH SPECIFIC YACHTS WILL ATTEND THE SHOW?

Among many others, the list is headed by Feadship’s mighty 65m TRIDENT.  Another is the 62m FORTUNATO.  Finally, Trinity’s 54m KATHERINE and Heesen’s 50m MAN OF STEEL are also in attendance.

 

FLIBS SHOWTIMES

There is a Prime Time preview on Thursday, October 29th from 10 am EST to 7 pm EST, and the show is open to the general public at the same times from Friday, October 30th to Sunday, November 1st.  The show closes at 5 pm EST on Monday, November 2nd, with all superyachts bidding farewell with the blowing of their horns.  It reverberates in the air!  

 

ATTEND FLIBS WITH THE SUPERYACHT EXPERTS

In conclusion, your 1-800 Yacht Charters representatives will be on hand to offer personal inspections.  In addition, to discuss custom itineraries for upcoming Thanksgiving and year-end holidays.  We are at your service. Contact us at https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/

This entry was posted in Yacht Charter Special Events Educational and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

Foreign phrases you should know for your Monaco Grand Prix Yacht Charter

Posted on


Yachts docked in the marina next to the Monaco Grand Prix racetrack. At least 100 yachts in the photo

You are planning a Monaco Grand Prix yacht charter on one of the largest yachts in the world.  You speak English, but you’d like to be polite to the people of the area.

Here are some tips:

Monaco’s official language is French, so a few basic French phrases will be most helpful.

The people of Monaco also speak English and Italian, but they also speak Monegasque and Occitan (the southern French dialect) within their areas, although they are becoming more rare as the population changes.

Basic phrases to know:

English = hello
French =  bonjour

English = goodbye
French =  au revoir

English = please
French =  s’il vous plat

 

English = Thank you
French =  merci

English = you are welcome
French =  de rien

English = excuse me
French =  pardon

English = good morning
French =  bonjour

English = good night
French =  bonne nuit

English = Do you speak…?
French =  Parlez-vous…?
English = anglais
French  = francais

English = How are you ?
French =  Comment allez-vous?

English = yes
French = oui 

English = no
French = non
English = passport
French =  le passeport
English = post office
French =  la poste

English = bank
French =  la banque

English = postcard
French =  la carte postale

This entry was posted in Destinations Educational and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

Posted on

BOAT SHOWS

There are over 25 annual shows for superyacht vessels around the world.  One show is the biggest and best.  It is the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS).  

Aerial photograph of the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show.  Thousands of yachts at docks.

EXHIBITORS AT THE BOAT SHOW

The list of exhibitors at the boat show is typically VIP’s of the superyacht industry. Trinity, Feadship, Lurssen, and Benetti yacht charter enthusiasts are in awe at the sheer number of yachts gathered in one location.

This show affords us an opportunity to educate our luxury yacht charter customers,” states 1-800 Yacht Charters President, Jana Sheeder.

We can take our clients on a tour of several equal-sized yachts and let them compare deck space, cabin size, and onboard amenities.”

“Some of our most popular mega yacht charter vessels are here, for example, ANJILIS and BIG CITY (both along the Face Dock between slips 9A-D) and MARAYA (docked at Bahia Mar in slip A1).” 

The 2009 showcase of luxury sail and motoryachts takes place  October 29th through November 2nd.

Join us for The Superyacht Experience® today!

HOW TO BOOK A YACHT CHARTER

To visit 1-800 Yacht Charters’ fleet of superyachts, visit https://www.1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/

We are humbly at your service.

This entry was posted in Yacht Charter Special Events and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on

Hargrave Yacht SEAFARER Joins Bahamas Yacht Charter Market

Posted on

There are many production 100-foot motoryachts in the Bahamas yacht charters market, but owners Dr. and Mrs. Emmons of luxury charter yacht SEAFARER didn’t want a cookie-cutter boat, particularly one costing $6 million. They wanted something that they could personalize to reflect their taste, their love of literature and the arts.

As a result, you will see throughout the boat bookcases built specifically for the Emmons, and nooks created especially to fit their fine collection of marine artwork.

Seafarer yacht

Luxury charter yacht SEAFARER motor yacht is a 30-meter megayacht available for a Bahamas yacht charter vacation. Yacht SEAFARER has accommodations for eight (8) guests in four (4) cabins. This new mega yacht was built by superyacht builder Hargrave and was launched in 2008.

Bahama yacht charters are all about outdoor adventure in the sun, so a large inventory of waytertoys are important. This mega yacht charter vessel carries a 15′ widebody Nautica tender with 90hp Yamaha engine, two 2-person kayaks, snorkel gear, towable toys and tubes such as Boogie Boards, plus beach toys such as volley ball, Frisbees, and 4 bicycles.

Click to view luxury motor yacht SEAFARER’s online brochure.

You, your family, and friends can enjoy a week-long odyssey in the Bahamas onboard this yacht for only $42,500 for 8 guests. Running expenses (items such as food, fuel, and dockage) are extra. For more information, contact Jana Sheeder, CEO of 1-800-YACHTCHARTERS at jsheeder@1800yachtcharters.com

1-800-YACHTCHARTERS – Delivering The Superyacht Experience™ Since 1976

This entry was posted in Destinations Yacht of the Week and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted on