I’ve been hearing for several months now that the crewed charter market has been slower than usual. Except at the highest levels–yachts 150 feet and larger–most charter brokers and yacht captains have been telling me that they wish they were getting more bookings.

Last week, I heard something I haven’t heard before: a broker who specializes in  150-feet-and-larger yachts saying that business seemed to be slowing down for her, too. Now, hers is just one voice in a segment of the market that until now has seemed unfazed by the global economic slowdown, but quite frankly, hers is also one of the more honest voices I know. She may be the first to say out loud what others are thinking. Maybe. We’ll see.

Yesterday’s financial news doesn’t make me feel any better, of course. As you can see in the graphic above from MoneyCentral, yesterday’s Dow drop was certainly precipitous–but it was also part of the larger downward trend that has been affecting the charter industry, like most industries, for a year now.

I think that for those of you still in a financial (and mental) position to book an upcoming charter, there are a few things to keep in mind as additional economic uncertainty looms.

First, be sure that you are working with a reputable charter broker who will keep your deposit safe in an escrow account–and not in the yacht owner’s pockets–until your charter actually takes place. I suspect that we might start to see some yacht owners selling their boats, and you want to make sure that if the boat you book gets sold before your charter, you will get your money back according to the terms of your contract.

Second, be sure to consider purchasing travel insurance at the time you book your charter. Most reputable charter brokers recommend it to guard against things like weather and illness, but in this case, it also can give you some peace of mind regarding financial turmoil that might affect the yacht’s owner before your embarkation date.

Last, ask your broker if there are any good opportunities out there. There are likely to be some cancellations of bookings onboard some of the newest and best charter yachts, which means you might have an opportunity to charter on popular dates or onboard popular boats that previously had seemed unattainable. I certainly don’t hope for a swath of charter cancellations, but common sense says that a few are likely to occur. Reputable charter brokers will be on top of these opportunities, which could be a silver lining as the gloomy financial predictions continue.

Oceanstyle, a sister company to Burgess Yachts, has opened a new office in Florida and launched a new website.

The new office is at Miami Beach Marina. It will be the company’s U.S. hub for business involving yachts from about 65 to 130 feet long, while London-based Burgess Yachts continues to focus on larger boats for sale and for charter.

The press release from Oceanstyle says the new office will be headed by a sales broker and makes no mention of an on-site charter broker, which leads me to believe that charters will still be booked in cooperation with the brokers from Burgess Yachts (as I mentioned here on the CharterWave Editor’s Blog back in February).

The new Oceanstyle website looks a great deal like the recently redesigned Burgess site, but with a charter section that focuses exclusively on the company’s fleet of 13 charter motoryachts from 68 to 130 feet long. There’s also a nifty FAQ page with lots of good information for people who have never before chartered, and an interactive destinations section that offers brief, sample itineraries.

The team at Sunreef Yachts Charter tells me that their brand-new, 67-foot sailing catamaran Seazen II will be making its way over to the Bahamas to offer charters beginning March 14–making her the first Sunreef 70 model available for charter anywhere in the world.

She’ll take eight to 10 guests in four cabins, with three crew. The accommodations are described as including an “innovative folding bed system that’s excellent for children.” I won’t get a chance to see that in person until the yacht gets to the Miami International Boat Show this coming February, but from the accommodations plans I’ve seen, it looks like a setup that’s ideal for family charters.

The owner requested a Japanese-influenced interior, with browns, creams, and splashes of red all done in Minimalist style. There are no photos available yet, but the renderings below should give you an idea of what to expect:

I haven’t seen a weekly base rate posted for the new launch, but any reputable charter broker can get you more details as they become available. If you’re considering booking this yacht in the Bahamas, also be sure to talk about the weather with your broker. March can have ferocious winds in that cruising ground, so you might be better off waiting until May or June to get onboard.