Nicole Caulfield is licensed, bonded, and a longtime member of FYBA and AYCA. She brings a unique perspective as a broker, having worked aboard yachts for nearly 10 years. Email Nicole
Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina
Sharon Bahmer is an expert at booking charters in the Americas, from Alaska to Brazil. She's also a member of FYBA and CYBA. E-mail Sharon
Beverly Parsons has been chartering since 1969. She is a licensed, bonded broker and a founding member of the professional groups AYCA and CYBA International. Contact Beverly.
DJ Parker has been a leader in the charter industry since 1980. She is currently president of the American Yacht Charter Association. E-mail DJ
Shannon Webster is a longtime AYCA member. She books yachts worldwide from 80 to 400 feet long. Email Shannon
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First Impression: AriettaDate toured: December 2006
On the lowest level, one cabin is a spacious master suite, while the others are typically a double-bed cabin and a twin-bed cabin, each with their own en suite bathrooms. The cabin in the bow is the VIP suite, and while it’s smaller than the master, it definitely offers more privacy. Because of this layout, it’s generally true that Westport 112s are excellent boats for couples looking to split the bill on a charter. One couple will have a bigger stateroom, but the other couple will have more privacy—so nobody feels like they’re getting the short end of the stateroom stick. And the two smaller cabins on the bottom level are perfect for each couple’s kids, or for friends who are guests of the couples splitting the weekly rate. I happened to step onboard Arietta right after I disembarked from another Westport 112 called Primadonna, a sistership of Arietta’s in the Merrill-Stevens fleet. What struck me was how different Arietta’s interior décor made her feel from Primadonna, with a color scheme that, to me, felt more luscious even though the boats' layouts were basically the same. There is a richness of ambience onboard Arietta that hit me the moment I stepped onboard. The crew were unavailable during my tour, so I asked the Merrill-Stevens representative what she thought made Arietta stand out among competing crewed yachts in the same price range. “This owner is one of the few who are willing to make investments to please charter guests,” she replied. “For instance, we just had a charter where they wanted a yacht with an elliptical machine onboard. So Arietta’s owner went out and bought a good one. A Precor.” That’s a good sign as far as I’m concerned, though as always, I suggest that you check with a reputable charter broker about the crew before booking Arietta or any other yacht. Arietta’s weekly base rate is $49,000, or about $7,600 per person with typical 25-percent expenses included.—Kim Kavin |
Arietta is one of several 112-foot motoryachts that were built by the Westport shipyard and are now available for charter. They all have pretty much the same layout, with three guest cabins on the lowest level and a fourth up in the bow, accessed from a private staircase on the main deck level. 