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.
Liz Howard joined Fraser Yachts as a charter broker in 2002 after more than 15 years in the maritime industry. E-mail Liz.
Shannon Webster is a longtime AYCA member. She books yachts worldwide from 80 to 400 feet long. Email Shannon
Ed Hamilton has worked in every part of the charter industry over the last 37 years and heads one of the largest, most respected charter brokerages.
Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina
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
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
| Atlantica |
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First Impression: AtlanticaDate toured: December 2007
That was, of course, before I’d spent some eight years looking at, easily, hundreds of boats each year, and I was eager to see if Atlantica would hold up in reality as well as she had in my mind. As it turns out, my initial instincts were right on the money. This yacht not only was built beautifully inside and out, but she’s still in very nice condition. And, I soon learned, she got a new owner in June of this year. He kept the yacht’s original name, and so far hasn’t changed a thing—though an audiovisual upgrade is in the planning stages. New soft goods, such as curtains and bed linens, are likely coming in 2008 as well, and zero-speed stabilizers are a possibility in the future. With the new owner came a new crew, led by Capt. Roy and Stephanie Hodges, who serve as captain and chef. I was invited by management company International Yacht Collection to get to know them over lunch onboard, with Stephanie preparing a surf-and-turf of sesame-seared yellowfin tuna and wagyu beef filet. I thought it was absolutely delicious—and again, my instincts proved correct a few days later when the same dish won Stephanie top honors as best chef in her division at the Sint Maarten charter show.
The Hodges have been with the owner for some time, previously running his 106-foot Lazzara motoryacht, which was not in charter. They had done two charters onboard Atlantica at the time of my visit and were beginning to earn a solid reputation in the industry. Atlantica herself has a serious master suite with a king-size bed and a his-and-her bathroom that features uniquely tall sinks—no bending over required for 6-foot men during their daily routines. There are two identical VIP cabins with queen-size beds and hot tubs, as well as a third queen-bed stateroom with a Pullman-style bunk, and a twin-bed cabin with a Pullman-style bunk. As Capt. Hodges rightly said, the layout is best for 10 adults, or 12 guests that include at least two children. Kids are definitely welcome. One longtime charter broker told me that Atlantica is one of the best charter yachts in the world for families with young children: “"They did a great job for my client with two adults and five children ranging from nine months to 16 years of age--thankfully, with a nanny!" Atlantica carries seven crew at a lowest weekly base rate of $90,000, or about $9,300 per person with all the beds filled and typical 25-percent expenses factored in. Contact any reputable charter broker to book.—Kim Kavin |
I must admit, my visit this month onboard the 135-foot Christensen motoryacht Atlantica was extra-special. She’s one of the first yachts I ever saw when I first started covering the charter industry as a journalist in 2000, and I remembered her as being over-the-top gorgeous back then, when she was brand new. 