 First Impression: Harmony 1
Date toured: May 2008
Harmony 1 is a 101-foot Horizon motoryacht that was built in 2002. She has always been in charter in Europe, but my tour was during her first-ever showing at the annual, industry-only charter show in Genoa. According to chef Anita van der Werf, Harmony 1 is available for charter only during the summers, though the yacht stays in Europe all year round. Last year, the yacht cruised as far east as Croatia and Turkey, but plans for the summer of 2008 are to stay in the Western Mediterranean, likely with Palma de Mallorca, Spain, as a base.
The room that impressed me most onboard this yacht was the master suite, which is a split-level design. The bathroom, closets, and dressing area are one level down, while the sleeping area is up a short, private staircase on the yacht’s main level—allowing plenty of natural light to come in through the windows as well as through a large, overhead skylight. That’s an unusual feature, and one that most charter guests will appreciate.
All of the other guest cabins are on the bottom deck, one with a king-size bed, one with a queen-size bed, and one with twin beds, sleeping a total of eight guests. The twin-bed c abin, in my opinion, seems ideally suited for children as opposed to an adult couple.
Harmony 1’s sundeck has a large sunpad, along with three tables and separate seating areas, which I think is a good layout for a charter yacht of this size, allowing guests to have their own private areas for reading or chatting during a weeklong vacation. There’s also a bar and barbecue on the sundeck, along with a hot tub for two to three people.
One last note about the sundeck is that it is, indeed, a sunny deck, with little by way of shade. The crew told me they do not carry umbrellas or removable biminis onboard, so don’t expect much protection from ultraviolet rays unless you go down to the covered deck below.
Harmony 1 is part of the Merrill-Stevens fleet. Her lowest weekly base rate is 47,000 euro. Contact any reputable charter broker for more information.—Kim Kavin
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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
Shannon Webster is a longtime AYCA member. She books yachts worldwide from 80 to 400 feet long. Email Shannon
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.
