 First Impression: Grace E
Date toured: May 2009
Grace E launched from the Codecasa shipyard in 2004 with the name Andale. She got a new owner in 2007. He first changed her name, and then, in 2008, undertook an interior refit. All the furniture was changed, WiFi was added, and a new audiovisual system was installed including Kaleidescape and iPod docking stations.
Then, in late 2008 and into 2009, Grace E went to a shipyard in Viareggio, Italy, for major refit work. Her entire hull was painted, outdoor cushions were updated, and an entirely new, enclosed gymnasium was added on her sundeck (see the photograph below).
When I got onboard for a tour in May 2009, she looked like a brand-new yacht. The entrance from her aft deck still creates a “wow factor,” with a sitting room before the main saloon and the ambience of a private mansion. An elevator accesses all decks, with the main deck stop being near the foyer. That space used to have a marble floor, a stewardess told me, but during one of the refits it was torn out and replaced with a wood design. I thought it looked lovely and unique.
The master suite is forward of the foyer on the main deck with silk carpeting that felt incredibly soothing beneath my bare feet. The hot tub in the his-and-her bathrooms is downright massive, and the bed is actually two double beds pushed together to become an oversized king.
 In an unusual layout choice, the VIP cabin is also on the main deck, tucked between the galley and crew stairs. It is actually smaller than the guest cabins one deck below, but it offers an above-waterline view with large windows. “It’s a great cabin for nannies and bodyguards, still nice but out of the way,” stewardess Michelle Dewhurst told me. “We in the crew are all quite conscious of keeping the noise level down near this cabin.”
The sky lounge on Grace E feels unusually large in person, with a bar, card table, seating area with television, and opening to an outdoor deck. Up one level is the sundeck, including the new, aforementioned gymnasium. Its equipment includes a Power Plate, an elliptical, and a Life Fitness weight machine.
Also worth noting is that Grace E carries an unusually beautiful tender, a 25-foot Surfhunter center console that goes by the nickname “Harry.” It’s a New England-style boat with elegant lines and classic appeal, a far cry from the plastic dinghies used onboard so many other charter yachts in this size range.
Grace E is expected to be in the Western Mediterranean until September, after which she will return to the Caribbean for the winter charter season. The lowest weekly base rate is $295,000. Fraser Yachts Worldwide is the management company, and any reputable charter broker can help you book a vacation onboard.—Kim Kavin |
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
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
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
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.
