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
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
Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina
Camper & Nicholsons Releases 2008 Superyachting Index In early August, Camper & Nicholsons International—which controls the largest fleet of crewed charter yachts in the world—released its second annual Superyachting Index of industry trends and data. According to the new report, 2008 was "probably the most successful ever" year for charter, even taking into account the recession that collapsed the market during the winter Caribbean season. Here are some of the most interesting statistics from the new Index: • About 3,500 weeks of charter were booked aboard yachts 80 feet and larger, a 25-percent increase over 2007. That's partly because the sheer number of yachts in the charter market rose by about 20 percent, from 830 in 2007 to 990 in 2008, and partly because the Mediterranean summer market once again received the bulk of business—74 percent of all charters (that took place before the economy crashed later in the year). • Nearly 60 percent of the 80-foot-and-larger charter fleet is composed of yachts from 100 to 165 feet long, making up the heart of the industry. The average weekly base rate paid for charters in that size range in 2008 was $118,000 (compared with $50,000 on average for yachts 80 to 100 feet long, and $422,000 on average for yachts 165 feet and larger). • That last number, $422,000 per week for the largest charter yachts, is statistically significant. It represents an increase of about 40 percent over rates for yachts 165 feet and larger in 2007. In Camper & Nicholsons' estimation, the increase in pricing for this charter market segment is "tremendous" and indicates that there still is more demand than there is availability for the largest charter yachts in the world. • People are still booking charters, on average, of just less than nine days, about the same duration that the 2007 statistics showed. And the majority of charter yachts continue to do four weeks or less of charter business each year, a number that is worth noting because it was so surprising when the first Index was released. (Previously, conventional wisdom was that eight to 12 weeks of annual bookings made a charter yacht "successful.") • Last, there is an interesting new statistic in this year's Index about the average overall cost per person for a charter yacht vacation, including the yacht's base rate plus food and fuel expenses. While this number obviously skews wildly between charter yachts charging $50,000 per week and those charging $500,000 per week, the Index lists the average per-person, per-day cost of a yacht charter vacation at $2,700 to $3,000. After the new Index was released, CharterWave was able to get this exclusive interview with the report's author, Laurent Perignon. The interview includes Perignon’s take on what his tracking numbers for 2009 are showing so far compared with the 2008 analysis, as well as his estimation that, in terms of crewed yacht business and the global recession, “it’s probably going to take five or 10 years to get back to the numbers we had in the past two years.” As with last year’s Index, kudos Camper & Nicholsons for compiling, analyzing, and releasing this wealth of charter industry data.
Welcome New Sponsor: Broker Liz Howard We are thrilled this month to welcome California-based charter broker Liz Howard as CharterWave’s newest sponsor. Howard, as you know from this editorial interview that we posted back in 2007, got her start in the maritime industry some 15 years ago. She has been a retail charter broker with Fraser Yachts Worldwide since 2002 and today regularly books charters for high-profile clients who require the ultimate discretion. She also travels regularly to inspect yachts and interview crew personally, as evidenced by this interview about the classic, 114-foot motoryacht Pacific Yellowfin in the Pacific Northwest’s Gulf Islands and this interview about the 150-foot motoryacht Moecca off the coast of Phuket, Thailand. CharterWave’s editor also sees Howard annually at key industry boat shows from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, and just last month was onboard a motoryacht with her in Fiji, in the South Pacific. “If you’re looking for a charter broker who travels the world herself to make sure she knows exactly what she is selling, Liz Howard is a good choice,” says CharterWave editor Kim Kavin. “She also has her Blackberry permanently wired into her fingertips, so clients can always reach her—even if she’s halfway around the globe.” To contact Howard directly, use this e-mail form.
Charter Crew Gratuities: How Much Should You Tip? The September issue of Yachting magazine is on newsstands now, and many of the articles are also online at the Yachting website. We’d like to draw your attention to one in particular: "The Tipping Point." CharterWave’s editor wrote this feature because of continuing consternation in the charter industry about how much money constitutes an appropriate crew tip. Kim was compelled to write this article after reading a story on the same subject in the January issue of Dockwalk, a magazine for yacht crew. That article was followed by the creation of this forum thread on the Dockwalk website, where posts continue to be made on the subject of crew gratuities. It's a hot potato of an issue, with many crew saying that gratuities (and large ones, at that) should be mandatory because of all the extra work that stewardesses, deckhands, and captains do when a yacht is on charter. The clients being asked to pay these gratuities (on top of the five- to six-figure yacht base rates) are not represented in this online conversation. As you'll see if you read the article in Yachting, Kim tried to put all sides of the continuing conversation into perspective. That includes the viewpoint of the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association, which recently issued guidelines stating that 5 percent to 15 percent constitutes an appropriate gratuity range for most charters.
World’s Largest Sailing Yacht Sells—Will Remain in Charter After about a week of Internet chatter, official word came on August 19 from Burgess Yachts that the world's largest sailing yacht, the 289-foot Perini Navi Maltese Falcon, has been sold. The new owner plans to keep her in charter, with Burgess remaining as the management company. Burgess CEO Jonathan Beckett said that the sales deal took about a year and that the new owner paid "close to the asking price." No further details on price were released yesterday, but recent listings put it at €70 million As of this writing, Maltese Falcon is still listed for charter at a weekly base rate of €375,000 for 12 guests with 18 crew. If the new owner keeps her at that price, she will continue to alternate with the 295-foot Royal Huisman Athena as the most expensive sailing yacht for charter in the world, depending on the season.
Three Brokers Say: “What is the best way to get a good deal on a charter yacht? With so many discounts and bonus days being advertised right now, we asked three charter brokers for their insights into the best ways to go about getting the best deal. There are definitely tricks to the trade, based on the responses they supplied.
Click here to read detailed advice from Sharon Bahmer of BoatBookings.com, Heather Krebs of Abiego Yachts, and Gertrud Annevelink of Charter Experience.
Best of the CharterWave Daily Editor’s Blog Surprise Completes Refit, Tahiti-Bound. Management company 37 South tells me that the 115-foot expedition-style motoryacht Surprise has just completed a refit and is now bound for Tahiti to offer charters this fall. The recent refit work included adding zero-speed stabilizers, which prevent the yacht from rolling and pitching while at anchor. … Read More…
Best of the CharterWave Sponsored Blogs From the Paradise Yacht Charters Sponsored Blog: Islands of Fiji. While on charter aboard the motoryacht VvS1 along with the motoryacht Bel'Mare in Fiji, our captains arranged visits to three villages that would enable us to see firsthand what it’s like to live in a Fijian village on a small, remote island. These villages had just 50 to 200 residents, and, as with most small communities, each village had its own sense of community and culture… Read More …
Motoryacht of the Month: Grand Cru III If you’re looking for onboard head room that would make some of the tallest NBA All-Stars feel short, then check out the 118-foot motoryacht Grand Cru III, which offers more than 7 feet of the good stuff throughout. She launched brand-new from an Italian shipyard in May, less than two weeks before our editor got onboard for this exclusive First Impression review. Our review includes an interview with the yacht’s captain, who says he is open to chartering in unusual destinations—depending on the inquiries he and the owner receive.
Sailing Yacht of the Month: Queen of Andaman Our editor joined the 134-foot Queen of Andaman for several days of cruising in Thailand, where the yacht is—without question—setting a new standard for locally based luxury charter. The area in and around Phuket is growing in terms of charter options, including several up-and-coming marinas that can be worked into any charter itinerary. We’re pleased to offer you this full-length Destination Feature in addition to our exclusive, expanded interview with Capt. Graeme Lawrence.
Captain of the Month: Andrew Grego Andrew Grego got his start in yachting as a chef and eventually worked his way up to the captain’s seat. He's now the skipper aboard the motoryacht Banyan, which recently completed an extensive refit that included extending the yacht itself from 88 feet to 102 feet long. Our editor got aboard for this exclusive interview with Grego in June, just after Banyan came out of the shipyard and entered the charter market. Our feature includes several photographs that you won’t see anywhere else, including one of Banyan’s brand-new cockpit extension.
Chef of the Month: Terry Miller You might recognize Terry Miller as the winner of 2005's "Hell's Kitchen" from British reality television. He's now cooking aboard the 140-foot motoryacht Monaliza, where our editor was invited to spend a few hours in the galley with him as he prepared a three-course luncheon for international charter brokers. Our exclusive interview includes Miller’s take on how the yachting lifestyle differs from working in top restaurants. If you’d prefer to hear him speak in his own, native Newcastle accent, click play on the video below:
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Broker of the Month: Trish Cronan Trish Cronan of Ocean Getaways is one of the few brokers in the world who specialize in corporate and incentive yacht charter planning. Need 40 boats plus activities? She's ready with a chase boat, pre-arranged itineraries, and activities galore. Our exclusive interview with Cronan includes a story about how one of her charter clients accidentally threw away a diamond—and how the Ocean Getaways team sifted through a Dumpster while barefoot to find and return it.
Fleet and Management Company News 37 South sends word from Auckland, New Zealand, that the 110-foot motoryacht Amnesia will be available for charters in Thailand and Indonesia after November 1. She takes six guests with seven crew… The 115-foot McMullen & Wing motoryacht Surprise has completed a refit and is now headed for Tahiti, where she will be available for charter this winter. The refit included the addition of zero-speed stabilizers. (See this recent Editor’s Blog post for further details)…
Absolute Yachting in Greece has several yachts offering special weekly base rates for last-minute charter bookings this month. They include the 112-foot sailing yacht Troia at €24,500 for 12 guests, the 140-foot motoryacht Trinity II at €69,500 for 10 to 12 guests, the 52-foot sailing catamaran Elvira at €13,175 for 10 guests, and the 117-foot sailing yacht Iraklis L, at €45,500 for 12 guests…
BCR Yachts tells us the 147-foot motoryacht Fathom is now based in Porto Cervo, Italy, with an owner who “is keen to fill up” the charter calendar through the end of this month…
Boatbookings.com reminds clients that it’s not too late to book Christmas and New Year’s charters. Some yachts that are still available in Florida and the Bahamas include the 154-foot motoryacht Ohana at a lowest weekly base rate of $125,000, the 82-foot Horizon motoryacht Adriana II at a lowest weekly base rate of $25,000, and the 62-foot sailing catamaran Diamond Girl II at a lowest weekly base rate of $19,500… Other yachts are available for Christmas and New Year’s in the Caribbean, Thailand, and Malaysia…
C U Yacht Charters says the 90-foot Christensen motoryacht Yianoula is offering charters along the South Carolina and Georgia Coasts. (See this recent Editor’s Blog post for itinerary details.) She takes eight guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $18,000…
Camper & Nicholsons International welcomes the 173-foot Feadship motoryacht Elisabeth F to the fleet. She takes 12 guests… The newly launched 211-foot motoryacht Silver Angel will be available for charter in Costa Rica this winter… The 164-foot sailing yacht Perseus also will be available in Costa Rica before moving on to the cruising grounds in the South Pacific… The 141-foot motoryacht Hana will be available for charter in the Red Sea this winter…
CharterPortBVI sailing catamaran Swish is getting a new crew. Capt. Euros Williams and award-winning Chef Emily Williams left the boat early this month… The 46-foot sailing catamaran Viking Dream is offering 2008 rates for 2009 holiday charters in the Virgin Islands…
Churchill Yacht Partners tells us the 121-foot Crescent motoryacht Olga is headed to the Grenadines this winter. She takes eight guests with six crew at a lowest weekly base rate of $70,000… The 63-foot classic Burger motoryacht Victorian Rose has reduced its weekly base rate from $13,000 to $10,000 for any charters between New England and the Bahamas as the boat makes its way south for the winter season. Victorian Rose takes four guests with three crew…
Ed Hamilton & Co. issued a newsletter this month featuring several helpful articles. This one discusses the pros and cons of chartering a multihull versus a monohull yacht, while this one offers suggestions for some good-quality charter yachts “that won’t break the bank”…
Fraser Yachts Worldwide will have eight yachts on display at San Diego YachtFest from September 19-20 in California. The boats will include the 115-foot Christensen motoryacht Ocean Pearl (which you may remember from this recent Broker Report about a charter onboard in Mexico)… The 262-foot Oceanco motoryacht Amevi is available throughout this month in the Western Mediterranean at a lowest weekly base rate of €700,000, which the company calls “negotiable”…
Hargrave Yachts says the 100-foot motoryacht King Baby is going to be in Miami, Florida, and available for charter during the 2010 Super Bowl at Land Shark Stadium. The weekly base rate of $45,000 for eight guests will include free dockage at Sunset Harbor in Miami Beach…
International Yacht Collection welcomes the brand-new, 164-foot Trinity motoryacht Wheels to the charter fleet. She takes 12 guests at a weekly base rate of $240,000 and will be based in Sint Maarten this winter…
Neptune Group Yachting tells us the 170-foot expedition motoryacht Latitude has slashed its weekly base rate to $49,500 for 12-guest charters in Panama through March 2010. (That rate is down from $125,000)…
Nicholson Yachts tells us the 53-foot Little Harbor sailing yacht Ashlana is offering two end-of-summer specials in New England. Choose $500 off the regular summer base rate of $10,500 for two guests and $12,000 for four guests, or book a 6 p.m. Friday-until-6 p.m. Sunday charter at base rates of $2,900 for two guests or $3,100 for four guests… The 72-foot sailing yacht Bonnie Lynn is available for charters in Maine through the end of September. The owner has lived and cruised in Coastal Maine for many years, and is willing to consider itineraries as short as three days. The seven-day weekly base rate ranges from $9,500 for two guests to $12,000 for six… The 104-foot sailing yacht Kalikobass II is available for charters in Croatia through September 19. She takes six to eight guests at a lowest weekly base rate of €48,000… The 72-foot sailing yacht Pacific Wave will be available for Caribbean charters through August 2010 and recently posted new guest comments on the yacht’s website… The 109-foot sailing yacht Quasart has reduced its weekly base rate to $29,500 for 12 guests for the remainder of the New England season…
Northrop & Johnson says the 143-foot expedition-style motoryacht Devotion is offering nine nights for the price of seven for charters this month in the Pacific Northwest. Devotion takes 12 guests with eight crew at a lowest weekly base rate of $135,000…
Primo Yacht says 86-foot Falcon motoryacht Antalex, which underwent a refit earlier this year, is still available for charters this fall with a home base of Nice, France… The 147-foot Proteskan motoryacht Costa Magna will be based in Monaco until the end of 2009 with charter availability. The lowest weekly base rate is €59,000 for 10 guests (down from €90,000 as the summer rate in the same cruising area)… The 147-foot Feadship Secret Life is available for charter beginning Sept. 12 from Naples, Italy, with no delivery fees. Secret Life will offer charters through August 30, 2010, with no delivery fees in Corsica… New to the fleet is the 101-foot Ferretti Custom Line motoryacht Maria II of London, taking 10 guests with five crew from a home base of Montenegro—which makes her ideally situated for Croatia charters…
Robert J. Cury & Associates has four New England-based charter yachts that are still available, are offering at least one bonus day, and whose owners are willing to hear offers: 147-foot Intermarine motoryacht Aquasition, 105-foot Broward motoryacht Independence II, 100-foot Hatteras motoryacht Triple Attraction, and 75-foot Hatteras motoryacht Lucky Me…
Sail Connections tells us the popular, 50-foot sailing catamaran Ombre Blu is available for charter in Sicily, the Aeolian Islands, and along the Amalfi Coast after September 16…
Sunreef Yachts Charter proudly announces that company director Marta Lukasik has earned full membership rights in the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association…
Sunseeker Charters says several of its fleet motoryachts are still available in the South of France, the United Kingdom, and Greece as the summer season draws to a close. They include the 90-foot Fire and Ice, the 84-foot UM6, the 60-foot Pyewacket, the 43-foot Sedative, and the 60-foot High Energy…
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.
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
Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina
Boatbookings.com
Ed Hamilton & Co.
Nicholson Yachts