The details that yacht owners choose when they build larger, crewed motoryachts can make a huge difference to your personal charter experience

Building a yacht is one of the most personalized experiences in the world. Almost everyone who buys a boat 100 feet or larger incorporates custom design elements, and with hundreds of yachts in the charter market, guests seeking the perfect vacation can choose among many owners’ dream designs.

Every charter is different—elderly couples or families with children, windsurfing fanatics or scuba divers, quiet loners or party maniacs—which means every yacht is examined again and again through unique eyes. What sets many successful charter yachts apart are design details that owners may have chosen for themselves, but that enhance the charter experience for all types of guests.

In general, having several eating areas is one such element. Nobody enjoys sitting in the same chair, night after night, no matter how different each meal’s placemats are. For this reason, more and more charter boats are incorporating country kitchen-style galleys, which have islands separating the chef from a table with bench seating and chairs. Guests can have breakfast there, instead of in the main dining spaces, which breaks up the monotony of mealtime.

The same repetitive feeling can develop if a yacht has only one or two gathering spaces. Multiple “play areas,” such as those aboard the 158-foot motoryacht Kanaloa, are a boon. On Kanaloa’s top deck alone, guests can lie on a large sunpad, sit in a Jacuzzi, enjoy cocktails at the wet bar, play cards on the bench seating, or lounge in chaises.

“The perception of being stuck on a yacht with anybody for more than a day, for most guests, is a little daunting,” says Agnes Howard of Camper & Nicholsons International, which managed Kanaloa for charter as of late 2006. “Creating these little areas, a table where board games can be played or a bar area with stools, it allows a bit of freedom,” 

Versatile interior design is also a plus. The main saloon on the 105-foot motoryacht Independence 2 appears to extend to amidships, including the place where a dining table typically stands on other boats. Only after the crew open a uniquely crafted coffee table and bring in a few matching chairs do the guests see a full-fledged formal eating space. 

“A space like that provides more value for your money,” says Larry Ebbs, operations manager at International Yacht Collection, which managed Independence 2 for charter as of 2006. “It’s changeable for the needs of the charter guests. If you have kids, they can play. If you want to have a corporate party, you can do that.”

Another place where seating has evolved to suit charter is the pilothouse. Many guests enjoy spending time there while under way, but with a large group, this can be difficult for the crew. That’s what makes a pilothouse dinette such a great charter feature. On the 145-foot motoryacht More, among other yachts, guests can sit on a settee and enjoy cappuccinos while chatting with the captain, but staying out of his way.

Main saloon seating takes many forms, but usually, there are some barstools in the mix. Guests often want to mingle while sitting at the bar, a task that can be difficult when a boat is rolling—especially if the charter party includes first-time boaters who aren’t used to the motion of the sea.

Some yachts have adopted more comfortable bar seating, like the barrel chairs on the 121-foot motoryacht Java that chartered through Camper & Nicholsons as of early 2007. This style of seat is more stable than traditional barstools, so guests can concentrate on conversation instead of balance.

Comfort under way is also important in staterooms, especially for women trying to apply makeup. On the 164-foot motoryacht Kermit, interior designer Terence Disdale included dining-style chairs at vanities with tall mirrors. Even in uncertain seas, guests coiffing for cocktail hour won’t have to stand braced against a wall in the head.

Men and women alike tend to find themselves looking for snacks frequently on charter, which is one reason the 150-foot motoryacht Magic not only has a buffet area in the companionway outside the guest cabins, but mini-refrigerators behind the beautiful woodwork in each cabin, as well. It’s a unique design element that helps set the Merrill-Stevens yacht apart from her competitors. 

 “These unusual little extras are added by owners motivated to present the best charter platform,” says Rupert Connor of Luxury Yacht Group. “What differentiates an exceptional charter yacht from a traditional yacht is that thought has gone into the extra touches that can help take service to the next level.”--Kim Kavin