Yacht
Java is a 121-foot Broward motoryacht that was built in 1990. But don’t let this boat's age fool you: Java’s owner invests in refits of all kinds every single year with an eye toward keeping the boat in the best possible condition for charter.
     She’s what we here at CharterWave like to call a good ’ol girl, a yacht that may not have all the newest bells and whistles, but that represents an excellent value for your vacation dollar. 
     Her sundeck may not be as big as the ones on newer motoryachts, but she has a 10-person hot tub—something you won’t find on a whole lot of boats. She also has stabilizers, which make for more comfortable cruising at sea. Very few yachts her age can make that claim.
     Java’s interior doesn’t feel overly dated, either, thanks in great part to continuous upgrades in everything from the carpeting to the furniture. The televisions in the staterooms aren’t flat-screens, but they work just fine with the attached DVD players.
     That’s pretty much the only “sacrifice” you’ll have to make based on this yacht’s age. And when you compare Java’s weekly base rate of $49,000 for 10 guests against the rates for similar-size, newer yachts, you’ll likely find that the plasma screens aren’t such a big deal after all.
     The big deal—a great deal, in fact—is Java herself.

Crew
“This crew has a sense of humor in a group that I’ve never seen,” says Java’s owner, when asked what makes the yacht’s crew special.
      And he’s right, based on our time getting to know them. These people don’t just like one another; they also like their jobs—which should translate into excellent service for you when you book your vacation onboard.
     Capt. Phil Lacca is a charming 22-year veteran of the charter industry who has logged more than 120,000 miles at sea. We weren’t with him more than 10 minutes before we felt like he was an old friend, and we’re pretty sure we would’ve shed tears upon leaving him had we spent an entire week aboard.
     Chief Stewardess Sally Swingler is also someone who caught our attention. She’s not just well-versed in providing superior service onboard, but she loves the fun of boating itself, including swimming and scuba diving. She’s the kind of crew member who can really help you make the most of the kinds of water toys and destinations that a yacht like Java offers.
     All the crew help to prepare The Java Times, a newsletter that is delivered to your cabin daily. It lays out the day’s itinerary and meals so you’ll know what to expect, and even includes digital photos of you and your friends having fun onboard.

Chef
Kendall Grant has been cooking professionally for a little more than 10 years. He studied at Otago Culinary School in New Zealand and went on to cook for tourists in the Whistler (Vancouver) ski resort area as well as at a cooking school in Tuscany, Italy. One of his friends from Whistler worked onboard yachts seasonally and talked him into giving charter a try.
     The first yacht he worked onboard was owned by Merle Wood, the owner of a large yacht management company. (Talk about trial by fire!) Kendall joined Java in the spring of 2006 and has won rave reviews from crew and guests alike ever since.
     He cooked a dinner for us that was perfectly done: herb-crusted rack of lamb on a yam puree with white asparagus in a honey-mustard jus. We had a vegetarian with us at the table, and he prepared her a separate meal that was just as lovely. We all enjoyed a breakfast of nicely prepared eggs benedict with a side of beautifully sliced fruit the following morning.
    Those are typical meals for him, he explained: “People don’t want their food to be too complicated. As long as it’s fresh and well-seasoned, it’s good.”
     Kendall says his specialties include lamb, osso bucco, lobster and filet mignon, but Java’s owner and crew say his repertoire goes far beyond main courses.
     “I like his salads in particular,” Java’s owner said, “They’re outstanding. One he does with shrimp and spinach. Another favorite is pear, walnut and goat cheese.”
     Java’s crew apparently have sweet teeth, as all the favorite recipes they cited were Kendall’s desserts. Banana-sour cream pie is a fan favorite onboard, are carrot cake and sticky date pudding. Even better, they all practically drool when describing the decadent chocolate cakes Kendall prepares for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
     We can’t complain out the apple strudel he served us, drizzled with vanilla anglaise. Heck, had there not been eggs benedict for breakfast the following morning, we might’ve just asked for leftovers.
 
 
Accommodations
Java’s layout is ideal for families. All the cabins are on the yacht’s bottom deck, with the master cabin having its own staircase and a great deal of privacy toward the middle of the yacht
     The other four guest cabins use their own staircase, which is aft on the yacht. Two of the cabins have queen-size beds while the other two guest cabins have twin beds. Each cabin has its own en suite bathroom.

Destination
We were onboard Java on the Caribbean island of Antigua, one of the most recognized charter yacht bases in all of the Leeward Islands. It’s big enough to use as your entire destination for a weeklong charter, simply poking in and out of the various harbors and coves as you circumnavigate, or you can use it as a base to reach destinations including Barbuda, St. Barth’s and Anguilla.
     Java was docked at the Antigua Yacht Club during our charter, and it’s a marina we recommend highly. There are shops, cafes and Internet-access areas all along the docks, and the club is within walking distance (up a hill) from the historic Nelson’s Dockyard tourism site.