First Impression: Le Reve

November 2007 Update: Not more than  a month after I posted the review below, suggesting that a crew change was needed onboard this otherwise lovely yacht, I have learned that the boat's owner, indeed, has corrected the staffing situation. There is an entirely new crew onboard as the yacht gears up for charters this winter in the Bahamas. I haven't met them personally, but their resumes look good. First Mate Anthony Lertora, for instance, is a certified bartender, a surfing instructor, and has culinary training in addition to knowing how to run the boat. That's the kind of multitasking ability that typically makes for a "can-do" crew. Plus, the chief stewardess has more than a decade's worht of experience onboard crewed yachts. Also a very good sign. Kudos to Le Reve's owner for seeking out a crew with as much potential as the yacht itself. I look forward to meeting the new crew, who have invited me aboard, the next time I'm in the Bahamas.--K.K.  


Date toured: October 2007

The name Le Reve means “the dream,” but I have to say, I’m a bit concerned that without a crew change, charter onboard this yacht could become a nightmare.
     I’m usually not so harsh here on CharterWave—and I want to be very clear about saying that this 110-foot motoryacht, on its face, is actually quite nice. It was launched in February 2006 from the Lazarra yard and is still in very good condition, with amenities that charter clients tend to love such as individual satellite TV receivers in each cabin, iPod docks, and stabilizers to make cruising more comfortable. It’s also managed by a reputable charter company, International Yacht Collection, whose boats I usually find to be in good to excellent condition with well-trained crew.
     Yet the three crew members (out of four permanent crew) whom I met during my tour were about as unenthusiastic about charter as human beings could be.
     Le Reve, two of the crew told me, got a new owner in April 2007 and has been used only privately since then, mostly for long weekends. The crew did a one-week trip with the owner once, maybe twice, but otherwise are used to short trips—which require far less energy and enthusiasm than full weeks of charter.
     Now, the owner has decided to put the boat into charter and change the workload, and two of the four permanent crew members told me they were going to quit before the first clients even came onboard. The chef, they told me, would never be a permanent hire, so there will always be someone freelance in the galley. The chief stewardess may stay on, they said, but maybe not the captain.
     As I was writing all of this in my notebook, the captain came out to where we were talking. “So,” I asked him, hoping for a better attitude. “Are you excited about getting into charter?”
     “Sure,” he said with a scowl. “I’m turning cartwheels.”
      Then he walked away.
      I have to say, even if this were the most gorgeous motoryacht in the world, I would not recommend it based on this crew’s attitude. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in covering this industry for the better part of a decade, it’s that the crew make or break every charter vacation. They need to be not only great at what they do, but also enthusiastic about doing it.
     My hope is that a crew change will be made soon, at least as long as the owner plans to continue offering the yacht for charter. I look forward to meeting the new team as soon as they’re in place, so that hopefully I can tell you they are just as welcoming as Le Reve is as a yacht.
     In the meantime, if a reputable charter broker recommends this boat to you, make sure to ask about the status of the team working onboard. The status quo, in my opinion, will not do.—Kim Kavin