First Impression: Midlandia

Date toured: December 2006

The 170-foot motoraycht Midlandia is an example of a great yacht with tons of toys that’s still working its way toward becoming a great charter yacht. I say this because the boat itself is fabulous and the crew whom I met onboard were quite personable, but the boat’s owner, as I understand things, is not yet fully committed to accommodating requests from charter clients.
     Midlandia is a 6-year-old Benetti, one of the more prestigious motoryacht brands in the world. She got her second owner about three years ago, and he likes his new yacht a lot. The crew told me that he uses her every July and August, plus every year during Christmas and New Year’s.
    Those are, of course, the prime chartering dates in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, which is great for the owner but not so great for potential charter clients. The crew told me the owner is specifically looking for “shoulder-season” charters, which means dates when the weather probably is good, but not ideal. When I toured Midlandia in December 2006, the crew said she would be not become available for charter until at least early January. And the summer of 2007 was a question mark overall, depending on how much the owner decided to be onboard.
     Having said all that, I can’t blame Midlandia’s owner for wanting to spend as much time onboard as he can. She’s a stunning yacht with some of the best interior natural light that I’ve seen, thanks to massive oversized windows everywhere, including in the guest bathrooms.
     Midlandia also has a great top deck (see photo at right) for anyone who loves to worship the sun. Her sunbathing area literally takes up nearly half of the entire top deck next to the hot tub!
     I’m not sure how useful that space will be if you charter Midlandia outside the sunniest weeks of each season, though, so be sure to ask your reputable charter broker for suggestions on specific dates when you can make the most of everything this lovely yacht, so far, is willing to offer.
     Midlandia takes 12 guests and 12 crew at a weekly base rate of 185,000 euros (about $250,000), or about $26,000 per person with 25-percent expenses included. She’s part of the fleet at Camper & Nicholsons International.—Kim Kavin