For many people, the idea of Mediterranean boat charter represents the ultimate in dream holiday experiences.
However, given the fact that Mediterranean yacht rental is generally associated with extremely high-costs, most people believe that they will never be in the financial position to pursue their interest.
While it is true that areas such as the Cote d’Azur remain exclusive to all but the rich and famous, there are still many parts of the Mediterranean where charters for sailing boats remain affordable to those on more restricted budgets.
Three ways of Chartering Mediterranean Yachts
The first thing to realise when looking for good value is that there are in fact three different methods of securing yacht charter in the Mediterranean.
Fully Crewed Yachts
The first method is to charter a private yacht with a full crew. These boats tend to be larger and more luxurious than most hire boats, and prices tend to include all meals and occasionally drinks too. Unsurprisingly, this is the most expensive option for yacht charters in the Mediterranean, and even if you attempt to share costs by travelling with another family, you will still find this to be an expensive choice of holiday.
As an example a typical cost of hiring a crewed catamaran in the Mediterranean with 4cabins and a capacity for 8 guests, is 18,600 euros per week during the high season and 15,500 euros per week during the low season.
Mediterranean Bareboat Yachting
The second method is to charter a bareboat for your Mediterranean cruise. This is undoubtedly the cheapest option as you do not have to pay for a crew, only the hire-cost of the boat itself. However, in order to qualify to hire a bareboat you have to prove that you have the relevant experience level for the area where you intend to sail.
Fortunately there are many Mediterranean destinations with a Level 1 rating, and you can qualify for this with as little as 5 days, or 100 miles, skippering experience.
As an example a typical cost for hiring a Mediterranean charter bareboat with 3 cabins and a capacity for 8 guests, is 2,400 euros per week during the high season and 1,800 euros per week during the low season.
Mediterranean Skippered Bareboat Yachting
If you are interested in Mediterranean sailboat charter but neither have the budget for a crew nor the experience to hire a bareboat, then the third option, hiring a skippered bareboat, may well be the right one for you. Although this option is clearly more expensive than hiring a crewless bareboat, it offers the advantage that under the tutelage of your skipper you can literally learn the ropes and gain the relevant experience that will allow you to charter a bareboat in the future. Should you wish, you can also upgrade your holiday experience by choosing to hire a host/hostess who will take care of cleaning duties.
Typical costs for hiring a skipper will begin at around 125 euros per day, while a hostess will cost a little over 100 euros per day. Although this seems to offer exceptional value, you should note that you will also have to factor in both their accommodation and living costs (i.e. food/drink) while aboard the boat. Generally, however, this remains a far more affordable option than hiring a fully crewed sailboat.
By: Rumble Romagnoli
Monday, February 2, 2009
Luxury Yacht Charter in the Mediterranean
Vessels That Will Keep You Cruising in Style
I have to say that it's not easy to find mega and super yachts to charter in the UK. That's because there aren't any. According to one mega yacht charter broker I spoke with, "the guests and owners prefer to be in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean". There are many charter companies in the UK, but the mega yachts they offer cruise the waters elsewhere. Odd, when the British Isles have so much to offer - almost 8,000 miles of coastline, a hugely varied landscape, an abundance of wildlife, and tons of coastal towns, villages, and cities to explore.
After doing a lot of research, I did however manage to find a few yachts, which, while not mega or super, are gorgeous and luxurious and will keep you cruising the waters around the UK in comfort.
The classic 95-foot sailing yacht Halycon, a Bermudan Ketch built in 1929, comes with a crew of 4 (including a gourmet chef) and sleeps up to 8 guests. Also known as "The Orient Express Of The Seas", Halycon has teak inside and out, central heat, freezers and refrigerators, flat screen TVs, Bose surround sound, Internet access, wakeboard, water skis, snorkeling equipment, and a saloon with a wood burning stove to warm you up after spending an afternoon on deck or in the water. Halycon is available for charter in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland (as well as Norway and France).
The not-so-aptly named Bare Necessities is an 82-foot sailing yacht available for charter from several ports in southern England (Southampton, Cowes, and Brighton to name a few) as well as further west and in Scotland, (and anywhere in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean). She can sleep 8 (all cabins have en-suite bathrooms) and comes with a crew of 4. There are 20 LCD screens inside and out which show radar, charts and wind speed, as well as movies and TV (should you grow tired of watching your surroundings). Some suggested itineraries are a Classic Malt Cruise in Scotland, or Round the Island, an annual event in Cowes on the Isle of Wight (the 2009 event is on June 20th).
For those who prefer powerboats, the sleek Predator 72, out of Southampton, is a lovely choice. It has a beautiful, modern, light and airy interior with comfy chairs, teak floors, air conditioning, central heat, flatscreen TVs, surround sound, a galley with granite countertops, a full size refrigerator/freezer, a dishwasher, and a large open cockpit with sunbeds, dining table, wet bar and a hydraulically operated roof. It can sleep 6 guests (in 3 cabins) and comes with a crew of 2.
The Tethys, a 114-foot motor yacht also out of Southampton, sleeps 10 in 5 cabins with flat screen TVs, DVDs and en-suite bathrooms, and comes with a crew of 4. This Guy Couach yacht, built 2006, is bright and modern, and amenities include surround sound throughout, and a Jacuzzi and bar on the spacious fly bridge.
If you have your heart set on chartering a 200+ feet yacht, you'll have to "settle" for the Mediterranean, Caribbean or the Pacific, but if you want to explore the waters around the UK, why not give one of the vessels above a try?
By: By Cattie Coyle
Cruise Ship Family Friendly Vacations
At first many parents believe that cruise ships are not designed for children. However, on modern cruise ships that is simply not true. A cruise ship is a great family friendly place to have your next vacation. Once informed of the facilities that many cruise ships have on-board designed especially for children parents who would initially choose to take a cruise alone often reconsider and plan a family vacation.
If you are the parent of a young child under the age of twelve, you may still wonder if they should accompany you on your next cruise. If you are able to afford additional tickets, you should consider bringing your kids along. A cruise will be memorable to your children as well as exciting. That is because a large number of cruise lines have tailored their cruise ships to children of all ages and there will be many fun activities for your children to participate in.
If you have yet to book your cruise ship reservations, you are encouraged to keep cruise ship activities in mind. The activities for children will vary from ship to ship. That is why it is important that you examine what each ship offers before making a final decision. Despite the fact that activities will vary from ship to ship there are many activities geared towards children which can be found on almost all cruise ships.
One of the many popular activities found aboard a cruise ship is gaming. Arcade rooms are common on most cruise ships. They offer children a safe place to have fun and to be a child. Many cruise ship arcade rooms are staffed with cruise ship employees, but you should still keep an eye on your child. Before leaving them alone in an arcade room, you are encouraged to use your best judgment.
Another fun activity for children of all ages includes swimming. All vacation cruise ships are equipped with a swimming pool. In addition to an adult sized swimming pool, wading pools can often be found aboard a number of popular family themed cruises. As with the arcade room, you are encouraged to use your best judgment when allowing your children to swim unattended. Lifeguards will be on duty; however, they cannot guarantee the safety of your child. <
In addition to a swimming pool and an arcade room, most cruise ships have an on board movie theater and a live performance stage. A large number of cruise lines offer family friendly movies, plays, and other performances. Children will likely find these performances and movie showings fun and exciting. To determine what ages these performances are targeted to you should check a cruise ship's itinerary. A ship's itinerary can be viewed without booked reservations.
Cruise ship restaurants and other dining facilities are likely to cater to children under the age of twelve. Many restaurants offer children's menus. These menus are likely to include tasty kid sized meals. Most cruise ships offer discounts on meals for children under the age of twelve.
Cruise ship childcare centers are facilities that benefit both parents and their children. Even while on a family vacation parents need a break. For free or a small fee, you should be able to leave your children in the care of a trained and experienced childcare worker. Since a cruise ship is likely to have child passengers of different ages, usually childcare facilities are geared to different age groups of children.
As with other services, you will find that a cruise ship's childcare policy will vary from ship to ship but most cruises do consider the needs and care of children and some make a big deal of their facilities aimed for the entertainment and care of young passengers.
The above mentioned activities and facilities are just a few of the many that are targeted to children. You may want to consider scheduling your next family vacation aboard a cruise ship once you are satisfied with a ship's facilities for children and the thought of a family vacation in a care free fun setting appeals to you.
A cruise ship is one of the best values for your vacation money so why not let the young ones join in the fun? You will enjoy seeing them living it up in a fun cruise ship environment.
By: Gerald Greene
Seadream Yacht Club
SeaDream yachting is different from big ship cruising. Unlike cruises, you will be pampered by SeaDream's award-winning service and cuisine. You can be as active or as relaxed as you want to be while experiencing the ultimate in luxury, privacy and personalization.
SeaDream visits the intimate yachting playgrounds, harbors and ports where larger cruise ships cannot go. April - November in Europe and the Mediterranean and November - April, in the Caribbean
The personal touch on SeaDream Yacht Club continues with off-ship excursions led by officers and staff, giving guests the chance to snorkel with the captain in one of his favorite spots or accompany the chef on a shopping trip. Unstructured sailing in luxurious, intimate surroundings is the hallmark of SeaDream Yacht Club.
A rejuvenating experience awaits you at the SeaDream Spa. Discover the ultimate in Thai therapies and behold the secrets and luxury of their time honored spa treatments. Achieve pure bliss and tranquility in a sanctuary for you to relax, unwind, recharge and rejuvenate.
The SeaDream Spa is Thai certified and the only one of its kind at sea. Choose from an extensive range of spa favorites such as our Asian Blend massage, Javanese Lulur body treatment and Traditional Thai Massage.
The SeaDream Spa provides 8 massage therapists to ensure that all of your spa needs are being indulged as well as sauna and steam rooms for your use. You may enjoy some of the treatments on deck in the open air private massage area, cooled by gentle sea breezes (weather permitting). Yoga and Tai Chi sessions are also provided daily on deck or shore side when possible.
By: Danny M Smith
Review of the Carnival Fantasy
The Carnival Fantasy is one of the older ships in the Carnival fleet. It was taken out of service some time ago and completely retro-fitted to offer the same amenities as the newer, grander Carnival ships.
During the retro-fit, they added Serenity, an adults-only retreat, a water slide for the whole family, as well as having added high-definition televisions to her completely refurbished suites. At 70,000 gross tons, the ship may be a little older but it is certainly large enough to carry it 2056 passengers in spacious comfort. She also has all of the comforts that you have come to expect of the entire fleet of Carnival ships such as Camp Carnival, its "fun-ified" retreat for cruisers age 2-11.
However, unlike most ships, all the ships amenities are within a few floors of each other. Instead of the Promenade deck being near the bottom of the ship, and the Lido deck being on the top, all the fun and food are clustered on a few of the top floors. The benefit of this is the close proximity of the buffet and the Broadway-style shows, the Casino among other things, all without having to spend a great deal of time travelling between floors.
The dining room is nicer than average for a Carnival ship. One might expect, as most of the fleet is, that "funship" means less elegant. This is usually the case but not on board the Fantasy. The dining room is as elegant and formal as the nicest Holland America ships that I have sailed on. As always, Carnival is more fun than any other cruise line.
By: Robert Deveau
Posts
