Written by Sharon Bahmer, Caribbean and Americas Charter Director, Boatbookings.com

I recently enjoyed a weekend familiarization trip to St Maarten and Anguilla onboard the 157’ Christiansen, Lady Joy charter yacht built in 2007.

The Yacht
Lady Joy’s elegance and style is splendid throughout. The  King Master Suite boasts a private office, two walk in closets and a grand en-suite his and her bathroom. Other accommodations include five additional staterooms and an additional nanny/children’s cabin.  She accommodates 12 guests with ease.

Her special features include:
An elevator to all decks, alfresco dining on the sun deck, bridge deck main and aft, VSAT communications and internet available at all times. All staterooms have flat screen Satellite TV, Crestron controllers and Kaleidescape entertainment system for music and videos which has been touted as the “Best of the Best”.

Water Toys and transportation include:

• 22′ Nautica Widebody with twin 115 HP Yamahas
• 17′ Nautica
• 2 X 4 stroke Waverunners
• 2 X Vespa Scooters
• Snorkel and SCUBA gear

Exercise equipment including a Stationary Bike, Elliptical Machine and Treadmill

The trip:

Upon boarding we were met by the smiling Captain Michael Lovely and his delightful crew of  9 and were immediately  shown to our respective 5 star cabins.  The captain then briefed us on safety and chatted about our itinerary.

An elegant, 4 course dinner prepared by French chef, Nicolas Richert, was served alfresco on the bridge deck, which boasts seating for 12 guests. The chef was the highlight of our charter, continually surprising us with his culinary talent and creativity.

On Saturday morning we left the dock in time to meet the scheduled Simpson Bay bridge opening and headed out towards our first stop, Grand Case on the island of St Maarten.  Once we arrived, there were several activities to choose from.  Snorkeling, diving, walking the beach, shopping in town, kayaking, jet skiing, or simply enjoying being onboard and taking in the surroundings.

We were served a buffet BBQ lunch which was the talk of the rest of the charter because of the variety of the dishes, including BBQ Ribs, Chicken and turkey Kebabs, Jumbo Prawns, mushroom salad,  corn on the cob, baked red potatoes with a sour cream dill topping, complimented by a French Chardonnay, finished off with Berry Cobbler and cappuccinos!  You will certainly not go hungry on this yacht!

Eager to head out to the next adventure, we motored out to Anguilla, following the coast line to view the famous 5 star resorts along the way.  We anchored in Mead Point facing a very pretty beach, which was dotted with upscale small resorts and private homes.

On the last day we made use of the water toys onboard, swam and took a tender ride to Road Bay before heading back to St Maarten’s Marigot Bay.

It was a great thrill to be onboard the prestigious charter yacht, Lady Joy and for a short time to get to know her amenities and crew, in order to assist charter guests with their inquiries regarding  the yacht and the region. The yacht and crew and both top notch, and highly recommended.

For those of you who want the benefits of a fully crewed charter, how about a crewed catamaran this year?  Many of the new catamarans have all the luxury features of a motor yacht, but at a fraction of the price and with a carbon footprint that is orders of magnitude smaller.

All that you’d expect from a crewed charter: pampering, privacy, luxurious living spaces, gourmet food, water toys – the works – can be found on a catamaran.  And catamarans may actually rock less than a motor yacht, so you may find it more relaxing to be on.

There are now spectacular crewed cats all over the world – of course in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, but now also including some beautiful new yachts in the Indian Ocean and Pacific.  Some have specialties such as wellness or honeymoons – let us know if you have a particular need in mind.

So, if you’re on a budget, but still want a crewed yacht charter this year, we highly recommend you look at some of our glorious crewed catamarans for charter worldwide.

The Greek Ionian Islands, while less known as a charter spot than the Cyclades, offer everything you’d want in a Greek Yacht Charter. These islands, which include Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakinthos, Ithaca, Paxoi and Kythira, are generally less touristy, and are incredibly beautiful.  You can find whatever you want for your itinerary, ranging from quiet, unspoiled anchorages to great nightlife. And of course the area is full of amazing history and ruins. Additionally, you can expect great weather in July and August, while you might run up against the Meltemi Winds in those months in the Cyclades.

Here’s a sample 7 day motor yacht itinerary in the Ionian Islands, out of Athens, to get you started.

Right now, you can also get tremendous value and early booking discounts. We have lots of charter yachts in Lefkas, from bareboat sailboats of all sizes and configurations to catamarans, motor yachts and crewed sailing yachts, both classic and modern.

It’s obvious, and we’re seeing it very strongly in our enquiries – sailboats are going to be huge in 2009.  In a year of concern about finances and the environment, what could be a better way to holiday than on a low-carbon-footprint sailboat? Sailboat charter is normally far less expensive than motor yacht charter – both the base price and the fuel consumption.

Sailing Yachts have been steadily adding features and comfort, and we can find a model that offers you amazing amenities, style and grace. If you’re looking for a crewed sailing yacht, you can find some amazing boats where you will be pampered, fed gourmet cuisine, and experience the thrill of sailing.  To give you an idea, look at some of these beautiful crewed sailing yachts such as Tiara (pictured).  And for true value, check out our Turkish and Croatian Gulets.

Fuel prices are down by almost half, so it’s less expensive chartering Motor Yachts this year, but 2009 could truly be the year of the Sailboat.

(The fourth in our series of charter destinations that offer good value)

To many in the yachting world, Sardinia is synonomous with Porto Cervo, which is in turn synonomous with high end/expensive. However, if you’re looking for a great value charter destination for 2009, Sardinia may just be your perfect place.

Sardinia is a large island, and if you get outside of Porto Cervo, the prices come down dramatically. There are hundreds of great charter yachts available in ports such as Alghero, Carloforte, etc, and there are excellent itineraries you can plan from each port.  And of course, if you want to stop off in Porto Cervo for a day or two along the way, its up to you!

Once on the charter, food is excellent and low cost – you can do very well on pizza, pasta and antipasto!!

Here are two itineraries that may help you make your decision: The Gallurese coast in the north, and a sailing itinerary from Carloforte to Cagliari. Enjoy!

(The third in our articles about where to charter for value in 2009)

We have raved about the wonderful Blue Cruises in Turkey: charters in beautiful wooden gulets along the pristine southeastern Coast of Turkey.  Gulets offer exceptional charter value – large crewed yachts with nice staterooms, ensuite bathrooms, air conditioning, ample social areas and dedicated crew. The cost of a gulet can be literally 1/10th of a similar sized motor yacht, and you get the added benefit of being able to sail these storied waters, just as in ancient times.

In 2009, when everyone is looking for value, look no further than Turkey (Bodrum, Marmaris, Gocek amongst other ports) for a fabulous charter holiday that is affordable as well!

Click here for more information on Chartering a Gulet in Turkey.

One of the trends we’re seeing recently is the combination of a yacht charter with a variety of wellness and spa treatments.  These can be basic, such as healthy food and massage, to an elaborate regime managed by wellness specialists.  We believe this trend makes a lot of sense – there is a natural “wellness” component to just relaxing on a yacht, so adding physical and spiritual treatments and exercises such as yoga, massage, shiatsu, healthy cuisine and relaxation regimes goes along perfectly with the charter.

Next time you look for a charter, you may want to add a wellness component. Click here to find out more about spa/wellness charter yachts, and a sample listing of boats available.  Enjoy!

(The second in our series of where to Charter in 2009 to find fabulous destinations and value for money)

For those who have been to Thailand, it’s always an unforgettable experience. The culture, cuisine, friendly people and beautiful scenery can be quite addictive.  Add a charter yacht to the experience, so you can easily reach deserted beaches, avoid the crowds, and see the amazing rock formations in Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea, and you have one of the world’s best possible holidays.

And in these tough times, the fact that the cost of living in Thailand is inexpensive compared to home, makes it one of our favorites for 2009.

The majority of charter yachts are based in Phuket, where we have a wide range of sailboats, catamarans and motor yachts for charter – that will quickly take you away from your day to day stress, into the magic of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.

There also other up and coming Thai destinations such as Koh Chang and Koh Samui. There are fewer charter yachts there, but that means even more undiscovered and pristine sailing grounds!!

To top it off, many of our charter operators and owners are offering amazing specials, throwing in free transfers, gourmet meals, wine, beer and thai massage!  If you’re interested, please contact our SE Asia office for full details.

Editors note: All through the recent problems in Thailand, Phuket operated completely
normally. Flights were diverted via Singapore, the Kings Cup Regatta and
Phuket Boat Show went ahead as normal in early December, and not a single
charter was cancelled!

Boatbookings.com ran a first-of-its-kind promotion in December 2008, where we bought carbon credits for each of its charters booked from 15 December to 31 December.  Through this program, we offset 25 tons of CO2, and most importantly, our charterers could enjoy themselves on their yachts knowing that they were not contributing to global warming.

The promotion is likely to be rerun several times throughout the year – Boatbookings.com is committed to taking the lead against climate change.

Given the financial uncertainty throughout the world, we thought we would do a few articles on where to get the most value for your charter dollars/euros/pounds.

Croatia has steadily been growing as a key worldwide Charter Destination, for a number of great reasons. It combines a perfect coastline for chartering: hundreds of pristine islands, clear water, interesting destinations, history, cuisine, with a Mediterranean environment that is very much like it was 1000 years ago.  In short, it offers everything you’d want in a Mediterranean charter but significantly less expensive than some of the more “renowned” areas.

Click here for a guide to chartering a yacht in Croatia,  or read some of our excellent itineraries such as our 7 day Croatia Sailing Itinerary or our 7 day itinerary from Trogir to Dubrovnik.