Bahama Yacht Charters

Finding convenient flights can be a real challenge when planning a Caribbean yacht charter.  Fortunately, one megayacht owner had decided to do something about it.

For any 10-night or longer charter completed before April 15, 2012, the 161’ Trinity motor yacht ANJILIS will provide complimentary roundtrip flights on a mid-size Hawker jet, to either the Caribbean or the Bahamas, from any airport of your choice along the U.S east coast.

Getting to the islands has never been any easier...

Launched in 2009, Motor yacht ANJILIS features a sophisticated, contemporary take on Art Deco-inspired architectural elements. The interior of the yacht has been fabricated in exotic woods, custom marquetry, and stone inlays.

The Trinity yacht charter vessel accommodates up to eleven guests in the most stylish ensuite staterooms, each outfitted with custom Italian linens and amenities. The full width main deck master stateroom, complete with a private study, is especially elegant with hand-tufted wool and silk carpets. State-of-the-art electronics and entertainment systems are featured throughout the yacht including Wi-Fi connections, Creston wireless touchscreen remote, and a Kaleidescape movie and music library system.

Other amenities for a perfect yachting holiday include spacious outdoor areas for al fresco or formal entertaining; aqua toys from kayaks to dive gear; and a unique sit-down bar in the main salon surrounding an electronic organ.

Outdoor entertainment areas include a bar and day head on the sun deck, as well as private outdoor dining for the entire charter party on aft upper deck, and outdoor dining and bar on aft main deck.  For those rare, chilly evenings, both the outdoor aft upper deck and aft main deck are heated with radiant ceiling panels.  On the more common warm, spring nights, the aft main deck can be cooled with external air-conditioning.

A Creston wireless audio/visual system and the computerized Kaleidescape music and movie servers are accessible through DVD players in all cabins and salons.  Satellite TV and iPOD docking stations are located throughout this superyacht, with surround sound and Blu-Ray disc players in the salons and Owner’s suite.  For children of all ages, a Karaoke and Sony Playstation 3 game console can be enjoyed in the Twin stateroom.

The numerous televisions onboard include:  Main salon: 71” TV & 7.1 surround sound, Skylounge: 60” TV & 7.1 surround sound, Sundeck: 32” TV, Aft Skylounge Deck: 42” TV, Aft Main deck: 42” TV in motorized drop down ceiling enclosure, Owners Stateroom: 42” TV & 7.1 Surround Sound & 32” TV in Lounge, Owners Baths: 20” TV each, Owners Office: 20” TV/ computer monitor, Guest staterooms (4) total: 32” TV in each.

Staying in touch with the home office is often important for corporate charter guests. Onboard communication systems include:  VSAT for broadband internet and VOIP (Seatel 4006); BGAN F55 for broadband internet and Satellite telephone and fax; wired and wireless networks throughout; cellular telephone (GSM networks); VHF radios with DSC; MF/HF radio with DSC; and Sat-C mobile earth station.

With accommodations for 10 to 11 guests, Trinity built yacht ANJILIS is available for hire at $235,000 per week, plus running expenses.

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Leave the cold weather behind and escape to the sunny Bahamas or Caribbean this spring.  Contact SailAway at  http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html to plan your yacht vacation.

If reports are to be believed, there's trouble in Paradis for Captain Jack Sparrow.     

People Magazine is reporting Hollywood A-list star Johnny Depp and his inamorata of 14 years, singer Vanessa Paradis are calling it quits.  According the the mag's cover story, Depp, 48, and the Chanel model, 39, have not appeared together at a public event for more than a year.

To the movie-going public, Depp is best known for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, the central protagonist of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.  In the yachting industry, the actor is more familiar as the celebrity owner of a mega yacht charter vessel often seen cruising the pristine waters of the Bahamas.

This week's office water-cooler question: will the split lead Depp to rename his Bahama yacht charters motor yacht, VaJoLiRoJa?

The boat’s clever name comes from combining the first few letters of each family member’s name, partner Vanessa Paradis, Johnny, and their kids, Lily-Rose and Jack. 

If Johnny drops Vanessa, can we assume the multi-syllabic boat name will shed its current first syllable - leaving us with JoLiRoJa?  We kind of like that - if you say it fast enough it sounds like, "Jolly Roger"  — a perfect name for this 156 foot yacht of distinctive character.

But wait, what if its Vanessa forcing Johnny to, "Walk the plank?"  If she keeps custody of the yacht, the new name could be VaLiRoJa.   Has a nice sound to it - kinda rolls off the tongue...

Perhaps the best name for the yacht is RANSOM, as in Depp's reported $300 gross profit sharing booty from Disney's Pirates movie franchise.  

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View our favorite celebrity-owned mega yacht charter vessels, then contact SailAway Yacht Charters at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html to plan your own adventure at sea.

A 45 meter luxury yacht has just completed a $1 million dollar refit and is keen to secure bookings this winter and spring in the Bahamas.

Motor yacht CLAIRE, a 150 foot Trinity yacht charter vessel is currently available for hire in the pristine waters of the Bahamas, after undergoing weeks of maintenance and remodeling.  

Launched in 2003, the 2011 million dollar "facelift" included new décor and furniture, a new audio/visual entertainment system, installation of large screen TV’s on all exterior decks, and a new aft deck and dining area that converts to a cinema lounge.  In essence, everything on board is either new or renewed, top to bottom.

Trinity motor yacht CLAIRE offers accommodation for 10 guests in 5 staterooms.

The weekly charter rate is $150,000 per week, plus running expenses.

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For further information about motor yacht CLAIRE and chartering in the Bahamas, please contact the SailAway destination experts at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html.

It sounds like the plot of a Jules Verne science fiction novel - three teams of intrepid explorers are locked in a race to reach the deepest depths of the ocean.  Each team is scrambling to build and launch a high-tech submarine capable of withstanding a dangerous journey seven miles straight down to the bottom of the sea.

It's a landscape of pitch blackness and freezing cold temperatures - an abyss where strange, pale-colored sea creatures dart between the rocks.  The dangers are immense - the pressure is so great that a human would be instantly crushed into a small clump of flesh and bone.

But this story isn't science fiction. It's the real-life drama of the race between three teams to reach the sea floor of the Mariana Trench, the most isolated and extreme environment on Earth.

Two of the teams are headed by famous celebrities with deep pockets and an unending quest for adventure.  British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, owner of the 32 meter (111 foot) luxury yacht charter vessel NECKER BELLE is one.  The other is Hollywood filmmaker, James Cameron.  Cameron, the director of Avatar, Titanic and The Abyss has already pumped $10 million into his sub, whose design is a closely guarded secret.

Then there is the underdog - Patrick Lahey.  In a novel or movie, Lahey's character is Everyman - the little guy with the big dream and the courage to take on bigger, more powerful foes.

Lahey is president of tiny Central Florida company Triton Submarines.  The blue-collar diver and his band of submariners are heavy underdogs to their wealthy competitors. But if they can dive their uniquely designed sub to the bottom of the trench before Branson and Cameron do, they'll be heroes. They also hope to persuade the reality television producers of the Deadliest Catch to film the whole race, in which case Everyman Lahey and his team might even get rich.

Lahey's motivation, however, is not money.  His dream is to open the deep sea to thousands of people. Triton plans to take tourists two at a time to the trench, and Lahey hopes to sell the transparent-hulled subs to mega­yacht owners around the world.   Bahama yacht charters motor yacht MINE GAMES is one of the first charter vessels to carry an onboard submarine  as part of the yacht's watertoy inventory.

"We're interested in getting more people to give a sh** about the ocean," Lahey says. "The future of our species depends on it, yet 95 percent of the ocean has never been explored. It really is the last frontier on Earth."

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Unleash the explorer spirit within you!  Contact the SailAway destination experts at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html to charter a private yacht in the Caribbean, Mediterranean and beyond.

John Staluppi, the luxury yacht charter world's archetypical yacht owner is at it again. Driven by imagination and pride, Staluppi has taken possession of his 16th megayacht. 

Launched on Saturday 26th November 2011 at the state-of-the-art Benetti shipyard in Livorno, Italy the 60 meter Benetti FB253 is the boat's official identification, but like so many of his earlier yachts, the vessel has been christened to honor another James Bond classic novel and film - motor yacht DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.

Based on the shipyard's famed naval architecture and engineering, the elegant external line of the new Benetti FB253 M/Y (Motoryacht) DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER is characterized by compact forms and dynamic slender lines.  This balanced combination of traditional design elements and modern innovative stylistic solutions has become the benchmark of Benetti's distinguishing mark throughout the world.

Long a fan of the James Bond 007 saga,  Staluppi's earlier creations included the aptly named motor yacht OCTOPUSSY, motoryacht MOONRAKER, motor yacht THUNDERBALL, M/Y THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, and the popular Bahama yacht charters mega yacht CASINO ROYALE, a fixture at the posh Atlantis Resort and Marina on Paradise Island.

Although M/Y CASINO ROYALE and his latest effort M/Y DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER were built for true luxury at sea, Staluppi's earlier James Bond boat creations were built with a singular focus - SPEED.  Setting records as some of the fastest superyachts in the world, it was the 43.5 meter motor yacht OCTOPUSSY which broke the 50-knot speed barrier 20 years ago and brought the name of New York-born John Staluppi to the attention of yacht aficionados.

With a background that is now well-known, the self-made millionaire left school when he was 16 and worked as a mechanic in Brooklyn before going on to develop one of the most successful car dealerships in North America -- a business that enabled him to indulge his passion for racing fast boats, and then later for building megayachts.

While many charter yacht owners prefer to remain anonymous, Staluppi's vision and passion bring fervor and excitement to a very conservative industry. After all, there aren't many yachts aboard which guests are greeted by frosted-glass panels delicately etched with the silhouettes of Bond girls! 

The customized, whimsical James Bond boat themes are a refreshing breath of fresh air in an industry of white, cookie-cutter production boats.  Let's hope Staluppi doesn't run out of 007 movie titles, or his passion, any time soon.

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Live the adventure - come explore an exotic destination on a James Bond boat. Contact SailAway Yacht Charters' 007 agent headquarters at http//www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html to arrange your luxury yacht charter.

Known for exceptional achievement in building semi-custom luxury mega yacht charter vessels, Westport Yachts has launched motor yacht LEGACY, the latest new build in the company's flagship Westport 164 series.

The tri-deck 50 meter motor yacht LEGACY can accommodate twelve guests in unsurpassed luxury.

Prized by owners for the artistry of the yacht's contours as for the substance of its construction, the Westport 164 represents a landmark achievement in large yacht design.  Developed using leading-edge three-dimensional modeling and structural software applications also used in the aviation industry, Westport yacht LEGACY has met every objective for speed, ride, maneuverability, integrity, and overall quality.  



The modern exterior is credited to world-renowned designer Donald Starkey and naval architect William Garden.  Their collaboration created a refined hull form for exceptional ocean-going performance, plus an innovative accommodation plan which balances interior and on-deck spaces for maximum enjoyment and versatility.  The yacht's contemporary styling will ensure lasting appeal, and should prove popular with Caribbean yacht charter clientele. 

No word as to when the yacht will be available for charter consideration.  With 15 popular Westport yachts currently available for hire in the South Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean, Westport aficionados hope to soon see this magnificent yacht on the charter market.

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To charter a Westport yacht, contact the SailAway yacht vacation specialists at  http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html  today.

While the popularity of Bahama yacht charters has increased in recent years, the availability of reasonably-priced airfare to the island nation has stymied many a potential luxury yacht charter customer.   Flights from South Florida to the Bahamas are often more expensive than coast to coast flights across the United States.

Fortunately a new alternative to traveling to and from the Bahamas has been unveiled.

On December 16th, Balèaria Bahamas Express introduced inaugural high speed ferry service between Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) and Freeport (Grand Bahama).

The 74 meter ferry Pinar del Rio cruises at 32 knots and can make the 76 mile crossing in 2.5 hours.

The service runs daily, except on Wednesday, with a convenient schedule that allows passengers from the USA to return on the same day after spending the day on Grand Bahama Island.

Pricing starts at $49.50 per person, one way, with first class seating available for $90 per person each way, plus local taxes.
 
Spanish-based Balèaria specializes in the transportation of people in the Mediterranean. With nearly 1000 employees and 15 ships in operation, the company ferried almost 3 million passengers in 2010.

The company is also working on establishing service from South Florida to Bimini in 2012.

To book your ferry ticket from Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Bahama online, visit the Balearic Bahamas Express' reservation website at https://www.ferryexpress.com/wps/portal/comercial/home_us_en?estrecho=3&resetPortlet=true

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Springtime is the best time to plan a yachting vacation in the pristine waters of the Bahamas.  Contact  the SailAway destination specialists at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html  for a list of spring specials on both luxury sailing charter vessels and motoryachts.

The owner of the 130' Westport motor yacht MARY ALICE II has announced a special rate for Bahama yacht charters this winter!

Now through April 30, book a regular 7-night charter for $100,000 per week ($120,000 per week for 2011 year-end holidays) on motor yacht MARY ALICE II and receive an additional 3 nights for free!

In addition to the special rate of 10 nights for price of 7, the owner will waive all delivery fees to move the yacht from its home port in South Florida to the Bahamas - a savings of approximately $4000.

The yacht has also secured hard-to-come-by dockage at the famous Atlantis resort and marina in Nassau (Paradise Island), for the year-end holidays!!

The immaculately-kept 130' Westport yacht MARY ALICE II boasts brand new interior soft goods and AV equipment.  She accommodates 10/12 guests in 5 staterooms and will allow 2 more children to sleep on air mattresses in sky lounge.

Her ondeck Master suite has opening windows for fresh air, and blackout blinds for total privacy. Four guest cabins are located belowdeck and feature King beds, two of which can convert to twins.

Other amenities include a skylounge with satellite TV and an 8-person hydrotherapy hot tub.  Active guest will enjoy two waverunners, kayaks, underwater Seabobs, and a high performance 34' Regulator-brand towed tender.

Captain Kelly Esser and his crew of 5 look forward to treating their guests to the time of their lives in the Bahamas or Florida!

CLICK here to view a high-def video of the yacht and her amenities!

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For further information about chartering in the Bahamas, contact the SailAway destination specialists at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html

The beautiful 54 meter motor yacht SEQUEL P has announced reduced winter rates in the Caribbean.

To encourage last-minute holiday bookings, Proteksan yacht SEQUEL P has dropped her Christmas and New Year's Eve premium rates from $378,000 per week to $350,000 per week - a savings of 8%.

For non-holiday periods, charterers can enjoy a Virgin Islands yacht charter for $322,000 per week and pocket savings of $28,000 off the regular rate of $350,000 per week.

Launched in Turkey in June, 2009, mega yacht SEQUEL P was designed by London-based H2 designers, and built by Proteksan Turquoise Yachts Inc specifically for use in the luxury yacht charter industry.

The newest yacht to hit the Caribbean (and the mediterranean in summer), the vessel offers a fascinating interior with areas furnished in sycamore and macore woods, and a generous exterior deck space. 

Up to 12 guests are accommodated in 6 staterooms:  a master suite on the main deck, and 2 double, 2 twin (each with Pullman) and 1 convertible VIP cabin on the lower deck.  The VIP cabin can also be converted into a massage studio or office.
 

Special features include zero speed stabilizers, which reduce motion when the yacht is at anchor, amazing deck spaces, and well-planned entertainment areas.  For active guests, there is a full gymnasium, and a large inventory of aqua toys. To ease sore muscles after a day of activity there is a large ondeck Jacuzzi tub, as well as the services on a licensed masseuse.

Similar yachts available this winter in the Caribbean include the 2011 53-meter motor yacht SPIRIT,  the 2009 50-meter motor yacht WHEELS, and the 2010 55-meter HARBOUR ISLAND.

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To book a holiday escape in the Caribbean or Bahamas, contact the SailAway destination experts at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html.

Rick Hendrick, owner of NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports and the 164' Trinity motor yacht WHEELS, escaped with only a broken rib and broken clavicle (collarbone) when his small plane lost its brakes and crash landed at Key West International Airport late Monday.  Hendrick's wife, Linda, suffered minor cuts and bruises.

The plane is registered to Jimmie Johnson Racing Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., and co-owned by Hendrick Motorsports and Johnson, the five-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup champion

The Hendricks were the only two passengers on the Gulfstream 150 jet.  Co-pilots, James Klepper and Jay Luckwaldt, also escaped without serious injuries in the Monday night crash. All four were taken to Lower Keys Medical Center shortly after the 7:45 p.m. incident, where they were evaluated, treated, and released. All flew home to North Carolina on Tuesday morning.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Klepper announced he had “no brakes,” and when he attempted to brake, he also had no pressure. The jet skidded off the 4,800-foot runway and came to rest about three feet from an airport perimeter fence.

Hendrick, the patriarch of  one of NASCAR's most successful race teams, is also well known in the megayacht community.  His Trinity yacht charter vessel, motor yacht WHEELS is available for hire in the Florida Keys and throughout the Bahamas.  The 164'  (50 meter) yacht offers accommodation for up to ten guests in six suites comprising one owner cabin, two VIP cabins, two double cabins, and one twin cabin. 

Recently, the yacht was in the boating news when Hendricks added a 24-meter (80') superyacht sportfish tender to the megayacht's already impressive inventory of watertoys.

After Monday's crash, the runway was closed for about an hour but reopened when authorities determined the wreckage did not impact the landing area. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

“It was a real big scare, very frightening to hear," Hendrick Motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. told reporters in Las Vegas while attending an automotive trade show. "I’m very glad that he and everybody appears to be okay.”

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For a selection of  luxury yachts available for hire in the Bahamas visit SailAway Yacht Charter Consultants Bahamas at http://www.1800sailaway.com/bahamas.html

The owner of a 142 foot megayacht and America's premier yacht charter company have teamed up to bring you a sizzling Caribbean yacht charter winter special.

Motoryacht LADY J, in cooperation with SailAway Yacht Charter Consultants, are offering a $10,000 instant rebate to the next three charter customers to confirm a 7-night or longer booking in the Caribbean in January, February or March, 2012.

In addition, SailAway will pay for a "Homecoming Picnic" for you and your family and friends upon your return home after your luxury yacht charter vacation (up to $1000 in food and drinks).

"We understand the importance of finding the best values when planning a vacation," says Jana Sheeder, President of SailAway Yacht Charters.  "The manager of motoryacht LADY J approached us with a courtesy discount of $5,000 for our customers.  We decided to match that offer with an additional $5,000 instant rebate."

"We also wanted the great feelings that come with a yachting vacation to last a little longer.  Our marketing department came up with the idea of a picnic for family-and-friends when the clients return home."
 
"It's a great way to share photos and stories about a wonderful vacation with your neighbors and friends."

Motoryacht LADY J is a 142’ luxury yacht.  She is currently in the shipyard undergoing improvements and will arrive in Antigua by December 1st.   The yacht features accommodations for 10 to 12 guests in 5 staterooms and operates under the capable leadership of Captain Sandra Yawn. 

The full beam Master Stateroom is located forward on deck, with private office, sofa and vanity. En-suite facilities include Jacuzzi tub for her, and separate stall shower for him, with two sinks and private bathroom.

Guests may choose from several options for each meal, whether seeking al fresco or air-conditioned dining between the aft deck, bridge deck, and formal dining salon.

The magnificent sun deck boasts Jacuzzi with oversized sun pads, 2 elliptical trainers, full wet bar and TV.

Activities abound with a 25’ towed Pursuit tender, 2 waverunners, snorkeling gear, 2 elliptical trainers, kayaks, paddle boards, fishing gear, and Wii and Xbox 360 game consoles.

Motor yacht LADY J is priced at $120,000 per week, plus running expenses, and is currently available for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.  The instant rebate of $10,000 shall be deducted from the charter rate and a $1000 gift voucher for the Homecoming Picnic will be mailed to customers upon their return home.

Current Bookings:
● Nov 23-28: Nassau, Bahamas
● Dec 4-10: Antigua, Caribbean
● Available for Christmas and New years (10-night minimum)
● Jan 22-27: Virgin Islands, Caribbean
● Feb 23-Mar 1: Virgin Islands, Caribbean
● Mar 23-Apr 1: Virgin Islands, Caribbean
● June 3-10: Nassau, Bahamas
● June 21-28: Maine, East Coast USA

Lady J is also available to charter in New England, summer 2012.

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For additional information on this special offer, please contact the SailAway yacht charter department at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html or 305-253-7245.

The 203ft motor yacht ICON has announced plans to position for the winter and spring in the warm waters of the Caribbean. 

Built in 2010, motor yacht ICON offers acomodations for 12 guests in 6 staterooms and features a crew compliment of  16.

Designed for extensive world cruising, she is a high-volume megayacht yet appears sleek and elegant, with a contemporary design throughout. The yacht offers luxurious accommodations and an amazing “beach club” deck area with an adjacent fitness room, accessed directly from the lower guests cabins. 

Huge decks spaces, state of the art entertainment systems and an exceptional crew make this a first class Caribbean yacht charter option.

Caribbean winter rates for all weeks, December through April are listed at $475,000 per week, plus runnig expenses. 

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Other yachts for hire this winter and spring in the Caribbean and Bahamas inlcude 191ft motor yacht CARPE DIEM, 183ft sail yacht FIDELIS, and 180ft motor yacht HARBOUR ISLAND.  Contact the SailAway yacht charter desk at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html our charter desk for more information.

This past Tuesday evening, October 25th, at the exclusive Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, the winners of the 2011 ShowBoats Design Awards were announced.  For the second year in a row, several mega yacht charter vessels proved popular with the judges and edged out private yachts for awards in design excellence.

A VIP audience of superyacht owners and the industry’s leading creative talents were on hand to see the 188ft sail yacht TWIZZLE, a luxury sailing charter vessel, declared the winner in the Recreational Area for Guest Use and Interior Design categories.  Justin Redman of the design team at Redman Whiteley Dixon accepted the Neptune award for TWIZZLE.

Other charter yachts receiving honors included:

●  Motor yacht EXUMA - Best Exterior Design & Styling Award: Displacement Motor Yachts 100′-199′

●  Motor yacht CALLIOPE - Best Exterior Design & Styling Award: Semi-displacement Motor Yachts

●  Motor yacht BIG FISH - Naval Architecture Award: Motor Yachts

●  Sail yacht KOKOMO - Naval Architecture Award: Sailing Yachts

Motor yacht EXUMA , the 264'  yacht built by the Perini Navi Group and Picchiotti, and featuring exterior styling by Vitruvius Ltd and naval architect Philippe Briand, was also recognized with an Environmental Protection Award.


 
"For the second year in a row, the world's finest yachts for hire were in the spotlight," beamed Jana Sheeder, President of SailAway Yacht Charters.  "There's a deep commitment by these yacht owners to build vessels with amenities and aesthetics that are appealing to prospective charter clients.  We are so proud to represent these amazing yachts, as they are among the newest and largest yachts available in the world's best destinations."

Private yachts were by no means shut out of the awards.  The 312ft Blohm & Voss motor yacht PALLADIUM was the evening’s biggest winner, as designers Mick Leach and Mark Smith took home four Neptune Awards for Tender Design, Bespoke Furniture Item, Exterior Design & Styling and Interior Design.

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Many award-winning yachts are available for hire this winter and spring in warm weather destinations, including Grand Bahama,  St Barts, and St Lucia.  Contact the SailAway yacht charter destination pros at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html for further details.

There's no denying it - megayacht owners love their toys and gadgets.  If it's new and trendy in 2011, you'll find it on a luxury yacht charter vessel - everything from Mercedes Benz-styled helicopters  to the latest Crestron touchpad-controlled CD/DVD players, and video game consoles.

Deep pockets and a zest for staying ahead of the pack keeps these owners in the hunt for the hottest gadgets on the market.  That same quest for the newest gadgets also means the owner's yachts are the perfect barometer for not only what is new, but also what gadgets are destined to go the way of the dinosaur.

If the purchasing whims of the owners of some of the largest Caribbean yacht charter vessels are any indication, expect to see these three tech gadgets phased out this decade:

At sea, megayacht skippers rely on radar and a whole host of maritime equipment to navigate.  But when the yachts arrive in a new port of call, the crews use standalone GPS navigation systems to use for shore excursions.  "Fewer yachts are carrying portable navigation devices like those sold by TomTom and Garmin," says Jana Sheeder, President of SailAway Yacht Charters. "Every crewmember has a mobile phone and many skippers have smartphones provided by yacht owner.  These modern phones all feature interactive maps and built-in navigational systems."

Digital Cameras
Digital cameras are common on yachts.  While at seas, crews use the cameras to take photos of mechanical issues, which can be downloaded and emailed to a shore-based engineer for analysis. With the recent unveiling of the Apple iPhone 4S, digital camera makers have much to be worried about. Apple's newest phone has an impressive 8-megapixel camera that takes in more light than earlier models and records HD video at 1080p. Until recently, such impressive specs were unique to digital cameras.  Increasingly, smartphones are taking over the low-end camera market.

Captain Peter Vasquez and his 118-foot motoryacht ISLAND TIME are regulars on the Bahama yacht charters circuit. Vasquez points out the appeal of one device that can perform multiple tasks. "Camera functions are being taken over by smartphones," says Vasquez. "There's little incentive to carry around a camera when I already have a phone in my pocket that takes quality pictures."

Video Game Consoles
From the largest yachts like Steven Spielberg owned 282' motor yacht SEVEN SEAS, to the newest yachts  like 2011 motor yacht NUMPTIA, popular video game systems such as the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation® and Microsoft Xbox are installed in many of the staterooms for the use of onboard guests.

In the near future analysts predict consumers will forgo game consoles and instead
buy smart televisions with a gaming system built into it, or tablets with gaming apps and options "We've already witnessed the emergence of an iPad controlled boat app on motor yacht SOLEMATES," says Sheeder.  "The captain hands each guest their own iPad when they board.  These tablets offer control of all shipboard entertainment systems.  Yacht owners tell us they plan on shifting from video gaming consoles to more comprehensive systems with other entertainment options such as movies."

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What other electronic gadget do you think will be obsolete in the near future? DVD players?  E-readers?   Contact us at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html and let us know what you think and we'll share your predictions with our readers.

FREE LIMO (details below)!

Back in September, we reported on the great values being offered for a Virgin Islands yacht charter during the Thanksgiving holidays.

Then, motor yacht SERENITY jumped on the band wagon and offered a fall special for a Thanksgiving charter in the Bahamas.

Not to be left at the dock, Trinity yacht charter motor yacht MI SUENO wants everyone to know she is also available for a Thanksgiving cruise, November 24 - 28, 2011.  Bookings will be accepted for either the Bahamas or the Caribbean.

The 190' (57.92 meter) motor yacht Mi Sueno was launched in 2010 by US-based Trinity Yachts.  The vessel accommodates 12 guests in 6 staterooms. 

Onboard amenities and special features include a large open air Jacuzzi on the sun deck,  wheelchair accessible elevator, gym/massage room, and WiFi and Kaleidescape central movie/music service throughout the yacht.

Her weekly rate of  280,000 EUROS (plus running expenses) will be pro-rated for a long Thanksgiving weekend cruise. 

As an incentive to book yacht Mi Sueno for Thanksgiving, SailAway is offering roundtrip limousine service to/from your home to your nearest major airport. 

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Come celebrate the holidays onboard a private yacht and leave the driving to us!  Contact the SailAway special event planners at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html for further details.

A well known owner of a Mediterranean yacht charter vessel charges nearly €100,000 per week to rent his yacht, but it is his day job that brings him vast sums of money.

Actor Johnny Depp, owner of the 156' motor yacht VAJOLIROJA, opens up about his staggering paychecks in the November issue of Vanity Fair magazine.

“Basically, if they’re going to pay me the stupid money right now, I’m going to take it,” he admits in the magazine article.  “I have to. I mean, it’s not for me. Do you know what I mean? At this point, it’s for my kids. It’s ridiculous, yeah, yeah. But ultimately is it for me? No. No. It’s for the kids.”

Depp has shot to the top of the list of Hollywood's highest paid actors, thanks to the stellar success of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise.   While Depp is mum on the size of his Pirates "ransom," a recent report puts his total take in the $300 million range, due to a gross-profit-sharing deal brokered with Disney. To date, the four-film franchise has tallied $3.7 billion in worldwide receipts, and Depp is slated to star in a 5th installment. 

It's believed Depp's passion for the sea, and his purchase of a mega yacht charter vessel stems from his years of filming the Priates movies in exotic locales such as the Bahamas.  His yacht, motor yacht VaJoLiRoJa — the boat’s clever name comes from combining the first few letters of each family member’s name, partner Vanessa Paradis, Johnny, and their kids, Lily-Rose and Jack — is a 156 foot yacht of distinctive character, inspired by the classic gentleman’s yachts of the 1930’s. 

The lavishly-styled interior evokes the romance and glamour of a bygone era (with a few pirate-themed hints throughout).

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Relive the Golden Era of yachting onboard a classic yacht this winter.  Depp's yacht VAJOLIROJA is available for hire in the Bahamas or St Martin, and joins another classic-style Caribbean charter yacht, sail yacht GERMANIA NOVA.  In other destinations, classic-styled sail yacht  MONTIGNE is available in the Far East, and in the Mediterranean, sail yacht ATLANTIC and motor yacht CHRISTINA O are available this winter. Contact SailAway Yacht Charters at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html to reserve your yacht today.