Bahama Yacht Charters

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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.

The owner of a 116'  Bahamas yacht charters motoryacht wants to encourage you to experience true serenity this Thanksgiving, and is offering an incentive sweeter than pumpkin pie. 

Lazzara motor yacht SERENITY is offering a choice of TWO fall specials to coincide with the Thanksgiving holidays:

●  Book a 7-day luxury yacht charter vacation beginning November 28th or 29th, and get 1 DAY FREE (a savings of  over 15%)

or...

●  Book a 3-day vacation beginning November 28th or 29th and pay $22,000 (save $7,000) 
 

But wait...there's more!

Like most yachts offering charters in the Bahamas, motoryacht SERENITY is based in South Florida. The round-trip fuel cost for yachts to be "delivered" to the Bahamas for a charter averages between $3000 and $5000. 

Book a Thanksgiving charter on Lazzara 116 yacht Serenity and the owner will WAIVE the delivery fee!

SERENITY is the newest and largest yacht built by Lazzara to date.  She features an open flybridge arrangement with an integrated hard top offering plenty of shade, tables for dining al fresco, and a large Jacuzzi for plenty of relaxation. Her interior is comprised of a light pecan finish, comfortable modern furniture and there is a beautiful wood floor throughout the salon.

The 116'  yacht accommodates up to ten guests in a five stateroom layout and has the option to convert one of her staterooms from a queen to twin arrangement. The open and inviting galley features a skylight allowing warm natural light to shine on the large settee.

The other custom feature of this yacht is her chair lift that assists guests with difficulties in getting from the main salon deck to the stateroom level.

All of these assets, combined with a friendly, outgoing and adventurous charter crew, make SERENITY the perfect choice for a Thanksgiving yachting holiday.

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To take advantage of this offer, the charter contract must be signed by November 10, 2011.  Please contact the SailAway reservation specialists at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html for further details.

Whether you're planning a Bahamas bareboat charter, or a Monaco Grand Prix
yacht charter on a fully-crewed superyacht, as an American traveling abroad,
you'll need a US passport.

Once a tedious process, new efforts by the United States State Department have been implemented to improve customer service and create a  more accessible approach to passports.

The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs now has nearly 8,000 acceptance offices, and promises a 4 to 6-week turnaround on all passports.  The passport fee for a first-time adult applicant is $135.  For an extra fee, express service can bring the wait down to 2-3 weeks, perfect for planning a last minute island escape.

Additionally, the Bureau has created a, "Passport Saturdays" program, when parents can register children under 16 on a day that is not a workday, since both parents must be present.

The State Department’s passport website offers a wide range of resources – from country by country guides, warnings, regulations and background information, to passport forms that can be downloaded. 

The Bureau has also introduced a Smartphone enrollment notification system created for travelers headed for hot spots or people caught in countries experiencing emergencies or natural disasters. The system can track enrollees and try to reach them in countries undergoing a developing crisis.  

Recently, the system proved useful for US citizens in Libya during the current political uprising.  The Bureau created a system of tweets to feed trapped US citizens information about the best ways to flee the dangers, such as the schedules and locations of ferries to take them out of the country.

In another instance, the Bureau was able to locate an airplane run by a Canadian company to lift several citizens to safety. In those situations, costs go to the passengers assisted but never exceed the cost of what a full fare commercial ticket would be to manage the same action, no matter how few passengers are carried by that charter.

A 24-hour State Department number – answered by a human – is available for emergencies and questions: 202-647-1512.  The State Department's passport website is:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

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If you are planning a yachting vacation and are not a US citizen, contact the SailAway Yacht Charter destination experts at http://www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html to determine any special entry Visa requirements. We'll be happy to assist you.

Often overlooked as people plan year-end Caribbean yacht charter vacations,  an island escape for the Thanksgiving holidays is a great way to enjoy great weather and uncrowded anchorages.

Officially the winter charter season kicks off in December, as crews return from their own vacations, and the yachts re-emerge from the shipyards after their annual summer maintenance.  Almost a secret, few charterers realize that 80% of the Caribbean fleet is already in place and ready to go by Thanksgiving!

Let's look at a handful of Caribbean-based yachts available in late November:

NAEJ - leading the value parade is sail catamaran NAEJ, a 49' yacht with room for 7 guests.  Built by Alliaura Marina in 2006, her all-inclusive weekly rate of $13,500 per week equates to just $275 per person per night.

SORANA - the 68' motor yacht SORANA was built in 2006 and features accommodations for 6 guests.  Her homeport is Saint Martin in the French West Indies, just a short cruise from St Barts, a favorite winter enclave for celebrities.   Weekly rate is $20,000 plus all running expenses, such as food, bar and dockage.

MOTU - the 61' Privilège 615 catamaran MOTU was built in 2006 and features 4 double cabins for 8 passengers.  She returns from a summer of Bahama yacht charters in time to take a Thanksgiving booking from her winter base in Pointe-à-Pitre on the island of Guadeloupe.  Weekly rate is $23,000 - ALL-INCLUSIVE. 

MAEVIE - built in 2009 by CNB Bordeaux, sail catamaran MAEVIE is one of the stars in the crewed catamaran charters market.  The Lagoon 620  catamaran offers accommodations for 6 guests in 3 double cabins. Her weekly rate is $23,500 including all meals, and she is available in the British Virgin Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, and over fifty other smaller islands and cays).

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This winter, spend your holiday vacation onboard a private yacht with your family and friends.   For a list of yachts offering special holiday rates, contact our SailAway destination experts at www.1800sailaway.com/contact_us.html.

Sail and motor yachts over 100' are invited to gather this December for the annual Asia Superyacht Rendezvous, taking place December 16-18 in Phuket, Thailand.  Mega yacht charter vessels as will as private yachts will rendezvous for three days, on and off the waters of the Andaman coast.

Entering it's eleventh year, the event is notable as Asia’s most prestigious superyacht rendezvous and is a firm fixture on the yachting calendars of owners around the world.  A diverse fleet of classic yachts and newest builds are expected to attend this year.   

Organizers report there will be plenty of action on the water.  Sailing yachts will participate in two days of racing accompanied by a spectator fleet of motor yachts, allowing owners to enjoy spectacular views.  Based at the Royal Phuket Yacht Club, the racing includes sailing from Nai Harn Bay to Surin Bay, with courses set out by long-serving Race Officer Andy Dowden.

Watch the Video of the Superyacht Rendezvous from 2010:

Feadship yacht charter enthusiasts will revel in the famous Feadship Challenge (a model boat building contest), while other highlights of the social program include the exclusive Boat International Media Owners’ Dinner, held on the finest beach in Phuket - situated adjacent to the Surin Hotel.  The Surin will present a choice of sumptuous delights from East and West, served overlooking the beauty of Thailand’s coastline. Live music and dancing will continue into the night as the launch of Chinese lanterns will draw the dinner to a close.

The initial list of confirmed attendees include: the 50m Perseus built by Perini Navi in 2001; the 42m Maverick II, built by Sterling in 1988; the 57m Montigne built by Aegean Yachts in 2009; the 40.3m My Lady Arraya built by Oceanfast in 1990 and based in Thailand; the 36.07m Vie Sans Soucis built by Kings Yachts in Taiwan; the 74m Silver Zwei built by Hanseatic Marine in 2009; the 30m Asia built in 1997 by Paul Johnson; and the 49.7m Silolona of Indonesia, a traditional wooden Phinisi schooner hand-built in 2004 by Konjo craftsmen from South Sulawesi.

Major event sponsors include Boat International Media, The Surin Hotel, Asia's YACHT Style Magazine, and Feadship Royal Dutch Shipyards.

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From the Bahamas to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, there are many superyacht rendezvous and regattas for both experienced sailors and casual travelers. Contact our vacation specialists HERE to arrange a sailing or power odyssey of a lifetime.

Immediately available for Bahama yacht charters, the 142’ Palmer Johnson motor yacht LADY J (ex motor yacht Pure Bliss), is under new ownership and back on the charter market.  

Accommodating 12 guests in 5 staterooms and under the capable leadership of Captain Sandra Yawn, LADY J is also available for a Caribbean yacht charter this winter from $120,000 per week, plus expenses.

The full beam Master Stateroom is located forward on deck, with private office, sofa and vanity.  Ensuite facilities include Jacuzzi tub for her and separate stall shower for him, with twin sinks and private head.

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

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

Activities abound with a 25’ towed Pursuit tender, 2 waverunners, snorkel gear, 2 elliptical trainers, kayaks, paddle boards, fishing gear, Wii and Xbox 360 for the kids, plus plenty more!

Current Bookings:
Nov 23-28: Booked - Nassau, Bahamas
Dec 4-11: Antigua Yacht Charter Show
Currently available for the year-end holidays (10-night minimum)
Jan 22-27: Booked - Virgin Islands yacht charter
Feb 23-Mar 1: Booked - Virgin Islands
Mar 23-Apr 1: Booked - Virgin Islands
June 3-10: Booked - Nassau, Bahamas

The owner of motoryacht Lady J will also consider New England yacht charter vacations for the summer of 2012.

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Other Palmer Johnson yachts available for hire include motor yacht BLUE ICE, a Palmer Johnson 150, and the 135'  motor yacht DRAGON. Contact SailAway Yacht Charter Consultants to reserve your own private luxury motor yacht for the vacation of a lifetime NOW!

With the tight economy forcing American boaters to reconsider expensive trips abroad, the appeal of Florida yacht charters has increased dramatically in the past two years.  Perhaps not on par with a Virgin Islands yacht charter, there are still plenty of points of interest while cruising along the South Florida coast, especially for charterers who also enjoy scuba diving.  

While the Florida Keys may be known for their fishing and scuba diving locations, both Broward and Miami-Dade counties have some of the best spots to scuba dive in the nation. From natural reefs to sunken ships, it's amazing what can be found off the shores of Miami and Fort Lauderdale.   Many of the reefs and wrecks can be found in 60 to 80 feet of water, making South Florida a great choice for both novice and advanced divers.

Here are some of our top picks:

Tugboat Jay Scutti (off Ft. Lauderdale)
Sunk in Sept. 1986, this 95 foot tug was seized by the government in a drug smuggling operation. It was bought at auction by a man who renamed it the "Jay Scutti," after his son. The wreck lies in 70 feet of water and is centered between a 45 foot wreck named "Moonshot" and another named "Pride," a 95 foot sailboat.  All three wrecks are tethered together by a cable. Divers can usually explore two of the wrecks in one dive. Lots of fish inhabit the Jay Scutti, and it's possible to enter the wreck through various openings.

Hammerhead Reef (off Ft. Lauderdale)
Located just south of Port Everglades and running to the Dania Pier, this two and a half mile reef is famous for its sharks, rays, and large grouper.  The front portion of the reef is in 60 feet of water, while the back side plunges to 80 feet.  In some spots, the reef rises to nearly 20 feet. Tons of marine life call this reef home and make it a great spot for reef diving.

Miami Beach Wreck Trek (off Miami Beach)
It's pretty impressive how artificial reefs have been created by linking multiple wrecks together via a guide cable. The Miami Beach Wreck Trek is a shallow dive, about 50 to 60 feet of water.  It begins with a pair of army tanks on the southern end. As they swim north, divers encounter several tons of limestone boulders and more wrecks like the "Rio Miami," a 105 foot tug which sits upright in about 65 feet of water.

Also off the Miami Beach coast is a trio of sunken tug boats. The "Belzona Ona," lies in 85 feet of water.  About 75 feet away is the second tug, "Belzona Two," in 60 feet of water. The deepest of the trio, "Belzona Three," is a 100 foot tug at a depth of 85 feet.

Not far away is the "Belcher Barge #27," a 195 foot steel barge that was sunk in 1985. The barge flipped on its way to the bottom, but experienced divers can penetrate it and swim the ship's entire length.

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Please comment to let us know about your experiences diving these awesome Florida dive sites!

In addition to cruising in south Florida, Bahama yacht charters are great options for closer-to-home getaways.  Contact our local charter guides for more details in Miami, the Florida Keys and nearby Bimini, Bahamas.
 

 
The 12th Annual Les Voiles de St. Tropez is scheduled for September 24 through October 2, and luxury sailing charter sloop ANNAGINE is offering a special land-and-sea regatta race package.  

Dubbed the, "Battle in the Bay" promotion, up to 10 guests can enjoy the hands-on experience of participating in a world-famous sailing regatta and race, the Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. 

Priced at €60,000 per week, the package includes the yacht, the addition of 4 extra crew members with racing experience to join the yacht's regular 3-man crew, and 5 double rooms in the four-star Hotel Sube in Saint Tropez.

If you've never participated in a sailing yacht race, this is a rare opportunity to both race and relax in the most famous seaside city in France - St Tropez. 

No European resort has gone through more popularity shifts than seductive St. Tropez. It's sizzling this season.  Yes, the streets and beaches are crowded, but this former fishing village has a relaxed "anything goes" attitude to which visitors quickly succumb.

Organized by the Societe Nautique of Saint-Tropez, the Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is an amazing rendezvous of yachts. Almost three thousand sailors will be competing against one another on more than two hundred and fifty extraordinary modern sailing boats alongside the most beautiful, traditional yachts.

Launched in 2010, the classic 33.90 meter sloop sail yacht ANNAGINE is designed and built for comfortable, high performance cruising and is fully-equipped with state-of-the-art technology for successful luxury sailing charter.  The sloop can accommodate 6 to 8 guests in 3 staterooms and offers a cozy entertainment and living areas that display elegance and style in a comfortable, informal atmosphere.

The battle in the bay of Saint-Tropez concludes on October 2nd, with the presentation of the Trophée Rolex - awarded to the regatta's overall winner of the feature race - The Rolex Cup...

With a professional crew onboard, no sailing or racing experience is required.

So climb aboard, enjoy the competition, camaraderie, and excitement of cruising with hundreds of boats on the bay of St Tropez!

For more information, contact SailAway Yacht Charter Consultants HERE.

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From the Bahamas to the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, there are dozens of regattas for both experienced sailors and casual travelers.  Contact our vacation specialists HERE to arrange a sailing odyssey of a lifetime.

How do you take your cocktails - straight...or on the rocks?

Unfortunately, for the owner of motor yacht Cocktails, a Miami-based mega yacht charter vessel, it was the "rocks" that left his multi-million dollar baby a bit tipsy.

On Friday, the 85-foot yacht, Cocktails, ran aground near Nobska Beach in Woods Hole, Mass, after hitting a rock about 100 yards offshore.  According to the Coast Guard, the skipper grounded the vessel to prevent it from sinking.

No luxury yacht charter guests were onboard at the time of the incident - just the skipper and one crewmember. 

No fuel was spilled, and after dewatering the yacht, tugs towed the vessel to Fairhaven for repairs.  In New England for the summer, it is expected Cocktails will be fixed in time to return to Miami for the winter Florida yacht charter season.

There were no reports of any injuries...except to the skipper's pride...

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Coming to South Florida this winter?  Spend a few days exploring the Florida Keys or the nearby islands of the Bahamas from the comfort of a yacht.  Contact our destination experts HERE today!

It's funny how superstitions and "tales of the unknown" tend to quietly creep into our lives and psyches.

You are going along just fine, oblivious to things that others consider eerie or supernatural.  Suddenly, somebody (or something) plants a seed in your mind, and whammo - you are throwing salt over your shoulder for good luck, or giving a wide berth to the neighbors' black cat sitting in your driveway!

Case in Point - planning a Bahama yacht charter vacation, or as I now refer to it: chartering a yacht in the Devil's Triangle.  Queue the creepy music and fog...

I was recently assisting a client in organizing a Lurssen yacht charter on motoryacht SOLEMATES. The gentleman wanted to take his family for a week-long adventure in the Bahamas.  We were chatting on the phone when I heard his teenage son in the background say, "Dude, I'm not down with a week in the Devil's Triangle...boats go there and people get abducted by aliens and disappear forever!"

The boys' father said,  "Jason, you're watching too much cable TV.  A little less Ghost Hunters and a little more studying wouldn't hurt."  

I remember chuckling to myself, but when I hung up the phone, I began to wonder... is there any credence to this kid's apprehension???

The Devil's Triangle is also known as the Bermuda Triangle, an area of the Atlantic Ocean bounded by Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and a point between Miami and Melbourne, Florida, in which numerous watercraft and aircraft are said to have mysteriously disappeared.

The most famous disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle are the ship USS Cyclops lost in March, 1918 and a U.S. Navy aircraft squadron, Flight 19 [video], said to have vanished in a green fog in December, 1945.

Scores of books have been written about the mystery of the triangle, and dozens of websites offer conjecture on who or what is responsible.  Theories abound - from the occult to extraterrestrials. 

Some sites offer a detailed list of planes, ships, and yachts that have vanished.  It does make you wonder - how could so many boats and planes simply disappear? 

Of course, many other books and websites detail how scientists and researchers have debunked the mysteries over the years.  It seems simple explanations, like tropical storms and pilot error, are the probable culprits for the disappearances. 

With science on their side, the U.S. Navy and the yachting industry pay little heed to the myths and legends. Lloyd's of London, for example, the world's leading market for specialized insurance, does not charge higher premiums for luxury mega yacht charter vessels transiting this heavily traveled area.

Still, I can't get the silly notion of aliens in the Bahamas out of my head.  Not Cuban rafters, but little green aliens with antennas on their heads and ray guns in their hands. 

I'm with Jason, dude - I'm not "down" with the Devil's Triangle.

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Avoid the Bermuda triangle and spend a week in paradise on a Virgin Islands yacht charter.  Contact our mythbusters, aka charter agents, HERE for more details.