Courtesy of the Monaco Yacht Show web site, here's a complete list of the yachts being shown at the 2009 Monaco Yacht Show, opening this week. More about the Monaco Yacht Show on Boatbookings.com.
Author Archives: Tom Virden
Itinerary for the Greek Saronic Islands and Peloponnesian region of Greece
We’ve just added a 7 day Sailing itinerary for the Saronic Islands and Peloponnesian region of Greece. The itinerary includes Poros, Spetses, Nafplio, Hydra, Epidavros, and Aegina, with descriptions of each stop and nearby attractions.
Here’s an extract: “Poros is a small charming island full of picturesque villages and traditional architecture. Some of those villages are fishing settlements located near beautiful beaches, while others are close to the mountains surrounded by green vegetation.The capital of the island is characterised by beautiful two-storey houses with tiled roofs, coloured walls, wooden balconies and narrow windows.”
Really makes you want to go there and get on a boat now! You can see the entire Saronic Islands Sailing Itinerary here. Here’s a Google map of the route:
Prices going up in 2010
This is the time of year that our charter operators begin setting pricing for the next year. As we’ve written before, our expectation was that after a difficult 2009, there is a very good chance that prices will go up, anywhere between 5- 10% on many charter yachts. From the price lists we’ve seen so far from the first operators to send out their new rates, this is in fact happening.
The good news for you is that these prices normally don’t hit until January, or if they have been raised already you can often get early booking discounts. So, if you’re looking for a charter in 2010, we recommend you contact us soon!
Boatbookings Expert Commentary – the Glories of Greece
Mariona Riera is our Greece Charter Manager, and has spent the past 2 years learning as much as possible about the yachts, crews and charter destinations of the storied Greek Isles. She provides another in our series of “Expert Commentary” on the Greek Isles.
Q – Everyone knows that the Greek Islands are one of the world’s greatest charter areas – can you provide your thoughts about the attractions of Greece?
Greece is one of the best sailing destinations in the world for many reasons. First, there are more than 15.000 km of coastline, and several excellent island groups in two seas – the Cyclades, Sporades, Saronic and Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean, the Ionian Islands in the Ionian Sea, facing Italy and let’s not forget the gorgeous island of Crete.
It is this variety that makes Greece a unique place, and each destination provides a completely different experience.
The Cyclades Islands are the most chartered group of islands and are especially idyllic destination during the months of May, June, early July and late September. The famous destinations of Mykonos and Santorini are in the Cyclades. Due to the Meltemi, a characteristic strong, dry north wind from the Aegean sea, it is better to avoid them in late July and August, as it is the time when the winds are usually stronger.
Q – You’re a big believer in the Ionian Islands, can you tell us more?
The Ionian Islands are characterised by calm, crystal clear waters, beautiful sandy beaches, charming villages and stunning scenic countryside. Each Ionian island has a distinct character and between them they offer everything you could wish for from a sailing holiday. This group of islands, comprised of Corfu, Paxos, Lefkas, Ithaka, Cephallonia, Zakynthos, and Kythira, are one of the most spectacular sailing spots in the world. Indeed, many of their beaches are only reachable by boat.
They are a great destination for late July and August because the winds are not as strong as in the Cyclades.
The main bases for bareboat charters are Corfu and Lefkas, there is a large fleet of sailing yachts and catamarans based in the Ionian during the months of June, July and August, due to the increasing demand and popularity of this area.
Q – Tell us a bit about bareboat chartering in Greece
Greece has hundreds if not thousands of bareboat charter yachts of all types and sizes – it is a very developed charter area bareboat charters and we can normally find you exactly the boat you want if you give us enough time! We always recommend booking early, because not only will you have great selection, but you may also qualify for early-bird discounts.
Bareboat charter prices usually include VAT (4.5%) in the price, but might exclude end cleaning and the outboard engine. Moorings in Greece are not included, but in most places are for free, but there is also no way to book a berth in advance, it works on œfirst come, first served basis. There might be some small charges in some marinas (10-15 euro), but it is unusual, this does not apply to private marinas, but in any case the most likely scenario is that you will be anchoring in a dreamy location and just going to the marinas to get supplies and visit the beautiful Greek towns.
Provisioning is easy in the Greek Islands, there are plenty of supermarkets and small shops, but bear in mind that supermarkets close on Sundays, you may find some small shops open for some hours in the morning, and surely a bakery and kiosks (œperipteros) where you can find anything from water, to yogurt, chips, cookies, and a variety of supplies to get you by till Monday.
In high season, the rule for bareboats is embarkation/disembarkation Saturday, this is almost unbreakable, and very few suppliers will accept other dates due to the high demand.
Q – How about Crewed Charters?
When it comes to crewed charters, every year the yachts seem to get bigger, more luxurious, and more comfortable. I’ve met the crew on most of the yachts, and therefore feel very comfortable recommending the boats that I do – I match them to your needs and they will truly take care of you with professionalism and go the extra mile! We have a great selection of crewed catamarans, motor yachts, sailboats, gulets, and of course amazing Super Yachts.
The majority of our crewed charter yachts are based in Athens, therefore relocation fees apply when requested in the Ionian, also you have to take into consideration the Corinth Canal fees, which vary depending on the size of the yacht, number of passengers and other criteria.
Q – What other recommendations do you have for charterers?
Most of our charterers in Greece are extremely happy with the charter, as long as the clients listen to the captain and follow his advice when it comes to the weather conditions and itineraries. This is a region where winds can be very strong, so clients need to very flexible and able to change their mind as to their initial destination.
Having said that, all destinations within Greece are breathtaking, so no matter when you go we’re sure you’ll be extremely happy with your charter ! Be sure to see our Greece Yacht Charter Guide.
Boatbookings.com Expert Commentary – Why the BVI is so popular
Sharon Bahmer has run the Caribbean/North American Charter Business for nearly 4 years at Boatbookings.com, and has managed literally hundreds of charters in the BVI. She takes great pride in placing guests onboard her favorite catamarans in one of the world’s most excellent charter destinations. Here are her thoughts about the BVI and expectations for this year:
Q – What makes the BVI such a special charter area?
I like this question because essentially the BVI is just a perfect environment for sailing, and yachting of all kinds. The seas are generally calm because the many islands shelter the Sir Francis Drake Channel. The wind is predictable – almost always from the East at 10 – 12 knots. The sun shines nearly every day. Each island is an easy sail away offering a new adventure with something for everyone – a great hidden beach, the Baths to crawl through, a perfect beach bar, sea turtles coming right up to your boat, amazing snorkeling, shipwrecks, pirate lore… As I said it offers everything!
The BVI is such a special charter destination because the yachting and charter infrastructure has evolved to the point where you now have more yachts/boat types to offer guests, many options for provisioning, excellent marinas, so you can spend a lot more time enjoying being on your boat, and less hassling about getting everything the way you want it.
I prefer recommending the BVI, and crewed catamarans options to my guests, because I know they’ll come back happy! I have many testimonials from ecstatic guests even some who are now repeats, making my job more fun! See our BVI Catamarans for charter.
Q – Who do you see chartering in the BVI, and what do they normally charter?
We’re seeing more and more families, or groups of families, because there is so much for the kids to do, and I think families like the thought of a “green” holiday on the water instead of being cooped up in a resort. So much more freedom for the kids – it’s more special for them. Generally we recommend that families charter a catamaran, because cats are so “family friendly” – big salon, complete kitchen, private cabins, great deck area, less seasickness, etc. And unless you really know the islands, we always recommend a crewed cat or a bareboat with skipper – it takes all of the hassles out of the day and allows the whole family to relax. Even with a skipper, people can do plenty of sailing! More on Chartering with Children.
Another type of charter guests are couples. Honeymoons and Anniversaries are often celebrated in the BVI on these beautiful catamarans. Crews know how to spoil you and make you never want to return home and back to reality.
Q – Provisioning, What are your thoughts?
One recommendation about provisioning, if you’re on a bareboat. I wouldn’t recommend trying to order all the food online – there’s a good chance you’ll get things you didn’t want or produce that is not quite fresh. Most of the provisioning companies will pick you up and take you back to your boat for no charge – you won’t need to rely on a taxi service, waiting on you to find that right spice for your chicken dish.
Q – What recommendations do you have for charterers in the BVI?
My main recommendation is to always tell your charter broker exactly what you’re looking for (and what you want to avoid). Taking time to communicate with us greatly assists us in finding the right boat for you. Ask your charter broker if they have personally viewed the boats and met the crews, ask us for itineraries, favorite restaurants and bars – we’ve researched as many as possible 😉
Q – What’s your favorite story about a BVI Charter?
Well there was this group of 5 skippered Catamarans for a tandem charter with a total of 12 adults and 15 kids. After a year of emails, phone calls, boat changes, price changes, flight schedule changes and after the adults had decided to cut some of their time onboard short because they feared the kids would be bored being on a boat for too long. The satisfaction came when I received the testimonials and photographs from the group, including the kids saying ˜When can we do it again?’
Sharon has helped author many of our British Virgin Islands Pages – if you want more information, please click on one of the following: 7 Day BVI Sailing Itinerary, BVI Yacht Charter Guide, BVI Attractions and things to do, BVI Yacht Charter Slide Show, our BVI charter yachts listing.