Given all the discussion about staying closer to home this year but still trying to plan the perfect charter, we’re happy to launch the UK Yacht Charter Guide for a great overview of the sailing areas of this Island nation. It includes discussions of London, Scotland, the Solent and South Coast as well as some lesser well known areas. If you’re looking for a great charter (and perhaps a pint or two) this summer, why not charter in one of the renowned areas of this seafaring nation?
Author Archives: Tom Virden
Croatia Holiday Tax – about a Euro a day
Beginning January 5, 2009 Croatia has enacted a “Sojourn Tax” applied to all charterers in the waters of Croatia. The tax is 7 Croatian Kuna per day or approximately €0.94. Kids under 12 are exempt, those 12 – 18 are half price. This should not be a major charter expense, but we wanted everyone to know of its existence so there were no surprises.
Click here for more about Chartering a Yacht in Croatia. Our Croatia Charter Yachts.
Americans chartering closer to home for great charters at less cost
For those of you who want to charter in 2009 but are on a tight budget – many of our clients are saving on airfare by chartering closer to home, while keeping the same quality of yacht and charter experience. Similar to land based “staycations”, here are some ideas for an amazing charter experience without long flights.
South Florida and the Keys – America’s Sunshine State offers everything you’d want from an exotic charter – islands (the keys), coral diving and snorkeling, beach bars and restaurants, glorious sunsets – all a quick stop from Miami.
Bahamas – The Bahamas offer clear turquoise waters teeming with life, gorgeous beaches on hundreds of coral islands, quiet anchorages, renowned ports, and a swashbuckling history that dates from Columbus’ times. Just 100 miles off the coast of Florida you can be on a yacht with a minimum of hassle, making the Bahamas both a perfect charter holiday destination and great for events such as weddings, celebrations, honeymoons, or business meetings.
New England – New England offers both rugged rocky coastlines and gorgeous sandy beaches, destinations including Newport RI, Cape Cod, Marthas Vineyard, Boston, and the thousands of islands, coves and lobstering towns of Maine. It always provides history, charm, understated elegance and a seafaring culture. Many yachts that normally return to the Mediterranean during the summer will instead cruise up the Atlantic coast, so this may be a great year for a charter in New England! 
Pacific Northwest – San Francisco, Seattle, the gorgeous Pacific Coastline, Vancouver and all the way up to Alaska – the richness and grandeur of the Pacific Northwest are second to none. If you haven’t seen the Golden Gate, Space Needle or a live glacier, think about the Pacific Northwest this year.
Great Lakes – For fresh water sailing with the feel of an ocean, the great lakes offer excellent charter itineraries with plenty of great yachts – both motor and sail. From the wilderness of Northern Michigan, to the cosmopolitan city of Chicago, the Great Lakes can deliver a charter that meets your summer holiday needs
Deals and Specials Abound
We are getting amazing deals in for many of the best charter areas worldwide, and put most of the best on the specials page at Boatbookings.com. We’re happy to announce that the specials section has been completely revamped, so that you can find specials easier. Here is our new Yacht Charter Specials page – take a look!
Also – to keep in touch with our deals as they are added, we highly recommend that you read our RSS Charter Special Deals feed, which can be placed on your Yahoo or Google home page, to name just two.
Google Ocean – a great tool for charterers
Google yesterday announced Google Ocean, an add-on for Google Earth that maps the ocean bottom, identifies diving sites, and provides information about reefs and wildlife in the area. It’s a great tool for learning more about your charter itinerary before you go (or during if you have wifi!).
Here are some screen shots of Google Ocean – showing the location of the Wreck of the Rhone in the BVI and what it looks like to divers (you just click on the red diving flag and up pop images).
We think this is a great tool and will be looking to integrate features in our charter destination pages soon. Now, if they only had navigation charts…