About Tom Virden

Founder, Boatbookings.com

MIPIM yacht availability

MIPIM is a huge real estate industry trade show that takes place every year in Cannes, France during the month of March.  Of interest to the boating community are the large number of spectacular yachts that are chartered to sit alongide the Palais des Festivals, serving as trade show booths and entertainment venues at the show.

If you’re interested in chartering a yacht for MIPIM, you have already missed the main deadline for submission of your berth application (which was September 10).  But don’t dispair, there are still lots of things that can be done to make a “splash” at MIPIM, such as hiring a yacht for a party in Port Canto, or simply taking your best clients on a cruise to St Tropez.  Click here for complete information about chartering a yacht at MIPIM.

MY Starship at the Monaco Yacht Show

We were fortunate to be invited aboard the marvelous M/Y Starship which was docked at the Monaco Yacht Show last week to mingle with industry folk who came from a variety of ports dotted around the world.

After taking a tour to view this magnificent, well equipped charter yacht, guided by Judy Smith, Starship’s private helicopter pilot, we were in awe of the plush mahogany interior, updated electronics, elliptical machine and water toys available to those guests who would be eligible to take a charter vacation of this sort.  She offers 3 King and 1 Queen, 1 twin and one 1 pullman accommodations for up to 12 guests with TV’s DVD’s,CD’s in all cabins.  Dining facilities for 10 guests inside and 12 outside.

She is available for charter in the Mediterranean as well as the Caribbean Islands.

Monaco Yacht Show – Update 2

A bit of the show happenings and gossip from our resident Kiwi:

 Saturday evening show organisers gathered on the dock in front of KOKOMO, the stunning Alloy Yachts sailing yacht, to wrap up the show… champagne corks popping, tv crews filming… lots of laughter… And no doubt huge sighs of relief that the yacht show had been such a resounding success yet again…

Yachts’ fog horns blared deafeningly across the port when the clock struck 6 then again at the official end of the show 630pm. Through the eyes of a kiwi, it was impossible not to feel immensely proud that two NZ built yachts, KOKOMO and COMO, moored side by side at this most illustrious of yacht shows, received so many accolades.

KOKOMO was the yacht personally selected by Prince Albert to visit on Thursday; the Aga Khan was welcomed on board COMO for a viewing…as well as countless other visitors.

Also worthy of a mention were some fabulous vessels adding glamour on a smaller scale…the impossibly stylish classic Rivas, which ferried visitors to the show back and forth across the port to the floating jetties…transported to Monaco on a custom-built Riva carrying truck capable of moving 3 Rivas at a time!

Monaco Yacht Show Recap

The Monaco Yacht show was glorious as always – weather, yachts, people, exhibits.  There’s really nothing like it.

We scoured the show for 3 days for all the boat news. Clearly, the boat of the show was the Oceanco “Alpha Nero”, with its infinite swimming pool, enormous decks and sheer size.  There was a constant jam of interested show goers in front of the yacht, trying to scam their way into a visit.

We look primarily for Charter Yachts, and of course there were some amazing ones on display. Our favorites were:

M/Y Sensation  (Sensation Yachts) – we finally got to see this beautiful New Zealand Yacht, with light, warm interior, sleek hull and peppy speed. It’s been on the market for a while but has a great new captain who’s putting together a world-class charter crew.

M/Y The Snapper (Sunseeker) – a Sunseeker 82 Yacht with modern but very tastefully done interior

M/Y Lady Michelle (Trinity) – classic interior, nice cruising speed, elegant. 49 Meters, 5 Cabins.

M/Y Starship (Van Mill). A classic 44 meter superyacht with all the amenities. Excellent finishings, top quality materials.

More updates from the show coming soon, as we sort through all of our compiled information!

September in the Cote d’Azur – Yachts, Regattas, Shows!

If you’re in the yachting business, the end of the busy summer high season very quickly rolls into an even busier September, with the Cannes Boat Show, Monaco Yacht Show, Cannes Royal Regatta and the Voile St Tropez.  That’s a whole lot of Champagne to consume!  Our next post will feature the “inside scoop” from the Monaco Yacht Show, which just wound up last weekend.