Carribean Cruises

Your imagination is the only limit to all the possibilities for a sailing vacation. Luxury boat charters range from small sailboats to enormous powerboats to suit every price range and individual need. Rather than be a slave to cruise ship itineraries, a crewed yacht charter works to serve you, the client, taking you to any island, port of call or body of water your heart desires.

You can sleep and eat on your boat or stop on land to explore. Not all yacht charters cost a fortune, either. Choosing sailing yachts will make your time more unique regardless of where you’re going be it Mediterranean, the Caribbean, or the Indian Ocean.. There are a few things to keep in mind before you go.

Do you want to be a skipper? This is one of the first decisions to make when considering a private boat charter. If the answer is “yes,” then be prepared to hand over your boating resume to the charter company, which includes several years of experience sailing the size and type of boat you intend to charter. At www.ebare.com, you can take an assessment to see if you are ready for smooth sailing and to see what your options are if you are not quite prepared.

You may need to take a few boating and safety courses before being allowed to hold supreme power aboard your private yacht. You may have to show your knowledge on the day of your charter as some companies like to test this on a demo cruise. If you flunk the demo, then the company will place a captain aboard your vessel. If, on the other hand, you pass your demo, then congratulations! You will be commanding your first bareboat charter.

Not everyone is keen on the idea of being responsible for the safety of their guests, plotting the entire route and actually sailing the ship. If you are looking for a more laid-back, hassle-free boating experience, then crewed yacht boat charters is more your speed. You will pay extra for your own captain, skipper, crew and chef, but your beds will be made every morning, your table set, your meals made, your laundry cleaned and your quarters cleaned. You will have access to the combined expertise of the crew who will be happy to assist you in planning shore excursions or participating in water activities. The crew quarters are separate, so most of the time you will feel like you’re alone on the boat. The food is most always sumptuous and tailored to your preferences.

You decide how much you’re willing to pay for boat charters. Many beginners choose to hop aboard sailing yachts with a handful of other couples to offset the cost. Affordable trips can also be taken in a flotilla fleet, which offers a good middle-ground for relatively inexperienced sailors who still crave the privacy of their own boat.

Smaller boats, sailboats and off-season trips all offer deep discounts. Choosing an all-inclusive sailing vacation is a good way to prevent overspending on port stops, food or other unanticipated expenses. As you travel more and more, you will soon be ready to command your own boat, sail on luxury yacht charters or throw an extravagant party aboard a crewed yacht charter!

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Technorati Tags: boat charters, boating, private yacht, sailing vacation, travel, vacation, yacht

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In Sausalito, California, retail yacht brokers like Sandy Carney (Newport), Angela Connery (Salem) and Mary Crowley (Ocean Voyages) are looking over dozens of crewed yacht charters for just the right captains, crews, chefs and boats for their clients. These helpful concierges of the sailing charter industry are more than accommodating, suggesting calm waters for the seasick, customizing menus, redecorating boat interiors and interviewing crew members to find a good personality fit.

A yacht broker makes his or her living off commissions from a number of local charter companies, without costing you extra money. Essentially, the broker acts as your personal travel agent by interviewing crews, looking at boats and researching itineraries. There are more than 200 luxury yacht charter brokerage firms. Before selecting one, be sure they are affiliated with the American Yacht Charter Association, the Charter Yacht Brokers Association or international groups like the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association, and get references.

The yacht brokers can help you choose the right crewed yacht for your budget. For instance, sailing yachts are less expensive than power boats because they consume less fuel. Size does matter when it comes to boat prices as well. You may choose the number of crew members that come aboard to subsidize the cost. If you don’t want a full crew, then some of your guests may be able to help out on deck occasionally, while the captain steers the ship. In other instances, you can hop aboard a small yacht with a few other couples you have never met for a less private, yet also less expensive, sailing vacation. Some rates include food, crew members and chef expenses, while others may only include the boat. A 10% to 25% hospitality tip is often not always factored into prices. High end charters may require advance payments, while others charge half upfront and the other half at the end of the trip.

There are a number of places to find professional brokers. On the east coast, Nicholson Yachts (www.nicholsonyachts.com) and Sanderson Yachting (www.sandersonyachting.com) service Rhode Island. On the west coast, Angela Connery Yacht Charters (www.acyachtcharters.com), Ocean Voyages (www.oceanvoyages.com) and Ann-Wallis White Charter Yacht Consultants (www.awwyachtcharters.com) service Sausalito, California. In Florida you can try Gilman Yachts (www.gilmanyachts.com) serving Fort Lauderdale. Northrop and Johnson Luxury Collection yachts (www.njcharters.com) service San Diego. For a more expansive listing, try the Charter Yacht Brokers Association at www.cyba.net.

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Technorati Tags: crewed yacht, crewed yacht charters, new yachts, power boats, private yacht charters, sailing charter, sailing vacation, yacht brokers, yacht charter greece

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Are you looking for a sailing yacht to take on your next vacation? Or perhaps you are feeling inclined to buy a boat for better enjoyment of your weekends. After all, nothing beats the shimmer of the sunshine over the bay on a cloudless day. With so many sailing yachts to choose from, it helps to hear a few suggestions from seasoned sailors. Here are Sail Magazine’s latest recommendations.

The Feeling 55 is a large offshore-cruising monohull sailing yacht offered by Alliaura Marine that caught the eye of Sail Magazine editors. The twin 55-horsepower diesel engine picks up when the sail-drives lack the wind power to fly. There is good maneuverability for such a wide boat, which houses a large cockpit and a garage-sized saloon with 360-degree sea views, not to mention opulent accommodations. The gorgeous interior houses a wood-finished bar area with sinks and counter space, comfy bench seating and master suites with lots of storage space and a quaint reading lounge. It is no surprise that many luxury yacht charters have added The Feeling 55 to their repertoire. Visit www.williamsandsmithells.co.uk or www.alliaura.com for more information.

Hunter Marine is one of the biggest names in the yacht world. Over the years, they have impressed audiences with their innovation, including the mainsheet arches, the swept-back spreaders and now with their water-ballasted motorsailer: theEDGE 27. The hull carries a 75-horsepower outboard motor which goes up to 20 MPH and makes a great wake boarding or tubing vessel. The retractable centerboard and rudder allows the sailing yacht to transform into a smooth sailer in gentle winds as well. This boat is ideal for versatile day trip sailing. From day sailers and pocket cruisers to large cruisers and center cockpits, Hunter has a varied fleet to meet almost any need at www.huntermarine.com.

The Outbound 52 has been featured at the Annapolis Boat Show 2009 and Cruising World Magazine, in addition to winning Sail Magazine’s 2009 “Best Boats Flagship” award. At first glance, it is easy to see why this sailing yacht trumps the competition, with spacious cabins, laptop seating and charging areas, built-in radios and mirrors and plenty of storage space every step of the way creates a modern amenity-rich sailing experience. Yet the boat is also just the right size for a cruising couple to handle, not to mention quick and sturdy enough to stand up to surprise storms. Find out more about Outbound Yachts at www.outboundyachts.com.

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Technorati Tags: luxury yacht charters, sail boats, sailing vacation, sailing yacht, sailing yachts

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Taking a sailing yacht charter used to be the pursuit of the rich and famous. Did you know that you could also take a private yacht charter for as little as $1,000/week, all inclusive? Just grab four or five of your closest friends, choose your destination online and go! After all, you have worked hard all year and you deserve this time off. The benefit of private yacht charters is that you will have complete freedom to stop and go as you please, rather than being hustled along by some generic cruise ship itinerary.

Rich culture brings private yacht charter enthusiasts to the Mediterranean Sea, which is bordered by Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Spain, France and Italy. Grab an Italian charter from the Italian Riviera, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, Sicily or Sardinia to take in the picturesque scenery, exceptional cuisine and historic monuments aboard a luxury yacht charter. On a Spain sailing vacation, you will want to pass through ports like Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and the Balearic Islands, where secluded beaches, hidden cultural gems and world renowned entertainment destinations await. The yacht charter Greece has to offer is one of the most popular choices among discerning travelers. The Saronic Gulf, Peloponnesian villages, Cyclades, Dodocanes islands, Sporades, Ioanian and Eastern Aegean provide fabled beauty that is second to none.

For those chilly winter months, why not take a private yacht charter to the warm Caribbean waters? Travelers come to the Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas for the white sandy beaches, the pleasant trade winds, turquoise waters, West Indian cuisine and fun activities year-round. There are more than 100 Virgin Islands, offering a plethora of coves for snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving, surfing, marine-life watching and lounging.

On the shores, you will enjoy dancing, frozen blender drinks, crafts from local artisans and the dramatic mountain peak topography. In the Bahamas, you can feast on spicy cuisine, fish on beautiful beaches, snorkel underwater grottos, gaze upon a habitat of 60,000 flamingos, star gaze the midnight skies, dance in nightclubs and splash around at the world-renowned Atlantis water-park and culture center. A sailing charter in the Cayman Islands will whisk you away to the famous Seven Mile Beach (one of the best in the world!), the historic Pedro St. James castle, scuba diving shipwrecks in Cayman Brac, bird watching the rare red-footed Booby on Little Cayman and partaking in the museums and shops of George Town. Nothing beats the winter blues like a Caribbean yacht excursion!

The Indian Ocean has a lot to offer a private yacht charter. Luxury yacht charters in the Maldives are a rare, exotic winter adventure. Clear-water lagoons, coastal coves brimming with ecological diversity and colorful coral gardens bring many that love to snorkel here. The Seychelles are referred to as “the jewels of the Indian Ocean” and offer more than a hundred islands to explore. The Coco Islands hide black parrots and giant tortoises in misty forests, while simultaneously offering warm tropical lagoons and white sand beaches. The pleasant trade winds are best during the winter and summer months. History buffs will be amazed at the pirate graves, leper hospital ruins and colonial plantation houses. Creole food and French influences also make the Indian Ocean private yacht charters intriguing.

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Technorati Tags: Caribbean yacht, crewed yacht, luxury yacht charters, power boats, private yacht charter, private yacht charters, sailing vacation

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