Florida Yacht Charter

Florida and more specifically Fort Lauderdale is the yachting capital of the USA. All the international charter brokers, yacht brokers and crewing agencies have an office in Fort Lauderdale which also has the infrastructure to support the yachting industry. The annual boat show in October is the largest in the USA. Not all the charter yachts are based in Fort Lauderdale, there are many available for charter on the Gulf coast.

The Florida Keys are the most popular sailing area and many wonderful days can be had here. The Florida Keys are over 100 miles long from Key Largo in the east to Key West at the other end. The islands can be grouped into five areas but with many islands and communities in each group. Each group has its own distinct flavor and all should be visited.

Key Largo, is the closest key to the mainland and the home of the world?s largest artificial reef, a 510ft sunken warship. It is also home to the spectacular John Pennekamp Coral Reef Underwater State Park and the famous Christ of the Abyss underwater statue. It really is rich for divers and snorkelers as well as for visiting yachtsmen and restaurants offering Florida Keys seafood are in abundance.

Islamorada, means purple isle and is recognised as the sport fishing capital of the world. There are many diving and snorkeling sites. Islamorada has an abundance of restaurants, bars and entertainment.

Marathon, is in the heart of the Florida Keys and is popular year round for sport fishing and water activities.

The extensive group of islands known as the Lower Keys includes Big Pine Key, Cudjoe Key, Sugarloaf Key and many more. Just above Key West, this group of islands are known for their natural beauty and abundant wildlife.

Key West, the southernmost city in the continental United State, has the tropical flavor of the Caribbean with beautiful water, historical attractions and non stop activities. Famous for its association with Ernest Hemingway, Key West has so much to offer the visitor and yachtsman.

The Florida Keys are not the only sailing area to visit in Florida. You can also enjoy sailing and exploring bays, rivers, estuaries, barrier islands and the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Secluded anchorages, upscale marinas, parks with nature preserves, hundreds of restaurants and a great diversity of shopping are all part of the Tampa Bay Experience. A perfect chain of barrier islands protects the coastline and is one of the largest protected bays in the country. Although the area is fairly shallow in nature, it is well documented and full of navigational aids. With a wide variety of seaside towns, secluded anchorages and fine marinas, captains and crew will enjoy the beautiful white sandy beaches, sparkling blue waters, gentle winds, abundant birds and dolphins.

Bruce Walls is an experienced yachtsman. Read more articles here FloridaYachtCharter

2004 Olympics and Yachting in Greece

Everybody knows that the Olympic Games are due to be held in Athens in 2004. Apart from the accepted consequences, positive and negative, for the city of Athens and Greece in general this sporting extravaganza will seriously affect the yachting fraternity from mid-July to mid-September.

Two major crises will afflict the greater Athens area i.e. transportation and accommodation. I will refer to certain aspects of transportation later but the accommodation problem will directly affect yachtsmen. How, you might ask ? I will tell you.

The Greek government is trying many ways to obviate the shortage of about 40,000 rooms. Athenians are being asked to offer rooms to visitors in their own homes and 11 cruise ships are being chartered and moored in Piraeus harbour for the duration of the Games. Not wishing to be left out of this possible bonanza, yacht owners will be offering their yachts as floating hotels in all the marinas along the Athens coastline, particularly Marina Alimos. Nor will this be restricted to Athenian yacht owners, as owners from all over Greece will be climbing on the bandwagon and will be moving their yachts into the Athens area for the Games. Many yachts are already booked to regular charterers and thus the prices for the period will go up to alarming levels, not to mention the shortage of available yachts.

Another serious problem will be the human waste from all these vessels. Piraeus harbour and all the marinas in the vicinity will become enormous sewage dumps. The people chartering these yachts as hotels are not yachties and will not know, or care, about the use of holding tanks and will simply dump the results of the exercising of normal human bodily functions into the sea. The shore facilities in these marinas will be nine times overstretched.

I promised to refer to transportation again because there will be massive shortages of flights over the period. Don't miss the boat - book early your flight aswell.

You must also realise that the influx of yachts into Athens will produce shortages all over Greece, not only for the period from mid-July to mid-September, but beyond because of the positioning and re-positioning times of the floating hotels.

My advice, therefore, is that if you are a yacht owner avoid Athens for the period, unless you are going to watch the Games, and if you are going to charter - DO IT EARLY, not forgetting to book your flights at the same time. The "last minute booking" syndrome is not going to work in 2004 for the crucial period of the Games and the immediate pre and post period - say 15 July to 15 September.

Finally - how early is early enough ? I would say by Christmas 2003, at the very latest. This way you will both enjoy the early booking discounts, which most of the charter companies are offering, and get the yacht of your choice from the base of your choice. Almi Yachts statistics are showing that by February all yachts will be booked for July/August 2004 and only dinghies will be available!

Alex. Vournas is the owner and managing director of Almi Yachts ltd, a yacht charter company in Greece. He is also the web designer and SEO for www.almiyachts.com

avournas@almiyachts.com

Choose A Caribbean Charter Yacht ? Three Varieties To Choose From

When choosing a Caribbean charter yacht, there are three categories of yachts. They are power yachts, sailing yachts and multihull sailing yachts, such as catamarans and trimarans. You can also have a special Caribbean charter to learn about the art of sailing a yacht. This will give you the knowledge and training you need to charter a yacht all on your own without the need of a captain and crew. When you book a Caribbean charter yacht, you can browse the yacht catalog to choose the yacht that best meets your needs.

You can choose a Caribbean yacht charter that specializes in bringing passengers to the best scuba diving locations. This type of yacht has all the space you need for storing your equipment as well as staterooms and a dining room. If you are new to scuba diving, you can take lessons from the skilled crew of the Carribean yacht charter and get the instruction that you need. There are times when you can just relax on the deck of the Caribbean charter yacht or enjoy trips onshore to experience the true Caribbean culture.

The company you choose to deal with for your Caribbean yacht charter will supply you with a sample itinerary for a week long vacation. However, you don?t have to stick to this schedule and you can make different decisions where you want to travel on the Caribbean charter yacht. The Carribean islands you choose do have to be navigable and have appropriate anchorages and the captain will be able to give you advice about this aspect of the charter. You do charter the yacht yourself, so you won?t have to share your Caribbean yacht charter with another group.

There are occasions when you can book a Caribbean charter yacht where you do not know the other passengers. An example of this could be a singles only charter or a ladies only charter. Of course, you will know this when you make the booking for a Carribean yacht charter, but it is helpful to know that you can enjoy a yacht charter without having a group of your own lined up. While you might think that a Caribbean yacht charter is very expensive, but when you compare it with the cost of a vacation at a tropical resort, there is very little difference between the prices.

Fly to the island of St. Thomas to meet the Caribbean charter yacht. From there you can sail to the island of St. John and have a leisurely lunch on board the yacht. Spend some time swimming, walk along the beach and drink in the Caribbean sunset. When you arrive back at the yacht, there will be a scrumptious meal waiting for you. If this sounds like an idyllic vacation, there is a Caribbean charter yacht waiting for you to make your booking.

Looking For The Best Yacht Charter - Cannes Film Festival Offers Luxury Charters

For yacht charters, Cannes is the place to go when you want to experience the life of the rich and famous. Take in the famous Cannes Film Festival and cruise along the French Riviera. From the moment you step on the yacht, there will be a professional crew to serve you. Although the yacht charter company may suggest an itinerary, you may have different places you want to visit. As long as there are good anchorages, you can choose your own itinerary with yacht charters. Cannes is the ultimate destination, but there are many sights to see along the way. Yacht charters in Cannes are hard to beat.

You don't have to choose luxury yacht charters. Cannes also has bareboat yacht charters that you can crew on your own as long as you have sailing experience. You also have to be very cognizant of the differences in sailing in this part of the world if you have never done so before. If you want to charter a yacht, Cannes experts will tell you that it is best to make your first trip with an experienced crew and learn what the potential dangers might be. Then you can charter a yacht on your own and set out on a unique adventure.

Technology has made its way into yacht charters. Cannes luxury yachts have Internet connections so you can keep in touch with home or the office while you are enjoying your time at sea. If you book a bareboat charter yacht, Cannes yacht charter companies do not provide Internet access on these boats. The idea is for you to enjoy the thrill of sailing, so you will not have the amenities of the luxury yachts. If you choose a crewed yacht charter, you will still have a chef to cook your meals, so you can enjoy the flavor of Cannes offshore as well as on land.

Choose Cannes as one of your ports of call when you book yacht charters. Cannes has all the flair of living life to the fullest. If you plan your vacation around the Cannes Film Festival, you will one of many that charter yachts to Cannes at this time of the year. This will give you an opportunity to rub shoulders with the stars of the film industry and take in some of the best films of the year. You do have to plan the trip and be very certain about the number of passengers you want to take with you on the yacht. International maritime law states that there can be no more than 12 passengers on yacht charters. If you intend to have more than this number in your party, then you will have to let the yacht charter company know so it can get the special registration required.

When you book crewed yacht charters to Cannes, you will have to leave your pets at home. Most yacht charter companies do not allow pets on board and because of the close quarters, smoking is prohibited inside. If you are travelling to France from another country for the express purpose of booking a yacht charter, you will need to present your passport in order to board the yacht. Charters to Cannes are subject to the customs and immigration rules and regulations.

To find out more about Sailing Vacations visit Peter's Website Your Sailing Vacation and find out about Luxury Yacht Charters and more, including Caribbean Yacht Charters, Crewed Yacht Charters, Bareboat Charters and Florida Charters.

Yacht Charters Provide a Luxurious Escape

 

Ernest Hemingway, the Nobel laureate author of “Old Man And The Sea,” loved to go on fishing expeditions off the Cuban coast in a sailboat that was well stocked with rum.

James Bond, the legendary British spy, loved to spend intimate moments with his newfound female companion on a yacht near a remote island in the Caribbean.

Away from the maddening crowd, in complete isolation, is what the fictional celebrity, and the celebrated fiction-writer, sought after every hectic assignment – Bond chasing enemies and Hemmingway chasing real-life action.

In real life, the rich and famous all over the world often spend their dream vacations in a boat they own, in faraway seas beyond the prying eyes of the paparazzi and the scandal-mongering newshounds.

Honeymooners, famous or not, also love being alone.

And then, there are the CEOs of mega corporations that hold business-cum-fun excursions on the high seas in luxury motor yachts to strike deals and seal takeovers. Or, just to enjoy their earned holidays.

Dream holidays on a well-equipped, well-stocked yacht are not just for the rich and mighty; they are within your reach, too. Just charter a yacht and sail off to your dream destination.

You can pick your own route, set your own pace, chose your own cuisines, chalk out your own itinerary, make stopovers whenever you feel like, and be the master of the yacht until you return to the shore.

A crew yacht charter vacation is like staying in a villa where you are pampered by a staff, but is unlike a hotel where you are stuck in the same location for the entire week. Your yacht moves on to a new location at your whim and fancy.

A charter yacht comes with a captain and cook. The price, which ranges from $8,000 to $250,000 per week, is linked to the size and type of the yacht and the services they provide. The price is inclusive of the charter meals and wines.

Yacht Charters Info provides detailed information about yacht charters, including Caribbean and Mediterranean yacht charters, as well as luxury, crewed, motor, private, and corporate yacht charters. Yacht Charters Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.