One of the Best Yachts Available for Charter on the French Riviera!
LADY AMANDA is the perfect yacht for a fun-filled week on the French Riviera with family and friends or a group of 4 couples! Her outstanding crew led by Captain Ashley, they are ready and waiting to show you the highlights of the French Riviera
With an amazing selection of water toys including jet ski, 2 sea bobs, 5m waterslide from the bridge deck, ocean pool for jellyfish protection, paddleboards, snorkeling gear, waterskis, wakeboard, wakeskate, donut, balloon blast and more to come for 2020!
She offers accommodation for up to 10 guests in 4 double cabins, 2 with Pullman berths and a stunning saloon area with a dining table on the interior complemented by her well-presented sundeck complete with dining, sunbathing area, and jacuzzi! LADY AMANDA really offers everything you could wish for!
Contact Cordy now to book your French Riviera Yacht Charter.
February is over and March shows no sign of heating up, the winter blues set in.. Wave goodbye to cold temperatures and charter a yacht with Boatbookings for an unforgettable Spring experience. Broker Alice provides an insight into the best places to sail in March, April and May to escape the April Showers.
Where to go when…
March
The BVI
Undoubtedly, the best destination for sailing in March is the British Virgin Islands. The trade winds are reliable and the islands are more tranquil than during the Christmas holidays. These islands profit from excellent sailing conditions, a dry climate, reliable trade winds and an excellent island hopping- bar culture. Visit the baths on Virgin Gorda, the new Willy T’s, the wreck of the Rhone. If you are feeling adventures head across to Anegada for some unforgettable conch fritters!
Guadeloupe
Get a taste of the outdoors in Guadeloupe. Whether you’re into remote beaches, exotic hikes in rainforests or scuba-diving amongst turtles on and coral gardens, this is the sailing destination for you. Tip- for those into French diving heroes, there is a statue of Jaques Cousteau located just off from Pigeon island (Bouillante, Basse Terre).
April
A favourite month of the year in the Caribbean. This month homes in some unforgettable regattas, idyllic trade wind conditions and consistently warm temperatures.
Antigua Race Week
Head over to Antigua at the end of April to take part in one of the most competitive sailing regattas on the globe. Not only is the sailing amazing, there is a mixture of great Caribbean BBQ’s and social events taking place during the week. The infamous Lay Day takes place on a neighbouring beach and is a must-do activity!
May
St Vincent and the Grenadines
As the rain and wind season begins in the Leewards head down to the Grenadines at the heart of the Windward Caribbean Islands to catch the last of the Caribbean sun and winds. The Grenadines are a quieter alternative than the Leeward islands and are home to some of the lushest vegetation across the Caribbean.
Turkey
An up and coming charter destination, Turkey hosts some of the best wind and climate conditions for a charter in the Mediterranean. Unspoilt beaches, historical ruins, a unique cultural experience, secluded bays and excellent marina facilities make Turkey one of the best destinations to visit.
Get in contact with the Boatbookings team today to start to plan your Spring Yacht Charter!
Thinking about having a holiday on the water, or planning to upgrade on your Bahamas cruise? Read here!
Price
Roughly speaking, you are looking roughly between £750 – £2,000 per cabin, 7 days, for a cruise liner. If you are going away with family, this could amount up to £2,250 – £6,000 – before you even start to factor in the extortionate dinner prices, and excursions.
For £6,000 you can charter a 2019 Catamaran with a skipper and have the yacht to yourselves. Of course, there are other costs to factor in but as a whole, when wanting to have a holiday on the water with the family, a private charter is more often than not, a better choice economically compared to a cruise liner.
Itinerary
Cruise liners are very good at having a set itinerary. You know where you will be on what day, and at what port. Due to the size, and with the number of bodies on board, it is imperative that they stick to a schedule (yes they leave people behind if they are not on board!)
Cruise liners are absolutely huge, often referred to as ‘death’ by sailors sailing past them and can pretty much go through any weather (within reason) allowing them to stick to their schedule.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I’d say I stick to a holiday itinerary about 40% of the time. I always seem to discover parts that I would like to explore more – with a private charter, it gives you the flexibility to do so. On your valuable week off from work, do you really want your week to be so structured to the minute? The answer is probably no…
Food and drink
How can I put this politely….. there are roughly 3000+ guests on one cruise ship, so expect mass-produced, soulless food. Now if that’s your cup of tea – great!!! A cruise is for you. If you, however, want personalised meals, often made with local produce, in a local way then a private charter is for you. The private charter chef will have received your preference sheets and created a bespoke menu based on your dietary requirements, likes, dislikes, allergies etc. Why would you ever opt for anything less?!
Comfort and atmosphere
Cruise liners, similarly referred to as a hotel on water, really does equate to what you pay for. The interior rooms are like a small motel, while the suites offer a more luxurious vibe (they do come with a hefty price tag). On a yachting vacation, regardless of it being a private charter or a cruise, you won’t really spend a lot of room in the bedroom. However, you will spend a lot of your time on the decks. If this is on a private charter, there is no better place to hang out than on the bow, or flybridge (if your yacht has one). On a cruise liner, you have the inside entertainment areas and outside areas such as the swimming pool. The seating works just like a hotel -first come first serve with 8 am sprints needed to ensure you get a place around the pool.
The bottom line
If you want to get up close and personal with the desired country that you visit, a private charter is for you. The flexibility and adaptability to your needs surpass anything that cruise liners could ever give you. To find out more, chat to one of us today!
So, you’ve just passed your skipperqualification and you’re looking for somewhere to test out your new skills. The only things is; where?! Seeing as 71% of the world is covered in water you have a lot of choices, but it’s making the right choice that will better your first experience as a skipper.
Number 1. The Ionian, Greece. (July and August).
Foki Bay, Ionian.
The Ionian is the perfect place to shake out the sails on your own! With protected anchorages and steady calm winds during the high season, it’s the perfect alternative to the Cyclades.
Most of the sailing is done by line of sight, so don’t worry too much if your chart reading isn’t slick yet.
Various anchorages offering great holding and even better protection from prevailing winds.
There are many town quays which means free moorings! If you cant get onto that, then you can always moor up to a restaurant for a free night. (You will have to eat in the restaurant).
Winds are very consistant F1/2 in the morning F2/3 in the afternoon and 90% of the time they will be north westerlies.
The Ionian is less saturated with yachts compared to the Cyclades meaning maneuvering/mooring is less stressful.
Number 2. French Riviera, France. (June and September).
Protected anchorages between the Porquerolles islands. The water around there is similar to the Caribbean!
June and September is less crowded and less competition with the big superyachts
Enjoy beautiful french cuisine along the Cote d’Azur.
Number 3. Split, Croatia. (June and September).
Plakinski Islands
Croatia is becoming one of the fastest-growing yachting areas in the world and it’s not hard to understand why. The island-hopping, line of sight sailing and picturesque anchorages creates a perfect place for you to test out your new skills.
Steady winds throughout the morning and afternoons
Warm weather, and ever warmer seas!
Easy anchoring, with mooring buoys at almost every anchorage.
Island hopping sailing, so you are able to do short stints and no exhaust your new crew.
If you are a newly qualified skipper, and need some advice on sailing locations do not hesitate to get in contact with us. We are all sailors, and travel experts, this means we are better to advise on your perfect charter holiday!
Forget the crowded ferry type boats and create your own whale watching tour. See these marvelous creatures from the comfort of your own Sailing Yacht. There are several elements that you need to take into consideration before galavanting off to greet the peaceful giants. The WhitsundaysEscape has created the picture below, but this applies to pretty much everyone and everywhere!
Make as little impact to the whales as possible. If the whales are ‘logging’ (sleeping) do not rev your yacht and do circles around them.
Admire them from at least 10-15 boat lengths apart.
Donate to a local charity that is protecting the Whalesso generations ahead can still view these magnificent giants.
Educate yourselves on the whales. Some are shy, some are more inquisitive.
Be respectful. If there are several yachts surrounding one whale its time to go. Don’t be that person. Lead by example.
Every year, thousands of Gray whales travel between Mexico and Alaska, this is one of the longest migrations in the water! From December to March/April time, they give birth in the warm and shallow waters off the Baja California, Mexico.
This picture was taken in front of Pico Island, Azores.
You name it, the biggest ones are there! Blue whales are the biggest animals to have ever lived on this planet – they are breathtaking large. There are only a few places in the world where you are able to see them, and the Azores is one of them! Blue whales pass the Azores on their way to the north – best time: between April and May. Plenty of other big whales pass by the islands, too, including Sei, Fin and the resident Sperm whales.
This picture was taken at Cape Cod. This is a bubble feeding technique whales use to catch a lot of fish in one time. They are doing this mostly in groups.
As the summer begins, any of the North American coasts are a great option! Specifically, around Newport, you have access to the Cape where sea wildlife is in abundance. Quebec, British Columbia, New England, Washington, and Oregon are among the best places in the world for whale watching. Most likely to see: Humpbacks, Fin whales and Minke whales on the east coast.
Whales visit Australia from the cold seas of the Antarctic to give birth in the warm, shallow protected waters of the stunning Whitsundays. They can be seen from June – September. Whales are a common sight playing around the islands, and even far as the Great Barrier Reef. If you want to see the happy newborns joyfully breaching, the north-east coast really is the place to be!
If you are looking to incorporate seeing these stunning animals into your charter please get in contact today so we can advise the best yacht and area to visit! If you have already planned your charter and looking for inspiration please take into consideration the 5 points listed above.
