LADY JOY – Yacht review

Written by Sharon Bahmer, Caribbean and Americas Charter Director, Boatbookings.com

Lady Joy Charter Yacht I recently enjoyed a weekend familiarization trip to St Maarten and Anguilla onboard the 157’ Christiansen, Lady Joy charter yacht built in 2007.

The Yacht
Lady Joy’s elegance and style is splendid throughout. The King Master Suite boasts a private office, two walk in closets and a grand en-suite his and her bathroom. Other accommodations include five additional staterooms and an additional nanny/children’s cabin. She accommodates 12 guests with ease.

Her special features include:
An elevator to all decks, alfresco dining on the sun deck, bridge deck main and aft, VSAT communications and internet available at all times. All staterooms have flat screen Satellite TV, Crestron controllers and Kaleidescape entertainment system for music and videos which has been touted as the œBest of the Best.

Water Toys and transportation include:

22′ Nautica Widebody with twin 115 HP Yamahas
17′ Nautica
2 X 4 stroke Waverunners
2 X Vespa Scooters
Snorkel and SCUBA gear

Exercise equipment including a Stationary Bike, Elliptical Machine and Treadmill

The trip:

Upon boarding we were met by the smiling Captain Michael Lovely and his delightful crew of 9 and were immediately shown to our respective 5 star cabins. The captain then briefed us on safety and chatted about our itinerary.

An elegant, 4 course dinner prepared by French chef, Nicolas Richert, was served alfresco on the bridge deck, which boasts seating for 12 guests. The chef was the highlight of our charter, continually surprising us with his culinary talent and creativity.

On Saturday morning we left the dock in time to meet the scheduled Simpson Bay bridge opening and headed out towards our first stop, Grand Case on the island of St Maarten. Once we arrived, there were several activities to choose from. Snorkeling, diving, walking the beach, shopping in town, kayaking, jet skiing, or simply enjoying being onboard and taking in the surroundings.

We were served a buffet BBQ lunch which was the talk of the rest of the charter because of the variety of the dishes, including BBQ Ribs, Chicken and turkey Kebabs, Jumbo Prawns, mushroom salad, corn on the cob, baked red potatoes with a sour cream dill topping, complimented by a French Chardonnay, finished off with Berry Cobbler and cappuccinos! You will certainly not go hungry on this yacht!

Eager to head out to the next adventure, we motored out to Anguilla, following the coast line to view the famous 5 star resorts along the way. We anchored in Mead Point facing a very pretty beach, which was dotted with upscale small resorts and private homes.

On the last day we made use of the water toys onboard, swam and took a tender ride to Road Bay before heading back to St Maarten’s Marigot Bay.

It was a great thrill to be onboard the prestigious charter yacht, Lady Joy and for a short time to get to know her amenities and crew, in order to assist charter guests with their inquiries regarding the yacht and the region. The yacht and crew and both top notch, and highly recommended.

Posted on January 26, 2009 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Thinking of Greece this summer? Try the Ionian Islands

Greek columns in the Ionian Islands The Greek Ionian Islands, while less known as a charter spot than the Cyclades, offer everything you’d want in a Greek Yacht Charter. These islands, which include Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakinthos, Ithaca, Paxoi and Kythira, are generally less touristy, and are incredibly beautiful. You can find whatever you want for your itinerary, ranging from quiet, unspoiled anchorages to great nightlife. And of course the area is full of amazing history and ruins. Additionally, you can expect great weather in July and August, while you might run up against the Meltemi Winds in those months in the Cyclades.

Here’s a sample 7 day motor yacht itinerary in the Ionian Islands, out of Athens, to get you started.

Right now, you can also get tremendous value and early booking discounts. We have lots of charter yachts in Lefkas, from bareboat sailboats of all sizes and configurations to catamarans, motor yachts and crewed sailing yachts, both classic and modern.

Posted on January 20, 2009 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Where to Charter in 2009 – Sardinia

Charter a Yacht in Sardinia (The fourth in our series of charter destinations that offer good value)

To many in the yachting world, Sardinia is synonomous with Porto Cervo, which is in turn synonomous with high end/expensive. However, if you’re looking for a great value charter destination for 2009, Sardinia may just be your perfect place.

Sardinia is a large island, and if you get outside of Porto Cervo, the prices come down dramatically. There are hundreds of great charter yachts available in ports such as Alghero, Carloforte, etc, and there are excellent itineraries you can plan from each port. And of course, if you want to stop off in Porto Cervo for a day or two along the way, its up to you!

Once on the charter, food is excellent and low cost – you can do very well on pizza, pasta and antipasto!!

Here are two itineraries that may help you make your decision: The Gallurese coast in the north, and a sailing itinerary from Carloforte to Cagliari. Enjoy!

Posted on January 14, 2009 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Where to Charter in 2009 – Thailand

A Thai Wat (The second in our series of where to Charter in 2009 to find fabulous destinations and value for money)

For those who have been to Thailand, it’s always an unforgettable experience. The culture, cuisine, friendly people and beautiful scenery can be quite addictive. Add a charter yacht to the experience, so you can easily reach deserted beaches, avoid the crowds, and see the amazing rock formations in Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea, and you have one of the world’s best possible holidays.

And in these tough times, the fact that the cost of living in Thailand is inexpensive compared to home, makes it one of our favorites for 2009.

The majority of charter yachts are based in Phuket, where we have a wide range of sailboats, catamarans and motor yachts for charter – that will quickly take you away from your day to day stress, into the magic of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.

There also other up and coming Thai destinations such as Koh Chang and Koh Samui. There are fewer charter yachts there, but that means even more undiscovered and pristine sailing grounds!!

To top it off, many of our charter operators and owners are offering amazing specials, throwing in free transfers, gourmet meals, wine, beer and thai massage! If you’re interested, please contact our SE Asia office for full details.

Editors note: All through the recent problems in Thailand, Phuket operated completely
normally. Flights were diverted via Singapore, the Kings Cup Regatta and
Phuket Boat Show went ahead as normal in early December, and not a single
charter was cancelled!

Posted on January 7, 2009 by admin

Where to Charter in 2009 – Croatia!

Hvar, Croatia Given the financial uncertainty throughout the world, we thought we would do a few articles on where to get the most value for your charter dollars/euros/pounds.

Croatia has steadily been growing as a key worldwide Charter Destination, for a number of great reasons. It combines a perfect coastline for chartering: hundreds of pristine islands, clear water, interesting destinations, history, cuisine, with a Mediterranean environment that is very much like it was 1000 years ago. In short, it offers everything you’d want in a Mediterranean charter but significantly less expensive than some of the more “renowned” areas.

Click here for a guide to chartering a yacht in Croatia, or read some of our excellent itineraries such as our 7 day Croatia Sailing Itinerary or our 7 day itinerary from Trogir to Dubrovnik.

Posted on January 6, 2009 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓