Tag Archives: Caribbean

Vegan Yacht Chefs

A rise of veganism worldwide has meant that there is more demand than ever for chefs that can cater to a vegan diet. A vegan diet involves cutting out animal products like meat, fish, dairy and eggs and in Great Britain in 2016, there are estimated to be around 540,000 vegans. Therefore, we have found our favourite yachts with chefs that can cater to vegan clients in the Bahamas, the Amalfi Coast, the French Riviera and Greece.

NITSA

NITSA is based in Fort Lauderdale and available to charter in the Bahamas. Chef Katie grew up baking long before she learned to cook. Over the years she’s been able to study a wide variety of cuisines, including time in Florence, Italy and has developed an appreciation for myriad styles and flavour palates. At the same time, she’s seen the effects (good and bad) of how food & nutrition relate to the quality of life—personally, professionally, and medically. It encouraged her to leave New York City after a decade in the book publishing industry to study with renowned vegan chef, Alexx Guevara, at his culinary center at The Ranch at Live Oak in Malibu, California.

From there, she worked with Chef Alexx at Sanctuary Treatment Center, where she co-directed the nutritional and culinary program at this boutique women’s residential rehabilitation, including teaching classes, where the focus was on restoring clients’ dietary and nutritional health alongside their own recovery. Currently, Katie directs the culinary program for GroundSea Fitness, a yoga & wellness retreat held several times each year in the Berkshire Mountains, where she creates and executes this ovo-vegetarian program, including the addition of tonics, house-made teas and elixirs, and locally-sourced bone broths.

SOLO

Based in Genoa in summer and Antigua in winter, SOLO Chef Gionata was born in Italy and has been a Chef for 25 years, working for many VIPs in some of the best restaurants in the world. He received a Michelin star and have been reviewed in the best gourmet guides. As a superyacht Chef, he believes that the cuisine served is not only a showpiece but nutrition as well.

His passion for food varies from creating the perfect roast dinner to a 7-courses degustation menu to show a whole range of different cooking techniques and products. He also specialises in vegan, vegetarian and low-calorie diets. He is also up to date with all the latest cooking techniques, methods & equipment so that he can keep up with the best and latest restaurants. Cooking demonstrations with the guests either at the table or in the kitchen are also a special touch he likes to offer the charter guests.

MINOU

Marco is a native of Sardinia and after graduating from the Italian Chef Academy, he began working on the Costa Smeralda. His passion and curiosity led him to enrol in masterclasses of vegan and vegetarian cooking, bakery and pastry-making and gather a growing following. Marco has also taught classes of Italian and Sardinian cooking. To this day he is often invited to cook private dinners abroad.

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Scuba Diving in the British Virgin Islands

When someone says “tropical island paradise” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Sandy beaches as far as the eye can see stretching mystically beneath the satisfyingly sapphire water?
Perhaps the beach in mind is paired with a nestling of sun-strengthened palms; a melange of white gold complemented beautifully by the emerald, carelessly natural presence of the proud standing palm trees; such a scene, glistening with subtle pride, reminiscent of a piece of royal jewelry boasting a plethora of colorful stones… We can all picture our ideal Island Haven, but you may not know that you can find such timeless scenes just around the ocean’s corner.

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Broker Alice’s Top 5 Insights for Your 2019 Charter

1. Book your sailing boat to beat the winter blues and head to the Bahamas before its too late! Some of my top recommendations for the Bahamas are the Lagoon 42 and 450 catamarans and Pegasus, a 40 foot Jeanneau. Either charter in Nassau, island hop around the Exumas and visit pig beach or in Marsh Harbour to anchor upon amongst the idyllic Abaco Islands.
Catamaran – Lagoon 42
Catamaran – Lagoon 450
2. Get your friends together to book the ultimate vacation sailing around Croatia this summer. Starting from Split or Trogir a two-hour sail a day in crystal blue waters can take you from quaint fishing villages to the party islands of Hvar. I would suggest the Lagoon 52 for a skippered experience, the Saona 47 or a Sun Odyssey 449 for the ultimate sailing experience.
3. Guadeloupe- find France within the Caribbean. Navigate around the archipelago of islands and immerse yourself amongst the green landscapes of this fascinating mixture of the Caribbean and French influences.
Be sure to visit the waterfalls of Grande Terre, eat Creole dishes with the friendly locals and visit Jaques Cousteau’s dive site at Bouillante which offers some of the best diving in the world, the instructors will even pick you up from your yacht to take you diving!
Sailing around this island is rugged, inspiring and sophisticated at the same time. I would suggest the Sun Odyssey 509 for exploring and sailing performance or the spacious Catana 47 catamaran for the ultimate Guadeloupe sailing trip with friends and family.
Visit my Guadeloupe blog to see why this Caribbean island needs to be on your 2019 sailing to do list!
4. August on the French Riviera – Sail from Cannes to Monaco and spend the nights at anchor overlooking some of the most glamorous locations in Europe or in the slightly smaller ports of Golfe Juan or Villefranche to avoid the busy ports of Cannes or Nice. Boats to charter are the monohulls such as the Sun Odyssey 349  or the Oceanis 48 for a romantic break or a family holiday or add a hostess on a catamaran such as the Lagoon 450 to receive the five-star treatment of the French Riviera.
5. Summer island hopping the Cyclades from Athens. Start your bareboat charter in the ancient city of Athens and spend a week exploring the iconic Cyclades islands. Spend each night on a different island and explore some of the finest Mediterranean beach clubs, ancient ruins and the traditional white rooftops of Santorini and Mykonos. Catamarans are the best way to explore these islands with friends and family but if you want to profit from some of the most idyllic winds in the world take the Oceanis 62 and profit from its sailing capabilities.
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5 Reasons to Charter a Yacht in Guadeloupe

After spending five months living as a local in Guadeloupe, our charter broker Alice, found many reasons to charter in this Franco-African archipelago known by many as “Gwada”. A mixture of languages, cultures and activities makes these islands among the most diverse that the Caribbean has to offer. Here is why:

1. Island Hopping
The sailing possibilities are endless around the five islands that make up the French Caribbean archipelago of Guadeloupe. Each Island of Guadeloupe has a distinct and raw vibe and still manages stay in tune with its African and French roots.

  • Grande Terre –  Perfect for surfing, Creole inspired food markets and white sand beaches. 

One of the many stunning beaches on Grande Terre

A collection of Caribbean spices at a market in Grande Terre

  • Basse Terre –  A perfect stop off to visit waterfalls, diving, natural beauty spots including the national park and natural hot baths. 

Basse Terre

  • La Désirade   

La Désirade

  • Iles des Saintes – This archipelagio within the archipelago is a sailors paradise, ideal for exploring on bike and for water activities such as paddleboarding. 

Iles des Saintes

  • Marie-Galante –  Well known for beaches such as La Feuillère, its stunning coral reef and 19th century sugar-cane plantation. 

Or If you fancy visiting even more islands you can always sail to to neighbouring islands of Antigua (33 nautical miles), Dominica (26 nautical miles) or Martinique (52 nautical miles).  

2. The perfect blend of Rhum and Croissants
Due to its French legacy, every street in this Creole paradise will have a French Patisserie and, most definitely, a Rhumerie. Creole specialities are diverse from every other Caribbean island and typically include accras de morue (cod fritters), bananes flambées, fricassé de poulpe (octopus) and even a deep fried ‘Bokit’ sandwich with a variety of French fillings. It may be the only place in the world where a relaxing two hour lunch is acceptable. To begin, a Ti’Punch, a rum based aperitif, followed by a Caribbean curry and a bottle of French wine. From the finest of restaurants to street shacks, you are guaranteed to be able to find some of the most diverse food and drink that the Caribbean has to offer.

3. Diving
The diving schools on the Reserve Cousteau are among the most reputable in the world. There is even a Jacques Cousteau statue at one of the dive sites. The relaxed nature of these French dive schools will give you an authentic experience exploring these crystal waters, and the opportunity to see some of the largest varieties of fish in the Caribbean. There area multitude of diving options from snorkelling, first time diving, exploring or deep shipwreck dives.

4. The Beaches
There are 270 beaches spread across the islands of Guadeloupe and all are known to be gorgeous. There are both white and black sand beaches and even volcanos in the distant landscape. Each beach has a different vibe and many have quaint beach bars that serve planteur until the early hours.

5. Accessibility
There are direct flights from Miami, New York and Paris to Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe’s main airport, which makes this archipelago of islands a must-visit for your next charter. There is also a ferry service from Antigua and many flights from other Caribbean islands.

Boatbookings has been organising charters in the Caribbean for over 14 years. If you are interested in chartering a yacht in Guadeloupe, please do get in touch with our expert brokers here. We have yachts available for charter in many amazing Caribbean destinations.

For further information about passports and visas when visiting Guadeloupe, click here.

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Superyacht of the Week: CLOUD 9

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Stunning Superyacht CLOUD NINE – Image Credit: Yachtfolio.

You will undoubtedly be on cloud 9 with this extravagant and contemporary yacht! At 74m, CLOUD 9 boasts four exquisite decks, each offering entertainment and luxurious amenities. She is chosen as our Super Yacht of the Week due to her unique features – including her impressive beach club, sizeable main deck pool, saloon cinema and last but by no means least, the sky lounge dining area, these make her stand out from other yachts her size and design.

CLOUD 9 spends her summers along the fantastic French Riviera, before crossing the ocean to the Caribbean to chase the sun. The lower deck offers a beach club, unrivalled by most, so you can enjoy the colourful French Riviera towns such as Villefranche from the privacy of your own yacht. Sip a cool beverage of your choice served to you by your attentive crew, before sampling the wide array of water sports on offer. Get your adrenaline pumping off the coast of Monaco flying through the ocean on the Jetski, or get on the paddleboard and explore the secluded coves close up.

The yacht offers a Jacuzzi, so you can admire the idyllic Caribbean islands float past as you bathe in the bubbles. As the sun goes down head to the upper deck which provides the upmost comfort on its beanbags and sunpads, so you can unwind with a sundowner and enjoy the views with friends and family.

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Check out this dreamy upper sundeck! Image credit: Yachtfolio

For dinner, CLOUD 9 offers an unrivalled setting. The circular table enjoys the comfort and warmth of inside in the intricate interior, yet the glass revolving doors offer panoramic views of the serene spot of anchorage. As you sample the creative cuisine your private chef provides, you can feel the gentle summer breeze whilst getting a taste of local delights.

Enter the main saloon and you are welcomed into a world of elegance and style. The colourful furnishings and textured walls add personality to CLOUD 9, creating characteristic surroundings that everyone will appreciate. Do not forget that CLOUD 9 is a 2017 build, so you have all the contemporary features and the latest technology throughout.

The cabins will ensure a peaceful night’s sleep and enable you to feel right at home. The owner’s deck has large windows facing the bow, so as soon as you wake up you are faced with utter bliss. Moreover, it extends into a terrace which is a remarkable feature brimming with exclusivity and charm to enjoy a light breakfast or to get stuck into a book.

CLOUD 9 is available for charter in the Caribbean and Bahamas in the winter months, and Mediterranean in the Summer months – based out of Monaco on the French Riviera. She is for charter starting at €875,000 per week plus expenses. If CLOUD 9 floats your boat, speak to our expert brokers who will guide you through the process of chartering!

 

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