Luxury Lürssen Super Yacht OCTOPUS comes to the rescue, again!

Lürssen 126.2m OCTOPUS has come to the rescue yet again for a second time in 2012, with its crew helping a stricken sailor who had come into danger after damaging its sails. They came across the 11.6m sailing yacht, Sequel, whose crew had activated a 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) 645 miles south-west of San Diego, California. Octopus’ crew had earlier in the year conducted a search for a missing plane, whilst cruising in the Pacific Ocean. Lürssen yachts are normally associated with cutting edge design, luxury and elegance and not sea rescue!

S/Y Sequel was on its way to Catalina when its sails were damaged, rendering it helpless and prompting the US Coast Guard to request Octopus to assist the damaged yacht, as an Amver participating vessel. Amver is a US Coast Guard-sponsored ship reporting system for the assistance of vessels in distress. According to the Amver blog, Octopus arrived on the scene within three hours. The blog continued:

‘Octopus’ embarked a 37 year old passenger from the sailboat and transferred 80 litres of fuel, food, and water to the skipper of the ‘Sequel’ who was refusing to abandon his sailboat. The sailboat was only making four knots but the skipper insisted he could make the voyage to California.??The passenger embarked on 'Octopus' was complaining of stomach pains and was treated by nursing staff on-board the megayacht. ‘Octopus' disembarked the survivor in Honolulu.

Watch this space for the latest industry show releases, news and gossip in the yachting world. If you liked the content on this page and our previous posts, please become a fan and like our Facebook page to receive up to date information on our publications.

Posted on December 17, 2012 by admin

Chartering a Pershing Luxury Yacht!

Pershing are one of the most prestigious yachting brands in the market, renowned for their sleek lines, sporty performance and extremely high build quality. The brand has been around for the past 25 years and their three aims of innovation, passion and creativity have been the basis of their designs and success. The Italian manufacturer uses advanced construction methods,powerful engines producing 7400 MHP, surface propellers, hydrojets and gas turbines to give a distinctive style and sporty performance, reaching speeds of up to 52 knots! Pershing yachts are produced at the Mondolfo yard – a cutting edge 55,000 sq. meter site, where production meets design and technology.

One of our favourite Pershing yachts is the 90ft TIGER LILY OF LONDON, available for charter in Spain and the Balearic Islands. She is the ‘ultimate stylish charter yacht’, accommodating up to 6 guests in 3 cabins. She is perfect for charters around Ibiza and Formentera, providing guests with unadulterated luxury and some of the best lounging decks, which are perfect for sunbathing. She combines great looks and luxury with performance, traveling at speeds of up to 44 knots! She will catch the eye of everyone, no matter whether you are passing a cruise ship or a 90m super yacht. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to charter this Pershing next summer!

Another great Pershing luxury charter yacht is the 88ft hard top SPIRIT OF ZEN, available for charter in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. This Pershing has 4 well appointed cabins that will cater for even the most discerning guests and is available for events such as the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. She is available for day charters, accommodating up to 12 guests and would make the ideal luxury birthday present. We look forward to your enquiries!

Our top Pershing luxury yacht has to be the stunning 115ft MISTRAL 55, available for charters on the French Riviera. This is one of the most luxurious and visually impressive yachts available for charter and is arguably better looking than a Palmer Johnson! She is available for day charters from Cannes and will have you in Portofino by lunch time, reaching speeds of 50 knots with the use of a gas turbine. She is a ‘must’ to charter and we cannot recommend her highly enough!

Have you never chartered before? At www.boatbookings.com, we welcome everyone from sailing professionals to complete novices and will help you at every step of the way to make your dreams a reality. We have a team of highly skilled professionals who are extremely knowledgeable in their destinations and will be able to help you with any questions you may have.

Posted on December 13, 2012 by admin

Another reason to Charter a Luxury Yacht!

Yesterday, we published our first blog trying to convince you that chartering a luxury yacht was one of the best experiences in the world. Today – we will show you another reason, especially if you’re a ‘foodie’, why you should charter a luxury yacht in 2013! We were recently inspired by the food on show at the Antigua Yacht Show 2012, having experienced some of the best gastronomy that would match the food in top European kitchens! No matter whether you were on a 60ft Monohull or a 60m Super Yacht and sampling homemade breads and cupcakes to poached lobster and champagne, the food at this years show was truly stunning.

Do you prefer a light lunch? Two of our favourites were a stunning carpaccio of wahoo with a soy dressing and a very simple prawn salad with fresh herbs and bulgar wheat tabbouleh.We were also very impressed with the poached lobster, served on a timbal of mango and cilantro salad with a lobster claw tempura. Charterers with a sweet tooth would have loved the banana cake, which was served with flambeed bananas and homemade vanilla ice cream. The food on board was truly scrumptious!

If you are looking for Luxury Crewed Catamaran with great food, look no further than the Privilege 75, MATAU. This crewed catamaran features 4 cabins, accommodating up to 8 guests with a fantastic can-do crew. The master cabin is quite something and offers incredible space for a Catamaran of this size. There is nothing better after a relaxing days sunbathing than to enjoy a cocktail and canapes whilst watching the sunset before a private lavish dinner. She is in great condition and the open-plan layout makes her a very sociable yacht and therefore, one of the finest in the Caribbean.

Do you need some inspiration where to charter? One of the most popular destinations is the BVI, using Tortola as a start destination. Many people choose to charter in the BVI for the following reasons:

1) There are plenty of islands to explore
2) The weather around Christmas makes for the perfect destination.
3) The water is crystal clear and tranquil
4) Great choice of yachts, including some of the worlds best crewed catamarans.
5) Easily accessible from the U.S.

Posted on December 12, 2012 by admin

Why should you charter a Luxury Yacht?

Chartering a Luxury Yacht is one of the best experiences on this planet. There is nothing that can beat the feeling of exploring the natural beauty of the world on board a luxury yacht with the ones that you love. A yacht provides privacy, comfort and space that you cannot always get on a vacation without booking into a private resort, making a luxury yacht charter a truly viable option for your next holiday. We believe that there is a yacht out there for everyone, no matter what your age, hobbies, taste or budget.

WHISPER is one of the most stunning luxury crewed monohulls available for charter. Accommodating up to 6 guests in 3 stunning cabins, this luxury yacht is perfect for couples who want to escape the stresses of everyday life and soak up the natural beauty and tranquility of the Caribbean Sea. Available for charter in the Virgin Islands, WHISPER would be the ideal choice for exploring the coves and private beaches of the BVI.

Thousands of people get married every year and toil about where to go on their honeymoon. A honeymoon is often represented by a paradise island with a newly married couple laying on the beach to themselves. Does this really ever happen without renting a private island in the Indian Ocean? With your own luxury yacht charter, you have the whole ocean at your beckoned call and can choose when and who you want to spend your time with. There is nothing more personal than being treated and looked after by a great crew who will do everything in there power to ensure you have the very best experience possible on board.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓

Highlights of the 2012 Antigua Yacht Show, Day 1

The 2012 Antigua Yacht started yesterday, exhibiting 97 of the worlds finest motor yachts, monohulls and catamarans. We are proud to have our Managing Director, Capucine de Vallée and Charter Director, Mimi Andain at the show, who have ranked their top 3 yachts from the opening day. Day 1 belonged to the crewed catamaran, as all three had an excellent crew and offered clients the very highest standards of luxury, gastronomy and attention to detail.

1) MATAU – Privilege 745 Catamaran – 10/10

– Immaculate condition with great entertaining areas.

– Attention to detail was outstanding, from the decor to the food.

– Fantastic Chef, Robert Thompson who created an incredible lunch of Mushroom Soup with a homemade Foccacia, Marinated Shrimp with Safron Rice & Caribbean Slaw and a sumptuous Baileys and coffee desert. Lunch served with a beautiful Sancerre.

– Young, professional and fun crew

– Summary: The perfect yacht and crew all round.

2) LADY ALLIAURA – Privilege 75 Catamaran – 9/10

– Available for Caribbean charter all year round.

– Extremely professional and talented crew with very extensive attention to detail and high standards in every area.

– PADI qualified and the whole crew are diving fanatics. Very sporty crew who will interact and entertain the charterers guests and children.

– Italian chef who spent 8 years in St Tropez. She made delicious cupcakes, breads and the finest presented platters of fresh fruit.

– “Queen of the Cats”

3) ELYSIUM – Privilege 615 Catamaran – 7/10

– She has 3 crew which is unusual for this sized Catamaran, providing better attention to detail and service.

– Very attentive and professional crew. They were extremely friendly with a new stewardess who is very passionate and keen to provide an outstanding service.

– Looking to spend the summer season in Croatia, making ELYSIUM the perfect choice for charterer’s in the East Med.

– Great choice for families as the crew are excellent with children. They recently did a double charter with a strictly adult yacht and the kids were with the crew and they had an amazing charter.

– Summary: Energetic crew, good condition and great for families.

Watch this space for the latest gossip from the show, including extensive reviews of the best charter yachts available. If you would like to receive more information with regards to booking your luxury 2013 charter yacht, please enquire through our website, www.boatbookings.com, where one of our Charter Specialists will be happy to help you plan the experience of a lifetime. You can also send your charter enquiries to [email protected], and one of the team will get back to you shortly with some proposals.

Posted on December 4, 2012 by admin — No Comments ↓