Perfecting your luxury yachting lifestyle

The enduring appeal of luxury yachting is its air of exclusiveness. Out on the water and away from the land you are taken to a magical place. Somewhere that naturally evokes an unrestrained luxurious sense of freedom, even in the smallest, standard boat.

With extra space (a luxury in itself) that exclusivity goes up notch with each yacht size bracket you climb.  The appeal of larger luxury yachts is on-board access to premium facilities such as a hot tub, gym and beach club. However, there’s more to it than that; your choice of yacht builder (defining décor and sporty cruising performance) along with attractiveness of your chosen cruise location also play a part in creating the ideal luxury yacht charter.

Choosing a luxury yacht for charter

The ultimate in luxury yachting are yachts in excess of 300ft being hired out for charter. Millions of pounds are typically spent on their original design, build or refit, involving the collaborative skills of carefully chosen designers, boat constructors and a superyacht management company. At this level, this combines to bring unsurpassed style and a level of attention to technological trends that define the very direction that luxury cruising follows.

Best of all for any group chartering luxury yachts of this calibre is the access to this wealth of on-board luxury at a relatively affordable rate. Ownership, after all, carries the responsibilities of outlay and maintenance, which yacht chartering by its very nature avoids.

Tick off list of your priorities

Whether you are hiring a bespoke superyacht or a family cruiser, the principles of picking the best one for luxury yacht charter are the same.

It makes practical sense to take time to go through the following checklist of considerations to make the smartest choice for your budget.

How many people will you be accommodating on your yacht charter trip? The style of cruising that appeals to you, whether informal or formal, will define the style of yacht. How do you see yourself spending time – being active with watersports taking advantage of on-board water toys, relaxing and taking it easy, hosting lively parties (day or night) or out and about exploring various locations? Choose what water toys are must-haves for making the most of your location’s surroundings. Assessing all of these factors, will likely determine the style of interior and exterior layout of your luxury charter yacht. Pay attention to how much space you will practically need. For instance, think about whether a shaded flybridge will be useful for escaping the summer heat and enjoying a bit of private space. Is communal space for parties important to you?

Think also about the duration of your charter trips. Will guests appreciate the luxury and seclusion of more voluminous and premium comfort cabins, for extended voyages?

What is your overall budget, paying attention to what you feel comfortable in spending with the cost of local amenities accounted for?

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Choosing a luxury yachting destination

Pinning down your dream luxury yachting lifestyle is very much wrapped up in the cruising potential, anchorage spots and activities on offer at your chosen destinations.

The colder climes of Scandinavia such as Norway’s tranquil fjords offer a very different appeal to the warm, constantly buzzing party spots such as the likes of glamour spots St Tropez and Monaco.

You’ll be eager to look out on the unbridled natural beauty of Norway, for instance.  So, a saloon with huge panoramic windows will be key as will warm cosy cabins on chilly nights. See if the yacht comes prepared for fishing, diving and kayaking if these pursuits interest you, in this rugged beautiful cruising ground.

An open cockpit style of compact coupé boat perfectly suits negotiating the shallow open waters, tiny islands and estuaries of the Schleswig-Holstein peninsula, Germany. Weather plays a factor of course in unpredictable European cruising territory and deck spaces with convertible shade cover allow you to conveniently adapt to the prevailing changeable weather.

Whereas, if you are planning on voyage around the Mediterranean such as mainland Spain, the Balearics and the French and Italian Rivieras, you will likely have favourable weather on your side. Here it is all about enjoying fun in the sun, maximized with alfresco dining and entertainment on large deck spaces and flybridges with shade from the scorching sun. Being at one with the sea and letting rip with high-octane sports jet tenders, jet skis and waveboards etc are a must for sports junkies particularly in hotspots where watersports are well-practiced. Luxury yachts built with a beach club and swim platform to the aft also come in their own as you soak up the ultimate leisure lifestyle.

When it comes to sophisticated Mediterranean coastal resorts, arriving in style is de rigueur in the luxury yachting world.  When scanning the available yachts for charter hire, you may want to look out for luxurious comfortable and spacious tenders from prestigious manufacturers to set the right mood or impression. If we are talking the largest and grandest of luxury yachts, transfer by helicopter is really the ultimate party trick. It can whisk between ports of call and help you enjoy a totally different change in scenery from sea to mountain-side in a matter of minutes.

Locations with good transportation links such as nearby airport is another consideration along with mooring. Competition for mooring in prime marinas (which are few and far between) hots up in peak Summer, especially for bigger yachts, and it pays to plan and book your yacht charter early to avoid disappointment.  As a pleasant contrast, finding a beautiful unspoiled anchorage is another pleasure of luxury yacht chartering. So, choose your destination wisely.

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By bearing in mind these tips, you are well on your way to creating the dream luxury yachting charter.