Time to escape to a new reality

With 2021 getting off to a slow start, especially on the travel front, the choices we make this year will be carefully considered..

Our holidays will be about doing less, but demanding more. We’re going to be looking for the perfect holiday that delivers:

ADVENTURE, FINE DINING, BEAUTY, ISOLATION AND ROMANCE

Ticking every one of these boxes is a yacht charter holiday!

The Dalai Lama says ‘the purpose of our lives is to be happy’ – a mantra that we are all repeating to ourselves every day as we look forward to a new dawn.

We are inspired by water, whether that be a lake, stream or ocean. Hearing it, the unmistakable smell, strolling next to the shore, surfing, swimming, sailing, fishing, writing about it, photographing it, painting it, and creating lasting memories. Spending a week surrounded by water will have a psychologically restorative effect. To be at sea is synonymous with letting go. There really is this human sense of; ‘oh look, there’s the sea,’ your shoulders drop© and relax.

Let’s start with adventure. Whether visiting somewhere new or your favourite place, wherever you choose as your holiday destination seeing it from the sea brings a whole new dynamic. Every day you’ll be treated to a new view, different locations for lunch and dinner, all depending on how busy or relaxing you want your holiday to be. That is one of the many luxuries of yacht charter; you choose the pace.

Each bay has somewhere new to explore. On a yacht the adventure isn’t simply the destination, it’s the journey. It’s travelling from A to B, whether that be a fast power boat ride or a leisurely sailing cruise, being on the water is the adventure!

Then there are the water sports. For some, the excitement of yacht charter is waking up every morning and jumping off the back of the vessel for an early morning swim bringing the first ripples to the mirror flat ocean, or paddle boarding around the quiet anchorage while everyone else is still sleeping.

Author John Jerome wrote; ‘the thing about the ritual morning plunge, the entry into water that provides this small existential moment, is its total privacy. Swimming is between me and the water, nothing else. The moment the water encloses me, I am, gratefully, alone.’ This sums up how good being out on the water is for your body and mind.

Every yacht is equipped with some basic toys. Depending on what you’re looking for there are jet skis, seabobs, e-foils, windsurfers and inflatable flamingos. If they don’t have it as standard, it can often be rented.

When it comes to fine dining, every yacht has its own private chef to provide whatever your taste buds desire. Before your charter we’ll send you a preference sheet, where you can tell us who is travelling with you, what you’d like to do or see, and a section on food, diets, allergies, snacks and drinks, to give your chef a clear idea of what you’re expecting. More and more yacht chefs are excelling in shopping for local produce, creating their own Mediterranean fusion menus and delivering meals that are on par, if not better, than you’d get in some of the top restaurants.

Part of the unique dining experience is the setting; you’re anchored in a bay having a sundowner as the late summer’s sun sets on another idyllic day. Dinner is served under the stars on the only table in the restaurant, with the best seat in the house – it’s the chef’s table every night! This experience is one of romance

Your crew are there to make sure everything is perfect. Just as you’d expect at a five-star hotel; bed and bath linen is of the highest quality and cabins are made up at least once a day. As the yachts get bigger and there are more crew, they’ll even have time to do an evening turndown as well. They’ll have the breakfast table laid at your request – you aren’t restricted to set times. This is your holiday; if you’d like cocktails with lunch, water skiing before breakfast, or a couple of extra friends for dinner, they’re on it. Your crew will do everything possible to deliver your requests. If you’ve watched Below Deck, you’ll know anything is possible on a yacht charter© just ignore the antics as it’s not a true representation of crews!

Your crew are there to deliver a five-star experience. Who doesn’t have a romantic relationship with the sea? Doctors say that being by water is good for your soul. In fact, we think it soothes the soul. Whether the sea is glass-calm or rough, it’s mesmerising. The lapping of the sea against the hull is relaxing – a gentle rock that’ll send you to sleep. Being away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and watching it from the sea, seeing the lights on the land glistening in the water during sunrise or sunset. It’s a magical setting to enjoy your morning coffee while the anchorage is sleeping, or enjoy cocktails with friends and family in the evening. Being on a yacht is an experience nothing like that of a villa or hotel, it’s a feeling of escapism that we’re all searching for right now.

You’ll also find a romance with the location you go to. It’s hard not to fall in love when on holiday and this year we’ll appreciate this time more than ever, which moves us on to isolation. Whether you’re travelling with family or friends you’re going to want to keep everyone safe. On-board it’s just you and the crew, and most places you visit other than the ports, you can be isolated at anchor keeping your contact with others minimal. We all heard about the lack of social distancing that occurred on some of the Islands last year – this year we need to be smarter. We’re all going to need negative tests to leave and return home, so removing yourself from these situations will make the holiday much smoother and guarantee your return home safely.

The concept of mindfulness has been recognised as having widespread benefits. Today more than ever before, the search for focus and awareness outside of a life in lockdown has become more urgent.

When we’re in or near water, our mind adopts a mildly meditative state characterised by tranquility, peacefulness, unity and a sense of general happiness and satisfaction in that moment. 

How to book: In order to send you some options we need to know where you’d like to go, how many are in your party, dates, any special requests for water sports, and an idea of budget.

Things you need to know: July and August are the most popular months of the year so most yachts won’t accept a booking for less than seven days, unless you are booking last minute or it fits within a gap in their calendars. However, there are yachts that specifically offer day charters throughout the season in some of the larger ports including Mykonos, Cannes, Athens, Ibiza, Palma and Dubai.

What happens if a travel ban stops you from travelling? Each contract is individual to the yacht, but most owners are offering free rescheduling for any time for up to 12 months after the date of your original booking or a full cancellation policy. There is some flexibility, but every yacht is different so we will check before booking what your options will be.

Types of yacht

The motor yacht accommodates between six to eight guests and starts from 60ft with two crew members, for around €25,000 a week in July or August. The larger the yacht the more crew. The number of cabins will remain the same, but each cabin will be bigger. The most expensive part of your holiday after the initial rental cost is fuel. This can be around €6,000 per week on a 60ft yacht, but it could easily be €10,000 depending on your itinerary.

Similarly, the sailing yacht (monohull) usually accommodates up to six guests in three cabins, with some having a fourth cabin. Your fuel bill is barely noticeable as wind powers the vessel, but there will be a charge for fuel to power the generator that runs the air conditioning and water maker. Weekly rates start at around €24,000 in July or August.

Sailing or power catamaran (multihull) offers twice the space for the same length and accommodates up to 12 guests in four or six cabins, and is perfect for families or groups of friends. For the Power Cats, the fuel is more efficient than a regular motor yacht, but the speeds are slower. With two hulls, the vessel sits flatter in the water, so they’re a great option for anyone new to yachting as you can travel in comfort. There’s lots of space for sunbathing and private, shaded areas to relax. Prices start at around €30,000 a week in July or August, but for double the space it’s a winner.

Get in touch with SWM and they can put us in touch via email, phone or WhatsApp, whatever you prefer.