Superyachts and Megayachts - Charter


 

Yacht rental of the top class of yachts - superyachts and megayachts charter has become popular worldwide in recent decades along with the rapid development of economy, technology and global comfort-class leisure industry. Now, lounging aboard a superyacht  rented with a crew (i.e. a crewed yacht charter) is considered prestigious and refers to the category of luxury, life style and VIP travel. Generally speaking, the terms "superyacht" or "megayacht" are rather conventional. Judging by the name these are apparently the yachts distinguished first of all by their large size which in turn makes it possible to install infrastructure of enhanced comfort. In fact, according to the formally accepted classification of Great Britain all vessels over 24 meters in length, with a displacement of 150 to 3,000 tons, intended for commercial navigation in the leisure industry, with no more than 12 passengers on board (recently new category PYC for 13-36 guests has been joined), are entitled to be called superyachts.

The term “megayacht” is less formal (in the USA, please see below), in practice all comfortable vessels more than 30-40 meters in length are considered megayachts, sometimes only giant yachts more than 50-60 meters in length are considered megayachts (the popular "threshold" is 220 feet - 67 meters). The capacity of such yachts can sometimes exceed 12 passengers, although a yacht with permission to take on board more than 12 or 36 (for newest PYC category - "passenger yacht code") passengers (on a cruise, with an overnight stay on board) is strictly speaking not a yacht but a passenger vessel. In practice this classification formality is often neglected, and we will do the same by making such a reservation and  talk about renting superyachts or megayachts regardless of their size, if, of course, the latter exceeds the threshold of official classification. Nevertheless, megayachts certified for more passengers than 12 are relatively few and they are in high demand especially  for a corporate charter with a number of guests (sleeping accomodations) from 28-30  and more, with the corresponding requirements to the entire infrastructure and technical specifications of the yacht.

You could also go on exclusive incentive/team building cruise or a wedding journey with your guests, celebrate a birthday party or other private or corporate event aboard these yachts. We have in our portfolio all the biggest megayachts available for charter including the world-famous ones, such as Maltese Falcon (88m), Legend (icebreaker yacht), Sherakhan, O'Mega.  

Any of largest yachts in the world with big number of guests above 12 could be booked through yacht broker Delesalle Yachts, for corporative or private luxury charter, such as:

SCENIC ECLIPSE (168m, 114 cabins, capacity up to 200 guests), DREAM (106m, 114 cabins, 36 guests), FLYING FOX (136m, 11 cabins for 25 guests), LAUREN L (90m,  20 cabins, 36 guests), CHAKRA86m (20 cabins,  24 guests),  SERENITY (72m,  15 cabins, 30 guests), SHERAKHAN(69,6m, 13 cabins, 26 guests) and others.

For more modest budgets for corporative and private event charters we would proposemegayachts like EMERALD DREAM (64m, 49 guests, mega yacht charter in Greece), saling yacht CHRONOS (54m, 13 cabins, 26 guests - charter in Mediterranean, Caribs); SAFIRA (43m, 10 cabins, 20 guests, mega yacht charter on Maldives),  LUPUS MARE  (42,5m, 20 cabins, 46 guests, mega yacht in Croatia, Montenegro) etc.

Broker Delesalle Yachts is able to organize charter completely, in turn-key manner; as well as provide individual programs and optional services on request.   

 

All the largest yachts in the world can also be booked through the broker Delsalle Yachts  making all travel arrangements for your trip including the cruise itinerary, logistics of arrival and departure of guests, provision of food and services and development of a special cruise program - both on board and on shore.

Modern models of yachts tend to constantly increase in size, reaching a length of more than 300-400 and even 500 feet (for example, the famous “Eclipse”, custom built for the famous Russian billionaire (538 feet - 164 m) and, by the way, available for charter. We cannot bring ourselves to call such a ship "she" although that’s the way the yachts are usually called, in the feminine.

The record of Delsalle Yachts shows (and our specialists have been dealing with the chartering of megayachts since 2002) that the better the client understands specifics of renting and organizing a charter of this type of vessels, the easier it is for him to make the right choice and the more chances are that he and his family will enjoy their vacation.  We deal with two fundamentally different categories of yacht chartering: mass, sports and tourist yachting and luxury yacht chartering. In order not to confuse the untutored client we deliberately do not use the term “yachting” as applied to mega yachts, since in Russia it is firmly associated with only small sailing (sport) yachts, let's call them small yachts. And there are many differences between these two categories and they are rather significant.

In the first case (“small” yachts) we deal with small sailing boats and motor yachts (usually up to 15 m, maximum to 20-24 m). The luxury segment starts with “superyachts” (from 24 meters according to the English Superyacht Code LY2 and its latest modification LY3) and “megayachts” (from 100 feet - about 30.5 meters, according to the US classification).

The classification, however, is conventional, as for the client it is just a matter of terminology. Therefore, let us keep in mind that under the general name “megayachts” we mean superyachts and megayachts, super megayachts and deluxe yachts as well as luxury, elite, prestigious and VIP yachts, as they are sometimes called in Russia. In other words, all yachts from 25-30 to 70-80 meters and more in length meeting the highest standards of design, construction and service on board. Actually, our company specializes in organizing charters for mega yachts. However, experienced clients will not at all be surprised or offended if the broker offers them a “boat” - it is this kind of professional slang that firmly came into use in the yachting industry. And yachts up to hundred meters long make no exception at that. Accordingly, the size determines a completely different level of budget (with the exception of inexpensive and spacious Turkish gulets).

For mass yachting you can choose a small sailboat, the weekly rental of which will cost several thousand euros without a crew (a bareboat charter -   more than 10 thousand of these yachts are available to us online upon request!). If you do not have a skipper’s license or simply don’t want to navigate, operate, supply or cook, you will need to hire a skipper (sometimes with extra one or two people of attendance crew – a crewed charter). This generally fits into the budget of a family or a group of middle-class people for a holiday abroad.

In this case, of course, any substantial comfort during the voyage is out of the question, but it will be more like adventure travel! For his money the client will get a boat with about 3-5 cabins. But these will rather be not cabins but boxes for overnight stays where the beds look like horizontal capsules and where a sink, a shower and a toilet are united into “three in one”. In fact, it’s kind of a sport or even Spartan tourism, in terms of people accustomed to luxury travels.

In the latter case we are talking about a megayacht which is able to provide passengers with comfortable conditions at the level of a five star hotel.

Another (after size and budget) fundamental difference is associated with structural features. Small yachts do not have separate cabins for the crew as there is simply no room for them. When describing such yachts the catalogs indicate the total number of cabins/beds some of which will have to be provided to the skipper or crew members, if needed. Moreover, there will be no separate service area with infrastructure intended only for the crew, including kitchen. We are talking about a maximum of two or three cabins in case of renting a motor yacht or about three or five cabins in relation to a sailboat. If the client is not a true yachtsman ready to “share” both space and food as well as some duties with the skipper and the crew, he should focus on the category of mega yachts.

There is just the number of guest cabins indicated in the description while the crew cabins are not even mentioned. However, the client should not care. On the most luxurious yachts the client and his guests see only those crew members and only at the time when it is necessary for their service. Of course, the number of square meters available inevitably turns into quality - on large yachts the spaciousness and comfort of the passengers' cabins correspond to the highest standards of the best hotels where the guests are provided with a 24-hour room service. The overall service package on board the largest super megayachts may include spa and beauty salon with massage rooms, sauna, cinema hall, office in the master cabin (it can be “now with a balcony”!), jacuzzi or even swimming pool on deck, lounge with piano,  interdeck elevator, newest water-sports equipment (“water toys”) on board. Up to the helipad!

With a small weekly budget for yacht charters (up to 10–20 thousand euros) you can choose a compromise option: motor or sailing yacht - a vessel with one hull (monohull) or a catamaran 20–25 meters long with the crew (skipper and 1 - 2 assistants). If desired, and if permitted by the owner, you can sail the yacht on your own, of course, if you have the appropriate license. However, customers in Russia are as a rule interested in chartering yachts with a crew (crewed charter), which includes enough staff. This is another important factor that makes difference between the categories of yachts we are considering.

A week-long charter of a yacht capable of providing a comfortable rest will cost at least 30 - 50 thousand euros for a relatively small yacht (from 25 to 30 m long). It should also be remembered that according to the international certification the maximum possible number of passengers (excluding crew members) on a yacht regardless of its length is limited to 12 or 36 (for PYC).  But the number of cabins can be several times larger. A yacht capable of officially taking on board more than 36 people on a cruise is strictly speaking a passenger ship, not a yacht, even with the prefix "mega." Although, of course, in our industry this specification can be ignored. It is  important for customers to keep in mind that even a huge yacht may not be certified for the number of guests over 12 persons, if we take into account nights in the open sea. Those who decide to celebrate their birthday party during a cruise and draw up a guest list should bear in mind this restriction.

One-day and two-day tours are also an important category. Both in  summer and in winter orders for such charters come from customers who are already on vacation in the warm-climate countries and have accommodation on the shore - in a hotel or in a villa. Such charters in my opinion are more related to individual tourism being part of the program of recreation and excursions. Yacht brokers are usually reluctant to be engaged in one-day charters. This area of business lies mainly in the scope of travel agencies’ activities. Although issues of that kind can be easily solved within our allied travel company - prestigious travel service “Delesalle Group”. Currently, the most popular among our customers are 30-50 meter yachts, the weekly rental of which (base rate only) fits into the average budget of   50-200 thousand euros.
 
And a little more about chartering of superyachts and megayachts. Luxury apartments and guest areas of superyachts provide ideal conditions for such significant celebrations as weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries, corporate parties and other important events. Sometimes stunning luxury apartments are large and elegantly furnished. Spacious cabins and quiet guest areas guarantee complete peace and privacy for you and your guests. Every detail is well thought out with the aim of providing luxurious accommodation on board a comfortable and modern yacht where your dedicated crew service can compete with the best hotels in the world. Properly planned crewed charter will include any pleasures you can imagine. In addition to such usual and pleasant ways of spending time as swimming and bathing in jacuzzi, sunbathing on the sun deck, a varied cuisine of exquisite dishes and drinks  and small talk in the company of family members and close friends, large superyachts  offer a variety of optional equipment aimed at entertainment not available on other types of yachts. It includes windsurfing, water skiing, kayaks, equipment for fishing, golf, scuba diving, jet skis and much more. Some most luxurious yachts of this class include helicopter landing pads, home theaters and heated pools. In short, you will find on these floating luxury islands everything that you can only dream of. World-class gourmet dishes will impress even the most demanding clients. Expensive exclusive drinks and haute cuisine out of the freshest and highest quality products by Michelin chefs will make lunchtime on board an unforgettable experience. When dining on board mega yachts, be prepared for strong afternoon drinks and other uplifting fragrant cocktails. If you are still eager to have  more fun and “drive”, you can always moor in the cozy harbor and enjoy the dynamic rhythms in the local restaurants abound in the islands. Megayacht charter is a choice for wealthy and discerning people, connoisseurs of the highest comfort and prestigious holiday - all that is meant by the concept of high lifestyle!

Yachts