Advertisement

Yachting Vacations Not Just for the Rich

The New York Times reports on the increasing affordability of yachting vacations and charter trips.
yacht vacation
Yachtico offers weeklong charters for boats like this catamaran for $5,000 or less. NYT

Via the New York Times

A vacation on a yacht may conjure up images of billionaires and celebrities, but it’s not just for the rich and famous. Several companies offer seven-day yacht charters for $10,000 or less; most of the boats have multiple bedrooms and are suited for families and groups. Travelers can either hire a captain or sail the vessel themselves.

In Boca Raton, Fla., Yachtico has an inventory of 5,000 yachts in hundreds of destinations worldwide, including the South of France and Cuba’s southern coast, that cost $5,000 or less to charter for a week. A six-bedroom, 46-foot-long catamaran to sail along the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, for example, starts at $4,900; a captain costs an additional $193 a day. Airport transfers are included.

The Moorings in Clearwater, Fla., manages a fleet of 400 boats in 20 destinations including the Bahamas and the Greek Islands. It has several wallet-friendly models, like a 38-foot, three-bedroom yacht available for a weeklong sail around Tahiti; it is equipped with a kitchen, air-conditioning, a flat-screen television, a spacious living room, several outdoor decks and snorkel gear and costs $9,800, including a captain.

Advertisement

The San Francisco company GetMyBoat offers some 26,000 boats in more than 154 countries that cost $5,000 to $8,000 for a seven-day charter. Some are even cheaper, like the three-bedroom, 50-foot yacht docked in Ibiza, Spain, available to sail around the Balearic Islands for $3,290, with a captain.

Dream Yacht Charter, which has offices in Europe and the United States, has a fleet of 700 boats in 42 destinations globally that cost less than $10,000 for a weeklong charter. Especially notable are the 30 boats in the Seychelles that can be had from under $5,000.

Renting a yacht makes for an idyllic vacation and one that does not have to break the bank, said Steffen Bruenn, Yachtico’s chief executive.

Advertisement

“The feeling of sailing along beautiful coasts and being surrounded by nature is very elating, and since many of the boats are meant for more than a couple, you can bring down the cost of a charter by splitting it with friends,” he said.

Ready to plan a charter vacation? Find all the resources you need to take a sailing adventure in our Charter Directory.
Advertisement
Advertisement