Olympic Yacht Charters, which specializes in luxury crewed as well as bareboat charters in Greece, is showcasing some of the fleet available for trips in the 2007 season.
The company, which started a booking office in New York in 2001, has operated out of Athens, Greece, since 1995. Its bareboat monohull fleet features Bavarias and Beneteaus from 30 to 50 feet; the bareboat cat fleet includes Lagoons from 38 to 47 feet.
The two locations provide charter clients with continuous support before and during stays in Greece, according to Alex Mazarakis, an owner. “The quality and maintenance of our yachts is unmatched in the industry,” he says. “We own our yachts, and we’ve carefully selected a fleet of boats for Greece equipped to the highest possible standards and specifications. Our goal is to provide a unique concept of chartering on a uniquely modern fleet.”
Besides its luxury crewed offerings in Greece, which include Ana Nefeli, the first 75-foot Swan with a raised saloon; Lely, a schooner with tanbark sails that was built in 1935; and Apollo, a Lagoon 440 catamaran, Olympic is introducing the Tayana 64 Best Buddies, available for charter in the Caribbean through April 2007. For more details, contact the company (877-247-3323, www.olympicyachtcharters.com and info@olympic
yachtcharters.com).
Cancel Your Charter and Don’t Lose It All
Travel Insurance Services of California has expanded its Travel Insurance Select plan to allow clients to cancel for any reason and still recover most of the trip cost. The optional upgrade costs more than standard coverage, but it offers reimbursement for cancellation fees up to 75 percent of the trip cost. Restrictions and rules still apply, so consult the company (800-937-1387, www.travelinsure.com) for details.
Visit Many Ports with Windstar
Windstar Cruises’ 148-guest Wind Spirit and 308-guest Wind Surf set sail in the Caribbean through March 2007 on 41 voyages featuring six different itineraries.
From St. Thomas, Wind Spirit makes a round-trip with stops at St. John, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, and Virgin Gorda. Wind Surf sails alternating seven-day northbound and southbound round-trips from Bridgetown, Barbados.
The northbound itinerary visits Nevis, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, Guadeloupe, and St. Lucia. The southbound itinerary stops at Bequia, Dominica, St. Lucia, the Grenadines, Grenada, and Tobago. Both itineraries offer a mix of attractions: white-sand beaches for sunning and swimming, tropical forests for nature hikes, quaint towns for a peek at how the locals live, and parks and historic sites to explore.
Complimentary water sports include kayaking, windsurfing, tour-boat rides, sailing, waterskiing, and ski tubing. Snorkeling gear may be checked out for the week. Scuba-diving excursions for novice and experienced divers are available for a fee. For itineraries, cost, and other details, contact Windstar (800-258-7245, www.windstarcruises.com).
