Imagine waking up on board, stepping into the cockpit to enjoy the picturesque view of a Virgin Islands harbor, and—instead of having to check the battery levels and weather forecast—sitting down to a gourmet breakfast of eggs Benedict or salmon quiche.
Or, perhaps, waking up from a nap after a lunch of freshly made crab cakes and seeing the water toys already launched and ready for you to play in the sunshine and warm water.
These are the types of moments that a crewed charter makes possible with MarineMax Vacations. When clients book an itinerary aboard the MarineMax 545, they can choose to add a professional captain and chef, who use their local knowledge and hospitality training to enhance every charter experience.
“Maybe you’re used to bareboating, where you do all the driving and provisioning and cooking on board,” says Madison Hackett, content and experience coordinator with MarineMax. “That’s a fun vacation too, but this is a level up. This is an augmented experience.”
The MarineMax 545 is a five-stateroom Aquila power catamaran with amenities such as full-size refrigeration, individual air-conditioning controls in each stateroom, 6-inch-thick queen- and king-size mattresses, and more.
“The carefully selected crews enhance the vacation experience, and include professional captains and culinary experts familiar with secret anchorages,” says Raul Bermudez, vice president of MarineMax Vacations. “The guest experience promises to be remarkable. From expertly prepared menus tailored to specific guest needs to extensive local knowledge and guide services for snorkeling, hiking or simply unplugging, these crews are top-notch, and we are so excited to introduce them to our loyal, enthusiastic guests.”
A virtual walk-through of the MarineMax 545 is available on the company’s website, so charter clients can get to know the boat well in advance of stepping on board. The master stateroom is forward on the main deck, with views of the yacht’s surroundings in just about every direction. Each of the guest staterooms on the lower deck has a private bathroom, along with hanging lockers, drawers and cabinets to provide charter guests with plenty of stowage.
The communal guest areas are also spacious and bright, with indoor dining in the salon as well as outdoor dining with extraordinary views from atop the flybridge, where there’s a wet bar and a grill.
Chefs aboard crewed yacht charters can cook meals from up there, or use the spacious, open main-deck galley to create memorable menus that are tailored to clients’ individual tastes. Clients with MarineMax Vacations will be asked their food preferences and dietary needs in advance of the charter booking so that the chef can provision the boat specifically with foods they like—and prepare recipes that are an ideal, customized fit for meals and snacks at all times of the day.
Just a small sample of options that are available for breakfast: a BLT with Dijon mayonnaise and arugula, served with truffle chips; or mini frittatas with ham, cheese, tomato, spinach, bacon and cheddar; or breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs, avocado, beans and spicy potatoes. For lunch, clients might select a seared tuna salade niçoise with homemade garlic bread; or chicken gyros served with pita bread, tzatziki and a fresh Mediterranean salad; or lobster tails with garlic-butter sauce, grilled pineapple salad and honey dressing.
Midafternoon snacks could be a charcuterie board, canapes or sliders. At night, the chef can prepare a multicourse dinner of, say, a caramelized onion and brie tart appetizer followed by main dish of pork tenderloin in honey-garlic sauce with a cauliflower puree and roasted sweet potatoes, and, finally, a dessert of white-chocolate mousse served with passionfruit and pistachios.
And in between all those delicacies, clients can be as active as they want to be with swimming and watersports, head ashore to explore, or simply relax in the sun on board. Dining ashore is also an option, if guests would like to enjoy some time off the boat in a local setting.
“Having the crew gives you a lot more time to actually have a vacation,” Hackett says. “You’re not looking for mooring balls or checking watermakers. You get all of that time back.”
The length of a crewed charter aboard a new MarineMax 545 can be fully customized for up to three weeks. Many clients choose one week, with longer itineraries making it possible to explore farther in the Virgin Islands such as Anegada.
Some clients also choose a “surf-and-turf”-style vacation, with part of it taking place aboard a MarineMax 545 and part of it happening at an Airbnb in a destination such as Oil Nut Bay on Virgin Gorda. In many cases, Hackett says, the boat’s crew can drop off guests right at the Airbnb for a seamless multiweek experience.
Whether you prefer to take the helm or charter your next vacation, the team at MarineMax is there to provide unmatched service.
“Focusing on maintaining the MarineMax standard with quality, trained and local professional staff has built a team unlike any other in the territory,” Bermudez says. “Our staff at the base is among the highest caliber in the Islands. Our customer-service specialists have deep relations and connections across the island chain to deliver your every desire. And our factory-trained technical staff stocks an abundance of on-hand parts to keep vessels in top shape and ensure efficient and reliable service. No one in the business has this level of commitment to delivering reliable and professional charter experiences.”
For more information and booking details, visit marinemax.com/vacations.
