Grand voyage

What is a yacht ? A small sea craft. A refined version of a motor boat or a sailer. Romance enclosed: ravishing sunsets, splashes of sea-water and seagulls astern. A cabin to dry your hair and have a drink to get warm after the sunset. Just a pastime for skippers and skipperesses of fifteen! Is it? Nothing of the kind.

In the world of yachts watercrafts are clearly divided into castes, and the yacht Brahmins are the huge snow-white luxurious ships. Their decks are stuffed with every possible magic comforts: dozens of bedrooms and drawing-rooms, decorated with natural flowers, a saloon with vintage wines and branded strong drinks, a poolroom, a gym, reception rooms and bathrooms of fifteen square meters. These are the yachts of luxury class. Aboard such a yacht one can go on a voyage, celebrate jubilees or just have a rest. But for that, one should know, how to charter the ship of one's dreams.

Where do the yachts come from?

Historically the centers of yachtbuilding were the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Australia. The world-famous shipyards in these countries make yachts competing in their splendid decoration and performance, each of them meant to become the adornment of the ports of Monte Carlo or Porto- Chervo. One of the most famous shipyards is the Dutch Amels, where more than 20 yachts have been built for the last twenty years.

Building such a beauty usually costs quite a sum – some dozens of megabucks – and lasts for several years. That's why along with the new yachts the old ones keep on furrowing the seas. They get some renewal at the yards, with restoration of interior and other alterations.

Just the same it was with the yacht 'Christina' (now 'Christina O'), named for the daughter of Aristotle Onassis, the Greek millionaire. In 1954 Onassis made a good bargain, having bought a Canadian frigate for a trifling sum of $34,000 and transformed it into a splendid yacht. After reconstruction the yacht was worth $4 million (which is equal to today's $40 million). All the celebrities of that time visited 'Christina': Renee, Prince of Monaco, and the actress Grace Kelly celebrated their wedding aboard the yacht; John F. Kennedy was introduced to Sir Winston Churchill; Maria Callas, Frank Sinatra, and Marilyn Monroe sang there. After Onassis had died in 1975, his daughter Christina presented the father's 'pet' to the Greek government, and the ship was used for some time as a presidential yacht.

In 1999 a careful reconstruction of 'Christina' began, which lasted for more than two years. The inlaid swimmingpool convertible into dancing-hall was completely preserved. All interiors were carefully updated. For instance, under a new bar stools upholstery the old one can be seen. Up to 36 guests can be received aboard 'Christina' now. She can be chartered just like any other ship from the colorful catalogues of yacht brokers and tourist operators. The matter is that most costly yachts are owned by a person or a company, which rent them – through brokerage firms and tourist agencies – to all comers, who only learn of the owner's names, when chartering the yacht.

To charter the yacht: what for?

Those are wrong, who think that there is nothing to do aboard the yacht except aquatics. This is not the case. Yachting may make much more of an impression, than any other habitual rest. The charterer (a holiday-maker aboard the yacht is called just so in the charter papers) can route his voyage by himself. Specialists offer the routes in all parts of the world. The most 'high' ways for yachts run in the Caribbean Sea, where the 'velvet' season begins in October; the Mediterranean is very popular in summer (the most popular sails pass over the Greek Isles, or from Nice to Corsica or to Sardinia). The trips alongside Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as over the Isles of the Indian Ocean are also offered. Many spick-and-span beaches and picturesque islands are difficult to access from land, and the only way to see their intimate sights is to go by sea. Theoretically, if one wants to attempt a circumnavigation, like those courageous lone heroes, it is also possible, provided one has time and money.

The intended route should be thought over still at home, because you should outline it in your pre-trip papers. Specialists advise to take a motor yacht for your voyage – it is more convenient, quick and maneuverable, than any sailer. But anyway, a luxury yacht, whether motor or sailing, is a five-star hotel, which gives you a possibility to unite your wife's favorite sightseeing with your son's wave running and with your own diving. And just after you have submerged into the deep, you can take a bath and have a comfortable cup of coffee. In such a hotel you can be with your pet dog (if the yacht owner does not mind – it should be specified in the contract) and your little ones. Everyone on board can enjoy oneself.

How to avoid missing the boat?

Owners using their luxury yachts some weeks a year, usually commit yacht management to the respectable worldrenowned yacht brokers. Such is Nigel Burgess Company, handling luxury yachts for more than 25 years. To charter a yacht, you should go to such a yacht broker or to a tourist agency. At first you will be asked to put together a list of your requests – what you cannot do without while sailing, to fix the number of your guests and children on board and approximate period of your trip. Then the yacht catalogue will be looked through to find the ships right for you in respect of capacity, which are free at the time and place specified.

Then you will make a good choice according to your preferences and to your purse. The next step is to sign a valid contract, including all the main obligations of the owner, the broker and yours, as well as the agreed scheme of payments, force majeure that may interfere in your trip, and established insurance procedures. The tourist agency, from its side, will discuss with you the number of visas required (it depends on the number of countries you plan to visit), warns you about preventive inoculations (if any exotic countries are to be visited), and clarifies whether you are going to get aboard just from the airport or after a journey by land. You should not delay the signing of the contract: at the height of the yacht season (June-September in summer and December-January in winter) there often will be the lack of luxury yachts and therefore you cannot choose the best of all.

When executing the contract, you will be asked to fill out a special form for the skipper to let him be prepared in detail for your visit. You should specify the suggested route, points of boarding and arrival, all contact data, as well as let him know of which cookery, drinks and beverage you prefer. It is needed for the head-cook to know what to cook and which foodstuffs and beverages to purchase ashore. If you don't want to have your supper on board and plan to make some visits to the cozy little restaurants ashore, you should warn the head-cook beforehand.

That form includes a question of whether you are a smoker, not to ask of your favorite cigar or cigarette brands, but to tell you that "Smoking in the yacht quarters is prohibited except specially appointed place." Nevertheless, some yachts have special smoking rooms.

In tourist agency you will get advice, how to behave yourself aboard. You will learn, what clothes is preferable: most likely you will be advised to have ordinary holiday-maker clothes – T-shirts, shorts and bathing suit. Common summer clothes will do for the walks around coastal villages. But for fashionable resorts of Western Mediterranean you should have with you a special suit. One cannot visit a casino in Monte Carlo in shorts. Basically, it is customary in this part of the Mediterranean to have a black tie for supper, but tourist agents will let you to decide whether to have your meal in bathing suit or in shorts, it is in your full authority.

It is not that simple with footwear. Most yachts prohibit boots. You should wear so called deck shoes instead – plimsolls that one should take off each time before going ashore. Taking off your footwear on a gangway is a bon tone – it helps to preserve a teak deck from any damage. Nevertheless, it is permitted to wear ordinary shoes at some ships. You should only ask your skipper's approval just after getting aboard.

And there is one more very important condition to the charterer under the contract: a ban against any sunscreens containing para-aminobenzoic acid. This acid with such a difficult-to-enunciate name leaves stains on leather upholsteries, teak deck and furniture. You will be kindly advised to use suntan lotion, which does not leave any stains. The presence of sea-water and sand in the quarters and on the lower decks is also forbidden. If you submit to all just listed, your dreams may come true.

What then?

Wherever you are – in Russia, in Europe, or in America – before the departure, your tourist operator must inform you, how to meet with your yacht. If your trip is intended to take place in Mediterranean, then you depart from Cote d'Azur – Nice or Monte Carlo. You will be met at the airport by one of the crew and be escorted to the harbor. If you are going to look for the yacht independently, you should come to the captain of the port to show you the yacht berthing. The skipper and the crew, notified in advance, should be ready for your arrival, unless you come too soon. Tourist operators ask for not coming in advance, because spaces between two trips are so small that the crew is too busy to give you a high-level reception.

At last you are on board. Within the next week (a minimum recommended time for chartering) or more you will live side by side with the crew. Generally, big yachts confine contacts with the crew. The only exceptions are the skipper, the head-cook and the chief steward (all big yachts have the crew of more than 10 persons). Since the skipper is responsible for everything during the sail, all your requests are to be directed to him. The skipper can accept your invitation for supper or for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine; and you, in your part, may ask him to tell you how to steer the yacht, and even try to do any interesting ship work.

The lesser yachts have more easy manners. From the very beginning you will have the crew presented (old salts prefer using of first names), and you explain how to call you – Mr. and Mrs. Ivanoff or Pasha and Lena.

Now the sail can start

What is the price and who is to pay?

How to size up this miracle of engineering idea and art of design – a luxury yacht? There is no real saying of how much a dream costs. But, when becoming true, this dream turns out to be a specific sum of money. Luxury yachts cost a lot. Charterers are well-off and successful people: owners or CEOs of major companies, which can permit themselves to spend up some hundreds thousand dollars on a week of a first-class rest. The plainer ships are more widely available, but a quality of a yacht, chartered straight off in the port, will be probably the same as casual lodging in a private sector in comparison with five-star hotel – quite fit for living, but unattractive.

Yacht voyage includes some expense items.

Rental fee for the yacht (fixed rate per week) depends on the route, season, amount of guests aboard and yacht performance. The average sum is about $100,000 – $400,000 per week. Prepayment for foodstuff, gas and harbor dues is 25 percent of the total trip cost. Then during the trip the skipper gives an account for the purchases, including bills and receipts, and either returns the money unspent or asks to cover extra charges. Expenses shall be paid by cash or by circular checks. Cashier's checks and credit cards are not accepted during the trip, so you should have enough money on you. A service fee to the crew (the so-call tip) is usually some 10 percent of the rent, and it is you to pay it, because a rent does not include service. Nevertheless, the tip is at your discretion, and the sum may vary subject to your satisfaction with the trip. Just hand an envelope over to the skipper before coming ashore. The last item: air travel to the port of departure and back, insurance and visas.

A dream is quite material!

And the last thing for you to do is to bring yourself to a grand voyage at a luxury yacht, having weighed all pros and cons (the main 'con' is sea-sickness). It is not so very important, when you will be able to take a trip. The most important thing is that you know: your dream is quite feasible.

Cigar Clan 1'2004. Svetlana Tarasova