If you long for the open ocean but your heart sinks at the thought of all-night discos, thousand-seat dining rooms or congested ports turned duty-free shopping malls, know this: you can enjoy a more intimate atmosphere, personalized setting and service and destination-driven itineraries on a yacht cruise, the pinnacle of luxury.
A burgeoning industry niche revolves around small vessels. Not truly new to the cruise industry, the concept of yacht-style is gaining steam, offering a small-ship style of cruising that has more in common with private yachting than traditional cruising. Yacht-style cruising does indeed stand apart. Yacht-style ships, for instance, do not have the same size range. The largest yacht-style cruise ships carry no more than 500 guests. The smallest typically carry about 100 people, though there are cruise lines with even smaller yachts.
Yachting-style ships evoke luxury, exclusivity and the freedom to explore as you wish. Service is personal and thoughtful. Bartenders and crew will know your name as soon as you board and what you would like to drink. Your crew is passionate about delivering highly personalized service. You will experience gourmet dishes sourced locally every day by your expert chef. Sample the finest wine selections presented by the yacht’s sommeliers.
Yachting indicates the type of destination vacation a traveler will have:
a more casually elegant, outdoor, active experience on the water. The yacht itself is a destination. Because of their size, yacht style cruises tend to go to smaller ports. These boats are smaller and easier to maneuver, permitting you to either moor up in a marina and explore a quaint town or anchor in a secluded bay to experience the best of the sun and the sea.
Escape to the turquoise Caribbean seas, sail the remote reaches of the glorious Mediterranean coast or throughout the sun-soaked Greek Isles. Yacht cruising will take you around the world and move along with the seasons.
Guests will be able to cruise into small, lesser-known ports, usually only accessible to private yachts and luxury, small ship cruise lines. You have greater access to more exotic and off-the-beaten-path types of ports away from the rushing crowded world.
Yacht cruises often spend more time in a given port, with later stays and more overnights, providing more of that leisurely style of exploration that yachting is known for. You have the ability to explore unique ports of call and hidden harbors. You can go ashore and take advantage of islands that offer hiking, great dining, casinos and other local amenities. At the end of your day or evening, you can retreat to your yacht for quiet and calm. Or perhaps a chance to sleep under the stars.
Another characteristic yacht-style cruise ships have in common is an aft marina with a water sports platform offering a range of complimentary activities. A passenger can swim and snorkel the local waters at a moment’s notice. Personal kayaks, snorkeling equipment, banana boats, tubes, wakeboards, water skis, stand up paddle boards, floating island trampolines, wave runners, even water skis and jet skis are all within your reach and ready to go.
It’s yachting, not cruising; be among those learning to enjoy the difference! When I hear the word “yacht,” I envision the enjoyment of a luxury experience at a leisurely pace. With many choices for you or your traveling companions, your local travel advisor will assist in this incredible cruising experience.
