With her repeat clients pushing for the newest yachts with unique amenities, Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters, understands the need to keep her finger on the pulse of the latest yachting design trends.
JANA SHEEDER, PRESIDENT, 1-800 YACHT CHARTERS ANALYSIS
Sheeder shares with us three over-the-top design trends she has noticed on upcoming new builds and recently-launched superyachts.
BALCONIES
Balconies are features of upscale villas and resort suites. The use of balconies (or “terraces”) is the ideal way to integrate interior and exterior areas. This amenity has now caught a foothold in superyacht design. Builders are adding balconies adjacent to interior dining rooms, beach clubs, and most impressively, off of master cabins. 66m ISA motor yacht OKTO, for example, incorporates a private balcony in her full beam master suite. The hydraulic balcony is controlled by the guests. Specifically, simply push a button. This is a distinct advantage over earlier generation balconies on older yachts. They require the assistance of the crew to open and close. The balcony comes with an air curtain to keep the interior spaces cool, while having the balcony open to the ocean.
POOLS
No, not Jacuzzi-style spa tubs – they are still an important superyacht amenity as well. We’re talking about cool, fresh water pools, large enough to frolic with the kids on a warm summer day (or swim in place with the aid of current-generating waterjets).
When you’re anchored in a cove near Ibiza on a hot July afternoon, a dip in cool freshwater is a pleasant alternative to the salty, warm ocean. Great examples of Balearic island yacht charter vessels with pools are 67.5m motor yacht ICON, and 108m Pride Mega Yachts 2018 motor yacht TOMORROW.
WELLNESS AREAS
The interest in wellness yacht charter vacations continues to grow, with more and more clients requesting yachts that offer amenities for mind, body, and soul. Saunas, steam rooms, gymnasiums, quiet yoga areas, as well as onboard nutritionists, beauticians, and massage therapists are a big draw. Sheeder believes yachts that cater to mindfulness and overall wellness will be in great demand in 2017 and beyond. Examples are the 85m Lurssen yacht SOLANDGE and Tankoa yacht SUERTE (69m).
Bon appetit! Motoryacht TAKARA will begin the 2017 Balearic Island yacht charter season with a new chef in the galley.
“Available in the Balearic Islands, M/Y TAKARA begins (the) 2017 season with a new super experienced Chef in her crew,” reports the yacht’s manager. “Chef Daniel Wilbor begins a new professional venture on board…With over 10 years of experience in the yachting industry he has already worked as a chef in 11 different yachts and has sailed all across the Atlantic Ocean! Born in Great Britain, he describes himself as a creative, competent and talented cooker with an special interest in Thai cuisine.”
She then gave us more information about him: “He also has a wide repertoire and can produce excellent meals from Mediterranean to Japanese, Indian and Asian Fusion, or North American and English dishes, all to a very high standard. His style is fresh and innovative combining a respect for quality products and a good arsenal of both classical and modernist cooking techniques.”
Delicious, well-plated meals are integral to the overall Superyacht Experience, and it’s always good news when a chef like Daniel joins a professional superyacht team.
THE YACHT
The San Lorenzo 126 yacht TAKARA is one of our newest additions to the Ibiza yacht charter fleet. This is a brand new, 2016 model, 38 meters in length, with comfortable accommodations for 12 guests in 5 staterooms (1 Master, 1 VIP, 1 Double and 2 Twins – with a Pullman berth in each)
Chef Wilbor is part of a 6 person crew.
IMPORTANT YACHTING INFORMATION TO KNOW
Motoryacht TAKARA is fully licensed to charter in Spain. This is extremely important and often overlooked by charter brokers and charterers. Without this special registration, a yacht cannot begin and end a charter in Spanish waters; furthermore, local Spanish workers like massage therapists, are precluded from coming aboard and providing services for the charter guests. Without having a Spanish yacht charter license, a superyacht needs to begin and end the charter in a remote location, like France, which adds wasted time and increased fuel costs to the overall charter. That is not The Superyacht Experience™ we envision for our clients!
July and August = 24.000€ per day — 145.000€ per week + 21% VAT
Rest of the year = 21.500€ per day — 130.000€ per week + 21% VAT
(The price includes a berth in Palma Mallorca in the summer season)
CURRENT BOOKINGS
21-28 July
07-14 Aug
In conclusion, come experience the talented menus of newly-welcomed Chef Daniel Wilbor onboard yacht TAKARA this summer. Plan a private luxury yacht charter in the Balearic Islands of Spain. Text “TAKARA” to 305-720-7245 for more information or complete our online inquiry form at https://1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/ , and we will contact you right away!
Your hometown lockdown is lifted. Your arm hurts like heck where they stuck you with the Pfizer-BioNTech.
Things are getting back to normal. You are vaccinated, and oh-so-ready to reschedule that summer 2020 yachting escape.
Don’t worry. France, Italy, and Spain are right where you left them. So, what to do after Covid?
Close your eyes. Do you see the beaches? The dockside cafes? Imagine laying poolside – on the sundeck of superyacht ALFA NERO…
GETTING THERE…
Unfortunately, even with much of Covid in the rearview mirror, the drudgery of getting to the Mediterranean sinks in.
Without question, it’s a LONG flight to the Med. Getting directly onboard a superyacht after hours in the air is not appealing. Understandably, no one wants to waste their first day on the sea, feeling dog-tired and irritable.
A PLANNED LAYOVER?
Fortunately, there is a simple solution to reducing jet lag and stress before your yacht charter begins. What is the solution? Check into a boutique property and decompress for a day!
A pre-charter layover is a great way to unwind after traveling. Let your yacht crew scramble with last-minute preparations. You will be relaxing in a calming, resort environment.
WHAT TO DO ON BEFORE THE YACHT
You can lay by the pool, or catch up on some needed sleep. Certainly, a stroll around town and a late-night espresso in a nearby café will have you in the right frame of mind.
IT’S TIME TO GO YACHTING
Then, the next day, your crew picks you up from the resort and whisks you away to your awaiting superyacht.
Here are three, can’t-miss layover hospitality venues to help you get your groove back before you board your luxury charter yacht.
SIX SENSES, IBIZA
First, this new resort is scheduled to open in July, 2021. It is located in a quiet, almost-hidden cove in Xarraca Bay. Four-com magazine describes the resort as, “This magical cove with unobstructed sunset views and special energy is where the golden hour lasts until the Cinderella hour. Sundowner, guitar, or loved one in hand, anything feels possible. Live layers of programming and experiences will constantly evolve to celebrate music, art, sustainable fashion, spirituality, pioneering wellness, culinary exploration and culture, all synonymous with the island.” How’s that for a glowing endorsement?
We’re big fans of resorts with access to a beach and a deep-water bay. In fact, after a day of unwinding, your yacht’s crew can bring the ship’s tender right up to the beach. You and your companions can enjoy a short tender ride to your awaiting yacht. And let’s be honest – is there anything cooler than seeing your yacht at anchor, knowing everyone is watching you as you tender over and board on the aft swim platform???
The Gritti Palace, Venice
Second, this noble former palace and now hotel dates back over 500 years. It overlooks the Grand Canal in the heart of Venice. In fact, each of the hotel’s 82 guest rooms and suites offers unobstructed canal views. This is an intimate private residence masquerading as a hotel. Enjoy delicious Venetian cuisine at the Club del Doge restaurant. Too tired for dinner after a long flight? No problem. Just grab a table for cocktails on the terrace at the Riva Lounge. The next day, your yacht’s tender can pick you up at the property’s own dock. This is reminiscent of the Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival!
The ??? Resort & Spa, ???
No, it’s not a typo. The question marks have been inserted for a reason. Indeed, we did promise you the name of three hospitality venues for the perfect pre-charter layover.
So why the secrecy, you might wonder? The reason is simple. It’s our passion at 1-800 Yacht Charters, to Deliver The Superyacht Experience™ to you. Part of that experience is the creation of a bespoke luxury yacht charter vacation for you and your travel companions. Anyone can write a blog with a list of beautiful hotels and resorts. We prefer to listen to you; to hear about your style preferences. Basically, we want to understand your motivations and expectations when you travel.
By listening to you, we can create the experience you desire – the one that will enrich your life…
Let’s do this. Contact us and tell us where you want to go yachting. We’ll ask you some questions and we’ll come up with several yachts for your consideration. Of course, we’ll also suggest a great hospitality property or boutique resort where you can chill before your charter! After Covid, it’s time to get back to normal!
Hardly a week goes by that someone doesn’t ask us one of two common questions about charter yacht 11-11:
What does the name mean?
or…
Why is the bow flat?
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
As to the first question, the name has a dual meaning. Primarily, motor yacht 11-11 is named for the birthday of the yacht owner’s daughter. The secondary meaning relates to numerology, where some believe that events linked to the time 11:11 appear more often than can be explained by chance or coincidence. With some New Age philosophers assigning mystical powers to the numbers, seeing 11:11 pop up on a clock has morphed into a whimsical moment to simply, “make a wish.”
BOW DOWN!
Explaining the reason for the yacht’s unique bow is quite pedestrian and far less ethereal. It is simply a matter of physics. Measuring 63-meters, Benetti yacht 11-11 is part of the Italian manufacturer’s custom line of superyachts. The distinctive plumb bow, also referred to as an axe bow, was added for hydrodynamic efficiency. In laymen’s terms, the vertical bow avoids upward push from waves when the yacht is underway. By keeping the bow down, this result is a surprisingly stable ride, as compared to yachts with traditional, angled bows…
The award-wining yacht (she took home top honors at the 2016 World Superyacht Awards as Best Displacement motor yacht of 500 GT to 1,299 GT) with the cute name and unique look, accommodates up to 12 private luxury yacht charter guests. Her layout boasts not one, but two owner suites – a full beam cabin on the main deck, as well as a second on the upper deck.
This beautiful yacht is a frequent visitor to our home town of Miami, and is available for Bahamas yacht charters in the winter and spring. In the summer, her 16-member crew takes her across the pond to the Mediterranean, where she is available for charters in Italy and France. Now that her owner has secured a Spanish charter license, the yacht can also offer charters in the Balearic Islands (e.g. Palma, Ibiza, Majorca, Menorca, et al).
RATE AND YACHT CHARTER INFORMATION
Her weekly charter rate is €650,000 plus running expenses. For further information, click HERE.
Spain wants more private luxury yacht charter business in the Balearic Islands. However, they have a funny way of showing it.
Regular readers of our blog might recall the controversy. Previously blogged, it surrounds Spain’s 13.7% yacht charter Matriculation Tax (blog September 14, 2013). Heavy lobbying by the Spanish yachting and marina industries saw that tax removed. Unfortunately, Spain is still imposing far greater taxes on charters. This is as compared to fellow European Union countries like France, Italy and Malta.
Case in point. Picture a specific yacht that is legal for charter in both Spain and France. It incurs TWICE as much VAT liability in Spain. This is even though the tax percentages are nearly identical!
VAT EXAMPLE
A yacht charter example.
Formula 1’s Eddie Jordan has a Sunseeker 155 motor yacht BLUSH for charter. He often keeps her in the Balearic Islands for the summer charter season. When there is demand, the yacht can easily reposition. She moves to the South of France for clients who prefer a French yacht charter vacation. Additionally, she can go to the coastal areas of Italy and nearby islands of Sardinia and Corsica. Her weekly charter rate remains the same between both destinations. The rate is €220,000 per week in high season. VAT rates are almost identical: 20% in France and 21% in Spain.
A client who charters Sunseeker 155 yacht BLUSH in Ibiza, however, will see a tax of €46,200 on his charter agreement, while a client chartering the yacht in Cannes, will incur a charge of just €22,000.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT CLIENTS?
If you’re the client taking the yacht in Spain, one word comes to mind (well, maybe a few words…), most notably, “OUCH!”
So what is the explanation? Why the drastic difference if the tax rates are nearly identical? The answer can be found in Article 58 of European Union Council Directive 2006/112/EC.
“The European Union directive on VAT, as it relates to private yacht charter revenue, has a clause entitled, ‘criterion of effective use and enjoyment.’ This clause allows member states to implement a VAT reduction scheme. However, it is not compulsory. Popular cruising destinations like France, Italy, and Malta all take advantage of this opportunity to reduce VAT. Unfortunately, Spain does not.”
HOW IS VAT CALCULATED?
In our example above, the client who charters motor yacht BLUSH in France, ends up with an effective tax rate of 10%. The client who charters this yacht in Spain pays the full rate of 21%.
Note – the tax savings only kicks in when the chartered yacht cruises beyond 12 nautical miles – in essence, into international waters and out of the borders of the European Union. This is a simple task and almost all charter yacht captains will implement this strategy in order to save the charter customer 50% of the VAT rate. However, even if a yacht in Spain sails beyond the 12 nautical mile boundary, the Spanish government still insists on collecting the full VAT fee.
MEMBER STATES OF EUROPEAN UNION
The Member States of the European Union include:
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
VERBIAGE OF THE DIRECTIVE
For those readers who enjoy the technical details, here is the verbiage of the directive:
In order to avoid double taxation, non-taxation or distortion of competition, Member States may, with regard to the supply of the services referred to in Article 56(1) and with regard to the hiring out of means of transport:
(a) consider the place of supply of any or all of those services, if situated within their territory, as being situated outside the Community, if the effective use and enjoyment of the services takes place outside the Community:
(b) consider the place of supply of any of all of those services, if situated outside the Community, as being situated within their territory, if the effective use and enjoyment of the services takes placing within their territory.
TAX MARINE COMMENTS
Alex Chumillas, the director of Tax Marine explains the directive and the result of Spain’s decision: “As is clearly defined in paragraph (a), the provision seeks to minimise VAT taxation applicable to certain services, among them the hiring out of means of transport (for instance charter),” “However, the provision has not been implemented in Spain. Therefore, chartering in Spain is subject to a flat VAT rate which does not benefit from any reduction, even when sailing beyond 12 nautical miles.”
Paragraph (b) allows Spain to levy VAT charges on certain services that have been provided outside of Spain – if the services are enjoyed inside of Spain. Let’s say a charter starts in Gibraltar. The yacht will need to register for VAT and pay VAT on the length of the charter in Spain (and of course, pass then expense on to the charter customer).
By choosing to implement paragraph (b) only, the Spanish government has chosen to only apply the more burdensome element of the directive. Is this the right thing to do to people wanting to experience travel in your country?
OUR HOPES
Like they did with the repeal of the oppressive matriculation tax in 2013, let’s hope the legislators in Spain come to realize a reduction in VAT will make the Ibiza yacht charter market competitive with neighboring France and the rest of the European Union states that derive strong financial benefits from the private luxury yacht charter industry.
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