To the delight of Lurssen yacht charter fans everywhere, the owner of motor yacht MARTHA ANN has agreed to position the 70 meter superyacht in the Adriatic as of 1 June 2013. At this writing, the yacht will return to the Western Mediterranean for a booking in mid-July.
WESTERN MED YACHTS
Rarely do the world’s largest yachtsventure from the standard and uber-popular Western Med cruising grounds such as the Amalfi Coast and the south of France.
STANDARD
Lürssen yacht MARTHA ANNis maintained to a high standard inside and out. She features many upgrades. For instance, 2 new SeaDoo GTX 260’s and the addition of a 44 foot / 13.41 meter Nautica towed tender.
“With her massive beam of nearly 13 meters, she boasts extraordinary volumes for a yacht of this length. With 7 wet bars and a beautiful glass elevator that services all 5 decks, this is the ideal entertainment yacht for a Mediterranean yacht charter in the summer or a Caribbean yacht charter in St. Barts to celebrate New Year’s Eve.“
ACCOMODATIONS AND RATE
Motoryacht MARTHA ANN offers accommodations for 12 guests in 7 staterooms. Her weekly rate is Euro €600,000 per week. Running expenses are in addition.
Solar sunbed. It rotates. It mists. Ahhhh. With much of the northeast United States buried under a blizzard of snow, here’s a new superyacht amenity guaranteed to give you a “sunny” outlook!
LMV’s Lasy Solar sun bed self-orientates according to the position of the sun. How neat is that??
Imagine you are onboard your Lurssen Yacht Charter somewhere off the coast of Capri. Your solar-powered sun bed slowly rotates to keep the heat on your body. What’s that you say – it’s starting to get a little too hot? No worries – there’s a built-in Mist Breeze cooling system to cool you down!
Of course, total comfort is a must, so the bed is covered in marine-grade luxury leather.
Thanks to its solar power source, the Lasy Solar sun bed doesn’t need connecting to a yacht’s power supply.
The manufacturer plans to have the product website for Lasy Solar sun beds up and running soon.
A special presentation occurred at the recent ShowBoats Design Awards Gala. Notably, the winner of the annual Young Designer of the Year Award was announced. The international audience of yacht owners and luxury yacht charter designers observed. Not only is this an incredible award, but the designers also look forward to working with a new phenom.
MICHAEL GIVENS
Michael Givens is the 2011 winner. He won €5,000 in prize money. Michael bests a competition of 30 entries from 20 countries.
FINALISTS
Additionally, the winner and the top five finalists receive a host of unique opportunities aimed at advancing their design careers. For instance, complimentary access to the two-day Superyacht Design Symposium. Also included is an all-expenses-paid trip. In specific, to see the design and construction of Lürssen yacht charter vessels at the builders’ shipyards in Bremen and Rendsburg, Germany.
Michael Givens – Young Designer of the Year
THE COMPETITION
ShowBoats Media is a worldwide initiative. Specifically, to uncover the yachting industry’s up-and-coming creative talents.
Important to realize, contestants submitted design portfolios. Judges are an elite panel of yacht designers. For example, Andrew Winch and Dickie Bannenberg. In addition, Rob Humphreys.
“Being called on stage to accept the Young Designer of the Year Award was the most exciting moment of my life,” beamed Givens. “It is truly astonishing to be starting out in this industry and have had the opportunity to attend such a prestigious event. The award, along with the entire experience, will be cherished.”
Don’t ask me to accurately describe the new exterior color scheme of super yacht POLAR STAR. Either way, I just love it!
THE PAST
For the past 12 seasons, the 63 meter yacht has traveled around the Mediterranean each summer. She travels to the Caribbean in the winter. This pretty lady is instantly recognizable with her striking deep blue hull. At this time, an extensive 6-month refit in Spain is complete. It includes a 3 meter swim platform extension. Lürssen private yacht charter vessel now turns her image on its head.
The blue color is no more! She now wears a shade of white…or is it grey…? Hmmm.
THE PRESENT
Immediately after the refit, Charl van Rooy, editor of Superyacht Times described the new exterior colors as, “…military light-grey.” Fast-forward to this week, and van Rooy now says it’s a, “…light sand coloured paint scheme.” In fairness to van Rooy, it’s not his fault – the colors are subtle and faint, and depending upon the sunlight, and refection of the water, it does appear to be different shades of off-white.
That, of course, is the point. The owner was looking for something fresh – a new image for an iconic yacht that has visually dominated the Monaco yacht charter market for more than a decade.
If you’ll be in the South of France this summer, keep an eye open for Lürssen yacht POLAR STAR as she charts a new course and showcases her new colors!
COMING SOON – THE POLAR STAR YACHT REFIT STORY
We’ll revisit the yacht’s refit in another blog – coming soon. Until then, if you are interested in The Superyacht Experience™ in the Med on this or another Lürssen (or Benetti or Feadship or Abeking & Rasmussen or…) yacht charter vessel, visit our selection of Mediterranean yachts for charter at https://1800yachtcharters.com/monaco-yacht-charters/ today!
Word recently came in that one of the largest private luxury yacht charter vessels in the market was just sold.
The 85 meter (279 foot) spectacular Lurssen motor yacht SOLANDGE has been sold. The deal closed on March 22, and the new owner has already taken delivery. The buyer was represented by Moran Yacht and Ship, and terms of the sale have not been released. She was listed for sale by Moran at an asking price of €155,000,000 (yes, boys and girls, that IS 6 zeros!)
SCHEDULED TO SHOW
The massive yacht was scheduled to participate in the Palm Beach International Boat Show, March 23 -26, 2017. Needless to say, the new owner saw no need to put the yacht on display, instead choosing to enjoy his new watertoy.
Launched in 2013, Solandge Lurssen motor yacht features the sleek exterior styling of naval architect Espen Øino, with a rich, rather eclectic interior design by Aileen Rodriguez.
COMPANY PRESIDENT COMMENTS
“She is an amazing luxury yacht charter vessel,” says Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters. “Imagine a floating resort with a gym, spa, saunas, and cinema. There’s even a DJ booth on the party deck, and a 5.5 meter swimming pool on the aft. Best of all, this floating spa is private – only you and your family and friends are onboard!”
WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR HER FUTURE?
Yachtsmen and -women the world over want to know — will we be waving goodbye to Lurssen yacht Solandge…or will she remain in the charter fleet??? Is it Adios – or just Hasta luego? Do we say Tchau – or just Ate mais, beijo? Is it Ciao — or Addio?
Often, a new owner will remove the yacht from the private yacht charter marketplace, so he and his family and friends can enjoy her for extended cruising.
SHEEDER KNOWS THE CURRENT ANSWER
“For now, she remains listed for hire, but that could change,” says Sheeder. “Of course, for the benefit of our clients, we certainly hope she remains in the marketplace. Only a handful of the world’s largest yachts are available for hire, and motoryacht Solandge stands at or near the top of that elite list.”
ALL ABOUT SOLANDGE
Solandge accommodates 12 guests in a 7 elegant stateroom configuration. Her weekly rate is €1,000,000 plus running expenses. Her current schedule has her available for hire in the Caribbean through Spring, then in the Mediterranean for the summer.
HOW TO CHARTER A YACHT?
To view and charter some of the world’s largest yachts, click https://1800yachtcharters.com/superyacht-charter/. Then contact us to discuss, text, or WhatsApp about any yachts that interest you. Even if you do not want to charter, we are happy to answer any questions about them for you!
For years, the name Lürssen has been synonymous with some of the most luxurious, and certainly the largest yachts available for charter. Mammoth-sized vessels such as the 70-meter motor yacht MARTHA ANN and the 60-meter motor yacht HUNTRESS (x-SOLEMATES) are testaments to the 130 yr old German shipbuilder’s dedication to craftsmanship and timeless elegance.
The latest launch by the acclaimed builder is no exception. Lurssen motor yacht ACE has the distinction of being the first superyacht to splash down in 2012. She measures 87 meters and left the company’s shipyard in Rendsburg on January 9th. The superyacht by Andrew Winch Design is magnificent. Her exterior is both unique and instantly recognizable.
Lurssen yacht ACE swimming pool and helipad
This is the unanswered, million-dollar question. Will motor yacht ACE enter the luxury yacht charter market in 2012?
Many of her clients are still onboard their yachts enjoying their 2013 year-end St Barts yacht charter vacations. Jana Sheeder, President and Co-owner of SailAway Yacht Charters and 1-800 Yacht Charters comments. She takes a few minutes to reflect on the year that was (and offers us a glimpse of what’s to come in 2014.
Q: The charter industry still seems to be recovering from the global economic downturn of the past couple years. Did 2013 represent an uptick in the volume of charter business?
Sheeder: “Our research indicates 2013 showed significant improvement in charter revenues when compared to both 2011 and 2012. Many newly-built yachts enter the charter marketplace in 2013. These are builds that had stalled while under construction during the height of the downturn. As the global economy began to pick up, delayed construction projects commenced.
The result is a beautiful new fleet of superyacht charter vessels that hit the seas in time for the 2013 summer Mediterranean charter season.”
Q: Did the year end on an uptick?
Sheeder: “We haven’t seen any industry data yet, so we can’t speak for our competitors. We can tell you in terms of the Caribbean yacht charter marketplace, SailAway (1-800 Yacht Charters) had its strongest December in over 3 years. While the inquiries for smaller vessels did not grow, our bookings of superyachts – some of the largest yachts in the world – increased significantly.
Presently, we have the two largest charter vessels currently docked in St Barts for 9 night charters – motor yacht LAUREL (240 feet, $525,000 per week) and the Lurssen yacht charter motoryacht MARTHA ANN (230 feet, 600,000 EUROS per week).”
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Q: What was the biggest change you witnessed in 2013 in the charter industry?
Sheeder: “I would have to say the ending of VAT exempt charters in France. For many years, our clients enjoyed St. Tropez yacht charters and summer vacations along the Cote d’Azur, free of the burden of VAT. That all changed in the summer of 2013 when the French yacht charter VAT went into effect. As of July 15, 2013, charterers can expect to pay an additional 9.8% for their Côte d’Azur yacht charter.”
Q: Are you optimistic as you look ahead to 2014?
Sheeder: “Our team is extremely optimistic as we focus on incremental growth in 2014. During the economic downturn, while many of our competitors hunkered down to ride out the storm, we took a contrarian approach. We focused our efforts on increased marketing. Our strategy was simple – stay in touch with existing clients and prospects. We wanted to be “easy to find” once the economy turned around.
Internally, we call it our “Tip of the Tongue” project. Clients had tightened their belts during the downturn, and we were committed to be the brand they remembered (always on the tip of the tongue) when they were ready to loosen their discretionary income belts again!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Now that 2014 is here, we are excited to announce that, for instance
Our newly-designed website is nearing completion
We are launching a new subsidiary to provide luxury yacht tenders to megayacht owners
Our additional satellite offices are opening
We are focused on charitable causes — helping others, helping marine life, and helping the environment — Paying it Forward and Making a Difference for all that’s been given to us!
The sky’s the limit! It will be an exciting, challenging, and awe-inspiring year!”
Miami’s premier superyacht marina, Island Gardens Deep Harbour, is under new management. The “upgrade” in management, in our opinion, is long overdue.
WHAT IS THE NEW NAME?
The new name for the Miami Superyacht Marina is Yacht Haven Grande Miami at Island Gardens. The marina opened in 2016 and is the annual home of the SuperYacht Miami Show each February.
ABOUT IGY MARINAS
Island Global Yachting (also known as IGY Marinas) will operate the rebranded Miami marina. This destination offers 50 superyacht berths – for yachts up to a maximum length of 550ft. In-slip fueling is available. High-power electrical service is also available.
LOCATION OF SUPERYACHT MARINA
The marina is located on Watson Island. The island is ideally located between Miami Beach to the east and downtown Miami to the west. Indeed, the views of the Miami skyline are postcard-perfect. The proximity to trendy area hotspots is unbeatable. This deep-water marina is always our first choice for our Miami yacht charter clients. Nevertheless, the marina was less than ideal for the yacht crews as they awaited the arrival of our charter guests. Specifically, the marina lacked a captain and crew lounge. Furthermore, customs and immigration assistance was sketchy at best.
MARINA AMENITIES
IGY has resolved these issues. There is now a crew lounge, as well as a conference room. Additionally, concierge services are available including valet and laundry/dry cleaning. On-site dining is also available. In fact, the newly re-opened dock-side café, aptly named, “The Deck” is described by Forbes as “Miami’s Hottest New Restaurant.”
MARINA SERVICES
We’re excited to take advantage of the new services and amenities. Apprehension gives way to anticipation, as we await the upcoming Superyacht Miami show (February 2021). We are unsure as to whether the show will go on or be well-attended in 2021. In specific, Covid, the pandemic, the Coronavirus changed the landscape of events. What’s exciting about the show? As an example, in the past, we transported prospective clients to the show via yacht tenders. The car parking lot was poorly maintained. We found it simpler, cleaner, more in tune with the theme, AND more fun to arrive via boat. Arrival by car is once again an option, with IGY concierge services in place.
We’re excited to welcome IGY Marinas to Miami. Moreover, we look forward to commencing more Miami superyacht charter vacations from this rebranded location.
HOW TO BOOK YOUR YACHT CHARTER
In conclusion, book a superyacht with us for your own private luxury yacht charter vacation today! Contact your yacht charter brokers at 1-800 Yacht Charters at 305-720-7245. If you prefer, complete our online inquiry form at https://1800yachtcharters.com/book-now/ .
We will be in touch with you right away to plan The Superyacht Experience™ for you!
Megayacht charter customers take heart – the luxury yacht industry is alive and well. Superyacht sales soar in September 2009. Without active purchases and sales of yachts, there is no viable luxury sailing charter or megayacht rental industry. All sales bode well for the future.
YACHT SALES BREAK RECORDS
September saw a number of 2009 brokerage sales records broken. In conclusion, 24 superyachts sell at asking prices totaling nearly 374 million EUROS. This is well above the combined total of July and August of 340 million EUROS. January to the end of April add to the number of superyachts with new owners – all to the tune of 372 million EUROS.
“Understandably, expectations for what was once the start of the busiest season for yacht sales were conservative across the industry this year, and major brokerage houses reacted cautiously even to the apparent signs of recovery in August. However going into September we saw recovery consolidated somewhat with sales of the 60m+ yachts of prestigious yards and, speaking to other leading brokers at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, the mood was certainly more optimistic.”
Basically, what his quote expresses is that the season starts slowly due to the economy, and as sales pick up, optimism grows.
According to local reports in Mexico, the crew of the 90 meter Lürssen motor yacht, ICE, assisted in a rescue operation off the coast of Cozumel in mid-February.Apparently a local dive boat was enroute with divers on board to a dive site in Playa Del Carmen known for attracting bull sharks. After taking on water in rough seas, the vessel sank, leaving all hands in the water, adrift for approximately 4 hours.
Superyacht ICE picked up the dive boat’s distress signal, calculated to where the divers would have drifted, and located all 8 divers and the boat’s operator alive in the water.
Built by Lürssen in Germany in 2005, the 90 meter motor yacht ICE (launched as motor yacht AIR) offers accommodations for 14 guests, and features a crew compliment of 27. While not currently available for hire, many other yachts by the fabled German builder are in service as Lürssen yacht charter vessels, including 2009, 60 meter motor yachtARKLEYand 2010, 60 meter motor yachtSOLEMATES.
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