The Charter Connection Blog

Here’s an opportunity that doesn’t come along every day! Brett and Ronnie are offering $5,000 off the listed rate for 7 night bookings on Akasha, between March 3 and 16. This is one of the few slots available in this popular boat’s calendar and they are keen to fill it. Akasha offers wonderful luxury for up to 10 guests, in 4 queen suites and a lovely master suite with a king. Brett and Ronnie are true professionals and run a first class ship.

If the cold is getting to you and you’re in the market for a big cat this winter, it doesn’t get better than this. For $4,300 per person, a party of 10 can charter this huge 76′ cat for a week, including all ‘5star’ meals, reasonable bar and some scuba diving for certified divers.

Whether you’re going for the best money can buy or looking for great value, at Ed Hamilton & Co we’ll find you the perfect yacht. Use our online form to tell us about your party so we can start suggesting some boats. You can also call us at 800 621 7855 or email us at info@ed-hamilton.com

For the month of February, ‘Silver Moon’ is offering 7 nights for the price of 6 – a 14% discount! This inexpensive 44′ cat can be chartered as captain only with half board rates, or fully inclusive with cook and all meals, but other offers (children go free etc) cannot be combined with this one. During February, a party of 6 could therefore have a weeks charter for $1257 per person, captain plus half board, or $1587 per person fully crewed with all meals.

The pristine 45′ Beneteau, ‘Honiara’ is offering a $300 discount on their regular rates for charters of 7 or more days, between February 22 and June 15, 2011, providing confirmation is no later than March 18. This shouldn’t be combined with any other specials. Pierre and Adele will be in St. Martin until mid February and could be available for a charter in the Leewards starting February 21 if given enough lead time. This is a great, inexpensive 2 pax boat. With this special, a couple could be personally wined and dined for $2800 per person, per week, including all meals and bar. Two couples would be $1850 per person.

‘Safari’ is a 44′ Lagoon cat, in spotless condition. She is taking $1,000 off the price of any ‘all inclusive’ or ‘captain only’ 7 day charters that start in February. Charters of less than 7 days can be prorated after deducting the discount, but this special cannot be combined with other discounts. For 6 guests chartering for a week in February, she would be $1,950 per person including captain, cook, all meals and open bar, or $1,450 captain only, plus all expenses. The yacht can accommodate 8 for young families, using the salon or forward cabin.

We can find you the best value in every price range. You can call us at 800 621 7855, email us at info@ed-hamilton.com, read more on the Ed Hamilton & Co website, or tell us about your plans so we can suggest some suitable boats and crews!

Here’s a way of having an inexpensive romantic Valentine charter and renew your vows at the same time! Tim and Angela are offering a special for charters over Valentine’s Day on their lovely 46′ yacht ‘Spirit’.

In addition to all meals and open bar, they are including free champagne throughout the week (let it flow), engraved gifts, a DVD of your happy adventures above and below the water, and champagne beach picnics! On Valentines Day itself, you can join the traditional group wedding vow renewal ceremony, held just before sunset at beautiful Trunk Bay, St. John. A tropical fruit platter and (of course) champagne, will be served after the ceremony, on the beach. Also included is a tandem ride rendezvous parasail with a bird’s eye view of St. John, St Thomas and the western British Virgin Islands.
All this for a total of $5900 for two, for the week, plus gratuity. Preferred pick up is the US Virgin Islands for this special.

Feeling romantic? Ed Hamilton & Co can provide the perfect setting for any honeymoon yacht charter or celebration, so tell us your plans and call us at 800 621 7855 or send us an email at info@ed-hamilton.com.

P.S. See if you can guess the name of the beach in the photograph (hint it was taken a few years ago)! The answer is on our company FaceBook page.

There are relatively few yachts that can accommodate a large party (30 guests) in such luxury, so if you want to treat your company executives, extended family or special group to a holiday of a lifetime, consider RM Elegant. Your guests will sleep well in 15 comfortable cabins, including two luxury suites, but the main attraction is the service they will receive and the sheer size, comfort and diversity of this 237′ ship.

The enormous sun deck runs almost the full length. Enjoy the view from a deckchair or the jacuzzi, or host a party, all without another uninvited guest in sight! Guests can dine in a variety of spaces, from casual to formal. Those that feel the need can utilize the state of the art business center, while others can spend their time being pampered in her excellent spa. For the active, she has every water toy you could imagine!

RM Elegant is currently in the Caribbean, on her way to her winter home in St. Martin, but this is a yacht that can go virtually anywhere, so ask us if you have a special request. In the summer she heads back to the Mediterranean, to her base in the French Riviera. Take a look at her brochure and dream!

So much luxury for just 30 special guests is obviously not inexpensive, but if you’re looking for a business or group treat, this is top end! At Ed Hamilton & Co we specialize in finding those perfect solutions, so tell us about your plans and call us at 800 621 7855 or email us at info@ed-hamilton.com.

Christmas is only 9 days away, but we are still getting last minute requests for the holidays. Almost more surprising is that we are finding suitable boats and booking them! The savvy shoppers are booking for NEXT year, where they can get what they want before the regulars rebook for 2011/12, but if you’re looking for a last minute get away, here are some suggestions for this year. Prices are holiday rates for one week and include all meals and open bar unless stated.

Open from Dec 27 - Jan 11, Tachyon has to be a deal in the Grenadines. Jacque is joining Eric for this charter, so this week she is fully crewed for up to 6 guests, for $11,900 (reduced from $14,900).

Magpie ($8,700/2, $10,300/4)and Sudiki ($9,400/2, $12,000/4) are two other options in the Grenadines, open for both holidays.

In the British and US Virgin Islands, the popular Sandcastle ($13,420/2, $14,420/4) is open for Christmas, up to Dec 27, and Reaction ($20,000 up to 8 ), with their fun crew, is open to Dec 28.

Honiara ($8,470 up to 4) and Crystal Clear ($8,950/2, $10,950/4) are open for both holidays and Amaryllis ($9,350/2, $10,450/4, $12,100/6) is open for New Year from the 30th.

123Relax ($5,445/2, $7,150/4, $8,778/6, plus bar in Leewards) is an inexpensive option in St. Martin but she needs to finish on the 1st.

Thinking of a different New Year in the uncrowded islands of Belize? Be pampered on the exciting Gunboat 66, Gazelle ($23,100 up to 4, $25,300/6), open from the 30th.

Check into flights first, but if you can get there, we can have you celebrating in the sunshine this holiday! Email us now at Ed Hamilton & Co.

The St Thomas charter yacht show was held for the third year at Yacht Haven Grande, in Charlotte Amalie. The setting is gorgeous with the landscaped area, host of restaurants and boutique shops surrounding the docks.

Twenty-eight yachts were in attendance, and brokers could see a wide range of boats from the 46′ Hunter SPIRIT, specializing in two guest vacations, to the 56′ Marquises Catamaran, GOOD NEWS, all the way up to the 120′ Broward, M/Y FREEDOM.

I had the honor of having lunch aboard the latter, and had an outstanding meal by chef Quinn Corbett, who incidentally hails from Maine. Quinn showcased his talents well and his menu was amazing. The starter was sauteed shrimp with house smoked bacon and sweet corn, finished with white wine, fresh thyme and butter and served on southern grits.

The main course consisted of a mixed grill of chicken breast with a cranberry-orange chutney, quail with dried fruit and nut bread stuffing, Merguez sausage with traditional Harissa sauce, and a fresh goat cheese crumble, served with grilled veggies and an Israeli couscous. And just when we thought we’d eaten too much, out came the dessert. A Chef’s selection of truffles, fruit fondu, mini whoopie pies, rosemary shortbread, mini ice cream sandwiches, peanut butter cups and blondies. There were clean plates all around. FREEDOM can host up to 9 guests in 4 cabins, the Master Cabin has a King bed, there are two Queen cabins and a cabin with twin beds and a pullman.

I was also treated to lunch aboard the 54′ Lazzara, Verna Breeze. Chris and Kelly are wonderful hosts and the online brochure does not do the boat justice. This comfortable sailer features amazingly spacious, flat decks.  Kelly prepared prosciutto wrapped asparagus spears, yin yan soup, and grilled lobster.  Dessert was grilled pineapple with dipping sauce. Stellar. VERNA BREEZE is a great boat for a single couple or a family with one or two kids. Her master has a queen and an additional cabin offers over/under singles.

The boat show was a great success, and I had the opportunity to visit with crews and yachts I was already familiar with as well as see some exciting new options for charter. Email us or give us a call at 800 621 7855, and we can help you find the perfect yacht and crew for your vacation!

The lovely 80′ ‘Matelot’ is offering 10 days for the price of 7 in September, to round out her successful season in Tahiti. This is a great time to visit the Society Islands. The August heat has gone and the winter rainy season hasn’t arrived!

Matelot is a beautiful, sleek, Nauta 80, designed by Bruce Farr and built by the Southern Wind Shipyard. Her captain, Angus Fuller, knows the area well and has prepared two examples of possible itineraries, one for the Society Islands (Tahiti) and one for the more northern and remote Tuamotu Islands. We hope you enjoy them and they inspire you to visit one of the last truly pristine cruising grounds in the world!

When you’re ready, Ed Hamilton & Co. can help you with all aspects of your charter. Call us at 800 621 7855, email us at info@ed-hamilton.com, or tell us your plans so we can suggest some suitable bareboat charter companies or yachts with crews!

Belize is a great cruising ground but while there are many bareboat options, boat selection can be limited for crewed charters. We are therefore pleased to announce that two popular cats from the eastern Caribbean will be basing there this winter.

Chartering in Belize is quite different from the Virgins or the eastern Caribbean chain. There are very few restaurants/bars ashore and it is possible to hardly see another sail for the week in the more remote areas. Not all people are looking for this amount of solitude, but for those who are, this is a wonderful destination, particularly for anyone interested in scuba diving. The waters are generally shallow and protected by the spectacular Belize Barrier Reef, which is over 180 miles long (second longest in the world).

Gazelle is one of the exciting new Gunboat 66’s - a new breed of cats combining incredible speed with comfort. These designs are full of interesting ideas, including an additional forward ‘cockpit’ for handling lines. Both the salon and covered cockpit aft are particularly spacious and have an open feel. The master cabin is forward, to port, with a smaller cabin aft. A third cabin is forward, to starboard, with access past the galley. Berths in the forward cabins are quite high, but comfortable. The fine woodwork is unusual in such a performance boat. Six guests can charter her for a week for $3,834 pp including all meals and reasonable bar. Her popular crew, Jon and Nicki, have done several excellent charters for us on their previous boat, Mawali. They are currently in New England (see recent picture passing famous NY landmark), but will be sailing the boat south in the fall. Between December and February, they will visit Cuba, Mexico, Belize, Guatamala and Panama. In March they head to the Galapagos and then on to Tahiti…

Infinity is one of the popular 50′ Simonis/Voyage cats. She was built in 2001 and has chartered in the British Virgin Islands since then. She is now based in Belize, at Ambergris Caye. Her crew, Ian and Janey, are keen divers and would be happy to take you to the great dive sites of this unspoiled area. Her six person rate is $2250 pp, including all meals, bar, diving and dive gear.

We also want to mention Legacy, although she is not a new addition and not the same style of boat. Legacy has been chartering in Belize for a while and is particularly popular with serious divers or larger groups looking for more casual service and accommodations. She is a 64′ custom catamaran that can accommodate up to 12 guests, though 10 is more practical. Access to some cabins is through others. Her six person rate is $2,668 pp and ten is $2,401 pp, including all meals, bar, diving (up to 4 per day) and dive gear. Note that this price is for six nights, not seven, but they are currently running a special until December 15th, offering a free 7th night and one guest free for 8 or more guests.

If you are looking for a quality charter in an unusual destination this winter, call us at 800 621 7855, or email us at info@ed-hamilton.com. There’s more destinations on the Ed Hamilton & Co website, or you can tell us about your plans so we can suggest some other areas, boats and crews!