moving yachts around the world

Resources updated 8/28/2023 by Transitions Abroad

We were heaved to in the middle of the Atlantic, the sails of the 40-foot sloop set in such a way that the boat drifted slowly through the water, riding gently upon the heaving ocean swell that rose and fell with cosmic regularity. The puffy trade wind clouds marched across the sky in the perpetual easterly breeze. The sea itself was an indescribable shade of deep blue that exists only in deep waters far offshore, a color for which we have no word.

I was on the lee deck, wedged between the coach roof and the lifelines, bracing myself against the swell, gripping an old plastic sextant and practicing my sun sights. Engaging in a method of navigation used for centuries is to truly become one with the universe, a sensation long lost among the lives of those on shore. After plotting my line of position that I obtained by calculating the angle of the sun on the horizon, I figured we were around 26 degrees North latitude, 65 degrees West longitude, just about halfway between Charleston, SC, and our landfall in the Virgin Islands. We were seven days off the East Coast, another seven or so more to sail. We had finally adjusted to life at sea, the simple life of living in tune with the universe.

Traveling and Working as a Volunteer Crew Member

Amazingly, I was along for this trip of a lifetime as a volunteer crew member. The owner had paid my way, provided the food onboard, and would pay for a return ticket from Tortola upon our successful delivery of his yacht to the islands, where he planned to use it over the winter months. The 40-foot, French-built sloop boat was incredibly comfortable for the four of us onboard — my father, another 20-something young woman, and the volunteer French captain. We had a nicely-sized galley with working refrigeration, ample sleeping space, and plenty of food (and coffee) for two weeks at sea.

Traveling the world by sailboat is a dream shared by many but experienced by few — more often than not, thrown to the wind and destroyed by careers, commitments, and shore side attachments. But life is gratifying for those who commit to the sea — simple in its routines yet profoundly natural.

As a lifelong sailor and professional captain, I have traveled the world by every means imaginable, yet I have found that the best way to travel is under sail. For those looking for a unique way to see the world and experience life, becoming volunteer crew doing yacht deliveries is an exciting, unique, and reasonably affordable way to get around.

How to Find the Right Boat to Work On

Yacht deliveries can range from taking a neglected 32-footer built in the 1960s from Bermuda to Nova Scotia in the dead of winter (which I have unfortunately experienced) to sailing a sparkling new 70-footer in the warm Trade Winds of the Caribbean, island hopping your way around some of the most beautiful sailing grounds in the world. So it pays to do some research before signing up for any trip that is out there.

Walk to Docks to Find a Boat: Ironically, the best way to get a job as a delivery crew member is to arrive in a new port on a sailboat and walk the docks looking for work. Unfortunately, the age-old catch-22 situation rears its ugly head — you need experience to be crew, yet need to crew to gain experience. Suppose you are lucky enough to live in a sailing city — such as Annapolis, MD, Ft Lauderdale, FL, or any coastal town in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. In that case, walking the docks and talking to people is your best bet for finding a boat. The girl on my last trip found our boat precisely that way. She was a local from Charleston, SC, simply looking for sailing experience and a ride to the islands where she wanted to pursue her kite surfing passion. Since we were only three then, we welcomed her extra help, even though she had never been on a sailboat before.

Use the Internet: If you are like me, come from a rural inland town, or are otherwise far removed from the ocean, the Internet is helpful and provides another way to find a boat. Several websites are dedicated to finding crew, particularly for deliveries, and they often allow you free access. Professional delivery skippers often post ads looking for volunteer crew people, and it is usually just a matter of sending your resume, a photo, and a short email about why you want to crew that will get you on a boat. Frequently these skippers are willing to take inexperienced crew as a third or fourth member and are usually very amenable to teaching.

Take Part in “Cruising Rallies”: Increasing numbers of retired businessmen and women are buying boats with big dreams of crossing big oceans without the knowledge, skill, or confidence to do so alone. Several career sailors have recognized this problem, and "Cruising Rallies" are becoming increasingly popular in all the world's oceans. They are organized by experienced sailors with thousands of ocean miles, and together with up to 50 other boats, inexperienced sailors (primarily retirees) can cross the ocean of their dreams in the relative safety of the group with experienced leadership. Once in port, these newfound ocean sailors have the added benefit of organized parties and events to share the joys of their first ocean passage with others.

You can be a part of the increasing popularity of cruising rallies, and many of the organizations behind the logistics maintain websites and crew registers. The Carib 1500, for example, is perhaps the most popular cruising rally on this side of the Atlantic, with nearly 50 boats, all over 40 feet (and many much bigger), sailing non-stop from Norfolk, VA, to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. The rally occurs after hurricane season and before the onset of winter, in early November. They also organize a return rally in May from Tortola to Bermuda. From there, the boats split up and headed east to Europe or back to the U.S.

What About Experience?

Many captains, including myself, require at least one if not two, professional or very seasoned sailors to join them on a major ocean crossing. However, like me, many are more than willing to take a few extra inexperienced sailors or intrepid adventurers along for the ride and are often willing to instruct them along the way.

The key to finding a boat to sail on is to present yourself as a trustworthy person eager to join the trip. Ulterior motives are often very apparent, and no captain is willing to take along someone just looking for a free ride.

Working Aboard the Sailing Boat

The work aboard an ocean sailing boat is difficult, tiring, and unending. A passage of even ten days sounds short, yet when you're on a watch schedule of four hours on and eight hours off, one day seems like two, and you must adapt to an utterly different way of life than the one you are accustomed to ashore. Everyone shares in all the duties involved in running the boat, from standing watch in the rain at 2 a.m. to cooking breakfast and making coffee. Then you must clean up upon arrival when the boat is in shambles, and you have not had a freshwater shower in two weeks.

Life at sea is incredibly raw and incredibly basic. Your world shrinks to the three miles or so you can see in every direction before the horizon curves out of view. A passing freighter is often the most exciting thing on a given day. The intense discomfort of being salty and sticky for two weeks is offset by the rewards of a cloudless night watch under a new moon. The sky is so dark you can scarcely see your hand in front of your face, yet the stars fill the night sky like an enormous diamond exploding in the center of the universe, sending fragments to every corner of space. You will see more shooting stars on one night watch than you would in a lifetime ashore; at sea, the lights of civilization do not pollute the sky.

Ocean Sailing Makes the World Feel Big Again

In our age of instant communication and light-speed travel, crossing even a short distance in a sailboat reminds us that despite our attempts to shrink the world with technology, our planet remains one enormous place. After two weeks at sea, watching a distant island grow on the horizon provides an indescribable feeling of accomplishment. The first beer ashore never tasted better, and a freshwater shower after weeks of bathing in the salty ocean is a blessing from Heaven.

If you plan accordingly and have ample time, traveling the globe by "hitchhiking" on sailing yachts is a unique and rewarding way to see the world. After the first trip, you still gain experience, and finding and sailing on additional boats becomes progressively easier. You will save thousands on airfare and gain a greater appreciation for the distances we travel so quickly through the sky. But most importantly, you will return to nature, experience life with a stronger sense of connection to the universe, and return with unforgettable stories. You will change.

Andy Schell is a professional captain and freelance writer who lives aboard his sailboat Arcturus in Annapolis, MD, and travels extensively.

Yacht Transport: Everything You Need To Know About Shipping A Yacht

Transporting a yacht  can feel like setting sail into unknown waters, brimming with  intricate choices  and deep-seated worries for your cherished vessel. It’s a path we’ve traversed as well, learning the ropes through our sea of experiences in  boat shipping .

Our guide is crafted to demystify the process, offering clear steps to ensure your yacht’s relocation is as seamless as the  calmest sea . Let’s navigate these waters together for an easy, breezy transition from one harbor to the next!

Need to ship your yacht? Request a Quote from  Cross Chartering Yacht Transport  today!

Key Takeaways

There are a few different yacht shipping methods, including Lift on Lift off (LoLo), Roll on Roll off (RoRo), Container Shipping, and By Water on Keel. Each method has pros and cons, so it’s important to weigh your options carefully before deciding.

• Preparing your yacht for transport involves vital steps such as  cleaning and inspection, securing detachable parts, protecting the exterior, disconnecting batteries, and draining fluids  to ensure safe transportation.
• When planning the logistics of yacht transportation, it’s crucial to consider  timeframes based on distance, shipping method, customs procedures, seasonal factors, and budgeting for cost factors like insurance premiums and demurrage fees .

Understanding Yacht Shipping Methods

Lift on Lift off (LoLo) Boat Shipping

We often recommend  Lift on Lift off (LoLo)  for transporting our clients’ prized yachts. This method calls upon the  strength of cranes  to hoist your vessel onto a  cargo ship  with precision and care.

Once lifted, we secure your yacht firmly on deck, strapping it into place for its ocean journey. Trust in this process comes from knowing that every detail is meticulously planned, with  specialized tools  ready.

Choosing LoLo means your yacht’s safety is a top priority. Our transport business offers  comprehensive voyage insurance , ensuring protection throughout transit. We manage all  logistical aspects  so you can have peace of mind while your sailing companion travels to meet you across the seas.

With us handling the heavy lifting, rest assured that your treasured vessel will arrive  safely and efficiently  at its destination.

Roll on, Roll off (RoRo) Yacht Shipping

Shifting gears from Lift on Lift off, let’s explore the  Roll on Roll off (RoRo) method , another popular choice for transporting yachts. This process streamlines loading and unloading your prized vessel by allowing it to be  driven directly onto the ship’s deck  at departure and  rolled off upon arrival .

Imagine how efficient this is: no cranes or lifting, just a seamless transition from dock to deck and back to dock.

With RoRo shipping, our team meticulously secures your yacht for its ocean voyage. We utilize a fleet of  specialized trailers and tie-down systems  designed for  maritime conditions  to keep your yacht stable throughout the transport.

Your complete confidence in us is justified as we handle every detail of transit with precision—from obtaining permits to conducting thorough inspections—assuring that  GPS tracking  keeps you updated every nautical mile of the journey.

Whether racing across oceans or cruising through canals, consider RoRo for a robust yet straightforward solution tailored to  oversized loads  like yours.

Container Shipping

Moving from Roll on Roll off to  Container Shipping , we’ll explore how this method provides an alternative for transporting yachts that don’t fit the traditional RoRo vessels. Imagine dismantling your yacht’s mast and securely placing it within a massive metal box; that’s what  container shipping  is about.

Expert freight forwarders use  flat rack containers  to accommodate the unique dimensions of racing yachts or smaller leisure boats, ensuring they are well-protected throughout their journey.

This option may seem daunting at first glance, but we streamline the process with our know-how and careful planning.

Our teams meticulously prepare each yacht before it gets loaded onto a flatbed trailer and then transferred to these specialized containers. We understand every inch counts when dealing with  valuable cargo  like your yacht.

We guarantee its safety against any bumps on the road or waves at sea through extensive knowledge, precise measurements, and  custom cradle construction . Trust us to navigate all logistics involved in container shipping because securing your prized possession is not just another task—it’s our commitment to excellence in  transportation services .

By Water on Keel

Transporting yachts By  Water on Keel  is a direct approach where the vessel sails under its own power. It’s a go-to option for many boat owners since it often  avoids the complexities of overland transport , such as haulage and road permits.

Our team ensures each yacht is seaworthy before embarking on its journey, using our  nautical  and marine industry  expertise to navigate through international waters  safely.

We handle all aspects of voyage planning, from route selection to contingency measures. This method  retains the yacht’s integrity  and  cuts down on potential demurrage  by keeping schedules tight and efficient.

Next up are vital steps in preparing your prized possession for her sea voyage – preparing your yacht for transport is next on our list.

Preparing Your Yacht for Transport

Cleaning and inspection are crucial steps in preparing your yacht for transport. Secure detachable parts, protect the exterior, and disconnect batteries. Read on for more detailed information on how to prepare your yacht for shipping!

Cleaning and Inspection of Power Boats

Before  shipping a yacht , it is crucial to  thoroughly clean and inspect  the vessel. This process involves removing any dirt, debris, or  marine growth  from the hull and ensuring that all parts of the yacht are in good condition for transport.

Inspecting for leaks, damages, or loose fittings can prevent  potential issues during shipping . Moreover, cleaning also includes  preparing the yacht’s interior  by securing loose items and ensuring all areas and equipment are tidy and organized to avoid any damage during transit.

Regularly scheduled inspections  help maintain your vessel’s integrity and diagnose potential problems early on before they escalate into costly repairs later on. Addressing minor issues upfront before shipment ensures smooth sailing throughout this exciting relocation phase.

Securing Detachable Parts

After thoroughly cleaning and inspecting the yacht, it’s important to focus on  securing detachable parts  for safe transport. Removing or safeguarding sails with covers is recommended to prevent damage from wind resistance during shipping.

Additionally, ensure that all stainless steel and chrome fittings are covered to protect against corrosion and secure detachable parts of the yacht during transport. These measures safeguard your yacht and contribute to a smooth and worry-free transportation process.

It’s also crucial to  double-check the security  of detachable parts before shipping, as even small oversights can lead to  significant damages during transit . Taking these steps will help ensure that your yacht arrives at its destination in pristine condition, ready for your next maritime adventure.

Protecting the Yacht’s Exterior

After securing detachable parts, the next crucial step in preparing your yacht for transport is protecting its exterior. Cleaning and inspecting the exterior thoroughly will help identify any existing damage and ensure that it can withstand the rigors of transportation.

One common practice is to use  shrink wrap  to shield the yacht from elements such as wind, water, and debris during transit. This protective layer acts as a barrier against potential scratches or dents caused by external factors, providing an added level of security for your vessel during shipping.

Another important aspect of protecting your yacht’s exterior is ensuring  comprehensive insurance coverage  for the vessel’s journey. When choosing a  yacht transport company , ensure they offer voyage insurance that includes protection to safeguard your yacht during its transportation process.

Disconnecting Batteries and Draining Fluids

Preparing a yacht and boat for transport involves crucial steps such as  disconnecting batteries  and  draining fluids . These steps are essential to ensure the safety and efficiency of the shipping process. Here’s a detailed guide on disconnecting batteries and draining fluids:

1.  Disconnecting Batteries :

• Turn off all  electrical systems  on the yacht before disconnecting the batteries.
• Use appropriate tools to remove the battery cables, starting with the negative terminal.
• Securely tape or cover the disconnected cables to prevent accidental contact.2 . Draining Fluids :
• Drain  fuel tanks and lines  completely to avoid any potential hazards during transport.
• Ensure all  water tanks  are emptied and  plumbing systems  are properly winterized if necessary.
• Securing Loose Components :
• Check for any loose components that could shift during transport, securing them if necessary.
• Protecting Electrical Systems :
• Cover exposed electrical connections with insulating materials to protect against moisture or damage.
• Documenting Preparations :
• Keep detailed records of all preparations before transport, including photographs where possible.
• Adhering to Environmental Regulations :
• Dispose of drained fluids and hazardous waste per  environmental regulations .
• Obtain necessary permits if transporting hazardous materials separately from the yacht.

The Logistics of Boat Transport

When planning the logistics for yacht transportation, it’s important to consider the timeframes and options available for land and sea transport. Additionally, budgeting for insurance premiums and demurrage fees ensures a smooth shipping process.

Timeframes and Planning

Yacht transport durations vary based on  distance, country,   shipping method ,  customs procedures ,  time constraints , and  seasonal considerations . Customs paperwork must be filed a minimum of 72 hours before loading. International yacht transport ports and customs information, including necessary clearances and formalities, are provided.

• Consider the Distance : The duration for transporting your yacht overseas is influenced by the distance it needs to travel. Longer distances may require more planning and preparation.
• Shipping Method : Different shipping methods have varying timeframes. Lift on Lift off (LoLo), Roll on Roll off (RoRo), Container Shipping, and By Water, on Keel, all have different timelines that must be factored into your planning.
• Customs Procedures : Timeframes can also be affected by the customs processes in both the departure and arrival countries. Ensure you are aware of any required paperwork and clearances ahead of time.
• Seasonal Considerations : Be mindful of the season when planning your yacht’s transportation. Certain times of the year may have higher demand or specific weather conditions that can impact shipping schedules.
• Time Constraints : If you have specific timing requirements for your yacht’s transport, such as attending an event or meeting a deadline at its destination, ensure these are communicated clearly with your chosen transport company from the outset.

Land vs. Sea Options

When transporting your yacht, you must decide between land and sea options.  Land transport  typically involves using a  truck and trailer  to move the yacht over roads.

On the other hand,  sea transport  entails shipping the yacht on a  larger vessel  across bodies of water.

Land transport is suitable for shorter distances or when no viable water routes are available, offering more control over the timing and logistics of the journey. Sea transport is ideal for longer distances and international shipping but requires adherence to specific  maritime regulations  and considerations regarding  weather conditions and potential delays .

Yacht Shipping Cost Factors and Budgeting

Budgeting for the journey is key as we consider transporting our yacht to distant shores. Understandably, various costs are associated with this process and must be accounted for meticulously to avoid any financial surprises.

Here’s an overview of the primary cost factors involved in yacht transport:

Shipping Method-  the method by which the yacht is transported (e.g., LoLo, RoRo, on Keel, or Container): Different methods have varying costs; container shipping may be cheaper than LoLo for smaller yachts.

Distance-  travel length from the pickup location to the final destination: Longer distances generally increase the transportation cost.

Yacht Size and Weight-  overall dimensions and weight of the yacht: Larger and heavier yachts require more resources to transport, raising the cost.

Preparation Work-  cleaning, inspection, and assisting in securing the yacht for transport: Professional preparation may add to the cost, but the job is crucial for a smooth transit.

Insurance-  Voyage insurance protects against potential damage during transport. Opting for comprehensive insurance is advisable, adding to the total expense.

Customs and Duties:  Applicable customs fees, import duties, and taxes depend on the country. These costs vary by destination and must be calculated into the budget beforehand. There are additional services such as on-deck storage and extra security measures. Extras like these can escalate the overall cost, depending on the level of service chosen.

Land Transportation:  Transporting the yacht from the marina to the port and vice versa may be necessary. This can be a significant expense, especially if specialized vehicles are required.

Storage Fees if  the yacht needs to be stored at the port before or after shipping: Port storage fees can accumulate daily, impacting the overall budget.

Seasonality:  Peak seasons may affect transportation costs due to higher demand. Shipping during off-peak times may reduce costs.

Exchange Rates:  International shipping involves currency conversion if dealing with foreign entities. Fluctuating exchange rates can affect the final cost of transportation.

We must keep a keen eye on these factors and prepare a well-rounded schedule and budget. Partnering with a professional yacht shipping company like  Cross Chartering Yacht Transport  can  provide a tailored solution  that addresses our needs.

Clear communication ensures that the services we receive are aligned with our expectations and budget. Remember, it’s not just about getting our vessel from point A to point B; it’s about ensuring a safe and secure transit within a reasonable budget, backed by first-class service and comprehensive insurance for optimal protection.

Selecting a Reliable Yacht Transport Company

When selecting a  yacht transport company , look for proper authorizations and insurance to ensure the safety of your vessel. Tracking options and excellent customer service are also important factors to consider.

For more in-depth guidance on choosing the right transport company, keep reading!

Authorizations and Insurance

Yacht transport companies provide comprehensive  voyage insurance  for the vessel’s protection during transport. This insurance ensures the yacht owner is covered in any mishap or damage.

When selecting a  reliable yacht transport company , confirming their authorizations and insurance coverage is crucial to  safeguard your valuable asset  throughout its journey.

Ensuring that the chosen yacht transport company holds proper authorizations and offers comprehensive voyage insurance is vital for peace of mind and  protection against unforeseen circumstances  during transportation overseas.

Tracking and Customer Service

Once the necessary authorizations and insurance are in place, the next crucial aspect when selecting a yacht transport company is the provision of  real-time tracking  and  reliable   local customer service .

Customers should expect  constant updates  about their yacht’s location and status during transportation. This ensures peace of mind and allows for better planning at the destination port or point of delivery.

Additionally, a  responsive  customer service team  is vital in addressing any concerns or inquiries that may arise throughout the shipping process.

In conclusion, yacht transport involves  intricate logistics  and  meticulous planning  for safe and efficient transportation. When shipping a yacht, choosing a reliable company like  Cross Chartering Yacht Transport  with expertise in vessel conveyance is essential.

Understanding the  preparation and methods involved  in yacht shipping is crucial for ensuring a smooth and  secure transport process . Selecting the right  shipping method , preparing the yacht, and  working with a trusted transport company  is key to successfully transporting your valuable watercraft.

Cross Chartering Yacht Transport  will meet all of your yacht transportation needs. Give us a call.

What are my options for yacht transport?

You can have your yacht shipped using water transport or trailer it on a tractor-trailer if it’s the right size.

How do I know how much it costs to ship my yacht?

Pricing for shipping a yacht often depends on its size and the transport distance; some companies might charge a flat fee or by mile.  GET A QUOTE HERE

Is there anything I should subscribe to before transporting my yacht?

Yes, you may want to request to join a mailing list or inbox updates from our experts in yacht transports so you can stay up-to-date and get insights that could help you with your shipping needs.

Are people who handle my yacht during transport trustworthy?

Most reputable transport companies conduct background checks on their staff to ensure they are reliable when handling your valuable property, like yachts.

Can I edit details about transporting my yacht after agreeing upon terms?

It’s important to finalize all details ahead of time as editing agreements late in the process might lead to extra fees, such as demurrage charges if changes delay the shipment.

Cross Chartering Yacht Transport  is your trusted partner for global yacht transport, shipping, and delivery to North America, the Mediterranean, and Asia.

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Flagship Boat Transport | Prepare Before Your Yacht Transport

Getting ready for your yacht transport.

The safety of everyone on the road and your yacht must be yacht transporters’ first consideration. The word Yacht is a term used to describe a large or oversize boat. When we hear the word “Yacht”, it brings to mind images of a very large boat.

Some are fit for a king, others are working vessels like sport fishers, and some are just for family fun. In our world of yacht transportation , the word generally describes a boat that is larger than 14 feet wide, 14 feet tall and is around or over 40,000 pounds in weight.

Our Yacht shipping specialists are very knowledgeable and have years of experience in the planning of moving oversize boats. We have transported boats all across the country and around the world. We have moved vessels of all sizes, shapes, makes and models. Some of the brands of boats we have moved are Carver, Mainship, SeaRay, Silverton, Nordic Tug, Ocean Alexander, Hunter, Catalina, Beneteau, Swan, and Oyster just to name a few.

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, or for a free quote on your upcoming Yacht Transportation needs.

Our Boat Relocation Specialists Handle All The Planning For You

We do not charge a fuel surcharge. We feel fuel surcharges are for companies that do not manage their trucks properly or know how to quote a boat relocation correctly.

There are times when a state will put additional restrictions on their permits. These are usually due to road construction and/or the time of year move is scheduled for. Because we are not aware of this ahead of time, they may not be included in your quote.  You will find a quick overview of the most common rules and regulations, listed by state, in the menu found on the right of this page.

Moving An Oversize Power Or Sailboat Requires Extra Planning and Compliance

When transporting sailboats and powerboats that are oversize, some of the regulations we have to comply with are greater than when moving a smaller vessel. We are always required to use pilot cars and pole cars when the vessel exceeds the state or city size regulations.

There is also the need to meet any curfews that are given to us, as far as when and where we can travel while transporting an oversize Yacht. These additional requirements are set by the states and cities that are issuing the permits, your yacht transportation company must be aware of this.

Over-height Yacht Transport

Some flybridges are removed due to excessive height and must be transported on the boat, on the transport trailer, and in some cases with a second truck and trailer. We hope this page has been helpful to you.

There is so much more to moving an oversize boat than just loading her up and hitting the road. We invite you to contact us directly with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your Yacht transportation service needs. We want to be your Yacht Transport Company and are always happy to help. Let us give you a free quote today!

International yacht shipping requires more time and knowledge of international shipping . Yachts must be properly prepped and height needs to be reduced in many cases. A yacht transport company needs to assist with all aspects of moving your yacht. A flexible shipping schedule will aid your yacht transport service in getting you the best price.

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A Guide to Yacht Transport – Everything You Need to Know For Safe Transport

Having a yacht can mean having a little slice of heaven to enjoy whenever life gets too hectic on land. It can provide a place for you to settle and let the sight of water and light calm you; it can host good friends and family members, fostering quality time and building beautiful memories. It can also be a major pain if you need to move it. Yachts are huge, and while they can move across water, sometimes you don’t have the spare time to travel around the continent when you move across states. Or perhaps you’re taking an extended vacation , and while you don’t quite feel confident sailing your yacht across the ocean, you’d love to have it with you at your destination. The following will explore a few things you might want to know regarding yacht transportation. The goal is to make the process as speedy and headache-free as possible.

What Is Yacht Transport?

While yachts are vehicles in a sense, transporting them refers to shipping a yacht to a location instead of sailing it there or motoring it. People turn to yacht transport for a myriad of reasons, but often it is considered chapter, safer, and faster than sailing a yacht somewhere yourself. Crossing the ocean can be a dangerous undertaking, and even if you’re capable of handling that, you might not feel like such a serious voyage. For some people, yachting is supposed to be relaxing. Others can’t commit to the time it would take to move a yacht across a long distance for work or family reasons.

There Are Yacht Transport Services

That’s right; you don’t have to deal with the massive task of moving your yacht all by yourself. There are companies that offer solutions to the logistical problems surrounding yachts. While it can be nerve-wracking to hand over your yacht to someone else for transportation, many of these providers have years of yacht shipping experience using yacht carriers, so they know how to keep your yacht safe throughout the move.

Yachts are not like other cargo. They require special care, technical knowledge, and are often expensive enough that damaging them is a serious concern. As pointed out at crosschartering.com , technicians need to know how to perform inspections, plan routes, and test the stability of the deck if they want to transport yachts safely. Beyond this, yachts come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so nearly every single one requires elements of customization.

Scheduled Voyages Do Exist

To help keep costs low, some yacht transportation companies offer regularly scheduled sailings. These routes tend to exist between major yachting destinations around the world. This allows rates to be more competitive as multiple yacht owners are contributing to the cost of transportation. If your destination is less commonly traversed, there still might be a scheduled voyage that gets your yacht much closer to your destination from which you can organize the last leg of the journey.

Yacht Transport Is A Growing Industry

In recent years the need to move yachts has grown. This means a lot of things for the yachting industry, but when it comes to yacht transport, it means that you can expect regular and reliable services to be available. Because so many people are moving their yachts around, there is more likely to be a carrier leaving from somewhere near your yacht, going somewhere near where you want your yacht to be.

Transportation Options

There are four main ways to transport a yacht. There are overland transport options which work for shorter distances. These involve the use of a private or commercial trailer. Insurance coverage, transport permits, and trailer safety are all big components of this process.

Semi-submersible ships are designed to move big cargoes. They submerge their cargo holds using blasting. Typically yachts motor into position, and hull supports are then welded into place by divers. When the semi-submersible ship arrives, the process is reversed.

Yachts can also be shipped as deck cargo. This tends to be one of the more economical options and involves loading yachts by cranes either on the ship or shore. The rigging is left intact.

Depending on the size of a given yacht, sometimes container shipping is also an option. Typically this means being able to fit into a 39ft by 7.5 ft by 9.3 ft shipping container.

The above information should have explained the different elements involved in yacht transportation. Of course, yachts are extremely varied; speak to a transportation provider near you to get a better idea of what this information means for you and your yacht.

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Levi Keswick

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From moving a power boat across the state to hauling a fleet of yachts to a boat show across country, Joule Yacht Transport has the equipment, skill and experience to get the job done efficiently and dependably.

Moving Boats Since 1954

Joule Yacht Transport has been moving power boats and sailboats of all sizes coast to coast for over 70 years. We serve the 48 contiguous United States and Canada with a privately owned fleet of trucks and trailers and a network of Owner Operators that are the experts in overland boat hauling.

Coast to Coast Yacht Transport

Whether you’re a Boat Owner, Dealer, Manufacturer or Boat Show Promoter, Joule Yacht Transport can move, haul, transport or truck your boat overland anywhere in the continental United States and Canada. 

Contact us  for a free boat transport estimate.

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We are registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as  USDOT # 74296 . Our boat transport safety rating is the highest possible and can be found at www.SaferSys.org .

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We are honored to be involved with the WWII Veterans History Project in saving the remaining Higgins Boats LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) that were used in amphibious operations during WWII.

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There is no substitute for experience when hauling an oversize load like a yacht. Some of our drivers have over 35 years of experience. We understand your boat or yacht is more than an investment to you. Our drivers are boat lovers, too, so they take the same care and caution when transporting your boat as you would.

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Moving yachts around the world - from a Ludlow control centre

Landlocked Ludlow has been chosen as the place to establish a new business which will be shipping yachts to some of the most glamorous locations in the world.

• 18:45, 1 JUN 2009
• Updated 23:48, 30 MAY 2013

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SuperYacht Shipping, based at Ludlow Eco Business Park, in Ludlow, has been established by entrepreneur Nick Jackson.

Shropshire might not seem the ideal place for arranging the movement of multi-million pound luxury yachts to sun-drenched international destinations but Mr Jackson said the business has already attracted attention from major players after operations began in September.

Mr Jackson said: “Typically, I might be contracted to arrange a boat to be moved from, say, the Middle East to the south Pacific.

“This is not quite as easy as it might sound as there can be no delays, they need to be moved safely and, on occasion, the cradles to support the boat might need to be made specifically.

“Recently, for example, I was contracted to move two new Sunseeker Manhattan 60s from the company’s factory in Poole over to Los Angeles,” Mr Jackson added. “They were taken to Rotterdam and then I had to arrange for them to be lifted onto a cargo carrier to the United States.

“We needed to have steel cradles to support the boat manufactured and, to make sure everything went smoothly, I travelled to Rotterdam to oversee the lifting.”

Mr Jackson said he decided to set up the new business to carry on from a career in the logistics of moving boats from manufacturers to owners after tiring of the commute from his home in Ludlow to the south coast.

One of the first boats moved by SuperYacht was a £5.5 million Westport 112 which had to be moved from Tahiti to Florida.

The business is based at the Rural Enterprise Centre, in Ludlow, which is one of eight facilities being developed by Advantage West Midlands’ Rural Regeneration Zone and Evans Easyspace in a bid to provide space for the region’s start-ups and young businesses.

More than £1.5 million has been invested in the facility, which contains 18 offices and three workshops in a two-storey building. This development alone equates to over 11,000 sq ft of high quality enterprise space in the town.

Mr Jackson added: “It may seem strange for ocean vessels to be moved by a company which is probably as far away from the sea as is possible but with technology as it is, things are easier now than when I started out in the business 30 years ago.

“Being based here at the Enterprise Centre means I’m close to home and my family and there’s nowhere I’d rather be than Ludlow. I think also that it’s great that the name of Ludlow is being attached to something this glamorous right around the world.”

Ian Edwards, from the Rural Regeneration Zone, said: “SuperYacht shows just how diverse the business base of the economy in the Zone is and just how flexible the facilities at the Enterprise Centres are.

“Nick is providing a service within a truly international market and doing all of it from Ludlow, taking full advantage of the access benefits and being exactly where he wants to be.

“The Rural Enterprise Centre Network is providing companies of different types with the ideal platform to become established and grow which is absolutely crucial for the future prosperity of the region’s economy.”

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Planning a Circumnavigation

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Last Updated on September 13, 2023 by Amy

Plotting world circumnavigation routes is a lot easier than it sounds.  There are cruising boats LITERALLY all over the world.  There are boats in the Northwest passage (up and over Canada), in the Antarctic, and everywhere in between.  There are a few key things to take into consideration, but 95%* of circumnavigation routes follow the same general course.

Table of Contents - Click to Jump

Insurance Restrictions on Circumnavigation Routes

There are two major restrictions put on us by our vessel insurance; stay out of highly pirated areas and stay out of named storm zones.  Insurance restrictions come with the option to ignore them.  You can always go to these restricted places, BUT if something happens, your insurance will not be covered.  Another option is that you can pay significantly more to be covered in these places as well.  We have made the choice for ourselves to follow the restrictions set by our insurance.

By definition, piracy is the act of attacking and robbing ships at sea.  By that main definition, the Caribbean is one of the worst places for piracy.  Petty theft of boats and their tenders is a major issue in some parts of the Caribbean, and steps should be taken to protect yourself and your assets.

However, the piracy of the biggest concern is murder and kidnapping.  There are two main hotspots where our insurance will not cover us;  the Philippines and the Red Sea/Suez Canal (hereby referred to as simply Suez).   Again, people cruise literally everywhere in the world, and there are people who cruise the Philippines (2015 reports state 200 yachts).  The other side of the coin is true too.  Just because you avoid the Suez or the Philippines does not mean you will avoid being kidnapped or murdered.

It’s up to you to decide the level of risk you are willing to take when planning out a circumnavigation route.

Tropical Storms

In North America, it’s a hurricane.  South of the equator, it’s cyclones.  In Asia-Pacific, it’s typhoons.  Either way, your insurance probably has a word or two to say about where you spend tropical storm season.

Our insurance requires us to avoid certain parts of the world during storm seasons.  This is why there is a mass exodus of boats from the Caribbean every year.  Our insurance requires us to be north of roughly the Florida-Georgia line.  Now, that doesn’t mean we are safe from hurricanes, but it does mean if something happens, we will have the  privilege of consoling ourselves of our losses by applying for an insurance claim.

For those moving quickly, your primary concern is systems in the southern hemisphere.  Just make sure you are moving from east to west quickly enough to pass through the storm zone.

World circumnavigation routes, like ours, usually have you dipping out of these storm zones for the season. It’s a great time to haul your boat out for annual maintenance, like we did in New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand.

Tradewinds for Circumnavigating

Around the equator lies the doldrums.  This is typically an area with very little wind.  However, each ocean has a wind pattern.  In the northern hemisphere, winds circulate clockwise.  In the southern hemisphere, winds circulate counterclockwise.  This means that on either side of the equator lies a band of wind flowing from east to west.  This is why 95%* of cruisers plan their circumnavigation routes to sail from east to west.

Factoring the Wind into Outfitting Your Boat

Knowing where you will sail will help you determine what kind of sail performance you are looking for in a boat.  For someone doing a typical circumnavigation route, sailing east to west, you’ll be sailing downwind a lot.  Some monohull owners have complained to us about how uncomfortable their boat is sailing dead downwind.  Catamarans, however, typically perform best downwind.  We have a very smooth ride when we are traveling with the wind and waves.

Outfitting your sail locker also factors in where you are sailing.  For a downwind circumnavigation, spinnakers are highly useful – or so we hear.  We’ve not had terrible success with our spinnaker, but find our screecher to be very useful.  That could possibly be because we deviate enough from the standard downwind route.

For more about sail configurations in a cruising catamaran, read our Sail Trim blog post.

Those Who Sail West to East Circumnavigation Routes

There are a few who do sail the “wrong way”.  It can definitely be done and done fast.  However, you need to have a boat that sails well to wind.  While most catamarans sail well downwind, we do not sail well into the wind.  However, if your catamaran has daggerboards, you’ll sail much better to wind than a catamaran without daggerboards.

Circumnavigation Routes & Bottlenecks

This is why most circumnavigations follow the same basic route.  There are major bottlenecks to passing around the continents, so again, we’ve got the 95%* of boats funneling into one narrow part of the world.

Panama Canal

We paid $1300 to transit the Panama Canal because the only other option is to sail against the wind and waves around either North America or South America.  Taking one of the high latitudes routes is pretty dang extreme, takes a significant amount of time, and a toll on ship and crew.  Ushuaia, a port of call in Argentina, reported 64 boats in 2015, versus 1,079 boats transiting the canal – 95% transiting the canal*.

Torres Strait

The Torres Strait occupies the space between Australia and New Guinea.  It’s fairly small, just 650 nm between Thursday Island and Indonesia’s first port of clearance.

There are some cruisers (like our friends on S/V Field Trip) who are going over the top of New Guinea to get to Southeast Asia.  Getting any further north than that requires dealing with the Philippines – either through or around the top of the Philippines into the South China Sea.

Cape of Good Hope

Traveling around South Africa requires tackling the Cape of Good Hope, which is not to be taken lightly due to the challenges in the winds and currents.  The alternative is the Suez.  There used to be a rally passing through the Suez.  The other alternative is to hire private security, but that’s pretty complex.  Reports show 358 boats sailing through Cape Town verses 19 through the Suez – again, 95% choose Cape Town*.   I know the Mediterranean is a great cruising ground, but we decided if we want to cruise it, we’d rather cross the Atlantic twice than go through the Suez.

How Long Should a Circumnavigation Take?

Barring racing yachts who are smashing world records, it’s not uncommon to complete a circumnavigation in a year and a half.  This is a fairly straightforward and quick route.

The World ARC is a one and a half year rally that circumnavigates the world.  They have a fantastic route and schedule on their website.

Longer circumnavigation routes still use the same general track, but add on detours.   For example, we extended our South Pacific portion into two seasons by sailing south to spend cyclone season in New Zealand.

We’ve met sailors who have taken 15 or more years to circumnavigate. That’s a lot of detours!

Our Circumnavigation Route

Our sailing circumnavigation route took us four years and three months to travel all the way around the world. You can read the summary of our world circumnavigation for more details.

Book: World Cruising Routes

This is LITERALLY the bible of sailing around the world. If you have ever asked yourself (or, god help you, asked on a forum) “I wonder when the best time to sail from X to Y is?” the answer is in this book.

Even though we know our route, I’m still pulling out this book every so often to look up possibilities. It’s a great guide to planning your circumnavigation route overall and planning each individual passage.

Buy Jimmy Cornell’s World Cruising Routes .

Book: Cornell’s Ocean Atlas

This handy reference book is full of windgrams  – “a summary of wind direction and strength derived from the individual windroses along a specific ocean route “. Basically this means you can open a chart for a particular region and month and you will be able to tell where the wind “usually” blows from.

Buy Cornell’s Ocean Atlas .

Book Review: How to Sail Around the World Part-Time

• Who: Linus Wilson and his wife, Janna
• Available: Kindle, Kindle Unlimited or Paperback
• Published: January 2016
• Editing (scale of 1-10, 10 is best): 10

Linus Wilson has been cruising part-time on his 31-foot Island Packet. This is his second book, and in it, he details how one could sail a circumnavigation part-time. I agree – it is possible and might be the solution more potential cruisers should consider.

Wilson pulls a lot of statistics about sailing. Did you know fewer people complete a sailing circumnavigation every year than climb Mount Everest? An hour spent above base camp on Mount Everest is 264 times more dangerous than an hour sailing?

One question unanswered is how long it would actually take to sail the world part-time. Of course, it depends on how much time you dedicate every year, but hypothetically:

• Year 1: the Caribbean to Panama, store in Panama
• Year 2: Panama to French Polynesia, store in FP
• Year 3: French Polynesia to Fiji, store in Fiji
• Year 4: Fiji to Australia, store in Australia
• Year 5: Australia to South Africa, store in SA
• Year 6: SA to the Caribbean

Of course, you’d see a lot less than you would on a 6-year circumnavigation like ours, but you get it done in a fraction of the cost and less risk.

Bottom line: it was a short, interesting, and informative read. If you don’t want to full-time sail, or can’t convince your partner to full-time sail, consider how fulfilling a part-time adventure could be.

*Jimmy Cornell is the foremost expert on tracking cruising boats, and the statistics for this blog post were pulled from his article Where do all the boats go?

23 Comments

Wonderful article. I am from Goa, India. I wish you had come to Goa. I would have happily looked after your boat, and you could have travelled through India and enjoyed its majestic and diverse cultures and sites. I am 67 years old grandfather. I have been coastal and competitive sailing for the past 50 years. I am now planning to go on a circumnavigation on a Leopard 39 sailboat starting from Goa. Hoping to do it in 2 to 3 years. Your article and videos have inspired me. All the best. Thank you for your well written and detailed articles.

Wow, great to hear from you! It is amazing to us when we hear from people like you all over the world! We have some friends who visited Cochin last year on their boat, I think that’s a popular stop for cruisers. I know that formalities in India are complicated.

I have never been, but I love the food and the culture that I’ve experienced so far! I hope we get to visit someday.

Do sail down to Goa anytime you want. I will sort out all you entry formalities. Wish you all the best. Keep inspiring us with your wonderful sailing and videos.

Hi, how many miles is it when circumnavigating around the earth please? Captain cook did it in 60k, but is this because you cant just sail direct around the earth due to islands and storms etc?

Hi! Our circumnavigation was about 34,000 nm. You can read more about it here: https://outchasingstars.com/world-sailing-circumnavigation-summary/

Amy, when you and David are on a long passage, what kind of watch schedule do you keep? Assuming you’re both healthy (unlike your passage to St. Helena), what do you find to be a comfortable limit for the number of days at sea before exhaustion begins to set in?…or does it ever set in for you guys?

We do a soft 7-hour watch. The only actual watch is I do 7 pm to 2 am. Then David goes on watch while I sleep. When I wake up we switch, and he naps. Then when he’s up, I nap. By then it’s time to do the whole thing all over again! The worst night is the second. You’ve been tired, but not tired enough to sleep off your normal routine yet. But after the second night it gets a lot better. Exhaustion does not set in long-term – boredom does!

I really enjoyed reading your article, it’s very informative although that I don’t have a boat, it’s too expensive where I’m from, and it would take a fortune to be registered if it’s allowed in the first place, as authorities put a lot of restrictions for civil citizen to do so after military took over in 60s, for example we can’t camp as a first without a security permit bla bla bla that it raerly issued or thread fishing without a license and permit bla bla bla….etc, there isn’t a proper Marina for docking not even mention the amount of visas that it required. I love to sail one-day but till that time I’m really enjoy reading and watching. I’m from Egypt, and it makes me sad that sailors stop passing by, as we have a great shores, great diving spots, the Suez canal, and the right wind, but to be considered as unstable area for the Somalian pirates acts, and all the Egyptian governmental claims about fighting terrorist and repel ghost they imagine, this is horrible. It’s really tearing me that after around 8000 years on Earth people couldn’t yet handle their conflicts. I’m sorry to make it very long. Glad that some people had the privilege to try and be able to chasing stars and wind. Godspeed

Sarah, thank you for your comment! It’s amazing to us that we have someone reading from Egypt!

I recently read a memoir about a yacht who sailed through the Suez, and it sounded like they had a lot of difficulties, not just with pirates and corruption, but it’s hard sailing too! Egypt is very high up on my list of places I would truly love to visit because of its amazing history and culture.

We hope that somehow you get to enjoy sailing, even if it’s just continuing to follow us along.

You are amazing, all the best in your upcoming, and hopefully everyone can enjoy sailing in Egypt one day, and be able to see you here in the future.

Hi Amy, first, what a nice simple but very informative blog. I have run a ‘sailing for disabled people’ organisation for the last 25 years and as part of our 25th anniversary are planning to build a 20m cat for a round the world adventure. Planned for start in 2025 I need to get people to understand the real dangers and risks of such travel as well as the good things, would you mind if I used your blog in this matter, I would of course say that is yours. Details of us are under the ‘new projects button’ at http://www.disabledsailing.org

Hi Mike! You are welcome to link to our blog post. If you need anything beyond that, send us an email and we can talk more!

Excellent and informative article. I’d just like to point out the following statement where it states: “Ushuaia, a port of call in Chile, reported 64 boats in 2015….”

Please note that Ushuaia is not located in Chile, but rather within the Tierra del Fuego province of Argentina.

Thank you so much for the correction! I will fix it right away. Geography lesson of the day. 😉

Now you can completely delete my comment 🙂 It’s all sorted. Happy and safe sailing to you and your family. Antonella

Nice write up. Very helpful. Keep up the good work. However sailing through the suez is not really that dangerous. My friends Ingo and Maya sailed through from turkey to India and onward to thailand and had no probs with pirates.

I do hear that the piracy situation is improving. I do think there are a lot of good reasons to go around South Africa though, and I am glad we did.

Great informative article, thanks for sharing.

Where do you store your bladder when it is full? Also, thanks for all the info and videos. It has helped us a great deal in preparation for purchasing our boat,

Thank you! I’m glad you’ve found it helpful. We store the duel bladder in the cockpit.

On the longer passages, how much extra fuel do you carry in your blatter tank. What motering range do you think is sufficient for your longer passages?. I’m thinking the Helia goes about 750 miles on 125 gallons of diesel. Thanks Jon

Our fuel tank holds 125 gallons, plus four 5-gallon jerry cans, plus the 50-gallon fuel bladder, to total 195 gallons. If we motor at 1800 rpms with one engine it’s roughly .8 gph. Theoretically, our tanks should take us about 900 nm. Of course, we go months and thousands of miles without using all of our diesel.

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7 Best-Known Routes for Sailing Around the World (with Maps)

Route planning is among the most crucial bits of preparation, especially when it comes to circumnavigation. This article will give you seven of the most commonly used routes for sailing around the world. Some routes have been sailed many times by many people, others are obscure or even dangerous.

• The Fast Route - for the minimum time
• The Pleasure Route - for the maximal pleasure
• The Traditional Route - the road most taken
• The Arctic Route - for the rough ones
• The Dangerous Route - without regards for piracy
• The Cheap Route - with a budget in mind
• The Coast Lover's Route - never going far from the coast

Since circumnavigation is quite a complex matter, let's go through this list one by one below.

On this page:

How to choose a route for you, route for speed, the pleasure route, the traditional route, the arctic route, the dangerous route, the cheap route, the coast lover's route.

What route you will take depends on what kind of journey you are looking for. If the goal is to do it in the least amount of time possible, you will be choosing a different path than if you don't care about time and put emphasis on sightseeing.

Similarly, if safety and convenience are at the top of your priority list, you will choose a route that might differ greatly from that of a person ready to spend more on security and cut corners through tricky territories.

If you have specific locations in mind, you will take turns that are, logistically speaking, quite impractical, while if efficiency is what you want, there are certain places it would make little sense to visit.

And finally, if you are after comfort, you will avoid some bumpy places and times of the year, as opposed to somebody who won't mind venturing into the corners of the oceans that require a hell of a warm jacket.

There is no right or wrong answer here; don't feel some approaches are better than others. Just look at what you want from the journey, read through this article, and then choose what best suits you.

21 Places to Avoid Sailing Around the World (In Order)

Let's kick this off with a racing spirit. This is the route taken by those competing in Vendée Globe, a circumnavigation race. It takes a bit under three months...

...that is if you are a racer and so is your boat. If you are a cruiser kind of person, it will take more time, but the point is that this route is as straightforward as it gets.

So what waypoints does it touch? Vendée globe racers start in France, then head down towards the Cape of Good Hope, circle Antarctica as close as the rules allow, and after getting to Cape Horn, head up to France again.

Of course, based on where you start from, your route might differ. But the idea is as follows:

• head south towards the Southern Ocean
• sail around Antarctica through the Southern Ocean
• after reaching the point where you met the Southern Ocean for the first time, head back up

The Southern Ocean is not a breeze, the cold waters mixing with the warmer ones coming from the north, plus the danger of icebergs, as well as the cold temperature, isn't how your typical holiday dream looks. That being said, it's up to you how close to Antarctica you will want to be when going around it.

This route doesn't touch down at any land, so you must be prepared for months on the sea as far as provisions, spares and mental capacity goes. Of course, this is variable, you can easily make landfall in Azores, South Africa, South Australia, or South America, and some of the South Pacific islands, if you need to. Either way, it is demanding logistically, so be sure to have your checklist in check .

It is among the most straightforward routes. Not just because it is probably the shortest one or the fastest one, but all the hassle with visas, check-ins, going through canals, and other lengthy land creatures' business will be foreign to you.

If you make it through the Southern Oceans unharmed, you will certainly have one hell of a story to tell.

Now let's go on the opposite side of the specter.

Let's suppose you theoretically have unlimited time. Instead of doing things quickly and efficiently, you want to take it at a leisurely pace while admiring all that there is to see.

This route will begin and end in the Mediterranean, but that's just because that's where I am based, sailing-wise. Wherever else you are, just pick the point of the route closest to you and begin there.

We will begin in Croatia, because it has beautiful shores and islands, travel around Greece with even more islands, the south around Italy, through Gibraltar. After that:

• head south to the Azores
• west to the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal
• west to Hawaii
• south to French Polynesia
• west to New Zealand, then Australia and Papua New Guinea
• northwest to Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India
• south to Madagascar, then along the African coast to Cape of Good Hope
• north to the Azores and then through Gibraltar back home

This route takes time since it aims to explore all it can even remotely touch. It's not just that the route is long, because the aim is to visit pretty places. You might also find yourself having to wait months at some places for the bad weather season to clear before you can make your next crossing. Have a look at our article about things to think about when planning for a long trip .

Because of that, this route is more demanding when it comes to planning, visa hassle, check-in research, more ports and anchors, more provisions planning. Also, your boat will need to be a solid liveaboard , since you will spend so much time on it. Logistically, it will be demanding.

But for all that hassle, you will literally get to see the world. You will visit many fantastic cultures, get to taste the cuisines from all over, and the long times waiting for the winds to calm down will be spent on exploring the place you are 'stuck' at.

What more does one need...

...except perhaps some middle ground. Now that we've been to two extremes, let's look at something in the middle: the route most commonly taken when circumnavigating.

It is rather similar to the Pleasure Route above except for skipping the Mediterranean, Pacific, and Southeast Asian stops.

Thus it goes as follows:

• From Europe, head south to the Azores
• west to Australia
• west to Cape of Good Hope

This route accomplishes the circumnavigation while stopping at beautiful places but doesn't necessarily explore everything that happens to be around. Its strong suit is the variability. If you like the Caribbean, you stop and cruise around there. If Australia excites you, you do the same there. If you want to see Madagascar, well, it will be almost on your way. And so on.

It has been a traditional route to take because it is relatively painless and does not go through any hazardous areas.

It has been traveled by many before you, so there is a lot of info floating around if you want to do your research on specific parts of the journey.

On its own, it has a lot of long legs where you will not see anything but the ocean on the horizon. So for those of you who mind this, you gotta make it your own, customize it a bit, so that you spend more time at places that you like.

This planning really is important. Some of those legs can't be made during certain seasons if you want to be careful, so to make sure you don't get stuck somewhere you don't particularly like, you should plan well.

With that, let's get crazier.

For those who want to do things the hard way. Perhaps you really like the scenery, perhaps you want to test yourself, or maybe you've done every other passage, and now it is time for the icy one.

There is a circumnavigation route that leads through regions so far up north you mostly don't encounter them even on a map. Because why would you look up there.

Now I don't know how long this article will survive on the internet, but note that this route is rather climatically contextual. Given enough time, it might freeze over and become unavailable.

For me, it would begin in one of the northern ports of Norway and then:

• continue west to Iceland
• west to the south of Greenland and then up its western coast to the Baffin Bay
• south of Devon Island and through the archipelagos to Beaufort and Chuchki Seas
• west along the northern coast of Russia under the Lyakhovsky Islands
• west under the Yuzhny Island to the Barents Sea and back to the north of Norway

To this, you will have to add the most straightforward route north from wherever you are to any point on the route above.

Cold. Thus this requires clothing, equipment, and a boat that can withstand the polar temperatures along with chunks of ice floating around.

How much more adventurous can you get? Circumnavigation has been accomplished by plenty of people. This, not so much.

With the above, the major sailing routes have been covered. So what follows are mostly variations. Important ones, though.

Imagine this one mostly as the Traditional Route, except with a few twists. One of them leads through the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal.

Why take it? Because if you look on the map, you will see that when going from the general direction of Australia or Southeast Asia west, meaning you are probably aiming for the Azores or further for the Caribbean, it will save you a lot of time.

Money, not so much. You will have to pay for security. Because although you will save yourself the long southern route around the whole continent of Africa, which is nearly a 10,000-mile detour, you will have to go through the aforementioned areas that are famous for piracy and require professional armed company if you want to be on the safe side.

Not that it hasn't been done without it, but you know… Furthermore, many insurances won't cover you there since the risks are just too high.

Similarly, the area around Malaysia and the Philippines, which you might encounter during your Southeast Asia travels, bears the same story. No coverage by many insurances for piracy reasons.

Then again, exploring Southeast Asia while avoiding these regions means a few detours and no-go zones.

So if you want to explore the world on your sailboat and don't mind the risk, add these to your route plans.

Obviously, the risk or costs related to security. You will find plenty of sailors arguing that there is no real danger unless you are a cargo ship or a kidnapping worthy target. You will also find plenty who would rather travel in a fleet through there. And plenty who would never set sail towards those places.

Then there is the insurance issue.

With Suez, the upside is the saved time as well as not having to go around the treacherous South African cape waters.

With the Philippines and Malaysia, it's the convenience of being able to go wherever you want to in one of the most beautiful regions worldwide.

See this one as a variant of the Traditional Route and the Pleasure Route.

Some places are cheaper than others. And some places straight up make very little sense to go to.

Going through the Panama Canal is at least a $1,300 expense. Or, there are countries, like Ecuador, where check-in can cost you a $1,000 fee. And last but not least, prices of resources, like food, vary too. The Caribbean is famous for its steep prices in the provisions area.

The prices change, so it would not be bulletproof to give you a precise circumnavigation route exclusively through cheap places. Still, the moral of the story here is that when planning your route, do have a look at the local prices when it comes to check-ins and visas, food and various passes.

The result should be a route you are comfortable with financially. Avoiding the Panama Canal means a detour around the whole of South America, so it rarely pays off. Avoiding Ecuador, on the other hand, won't hinder your progress and save you money. Stocking up on food before getting into the Caribbean is also a sound logistical choice - unless you plan to stay for longer than your stocks can take you.

Saving money can mean detours, inaccessibility of various places, and more thought put into logistics. So it can result in a less elegant route.

On the other hand, being smart about it can result in a much lower bill overall.

Let me start this one by admitting that I don't believe anybody will actually take this route in its entirety, as delineated here. But it serves as an inspiration to those who are perhaps a bit unsure or simply like to combine two different sailing styles.

Some like to cross vast oceans and love to see nothing but the horizon for months. And then some like to stick to coastal waters for most of their journeys. Nothing wrong with that; at least it gives you something to look at any given moment.

And then there is the benefit of relative safety, a port or an anchorage close by most of the time, the ability to resupply whenever you like, to pick up and drop off people, and last but not least the lack of need for a really ocean-worthy boat and equipment.

I'm talking about the coastal cruiser's dream of circling all the world's continents, whereby effectively circumnavigating the globe. Eventually. This is the longest route ever.

The idea is pretty simple. You can go around the world sticking to the coast with no crossings, except for the Norwegian Sea and a few short stretches in Southeast Asia.

Or, if you feel up to it (and want to avoid the freezing northern places), you can cross the Atlantic, the Pacific and keep close to the coasts otherwise.

As mentioned in the beginning, not many will actually take this entire route. But it is not uncommon for circumnavigators to have weeks or months where they do exactly this - stick to the coast and enjoy the country.

Lots and lots of time and resources are needed.

You will constantly be checking into countries and solving visas.

Understand the required paperwork for sailing the world This is an article on the topic of check-ins and paperwork, so have a read through it Read up on global licenses

Some areas are arguably less hospitable than others - the coast of Yemen as an example. So you might want to skip a few.

You don't need a proper ocean exploring boat - an island-hopping model will suffice. Many of the modern ones are capable of long crossings if needed here and there.

You don't need as much equipment as power, water, food, and all that jazz will be available most of the time.

The logistics will suddenly become a whole lot easier. Fewer provisions planning, less spare parts planning, broken stuff won't be a disaster… you get the point.

This is the true world tour.

I liked your article; it raised a lot of good points. I think the article could have benefitted from some maps.

I also think that, throughout the article, you have confused the Canary Islands or Madeira with the Azores. The Azores are not south from Gibraltor or France or Europe. They are 1/3 the way across the Atlantic Ocean, almost due west from Lisbon. The Canaries are south from Gilbrator, France and Europe and most people turn west there for the Caribbean.

Again, I liked the article.

Best wishes.

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My interest in the global movement of cruising boats goes back to 1987, when I published the results of my first survey on this subject. In the intervening three decades I have conducted every five years a follow-up survey; the latest was done in 2016 and examined the global situation during the previous year.

The number of cruising yachts that visited key cruising destinations in 2015 compared with other years.
To enlarge the diagram, .

Since the publication of on movement and distribution of sailing boats in 2010, the world has been confronted by two major phenomena that have affected offshore cruising both in the short and long term.

The political upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa have greatly affected cruising in the Mediterranean as well passages through the North Indian Ocean and Red Sea, but while those effects can be regarded as regional, the consequences of climate change are now affecting the entire world.

Global weather conditions in 2015 were also affected by a prolonged El Niño episode that exacerbated the ongoing effects of climate change, most notably in the NW Pacific where at least one typhoon occurred in every month of the year, with a safe sailing season now sadly a thing of the past.

As on previous occasions, in order to construct a realistic image of the global movement of sailing yachts, I contacted officials in the most important hubs in every ocean requesting statistical data on the number of foreign flagged yachts that had passed through those ports in 2015.

The resulting global canvas was filled in with figures obtained from the most popular destinations on the world cruising circuit as well as some of the least visited places in the world.

The port of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands boasts a larger concentration of boats preparing for an ocean passage than any other place in the world, with the majority setting off across the Atlantic to the Caribbean from there.

The port authority recorded a total of 903 visiting boats in 2015, a significant drop from the 1495 that had called there five years previously. The lower number may be explained by some boats leaving from other Canary Islands, but, according to Juan Fancisco Martin, commercial director of the port of Las Palmas, ‘ .’

Approximately 75% of the boats that called at Las Palmas continued across the Atlantic to which should be added an estimated 200 boats that left from other Canarian islands, some that left from Madeira or directly from Gibraltar.

An increasingly popular  departure point on a transatlantic passage are the Cape Verde Islands, where , on São Vicente Island, recorded a total of 750 visiting yachts. Lutz Meyer-Scheel, the founder and manager of the marina, reckons that: ‘ .’

Extrapolating from the figures obtained from the Cape Verdes, Canaries and Madeira, it can be assumed that every year approximately 1200 boats cross the Atlantic along the NE trade wind route. This indicates a significant reduction of 20 per cent from the estimated 1500 boats based on the figures provided by the same sources in 2010.

Even if the numbers in Las Palmas were smaller, the nationalities of sailors have remained generally unchanged compared to the recent past, with French yachts in the lead (199), followed by Britain (163), Germany (98), USA (62), Netherlands (57), Sweden (49), Belgium (39), Norway (31), and others. The flags seen in Mindelo paint a similar picture.

Most of the European boats that sail to the Caribbean usually complete an Atlantic circuit by sailing from the Canaries to the Caribbean after the middle of November, and returning home the following year in May or June by sailing to the Azores, either direct or via Bermuda.

As the westernmost of the Azores, the port of Lajes on the island of Flores makes a welcome landfall at the end of a long passage. The small marina recorded 184 transatlantic arrivals in 2015, of which 83 originated in the Eastern Caribbean, 68 in Bermuda, and 31 in USA or Canada.

However, many more boats bypassed Lajes and made straight for Horta, on the island of Faial, which continues to be the preferred landfall at the end of an eastbound transatlantic passage. The port authority has been keeping detailed records of visiting boats since 1985 and this treasure-trove of data made it possible to extract a raft of interesting facts about the boats, their crews and routes sailed. The data also confirmed the downward trend highlighted by the figures from Las Palmas.

Horta’s tradition of hospitality is legendary as every sailor who sets foot ashore there at the end of a long passage will testify. The very first was Joshua Slocum, who was welcomed here in 1895 on completion of his transatlantic passage at the start of his single-handed voyage around the world. In the intervening years Horta has become the most important sailing hub in the world, both by the number of visiting yachts and the multitude of their ports of origin or destination, from Panama to Iceland, Cape Town to Greenland.

While the total of boats (1232) that cleared into Horta during 2015 was in fact higher than in 2010 (1098), on closer inspection it became clear that just over half of them were undertaking a longer voyage. Combined with the figures from Lajes, the data confirmed that the majority of boats on passage from the Caribbean to Europe sailed directly to the Azores, with far fewer making the detour to Bermuda than in the past.

The data obtained from Horta reconfirmed the predominance of French yachts. Among the total of 1232 visitors, 358 were flying the French tricolore, 143 were from the UK, Germany (94), Netherlands (77), USA (59), followed by the surprisingly high number of boats from Belgium (35) and others. The high number of boats flying the Belgian flag is explained by the large number of owners from other EU countries registering their yachts in Belgium to take advantage of the less stringent safety regulations.

While Horta has overtaken Bermuda in sheer numbers of visiting yachts, Bermuda continues to be just as important in its role of point of transit by North American boats sailing between the mainland and the Caribbean or Europe, as well as by boats returning from the Caribbean either to the US east coast or Europe.

The total of boats that called at Bermuda in 2015 was 732 and confirmed a 37 per cent decline that has been noticeable since 2000. This is mainly due to the large number of American boats that nowadays bypass Bermuda and sail directly to the Eastern Caribbean. The situation is reversed in May and June, when many more boats returning to the US mainland call at Bermuda. Another reason for the overall reduction of visitors to Bermuda is that many more European boats now sail directly from the Caribbean to the Azores.

Over half the boats that arrive in the Caribbean from either Europe or America used to spend at least one full season there, but in recent years concerns over the effects of climate change have resulted in a significant increase in the number of sailors who prefer to limit themselves to a one year circuit, be it from Europe or North America.

Those who decide to stay longer in the Caribbean usually have their boats stored on land in a secure place during the hurricane season. The island of Trinidad has set up several boatyards for this purpose with 1015 boats spending the summer there in 2015, which shows a significant reduction from the 2664 in 2000 and 1367 in 2010.

According to Donald Stollmeyer, president of the , ‘ .’

The total number of boats that spend the winter season cruising in the Caribbean has remained relatively stable in recent years but one country that has seen a significant increase is Cuba. Its major ports and marinas recorded in 2015 a total of 1256 foreign flagged yachts, both sail and power. As several of them had cleared into more than one port, the actual number of individual boats was probably closer to 500. Even so, this is a marked increase as it is double the figures for 2010 and points to a trend that is going to accelerate now that relations with the USA are being normalised. According to Commodore José Miguel Escrich of the , ‘ .

While warm water cruising has remained generally stable on a global level, cold water sailing may become more popular as sailors strike out for more challenging destinations.

Two high latitude destinations in the North Atlantic that are now regularly visited by cruising yachts are Spitsbergen and Greenland. The former showed a small increase over 2010, but Greenland is poised to become more frequented both as an attractive cruising destination in its own right and as a base for preparing for a transit of the Northwest Passage, which has become more accessible as a result of climate change. An estimated 32 boats called at Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, in 2015 with most limiting their cruising to the spectacular west coast.

The more intrepid struck out west to brave the challenges of the Northwest Passage with eight succeeding to complete a transit of that elusive shortcut to the Pacific. Three boats completed an eastbound transit, among them my own , the 87th sailing vessel to achieve that feat unassisted.

At the other extreme of the Atlantic Ocean, voyages to Antarctica showed a remarkable decline from 32 boats in 2010 to only 18 in 2015, among them eight sailing boats, three motoryachts, with the remaining seven engaged in charter work.

The busy Argentinian port of Ushuaia, at the tip of South America, is where boats planning to sail south to Antarctica or north to the Chilean Canals prepare and provision for their voyage. The 64 arrivals in 2015 were down from the 83 in 2010 or a peak figure of 105 in 2000.

Across the Beagle Channel from Ushuaia is Puerto Williams, a Chilean military outpost and the southernmost settlement in the world. The small port is only a short distance from Cape Horn and as the Chilean authorities have jurisdiction over an area that includes the Antarctic Peninsula as well as parts of Tierra del Fuego, any boat planning to sail that way must complete formalities here.

The movements of all vessels are monitored by the Chilean Navy and show that 2015 was a busy year with a total of 283 yacht movements, but well below the 505 of five years previously. As the former figure includes several repeat visits, the actual total of new visitors was 140. Skip Novak, who has been operating in those waters since the early 1990s, does not sound optimistic about the future: ‘ .’

From Puerto Williams and Ushuaia most cruising boats turn north for the spectacular fjordland of Southern Chile and continue their voyage westward into the South Pacific and the rarely missed stop at Easter Island. On the opposite side of South America, most yachts heading for the South Atlantic from Tierra del Fuego and the Beagle Channel call at Port Stanley in the Falklands, which saw 29 yachts in 2015.

From there, the routes diverge and either follow the contour of the South American mainland, or continue nonstop to St Helena or Cape Town.

Both of these have seen a steady increase in the number of visiting yachts, initially as a result of the risk of piracy in the North Indian Ocean that had been replaced more recently by the safety concerns caused by the volatile situation in the Middle East, from Yemen through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal. Compared to 2010, when 171 yachts transited the canal, their number had shrunk in 2015 to 19, with only 14 of them northbound. According to Ashraf Sukar of the Yacht Agency: ‘ .’

As a result of the dangers involved with sailing the North Indian Ocean route, any sailor on a westbound world voyage was confronted with four options: brave the risks of a passage through the Red Sea, have the boat shipped from SE Asia to the Mediterranean, continue the voyage around South Africa, or abandon a passage through the Indian Ocean altogether.

The few who took the first option in 2015 were indeed very daring and as the situation in that part of the world continues to be extremely volatile, it should not be attempted while there are no signs of a real improvement. The transport company shipped 25 boats from SE Asia to Turkey in 2015, and continues to offer this service to those who are not deterred by the high cost of the operation. With good planning, the route around the Cape of Good Hope should present no great problem, and has the added attraction of several interesting places along the way, the best being undoubtedly South Africa itself.

All boats that clear out of South Africa must now be docked at the before leaving, which made it fairly easy to obtain their details. Compared to 2010, the increase was indeed remarkable with a total of 358 long distance sailing boats calling here, 236 bound for the Atlantic, the rest for the Indian Ocean.

The northbound figures were borne out by the statistics from St Helena, the 196 arrivals also showing a net albeit more modest increase. St Helena is such an important port of call in the South Atlantic that, with the exception of a handful of boats that sail directly from Cape Town to Argentina or Brazil, virtually no boat on a world voyage sails by without stopping. Therefore it was interesting to notice that British boats were the largest contingent (30), followed by South Africa (29), USA (26), France (24), Germany (16), Australia (11), Canada (9), Netherlands (6) and others.

From St Helena, the most common destination was the South American mainland (38%), followed by Ascension Island (31%), Caribbean (17%) and the Cape Verdes (6%).

Brazilian ports, such as the ancient capital Salvador da Bahia, used to be the favourite mainland destination, but the deteriorating safety situation in Brazil coupled with an unwelcome attitude by the authorities has resulted in a drastic reduction in the number of cruising boats. Sandoval Matos, the manager of , described the main reasons: ‘ .’

Against this background, , near the town of Cabedelo, and run by two French expat sailors, has somehow managed to remain an oasis of tranquility with 81 visitors in 2015. Not surprisingly, the French contingent was the largest (38), followed by UK (8), Germany (6), Belgium (5), USA (4), and a few other nations. Most European boats appeared to be on an a one-year sabbatical tour with virtually all planning to sail north to the Caribbean before returning home, with only four intending to sail south.

The Panama Canal is the most valuable indicator of yacht movement both between the Atlantic and Pacific and on a global level, and the latest figures show that the steady increase in the number of transits by pleasure craft may have peaked in 2010 when 1177 yachts transited the Panama Canal compared to 1079 in 2015 (725 Pacific bound and 354 Atlantic bound).

What has remained mostly unchanged are the Pacific destinations after the transit, with two thirds of the boats turning north, towards the west coast of Central and North America, and the rest heading for the South Pacific.

The restrictions applied to visiting yachts in Galapagos are still in force, but since the use of a local agent in dealing with formalities has become compulsory, entry formalities have been streamlined, albeit at a very high cost. Visiting yachts are now granted stays of up to twenty days by the port captains in the two official ports of entry: Baquerizo Moreno and Puerto Ayora.

Just as in Panama, the record high of 395 arrivals in 2010 had dropped in 2015 to 280 boats, some sailors being obviously deterred by the complex formalities and the expenses associated with them. This is undoubtedly the reason why many sailors no longer plan on stopping in the Galapagos Islands and prefer to sail a different route to French Polynesia.

For those who are determined to bypass Galapagos, the logical option is to sail directly from Panama to the Marquesas. A somewhat longer but potentially more attractive alternative is to make a detour to Easter Island and continue from there via Pitcairn Island to French Polynesia.

The fact that the number of yachts calling at the Polynesian outpost of Easter Island has almost doubled in the last five years probably proves the above point. According to Ricardo Astudillo Duran, the port captain of Hanga Roa, ‘ .’

The increasing attraction of this southern route is also shown by the fact that 70 boats made landfall at Mangareva, the southeastern point of entry into French Polynesia. Among those, 14 stopped at Pitcairn, the legendary island that served as the secret retreat for the Bounty mutineers, whose descendants continue to live on this remote speck of land.

Landfall in the spectacular Marquesas at the end of a 3,000-mile- passage is an uplifting experience that no sailor can ever forget, nor should any miss. In 2015, 397 boats arrived there, the majority at Atuona on the island of Hiva Oa. The total of arrivals for the entire French Polynesia was 556, which included 11 that made landfall in the southern Austral Islands at the end of a passage from New Zealand. The number of arrivals in 2010 showed a drastic decline from the record 826 reported in 2010.

The largest contingent was from USA (143), followed by France (90), UK (66), Australia (43), New Zealand (39), Germany (6), Canada (23), Netherlands (22), Switzerland (15), Belgium (12), Norway (6), Italy (5), and a host if other nations.

The boats which transit the Panama Canal and head for the South Pacific are joined in the Marquesas and Tahiti by boats that have sailed from Mexico, the west coast of USA or Canada, and Hawaii. In 2015, 166 American and Canadian boats arrived in French Polynesia, but compared to the past, when many continued on a circumnavigation, or at least sailed as far as New Zealand before turning around, about half of the North American boats now turn north from Tahiti and head for home.

Sailing west from Tahiti there are several detours that can be made from the main trunk route, such as to the once rarely visited Palmerston atoll, which was visited by 71 boats. Another highly popular place, also in the Cook Islands, is Suwarrow, an uninhabited atoll where a caretaker is based during the peak arrivals time and welcomed a total of 69 boats. The total of arrivals for the entire island group was 209. In neighbouring Tonga, the main island of Tongatapu was once again eclipsed by the northern island group of Vava’u. This long time favourite among sailors roaming the South Seas welcomed 424 arrivals.

All the above places are close enough to the main transpacific route not to entail much of a detour, and this may explain the fact that only 3 boats called at Tokelau, and 6 at Tuvalu, two small and isolated Polynesian communities that would have justified the effort to drop by and say hello, especially as both are likely to be the first victims of the rising sea levels caused by climate change.

By the time they have reached Tonga or Fiji, most cruising boats leave the tropics before the cyclone season and sail to New Zealand or Australia. Although ports in South Queensland and New South Wales have been attracting an increasing number of boats, New Zealand continues to be the favourite destination.

This was borne out by the 669 arrivals in New Zealand, the majority making landfall at Opua in the Bay of Islands, with late October and November being the bumper time. Of the total, 491 were foreign flagged: USA (102), UK (70), Australia (65), Germany (32), France (30), Canada (22), Netherlands (15), Italy, Switzerland and Belgium with 7 each, followed by 37 other nationalities.

While in New Zealand the numbers have remained stable, in Australia the number of foreign vessels has dropped by 21 percent from 459 in 2010 to 361 in 2015. The situation was similar in neighbouring New Caledonia which saw 328 arrivals compared to 415 five years previously.

The figures recorded along the South Pacific trunk route show a certain decline in the total number of cruising boats and this trend is now reflected on a global level.

While the South Pacific continues to attract most of the yachts undertaking a world voyage, the situation in the North Pacific has remained almost unchanged compared to 2010, although there was a considerable decline in the number of foreign visiting boats in the Western North Pacific. This is the first area in the world to suffer the consequences of climate change on a large scale, with weather conditions being noticeably affected by the warming of the oceans. The worst affected were the Philippines, with a tropical cyclone striking the country in every month of the year. A defined safe sailing season can no longer be counted on. A similar trend now appears to affect all of Micronesia, which was visited by 27 tropical cyclones in 2015.

Although rarely affected by tropical storms, and enjoying benign conditions throughout the year, foreign flagged yachts are still a rare sight in Hawaii. Probably for that reason, the authorities do not keep a record and the best guess is that only an estimated 30 foreign yachts called at the islands in 2015. In fact, Hawaii does attract many American boats and is visited every year by between 200 and 250 boats, both cruising and racing. Some sail from there to French Polynesia and a few continue west towards Micronesia and the Asian mainland. Some of them were among the 37 arrivals in the Marshall Islands, which is probably a fair estimate of the approximate number of boats calling at the Micronesian islands generally.

In spite of the uncertain weather conditions mentioned above, the Philippines continue to attract visiting boats, but most of them limit themselves to the southern part, which is rarely affected by tropical storms.

On the Asian mainland, the expected boom in cruising boats has so far failed to materialise and the estimates from Hong Kong show in fact a decline compared to the previous survey. This comment of a long-standing member of the points to the reason: ‘ .’ There was not much more movement in China either where formalities for visiting yachts continue to be both complicated and expensive.

A small number of cruising boats make it as far as Japan every year with an estimated 20 foreign yachts passing through Osaka in 2015. Ten of them could be traced, as they made their way east, with some stopping at Dutch Harbor on their way to Canada or the US west coast.

This busy fishing port at the western edge of the Aleutian Islands saw a record 23 visiting yachts in 2015. Both its provisioning and repair facilities are excellent and this is a good base to prepare the boat for those planning an eastbound transit of the Northwest Passage.

Because of the serious threat of piracy in the North Indian Ocean, 2010 was the first year when more boats on a world voyage sailed the Cape of Good Hope route than crossed the North Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

This trend continued in the intervening five years with very few sailors taking the risk to reach the Mediterranean that way. However, due to the presence of an international naval force in the North Indian Ocean, the threat posed by the Somali pirates has been virtually eliminated. As a result, 2015 saw the first cruising boats braving that northern route, with a total of 14 boats arriving in Suez from the North Indian Ocean. In spite of the fact that these boats had passed safely through the critical area of the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, it must be stressed that sailing in that area is still potentially dangerous.

As a result, there has been a noticeable reduction in SE Asia in the number cruising boats on a world voyage as many avoid the North Indian Ocean altogether. By contrast, there continues to be a fair amount of coastal traffic with more local and regional boats, both racing and cruising, joining the rallies and regattas held during the winter season in Western Malaysia and Thailand. The Singapore port authority recorded just over 200 foreign flagged boats calling in 2015, with the figures obtained from Phuket confirming an increase in visitors from neighbouring countries.

With very few sailors daring to risk a passage to the Mediterranean via the North Indian Ocean and Red Sea, on reaching SE Asia their only reasonable option is to switch hemispheres and head south.

A convenient port en route is Galle, on the south coast of Sri Lanka, where 98 arrivals were recorded in 2015. Some made a further detour to Cochin in South India, but few boats persevered on a westbound course, with the notable exception of the 14 boats that reached Suez. Among them, twelve were on a world voyage that had originated in Australia or New Zealand, and the remaining two had started from ports in the Persian Gulf area.

Rather than face the challenge of a passage to and around South Africa, many Australian and some New Zealand sailors are now buying a boat in Europe, mostly catamarans, and sail home via the Panama Canal avoiding the Indian Ocean and thus completing a safe and convenient semi-circumnavigation.

In contrast to that, some French sailors do it the other way round: they leave home, stop at various French territories in the Caribbean and South Pacific before finishing in New Caledonia where they sell their boats and return home having completed a similar semi-circumnavigation.

It is estimated that approximately 200 yachts transit the Torres Strait every year. Some of those that are heading directly for the South Indian Ocean usually stop at Darwin in Northern Australia, which saw 72 arrivals in 2015.

The alternative is a cruise through the Indonesian archipelago and 236 foreign vessels obtained the required cruising permit issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That requirement has been discontinued in 2016, in an attempt to attract more visitors to what continues to be one of the most interesting and diverse cruising grounds in the world.

Heading west from either Darwin or Indonesia, the Australian outpost of Cocos Keeling continues to be a popular stop with 99 visitors in 2015. Among them, 29 were from the UK, USA (17), France (14), Germany (9), Australia (8), Netherlands (5), Sweden (3), and a few others.

From Cocos Keeling the westbound route splits into a southern branch to Rodrigues and Mauritius and a northern branch bound for Chagos (British Indian Ocean Territory).

The latter recorded 48 arrivals, a significant reduction of 54 per cent from the 105 boats five years previously, as the British authorities, who administer this territory, now limit the issuing of the compulsory permit to those who can justify the need for a stop in those islands, and seem determined to discourage those who regard them as an interesting cruising interlude.

The most popular stop along the more frequented southern route is Port Louis in Mauritius, with 281 boats being recorded, a major increase over 2010 and a definite proof of the predominance of the Cape of Good Hope route among boats on a world voyage. The largest contingent (67) flew the South African flag, thus pointing to a steady two-way traffic. The rest of the boats all seemed to be on a world voyage with UK (34), France (29), USA (25), Germany (12), Netherlands (7), Belgium (4), Italy (3), etc.

When first discovered as an as yet unexplored cruising destination, Madagascar was expected to become the major attraction in the South Indian Ocean, but the lack of facilities, cumbersome bureaucracy and the ever lingering threat of piracy has put paid to those hopes. The activities of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group in East Africa and its attacks on tourist resorts have engendered a profound sense of uncertainty in this part of the world that has cast its shadow over neighbouring cruising destinations such as Northern Madagascar, the Seychelles and even Mozambique.

Nosy Be, on Madagascar’s NW coast has established itself as a modest base but few world voyagers bother to make the lengthy detour from Mauritius or La Reunion over the top of Madagascar. An estimated 30 boats visited the Nosy Be area in 2015, half made up of South African boats undertaking a one-season round trip.

On the eve of a new cyclone season, all boats make their way south. Richards Bay and Durban are the usual South African landfall ports, with arrivals evenly split between them. A total of 110 boats arrived in Durban from the north in 2015.

Some of the most important changes on the world sailing circuit in the last five years have occurred in the Mediterranean. The political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, the war in Syria and surrounding area, the refugee crisis, have disrupted or entirely closed some of the most popular cruising grounds of what used to be once described as Mare Nostrum.

Perennially popular places such as the Balearics, Croatia and Greece continue to be uncomfortably crowded during the summer and even outside the high season visiting yachts have difficulties finding places in marinas thus deterring visitors from coming. The stricter application of the Schengen regulations has also led to a reduction in the number of non-EU sailors, especially from the USA.

As the gateway into the Mediterranean, Gibraltar recorded a total of 2472 transits in 2015, a substantial decline compared to 2010 and a possible sign that the number of visiting yachts is on the way down in the Mediterranean, just as in most places covered by this survey.

This latest survey has highlighted three interesting factors: the small size of crew on long voyages, with many couples sailing on their own, the number of couples with young children setting off on a shorter or longer sabbatical leave, and the steadily increasing proportion of catamarans among cruising yachts. These factors are possibly interrelated and the data gathered from some of the most important hubs along the world sailing routes may show that. I therefore decided to widen the scope of this global survey to find out more about the boats than just their numbers or flags, but also average length, size of crew, and whether they were monohulls or catamarans.

Figures obtained from Panama, Tahiti, Bermuda, and Horta, made it possible to calculate their average length. To arrive at a realistic figure, only boats under 60 feet were taken into account as very few of the larger boats would fit the description of a standard cruising boat.

Among the 775 boats that arrived in Horta, in the Azores, on completion of their passage from the Caribbean, the average length was 43.8 feet. The average among the 556 arrivals in Tahiti was higher, at 45.2 feet. The Bermuda average for the 560 boats was 46.9 feet, while 45.9 feet was the average for the 617 boats that had transited the Panama Canal. The overall average length for the 2,508 boats under 60 feet that called at the above locations was 45.3 feet. The above results included both monohulls and multihulls.

The number of catamarans on long voyages has been steadily increasing and this was a good opportunity to find out their actual proportion among cruising yachts. Once again, I referred to the detailed statistics obtained from the Azores and found that 22 of the 184 of the arrivals in Lajes were catamarans (12%), and 103 of the 775 (13%) among those in Horta. The percentage had risen to 17% (185 of 1058) among the Panama transits. The highest percentage (19%) was recorded in Noumea (New Caledonia), with 61 catamarans from a total of 328 boats. This is not surprising bearing in mind the large number of French boats based there, many of them catamarans.

The situation in some rallies confirmed this trend, with 17% in the , 19% in , 14% in the (35 of 259), and 17% among the 209 boats in the . The achieved the highest percentage, with 11 catamarans among the 39 boats (28%) in the 2015 event.

Early in 2016, the tourism office of French Polynesia conducted a wide-ranging survey to assess the impact of pleasure craft on the communities in the various island groups they visited during 2015. The survey drew on three sources: entry and exit data compiled by immigration, customs declarations submitted by each vessel, and a questionnaire completed by each captain. 234 captains responded positively and the results are highly informative as they provide a unique insight into such a significant sample of long distance boats and voyagers.

Among those questioned, 43% described themselves as being on a world voyage, 46% on a round Pacific voyage and 11% on an open-ended cruise. As for crew, 51% of the boats were sailed by just a couple, 13% had a crew of 3, 20% a crew of 4 and 13% had larger crews, while as many as 10% were singlehanders.

More efficient and better equipped boats, with reliable automatic pilots, electric winches, furling gears and countless other accessories has resulted in an overall reduction in the size of crew.

This was evident in the sample from St Helena with an average crew of 3.3, whereas in Vava’u it was 3.5, in Cocos Keeling 2.6 and the Marquesas 2.7. It is indeed worth adding that at both Cocos Keeling and the Marquesas, over half the boats were sailed by just a couple.

Since my first global survey in 1987, the cruising scene has seen important changes and while this survey has found that in a few places there has been an increase in the number of visiting yachts, the figures from Las Palmas, Bermuda, Panama, Galapagos, Tahiti, Tonga and Australia seem to indicate that the popularity of long distance voyages may have peaked in 2010. Those numbers may also point to a global trend among potential world voyagers.

There are various reasons for this, but they all seem related to safety concerns. Although climate change has only started to visibly affect offshore weather, most sailors are worried about conditions becoming less predictable, with safe seasons no longer being taken for granted. The world is also regarded as less safe on a personal level, not only in such high risk areas as the North Indian Ocean and Red Sea, Venezuela, Brazil, Honduras, North, East and West Africa, but also in parts of the Eastern Mediterranean and Caribbean. The prevailing economic uncertainty may also deter some sailors from setting off on a world voyage not knowing what to expect on their return.

To assess the approximate number of boats that are undertaking a long voyage, I estimate that worldwide there are approximately 8,000 either cruising in a certain area or actually voyaging. About half are in the Atlantic, 1,500 to 2,000 in the Pacific, 1,000 in the Indian Ocean, and 1,000 in the Mediterranean. This estimate is about twenty percent lower than the conclusion I drew in 2000 and 2010, when I reckoned that there were between 10,000 and 12,000 boats roaming the oceans of the world.

Finally, those who are planning a world voyage should take heart from the fact that, in spite of some concerns, such attractive destinations as the Azores, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Tonga, Vanuatu and Indonesia, not to speak of more remote or high-latitude destinations, have not been overrun by visitors and show no signs of that happening soon.

A definite result, caused mainly by the above concerns, is a move towards regional cruising with many sailors now preferring to limit their voyages to one area or just one ocean. In line with this trend, for many sailors the aim of completing a circumnavigation seems to have lost its aura and whereas in the past most of those who set off on a world voyage were hoping to eventually sail round the globe, nowadays it is only the most determined who find the motivation to go all the way.

Since 1987 has conducted every five years a survey of the global movement of cruising yachts. He is the author of the international bestsellers “ ” and “ ”.

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The Complete Calendar of Big Boat Shows Around the World

Mark your calendars for these yacht shows taking place throughout the year..

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For yacht lovers, boat shows offer the same experience as any milestone event—they’re memorable, fun, and potentially life-changing. Just ask the tens of thousands of owners around the world who buy new vessels every year at the top shows. Starting with the Cannes Yachting Festival in September and ending with the Newport Yacht Charter Show in June, the show “season” moves around the world, displaying the newest motor yachts at Cannes in September and the world’s largest superyachts at Monaco at the end of the month. From there, the show season moves on to Fort Lauderdale in October, moving month by month around the globe to the world’s major yachting capitals.

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Opening days of every boat show share one common feature: The excitement is electric. Not only have the shipyards spent months, and even years, readying new yachts for their public debuts, but the visitors are also excited to finally be stepping aboard yachts they’ve read about and aspire to own. Yachts remain the ultimate discretionary purchase—the one item owners don’t need but often cannot do without. That’s partly because they have become modern, luxury apartments on the water, rivaling any new high-rise condo.

But the main reason people love boats so much is the freedom they offer. No other shoreside home can match a yacht’s portability. Owners can enjoy the world’s richest view of the Monte Carlo skyline, steps away from the city’s shops and restaurants, and then snorkel in an empty cove on a remote Greek island a week later. Take that scenario, transplant it to wherever water exists, and imagine the possibilities. You can see why the boat show has become such a must-attend event for yacht lovers. Here are 16 of the world’s best shows.

It might be the dead of winter, but this is a great time of year to get away to another cold clime and start planning your warm-weather activities.

Boot Düsseldorf

Scheduled for January 19 to 27, 2019, Boot Düsselforf will be celebrating 50 years in 2019, and tickets will go on sale in September. Sixteen exhibition halls spread out over 2,368,060 square feet make up the boat show, which offers up 18 themed areas celebrating all things water. These include the Sailing Center, Motorboats, Superyachts, Travel, the Dive Center, Beach World, the World of Paddling, the Refit Center, and the Sportfishing Center, among others. Watch for superyachts from Azimut, Ferretti, Princess, Fairline, and Sunseeker in the motor-yacht category.

If you prefer sailing, you can check out models from Amel, Bénéteaum, CNB, Nautor’s Swan, Solaris, and more. In addition to the large yachts, tenders for those yachts are on display, as well. If you get tired of touring the yacht halls, head to The Wave for some surfing or the Dive Center for diving. In 2018, 1,923 exhibitors from 68 different countries participated, and 247,000 visitors attended from 102 countries. Organizers are expecting more for the 50th anniversary.  —Danielle Cutler

If you’re envisioning a romantic Valentine’s-weekend holiday, nothing could be more magical than Miami during the two boat shows held over Valentine’s Day each year. If you already have plans, consider heading to the United Arab Emirates at the end of the month for a winter warmup at the Dubai show.

Miami International Boat Show

One of two Miami shows held on the same dates, the Miami International Boat Show (MIBS), held February 14 through 19, 2019, used to be a small-boat show in the Miami Beach Convention Center. The largest boat was less than 50 feet in length. Two years ago, MIBS moved to the Miami Marine Stadium on Key Biscayne, and it transformed almost overnight into a world-class, on-water show. More than 1,300 boats are on display from 170 builders from the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

The organizers also moved its sailboat show to Virginia Key last year, adding a new component as well as offering hands-on instruction and displays from hundreds of equipment and electronics manufacturers. The show is just minutes from the village of Coconut Grove—with its charming cafés, parks, and shops—and downtown Miami, with the art galleries and restaurants in the hip section of Brickell. Between MIBS’ new location and the Miami Yacht Show on South Beach, Miami is definitely the place to be for yachties in February.  —Geri Ward

Miami Yacht Show

Formerly Yachts Miami Beach and then the Miami Yacht Show on Collins Avenue, the Miami Yacht Show  is scheduled for February 14 to 18 in 2019 at its new location in Biscayne Bay between the Venetian and MacArthur causeways, which is just north of downtown Miami. The new venue is closer to superyacht -lovers’ Superyacht Miami at Island Gardens Deep Harbour marina on Watson Island, which hosts the show’s large yachts—up to 500 feet.

Show organizers expect more than 500 boats and yachts, additional parking and on-land exhibit space, and a new AquaZone, where guests will find demos from Flyboard, SeaBob, Rover Boat Board, underwater drones, and more. Be sure to check out the luxury automobiles, private jets, and art on display, as well.

Guests who prefer traveling as a VIP have the option of buying the VIP Experience package ($150), which includes show entry, access to the VIP lounge, and transportation to Superyacht Miami. Don’t underestimate the VIP lounge—this is where you go to get out of the sun, take advantage of the open bar and hors d’oeuvres, and take in the happy-hour events.

Watch for yachts from Amels, Benetti, Heesen, Oceanco, Christensen, Westport, Feadship, and many more.  —D.C.

Dubai International Boat Show

Dubai International Boat Show (DIBS), scheduled for February 26 to March 2, 2019, is a true crossroads of the yachting world, bringing together 26,000 visitors from 76 countries. The show has all the major U.S. and European yacht brands, not to mention local yards like Gulf Craft, which has found an international following for its Majesty superyachts. DIBS’ organizers relocated the show last year to Dubai Creek, a more intimate and elegant setting for the exhibitors and visitors.

Beyond the yachts displayed at the marina and along Superyacht Avenue, the show also has a Super Car Promenade, Luxury Boulevard (with luxury goods and decor), and Dive ME Expo to promote the region’s exceptional reefs. Dubai, of course, is known for its international lifestyle, and that shows up in restaurants like the Armani Hotel as well as the cafés on the Dubai Marina. The Emirate also has world-class shopping centers like the Dubai Mall, with its top-brand stores and glassed-in indoor ski slopes with real snow, or Saga World Dubai, which displays exceptional masterpieces of jewelry, watches, carpeting, and artwork. The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, features a 124th-floor observation deck that gives exceptional views of the fast-growing city.  —G.W.

Palm Beach International Boat Show  Photo: J Christopher Photography

Need to change up your usual spring-break ski trip? Balmy Palm Beach is beautiful this time of year.

Palm Beach International Boat Show

Palm Beach International Boat Show , held March 28 to 31, 2019, was once an afterthought to the Fort Lauderdale and Miami shows; however, it has been steadily growing over the last few years, adding extra dock space, more yacht brands, and ever-larger yachts. It now has $1.2 billion worth of boats on display. It’s also in the admirable position of offering the same levels of quality and excellent weather as the other major shows, but without the big crowds. This year, Palm Beach introduced a VIP Experience that includes a dockside indoor club with open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and other luxuries that make it an oasis in the heart of the show.

The event also features a cool AquaZone, which has demos of jetpacks, electric surfboards, paddleboarding, and many new water toys. For a break from the show, the shopping on Worth Avenue is similar to Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue, but without the urban background. The exhibits at the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum or shows at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts are also cultural distractions in one of America’s wealthiest zip codes.  —G.W.

Singapore Yacht Show 

Check out spring in Singapore for a high-end tropical vacation with a sophisticated city as your home base.

Singapore Yacht Show

Showcasing top-notch yachts, supercars, luxury fashion, watch and jewelry brands, and more, the Singapore Yacht Show  is scheduled for April 11 through 14, 2019, at One°15 Marina in Sentosa Cove on Sentosa Island. Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board and the international yachting community, guests can explore such on-water yacht exhibitors as Azimut, Benetti, Feadship, Ferretti, Gulf Craft, Heesen, Lürssen, Monte Carlo Yachts, Sanlorenzo, Westport, and others. The 2018 show hosted more than 15,000 visitors over the four days, spread out over the almost 90,500 square feet of exhibition space, and featured more than 90 yachts and 14 world and Asia debuts.  —D.C.

MYBA Charter Show  Photo: Paul McDermott

Does one really need a reason to visit Barcelona? The architecture, the weather, the museums, shopping, the beach, boating, sangria… And then there’s Greece.

MYBA Charter Show

Head to Barcelona for the MYBA Charter Show on April 30 to May 3, 2019, at OneOcean Port Vell. Tailored to professionals in the charter-yacht industry, the 2018 event featured 53 yachts, 96 exhibitors, and 1,885 attendees. Events include the annual chefs’ competition, pitting yacht chef and crew against yacht chef and crew to determine which team has the best Meet and Greet process, “tablescaping” display, and, of course, food. The 2018 challenge was for each participating chef to prepare five different finger foods to be eaten without cutlery, breaking down to three savory and two sweet items. Legendary yachts such as Oceanco’s 269-foot Alfa Nero and the 254-foot explorer yacht Legend from Icon Yachts participated in 2018, along with their representatives Burgess and Camper & Nicholsons, respectively.  —D.C.

The Mediterranean Yacht Show in Nafplion, Greece.  Photo: Courtesy of The Mediterranean Yacht Show presented by the Greek Yachting Association in Nafplion, Greece.

Presented each year for yachting professionals by the Greek Yachting Association in Nafplion, Greece, the  Mediterranean Yacht Show  also showcases charter yachts, parties aboard those yachts (allowing guests to get to know each other and the crew), and a chefs’ competition. The fifth edition of MEDYS proved to be the best yet, with 107 charter yachts and more than 400 yachting professionals from all corners of the globe, making it the largest event of its kind in the Eastern Mediterranean. The GYA expects an even larger number of yachts for 2019, currently estimated to be 120. The 2019 show is scheduled for May 4 to 8, a day longer than the 2018 event. —D.C.

Newport Charter Yacht Show  Photo: Courtesy

Take a break from the Hamptons and head to Newport, Rhode Island, to catch a glimpse of the large yachts in town for the charter show.

Newport Charter Yacht Show

One of two summer yacht shows, set in America’s sailing capital, is unique because only charter yachts take part. The Newport Yacht Charter Show , which will be held June 17 to 20 in 2019, is a professionals-only event designed to show the high standards of the charter sector to owners and brokers, with four days of open houses on the yachts. During the last show, the 24 charter yachts ranged from the 198-foot Blue Moon to the 54-foot sailing-catamaran Tohora , with most of the fleet measuring over 100 feet.

The chefs demonstrate their cooking prowess with specially prepared luncheons for brokers, while captains show each yacht’s unique features (water toys, luxury saloons, or beach clubs). The crew and owners even participate in costumed events which, in 2018, included Super Heroes and Under the Big Top. There are best-dessert contests among the chefs as well as “tablescaping” and specialty cocktail competitions. Newport, with its 19th-century mansions on the Cliff Walk and boutiques on Thames Street, makes the perfect New England backdrop for the show. —G.W.

Cannes Yachting Festival  Photo: Jerome Kelagopian/©Yachting Festival Cannes — Abracadabra Studios

If you’re ready for a cool-down from your blazing-hot summer, Australia’s winter weather—with highs in the 50s—might be a welcome reprieve.

Sydney International Boat Show

Sydney’s International Convention Centre and adjacent Cockle Bay Marina in Darling Harbour played host to the 51st edition of the Sydney International Boat Show from August 2 through 6, 2018. The event features not only yachts of all sizes from respected builders around the world but also all sorts of accessories, demonstration pools, and master classes. Plus, the Australia International Dive Expo has joined in the fun. I would recommend catching your breath while swilling a glass of bubbly at the outdoor Champagne and oyster bar on the event deck. Dates have not yet been announced for 2019. —D.C.

September is a good time to book that Airbnb in the South of France for the whole month so you can hit up all the boat shows. In between Cannes and Monaco, don’t forget to head to Southampton and Genoa to catch the shows there.

Cannes Yachting Festival

Cannes might be better known for its film festival, but the Cannes Yachting Festival —September 11 to 16, 2018—attracts more visitors and is the official launch of the yachting season. Last year on its 40th anniversary, the show had 600 boats on display, including yachts over 150 feet as well as 108 world premieres. Like the film festival, the world’s boat builders understand it’s important to be seen at Cannes. The largest new launch in the 2018 show will be the Baglietto 48 Displacement, a 158-foot superyacht designed by Francesco Paszkowski, with other launches by Custom Line, Ferretti Yachts, Conrad, Nautor’s Swan, and more than 100 others. Because France is such a mecca of sailing, the show also has a large selection of sailboats and multihull yachts. More than 50,000 visitors, about half of which came from outside France, are expected to visit the show to see the new yachts of the season. There’s typically a lively, friendly feel on the crowded docks as the builders can finally reveal yachts that will establish the latest trends in design and performance. Located in the heart of the city, dozens of cafés, bars, and restaurants are within a five-minute walk of the event. The show’s Luxury Galley includes watches, jewelry, lamps, and other custom decor. —G.W.

TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show

Held September 14 to 23 this year, TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show is celebrating 50 years. Organizers expect more than 100 boat debuts and more than 500 exhibitors. Some will be highlighting environmental research. In addition to celebrating its 50 years in existence, the show will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first single-handed nonstop circumnavigation of the globe with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s Suhaili on display at the event. Sports stars and celebrities from the last 50 years will be welcomed, and those couples celebrating 50 years of marriage during the show will receive free entrance. Be sure to stop by the new Guinness Bar, which will be giving its own nod to the 1960s.

Besides the yachts and boats on display—and the various 50th-anniversary festivities—the Southampton Boat Show also features kayaks, paddleboards, sailing dinghies, and, this year, a menu at the Marine’s Grill developed by the Hairy Bikers (Si King and Dave Myers), with responsibly sourced seafood in line with the show’s efforts to support marine conservation. VIP-minded visitors will be pleased to discover the Platinum Experience, which includes a glass of Prosecco upon arrival; morning tea, coffee, and pastries; buffet lunch; afternoon tea and cake; entrance fees for the show; a private bar (drinks not included) in the Platinum Lounge; and more. The most exciting part is the hour-long tour aboard a motor yacht.  —D.C.

Salone Nautica

Genoa, Italy’s national boat show, held September 25 to 28, 2018, is one of Europe’s major fall yachting events. Salone Nautica offers 1,000 boats in a Mediterranean setting from Italian yacht builders like Sanlorenzo, Azimut, and Monte Carlo Yachts, as well as non-Italian brands like Nautor’s Swan, Bertram, Beneteau, and Hanse Yachts. Located on the Genoa waterfront, the show is divided into motor yachts, sailboats, powerboats, and outboard boats. The Genoa show distinguishes itself by an inimitable sense of Italian warmth. Organizers call it the “Sea Experience,” and that includes after-show boat tests on the Mediterranean, Big Game Tournament sportfishing displays, and events for divers, kayakers, and small-boat lovers.

Beyond the show, Genoa offers many side tours, including the charming cafés of Via Garibaldi, cathedrals like Basilica di Santa Maria di Castello, the Aquarium of Genoa, and the art museum of Chiostro dei Canonici di San Lorenzo. Walks through the Palazzi dei Rolli and Chiesa Di San Donato give some sense of Genoa’s long history and importance as a maritime center.  —G.W.

Monaco Yacht Show 

Monaco Yacht Show

Every September since 1991, yachting enthusiasts, buyers, charterers, yacht builders, and brokers descend on the principality of Monaco for the annual Monaco Yacht Show . And I’m sure this year will be no different. Scheduled for September 26 through 29, 2018, show organizers are expecting 120 custom superyachts from builders, owners, and charter brokers around the globe to moor at the docks of Port Hercules. In addition, 40 of these yachts will be making their worldwide debut. The average length of participating yachts is 160 feet, but this year there will be seven superyachts between 230 and 328 feet in length. And four of them will be making their world debuts. In addition, watersports lovers can view and sometimes try out the 40 different tenders and toys on display. For those into automobiles, 10 different luxury models will be exhibited at the show’s Car Deck. And we mustn’t overlook the two helicopters scheduled to appear. Overall, 580 companies participate in the annual show.

For superyacht clientele, the Monaco Yacht Show offers a VIP visit pack, the Sapphire Experience, which provides exclusive services to new yacht buyers and current owners. Crème de la crème visitors may participate in two invite-only events held the evening of September 25: the Monaco Yacht Summit—mini lectures and discussions with a panel of yachting-industry experts to explore the practical questions of future yacht charterers or buyers—and the Inaugural Gala Event and 5th Monaco Yacht Show Superyacht Awards, where 400 guests celebrate the most spectacular yachts at the show.

Last year’s Monaco Yacht Show saw 36,400 people roaming the tents, halls, and docks. And usually, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco takes a (highly secured) stroll through the event, as well. —D.C.

Sights are most likely set on South Florida for the Fort Lauderdale boat show, but don’t rule out a quick trip to beautiful Abu Dhabi for its fairly new event.

Abu Dhabi International Boat Show

Scheduled for October 17 to 20, 2018, the newcomer to the list will hold its inaugural event this year. Organized by the same company that puts on the Southampton show in the UK, the Abu Dhabi International Boat Show promises to be an impressive debut. The UAE capital has become a boatbuilding center in the Middle East and one of its most beautiful cruising grounds, with more than 300 miles of coastline and 200 islands. It has also hosted some world-class events, including Abu Dhabi Sailing Regatta, Commodore’s Cup, and a stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race. Islands like Yas, Saadiyat, and Sir Bani Yas have become big destinations, and some have world-class marinas. The show will feature yacht builders from 18 countries, including Sunseeker, Benetti, CRN, Mangusta, Princess, Ferretti Yachts, and Pershing.

Many local shipyards will also have their boats on display. Beyond yachts and powerboats, the show will feature Volvo Ocean 60 race boats (Abu Dhabi has been a big sponsor of the Volvo Ocean Race) and F1 Powerboats that accelerate to 100 mph in four seconds. The in-water section will be in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company’s marina, while the rest of the show will be in the adjoining ultramodern exhibit center.  —G.W.

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show  Photo: Forest Johnson

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Every fall at the very end of hurricane season, boats and yachts big and small arrive from all over the globe to take part in the  Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show , the biggest in-water boat show in the world, held this year on October 31 through November 4 in the Yachting Capital of the World. The 2018 edition marks 59 years of this show, which hosts more than 1,500 boats—along six miles of floating docks—1,200 exhibitors, and 110,000 visitors at seven locations around Fort Lauderdale.

Not only will visitors find all kinds of boats—from superyachts and sailing yachts to jet boats and runabouts—but also watersports gear, exotic cars, and everything else nautical. General admission is $33 for adults; $15 for kids ages six to 15; and free for children under six. Choose the Windward VIP Experience for $300 a person for one day. The package includes entrance to the show, access to the Windward VIP Club, and rides on the Water Taxi. But the Windward VIP Club is what makes it appealing—it’s located at the Swimming Hall of Fame, which is a pretty central location, and offers up air-conditioned lounge areas to hang out and cool off in, a dedicated concierge, and private indoor bathrooms (worth any amount of money). If that didn’t do it for you, it offers up a private dining area and a premium open bar.  —D.C.

Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting  Photo: Shutterstock/Pixachi

And that’s a wrap. End your year in the warm and wildly beautiful West Indies.

Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting

Another show catered to marine-industry professionals, the Antigua Charter Yacht Show is scheduled for December 4 through 10 at Nelson’s Dockyard Marina in English Harbour, the Falmouth Harbour Marina, and the Antigua Yacht Club Marina. New for 2018, all registered yachts remain at the docks for the full five viewing days, with the fifth day being a Sail Day, when charter-management companies can showcase their yacht with a cruise around Antigua’s waters and islands in a sort of charter sampler. Festivities include a chefs’ competition (this year’s mission is a New Year’s Eve dinner party), a stewardess competition (a New Year’s Eve decorative table setting), and nightly events. The Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting is a nonprofit and allocates funds to various schools, scholarships, police stations, flood victims, and more.  —D.C.

Danielle Cutler

Danielle Cutler started covering yachts, marinas, and the yachting industry in 2005. Besides writing and editing yacht content for Robb Report, Danielle has worked for Yachts International and the…

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Yachting World

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Sailing around the world: Cruising couples’ top tips for a dream voyage

• Helen Fretter
• June 19, 2019

Is sailing around the world with your partner the ultimate bluewater dream? Helen Fretter meets World ARC couples who’ve done just that

Who would you pick as your round-the-world cruising companion? Photo: Tor Johnson

If you could choose anyone to go on a grand adventure with, would it be your life partner? For many couples that’s the ideal.

But what if you don’t have the same level of experience, or one of you isn’t confident to co-skipper? Perhaps you plan to take friends and family with you. But what happens if those plans change halfway round? I talked to World ARC crews near the finish of their circumnavigation to find out how different couples had answered those unknowns over their round the world voyage.

Over the 2017, 2018 and 2019 World ARC rallies (the round-the-world rally organised by World Cruising Club) around 20-30% of yachts set off double-handed. But by the time the fleet reached Tonga or Fiji that proportion had risen to about 50%.

Ruud and Laurie Bosman recruited crew from within the ARC rally after deciding to complete their world voyage

Grenada was a homecoming celebration for the World ARC fleet. While St Lucia marked the end of the 2018-19 rally, Grenada signalled the fleet’s return to the Caribbean. A full circumnavigation for most, 438 days sailing for those who’d completed it in a single World ARC loop.

Some 38 yachts started in St Lucia in January 2018, 16 were gathered in Grenada this March. Some had started in 2017 – or even earlier – but peeled off to linger in the Pacific or return to normal life for a while, then hooked into the 2018 rally on its way past. Others had diverted to explore New Zealand, Ascension Island, or another outpost, before rejoining their fleet.

No matter how they’d done it, all had sailed some 30,000 miles, crossed the Pacific , Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and lived at anchor for months on end.

With very few exceptions, most of the boats belonged to couples taking on their first trip sailing around the world. Some had sailed the entire voyage jointly, on others one partner had flown home for a stage or two. Some had taken crew from day one, others had switched between double-handing and sailing with more aboard. Several started with one plan, and finished with a very different set up indeed.

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Personal space

One such couple was David and Wendy Tipton. A former farmer from Staffordshire, UK, David had built up a recycling business that he sold, enabling them to buy Mischief , a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 479, and sail around the world. There was only one problem: Wendy hated the water and considered herself an inexperienced sailor.

Before they set off on the 2017 ARC transatlantic, Wendy had to learn to swim before she could even do a sea survival course. “It was never my dream to circumnavigate, it was David’s. So I went along with it, but it was totally out of my comfort zone,” she recalls.

Wendy’s initial condition of agreeing to do the World ARC was that they would take a crew to sail Mischief with them. They sent a round robin email to friends and sailing contacts to see who wanted to join them, and garnered an enthusiastic response, with many signing up for different legs. One was a very experienced sailor who sailed with the Tiptons for the first six months, which Wendy says gave her a lot of confidence.

David and Wendy Tipton began their World ARC with crew, but later switched to sailing two-up. Photo: James Mitchell

But 15 months is a long time to share your home, with up to six aboard at times, and Wendy admits having no personal space nearly drove her to breaking point. “I did have my bags packed to go home at one point. I was so fed up. It was nothing to do with the sailing, I was just sick of people.

“We were at the stage of needing down time on our own. It’s very intense – I didn’t appreciate how intense the whole trip would be. You wouldn’t have people living with you for six or seven months, and things that wouldn’t normally irritate you become irritating. For my own sanity I needed some time on our own.”

They decided instead to sail on double-handed from South Africa, and arrived in St Helena bowled over by how smoothly it had gone. “It was an absolute revelation,” David recalls. “The watches worked well, the boat worked well, and we were just asking ourselves why have we not done that before?”

The World ARC can include stop-offs for shoreside adventures including a South African safari. Photo: Haley Haltom

Before switching to sailing double-handed Wendy had sought advice from other crews on the ARC, many of whom had become close friends. She particularly asked the women for honest opinions, and says that they were overwhelmingly positive – with the obvious caveat that it could be more tiring sharing the sailing between just two.

They began their first double-handed passage with David sleeping in the cockpit during his off watches, “just in case she needed me quickly,” he recalls. “But after a few days of that regime she said, ‘You might as well go down below, I’m fine.’”

But things didn’t go so well on one of the next stages, from Cabedelo, Brazil, to Devil’s Island, French Guiana. “It was a bit of a catalogue of events,” he explains. “Our radar stopped working, so we were not able to monitor squalls.

“We had another boat who was monitoring them for us, but one came through that went from 7 to 35 knots and we had a spinnaker up in the dark. It broke the spinnaker halyard, the spinnaker went round the keel, the helm wouldn’t come off autopilot so we broached, an outhaul and a batten in the main broke.”

The Bay of Islands in Fiji’s Lau Group. Photo: Haley Haltom

Dealing with such a litany of problems between just the two of them was unknown territory, but Wendy says that while the situation did scare her, they were able to calmly work through and solve each issue.

“What the World ARC has given us – not just from the easy passages, but from the difficult passages – is the confidence that you could throw most stuff at us and we’d be OK,” David added. When they received the Division A 1st prize for the leg to Grenada, sailors across the fleet voiced their pride in Wendy for the progress she’d made.

Another couple that decided they were better off completing the rally two-up were Dan and Agnes Long from Florida on Smoke & Roses . Dan, a former firefighter, and Agnes, a former florist – hence the boat name – ran their Leopard 47 as a charter boat before the World ARC and were experienced sailing in home waters, both holding US Captain’s licences.

Setting off on the Lagoon 47 Smoke & Roses

Like many, they began their World ARC with trusted friends, and were also joined by their adult daughter for stages. But they later took on an unknown crewmember who had been recommended to them.

“She way overstated her sailing experience,” Dan recalls. “She could not trim sails, and she’d argue with you about it.” The final straw for Dan was waking up to find them sailing 90° off course. When he challenged the crew on deck she replied: “Because it’s faster.”

Fearful that they would run aground or make some other catastrophic error, Dan found himself supervising every watch – defeating the point of having a third person aboard. “So instead of being up for my shift, I’m up for my shift and her shift. But with Agnes [on watch] I’ll sleep through the night because I trust her.”

Having sailed two-up for some of the shorter legs around the Society Islands, the Longs also decided to go double-handed from Cape Town and found themselves easily handling the longer distances, setting a spinnaker for three days straight and covering 200-plus miles a day.

Bringing in reserves

For other couples taking on crew turned out to be a positive switch. Peter and Anissa Pappas, from Wyoming, USA, had never sailed any overnight passages with just themselves aboard their Amel Super Maramu 2000 Callisto before signing up to the rally. Anissa describes herself as a very inexperienced sailor, but they sailed from Grenada to Cape Town double-handed.

Their Amel is set up for single-handed sailing, with push button controls from a protected centre cockpit. The duo sailed conservatively, never over-canvassed. “And we set radar guard zones and cross-track error in case our autopilot started wandering around,” explains Peter. But Anissa still found night watches hard.

Night watches can be a long and lonely experience

“I was always worried if we were going to hit somebody. I never felt totally comfortable with that. I always felt that if something is going to happen, it’s going to happen on my watch.” She says she would frequently wake her husband for a second opinion.

But when one crewmember who had been sailing on another boat found himself without a berth for the leg from Cape Town, the Pappas’s made a snap decision to invite him to join them.

“We’d said no on countless occasions to taking other crew,” recalls Anissa. “It’s been hard [going two-up], especially hard on my husband because everything falls to him. But for us transitioning to crew has been easy, and our new crew has been the easiest person.”

With an extra hand they were soon able to carry more sail area, enjoying having the 52ft ketch flying along under four or five sails, including two spinnakers and a staysail.

The start of the 2018 World ARC Leg 16 heading out of St Helena

“With hindsight, I think we should have started out with crew,” admits Anissa. “Peter and I had not really been on the boat together for enough time to really get all the sails up and learn what we needed to learn. And later maybe – or even maybe not – we would have downsized.

“Two was tough, but we did it. But for couples I would say keep an extremely open mind about bringing crew aboard.”

Roving crew

While the Pappas’s made a sudden decision to take a third hand along, the 2018-19 World ARC was characterised by an unusually high number of crew who joined to sail one boat, and ended up becoming such a fixture of the rally community that they extended their trip by joining others.

Several of the roving crew had sailed on three or four different yachts by the time they reached Grenada. Karen Slater, a former fire service worker from the UK, was a very popular member of the ARC family and was about to join her sixth boat for the final cruise to St Lucia.

Freediving with whale sharks in Namibia. Photo Haley Haltom

Having a floating pool of experienced crew became an invaluable resource for some boats. American retirees Ruud and Laurie Bosman on the Hylas 54 Blue Pearl had originally only planned to sail the first half of the rally.

“But by the time we were in Australia Ruud felt very strongly that he wanted to complete the circumnavigation and do it all at once, and I felt very strongly that I did not want to cross the Indian Ocean,” recalls Laurie.

Both aged 71, the pair never wanted to sail double-handed and had organised crew for the Pacific legs, but no further. “Because we had never planned to do the whole circumnavigation we had made no plans beyond French Polynesia,” Ruud explains.

The unspoilt beauty of the Marquesas. Photo: Haley Haltom

When Laurie returned home to spend a few weeks with family, they invited other ARC crew aboard, some staying for the entire second half of the circumnavigation.

“It’s been quite easy, you are relatively familiar with the people because they have been in the fleet. They have a bit of a reputation, and importantly you know why they’re leaving boats,” he adds.

There are still no guarantees that an experienced ARC crewmember will be a good fit. Flashpoints were usually over domestic niggles like food preferences (several couples commented on how provisioning was much simpler with just two aboard, reducing one area of work).

Another issue for the boat-hopping crews was where their ‘home’ base was during stopovers. Peter Pappas commented: “It’s great having crew when you’re underway, but really when you get to your destination you assume they will get off the boat after a couple of days, so you and your wife can have some privacy, and have your home back.”

Many of the World ARC crew strategically took themselves away during long stopovers: diving in Australia, going on land tours, or even climbing Kilimanjaro during the fleet’s visit to South Africa.

Sharing the load

For those who did sail as a couple, how they divided the roles often reflected home life. Peter and Wendy on Mischief , and Dan and Agnes on Smoke & Roses , had both worked together so were used to spending extended periods of time with each other. Other couples, where one had spent much of the marriage putting in long hours at the office, had a bigger adjustment to make.

Mark and Helen Chatfield sailed Mad Monkey with their son Josh. Photo: James Mitchell

Some had chosen to time their world tour with natural breaks in their children’s education. Mark Chatfield on the Grand Soleil 56 Mad Monkey sailed with his wife Helen as well as his adult son Josh, timing it between Josh finishing school and starting university: “I worked as a sales director, with constant travel. So during the week, his schooling and upbringing, I didn’t see a lot of him – for me this trip was predominantly to get to know him better.”

The majority of boats divided roles along fairly traditional ‘pink and blue’ job lines when in port, with the women in charge of provisioning and domestics, the men in charge of repairs and systems. There were exceptions: on Misto British ex-pat Rosalind Cheetham skippered their Nautitech 443 and was hands-on with maintenance.

At sea the roles tended to shift slightly. Domestic jobs were more frequently shared underway, although the majority of ‘skippers in charge’ were the male partners.

Most couples ate an evening meal together before settling into some kind of night watch system, the most popular being a three or four hours on/off pattern, before reconvening for the 10am radio-net. Many adopted a much more fluid watch pattern during the day, each taking naps whenever needed. Several skippers took longer night watches than their partners, but would set alarms to allow 15-20 minute naps on open ocean legs.

Photo: YachtEmily Morgan.com

On Smoke & Roses Dan and Agnes changed their running rigging so reefs could be taken in and out from the cockpit. “It’s made life a lot easier for me because I was getting up for sail changes no matter who was on watch, every single time. Even with three people on the boat I was getting tired,” explains Dan.

They also modified their safety rules. “We did have a rule about not going out of the cockpit at night, but I was in the Pacific just to move the barber-hauler on the genoa,” recalls Agnes.

Several boats started out with conventional spinnakers and ordered furling Code Zero or asymmetric kites to replace them en route as they became more confident in sailing double-handed.

Suwarrow in the Cook Islands is one of the more remote destinations that the World ARC visited

A positive for many crews of joining a rally – and particularly reassuring for double-handed boats – was the option to ‘buddy boat’ for passages, particularly in areas of high traffic, where there were any concerns about piracy, or when one yacht had a technical issue. Even on the final ‘free cruising’ leg to St Lucia several yachts chose to sail in a loose flotilla to enjoy their friendships.

Experience of a lifetime

Every couple I spoke to emphasised that while the World ARC schedule was intense, and some stages had been very challenging, the rewards were hugely worth it.

“It’s been pretty incredible,” recalls Laurie Bosman from Blue Pearl . “Things like going through the Panama Canal, in your own boat – I get teary when I think about it. Those early mornings where you’ve got the sun rising and the moon setting, and nothing but you, water, sun and moon. You think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”

Swimming with manta rays at Suwarrow in the Cook Islands. Photo: Haley Haltom

“It changes you as a person,” said Wendy Tipton. “You have to improvise, shop for what you can get. We went home for Christmas and I was looking at all my bits and pieces and realised you don’t need it. I’ve been quite humbled by how people actually do live and how happy they are with so little.”

Her husband David added: “If you have the opportunity to do it, you’d be mad not to.”

Getting ready: Things to take or prep before you go

Downwind sails.

Many boats ordered new sails in Darwin, Australia, or South Africa – several of which did not clear customs in time to reach the yachts before they set off on the stage they were ordered for. The most popular were furling downwind sails.

Instruments and electrical systems

Multiple boats had issues with faults on one system triggering an issue on the other – an update to the MFD, for example, causing a fault on the SSB radio.

Bones Black, who runs the Bowman 57 charter yacht Emily Morgan  with his wife, Anna, was widely praised across the fleet for helping troubleshoot and fix problems on almost every yacht. He suggests splitting systems to avoid interference.

“On Emily Morgan , all the comms runs down one side of the boat and all the power supplies run down the other side of the boat,” explains Black.

Likewise he advises against installing AIS and VHF using splitter boxes to share the same antenna: “I would always advise separate antenna, then if you have a problem you can always transfer over.”

Google Maps and Open CPN

Many boats used Open CPN to overlay chart data with satellite images from Google Maps, particularly in areas where charts alone were not reliably accurate, such as Fiji and the San Blas Islands.

Experienced bluewater cruisers Bones and Anna Black run charter yacht Emily Morgan and were a source of expertise for many rally participants

Anna Black, who skippers Emily Morgan , spent a lot of time preparing by looking at cruising blogs and other free resources, such as the Fiji Atlas for Mariners website and Noonsite. She also recommends Fastseas.com for affordable weather routeing.

Bones suggests taking digital and hard copies of the owner’s manual – and, if possible, an installation manual – for every system and piece of hardware on board.

Seagull water filter

Emily Morgan is set up with a double filter (coarse and carbon) of water going into the tanks, then drinking water is filtered a second time through the Seagull unit, so they can refill reusable drinking bottles from the taps.

Finding a quiet spot on Emily Morgan

Several boats had to replace dinghies or outboards in far-flung locations such as Fiji, due to being lost or simply coming apart after weeks of extreme heat and UV. The cost could easily be five times the equivalent price at home.

Washing machine

This was the most recommended ‘luxury’ item, mainly because it avoided wasting precious time in stopovers finding a laundry and dealing with missing items. If you can’t fit a machine, it seems prudent to make friends with a yacht that has one…

Cash savings

Some crews felt the costs had been surprising. Marina fees were higher than many had anticipated, and the social aspect of the rally made a few feel under pressure to eat out more.

David Tipton commented: “You need to know what this is going to cost you. We have a repairs budget of £5,000 every three months, but you only have to start doing a few jobs and that gets eaten up.

“We had a boat that was pretty much under warranty for the whole trip, but a lot aren’t. If you suddenly have a big ticket item, like putting a new engine or gearbox in, you’ve got to have £20-30,000 that you can put your hand on.”

Halyard breakages were commonplace. Bones found undiscovered sharp edges in the rigging had contributed to some halyard failures: “We also have independent blocks for our spinnakers, so as the boat and spinnaker moves the block moves.”

Adding Kevlar reinforced outer covers to halyards and sheets worked well on some yachts, others added padded protection to stop the main chafing on spreaders.

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Escape on a Bahamas yacht charter for less with 35M Azimut yacht rental VIVERE

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By Katie Scott   27 September 2024

Make the most of the winter sun with an indulgent escape to the Bahamas. Offering 10% off bookings from December through to April, 116ft (35.36m) yacht charter VIVERE has everything needed for a sun-soaked voyage around some of the world's most beautiful islands. 

Launched in 2008, motor yacht VIVERE is a sophisticated addition to the fleet of Azimut yacht charters , and has been meticulously maintained since her delivery; with a refit completed in 2023.

As one of five Grande 116 yacht rentals on the market, alongside charter yacht ARTEMY , and motor yacht charter CAPELLA , she boasts a good mixture of onboard amenities to provide optimal comfort and entertainment for charter guests, plus an enticing range of water toys for afternoons on the waves.

Featuring design collaborations from Stefano Righini on the exteriors and interiors penned by Carlo Galeazzi, VIVERE is a motor yacht charter with effortless style, primed to provide unforgettable boat charter vacations.

Adorned by her aesthetically pleasing streamlined silhouette, motor yacht VIVERE offers versatile exterior deck space, with ample space to relax, mingle, and enjoy rolling seascapes throughout Bahamas yacht charters . 

Making seamless connections with the sea, the interiors promise exceptional views and plenty of natural daylight, along with timeless decor with an abundance of wood and neutral color palettes.

Sporting a Jacuzzi, Wi-Fi connectivity, and air conditioning, up to 10 sleeping charter guests can be accommodated in a five-cabin layout, comprising a master cabin, two doubles, and a pair of twin cabins. 

Bahamas yacht charters: At a glance

Just a stone's throw from Florida , the Bahamas are a yachting paradise that's both easily accessible and brimming with unforgettable experiences, making it a firm favorite for luxury yacht charters year after year.

Including world-renowned diving spots like Dean's Blue Hole , off Long Island, to the breathtaking beauty of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea National Park , every shoreline promises adventure. And, of course, no Bahamian journey is complete without a visit to see the iconic swimming pigs. With such diverse and captivating highlights, it's no wonder the Bahamas remain a top charter destination .

For more inspiration on the attractions you can see and do during a  family yacht charter  in the region, take a look at our  guide to Bahamas yacht charters  and view some sample  Bahamas yacht charter itineraries .

Bahamas yacht charter itineraries

If you're interested in booking yacht charter VIVERE for a reduced rate Bahamas yacht charter, contact your preferred  yacht charter broker  today to discuss  yacht rental costs  and availability.

Alternatively, find more inspiration by viewing all  boat charters .

Inspiration for Bahamas yacht charters

Alternative Bahamas yacht charters

35m Benetti 2006 / 2020

35m Hargrave 2016

35m Azimut 2006 / 2019

35m Crescent Yachts 1995 / 2015

35m Crescent Yachts 1991 / 2022

35m Azimut 2011 / 2016

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Spotted: where to find the world's coolest superyachts

The global superyacht fleet is always on the move. In fact, last year, the fleet travelled a cumulative total of 18.7 million nautical miles . BOAT keeps track of some of the most famous yachts in the world, spotting them in locations such as Dubai, Antarctica and Thailand.

Al Mirqab in Monaco

One of the world's largest superyachts was spotted in Monaco last week. The 133.2-metre Al Miqrab can be seen here anchored in front of the 88.5-metre Olivia O (widely known as one of the quirkiest yachts on the water ). Al Miqrab was built for the former prime minister of Qatar and marked the beginning of a partnership between Tim Heywood and Andrew Winch , who would later collaborate on several successful Amels models. Highlights include an indoor swimming pool, fountains in the main saloon, a "pirate-themed" underwater viewing room and a helipad on the sundeck. BOAT International was invited on board Al Miqrab to speak to the designers in 2021. 

More about this yacht

Sakura in portofino.

Following her maiden voyage earlier this month , Sakura has cruised along Marseilles, Nice and is now settled in Portofino, Italy. Construction began in in 2021 according to BOATPro with little shared about the superyacht since. From the imagery that has been released, Sakura is known to have a glass-fronted swimming pool, a beach club with unfolding terraces, a forward-loading tender garage and a bow that appears to be heli-capable. Her interiors are also understood to be from Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design .

Marala in Venice

The 58.8-metre class motor yacht Marala was photographed against the backdrop of Venice, Italy this week. A true classic, she was launched by Camper & Nicholsons in 1931 and has had only four owners across her 93 years on the water. A consequential rebuild at Pendennis – which saw more than 100 tonnes of steel replaced – resulted in her winning the Neptune for Best Rebuilt Yacht at the 2023 World Superyacht Awards . Accommodation is across six cabins with individually designed interiors, including a "Japan" cabin outfitted in goat skins (dyed red), orchids and feudal artwork.

Yachts for charter

Savarona in istanbul.

This month, the historic 135.9-metre Savarona was photographed while moored in a restricted area of the Pendik Naval Shipyard in Istanbul, Turkey. The classic yacht was launched in 1931 by German shipyard Blohm+Voss for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwalader, and was sold to the Turkish government six years later to serve as the presidential yacht for Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. She is seen here following a multi-year refit and relaunch. Key features include a Turkish Hammam bath that spans the yacht's 16-metre beam, a swimming pool, a gold-trimmed grand staircase, a private cinema and a library suite.

Venus in Nerano, Italy

This summer, Feadship 's 78.2-metre Venus was seen cruising along near Nerano, a small fishing village in Italy. She was commissioned by Apple founder Steve Jobs, though he never had the chance to see Venus completed before his untimely death in 2011. The superyacht has been used by widow Laurene Powell Jobs ever since. The public has never seen the inside of Venus, but photographers who have managed to get up close have noticed something quite unusual. The yacht has no ordinary bridge – instead, multiple Mac computer screens line the inside of the bridge windows. This sighting occurred a week before the yacht was involved in a collision with the 104.6-metre Lady Moura .

Aviva in Dartmouth, UK

British businessman Joe Lewis is the majority owner of Premier League football team Tottenham Hotspur and counts the 98.4-metre Abeking & Rasmussen superyacht Aviva among his possessions. Lewis seems to be enjoying a staycation this summer, with Aviva photographed in Dartmouth Harbour, a natural port in Devon, UK. The superyacht's standout feature is her huge padel tennis court, measuring 20 metres long by 10 metres wide. She also has two bistros on board instead of a dining area and an owner’s wardrobe that designer Andrew Langton claimed was "bigger than my house in France".

Almax and American Magic in La Spezia

Two of Sanlorenzo 's most groundbreaking launches were spotted crossing paths close to the Gulf of La Spezia recently. The 49.9-metre Almax is a world-first in fuel-cell powered propulsion, with the ability to store methanol on board that is then converted into hydrogen to power the yacht's hotel load.  The yacht has an interesting split-level interior by Lissoni that borrows design cues from retro sources, with colourful tiles in the bathrooms and a vintage-inspired glass bar. Alongside her was the America's Cup chase boat from Sanlorenzo's sister brand Bluegame, which is powered by hydrogen. American Magic foils above the water and can reach a top speed of fifty knots, making her exceptionally high-performance, while remaining compact at 10 metres. 

Katara in Antibes

The 124.4-metre Lürssen superyacht Katara was photographed cruising in Antibes, France earlier in July 2024. She was launched in 2010 as one of the world's largest superyachts , with exterior design by Espen Øino and interior styling by Alberto Pinto . Little else is known about the build – though imagery reveals a helipad, an upper deck Jacuzzi and davits that carry both her tenders and her SOLAS rescue boats. The yacht is believed to be owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar. According to BOATPro , she has since left Antibes and is now moored near the Italian island of Capri.

Savannah in Dartmouth, UK

Currently one of the most expensive superyachts in the world , the 83.5-metre Feadship superyacht Savannah was spotted cruising through Great Britain's waterways earlier this summer. The yacht was in Dartmouth to take delivery of a custom Ribeye Tender. The metallic yacht (one of the largest metallic-painted objects in the world), hides a host of incredible features behind her sharp lines, including a huge pool, a semi-submerged Neptune Lounge below the waterline and video walls that flank the main deck companionway. Chartering a yacht of this calibre would set you back €1,200,000 per week. 

Anna in St. Tropez

The 110-metre Feadship superyacht Anna was recently sighted exploring St. Tropez. Anna features the first bespoke diesel-electric propulsion system and landing pad for a tilt-rotor aircraft and is easily recognisable on the water thanks to her organic, hand-sculptured balconies and fin-like funnel. Her unconventional exterior is owed to UK-based studio Michael Leach Design , while interiors were also styled by Leach in collaboration with the owner's personal New York decorator Brian McCarthy Inc. Anna was delivered as the Dutch shipyard's largest superyacht to date – though she has since been eclipsed by the likes of Launchpad and Project 821 .

Pink Shadow in Sicily

Damen Yachting 's 58.3-metre Pink Shadow was photographed anchored in Taormina, Sicily in July 2024. The custom explorer yacht was sold during construction, which allowed her owner to offer "considerable input" into her design. Pink Shadow is widely known for her richly coloured, eclectic Design Unlimited interiors, inspired by the Amazonian adventure-drama Fitzcarraldo . Highlights include a crocodile-teeth table, neon wall hangings and "The Habana Room", an upper deck cigar lounge made complete with a bespoke humidor. BOAT International was offered an exclusive look inside Pink Shadow in April 2024 .

Path in Norway

In July 2024, 5he 44.6-metre sailing yacht Path was captured cruising by the UNESCO-protected Seven Sisters Waterfall in Geirangerfjorden, Norway. Delivered by Baltic Yachts in 2021 to a passionate sailor, she won a World Superyacht Award the following year. As Baltic Yachts' Henry Hawkins once explained : "The owner took all the experience he gained from sailing round the world and put it into this new boat." Naval architecture and interior design is by Judel Vrolijk , with an eight-guest layout that takes full advantage of her 9.5-metre beam. The owner’s cabin is located amidships alongside an upper lounge area and a 2.7-metre video wall.

Project X in Corfu

The 87.6-metre Project X was spotted anchored near the Old Fortress of Corfu in Greece in late June 2024. The superyacht was delivered in 2022 as Golden Yachts ' second-largest build and was aptly named for her Ken Freivokh -designed, triple-X superstructure detailing. Project X 's circular glass elevator is the largest glass lift ever to be installed on a superyacht – at 2.5-metres in diameter, it can hold up to 15 people at once. An upper deck lounge that converts into a cinema, a statement bar spotlit with illuminated bottles and a master suite with its own Jacuzzi round out her impressive list of leisure amenities. No wonder, then, that Project X was recently chosen to be BOAT International 's charter yacht of the week .

Launchpad and Wingman in Mallorca

Last week, the 118.8-metre Launchpad was sighted moored at the bay of Peguera accompanied by her 67.2-metre support vessel Wingman (known as Dapple before her sale in February ). Rumoured to be owned by Mark Zuckerberg, Launchpad was delivered in March 2024 as the Netherland's largest superyacht – only to be eclipsed by Feadship's Project 821 two months later. Meanwhile, Wingman was delivered by Damen Yachting in 2014 for an avid scuba diver and comes equipped with a full dive centre and large professional decompression chamber. She can also accommodate 20 crew and support helicopter or submarine operations.

Blue Infinity One in Monaco

The 28.1-metre Blue Infinity One was spotted in Monaco for this year's Formula 1 Grand Prix. The Sunseeker 95 was moored trackside and attended by owners belonging to the Meros Flexshare fleet, which offers fractional ownership of the superyacht alongside a programme of "lifestyle events and benefits". Blue Infinity One was launched in 2022 and will no doubt have turned heads in port with her distinctive lettered design. The model is also distinguished from the Sunseeker fleet with a raised pilothouse design that results in a "unique raised master cabin".

Aquijo in Cabo

In May 2023, the world's largest ketch Aquijo was seen cutting an imposing figure in Cabo San Lucas . The 85.9-metre is the result of a collaboration between Vitters and Oceanco and comes complete with a staggering sail area of 3,821 square metres. She's also been crammed with innovations – including custom 40 tonne winches and a unique submarine anchor system – that allow her to be "handled like a boat one-quarter of her size," according to her owner. Worthy of note is the superb owner's deck, installed with a rear-facing bedroom that no doubt offers striking sightlines of the Mexican coast. Exterior and interior design is owed to Bill Tripp and Doelker & Voges respectively.

Calypso going down the Corinth Canal

As the Mediterranean season warms up, yachts are beginning to explore the many bays, tranquil islands and sun-drenched beaches of Greece. The 36-metre charter yacht Calypso is one such yacht – she has been spotted snaking down the Corinth Canal that connects the Saronic Gulf to the Gulf of Corinth. The 2019 Mulder model features design by Claydon Reeves with interiors by Vickers Studio and naval architecture from Van Oossanen Naval Architects , and is easily recognisable thanks to her modern profile and long waterline length. Beachy themes characterise the inside of the yacht, which charters from €150,000 per week plus expenses. 

Kismet in Scotland

The 122-metre Lürssen superyacht Kismet has arrived in Troon, Scotland following her delivery last week (May 2024). Previously known as Project Jag, the superyacht boasts an interior by Reymond Langton Design and was commissioned by repeat Lürssen client Shahid Khan, who also owns the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham Football Club. Standout features include a helipad, beauty salon, spa, indoor and outdoor cinema, dance floor, gym and elevator. She is available to charter with Cecil Wright for €3,000,000 per week plus expenses, making her one of the world's most expensive superyachts for charter .

IJE in Antibes

The 108-metre IJE has been spotted returning to Antibes for the start of the charter season. She was designed by British studio RWD and delivered as Benetti 's flagship in 2019, though she only edges out Luminosity and Lana by a few centimetres. IJE 's staggering list of amenities – including a spa, a cinema, a "virtual aquarium" bar and a dedicated nightclub with DJ station – means a week-long charter is priced at €1,800,000. Robbie Williams and his wife were famously spotted on board the superyacht in summer 2022.

Stardust in Thailand

The 62.4-metre Stardust was sighted cruising the coast of Thailand in May 2024. According to BOATPro , she has since settled in the Malaysian city of Kota Kinabalu. Tim Heywood is responsible for Amels ' distinctive exterior, which is characterised by long lines of circular portholes and a cut-out segment in the hull line. Her sundeck is her standout feature, measuring an impressive 23 metres long and arranged with sunpads, a hexagonal spa pool and a Bimini top.

Triton in London

The 49.7-metre Triton was seen moored near Tower Bridge in London in April 2024. In 2004, she was launched and designed by Delta Marine and was the largest composite yacht built in the United States at the time. Triton is best suited to worldwide cruising, deep-sea fishing and exotic reef diving, with an underwater camera in the bow and a lighting rig at the stern that "provides guests front-row seats for observing the ocean’s mysteries". A sonar and bottom-mapping system by Simrad can also photograph and 3D map the bottom of the ocean, easily locating any nearby wreckage.

Eye in Port of Gibraltar

The 85-metre Eye (ex Ace ) was photographed docking in the Port of Gibraltar in March 2024. This marks one of the first sightings of the Lürssen since her extensive rebuild was completed in February 2024. Works began in 2022 with MB92 and involved a complete exterior redesign that removed the superyacht's trademark arches and "eye" . According to BOATPro , she has passed the Gibraltar Strait and is now cruising just off the coast of Algeria.

Koru in the US Virgin Islands

The world's largest sailing yacht, Koru , was seen docking at the scenic Charlotte Amalie Harbor in St. Thomas – with the 125.8-metre Oceanco easily dwarfing the marina's other visitors. Owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, wherever Koru goes, the photographers follow. The superyacht has been pictured all over the world , including in Gibraltar, Florida and Mallorca.

Infinite Jest in Antarctica

In the seven months since her delivery, Turquoise Yachts ' 75-metre Infinite Jest has travelled 19,699 nautical miles. This includes an incredible trip to Antarctica , where she was recently photographed. Yacht captain Tim Davison recounted the journey as such: "The air and water temperatures dropped to freezing point, the sea changed colour, the wildlife changed, the fog closed in and the first icebergs were sighted. What lay ahead of us was the adventure of a lifetime."

Promise.D in Poole, UK

Following her delivery last month , the 65-metre Feadship Promise.D has been sighted docking at Poole Marina in the UK. The highly-secretive superyacht has only been seen by the public a handful of times, most recently on her sea trials in December 2023. Little information is available on Promise.D , but images reveal a sheltered foredeck, large helipad on her upper deck and a fold-down beach club. Her interiors are also known to be the work of Bannenberg & Rowell .

Infinity in Miami

In February, the 117-metre Infinity was seen in Miami, Florida – no doubt docking for the Miami International Boat Show . She was delivered in 2022 as Oceanco 's flagship superyacht and the largest superyacht to be constructed in the Netherlands, though she was recently superseded by Jeff Bezos' 125.8-metre sailing yacht Koru . Infinity features accommodation for up to 16 guests and a wellness area with a spa, sauna, gym and yoga studio. Espen Øino is responsible for exterior design, while her contemporary interior is by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design and David Kleinberg Design Associates .

Athos in Mexico

Recently sighted in Isla Partida, Mexico, the 63.3-metre Athos was originally launched by Holland Jachtbouw in 2010 (and remains its flagship). Her classic build is owed to Hoek Design Naval Architects , while an extensive, 14-month refit saw the schooner leave Huisfit in November 2023 with a 1.25-metre stern extension and a total rebuild of her interiors. Onboard highlights include a cosy media room, a "classic-looking" deckhouse bar and new, professional-grade galley. Athos was BOAT International's June issue cover star in 2023.

Obsidian in Portland

The 84.2-metre Obsidian is the newest hybrid vessel to emerge from Feadship 's shed. Formerly known as Project 710, the yacht has a futuristic exterior look designed by RWD in collaboration with MONK Design . One of her coolest features is an "Aqua Lounge" with large windows below sea level (similar to the Nemo lounge on Savannah ) and a staircase that leads to a hidden terrace sitting just 75 centimetres above sea level. She was recently photographed in Portland, UK.

Octopus in Cowes

The 126-metre superyacht Octopus was most recently sighted off the coast of Cowes, the Isle of Wight's maritime gateway. Delivered by Lürssen in 2003 (and still ranking among the largest superyachts in the world ), Octopus was commissioned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Outstanding features include an Espen Øino exterior, a glass-bottom pool that rises to create an on-water dance floor and a drive-in garage that qualifies as a "mini marina". Since her delivery, Octopus has explored the coast of Antarctica, traversed the Northwest Passage and even discovered the wrecks of long-lost WW2 battleships off the Philippines. 

Artefact in Alaska

World Superyacht Award winner Artefact came out victorious in the Motor Yacht of the Year category in 2021 – thanks to her cutting-edge exterior and Reymond Langton Design interior, and an innovative general arrangement to environmental and technical considerations. Built by Nobiskrug , the 80-metre Artefact has been cruising nonstop since leaving Germany in early 2020. She has recently been spotted near Alaska, fulfilling the owner’s desire to have a home that was able to travel the world.

Dr No in Denmark

Capable of carrying a 6.9-metre Super Falcon submarine, the 36.7-metre motor yacht Dr. No ’s primary purpose is adventure, exploration and underwater expeditions. She has recently been spotted in Denmark and is no stranger to expeditions, having ventured to Raja Ampat, Indonesia and New Caledonia. Formerly known as Blue Hunter, Dr. Do went through an extensive refit in 2011 to bring the vessel closer to superyacht standards and to accommodate her all-important submersible. Her unusual lines are the work of HYS Yachts and she was delivered in 1995 from Japanese shipyard Narasaki .

Multiverse in Florida

The 116.5-metre Multiverse (formerly known as Ulysses ) was recently spotted in Tampa, Florida bearing a new nameplate. The 2018 build has only been known as Ulysses since delivery, built as the successor to the 2015 yacht of the same name (now renamed Andromeda ). The hardy explorer can accommodate 66 guests and can also carry a 20-metre tender in a recessed well on the foredeck.

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Ritz-Carlton Just Launched a New Yacht—We Went Aboard to See if It’s Anything Like the Hotels

On the brand-new 448-passenger “ ilma’” super yacht, you can expect the same glamour of the resorts, with some blue-water bonuses..

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The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection’s new Ilma has a distinct benefit over the brand’s land-based hotels: direct and easy access to the water.

Photo by Don Riddle

I boarded Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s second super yacht, the new and glamorous 448-passenger Ilma , with the notion that I would likely be pampered with niceties such as endless complimentary pours of Moët & Chandon champagne and a level of service and accommodation one would expect from the high-end hotel brand Ritz-Carlton. What I didn’t anticipate is just how much fun I would have in the water as well.

In August, I previewed the ship along with other invited guests on a three-night sailing from Barcelona, and what I was most looking forward to experiencing was the yacht’s innovative floating beach club concept. Those who sail on private super yachts may have experienced inflatable cabanas by AquaBanas . On Ilma , the creation is a miniature resort of inflatable and rigid pieces that surround a makeshift natural pool at the center, set up by crew (no easy task) off the ship’s drop-down marina on days when the sea is calm—as it was when we anchored off Saint-Tropez.

In my bathing suit, I carefully walked out onto the slightly bouncy contraption, complete with shaded cabanas and floating chairs, for a dip in the netted saltwater pool. This turned out to be a delightful new way to experience the refreshing and relaxing sea. Not to mention there were also kayaks and paddleboards available for further water exploration.

On the Ilma , the crew sets up an entire floating oasis so that passengers can take a dip directly into the sea.

Photo by Fran Golden

Water—and connecting passengers more deeply to it—is a prevailing theme on Ilma . The Maltese-flagged super yacht is named, in fact, for the Maltese word for water, and there are sea colors and waves not just in the views from the many cushy loungers and outdoor dining and imbibing areas but also throughout the art and contemporary decor. You won’t forget you’re at sea, a purposeful reminder from a hotel brand known for its luxury resorts on land that is carving a new niche for itself in the world of luxury cruising.

Based on surveys from passengers who sailed on the company’s first ship, the 298-passenger, Spanish-built Evrima , which debuted as the world’s first hotel-branded yacht in 2022 , guests said they wanted more time in water. So, the French-built Ilma includes a second swimming pool on its top deck ( Evrima only has one, the infinity pool at the aft), surrounded by daybeds and with views akin to those of a rooftop pool at a swank hotel—in our case of the French coastline. The benefit of this swank hotel is that it moves from place to place, allowing passengers to bring their luxury, floating accommodations with them to desirable destinations throughout the world.

Like Evrima , Ilma was designed for those who can afford all-inclusive rates of $2,600 per night or more. (Another benefit of the Ritz-Carlton yachts versus the land resorts is that meals, beverages, entertainment, onboard programming, Wi-Fi, and gratuities are included in the price.) Most of the line’s guests are from North America. A few bring kids aboard to take advantage of the Ritz Kids program. (This kids club costs $45 for morning and afternoon sessions and $65 for evening sessions, for ages 4–12, that is customized based on how many kids are aboard, if any.) The line touts an average age of 53, lower than most other ultra-luxe cruise lines, which tend to skew a bit older.

Every suite aboard—and there are only suites—includes a balcony.

All-suite accommodations

Every guest stays in a suite with an outdoor terrace and butler-like service delivered by a Suite Ambassador. My friend and I stayed in a 750-square-foot (including the terrace) Grand Suite that was so spacious indoors and out that we felt like we could easily move in permanently (they had us at the two walk-in closets). There was even room to entertain with a four-person dining table and seating for four outdoors, should we have chosen to host other guests or friends aboard.

Ours was not the top accommodation. Ilma has seven suite categories, ranging from a 402-square-foot suites (including the terrace) up to $80,000-per-week Owner’s Suites, boasting outdoor living rooms complete with private whirlpools and open-air showers and occupying more than 1,200 square feet of indoor and outdoor space.

An extraordinary level of service is something you would expect of any Ritz-Carlton product, and for the most part Ilma delivered, even as new crew were getting up to speed during our preview sailing right before the ship launched in September. For instance, one day our Suite Ambassador noticed that I had tossed a crumpled blazer onto a chair and sent it out to be pressed for me without my even asking.

Impressive art and design pieces

The yacht is outfitted with a wealth of luxe accessories and art, ranging from Dyson hairdryers in the suites to the signature Bulgari jewelry shop. An extraordinary 700-piece art collection showcasing sculptures, paintings, and tapestries is on display throughout the vessel, including impressive acquisitions such as a sea turtle by Andy Warhol in the Living Room lounge, a David Hockney diver scene in the spa, and specially commissioned colorful sea anemone sculptures by German artist Pa Maria Raeder.

I drooled over the modern, bespoke sofas crafted by French design house Ligne Roset, including gray couches with black trim placed in the Living Room, a popular hangout spot for lattes by day and mixologist-created cocktails with live music at night (plus complimentary champagne pours at all hours). In the Living Room space, thousands of handblown Murano glass “seeds” decorate the dividers and chandeliers. It’s a feast for the visual senses.

The Beach House is one of five dining venues on the Ilma , serving up lighter fare such as salads and seafood dishes.

Spa, fitness, and food

Guests on Ilma’s predecessor Evrima had expressed a desire for more spa and fitness options, and on Ilma , the result is 11 treatment rooms, a new cycling studio, a barber shop, and a beauty salon, in addition to complimentary his and hers sauna and steam rooms within the marble changing areas, and a well-equipped ocean-view gym that is larger than you’d expect for such an intimate ship.

The dining hit high notes from the get-go, a little edible gold leaf here, a little caviar there, with all five restaurants serving memorable temptations. My traveling companion and I started our days with room service, choosing from an impressively expansive breakfast menu. It was hard to choose between shakshuka, a full breakfast (available traditional, vegan, or vegetarian), Belgian waffles, brûlée French toast, or from the 16 ingredients you could choose to build your own omelets.

Ritz-Carlton tapped first-rate American-based culinary talent to helm two restaurants. Don’t miss the tiger prawn burger on a brioche bun or black truffle empanadas by James Beard Award–winning chef Michael Mina at the Beach House, with indoor and outdoor dining and views of the ship’s infinity pool. And if you don’t mind paying an extra $350 per person with wine pairing, the dozen-course degustation menu by award-winning chef Fabio Trabocchi features such treats as his signature Maine lobster ravioli with ginger emulsion and wagyu beef served with a 25-year aged balsamic emulsion and bone marrow sauce.

Casual hangouts by day, some of the open-air bars like Mistral transition into a more upbeat scene with DJs spinning tunes at night.

Excursions and entertainment

It was hard to determine what the nightlife scene will feel like when the ship is at full capacity, but at night, the open-air bars in several locations included DJs spinning tunes, inspiring passengers to dance the night away.

In Saint-Tropez, the company gave us a sample of what it can do with shore excursions (which cost extra). Together with another couple on a private walking tour—which included a stop at a café for the town’s iconic tarte tropézienne (a brioche filled with cream) and a game of boules (similar to bocce)—our fun guide, Jean Jacques, noted of the coastal town, “We have 18 five-star hotels, and now the Ritz-Carlton yacht.”

Back on Ilma , Tina Edmundson, president of Marriott International’s luxury division, told me the goal of Ritz-Carlton hotels is “experiences that stay with your long after you check out.” Ilma more than fits that bill.

After its official debut in September in the Mediterranean, Ilma will winter in the Caribbean. Three sister ships are to follow, beginning with the Luminara in 2025.