luxury yacht

Luxury Yacht

By Matthew Finn

 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take a cruise on a luxury yacht? Maybe you've even thought about owning one yourself. Over the past couple decades, luxury yachts have risen both in number and in popularity.

A Little History about Luxury Yachts

The term luxury yacht usually refers to a yacht that is privately owned with a professional crew. In the early 20th century wealthy people began to have luxury yachts built for their private use. Christina O and Savarona are examples of early luxury motor yachts. Some early luxury sailing yachts were the Endeavor and Shamrock. Luxury sailing yacht events were held in Newport, Rhode Island by the New York Yacht Club.

Luxury Yachts Today

Today luxury yachts are especially plentiful in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. Custom boat building companies have increased and a new field of business has opened up - yacht charter brokers. Luxury yacht building and charter companies are mainly based in the United States and Western Europe.

While a few luxury yachts are only used by their private owners, some are strictly operated for business purposes all year long as charters. Also, quite a few privately owned luxury yachts are chartered when their owners are not using them.

If you were to charter a luxury yacht for one week, you could expect to pay anywhere from about $30,000 to just under one million dollars. Often another 30% is charged for food, fuel and lodging. And don't forget the 20% gratuity for the crew!

Amenities

So, just what do you get in a luxury yacht for all that money? Here's a list of a few of the more common amenities among the top luxury lines.

1) Space. The smallest luxury yachts are 84 feet in length, and the larger ones can be as long as 328 feet.

2) Luxury cabins to accommodate up to twelve guests.

3) An exquisitely designed dining room and a galley with all the cooking amenities one could ask for.

4) An outdoor dining area for taking in the most vivid of sunsets.

5) A bar with a bartender. Some luxury yachts have both an indoor and outdoor bar.

6) A sun deck on the roof, which will often have a jacuzzi.

7) A beauty salon and massage parlor.

8) A dance floor.

9) A cinema with a full library of movies.

10) A play room for children.

11) Toys such as a flat screen TV, jet skis, a smaller motor or sail boat, and even diving equipment.

And these are just a handful of the amenities and luxuries you can expect to find on board. The bigger the yacht, the more amenities and toys you will find.

For the entrepreneur, a luxury yacht can provide a pleasurable business. For the person looking for an exotic vacation, luxury yachts can offer a dream getaway packed with everything you could ever want on a private cruise. It's easy to see why luxury yachts are more popular than ever.