PHOTO: JEFF BROWN
Over the next few weeks, the world’s yacht-charter fleets will be switching locations for the winter season. While many will head to the Caribbean as usual, some are heading to different southern shores. Specifically, a handful of yachts managed by Camper & Nicholsons (CNI) report that they’ll be cruising the Indian Ocean and Southern Hemisphere.
Among them: the 60-meter (197-foot) Cloud 9. I asked her captain, Colin Boyle, what drove the decision. His answer touches upon some issues shared by other superyachts:
Yachting in the Caribbean has always promised the idyllic, white, deserted beaches, and a gentle, relaxed vacation style. With the huge increase in number of boats, it’s become increasingly difficult to make this a reality for owners and guests. The busy Christmas and New Year seasons have never guaranteed the best of weather, with Christmas winds and ocean swells to cope with. For Cloud 9 and her owners, it was time to extend our cruising grounds to more remote areas, recapturing the freedom and adventure of blue-water cruising – from the safety, comfort and ultimate luxury of Cloud 9, of course!
Cloud 9 does have some stops to make before arriving there. She’ll be at the Monaco Yacht Show next week, then head to Abu Dhabi for the Grand Prix. Once Cloud 9 is ready to take charters, she’ll be doing so in the Seychelles, Maldives, and Thailand.
Other CNI fleet members heading to nearby regions: the 64.5-meter (212-foot) Silver Angel, which will cruise Madagascar, the Seychelles, and the Maldives; and the 56-meter (184-foot) Galaxy, which will charter in the Maldives in November. Galaxy will then move to Australia for December and January, and New Zealand through mid-March. Fiji and Tahiti follow, wrapping up her winter program.
Contact CNI or your favorite charter broker for availability and rates.
Leave a Reply