Fleet Miami is a new Florida-based yacht-charter operation striving to offer something different. It’s a membership-based business, in which members exchange credits for time aboard any of the nine Fleet Miami yachts and megayachts.
If Fleet Miami sounds like fractional ownership, it isn’t. Though, the company’s founder, Michael Saylor, does say, “Think of it as NetJets for yachts, albeit more exclusive and less ambitious.” Fleet Miami does indeed sound more exclusive and less ambitious, in a good way. Primarily, it doesn’t make members investors in the charter yachts. Plus, fractional-ownership plans require at least a majority, if not all, of the shares to be sold before anyone can go cruising. Fleet Miami offers access to the yachts and megayachts upon any membership being purchased.
Saylor is drawing upon his own experiences as a megayacht owner for his new company. He’s had the 146-foot (44.6-meter) Feadship Harle (pictured) for a few years. He also bought the 154-foot (46.94-meter) Delta Usher last year. Both Harle and Usher charter. And, both Harle and Usher, plus an Eastbay powerboat that Saylor owns, are in the Fleet Miami program. Saylor determined that he could maximize each yacht’s bookings via a membership plan. Six additional yachts, including three megayachts, belonging to other owners are available, too.
Here’s how Fleet Miami works. Members buy in at Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels. Silver is $250,000, for 275 credits to use. Gold is $500,000, awarding 575 credits. Platinum is $1 million, for 1,200 credits. One credit equals $1,000 worth of charter. That gives Fleet Miami members flexibility to enjoy any of the yachts. Each membership tier comes with bonus credits and a weather guarantee credit, too. The latter means that if it rains or another unexpected weather event occurs, charterers get credited time aboard accordingly.
Fleet Miami further allows bowing out of membership without penalty upon 30 days’ notice. In addition, the yachts and megayachts can be booked months or sometimes days in advance.
Owners who wish to enroll their yachts benefit from traditional charter services: management, crew, dockage, fueling, and provisioning. If there’s an existing charter-broker relationship, that remains intact. Fleet Miami will complement his or her efforts, plus market any unused days of charter availability. Charter guests who wish to buy memberships also pay separately for the traditional charter add-ons of provisioning and crew gratuities.
So far two itineraries are offered for the Fleet Miami yachts. There’s a seven-day Florida Keys trip and a four-day Bahamas trip. Specific yachts are following each itinerary, so visit the website for full details.
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