UPDATE, NOVEMBER 4, 2015: Yachtster is now operating in Miami, a destination it has had in the works for a few months.
Read on for our original article.
Traditionally, charter yachts require a weeklong onboard stay, plus advanced booking. Those of you who make spur-of-the-moment plans have been largely out of luck. Yachtster plans to turn that luck around. The service allows you to search for yachts and megayachts with as little as same-day availability—and departures in as few as two hours.
Yachtster was created by Anthony Brisacq, who established the boat-rental and yacht-sales agency Mediterranean Yacht Services in Monaco in 2003. According to Brisacq, clients increasingly began asking about yachts available on short notice, wanting to book them straight away. That inspired him to create a broader database and related user-friendly apps. In his search for investors, the team at Camper & Nicholsons expressed interest.
While Camper & Nicholsons sees Yachtster as a way to drive more business among small and midsize yachts, Yachtster does have some megayachts in the mix. Beta testing took place in the summer of 2014, and the official roll-out occurred this summer. Brisacq says more than 1,400 bookings had been made via Yachtster by the end of July, double what had occurred in beta testing.
Yachtster clients, who thus far are primarily from the United States, Latin America, the Middle East, and the UK, can reserve a yacht in a matter of clicks, via desktop, smartphone, or tablet. Select the region you’re interested in, the day or days you wish to cruise, and the number of guests. Real-time availability of boats and yachts then appears.
Because Yachtster has relationships with other luxury businesses, a variety of additional services like limousine transportation can be booked as part of your charter. When you choose your yacht, indicate whether you want an all-inclusive package or a la carte services. Yachtster’s current luxury partners include Eden Roc Hotels, Centurion by Amex, Nikki Beach, and others. All that’s left is to enter your payment details, and Yachtster’s staff will ensure everything is ready.
For now, Yachtster lets you search available yachts in the French Riviera and Balearic Islands. Future plans include regions on both sides of the Atlantic. Florida-based yachts, for example, should be available for search on Yachtster next month. Additional popular ports throughout the Caribbean, such as St. Barths, and even Greece will be added thereafter.
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