Since yacht ownership isn’t for everybody, yacht charter is a good alternative. But, charter base rates don’t include costs for fuel or other items deemed extras. Neither do fractional-ownership programs. Exclusive Yachts proposes a solution for yachting enthusiasts who want all expenses up front. It’s a subscription-based membership club with tiers to suit those who want to cruise more than once or twice yearly.
Offering a variety of yachts, including superyachts to 115 feet (35 meters), Exclusive Yachts is the brainchild of Bill Charbonneau and Josh Linkner. Charbonneau ran the charter company Naples Nantucket Yacht Group for more than 15 years. Linkner was a longtime charter guest, plus a venture capitalist and entrepreneur. The business relationship turned into friendship, plus a desire to maximize yachting’s appeal and accessibility while minimizing the unanticipated expenses. “Our conversations inevitably turned to our enjoyment of yachting and how we could solve common challenges that inevitably arise, from broken engine parts to docking issues or the hours spent identifying an available, legitimate charter,” Linkner says.
Planning on adding 50 members annually, Exclusive Yachts has a one-time initiation fee making you a lifetime member. You get a dedicated concierge who gets to know you and your family, along with your on-water and on-shore preferences. The concierge further creates tailored itineraries and offers other customizable services.
Depending on your budget and the types of yachts you want to enjoy, you choose from among five tiered membership levels. Each comes with an annual fee providing YachtPoints, essentially membership points for spending. You can redeem them for cruising in the United States, including in South Florida and the Northeast. Additionally, you can redeem them for yacht and superyacht experiences in the Bahamas, the Med, the Maldives, and more. The YachtPoints cover crew and their gratuities, dockage, and fuel. Select the days you want to travel, the destination, and the yacht size via the Exclusive Yachts app or by phone, and your concierge takes over from there.
“We have systematically tried to solve what often vexes seasoned yachters and those who are interested but intimidated by the industry,” explains Scott Stuckmann, Exclusive Yachts’ CEO.
“While our membership model is new and unique to yachting, the real draw is consistent luxury,” Charbonneau adds.
Exclusive Yachts exclusiveyachts.club
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