#06
GO ASHOREI was reluctant to get off Axioma, as luxurious as she was, but Captain
Mark Giblin steered us across to Anguilla, the British overseas territory, on one
of the tenders, which made for a delightful visit. There was a museum tracing the
island’s colonial history, and ancient tribal sites, but the best bit was sitting on
a beach sipping freshly made piña coladas while staring across the Caribbean back
at Axioma. Our crew followed us at all times, making sure we had all the drinks,
food and towels we needed, even when not on board.#05
STAY FITOfferings of food and drink
were endless on Axioma, but
there was every option to
stay very fit indeed. There’s
swimming, obviously – you
can enter the sea at any time,
either from the platform at
the stern, or from the 7.2m
inflatable Aquaglide slide that
was set up on most days.
There is also, of course, the
beautiful infinity pool.
Kayaks and paddleboards,
scuba-diving equipment and
waterskis are also on board, as
well as fishing rods for those
who enjoy a more relaxed
pace. Yoga and massage
sessions were on offer, along
with a spa and sauna.
Second officer Mark
Walsh, who was alongside for
my jet ski sessions, says: “You
can take part in sea sports all
the time, all under constant
supervision”. Chef Paskins
also says that any dietary
needs – however healthy –
can be met if requested.#10
BRING A NANNYDon’t assume that the crew will
be your nanny. While many crew
are excellent with children and
can plan fun activities with kids,
teach watersports and more,
if you are looking to unwind
completely, then perhaps consider
bringing your own childcare.
It can make all the difference,
says Axioma’s chief stewardess
Rochelle Cameron. “It’s bringing
part of home with them. Their
nanny knows them and eases the
way into the boat. It’s a bit of
familiarity, they know the children
and their routine. The kids might
be tired if they are jet-lagged, and
the nannies keep them on routine.
If the kids are happy the parents
are happy, so it all works out. It
makes it easier for the parents and
makes them relax a little more.
They have someone they know
looking after their kids.”
Captain Giblin agrees. “We like
the experience to begin when we
pick people up at the airport,” he
says. “If they come with nanny,
it’s something the kids are familiar
with, so the minute they step on
board they are on vacation.”#08 BE NICE TO
THE NEIGHBOURSBeing on a superyacht puts you in a
tiny community of hugely privileged
people, so give them a wave. Axioma
was moored alongside 162.5 metre
Eclipse when I boarded, and there
were rumours that her owner was
on board. It’s not often you see an
oligarch up close, but during a few
days on a superyacht all kinds of
celebrities are liable to pop up.
American singer and chart-topper
Mariah Carey (far left) also appeared
on the yacht Arctic P when we were
alongside in St Barths, while former
supermodel Jerry Hall (left) was said to
be celebrating her recent engagement
to media magnate Rupert Murdoch
on one of the yachts around us.
Recent visitors on Axioma herself
have included a number of
celebrities as well.Axioma has some availability for
charter in the Med this summer and
is now booking for winter 2016/17 in the
Caribbean exclusively through
Yachting Partners International (YPI)
from €525,000 per week, ypigroup.com
#07
ENJOY THE
SUNSETS
There’s nothing better than enjoying
a sunset from a superyacht, and Captain
Giblin made sure we were best placed for the
spectacular red, purple, yellow and orange
shows every evening. The onboard spa pool was a
good place to watch from, and on day two Axioma’s
limousine tender took us out to enjoy it on a tiny un-
named island solely containing a bar. Timing
the sunset enjoyment just right is one of
the many ways that a charter yacht
crew go out of their way to make
your holiday the best
experience ever.#09
LISTEN TO THE CAPTAIN
Heed your captain’s advice on itineraries,
transit times and places to go – there’s no
point going too far and not enjoying the journey.
Axioma’s captain does extensive research and
knows how to get the most out of the time available
on board. They also “trick” the itinerary, he says, by
travelling when guests are asleep. “In places like the
Med, it can be breezy in the day, usually windiest
around 2-3pm, but often the weather is much
calmer in the evening. Even on a windy day
the weather will calm down at night, so we
can cover the distance without the
guests knowing it, while they
are sleeping.”+^