Boat International – April 2018

market overview/charter special

charter bookings – perhaps more than ever –

for the Windward Islands, particularly from

Grenada to St Lucia. This presented a great

opportunity for clients to explore areas they

might not have been to before; owners were

willing to ofer great incentives for guests to

do so,” says Cichanowicz.

Full ahead for the Med

“All signs point to another very good year;

Caribbean bookings are still coming in and

there has been good flow for the Med,” says

bluewater’s Jim Archer. Traditional

destinations are still expected to thrive but

the Adriatic is predicted to welcome a record

number of charter yachts. “The western

Mediterranean remains the most popular

charter destination, with most clients wanting

to cruise around the South of France and Italy,”

says Gathercole. “However, Croatia is

becoming increasingly popular, with demand

for this region increasing every year.” With

better facilities in the region – two new marinas

(Portonovi and Luštica Bay) are scheduled

to open in Montenegro this summer – and

Albania looking to get a slice of the superyacht

action, this looks set to grow. “The Adriatic

increases in popularity year on year with many

owners now basing their yachts there for the

entire summer season and yielding good

results,” adds Harwood.

However, the message to charterers is clear:

don’t wait until the last minute to book, or you

might miss out. “Secure your yacht early and

enjoy the best choice and quality available,”

advises Manoukian. The crunch time is

predicted to be between June and September.

“The days of booking the right yacht for the

client just one or two months before are long

gone. Demand for yachts has risen

dramatically, quicker than they can be produced

by the shipyards,” adds Gregory.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JONATHAN GLYNN-SMITH

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