Published in Travel Weekly

February 28, 2000

Beyond Cruises: Take a different tack with yacht charters

Every agent knows that cruises are hot.

They are not only popular with clients, but they generate good commissions, as well.

If you have clients who like to cruise, don't limit yourself to selling them new itineraries -- consider selling them a yacht charter.

If the mention of chartering a yacht conjures up pictures of Aristotle Onassis for you, you're not alone.

But you're not seeing the whole picture.

Today, charters come in a wide variety of sizes, types and price ranges.

Your clients also may assume that they need to be sailors to charter a yacht, but most companies offer charters with a crew in addition to "bareboat" charters.

Below is a list of some companies that provide yacht charters or directories of charter companies that can take your clients on a memorable trip.

Most yacht charter companies have commission policies for travel agents, but check with each supplier.

More companies are listed on our web site at positivespace.com.

Aqua-Safaris
Web: www.aqua-safaris.com
Yacht charters for the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean, including the U.S. and British Virgin Islands; the Mediterranean; Greek Islands; the South Pacific, or other destinations worldwide.

Diamond/Hellas Ltd, Yacht Charters
Web: www.diamondhellas.com
Brokers private-yacht charters to Greek Islands and the coast of Turkey aboard personally inspected motor yachts, motor sailors, sailing yachts, and bareboats, with or without a skipper.

jolly mon sailing
Web: www.jollymonsailing.com
Brokerage for crewed and bareboat luxury yachts in Caribbean, Greek Islands, Turkey, other European points and the South Pacific.

Le Boat
Web: www.leboat.com/yachts.htm
Yachting excursions in the Caribbean, western and eastern Mediterranean, Scandinavia and the Pacific with hundreds of yachts suited to all tastes and styles.

Nicely Dunn Yacht Charters
Web: http://nicely-dunn.com
No experience necessary, "do it your way" charters in the Virgin Islands; Leeward Islands; St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and the Mediterranean.

Seabreeze Sailing Escapes Intl.
Web: www.seabreezesailing.com/agents_only.htm
Yacht charter supplier for the Caribbean, Panama, the Bahamas, North America, the Mediterranean, the British Isles, Northern Europe, the South Pacific & South East Asia/Indian Ocean.

Port Yacht Charters
Web: http://sailingsource.com/port
Matches guests to yachts in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean, Greece and Turkey, the Pacific and New England based on needs, plans, and budget.

Sun Yacht Charters with Stardust-Marine
Web: http://sunyachts.com/
Bareboat and crewed yachts worldwide.

New England Meeting Network (New England Yacht & Boat Charters)
Web: www.swift-tourism.com/ne-boats.htm
Listings for different yacht and boat-charter companies in the New England Area

Yacht World - The Boating Yellow Pages
Web: www.yachtworld.com/charters
A directory of companies that charter boats and yachts

This list was compiled by Greg Merkley, president of Evanston, Ill.-based Travel Technology & Magic, which owns and operates the PositiveSpace on-line directory for travel agents at www.positivespace.com. All of these sites, along with complete contact information, are listed on PositiveSpace.