Like any luxury holiday, a superyacht charter can be tailored to guests’ wishes and will be unique to every group that steps on board. The first aspect to consider when booking a yacht charter is what type of vessel is best suited to your party and the experience or destination you want to enjoy. With more than 50 superyachts in the Camper & Nicholsons charter fleet, and access to hundreds more through our expert brokers, there are plenty of options to choose from – read on to learn which category of superyacht will best suit you for your upcoming yacht charter.

 

Sailing yacht

Sailing yachts are often favoured by sporty guests looking for a hands-on experience. A sailing charter offers the romance of cruising in a classic style and also enables competitive types to participate in an action-filled regatta. These superyachts are primarily powered by wind with a motor to assist with navigation in ports or when the winds are unfavourable. Sailing yachts are therefore the most ecological charter option as they can sail fuel-free.

 

Though typically cruised at a slower pace than motor yachts, some modern sailing yachts for charter with Camper & Nicholsons – like the 53.8 metre PARSIFAL III with her winged keel, high-tech carbon masts, and automated in-boom furling system – can hit top speeds of 16 knots under sail. Others like the 33.62 metre IMAGINE have proved their mettle by taking on multiple circumnavigations of the globe under sail.

 

Within the sailing category, there are still further types of charter vessels to choose between, influenced by sizing, rigging-type and the number of sails. Sloops like the South Pacific-based 43 metre GUILLEMOT have one mast, ketches like 57.49 metre TWIZZLE have two and schooners can have up to seven. Camper & Nicholsons can even arrange charters on board traditional sailing vessels from around the world, from Turkish Gulets for cruising along the Turquoise Coast to Indonesian Phinisis such as the eco-focused, PADI-certified SEQUOIA on board which guests can discover southeast Asia’s pristine archipelagos.

 

Motor yacht

The most popular type of charter vessel, motor yachts took more than 700 bookings from all brokers in 2021 compared to just under 150 sailing yacht charters industry-wide. These yachts are commonly powered by a diesel engine and can cruise in any conditions, accompanied by stabilisers for optimum comfort while at anchor or underway.

 

Compared with sailing yachts, motor yachts are generally larger in length and volume. They can offer more amenities as well as an increased number of cabins. For example, Camper & Nichsolsons’ 91.5 metre charter yacht TRANQUILITY can host as many as 26 guests and boasts a wellness centre, swimming pool, two helipads, a basketball court, a DJ mixing deck and a dive shop spread across five decks.

 

Motor yachts come in a variety of styles and designs suited to different charter guests’ tastes. A planing hull yacht rides on top of the waves and is built for zipping at speed between multiple destinations on an island-hopping charter. Displacement yachts, meanwhile, are designed for true blue water cruising, with deeper drafts and rounded hulls that allow them to cut through the water with enhanced seakeeping qualities and longer ranges. A semi-displacement motor yacht mixes the qualities of the two, with a rounded hull for ample storage combined with flat sections to reduce drag when cruising at higher speeds and decrease rolling at anchor.

 

Other motor yacht styles that charter guests can chose from include a flybridge, which measures under 54 metres in length and has only two decks with a second wheelhouse, while a trideck or multi-deck will be longer and offer more on board space. A new generation of motor yachts now available for charter are hybrids, which combining fuel-efficient engines with battery-powered propulsion for a reduced carbon footprint without compromising on comfort.

 

For guests who want to combine the sensation of sail with the amenities and extended ranges of a motor yacht, another option is to charter a motorsailer with Camper & Nicholsons like the 46 metre AIAXAIA. This Brodosplit superyacht was built specifically for the charter market and combines 600 square metres of sail area with twin CAT engines for comfortable cruising at sea, plus added amenities including a sundeck Jacuzzi and drinks bar as well as a fully-stocked toybox.

 

Catamaran

Catamarans can be powered by motor or wind but are unique for sporting two separate hulls instead of the traditional “monohull” design. This construction style offers greater stability on the water as well as increased interior volumes, providing more privacy for guests and crew between the two hulls. Catamarans, with their shallow drafts, are a preferred option for guests wanting to explore Bahamaian bays that are otherwise off-limits to other superyachts. Camper & Nicholsons’ brokers have access to some of the largest catamarans on the market for guests looking to book a charter on board this type of vessel.

 

Sports cruiser

Also referred to as an open yacht, a sports cruiser is ideally suited to speed-seeking charter guests. These planing hull motor yachts are designed with sporty lines, using hydrodynamic construction materials and powerful engines to reach blistering speeds on the water. One of the fastest sports cruiser in the Camper & Nicholsons’ charter fleet is the 26.92 metre Leopard 27 Open yacht STARTUP which sports an eye-catching monochromatic hull and can hit speeds of 32 knots.

 

To optimise performance on the water, these modern superyachts will feature contemporary interior styling with lightweight material finishes in smaller living spaces. Charter guests opting for this type of superyacht can focus on the great outdoors, enjoying exhilarating cruising experiences on the water and covering greater distances in a shorter amount of time for a fully-packed itinerary.

 

Classic

Dating back to bygone eras of yachting, classics are motor or sailing superyachts delivered more than 25 years ago. They are built with traditional construction features and a wooden or steel hull instead of plastic design materials. 

 

Classic superyachts are true relics of the past, sporting charming, timeless profiles paired with elegant, carefully-maintained interiors. Hailing from a time when the pace of life was slower, classics will cruise at a more leisurely speed over shorter distances but will draw attention wherever they go. Many are celebrities in their own rights, coloured with interesting histories that are peppered with eccentric owners. Avid sailors who charter a classic superyacht will also be able to enter regattas held specifically for these yachts, proving that their performance is still up to par after decades on the water. An example of a classic superyacht that’s been refitted for modern guests’ needs is CHESELLA, first delivered in 1983 and available for charter with Camper & Nicholsons. This 38-metre Amels motor yacht blends classic and contemporary styles with interiors finished in Ralph Lauren fabrics and highlights including a sundeck Jacuzzi and bar, al fresco dining spaces and a beach club stocked with all the latest toys.

 

Charter guests who are charmed by the transportive look and feel of classics, but are looking for more modern amenities, can also opt for a replica like Camper & Nicholsons’ 64.5 metre charter yacht ATLANTIC. Delivered in 2010 and offering seamlessly integrated modern tech and a toybox carrying waterskiing gear, a sailing yacht and a six metre RIB, this regatta-ready, schooner-rigged sailing yacht is a faithful recreation of the vessel that once broke the transatlantic race record and won the Kaiser Cup back in 1905.

 

Sportfish

The clue is in the name, but sportfish (or sportsfish) yachts are designed for charter guests with a passion for angling. These yachts have a distinctive profile with a large cockpit and performance-focused hulls for chasing catch in any weather conditions. Special features designed for deep sea game fishing that are often found on sportfishers include rod and tackle collections, fighting chairs and plenty of storage space for carrying live bait and other gear. Many sportfishers will also be equipped with a barbecue grill so that the charter chef can serve up guests’ fresh catch of the day.

 

Explorer yacht

Explorer or expedition yachts are designed for undertaking longer voyages. They can withstand harsher cruising conditions in more rugged and remote destinations, including around the extremes of the north and south poles. To do this, these yachts are equipped with a tough, full-displacement steel hull, which is Ice or Polar-Class certified and is specifically shaped for moving through pack ice. This defining feature is what gives explorer yachts their distinctively robust and masculine look. Within the Camper & Nicholsons charter fleet, the legendary 126.2 metre OCTOPUS sports classic explorer looks and features, with adventurous locations like Central America, the South Pacific and Antarctica included in her charter itineraries.

 

A longer cruising range as well as larger interior volumes with heavy-duty supplies storage are other key components of an explorer. The combination of these features facilitates access to secluded locations far away from civilisation. Additionally, explorers will often be equipped with a helipad and will boast impressively-stocked toyboxes for guests to fully explore uncharted destinations through thrill-seeking activities like heli-skiing, snowmobile sledding or submarine and scuba diving. Some explorers also carry a scientific research lab or a medical suite to prepare for longer periods away from shore.

 

For those who want an explorer-capable yacht in a smaller package, opt for a pocket explorer like Rosetti’s 38.2 metre Emocean which is designed with eco-friendly credentials and carries a DJI drone in her toybox for capturing all the action.

 

Tandem charters

For guests that need all the bells and whistles on their excursion at sea, a tandem charter involves chartering two yachts that cruise together as a fleet throughout the trip. This might involve pairing a luxurious superyacht with five-star amenities as the primary accommodation boat with a smaller but specially-equipped support vessel that is used purely for hosting tech and toys, like dive gear and boats, in its oversized garage. From exploring underwater to taking to the skies with a chopper, a support vessel tandem charter allows guests to experience all the adrenaline-pumping activities they desire while still enjoying a generous amount of space on board. A tandem charter also provides the opportunity for larger groups to cruise together and even to offer alternative itineraries for each party. As most charter yachts are limited to a guest capacity of 12, chartering a second vessel provides a solution for corporate events or special gatherings that involve extended family.

 

Riverboats

Defined by a shallow draft and with a distinctive flat-bottomed hull and top, riverboats are uniquely purposed for navigating the world’s largest and most beautiful rivers. The Camper & Nicholsons charter fleet features a portfolio of riverboats outfitted by luxury hotel designers and boasting itineraries in incomparable destinations. With just 20 or less cabins on board, these vessels can offer either boutique style, single-cabin charter experiences or can function as a private party boat for larger groups in stunning destinations. For southeast Asian charters, guests can cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam on board the 62.4 metre AQUA MEKONG, or keep an eye out for the diverse wildlife along the banks of the Amazon River on board 45 metre ARIA AMAZON. One of the most recent additions to Camper & Nichlsons’ fleet of riverboats is 62.4 metre AQUA NERA, launched in 2020. This 40-guest cruiser is designed to explore the world’s largest waterway from her Peruvian base, offering spa treatments, private screenings, locally-sourced menus and expert-led excursions and along the way.