When Denison Yachting partnered with Magellan Jets, part of the idea was to introduce each company’s clients to the other company’s way of traveling the world. But as the Denison team started to explain yacht-charter base rates and additional expenses to jet customers, there were a lot of confused expressions.
“If you didn’t know that’s how it works, it’s sometimes a hard sell to explain to someone,” says Ben Farnborough, chief operating officer at Denison. “Actually, it’s not $150,000 a week. It’s $150,000 a week plus the APA. ‘What’s the APA?’ Well, it could be another 35 percent on the top. ‘Why don’t you include that in the price so we know what we’re paying?’”
The Denison team took that feedback to yacht owners in its fleet and asked if any of them would be interested in offering an all-inclusive package, especially during low-season dates when traditional charter bookings tend to be slower. They got two immediate takers: the 120-foot Sovereign Real Summertime and the 135-foot Horizon Stay Salty, operating in the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands.
A flurry of activity followed, with more owners joining the Denison fleet to be able to offer the all-inclusive packages on their yachts soon.
“I think, honestly, maybe all yacht owners will be open to it,” Farnborough says. “If you just break it down for the various stakeholders—the owner, the captain and crew, and the charter management company—if everyone understands the fixed cost and what’s going to be made, that’s quite an easy sell too.”
Overall, he adds, Denison expects the program to introduce even more people to all kinds of charter: “A high-end jet company or high-end automobile company has these clients of their own, but they don’t have the exposure to the yacht business. We’re trying to attract new people to yachting.”
The All-Important Fine Print
A charter broker will be assigned to each all-inclusive booking, just as would be the case for clients who book a traditional yacht charter. Included items range from standard food and liquor provisioning to taxes and crew gratuity. Options exist for add-ons guests may want beyond the all-inclusive package, such as premium wines, albeit at an additional rate. Within the standard rate will usually be options for things like vegetarian or gluten-free meals.
Take the next step: denisonyachtsales.com
