What began in spring 2012 as an intimate gathering of Princess yacht owners in Key West has expanded over the past decade into the largest semiannual event the Princess Yachts brand has seen to date. Held April 20-24 on Harbour Island, Bahamas, this year’s Princess Spring Owners Holiday welcomed nearly 50 Princess yachts, ranging from the F45 to the X95, and more than 400 owners and guests to the docks of the charming Valentines Resort & Marina for four days of fun, relaxation, and connection.
Princess Yachts America hosts two Owners Holidays per annum—the spring gathering is generally held in the Bahamas; the summer gathering is in New England. Guests tend to travel together to attend each event, and the activities on offer get better year after year. This year, the boats navigated the notorious Devil’s Backbone reef—with the assistance of expert marina pilot Lil’ Woody—in time for the welcome reception and dock party at The Rooster Tail Bar at the Valentines Marina. Music and dancing continued well into the evening, which was punctuated by a stunning fireworks display.
On Day Two, guests had their pick of multiple activities, including a morning pickleball tournament at The Dunmore or a master chef charcuterie class at Valentines. The highlight of the day was the inaugural Harbour Island “Knot So Grand Prix,” which combined a golf-cart-decorating contest, poker run, and the contestant’s choice to perform a for the crowd of onlookers. The colorful creativity was on full display as the vibrantly decorated golf carts and their costumed occupants skittered around the island, stopping at local businesses and places of interest to collect their playing cards before returning to Valentines for their creative presentation. Awards were presented based on five categories, including Best Theme/Costumes, Best Golf Cart, Best Performance, Best Poker Hand, and Overall Enthusiasm and Creativity.
Day Three’s beach day was hosted this year on the pink sands of Valentines Beach. Guests enjoyed food, libations, and tropical tunes while trying out all manner of watersports—from paddleboards to kayaks to Seabobs—as well as onshore games including four square, spike ball, yard pong and the ever-competitive egg toss.
Breakfast was delivered to each Princess yacht on the morning of Day Four, after which guests set out on a variety of excursions, such as swimming with the pigs, feeding sea turtles, snorkeling, diving, horseback riding, fishing, and guided tours. In the evening, a complete dinner, including appetizers, proteins, salads, side dishes, plates, cutlery, napkins, and refreshing bubbly and chilled rose was delivered to every yacht and guest room, after which a special Junkanoo celebration kicked off the awards ceremony, complete with dessert stations, live entertainment, and dancing.
“At PYA, we strive to deliver the exceptional,” says PYA vice president and marketing director James Nobel. “The idea of a rendezvous isn’t something new, but the culture of our owners is remarkable, as are the friendships that have grown as a result of our events.”
PYA sends its customer-service, sales, and marketing teams to each Owners Holiday so that they can chat with customers and their guests, address any questions they have about their boats, and learn about what Princess yacht owners are looking for in future models. In addition, representatives from Princess Yachts, as well as the PYA dealer network and various vendor partners are on hand throughout the event for technical support.
“Like most who enjoy life on the water, Princess owners are passionate about their boats and love coming together to share their stories and experiences, while greeting familiar friends and making lifelong social connections. Princess Yachts America invests heavily encouraging our Princess family to get out on the water and explore the fantastic lifestyle that cruising offers. The shared experiences, time spent learning more about what our customers value most about their boats, and the connections made between the people involved with helping our owners gain the most from their ownership experience is invaluable to continuing to build upon the success and following for Princess in our market.”
The next Princess Yachts America Owners Holiday will be held in Provincetown, on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, July 20-23, 2023. For more information please contact Melissa DiMarco at mdimarco@pyamerica.com.
