|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
| The term luxury yacht refers to a very expensive privately owned yacht which is professionally crewed. Also known as a Super Yacht, a luxury yacht may be either a sailing or motor yacht. History This term began to appear at the beginning of the 20th century when wealthy individuals constructed large private yachts for personal pleasure. Examples of early luxury motor yachts include M/Y (motor yacht) Christina O and M/Y Savarona. Early luxury sailing yachts include Americas Cup classic J class racers like S/Y (sailing yacht) Endeavour and Sir Thomas Lipton’s S/Y Shamrock. The New York Yacht Club hosted many early luxury sailing yacht events at Newport, Rhode Island, during the Gilded Age. Today More recently, over the last decade or two, there has been an increase in the number and popularity of large private luxury charter yachts in Turkey. Luxury yachts are particularly bountiful in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, although increasingly luxury yachts are cruising in more remote areas of the world. With the increase in demand for luxury yachts there has been an increase custom boat building companies and yacht charter brokers. Luxury boat building and yacht charter companies are predominantly based in the United States and Western Europe but are also increasingly found in Australia, Asia and Eastern Europe. European manufacturers such as Ferretti, Azimut, Azimut-Benetti, Feadship and Lürssen dominate the very top end of the yacht building market. Yacht Charter Turkey Some yachts are used exclusively by their private owners, others are operated all year round as charter businesses, and a large number are privately owned but available for charter part time. The weekly charter rate of luxury yachts around the world ranges from a high of Euro 661,500.00 (M/Y Annaliesse) to around Euro 20,000.00. Expenses of approximately 25-30%, such as food, fuel, and berthage are charged as an extra as well as a customary 15-20% crew gratuity for good service. The luxury yacht charter industry functions effectively because private yacht owners mitigate their running costs with charter income as well as keeping their yachts and crew in top running order. Conversely, private charterers charter yachts (rather than owning them) because it is generally considered to be less expensive, and less hassle, than owning a yacht and it also provides them with extra choice related to yacht type, location and crew. Design & Layout Yachts from 23 metres (82 feet) and up qualify for design awards from the Superyacht Society, but at the bottom end of that scale yachts will not necessarily be crewed and many set the minimum length for a superyacht considerably higher. A 45 to 50 metres (148 to 164 feet) yacht, the smallest with a generally accepted claim to superyacht status, will usually be a three decker with cabins for 10-12 guests (that is a preferred number, more common than 14, and is found on yachts across quite a wide size range), and for a crew of a similar size. The accommodation on this type of yacht is typically as follows: Lower deck: exterior swimming platform at the stern; four (sometimes five) guest cabins with en-suite bath or shower rooms aft; engine room amidships; crew quarters forward. Main deck: sheltered exterior deck aft leading into the salon; dining room and galley; entrance amidships; owner's suite forward, usually includes either a study or a second twin stateroom. Upper deck: exterior deck aft, often used for outdoor dining; second salon (often called the sky lounge); staffed bar inside or outside or both; sixth stateroom will be amidships if it is not on the lower deck or part of the owner's suite; gym (may also be on the lower deck or part of the owner's suite); captain's cabin; bridge. Sun deck: on the roof of the upper deck, often features a jacuzzi. A 50 metre yacht will have one or more luxury yacht tenders for reaching shore and other "toys" which may include a speed boat or sailing boat, jet-skis, windsurfing and diving equipment and a Banana boat. Up to date yachts have multiple flat screen televisions and satellite communications. The number of very large yachts in Turkey has increased rapidly since the 1990s and increasingly only yachts above around 65 metres (213 feet) stand out among other luxury yachts. Yachts of this size are almost always built to individual commissions and cost tens of millions of dollars (most super-yachts cost far more than their owners' homes on land, even though those homes are likely to be among the largest and most desirable). A yacht of this size usually has four decks above the water line and one or two below. It is likely to have a helicopter landing platform. Apart from additional guest cabins, which are likely to include one or more "VIP suites" besides the owner's suite, extra facilities compared to a 50 metre yacht will include some or all of indoor jacuzzis, sauna and steam rooms, a beauty salon, massage and other treatment rooms, a medical centre, a discotheque, a cinema with a film library, plunge pool (possibly with a wave-maker), a playroom, and additional living areas such as a separate bar, secondary dining room, private sitting rooms or a library. There will be more boats and "toys" than there are on a 50 metre yacht. Mega Yacht / Giga Yacht As of 2006 yachts above 100 metres (328 feet) are still sufficiently rare, but increasingly more common, that many yacht enthusiasts can name them all. They typically have five decks above the water line and two below. The very largest yachts have begun to incorporate such features as helicopter hangars, indoor swimming pools and miniature submarines. The burgeoning number of "small" super yachts has led to the introduction of the hyperbolic terms Mega Yacht and Giga Yacht to demarcate the elite among luxury yachts. The term megayacht was the first one to be used to refer to these yachts, well over 20 years ago. In the yachting industry, it is often ascribed to George Nicholson, the founder of Camper & Nicholsons brokerage firm, though there is no official record. The term superyacht emerged in more recent years, typically among Europeans (again, no official record exists, just anecdotal evidence). As of 2006 yachts above 100 metres (328 feet) are still sufficiently rare, but increasingly more common, that many yacht enthusiasts can name them all. They typically have five decks above the water line and two below. The very largest yachts have begun to incorporate such features as helicopter hangars, indoor swimming pools and miniature submarines. The burgeoning number of "small" super yachts led to the introduction of the term Giga Yacht, first used in print, sardonically, by Yachts International Magazine Editor Jamie Welch in September 2004, noting that there is yet room for "Tera" and still larger metric prefixes. Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of archaeological and historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. In the recent years, Turkey has also become a popular destination for spa and healthcare tourism. Turkey is the 9th most visited country in the world and 7th in Europe. Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots of Turkey. There are thousands of hotels and other tourist oriented industries in the city, catering to both vacationers and visiting professionals. Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, has a number of major attractions derived from its huge historical status as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empires. These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Galata Tower, and the Grand Bazaar. Istanbul has also recently become one of the major centers shopping, retail and trade centers of Europe by hosting shopping malls like Metrocity, Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall (which is the largest mall in Europe and seventh largest shopping center in the world). Sporting events and pilgrimage sites (such as Eyüp) are also among the major tourist attractions in the city. Istanbul has many museums and hosts numerous cultural events. Miniatürk, the world's largest park of scaled down miniature models of landmark buildings, is also in Istanbul. The park contains 105 building models which are crafted in a scale of 1/25. Beach vacations and Blue Cruises in Turkey , particularly for Turkish city-dwellers and visitors from Western Europe, are also central to the Turkish tourism industry. Most beach resorts are located along the southwestern and southern Aegean coast, especially along the Mediterranean coast near Antalya. Antalya is also accepted as the tourism capital of Turkey. Major resort towns include Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kuşadası, Çeşme, Didim and Alanya. Major cultural and historical attractions elsewhere in Turkey include the sites of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, the House of Virgin Mary, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Konya (where the poet Rumi had spent most of his life), Didyma, the Church of Antioch, the religious places in Mardin (such as the Deyrülzafarân Monastery), and the ruined cities and landscapes of Cappadocia. Ankara has an historic town center with numerous monuments and ruins, and although the city is not exactly a tourism destination, it serves as a major stop for travellers who go to Cappadocia. The city enjoys an excellent cultural life, boasting numerous museums and cultural events. The Anıtkabir is also in Ankara. It is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. Izmir is also a popular tourist destination with its beautiful beaches and historical sites. The city has an ancient agora and numerous landmarks such as the Izmir Clock Tower in the city center. İzmir International Fair is the oldest trade show in Turkey, considered the cradle of Turkey's fairs and expositions industry, and is also notable for hosting a series of simultaneous festival activities. The Turkish Riviera (also known as "The Turquoise Coast") is a popular term used to define an area of southwest Turkey encompassing Antalya, Muğla and to a lesser extent Aydın and İzmir provinces. The combination of a favorable climate, warm sea, and abundant natural and archeological points of interest makes this stretch of Turkey’s coastline a popular tourist destination. The coastline of Fethiye along the Turkish Riviera: The region is known for pleasant climate conditions, including more than a thousand kilometers of shoreline along the Mediterranean Sea, and a host of archaeological and natural riches. The Turkish Riviera is strewn with ancient cities and harbors, memorial tombs and beaches and is laced with many small coves, lush forests and streams which make it frequent destination for Blue Voyages. Throughout history, this unique landscape in Turkey attracted numerous warriors, kings, and heroes. Mark Anthony of the Roman Empire chose Turkish Riviera as the most beautiful wedding gift for his beloved Cleopatra of Egypt. The Turkish Riviera is the birth place of some of the most important figures of history. St. Nicholas, later known as Santa Claus, was born in Demre (ancient Myra), a small town close to Antalya. Herodotus, accepted as the father of history, was born in Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus) in ca. 484 BC. In the mountains to the west of Antalya is the Chimera the firebreathing monster that the hero Bellerophon slew. Behind Antalya are the bay trees of the gardens of Daphne where the nymph was turned into a bay tree by Zeus to escape the amorous advances of Apollo. In the mountains to the west of Antalya is the Chimera the firebreathing monster that the hero Bellerophon slew. Behind Antalya are the bay trees of the gardens of Daphne where the nymph was turned into a bay tree by Zeus to escape the amorous advances of Apollo. Also two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are located in the Turkish Riviera. The ruins of the Mausoleum of Maussollos in Halicarnassus and the columns of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus can still be seen today. Fethiye is a city and district of Muğla Province in the Aegean region of Turkey with about 68,000 inhabitants (2009). Modern day Fethiye is located on the ancient city of Telmessos, ruins of which can be seen in the city, e.g. Hellenistic theatre by the main quay. It is one of Turkey s well-known tourist centres and is especially prized during the summer. Fethiye Museum, very rich in ancient and more recent artifacts, displays and testifies to the successive chain of civilizations which existed in the area, starting with ancient Lycia. |
