Horizon Yacht Charters

Despite temperatures beginning to rise, chartering in the Caribbean in the summer months can be equally as enjoyable as the winter; empty anchorages, quiet beaches, untouched snorkelling spots and even better…unbeatable deals from us!

Our bases across the Caribbean have come up with their best deals…so take your pick. Or, if you’d rather stay a little bit closer to home, then the Chesapeake Bay is the place for you.

British Virgin Islands (BVI):

• Charter 7 nights on one of our smaller monohulls, throughout the months of May to October, 2012 and save! Any 31′-33′ yacht, can be yours for only $1,500 and all 35-37′ yachts* are available for only $1,999. Perfect for couples and families.
• Enjoy 10 nights for the price of 7, on any of our last remaining monohull yachts up to 54ft, from May 1st to October 31st, 2012. Or if time is an issue, enjoy 10% off a 7 night charter.

Please contact Christalen or Courtney on info@horizonyachtcharters.com or call 1 (284) 494 8787 or toll free 877 494 8787  to book.

Grenada:

• Enjoy 10 nights for the price of 7 on all yachts, throughout the months of May & June. Or, if time is an issue, charter with us for 7 nights and receive a 15% discount.

Please contact Jacqui at info@horizongrenada.com or call 1(473) 439 1000 or toll free 866 463 7245 to book.

Antigua:

• Enjoy 10 nights for the price of 7 on all yachts, throughout the months of May & June. Or, if time is an issue, charter with us for 7 nights and receive a 15% discount.

Please contact Jackie at info@antiguahorizon.com or call 1 (268) 562 4725 or toll free 866 439 1089 to book.

St Maarten:

• Break in the new main sail on our Bavaria 40 (3C/2H) and save! Charter her for 7 nights/8 days for only $1995
• Enjoy our Lagoon 410 (4C/3H) for 7 nights/8 days for only $2995 – perfect for families!

Please contact Carlijn at info@horizonsxm.com or call 1 (721) 544 3329 or toll free 866 978 6062 to book.

Annapolis, MD:

• Enjoy 15% off any of our Farr Yacht designed Bavaria yachts this season. Repeat Horizon Yacht Charter guests only. Valid until May 31, 2012

Please contact Karen at annapolis@horizonyachtcharters.com or call 1 (410) 990 0269 or toll free 855 222 1120 to book.

After living on Sint Maarten for 3 years now, the most vibrant time of the year on Sint Maarten is the first weekend of March: the Heineken Regatta. Not only because it is the anniversary of me and my partner, but mostly because there is this Buzz…. It is happening…. Sint Maarten at its best!
Many bare boaters from all over the world come to Sint Maarten to experience this same kind of energy. The type of energy that gets created and consumed by thousands of motivated and excited sailors; The participators of the Heineken Regatta.
Even if you are not participating in the Regatta itself, you will still be affected by this constant flow of excitement. So many of our charterer guests come every year, not to join in, but just to watch! On spectator yachts, on Pique Paradis (the highest point of Sint Maarten), on Fort Amsterdam, on their own charter yacht – everywhere people are watching the races, all of which last for 5 days. And when the sun goes down, that’s when the parties begin!!
Besides the Regatta itself, the whole island is being entertained. Every year, the Regatta organization you ensures that the best artists come to the island to play for the crowds; Sailors, spectators, tourists, locals! Anyone who can make their way to the stages is welcome. And the best thing (yes the Dutchy me is showing here ) it is all for free!
Restaurants have Regatta Specials, there are day charters who follow the race, and there is a watertaxi that can take you all around the island. You name it and it is there. All during the Heineken Regatta. Tired of the buzz or in need of a break? Then we still have our lovely beaches where you can relax from the night before.
You can still be part of this! We still have availability around the first weekend of the Heineken Regatta. Chartering a yacht, especially with the special we are running now is even more affordable then a hotel!
We are now offering all remaining weeks in High Season at Mid Season rates. Dates include February 14, 2012 – April 15, 2012.
Email me, Carlijn, to see if we can get you on a yacht! info@horizonsxm.com

Happy New Year!!!

We hope everyone had a relaxing Christmas and that the New Year was rung in with style!

We can’t think of a better way to start 2012 than enjoying a 7 night charter in the BVI. And this is the very reason why we are extending the closing date of our fantastic competition and therefore giving you one last chance to enter.

All you have to do is fill in a few details and you could be on your way to experiencing a sailing trip of a lifetime. Not only this, we are also offering a money-can’t buy sailing masterclass with America’s Cup Skipper, Peter Holmberg, giving you the opportunity to discover the tricks of the trade from a sailing legend.

If you’d like to be in with a chance to win, please click here

The winner will be chosen at random on Monday 16th January 2012.

GOOD LUCK!

The United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis is fast approaching and we are gearing up for a great show!From October 6-10, you will find us on the corner of F2 and B dock, so come and say hello and check out our show specials and daily competitions. Don’t forget to come and take full advantage of our 15% discount, special offer for all charters booked right there at the show.

This year, we are also perfectly positioned for you to step aboard a selection of our stunning new yachts from the Bavaria Cruiser Range, ideal for getting a feel for what your sailing vacation with Horizon Yacht Charters will be like. And if the temptation of owning a Bavaria yacht of your own is just too much, our Yacht Sales Manager will be on hand to advise you on what we can offer.

Alternatively, for all of our charter guests who live in the UK, you can always head to the Southampton Boat Show that is taking place 16-25 September. Book a charter with us through our preferred broker partners and enjoy direct flights from the UK to both our Grenada and Antigua bases – Paradise is just 8 hours away! That, on top of our 2012 charter rate freeze, what are you waiting for?!

Fancy brushing up on some skills? In collaboration with SAIL magazine, we would like to introduce ‘Get Sailing’ to you. It’s a contest designed to motivate sailors to try something that they have never done before. It’s all about participation and expanding your sailing experience.

During the three month promotion with SAIL, that includes print, online and social media, together, we are offering you the chance to win one of three exciting sailing getaways, one of which is a bareboat charter with us!

To be in with a chance to win, visit http://www.sailmagazine.com/getsailing and fill in your details.

Good luck!

After weeks of speculation and countless emails from brokers, we can now happily confirm that our charter rates for 2012 will be frozen at 2011 prices.

With the economy as it is, the last thing we want for our charter guests is for them to start worrying about whether they can afford to spend their well-earned vacation aboard one of our yachts, either at one of our bases in the Caribbean, or on the Chesapeake Bay.

We have thankfully enjoyed our most successful charter season in our 12 year history and we would like to cement our relationships with our customers, by offering 2012 Sailing vacations at the same rates enjoyed in 2011.

Not one to bad mouth the competition, but it hasn’t gone unnoticed here at Horizon, that at least 3 of the big players out there have increased their rates for the coming season. We, on the other hand, are excited to be able to reward our charter guests by keeping the rates the same.

So, if you haven’t chartered with us before, I’d say, give us a try! And to all those of you who have booked with us again, we look forward to welcoming you back!

Click here to choose your destination.

Smooth Sailing!

There’s something wonderful about chatting to returning guests who are so excited to have seen wildlife on their cruise; whether that’s under-water or elsewhere. Having recently spent some time in the Australian outback, I was sincerely hoping not to experience some of their rather unique and sometimes scary wildlife… but cruising the Leeward Islands from our base in Antigua, it really is incredibly rewarding.

Right now, it’s the summer months here in Antigua and there’s nothing better than getting home in the evening, sitting on the verandah with a cold glass of wine and watching the frigate birds fishing for their evening meal as the sun goes down. It’s so active around that time each evening that you can almost set your watch by them. Who needs TV when you have that kind of entertainment?!

Last season there were an abundance of turtles spotted by our vigilant guests; I tell our guests that they will only see the turtles if they donate to the Antigua Sea Turtle Programme and help the volunteer patrols who walk the beaches every night during nesting season. I’m not sure they buy that, but we have collected a fair amount of money for this important Programme, even so! Mykl is the Project Manager here in Antigua and she is our turtle guru…

Any sailing trip would not be complete without seeing a pod of dolphins or even whales. Many of our guests spotted whales a few months back whilst they were sailing in between Antigua and Barbuda – a distance of around 25nm. As for dolphins, we are so grateful to the Kneafsey family (and their crew) who are life long friends of Horizon, for sending us their most recent cruising video from July 2011. They spotted this pod of dolphins sailing between St Barts and Nevis. They’ve called it “Somewhere between Paradise and Wonderland”. Click to view the footage below.

Racing the Dolphins

I think that sums up the sailing here around Antigua, Barbuda and beyond… what do you think?

This November marks the beginning of The 22nd Annual Caribbean 1500. Departing from Hampton VA at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, sailing to the beautiful British Virgin Islands, this is the largest and longest-running offshore cruising event in The Americas.

Horizon Yacht Charters, proud sponsors of the event, will be sailing a Bavaria 36 (2011) and a Bavaria 45 (2011) down from our base in Annapolis, to the finish line in Nanny Cay, in the BVI and we are inviting you to join us on the adventure.

Gain your sea miles aboard a Farr Yacht Design Bavaria and with the help of a qualified captain, you can learn new skills along the way. A diverse fleet of world cruisers and first time passage makers allows for everyone to experience the adventure, camaraderie and competition.

Come and discover the joys of ocean sailing with us and it will be an experience you will never forget!

For more information please contact Kate at info@horizonyachtcharters.com or call (284) 494 8787 or Toll Free (877) 494 8787

Horizon Yacht Charters Annapolis, is launching its first summer season on the Chesapeake with a new owners’ incentive. Purchasers of one of the new Farr Yacht designed Bavaria Cruiser models are eligible for a credit of up to $50,000 when they place their yacht into the Horizon Yacht Charters Annapolis charter program which includes US and Caribbean placement options.

The flexible incentive program can be used to reduce the base price or to enhance the boat with additional fixtures and fittings. It can also be transferred to the charter program to set against brokerage fees, yacht servicing charges or the cost of transporting the yacht between the US and Caribbean bases. The introductory incentive expires on July 31, 2011.

With Horizon Yacht Charters’ reputation built on delivering immaculate yachts, exemplary customer service and excellent value for money, the launch incentive is additional to the existing wide range of benefits gained when purchasing a Bavaria Yacht and placing it in the Horizon charter fleet. Within the US and Caribbean charter program an owner can enjoy a healthy return on their investment all year round, whilst still having unlimited access to their yacht. Owners also receive complimentary engine and rigging servicing at 3 and 12 months, responsive, hassle-free support and a 24/7 emergency helpline when afloat. Charter owners will also be provided with VIP access as guests of Horizon Yacht Charters Annapolis at this year’s Annapolis Boat Show.

Bavaria has produced a stunning new range of yachts that are perfectly suited for cruising. Designed through a partnership between Farr Yacht Design and BMW DesignworksUSA their key features are huge cockpits, ideal for outside dining and comfortable entertaining, spacious and light interiors, giving the feel of a much larger boat, and signature stern wide retractable bathing platforms which make getting on and off the boat a breeze. Ease of handling is a key theme on deck with all the halyards and control lines leading directly back to the cockpit. Throughout the entire range the mainsail and jib can be reefed single-handed by one person without leaving the wheel and without coming head to wind.

Established in the Caribbean in 1998, Horizon Yacht Charters opened its first US charter base in Annapolis in June 2011 with three brand new Bavaria Cruiser yachts ranging from 32 – 45 feet. Horizon Yacht Charters has been selling, servicing and chartering a fleet of 100 yachts (50 of which are Bavaria Yachts) for more than a decade across its bases in the British Virgin Islands, Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada and St Maarten.

For more information on this launch incentive, to arrange a test sail or to learn about the benefits of charter ownership in the US and Caribbean please contact Geoff McCord on (855) 222 1120 or email info@bavariayachts.com. For more information on Horizon Yacht Charters, visit www.horizonyachtcharters.com