Top hotels are accorded five stars and now, if Hein Velma CEO of Fraser Yachts has his way, so will the world's top charter yachts. Velma is to introduce what he calls, the Diamond Collection, a group of what will be elite charter yachts.
The concept is borne from the fact that historically, far too many yachts said to be available for charter, are in reality seldom available. Many Owners prefer to keep peak chartering time slots to themselves. These yachts are not available to those seeking to pay for charters over popular time periods such as Christmas, New Year, and during key events such as Monaco Grande Prix and Cannes Film Festival.
Velma’s plan is that only yachts seeking to charter at all times will be permitted to enter the Collection. Further more he intends to ensure these yachts have the elite crews.
Fraser Yachts are unique among charter brokers in that they publicly recognise the importance of having a top-notch crew on board. Each year for the past eleven years the company has hosted a black tie Captains’ Dinner during the Monaco Yacht Show. It is specifically to reward high performance charter yacht crews with top Captains walking away with prizes that include custom made watches.
Velma plans to build on that premise. He is convinced that it is not just the yacht and the destination that makes the unforgettable charter, but the crew and the service they give. He has added the stipulation that only yachts with crew given special training will be allowed to call themselves Diamond Yachts. To ensure this teaching is to the highest level Fraser Yachts have selected the independent customised training company Triple S Consultancy to instruct the crew and ensure they meet the highest professional standards.
The Diamond Collection will be introduced at the up coming MYBA Charter Yacht show in Genoa during May.
Patrick Coote, marketing manager at Fraser Yachts, said, “the idea is sure to fire the imagination of our competitors and we have no doubt they will copy us. Rather than fear that we both welcome and encourage them to do so. We are leading the field and together all charter brokers will help raise the standard of the charter experience and give confidence to those charter Superyachts for the first time.”
