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LOCATION AND SERVICES...
Our central booking office is located on the waterfront in the busy
yachting port of Newport, Rhode Island. Charter brokers from all over
the world contact this office with charter inquiries for their clients.
The Nicholson Antigua office, under the direction of James Benson, is
conveniently located near the marinas. The Antigua office offers
support services for Caribbean based yachts and crews such as
communication, mail service, fund transfers, storage facilities, customs
clearance, etc.
WHAT IS A CHARTER YACHT CLEARINGHOUSE?
A charter yacht clearinghouse is a central booking office or yacht agent
that holds the calendar for a select group of charter yachts. By
contacting a clearinghouse a charter broker is offered a selection of
yachts meeting the criteria of a given client. In the charter industry,
established brokers generally do not consider offering a yacht for
charter unless the yacht is affiliated with a reputable clearinghouse.
Nicholson clearinghouse services include managing your yacht's schedule
of charters, maintaining accurate information on our web sites as well
as MYBA Net and the CDI Guide, mailing brochures and emailing "Nicholson
eNews" and faxing updates to a worldwide network of charter brokers.
AUTHORITY TO CHARTER CONTRACT...
Our "Authority To Charter Contract” allows Nicholson to act as charter
agent for your yacht and so manage the charter calendar.
PROMOTING YOUR YACHT...
Nicholson yachts are promoted to charter brokers via daily email eNews
to charter brokers. We maintain our own web sites –
www.nicholsonyachts.com,
www.finestyachts.com
and www.yachtnav.net.
We also promote our yachts on MYBA Net (
www.myba.net ), Charter Index (
www.charterindex.com ),
Central Yacht Agency (
www.centralyachtagent.com ) and brochure mailings or customized
cooperative advertising programs.
CREW...
Please keep in mind that a yacht’s crew is a very important selling
point in offering a yacht to a valuable client -- equally as important
as the yacht itself. Nicholson can assist with finding crew for your
yacht. because we fully understand how essential an excellent crew is to
the success of a charter yacht. We work closely with Ship to Shore, the
best placement agency we know.
BOAT SHOWS AND BROCHURE...
The two most important keys to a successful charter yacht are a good
brochure and participation in a major charter yacht show.
Each December, Antigua
(formerly the Nicholson's) hosts the oldest and largest charter
yacht show in the world, at the historic Nelson's Dockyard in English
Harbour, Antigua, West Indies. The world’s finest charter yachts from
50’ to 200’ plus, along with hundreds of charter brokers and press
agents attend The Annual Show.
Other important charter shows are the International Yacht charter
Meeting in Genoa, Italy, in May and the Annual
Newport Charter Show in Newport, Rhode Island. Additionally
there are three charter shows in the Virgin Islands each year: in early
November, the
Tortola Charter Yachts Show and the
St Thomas Charter Yachts
Show in the fall and spring.
The importance of your yacht participation in a charter yacht show
simply cannot be over emphasized. It gives charter brokers an
opportunity to inspect your yacht first hand and to get to know the
crew. A charter broker generally will not offer a yacht to a client
unless the broker has seen the yacht and met the crew. If you page
through any yachting magazine, the best charter brokers’ advertisements
always include a statement indicating that the brokers have inspected
all the yachts they offer for charter. Your yacht's success in charter
therefore depends on regular participation in charter yacht shows.
In addition to the excellent exposure available on our web sites and
other electronic media, a good printed brochure for your yacht is still
helpful. Upon request, we can provide information on top notch brochure
producers and photographers. We can also provide you with information
for putting together a good brochure for your yacht. Note: It is
important to leave a space on your brochure for charter brokers to place
a stamp or sticker with their company's contact information. Please do
not print any other contact information on your brochure. In addition to
the brochure we suggest an insert with profile and color photograph of
the yacht’s crew and perhaps a sample menu from the chef.
We can also design or assist in the development of a personal website
for your yacht.
RATES FOR YOUR CHARTER YACHT...
We at Nicholson would be pleased to assist in determining suitable rates
for your yacht. With our many years in the charter business, we have an
ideal perspective on what rates the market will bear.
BOOKING PROCEDURES...
To confirm a charter, a broker will secure a deposit of 50% total
charter fee along with a signed charter contract. The charter broker
will deduct the standard 15% commission and forward the net deposit to
Nicholson to be held in a client escrow account until the time of the
charter. The balance is due to Nicholson 30 days prior to the start of
the charter. The net deposit is paid to the owner on commencement of the
charter and the balance upon completion.
Should the charterer cancel a charter, the standard industry procedure
is that charter moneys are refunded to the client only if the charter
dates are re-booked. If the dates are partially re-booked the charter
deposit is refunded on a pro-rata basis. If the charter is not re-booked
the owner is paid the charter deposit less commissions. If the yacht
must ever cancel or otherwise default on a charter, the commission on
the canceled charter is considered an earned fee and is owed to the
charter broker by the yacht, as stated in the charter contract.
WHY NICHOLSON?
Nicholson's has been in the business of chartering yachts since 1948
when Commander V.E.B. Nicholson first sailed into English Harbour on his
schooner "Mollyhawk" and founded yacht chartering in the Caribbean.
Since then Nicholson has established a worldwide fleet of the finest
luxury charter yachts available and is today the world's most
experienced and largest charter yacht clearinghouse. As was Commander
Nicholson’s style, we continue to offer a personalized, caring service
to Nicholson yacht owners and crew. |
Nicholson's
Necessary Information
Authority to Charter
Insurance
Payment
Wire Transfer info
Owner Information
Specifications
Rates
Crew Profile
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Examples of Charter Contracts
MYBA Charter Agreement t
Demise Contracts Foreign Flag / Built Operating in US Waters
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More Information
Importation of foreign flag yachts for charter in the US
MCA
Compliance |
