31
ALL AT SEA MAY 2021
SAIL AWAY
on your dream holiday this year with the latest news and offers
Image: Shutterstock / Thornova Photography
At home on the water
Whether you are a seasoned sailor or a complete beginner, Borrow A Boat is making it easier than ever to get more people on to the water. Sailing is a great staycation option, especially this year, and Borrow A Boat has craft available throughout the UK, including in popular boating hubs such as Cornwall, Devon, Portsmouth and Southampton. Those venturing further afield can also enjoy boating in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, North America and South East Asia. Not surprisingly, Greece, Croatia and Turkey are the most popular destinations though. Rental starts from £40 per day and sailing yachts from £1,000 per week. However, anyone looking for a more luxurious option can use Borrow A Boat Plus to find luxury boats and superyachts, all fully crewed. Prices start from around £10,000 per week. Borrow A Boat customers can choose from around 35,000 vessels in more than 65 countries, so there is plenty of choice. Boats can also be hired with or without a skipper and all meet the safety and insurance codes, standards and regulations for yacht chartering in their respective locations. www.borrowaboat.com
Push the boat out
Holiday sales are reportedly surging as many people opt to take their chances on getting away this summer, and people are upping their budget too, in order to get a better boat or longer holiday. PlainSailing.com have noticed that, on average, people are spending a fair amount more on their holidays – and either upgrading to a bigger, better and newer boat, or pushing the boat out and booking the multi-week sailing charters they have always wanted. They have also noticed a huge increase in interest in the more glamourous ‘once in a lifetime’ sailing destinations: searches for Caribbean destinations are up a massive 400 per cent on pre-pandemic levels, and there is also more interest in chartering from their French base in Saint Tropez. Luxury is back in fashion. Part of this surge is that people have had time to formulate grand plans, and they tend to have extra money in their pocket from not being able to spend it so easily during lockdown. There are also a few clients who have bumped up their budget because they are only planning on travelling abroad once this year, so they are planning to do it in style. Tommy Tognarelli, co-founder of PlainSailing.com, said: “It is nice to be back helping people to find their dream yacht or catamaran to charter, somewhere sunny, and interest has picked up substantially as we start to hear about how international travel will work this summer. “People are yearning to get away, and after a pretty miserable year, it is easy to justify that people deserve a break – and not just any break! When holidays are allowed again, people are planning to make the most of it!” www.plainsailing.com
Sailing safely into a new world
SUP & Sail UK
What better way to discover some beautiful British rivers, forests and hidden treasures than on a SUP board. Float through the stunning Hampshire scenery of chalk cliffs rising over calm creeks and drift up beautiful rivers where horses run wild. During your paddling expeditions, you will be able to explore the hidden treasures of the Solent and see its natural beauty up close. Throw yourself into the sailing, and paddling, then wrap up warm with a cup of hot chocolate on board a cosy yacht and relax under the summer night stars. 2 nights: Various dates £595 per person kraken.travel
National lockdowns and a crippling halt of the global tourism trade have transformed industry fortunes over the past year. It is still difficult to have truly comprehensive figures for the year, but a drop in passenger numbers at sea in the region of 80 per cent seems likely, according to Ida Rosenvinge, marketing manager of Sea Europe. With vaccination programmes rolling out, pent up consumer demand and an overwhelming human desire to break free from the shackles of ‘home’, ships will sail again, but we can probably expect a gradual return to full steam. New health and safety routines have to be in place, ports and government have to be in agreement about the transit of passengers over borders and across regions, and passengers must feel confident enough to once again set sail. That is why many industry stakeholders, including Sea Europe, who operate the Norwegian full-
rigged sailing ship Christian Radich, believe in a ‘small is beautiful’ policy. It means a focus on quality over quantity. They are operating a 60 person ship where the majority of the time is spent in the open air, immersed in a true sailing experience, with the sights and sounds of the water as constant companions. In addition, their itinerary has been tailored to deliver short European voyages where they are always a safe distance from shore, enabling easy access to land-based facilities and infrastructure if required. So, Sea Europe, and other operators, are focusing upcoming schedules on short-hop trips that deliver both unique seaborne experiences and a sense of reassurance. The Christian Radich, for example, will be taking European passengers to locations including beautiful Cherbourg, medieval Cadiz, charming Bremerhaven and magical Lisbon. www.seaeurope.no
Covid holiday travel restrictions up-date
Although until 17 May, at the earliest, it is illegal to travel abroad for holidays, from 12 April people in England have been allowed to stay away from home with other members of their household, or bubble, in self-contained accommodation. A framework to chart the safe return of international travel was set out in April by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. There will be a traffic light system, which will categorise countries based on risk alongside the restrictions required for travel. A report, produced by the Global Travel Taskforce, showed how international travel could resume from 17 May. This includes the removal of the permission to travel form - meaning passengers would no longer need to prove they have a valid reason to leave the country. However, testing will remain an essential part of protecting public health as restrictions begin to ease. The risks posed by Covid variants remain significant, and so restrictions for inbound passengers, such as a 10-day managed quarantine, home quarantine and stringent testing will remain in place - but will apply
to people differently depending on whether the destination visited is categorised as ‘green’, ‘amber’ or ‘red’. It is too early to predict which countries will be on which list over the summer, and the allocation of countries will be kept under review. However, the government plans to set out by early May which countries will initially fall into which category, as well as confirming whether international travel can definitely resume from 17 May. A Covid-19 charter will also be introduced from 17 May, setting out what is required of passengers and what their rights are while measures remain in place. Please follow current Covid-19 rules where you live in the UK.
Image: Ascannio / Shutterstock.com
FURTHER INFORMATION IMPORTANT The outbreak of COVID-19 continues to evolve. Please check FCO travel advice pages for the latest travel information: www. gov.uk/foreigntravel-advice.
■ Nautilus Yachting: www.nautilusyachting.com ■ Nisos Yacht Charter: www.nisosyachtcharter.com ■ Seafarer: www.seafarersailing.co.uk ■ BVI Charters: www.bviyachtcharters.com ■ Ocean Elements: www.ocean-elements.co.uk ■ The Moorings: www.moorings.co.uk ■ Mauri Pro: www.mauripro.com ■ Dream Yacht Charter: www.dreamyachtcharter.co.uk ■ Sunsail: www.sunsail.co.uk ■ Mallorca Yacht Charter: www.mallorcayachtcharter.eu ■ Tall Ships Adventures: tallships.org ■ Naleia Yachting: www.naleiayachting.com
