Final Program: Countdown to the Caribbean Charter Yacht Show 2021

The inaugural Caribbean Charter Yacht Show which takes place from 9-12 December at Yacht Haven Grande, St Thomas, USVI is avoiding a sea of sameness with yacht shows. 

Put simply, the Caribbean Charter Yacht Show is resetting the old model with a charter show that combines freshness with familiarity. 

Paul Flannery, Executive Director at the International Yacht Brokers Association says, “IYBA has recognised the need for the industry to have more say in the development of charter shows in the Caribbean and the Western Atlantic. The existing shows designed for the larger charter vessels were not catering to the needs of the community, so we decided to present an event designed by the industry, for the industry. Our friends at IGY Marinas were ready and willing to answer the call with the number one ranked superyacht marina in the world and the Caribbean Charter Yacht Show was born. The campus at Yacht Haven Grande is perfectly suited to this event and we expect an excellent show.” 

With just a few days until the show opens its doors, Bert Fowles, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IGY Marinas says, “Anticipation has been building, and we expect the show to initiate charter business, be a catalyst to build commercial goodwill, and stimulate the winter charter season.”

Valued Sponsors 

IGY Marinas, the International Yacht Brokers Association (IYBA), and headline sponsors the USVI Department of Tourism, BVI Department of Tourism and IGY Trident, are accompanied by culinary partner Navy Beach. Further key sponsors include, The Macallan, Ward’s Marine Electric, Shoreside Support, Southland Gaming, AERÉ Marine Group, Azul Marine Lending, Yonder Travel Insurance, Pelion Consulting, Luxury Treasure Hunts, Viya, Northern Lights, World Fuel Services, Forbes Travel Guide, and Fairport Yacht Support. 

The Caribbean Charter Yacht Show will also welcome Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Cruzan Rum, Günter Wilhelm Cutlery, Fiji Water, The Fruit Bowl, Purely Meat Co., Petrossian Caviar, Mionetto, Medalla Light, Château d’Esclans, Urbani Truffles, Wine Chips and MBW Café and Bakery, as food and beverage sponsors providing products to support the lounges and in-show events. 

Attending Yachts 

The show organisers have spared no effort in setting up a meticulously planned event that facilities B2B and B2C business opportunities for yachts, brokers and vendors.

All registered yachts benefit from a plethora of promotion for 12 months. Firstly, they appear on the CCYS website and IYBA’s yachtbroker.org website. Every yacht also receives a profile on the charter marketing platform Superyacht Stories, featuring a beautifully presented overview, a Q&A with the captain and chef, sample menus and client testimonials, with promotion on social media.

Show Schedule for the Caribbean Charter Yacht Show

The CCYS is taking no shortcuts in getting people’s attention with a jam-packed show agenda.

Wednesday evening will see a Captains Briefing, Captains Dinner and Cocktails hosted at Navy Beach, with Thursday evening building momentum with an invitation to the Welcome Party with cocktails and live music in the esteemed presence of the Governor of the US Virgin Islands, Premier BVI and Show Stakeholders.

During show days, docks open to broker tours from 10am while an all-day hospitality suite will be open daily with free Wifi, light snacks and refreshments. Onsite there will also be USVI community exhibits including a representative from a Marine Vocational Program.  Pop-up entertainment will keep the ambience light and upbeat throughout the marina location.

Yacht visits and Yacht Hops play a crucial part of the show agenda. Says Paul Flannery from IYBA, “The brokers and the managers designed this show from a clean sheet of paper. Our structure will provide an efficient and productive environment for brokers to view the boats that they promote to their clients. Vendors will have great opportunities to interact with the boats in an organised manner and above all, there’s plenty of time to have some fun and take in all that St. Thomas has to offer. I think this will set a new standard for charters shows in this region.”

Culinary Highlights:  Chef & Cocktail Competitions

Food and beverage tents will get each day’s proceedings off to a great start with complimentary daily breakfast and lunch for brokers by Navy Beach. Overseen by Culinary Director, Nancy Bean of Wise Up Events. The CCYS will launch its first annual Chef’s Competition, taking place on board participating yachts on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th December between 10am – 3pm.

Chefs will be asked to create a three course menu around the theme ‘Colors of the Caribbean’. Each chef will be gifted a 50 oz. tin of Petrossian Caviar from Provisions Sponsor, Shoreside Support, that they must incorporate into one of their three dishes.

12 Superyachts will compete in five categories:

1. Presentation
2. Taste
3. Use of Theme “Colours of the Caribbean”
4. Wine Pairings
5. Table Scape

A superstar panel of judges will board each yacht for 30 minutes to taste and experience each chef’s cuisine and unique style, with a winner in each of the above five categories. 

The judging panel includes notable personalities from the food and wine industry including: 

• Chef Guy Mitchell who has worked as a chef for special engagements and dinners at the White House under Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama.
• Julius “The Chef” Jackson,S Virgin Islands celebrity chef and former Olympian.
• Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine and the Wine & Spirits Editor for Travel + Leisure.
• Chef Digby Stridiron, US Virgin Islands Culinary Ambassador, Chef/Owner at the Stridiron Group and Braata, St Croix.

Learn more about the celebrity judges here: https://caribbeancharterys.com/chef-competition-page/ 

The Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday at 6pm under the tent on the Cannon Lawn adjacent to Navy Beach. 

Adding some flair to the F&B activities, keen mixologists can join two Cocktail Challenges at Navy Beach during the show with award-winning Tito’s Handmade Vodka joining as a Sponsor and providing delicious Bloody Mary’s in the Welcome Lounge. 

Seminars at the Caribbean Charter Yacht Show

IGY Marinas and IYBA have thought beyond a host mentality and will deliver seminars that provide the information brokers and managers need and want. This includes updates from the BVI Department of Tourism, logistics, supplies and shoreside support. 

A highlight of the seminar agenda is two afternoon sessions with Guest Speaker Rob McCallum from EYOS Expeditions. With an enviable track record – past successes include exploring the Titanic at 12,500ft and the battleship Bismarck at 15,500ft, as well as leading the pioneering Five Deeps expedition with dives to the deepest points in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern oceans – the Show organisers are excited to welcome Rob to St Thomas.  

“We attend six boat shows a year and numerous other speaking events and media engagements,” says Rob. “The big shows allow us to reconnect and strengthen the bonds that keep us together as an industry. All the players are important, from the builders and bunkerers through to owners, crew and agents and it’s only at shows and trade events that we get to meet, catch up and see what’s developing.” 

Crew Activities at the Caribbean Charter Yacht Show 

Superyacht crew are a key part of the success of the Caribbean Charter Yacht Show and will be rewarded with fun, interactive activities over the four days.  Besides the Chef and Cocktail Competitions, crew can team up for sport challenges on the final day showing off their on-court prowess during single elimination volleyball and tennis tournaments. 

A special activation will add some prestigious show sparkle - a larger than life experience will be hosted by Luxury Treasure Hunts who will be supercharging the age old scavenger hunt concept. Susan Gevers, Head of Bespoke at Luxury Treasure Hunts, enthused how the company was founded when they saw a need for high level entertainment on yachts designed with captains and crews in mind. At the show, Luxury Treasure Hunts has put together a mini teaser quest with a real prize for any winner: an incredible $10,000 voucher. Can you solve the King's riddle in time? Registration takes place at the show with awards to the top crews at the Award Ceremony. All captains are urged to send representatives forthwith and answer the King’s call!  

USVI Travel Advisory & Guidelines 

Thinking outside the box, IGY Marinas has put in place special benefits for Europe-based brokers. The show is providing private flights for some brokers to travel from Antigua to attend the CCYS in St. Thomas, removing logistical barriers to enable business opportunities. Throughout the show there will be complimentary airport transfers and shuttles running between hotels and the Show.

Safety and security for attendees is paramount and additional security will be in place at CCYS. There will also be up-to-date information regarding health protocols and on-site Covid testing for attendees prior to departing. The CCYS team is also working closely with the USVI Department of Health to adhere to all established protocols:

• The CCYS is a private superyacht charter event for registered brokers, exhibiting sponsors, and showcasing vessels only in alignment with the parameters set forth by the USVI Department of Health.
• The CCYS is a vaccinated only event - all invited guests and visitors must be pre-registered with the show and be on the master event list to attend by providing date of birth and proof of vaccination.
• CCYS guests must wear masks and carry their actual vaccination card at all times - a picture of the vaccination card on a phone is NOT accepted as proof of vaccination by the USVI Department of Health.
• All domestic travellers, five years of age or older and all International travellers, two years of age or older, who enter the USVI by air or sea, and anyone in transit to another destination, is required to use the USVI Travel Screening Portal and get cleared to travel to the USVI. https://www.usvitravelportal.com 

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