At 700,000 euros per week, the charter market in any part of the Caribbean narrows to a handful of the world most famous megayachts: vessels from 110 to 130 metres whose global celebrity, owner history and operating standards place them in a category that transcends the conventional charter industry. Their presence in Guadeloupe is notable precisely because this archipelago is not their most obvious Caribbean stage.
Those vessels that do spend time in Guadeloupe waters bring an extraordinary depth of programme and resource. A helicopter as standard rather than optional. A submersible for underwater exploration of the reef around Pigeon Island Marine Reserve. A wine cellar of 600 or more bottles curated by a sommelier. A spa programme delivered by therapists trained to resort standard. A dive programme led by a PADI Course Director with specialist knowledge of the Eastern Caribbean reefs.
The anchorages suited to a 110 to 130 metre vessel in Guadeloupe are fewer in number but more dramatic in setting: the deep outer Saintes channel off Terre-de-Haut, the open roadstead off Pointe-a-Pitre with the mangrove coast visible to the north, and the anchorage off the black-sand coastline on Basse-Terre south coast. The itinerary extends without effort to Dominica, Martinique or Antigua in a single overnight passage.
The APA runs to 200,000 euros or above, reflecting the scale of operations and the depth of programming that a vessel of this size requires.
