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Monday, March 30, 2020

Escaping the pandemic in style


The Telegraph reports that those with huge wallets are self-isolating in luxury at sea.  And the phenomenon isn't even confined to the zillionaires who own super-yachts. Lubbers with deep pockets are hiring them, plus crew and menials, for months.

As Alan Tovey writes, The world’s rich are hoping to sit out the Covid-19 pandemic in luxury aboard vessels in remote locations, according to London-based yachtbroker broker Burgess.

“People are looking for ways to weather the storm and a yacht in a nice climate isn’t a bad place to self-isolate,” said Jonathan Beckett, chief executive of Burgess.
He added there is increased interest in “alternative” remote locations for cruises, such as Alaska, islands in the South Pacific and the tip of Chile.
“One family has taken a yacht for nine weeks, and we have also had two long-term bookings for yachts of 130ft and 230ft,” Mr Beckett said. “Clients are arranging for their children to be schooled on board, with cooking lessons from the yacht’s chef and time with the crew in the engine room learning about technology.”
One does have to wonder just how safe they are at sea.  After all, cruise ships are now likened to petri dishes. Beckett reckons that a yacht “in a nice climate isn’t a bad place to self-isolate.”  Storage capacity is generous, meaning the boat can stay at sea for a good long time, and cleanliness standards are very high.
But what about the crew?  Presumably, they are all examined physically before boarding, but if just one case got past the coronavirus test...
There's a thriller in it.

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