Our YachtQuarters shared ownership programme has been designed to meet owners in the middle – a flexible system in which eight owners come together to own a share of the yacht and her schedule. Of course, there is a great deal of management involved both prior to purchase and during ownership, and the latter is where our YachtQuarters Manager, Juliano Meirelles, comes in.
Juliano is the eyes and ears on the ground in Mallorca, preparing the yacht for her owner’s arrival and ensuring everything is in place for each owner to enjoy a stress-free vacation. We spoke to Juliano to understand the YachtQuarters ownership experience; what to expect when you arrive at your yacht in Mallorca, and how the annual schedule is managed successfully between a set of owners.
Firstly, can you tell us a bit about your role within the YachtQuarters team and your responsibilities?
I am the YachtQuarters Programme Manager, so everything associated with the yacht and owners after purchase comes under my remit. My primary responsibility is to ensure that each owner can spend quality time on board their yacht with their friends and family, completely stress-free. In the winter months, we get the yacht ready – preparing the annual budgets, ensuring the owners have booked their weeks on board and servicing the yacht ready for her first outing. Once the yacht is on the water, I ensure she is in perfect working order and everything is running smoothly with the help of our onboard crew and Princess team here in Mallorca.
We send each of our owners a preference form prior to the boating season. Here, they can tell us which weeks they would like to come on board (a set of weeks is available during peak and mid-season), any desires and needs whilst they are on board, and their preferred itinerary. Understanding this information from our owners at the beginning means we can arrange for the yacht to be cleaned, prepared and serviced for each trip, without fail.
Currently, there is a Princess 64 yacht in Mallorca running with a set of owners. Can you tell us how that is performing?
The Princess 64 shared ownership programme kicked off in 2020. As you can imagine, this year, the schedule was affected by the pandemic; however, we made sure our owners each had opportunities to come and enjoy their yacht. The owners themselves are from a mixture of backgrounds – although mainly from the UK – and they have been busy sailing around the Balearics since the programme began; we have received fabulous reviews regarding the experience so far.
What can an owner expect when they arrive at their yacht in Mallorca, ready to cruise away?
In a nutshell, the owner can do just that. They travel with their friends and family to Mallorca, and we take care of the rest. We will turn around the yacht prior to their arrival, ensuring she is clean, fully stocked with essentials, food and drink, plus any personal belongings or requests are onboard for the owner. I know each of the owners well, so I am usually on board waiting for the owner and their guests to arrive. From the moment they do, their itinerary for the week is completely up to them – some stay locally, anchoring in nearby bays and making the most of the coastline in Mallorca. Others like to do day trips to neighbouring islands or explore further afield. As we live in Mallorca, we know this island and the Balearics incredibly well; we can advise on the best places to go, and we can pre-book restaurants and more prior to their arrival.
In your experience, why is shared ownership a good alternative to owning outright?
For me, the YachtQuarters shared ownership programme is an easy solution to owning a yacht and ensures that you really make the most of your time on board. A lot of owners, especially here in the Mediterranean, really have little time over the year to spend on their yachts. So, this ownership programme allows owners to still own a share of a luxury yacht, for a fraction of the cost of purchasing outright. At the end of the four-year programme, the yacht is sold and this is shared amongst the owners – so you get a bit back too!
Finally, tell us more about you. What do you like to do in your spare time and what brought you to Mallorca?
What is there not to love here in Mallorca? The sun shines for most of the year, we have fantastic beaches and the seas are warm! In my spare time, I’m most likely to be out on the water. I enjoy water sports, mainly paddle boarding and surfing. Otherwise, I like to look after myself and stay fit with trips to the gym and playing football with friends – I’m a lover of the outdoors, so seek freedom and adventure where possible.
