Andrew Allan would always end up on some harbour quayside during family holidays admiring boats that he thought he would never be able to afford. But that dream became reality when he sold his business and chartered a Fairline Phantom 50 for a week in Mallorca – holidays would never be the same again. In 2015, Andrew became the owner of a brand new Princess 52 courtesy of boats.co.uk – Princess Motor Yacht Sales’ dealer partner on the island of Mallorca.
Situated on the Southeastern side of the island of Mallorca, Marina de Cala d’Or (translated Golden Cove) offered the perfect location for the new boat. Not pretentious, friendly with great facilities and waterside restaurants and vibrant bars, the marina provided the perfect family environment. With white sand and crystal clear blue turquoise water, Cala is just a short cruise from the marina, there is no shortage of idyllic places to anchor up for the day and relax. And for exploring further afield, the islands of Cabrera, Menorca and Ibiza are all within easy reach.
Living just twenty minutes from Gatwick airport with regular flights to Palma, the journey for the Allan family is not onerous. “The flight is two hours, we only ever take hand luggage and after collecting the hire car we are on the boat ninety minutes after landing at Palma airport. We visit around eight weeks a year between late May and October although this will become more frequent now the children have flown the nest”.
When Andrew decided it was time to buy a new boat, he was attracted to Princess by the evolved styling of the latest models. “I particularly dislike the modern angular designs of some brands but the styling and detail of the new Princess models has come on leaps and bounds in recent years” commented Andrew. “The galley aft arrangement works really well in the Med where you spend most of the day on deck leaving the lower level for dedicated sleeping accommodation”. The new Princess 52 arrived in Cala d’or on the 1st August.
So what does the Princess 52 offer over the previous boat and what features stand out? “There are so many…..where do I start?” enthused Andrew. “In addition to the aft galley layout, the extra volume and feeling of space that the latest Princess design and production techniques deliver is amazing. The master stateroom is luxurious with full standing headroom throughout, the sound insulation creates a feeling of real comfort and quality and the boat is a dream to handle both at sea and in the confines of the marina. The smooth controls and hold functions of the bow and stern thrusters make stern to berthing much easier”.
Princess Motor Yacht sales will be opening a brand new sales office in Cala D’Or in April, giving owners like Andrew, the opportunity to buy and berth their yachts in this beautiful marina.
