CRUISING WITH THE CORRECT ON BOARD ETIQUETTE

CRUISING is one of the showbizlion.com’s favourite pastimes, whether it’s on the med, in the Caribbean or closer to home shores. 

It’s important therefore to know what to do when you are on board your ship or yacht. 

If you’re single it’s even more important to know the right kind of etiquette. 

We got some tips from Seeking.com, a community where singles are empowered to find relationships on their terms, encouraging upfront and honest communication for an elevated dating experience.  

So what is YACHT ETIQUETTE? 
When you date up, you’re no longer going to be sitting in dive bars and scratching in the peanut bowl. With an upgrade in the quality of your date, comes an upgrade in the location too. It’s essential then, when you’re invited on those Summer cruises along the coast, that you know your docksiders from your flip flops, and your jet skis from your underwater scooters.

1. SAILS OUT, NAILS OUT
   Your toes will be on display, so make sure that they don’t have any benign fungus growing there. It’s best to opt for a good manicure regardless of your gender, and open-toed sandals that can easily be removed when you hit the decks.
   
   
2. SAFETY FIRST
   Life jackets aren’t just a decorative accessory. It’s essential to listen to the crew’s advice on how to stay safe, and remember to pack a sunscreen that is waterproof, as well as to apply it before and after going into the water. Watch out for sea spray when walking on the bow of the yacht; you won’t want to take an unplanned dip in the deep end, and try not to capsize the jet ski when you’re trying to impress the rest of the boat; while they will come to a halt, they can be heavy, and if you’re too far out, swimming back might not be a pleasant experience. You would be surprised just how easy it is to flip one over.
   
   
3. WHARF WEAR
   On yachts, it is important to dress the part. While throwing on a bikini or one piece is easy, chances are you’re going to have to transition from daywear, to night wear for dinner. A coverup that can double as a classy evening piece is essential, as well as a change of clothes for when you’re heading back to shore. This is the chance to leave high heels at home, but also the chance to show off a beautiful pair of sandals or an ankle bracelet. Think: a wrap dress that you can easily throw on over a costume for an intimate dinner with your date, and an elegant high ponytail to keep your hair untangled.
   
   
4. WHERE HAS ALL THE CHAMPAGNE GONE?
   Don’t drink too much. While sundowners on a yacht is probably the pinnacle of human existence, it is better to err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to open that next bottle of Dom. Dehydration from the sun and seawater, as well as the impulse to have a “hold my glass and watch this” moment are all factors in why it’s better to switch to water after you’re a few drinks in.
   
   
5. (WO)MAN OVERBOARD
   Just because you’re on a luxury yacht, that doesn’t mean you have to stay glued to the deck all day. The water is where the fun is, so slip into a wetsuit, and get out on the water. This is the place to try something new, to jump on that jet ski, or to take your life into your hands on the hoverboard. Just make sure you tighten up that life jacket, and refer to tip no.4.

So there you have it, the ideal way of behave at sea. Now let’s become sea lions ;)

CRUISE LOVERS WILL ADORE THIS GREEK DREAM DAY TRIP

We’ve been treading water over these last months but with a green light from London, Greece reopens to British travellers from May 17. 

With tens of thousands of holidays deferred from last summer, and Greece topping the UK charts for new bookings, it’s reasonable to predict that the islands and beaches are going to be busy. 

But for many of us, crowds, queues, masks and enforced social distancing are the irritants of everyday life, so why would we want to encounter them on holiday? 

The Greece of our dreams exists outside the constraints of the pandemic. It’s a place of seas as clear and as blue as the sky; of hidden beaches; and ancient villages untroubled by the anxieties of modern life. 

It’s an empty beach on heart-shaped Daskalio Island; coffee in a fisherman’s café in Napflion with views, literally, of Arcadia; and having heavenly Ververoda Bay all to yourself. 

While others stake their claim on congested beaches, you can have a bit of luxury to yourself with the help of Yannis and Veneta Vasatis of Spetses Cruising. 

They’ve spent 40 years exploring their local waters for the sheer joy of it, and now they’re sharing their knowledge with aficionados in search of the Greece they always suspected was out there but perhaps could never find. 

And they’re doing it in head-turning style, with two state-of-the-art vessels: Nireas, a Nimbus T11 day boat with twin 350hp outboards; and Pytheas, an ultra-high performance 800hp RIB capable of 60 knots. 

Both offer the luxury of a superyacht with the speed and agility of a powerboat on full or half-day trips to the Argolic Gulf, the Athenian Riviera; the Eastern Peloponnese, Saronic gulf and the Western Cycladic islands of Milos, Serifos, Sifnos and beyond.

 Spetses Cruising also offers first-class limousine services, allowing you to start your holiday in style, from the moment your feet land in Greece. 

What you do is up to you – Spetses Cruising promises only that your trip will be “unforgettable, private, bespoke and luxurious” - but Yannis recommends perhaps a picnic on the island of Dokos – population 18; private tours of the citadel town of Monemvasia; visits to a hidden blue bay he describes as “the most wonderful swimming spot in the world”, where the onboard toys, including sea scooters, snorkelling gear and paddle boards, can be deployed; and long lunches at that taverna: the one the superyacht crowd will never find. 

Full day trips inclusive of a tailored itinerary start from around £1700, based of eight sharing, with pickups from Athens, Spetses, Porto Heli, Hydra, Nafplion and Monemvasia.

If you can get the people and the cash together to sounds like an ideal way and the ultimate luxury setting to blow away the lockdown cobwebs - and just think of the Insta pics too. 

 Spetses Cruising