Different Mallorca Report

[Planty]

Went over to Mallorca too at the weekend, 2 reasons, one Wifes birthday so bit of a treat and two, reacquaint myself with the beautiful (IMHO) elegance range of boats at the Palma Boatshow.

For both purposes cracking trip, (that 64, custom built with 3 cabin & double garage for Rib & Ski, will be mine, one day, soon actually) but if I had to do that trip just to get to my boat I could see it lasting about a month! Lovely place, lovely marinas, nice people, great weather but what a pain in the buttocks that trip is.

"Only takes 2 hours", In your dreams! check in 2 hours before, 2 - 21/2 hour flight dependent on outward or inbound, another hour on picking up baggage getting cab etc. more like 5 - 51/2 hours you mean and that each way and just for a weekend, forget it!

Another thing, recently have flown through, Birmingham , Singapore, Barcelona, Stansted, Heathrow, Gatwick, Berlin, Alicante and others and have never ever had to virtually strip down to T shirt & underpants to get through security!! First money, phone etc in tray, no probs, then trouser belt, jeans cos rivetted, jacket as zip metal, and on and on. And all by the most obnoxious bunch of trumped up little hitlers I've encountered in a long time. Not just me Hen Party before us nearly got very interesting!! Which is another thing get very few drunken groups destroying our calm on the M40 & A34 as I drive down to Southampton. Plus "eat at Palma Airport" what a joke, £20 for 4, warmed up saveloys in a dry roll and 4 drinks!! Mind you airport really good if your in training for a walking marathon, all flights to UK seem to be gate 41 - 49 which is of course the longest possible walk!!

Do the drive to Southampton every weekend virtually and cost even now about £64 return, but you hear, "Its only £19 return to Spain" Yeah balls it is, booked weeks/months, not years, before and total for 4 of us on Mytravellite.com, £400+ !! Really gonna do that every weekend no matter how "organised" we were!!

I can see the attraction if one just boats now & then and can go for perhaps a week+ but if like us you live to use the boat as much as you can, 12 months of the year, forget anything that involves air travel. All IMHO of course. Paul

 

[Magnum]

Yep, not far wrong. It took us 6 hours door to door, but then again we do have a 4 hour trip to Torquay. I reckon I could get it down to 5 or 5 1/2 with a bit of planning and using different departure airports. For me, compared to what we do now the extra few hours is more than compensated by the sunshine.

Yes the airport security was very OTT at Palma. I mean, I had to take off my watch, and then they expected me to lay it in some crummy placcy tray. Fortunately I had a fresh kleenex handy to lay it on /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Walk to the gates is the longest I've ever experienced. I am sure this is purely down to cutting costs for budget airlines.

You really must get yourself a Priority Pass for private airport lounges. The one at Palma is very trendy and was empty, especially of screaming kids and vomitting babies. Some nice hot and cold snacks, soft and hard drinks, papers etc all free. You can get one with most top-drawer credit cards. Get your missus a spare card too, otherwise they'll bill you £15 a time for her.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Planty, I agree with you and I have (had) my boat in Majorca. It takes 5-6 hrs door to door to get anywhere in Europe which makes a weekend on the boat too much of a hassle. The shortest period we go for is 3 days and even then you're almost thinking about going home as soon as you arrive. Anyone with school age kids like us should think carefully about locating their boat in the Med
I always try to minimise the hassle of flying to the boat and for me that means departing from a nearby airport, having the boat near the arrival airport, using taxis at both ends, avoiding budget airlines and packing hand baggage only. On line or electronic check-in on some airlines means you can arrive later for check-in. I used to always book the cheapest flights but now I book flights on the basis of least hassle even if it costs me more which is why we end up using BA or Bmi most of the time
Yup, Palma airport is a pain but think of the calories you're burning. That walk is worth an extra helping of paella and another bottle of Torres

 

[Planty]

Got a Priority Pass with Black Amex, used loads of times, very good everywhere I agree but times we had to fly all closed. When we went in October 04, suites were brill very modern and as you say quiet. All closed at 11pm and we were scheduled to fly back at 9pm so would have been greatbut got rescheduled to 01.50am so could only check in @ 11.50pm so missed em this time.

Great Island though and lovely peoplen generally, just a real no no for us & boating, I think. Paul

Ps hope new boat is great. Sure it will be.

 

[Planty]

Hadn't thought about the exercise angle, but then those that know me will recall that of course I actually already have the body of a certain Mr Schwarzenegger at his peak!! (Not!!) Also agree with bit about Kids, what a pain is that now getting chaps off school??? 2 forms, 2 or 3 letters, kiss feet, apologise, genuflect for being such an awful parent. Had a cracker the other day had to write in to get permission for our eldest to take his driving test, got reply about how irresponsible it was to remove vchild from studies due to life requirements etc. As is getting your Driving Licence wasn't a life requirement!! ??

Still, think I'll keep Boat in Southampton and await ordering 64 until diesel issue sorted. Is beautiful and more like a small ship IMHO, what do you think ?> Elegance Yachts

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

You definitely see quite a few in the Majorca particularly Portals. I think they're a bit like Trader - designed and marketed in Europe (Germany?) but built in the Far East (Taiwan?). I know somebody who knows somebody who's got one and apparently they're dead chuffed with it. Loads of space and customising ability with a glitzy finish and a bearable price?
I tend to think that if a German company is controlling the design and build and Germans are buying them, they're probably not bad boats

 

[hlb]

Thanks for reminding me why I keep the boat in Plymouth. I can set off when I want, ok its a 4.5 hour maybe 5 hour drive. But at least I'm in control. My P35 still looks nearly as good as anything else around and it dont get to hot!!

 

[tcm]

tsk, help for Easyjet set.....

um look, if you are looking at £million+ boats you shouldn't be pratting about with Easyjet unless Confirmed Tightwad like me!

You should get a private jet, or a turbprop is slightly-tightwad but still good for 2hrs to Cannes or Nice. Half decent but oldish jet from £500k, nice one nearer a million, King Air turboprop doesn't need as much tlc and space for 8. Or rent one, of course.

You ringem up and they say ok we will schedule to leave at 5pm sir and you say ok well i will be there at 4:30 and they say ooh er well ok we'll schedule to leave at 4:35 sir and so on. You tellem exactly what food and drinks you want and they gettem. The same happens on the boat - you need a bit of crew on a bigger boats like 65plus really otherwise tons of hoovering etc etc.

Each individual plane has an Operator as listed in the er flight operator guide (?)flight charter guide website summink so you can find closest 4000 foot aerodrome runway and find the local cheap Lear or whatever and drive on the tarmac. Weird people in row B? - that's your kids....

Alternatively of course...how about a forum plane, hm? My idea for a name is Cannes Air, pronounced 'kin air...

 

[JKay]

Re: tsk, help for Easyjet set.....

We could get a helicopter as well!!

call it "kin 'ell"

cheers Joe

 

[burgundyben]

Yes, quite, it can take an age to get to the boat, sometimes, if I stop by the deli in the village for some provisions it extends the journey by a significant amount, get out of bed, brush teeth, quick splash, look out window, check weather, pull on shorts and tee shirt, grab keys, get in car, pull away, turn right, stop, buy lunch, turn left, park, its almost 10 mins since I got up.

I dont know why anyone would consider having the boat so far away.

TCM of course did not bring his boat to UK to have it closer to hand, he solely did it so that forumites had the pleasure of reading about (and taking part in) the epic voyage each way.

 

[jfm]

Planty you have hit on the most important thing to sort out for med boating imho, travel. But it can be done much better than you say. OK, if you live far from UK airport, or park boat far from o/seas airport then you are always gonna suffer. And if your nearest airports are LHR or LGW, the trip will always be longer. But if you fix those things it's a doddle. I too was in the med this weekend, France, but the travel time was much less than you say.

Say you live within 30mins of Luton/Stansted. Park in short stay. Always arrive check in desk 40-35min before flight, never earlier. Use PP lounge card as you say. Flight (to Nice) is about 1hr 50. Easyjet is very punctual. Never take hold luggage. Always sit forwardish in plane, so first off. Always taxi to boat (20mins) never rent a car. If you do rent a car, use Hertz Gold and they have it waiting for you outside arrivals, no queue. If you add contingency time into your schedule, make it 10-15mins not a blimmin hour or more

As you say Palma airport is massive. But Nice airport is tiny. It takes max 4 mins to walk fast from plane door to your taxi. It takes 15seconds to walk from your taxi to the checkin desk. Those times are literal, no exaggeration. So you gotta look at the whole deal in deciding where to locate a Med boat, and imho avoid Palma airport

Doing it this way I leave home 6am for a 7.10 Luton flight Saturday. On boat at 10.45am local, 9.45 UK time. Coming home sunday the taxi met me at the boat 8.40pm French time for a 9.50flite , I was home at 11.30pm UK time. That's a very full weekend on the boat

I know thats about 4 hours each way but most of it is being driven so you can work/read/snooze. Whereas the drive to UK S Coast requires you to concentrate for the full 4 hours, yuk.

I agree with you about prices, these so-called bargain fares dont really exist for friday night/Sat am, and sunday evening flights. But your boat is called Damn The Expense, innit? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Sometimes you will be able to do midweek flights, loads cheaper eg £30 each way approx

 

[aswade]

Re: tsk, help for Easyjet set.....

tcm,

Even a self-professed tightwad like yourself can see the value of your time, no? Had to meet my boss for a meeting last week in a small town not served well by the airlines. Took me 8 hours door to door due to two changes of planes. Flying back with him on his jet, took me two hours between the same two cities. Not having to deal with lines and security hassles also worth something surely.

Re: Elegance yachts, they are sold as Horizons over here. Loads of space for length; can customize layout unlike UK, Italian production builders; and dead cheap with weak dollar. Quality has gotten much better in recent years- the best Taiwanese built boats can now stand up to a comparison with the European builders quite favourably. To my eye, they still lack a certain amount of style versus an Azimut or Ferretti and the interiors still don't look quite right regardless of the granite, marble finishes etc.

 

[itsonlymoney]

So how much on average is the travel cost per weekend to Nice ?

 

[Planty]

Re: tsk, help for Easyjet set.....

Take your point about not being as "Stylish" as Italian designs but for me thats a good thing. Perhaps its just me but I simply don't like the way the italians are going with the window shapes etc. Wouldn't mind betting that in a few years their going to be as desirable as an Avocado Bathroom Suite is now. Purely my opinion. Perhaps I'm getting staid in my dotage??

Also agree about build quality of Elegance, indeed whilst I haven't been on all makes of boats by any means but the solidity / feel / dimensions of say the deck fittings are second to none. The installations look superb and all the fabrics, upholstery, cutlery, dinnerware etc are all chooseable from very refined designer houses and even better included in the price. In fact if one orders the double garage version it comes with a 2 seater Jetski (Yam or Seadoo) & Avon 320 Rib included!! Wood choice is totally optional from blush blond to cherry again at no ecxtra cost.

My mate is also looking at 64 and has had it confirmed that it would be possible to include a 2 man hot tub on the Flybridge!!! Wow factor or what!!

Had a Sea Trial taking the 64 back from Palma to Andratx ?? on sunday, felt terrific, 25 knots on Man 1300's and dirty bottom, solid as a rock, lady wife walked along gunwhales to front deck seat at full chat and as we hit ferry wake. Certainly couldn't do that on 64 Manhattan we trialled earlier. Bulwarks at least 500mm high, at least 400mm wide, no steps all around boat with handrails taken off QM2. The 92 was the best boat I have ever been on, fantastic decor, use of space etc and quite possible to duplicate on 64 I was assured.

Very quiet in board and nothing moved, semi displacement yet very responsive to helm, not a sports boat or Manhattan style feel but far more responsive than our F43 that has never really disappointed anyway. I think 21 knot cruising would be doable just disel issue that is a concern due to lpm is going to be a lot higher than F43.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Admire the military precision in that, jfm, but there's little or no contingency for cock-ups, traffic jams or late French taxi drivers and, if you're travelling en famille with easyjet, you're gonna have to get there a bit earlier to get an earlier number to get on the plane earlier to get seats together. If there's one thing I've learnt about travel is that leaving yourself plenty of time reduces the stress when something goes pear shaped as it inevitably will do sometimes, especially with SWMBO and kids involved. Different philosophy, I spose

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Last year we averaged £547 per return trip to Spain to visit our boat for 2 adults + 1 child (paying full fare) using a variety of airlines incl BA, Bmi, Easyjet and Monarch out of LHR,LGW and Luton. I didnt see a huge difference in cost between any airline, they all try to compete on price

 

[Nat]

Anyone thought about or considered Alicante.
Lovely marina, Good security Easy cruising range of Balaerics, Cheaper moorings, inc service package with airport pick up & welcome pack thrown in. There's quite a few super yachts in there. from what I've learned/expeianced the Balearics is vastly overated & very expensive. I looked at a Searay(10metres) in Portals last year
They wanted £5000 pounds not euros + water & leccy p/a for the mooring.
Pals boat in Alicante, Astondoa Open 40 is the same money but includes cleaning, airport pick up & drop off, welcome pack inc bottle of bubbly. free water & leccy.& believe me if they dont know you you will not get onto the pontoons.
........Nat

 

[jfm]

Tis all philosophy. Best thing for cockups is not to worry bout em. I take 8-10 flights a month and if I got there 45mins earlier than I needed for every one thats 6 hours a month wasted. The cockups happen once in a blue moon (car puncture or summink) and if that happens just get the next flight. There's one every coupla hours (to Nice). Ok the next flight will delay you a couple of hours and a severe credit card hit but a flight-miss cockup should happen about twice a year, so I'm well in credit wiv my 6hours/month saved

Agree re early number/seats together. We just sit apart or find a few pairs of seats!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

We were moored in Denia for some of last year which is about 1 hour north of Alicante. We found 2 probs with that bit of coastline. It seems more windy there than the Balearics and the sea can cut up quite rough especially off the headlands. There are not many if any anchorages where you can shelter from the onshore easterly wind which seems to prevail a lot especially when augmented by the afternoon sea breeze
In the Balearics you can usually find an anchorage to get out of the wind basically because you can go one side of whatever island you're on or the other. Portals is notoriously expensive, about twice the cost of the Palma marinas

 

[jfm]

Over the year I spect we average £175 ish per person return. We mostly use easyjet, occasionally BA but I dont really like Heathrow. But you could do mebbe 2/3rd of this - we don't book early enough. If you add car park (£31 for weekend Luton short stay) and taxi in France (60 euros each way for a shagged Renault, 80 for airconned merc) then it would be in the order of £900-£1000 say for a family of 4 per weekend, or say £600 if you were better at booking early. Erk.