Ever dreamed of partying on a superyacht like Kylie Jenner et al but don’t have the celebrity budget or high flying circle of friends to play with?
Well, on a recent trip to Miami to celebrate a friend’s 40th birthday, I discovered a whole world of boat chartering, where a luxury vessel can be as little as renting a car for a day.
My friend Jared Kleinman, who recently moved to Miami from New York, decided he wanted a boat party for his big bash, with a fleet of boats coming together for an afternoon of fun in the sun.
He declared in his party invite email that the aim was ‘to rent as many boats as it takes to create the greatest armada of ships the Biscayne Bay has ever seen!’
The ‘Jargatta,’ as he christened it, involved five boats in total to shuttle around 60 people and while Jared had a local broker to wrangle four yachts, I stumbled across boat hire firm Getmyboat where I opted for a luxury $2.7 million boat.
On a recent trip to Miami DailyMail.com’s Sadie Whitelocks discovered a whole world of boat chartering, where a luxury vessel can be as little as renting a car for a day
Sadie stumbled across boat hire firm Getmyboat where she opted for a luxury $2.7 million boat, pictured
There were going to be 13 people on our boat, as according to Miami law, that is the maximum number of passengers per vessel ‘no matter the size of the vessel or the age of the passenger.’
This meant, divided between our party, the Azimut 70 would cost just $160 per person for the day.
The 70ft boat is certainly something to book if you’re looking to make a grand impression.
It has an open upper deck, a generously-sized covered space to lay out food and drink towards the back, and a large padded area to lay on towards the pointed bow.
Moving indoors, there is a spacious living room and dining area upstairs, while there are two bathrooms below deck along with a master cabin and two twin rooms.
According to ItBoat, the model (ours was from 2016) originally sold for around $2.7 million but it is no longer in production and the price of used models varies.
Booking a boat with Getmyboat was just as easy as booking a car.
I selected the pick up point and the times and I booked a captain and crew separately (another requirement by Florida law) thanks to a recommendation through the boat owner.
All of the boats were docked at Miami Beach Marina, and our vessel was located at Dock B and slip 14.
There were 13 people on the boat, as according to Miami law, that is the maximum number of passengers per vessel ‘no matter the size of the vessel or the age of the passenger’
The 40th birthday host Jared with his wife Alex. He said he wanted ‘to rent as many boats as it takes to create the greatest armada of ships the Biscayne Bay has ever seen!’
Divided between Sadie’s party, the Azimut 70 cost just $160 per person for the day
Just as I had arranged via the app, the boat was ready and crewed at midday and we were allowed to bring all of our own food and drinks aboard, with coolers, ice, and glassware supplied.
All of the boats did a brief tour around Miami’s Biscayne Bay before converging at a meeting point.
I had been to Miami several times but never dipped my toe into the world of boat parties and it’s certainly quite a scene.
The waters around the party city are writhing with boats of all sizes, with revelers lapping up the sunshine and the watery surrounds.
Many boats we passed had bikini-clad passengers twerking away and as the hours passed by, the party atmosphere on our boats steadily increased too.
The crew were obviously used to this kind of set up, and one of the crew mates, Meli, did multiple rounds with a bottle of tequila and shot glasses to ensure spirits were kept high.
Talking to experienced sailor captain Eduardo, he says that the boats are in constant demand in Miami and the rental market is big business.
As a result, he says that there are many scammers out there so booking through reputable sites such as Getmyboat gives the customer a better peace of mind.
After several hours of enjoying the confines of our fancy flotilla, it was time to head back to the marina.
Eduardo had a sunset charter to prepare around, while Meli’s job was to clear the decks for the new passengers.
Once to land, everyone agreed the day on the water had been lots of fun.
And now I realize booking a yacht is as easy as renting a car, the idea of Jargatta round two has already been floated.
HOW TO PARTY IN MIAMI IN STYLE
In terms of accommodation, the Moxy Miami South Beach is very close to the marina and around a five minute taxi ride away. The hip retro-style hotel offers 202 rooms, with many serving up prime ocean views. The cleverly designed space saving rooms feature floor to ceiling windows, rain showers and efficient air conditioning to beat the Miami heat. Amenities include a gym, a 72-foot, cabana-lined pool, and multiple drinking and dining options.
Watch sunset from The Upside’s rooftop bar or head to Serena for a flavorful brunch. The open air restaurant dripping with tropical planting offers a range of Mexican inspired options, from punchy margaritas to fresh shrimp ceviche to warm churros. Come nightfall, the lounges Como Como and Mezcalista make for more seductive spaces.
The Moxy Miami South Beach is very close to the marina and around a five minute taxi ride away
Miami airport is less than 30 minutes to the Moxy South Beach, with luxury taxi transfer bookable with Blacklane. Rides can be scheduled in advance with clear and convenient communication.
The vessel Sadie booked is a 2016 70′ Azimut Flybridge yacht, able to host up to 13 passengers. It’s a captained experience with Marcel Perdomo, a top operator on Getmyboat who has extensive professional captain experience in Miami. The rate for this yacht charter starts at $405/hour, not including captain’s fees and fuel, which are arranged and paid for separately per Florida law.
In terms of Miami’s busiest time, Ultra Music Festival lands each year in March. For Ultra 2024 (March 22 – March 24) the music event will return to Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami for its 24th edition. The festival will feature headliners Adam Beyer, Afrojack, Calvin Harris, Camelphat, David Guetta, Peggy Gou, and more. Although Ultra Music Festival VIP tickets are completely sold out, there are still limited VVIP tables available.