WINTER 2011I sea&iI67Every fitting, furnishing and feature on each and everysuperyacht is meticulously designed and fitted to ensurethat, as you move through the yacht, style and comfort areseamlessly linked. Fabrics and materials range from exoticmarbles to Lalique crystal, silk upholstery and the finestEgyptian cotton bed linen.It will come as no surprise that entertainment on board hasalso reached revolutionary levels, with hundreds of CDs andDVDs available at the touch of a button in every cabin and allcommunal areas, and Jetstream enabling you to stay connectedto your chosen television channels regardless of where in theworld you cruise. ALL YOU NEEDCutting-edge technology has also revolutionised both safetyand comfort on board. The most rigorous systems ensuresecurityand safety at sea, while the likes of high-tech stabilisersmean that the motion of the waves can be minimised both underway and at anchor, completely transforming the experience fornervous or sensitive travellers. What's more, where once any self-respecting yacht wasproud if it had a swim platform and a modest selection of watersports equipment, now some of the leading yachts havededicated on-board 'beach clubs' (see page 26), while waterfun goes far beyond the classic staples of water-skis and canoesand extends to giant inflatable slides that transform the sea intoan endless playground, and SeaBobs that whisk you throughthe water like a dolphin. Some yachts even have dancefloors that can be lowered to convert into swimming pools;or helipads to deliver you direct to your vessel as rapidly andexclusively as possible, and to whisk you back ashore at yourevery whim. Spas have also seen an evolution on some yachts, often withone or more rooms set aside as a gym or treatment room, and,should you choose, the services of a professionalmasseur,beauty therapistor personal trainer can be provided on board. ULTIMATE SERVICE Dedication to service is also exemplary. Think bed sheets beingironed on the bed for a flawless finish, and washing machinesrunning up to 45 times a day to keep every towel, serviette anditem of clothing and linen pristine. Many yachts now also havespecial crew access areas so they can go about their workalmost invisibly, with the least intrusion into guest life. Add?

68Isea&iIWINTER 2011to the above Michelin-star worthy chefs dedicated to servingyour charter party and the level of luxury and hospitality istruly astounding. But it is not just the yachts themselves that are remarkable,it is also the opportunities they afford. New cruisingdestinations are opening up all the time, so as well as escapinginto pure isolation if the mood takes you, you can also nowexplore remote and celebrated areas that remain beyond thescope of other means of travel. Cruise the pearl-filled watersof Polynesia, encounter the unique creatures of Galapagos,journey to the Arctic to view the world under a shield of ice, orcruise your yacht for a ringside view of the world's most famoussights - Sydney Opera House, the Statue of Liberty, the HongKong skyline or ancient mystical temples along the Turkishcoastline. When it comes to ultimate travel, superyachts verymuch reach sky high. For the finest selection of yachts, visitwww.camperandnicholsons.comA LEAGUE OF THEIR OWNSkimming along the water on a yacht is one thing, plunging todepths of up to 914 metres (3,000 feet) in a pristine ocean isquite another - and the reality is becoming ever more accessible.With three-quarters of the earth's surface being underwater,this is one of the world's largely unexplored terrains and yachtowners and charterers in particular are lining up for the chanceto devote hours of their cruise to journeying vertically, ratherthan just horizontally. The world leader in the design and manufacture of mannedsubmersible technology is SEAmagine Hydrospace Corporation.Its self-propelled one-atmosphere, two- to three-person elec-tric submersibles offer dedicated attention to every detail fromthe cabin view to passenger comfort, pilot control, researchtools, artefact recovery, High-Definition video recording, ease ofoperation and, most importantly, safety. Comfortably seated within an acrylic sphere, passengersplunge beneath the waterline to see everything around them inthe wild and wonderful expanse of ocean. Fish and sea lifeswarm around the pod, offering a surreal bird's eye view ofthe underwater world as you travel, and you have completecontrol whether you want to whisk along, or hover gently,giving you the chance to scan the intricate wonders of ashipwreck, or to grab your video camera and record theremarkable sight of a school of dolphins playing mere inchesaway on the other side of the sphere.