Yacht Haven Grande St Thomas

Speak with any marina manager, and he or she will tell you that the key to getting business from megayachts is getting the approval of the captain and crew. As much as catering to owners and guests is important, crewmembers are even more crucial to take care of. If a yacht is going to be tied to the dock for days (or weeks) on end, amenities for them and, equally important, appreciation are needed.

Island Global Yachting (IGY) recognized this when it introduced its IGY Anchor Club last year, a loyalty program for captains and crew. To date the club has 200 members, significant enough for IGY to expand the awards and rewards to entice even more participation.

While 20 points will still be earned for each night’s stay, captains can now receive $100 gift certificates for the participating marinas’ restaurants, once the yacht completes 45 slip nights. (The slip stays don’t have to be at just one IGY marina; they can be at any of the marinas in the program.) If the yacht completes 75 slip nights, the benefits increase, with the captain entering the Presidential Level of the program. Captains can redeem their points for merchandise in a catalog created for the IGY Anchor Club, for example. They also receive another $100 restaurant gift certificate, and the marina will host a barbecue for the full crew. Ultra-loyal captains who have their yachts complete 125 nights are granted Chairman’s Level rewards. These include $200 hotel or restaurant certificates, preferred dock location, and watersports or other marina-hosted activities for the crew.

So far eight IGY marinas are participating in the program, including Yacht Haven Grande (pictured) in St. Thomas; Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia; The Yacht Club at Isle de Sol and Simpson Bay Marina, both in St. Maarten; and Newport Yacht Club in New Jersey. Others throughout the Caribbean, USA, Europe, and Middle East are expected to join them.

To join the IGY Anchor Club, visit any IGY marina office or the dedicated Web site.

Written by: Diane Byrne
Diane M. Byrne is the founder and editor of the daily updated website Megayacht News. A longtime yachting writer, she also contributes to Yachts International, Boat Exclusive, and other magazines. She is additionally a member of the International Superyacht Society Board of Directors and Vice Chair of the U.S. Superyacht Association.