Ever since I went for a short yacht getaway several years ago when a friend proposed to his then-girlfriend, I’ve been longing to go for another yacht expedition. The reasons are pretty simple – A private yacht excursion is fun, exciting and extremely relaxing all at the same time. However, there is a general misconception associated with private yacht charters that it is extremely expensive and luxurious, so only the rich go for it. Even I think that way myself. So, when I saw Ximula Sail’s private yacht charter rates, I was really taken aback – It’s actually very affordable! That means everyone, not just the rich and famous, can go for yacht expeditions every now and then!
Ximula arrived in Singapore in 2013, and it is a beautiful 40-ft Lagoon 400 S2 sailing catamaran, which provides an ideal setting for a relaxing get-together with your loved ones. With a spacious interior and wide sun deck, Ximula can comfortably accommodate up to 18 guests! And that was what I did a couple of weeks ago – My family boarded Ximula with 14 other friends. In total, we had 10 adults and 8 kids on our expedition!
Just look at all our excited faces before setting off!
You must be curious about what the yacht looks like, right? Let me bring you on a visual tour!
Interior
Air-conditioned saloon (living area) that can seat comfortably up to 9 guests. With direct access to the outdoor cockpit, the galley (kitchen area) offers a connecting point between the guests indoor and the ones outdoor. The large vertical hull windows allow natural light to illuminate the entire interior and offer a 360-degree visibility from the saloon.
Back Of Yacht: Cockpit
A great area for guests to gather over food, drinks or games, the cockpit can seat comfortably up to 12 guests.
For us, we didn’t gather at the cockpit at all. It was the place we kept all our baggage. =P Remember we were parents with young kids, so everyone came with huge bags!
Upper Deck/ Rooftop
On the upper deck, the roof extends from over the cockpit to the front deck, creating a huge lounging space for guests to enjoy the breathtaking views of Singapore’s skyline or southern islands as we sail out.
Front of Yacht: Trampoline
The spacious front deck features my favorite spot – the trampoline that is able to withstand up to 400 kg. You can feel free to sit or lie on the trampoline and savor the cool, refreshing breeze while sailing, which we did!
At the end of our four-hour charter, all of us had red faces from the sun (Thank God for superb weather!) and big wide smiles on our faces. It was great company in a great setting with great fun and I would do it over and over again, if I get to choose! After this wonderful experience, Ximula Sail would be my default choice when it comes to private yacht charter, and here are five reasons why I think you should hesitate no more, and go charter Ximula right away:
1. The yacht is spacious, comfortable and luxurious.
The yacht was big enough for all 18 of us with lots of moving space. There are even two bedrooms in the lower deck of the yacht for children to nap if they get tired. The bathroom/toilet in the yacht is not big, but has everything you need – Standing shower, sink, shampoo and bath gel. Your guests can conveniently bathe and freshen up after playing at sea and on the beaches.
2. The yacht charter is very affordable.
This could be one of your most important considerations when it comes to chartering a private yacht. Chartering Ximula is really very affordable. Check out their rates:
Weekend 4-Hour Rate:
S$ 1,000 for 10 pax or less.
Each additional guest at S$ 80/pax.
Choose between 2 timeslots: Morning (10AM - 2PM) / Afternoon (3PM - 7PM)
Charter extension is possible at S$ 100/hour before 10AM (for Morning Session) or after 7PM (for Afternoon Session).
Weekday 2-Hour Rate:
S$ 700 for 10 pax or less.
Each additional guest at S$ 60/pax.
Each additional hour at S$ 100/hour.
Any preferred timing is possible.
*Public Holidays & Eves of Public Holidays are considered as Weekends.
This essentially means that if you charter Ximula during the weekends for 4 hours, and you have 18 guests, every guest only pays slightly more than $90! I think that’s super reasonable for so much fun at sea with your friends! Plus, yacht charter is not something you do all the time. If you are celebrating a special event such as a birthday, anniversary or proposal, it’s even more worth it!
3. The folks at Ximula are very flexible & accommodating.
Captain Wong and his daughter, Minqi (the owners of Ximula) would be the ones who would bring you and guests out for your expedition. During my correspondences with Minqi prior to the trip, she was always prompt and polite. There is a proposed standard itinerary that would be given to you but they are open to ideas and suggestions if you would like to do something different. They also provided details on what to expect onboard, list of items to bring, useful tips etc, and that really makes my planning a breeze!
Once we got onboard, Minqi acted like a tour guide and would point out different islands to us as we sailed past them. When we reached Lazarus island where we played with kayaks and swam, she also assisted with the life jackets and kayaks throughout the duration. She quickly became our friend and the favorite person to the kids onboard!
4. The yacht is well-equipped & well-stocked.
When chartering Ximula, you will be advised to bring along your own food and drinks. That was great for us because we had kids and we certainly didn’t want to be charged for insanely-expensive catered food onboard that kids didn’t like. However, the yacht is well-equipped with microwave, stove, baking oven, ice cooler for 168 cans and refrigerator, so you can prepare your food easily onboard as well. Plastic wine glasses, paper plates, cutlery and ladles are provided as well. Apart from that, there is an audio system with headphone jack, CD input and FM radio, as well as multi-chargers for your various gadgets and devices. This essentially means that you and your friends can just bring your own food and come onboard, and everything else is provided for you at no extra cost. That’s super convenient and excellent service, in my opinion!
5. A yacht expedition is a unique experience.
For many of my friends, it was their first time onboard a yacht, and everyone really enjoyed it. It was a unique experience that would leave us memories for a long time. We took the standard itinerary as proposed by Ximula Sail – We departed from One Degree 15 and went for a 90-minute tour around the Southern Islands (Sisters’ Island, St John’s Island & Kusu Island) before disembarking at Lazarus island for the kids to play on the beach. Then we spent another 2 hours playing around the yacht, kayaking, swimming and jumping off from the yacht into the sea (the kids’ favorite and they did it so many times!). Kayaks are provided by Ximula Sail as well, and there are single kayaks as well as three-men kayaks. Towards the end, even the kids could kayak on their own! It was so much fun, really and we almost didn’t want to leave when it was time to go back to One Degree 15.
More on what we did on our expedition!
Arrived at Lazarus Island for our beach play and picnic.
Multiple jump-offs from yacht into the sea – And the kids go, ‘ONE MORE TIME!’
Kayaking & swimming was fun too!
On our return journey, our friends threw a surprise birthday party onboard for the husband! It was certainly a very sweet end to our wonderful expedition.
Thank you Ximula Sail for such an incredible experience with my family and friends! Finally, I feel I can say that I ended 2015 with a big bang!
So what are you still waiting for? Charter Ximula and go for an unforgettable expedition with your friends. You won’t regret it. :)
Website: www.ximulasail.com | Phone: +65-87161519 | Email: ximulasail@gmail.com
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GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to Ximula Sail, I have two x $300 voucher from Ximula to give away to two readers! Please participate in this giveaway via Rafflecopter. Giveaway closes on 9 Jan 2016.
a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: The J Babies was provided with a complimentary 4-hour charter on Ximula Sail for review purposes. No other financial compensation was received. The photos used in this post are personal (with rights belonging to my friends and I) as well as taken from Ximula Sail’s official website. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.
