SPRING-SUMMER 2012I sea&iI17oncharteralternative charter[destinations]LONDON, UKAs England gears up for the 2012 Olympic Games,London hotels and private properties are madlytouting for business as visitors flock to the city fora piece of the sporting action. The wise, however,will steer a course to St Katharine Docks to avoidthe crowds but still be at the heart of the action.Offering unique accommodation for ten guests, the36.5m (120' ) Seablue'z is a classic Benetti yachtthat easily lives up to the glamour and fun of theOlympics and is the perfect base from which toentertain in the evening. For charter rates duringthe Olympics, please ask your charter broker. THE BALTICIf you're looking for something a bit different interms of a yacht and cruising destination, youcould do no better than a charter on Silver Cloudin Northern Europe's Baltic region - which isparticularly in vogue right now thanks to StiegLarsson's literary masterpieces (set in Sweden),including The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Scandinavia is a fascinating area, with citiesand natural landscapes vying for attention onyour charter itinerary. Silver Cloud will be weav-ing around the Stockholm archipelago and thefjords of Norway, delivering an impressivelysmooth ride thanks to her SWATH (SmallWaterplane Area Twin Hull) design. She accom-modates 12 guests and her weekly charter ratestarts at ?160,000.SOUTH PACIFICMarooned in a vast ocean, the thousands ofislands of the South Pacific may be somewhatremote in terms of accessibility, but they morethan make up for the long journey. Along withrainforests, lagoons, coral reefs and acres ofocean, the region also has fascinating villages,colourful locals and intriguing cultures. Tahiti, Bora Bora and Fiji are a few of the morefamous islands on Odyssey's cruising radar thissummer, but the fun of a cruise around the SouthPacific is spending plenty of time on the opensea, putting your yacht through her paces andchancing upon the more remote and untouchedislands where you can experience a genuine trop-ical island paradise.Recently rebuilt, the 41.1m (134.5') Odysseyis a traditional Feadship with a classic, elegantinterior and expansive deck spaces, perfect forrelaxing or entertaining. Accommodating tenguests, Odyssey is a fantastically flexible yachtsuitable for all itineraries. Her weekly charterrate starts at US$125,000.NEW ENGLANDThe 34.47m (113') Top Times will be available for charter in New England this summer.Accommodating ten guests in five large, well-appointed staterooms, Top Times weekly charterrate starts at US$70,000. Guests can look forward to scenic towns along North America's east-ern seaboard, visiting some of New England's most compelling cities and islands, among themBoston, Maine, Newport, Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard. Feast on lobster, visitold fishing villages and live it up in the yachting capital of North America.Head further afield to discover a selection of lesser-known cruising grounds this summer

[Il CignoElegant and traditional from afar and a riot of bold colour on board, Il Cigno offers the best of both worlds]spotlight on18Isea&iISPRING-SUMMER 2012Pure white, sophisticated and graceful, Il Cigno is as much a queen ofthe water as you'd imagine from her name, which, translated from theItalian, means swan. When she was designed in 1985, she was givensharp exterior lines and, following several refits over the years to keepher in prime condition, her exterior remains sleek. Her interior, meanwhile,makes a statement with bright colours and arty graphics, creating a modernenvironment that is both as luxurious as a hotel and as welcoming as your ownhome. The main saloon has a 42" plasma television, as does the full-beammaster suite on the main deck, which also has an adjoining office and an en-suite marble bathroom with Japanese bath. On the lower deck, four en-suitestateroomscomprise two twin-bedded rooms and two queens. However inviting her interior may be, life on Il Cigno focuses on the compellingdestinations that she visits and her decks are designed to take full advantage ofthese. A sheltered alfresco dining area on the boat deck offers great views of thechanging skyline, the sun deck has a refreshment island and sun loungers so vastyou could lose yourself on them, while her water toys enable guests to make