Magellan Jets And IYC Partner Up

When two leaders in their respective industries collaborate with an eye to benefitting customers, the results rarely disappoint. A recent invitation to experience the new travel partnership between Magellan Jets (a Boston-based private aviation firm that offers on-demand jet charter, jet card access, and a new pay-as-you-go membership lift option), and IYC (a Top 3 yacht brokerage know for its exceptional, curated, 110-vessel-strong charter fleet), underscored—in bold—that satisfying thought.

By offering a one-stop solution for coordinating and servicing seamless, safe and sumptuous private jet/yacht getaways, from soup to nuts, the partnership is timed perfectly as leisure travel, with a degree of security and reassurance, is once again on the table.

“Magellan Jets is honored to partner with IYC to bring our clients the best in yachting and private aviation,” said Magellan Jets Founder and CEO Joshua Hebert. “Our mutual commitment to safety, security and excellence guarantees our clients will always have exceptional experiences during their travels.”

For IYC’s part, Founder and CEO Stefanos Makrymichalos told us: “The partnership completes perfectly the personalized experience that IYC wishes to provide our clients. I am very excited about the prospects this relationship will create for both our companies.”

Coordination, Curated  

With a double-dose of customer service from two companies that live and die by it, the pre-trip process was easy and elegant. A detailed, but fun, questionnaire that gathered our group’s cruising and activity preferences (even some we hadn’t thought about) arrived beforehand from IYC. And similar pre-flight preferences were gathered by Magellan Jets, who also informed us about our flight details and expertly handled ground transportation needs. Magellan also handled the moving target of the Bahama’s health security system for us…again, easy and elegant.

At the National Jets FBO in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., the effortlessness of private jet travel was further enhanced by a brief champagne toast with IYC and Magellan staff before we made the 15-second walk to our Magellan Jets’ Citation X jet on the tarmac for a quick flight to Nassau, The Bahamas, to board our waiting IYC yacht for the trip, Loon.

At the reception, IYC’s Makrymichalos pre-ambled us: “Get ready for something special…Loon is an outstanding vessel.”

We were boarded, seated, and wheels up on the impressively equipped jet in less time than you’d spend in a very short business-class security check line at a commercial airport. On-board amenities included more beverages, fresh fruit and cheese, and charcuterie. However, as one of the fastest private jets on the market, our opportunity to enjoy the leather-clad interior and gracious seating of the Citation X only totaled about 28 minutes. We were on the ground in Nassau before you knew it. And isn’t that the most desirable luxury of all? A speedy entry with a dedicated medical screener from the Bahamian government at the Jet Nassau private jet facility at Lynden Pindling International Airport had us en route to The Loon in minutes.

Life Aboard Loon

We boarded the 180-foot tri-deck yacht in the shadow of the massive, 4,000-room Atlantis Resort in Nassau, which happily only helped to underline the more-exclusive nature of our visit. After surrendering our footwear for the duration, the expert and attractive crew got us into our stately accommodations and unpacked for us as we explored the decks before departure.

A 2011 US-based Newcastle Shipyard’s build refitted in 2017, Loon accommodates 12 guests in six, classically decorated, colonial-style, wood-paneled staterooms, included two impressive Master Suites forward on two separate decks. Unique oversized, oval portholes forward bring in extra light to the main deck master, and wraparound windows on the bridge deck master suite give you the feeling that you’re sleeping with a wheelhouse vista. Multiple elegant inside and al fresco dining options, a tricked-out media room/salon, and a top-level sundeck kitchen/bar with a large infinity-edge jacuzzi add to the appeal.

The predominantly Aussie and South African crew, headed by affable skipper Captain Paul Clarke, exemplify that perfect mix of service and friendliness, each expertly reading the perfect level of interaction each guest is looking for. They were mum on the details of Loon’s owners, but we did learn that the family is involved in the fitness industry, hence the well-equipped gym and stunning abundance of water toys on board. While the accommodations are luxurious and stately, aboard Loon, all the action and fun takes place on the stern beach club deck.

Expect jet skis, seabobs, water skis and wake boards, kite boards, snorkeling and scuba gear, all manner of fishing gear and towables, a top-deck waterslide, in-water pool and lounging platforms, even cutting-edge jet-powered e-foil “surfboards”…an impressive list for endless fun in the sun. A powerful 42-foot Everglades tender with 4x350hp outboards and a 21-foot Novurania tender with a Hamilton jet drive handle short-haul water transport transport and beach landings.

While our journey was a brief “simulation” of a typical charter experience, with the help of the crew, we were able to pack in a week’s worth of Bahamian thrills. Of course, we hit some of the must-sees of the region: Water toy fun around Rose Island, reef and wreck diving in the Upper Exuma Cays, snorkeling the crashed drug-smuggling plane at Norman Cay’s (a former illicit base of operations for Pablo Escobar’s cocaine empire), iguana feeding and swimming with the pigs in the Upper Cays, swimming the Bond-worthy Blue Grotto at Staniel Cay, and of course many opportunities for rum punch refreshments at barefoot marina bars. But the crew was so familiar with the schedules of tour operators who bring larger groups to these sights that we were able to experience them in virtual privacy.

Both IYC and Magellan Jets look forward to expanding this mutually beneficial program, especially now that interest in travel is rising again. Quarterly promotions, special experience packages and event-related excursions are in the works. IYC charterers will receive entree to Magellan Jets’ on-demand charter offerings for their trip and Magellan flyers of all stripes can now build-in yacht charter plans with one stop. Charter flyers, jet card holders, as well a new membership plan participants can enjoy the trip-planning efficiency and expertise.

“Our new pay-as-you-go membership program is particularly compelling for private aviation customers,” Megallan Jets’ Joshua Herbert told us aboard Loon. “We had been working on the program for a few years. But the pandemic and post-pandemic needs of our customers gave us the motivation to get it up and working within about 60 days after we recognized the opportunity. It’s a great new option as people reevaluate their private aviation plans, both business and leisure, for the coming year ahead.”

Of course, a specific price tag for a bespoke private jet/yacht experience is impossible to report. But to ballpark the voyage we took, a week’s charter of Loon starts at $300,000 before expenses, and typical charter fees from Magellan Jets for a Citation jet from, say, New York to Nassau and back, averages about $40,000.

Cessna Citation X

Passengers: 8

Max. cruise speed: about 0.8 Mach (604 mph)

Exterior dimensions: 19 feet, 3 inches high; 73 feet, 7 inches long; 69 feet, 2 inches of wingspan

Cabin dimensions:  5 feet, 7 inches high; 23 feet, 9 inches long; 5 feet, 5 inches wide

Engines: 2x  Rolls Royce AE 3007C1s

Normal range: 2,890 NM (about 3,325 statute miles)

Loon

Accommodations: 12 guests in 6 staterooms

Crew: 14

Length: 180 feet

Beam: 34 feet, 1 inch

Draft: 8 feet, 6 inches

Build: 2011 Newcastle Shipyards, refit 2017

Engines: 2x Caterpillar 3512B 1410 hp

Cruising Speed: 12 knots (about 14 mph)