Travelling and Photography

September 18, 2009

Is a Destination Club Membership Right for You?

Filed under: Destinations — Tags: , , , — arkan @ 7:30 am
Destination Club offers members all of the benefits of luxury living, in exquisite dream locations, around the world, at a fraction of the cost of (owning and maintaining). Members get access to beautifully appointed locations worldwide.

For those that can afford the one-time membership fee and annual membership dues, members have choice access to a slew of luxury vacation homes around the world, which can be booked based on availability and reservation requirements.

Destination clubs allow for more desired choices and less overhead than other similar type clubs because members do not have nor want any deeded ownership.

Destination clubs generally do not give members an ownership stake in real estate. Rather, the club is structured more like a country club. With average membership deposits of $200,000 to $400,000 (usually 80% refundable), annual dues start out around $15,000 to $30,000 with stays from 14 to 30 days.

Given that one of the least expensive clubs still costs $50,000 to join, it’s clear the destination clubs are mindfully aimed at travelers with the comfortable means to vacation in style.

The costs for Destination club membership is undoubtedly higher than that for ordinary timeshares, as the type of higher end clientele is much more used to a pampered lifestyle than that of the typical timeshare buyer.

Destination clubs provide luxurious and elegant surroundings, flexible travel and beautifully appointed destinations all over the world.

Private Residence Clubs provide the feel of luxury hotel living but also the partial ownership of a second home. Their offerings are generally smaller than destination club residences: 750 to 3,000 square foot villas.

Families or groups who require larger residences – three or more bedrooms of at least 2,000 sq ft and above will find that Destination clubs are especially well suited for their personal needs. They will, however need for their travel schedule to fit within the availability structure of the club.

With all that is said and done, however, there are some who are most likely not cut out for the average Destination club mentality. Those who prefer traveling at the last minute, individuals or lone couples without children, grandchildren, or friends to invite may not be able to justify the expense of a destination club.

With that in mind, they are generally better off with some other kind of vacation option.

It then all comes down to what each potential member’s needs are that determines if a Destination club membership is right for them.

Audrey Daniels is a writer, mom and self titled “Referral Vacationista.”

Please visit her website: http://ReferralVacationing.com

July 20, 2009

Join Club Sail on a yacht for a two week cruise from Tenerife via Madeira to Huelva – in the beautiful and unspoilt South West Spain

Filed under: Sailing — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — arkan @ 7:34 am

Final plans are in place for two milebuilding trips from Tenerife to Madeira and Madeira to Huelva (near Cadiz).

Two of our Club class yachts, Stan (a Prima 38) and Agi (a Hanse 400e), are sailing together up to southern Spain.   The first leg leaves Tenerife on Friday 26th June for Madeira.  After a short sail to get your sea legs, we will make the 300+ mile passage in one go—aiming to arrive in Madeira on the Wednesday.

Madeira is a located in the mid Atlantic ocean.  It is one of the remote islands of Portugal with maderia island and Poto Santo Island being the only inhabited islands. 

We will have a day to explore other harbours and anchorages on Madeira, before you leave us on the Friday (why not stay the weekend?) or take your berth for the next leg.

The second leg from Madeira to Huelva is planned to leave on Friday 3rd July and cover the 500+ miles to Huelva in about 5-6 days

Huelva is a maritime town between the rivers Anas and Baetis, it was seated on the estuary of the river Luxia, and on the road from the mouth of the Anas to Augusta Emerita.

Christopher Columbus started his voyages to the new world from Huelva – and we will be racing in late August here to La Gomera, in the Canary Islands, in celebration of these voyages.

Our final destination will be a marina adjacent to the Doñana National Park located in the Spanish province of Andalusia, in the provinces of Huelva and Seville, and covers 543 km², of which 135 km² are a protected area. The park is an area of marsh, shallow streams, and sand dunes and a river delta flowing into the Atlantic ocean. The original area was established in 1963 by the World Wildlife Fund  and the Spanish government.

With a day to explore the area by sea we will ask you to  be ready to leave the yacht on Saturday 11th July.

Both legs include breakfast, lunch and dinner on board the yacht and cost €800 per week.  If you book both legs the cost is €1400.

Contact us at info@clubsail.com for more details

A RYA sailing school offering the full range of tidal courses from Competent Crew and Day Skipper to Yachtmaster Ocean from our base in Tenerife.
Club Sail is also a yacht charter company with its range of new boats including: Bavaria 36, Hanse 400e, Sun Odyssey 39i and Vision 45DS.

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