Recapping the Crewed Yacht Shows: Kayleigh’s Inside Look at What’s New for Your Next Vacation

Every November, the islands come alive for the annual crewed yacht shows in the USVI and BVI. For us at Horizon Luxury Crewed, it’s one of our favourite weeks in the calendar as we get to turn on our 'out of the office' and step aboard the newest yachts to meet the crews who make the magic happen, taste the menus our guests will enjoy, and experience firsthand what your next yachting holiday could look like.

This year’s shows were packed with energy, creativity, exceptional crews, and some truly spectacular yachts — and I’m so excited to share a little behind-the-scenes look from my perspective.

USVI Charter Yacht Show

We began in the USVI, exploring around 30 beautiful yachts of all styles and sizes. The crews really brought their yachts to life with incredible cuisine,  personality, and little onboard touches — the things that truly shape your charter experience. Some of my favourites included these gorgeous yachts below – and the best part? Many of these yachts operate charters in the BVI, giving guests even more flexibility when planning.

BVI Crewed Yacht Show

Then it was back home to the BVI for one of the most exciting shows of the year. Hosted at our home base in Nanny Cay, the docks were buzzing from start to finish. The BVI Crewed Yacht show is always popular, but this year had a particularly fantastic feel. Amazing crews, beautifully prepared yachts, great energy, and some of the best hospitality we’ve ever seen. A big thank-you to the Charter Yacht Society for hosting and participating crews for such an incredible event. Some standout yachts this year included:

Special Mention to Our Crew on Stella Mare A huge congratulations to Captain Ariel and Chef Matea for their passion, professionalism, creativity that won them two incredible awards this year: 1st Place — Best in Show 2nd Place — Tablescaping The credit belongs entirely to the powerhouse team onboard. As Stella Mare’s owners, Bob and Amanda Burke, beautifully put it: “Stella Mare is Latin for Star of the Seas. While it is a super boat, it is just the stage for the real stars: our crew Ariel Thrasher and Matea Kosovic. They are amazing and truly bring the boat to life. We are so thankful and grateful!”

Lunches & Yacht Hop Events

One of my favourite parts of the show is getting to try the food you’ll enjoy onboard. This year, lunches on Liquid Sky, Bliss, and Xandros were standout highlights — delicious, beautifully presented, and a real insight into the level of care guests can expect.

The Yacht Hop was, as always, pure fun. Crews decorated their yachts with themed evenings — Caribbean, French, Japanese and more — complete with matching cocktails, snacks, music, and incredible creativity. It’s a perfect peek into the atmosphere you’ll enjoy during a themed charter night.

What This Means for Your Holiday

After such an exciting showcase, one thing is clear: This is going to be an amazing charter season!

Calendars are already filling up fast — especially for the Christmas, New Year, and spring dates — so if you have specific dates in mind, now is the perfect time to secure your yacht.

And as a bonus…

We’re offering exclusive Boat Show Specials until 30 November 2025.

If you’ve been thinking about a luxury crewed charter in the BVI or USVI, now is the moment to get in touch.

We can’t wait to help you plan the holiday of a lifetime.