On 9 December, following six days of yacht tours, chef competitions and entertainment, 60 yachts sounded their farewell in unison, bringing the Antigua Charter Show 2025 to a close. The close of the show marks the official start of the Caribbean charter season with a commemorative horn blast after five days of the Caribbean’s flagship charter event.
The Antigua Charter Yacht Show transforms the historic harbour into a dense floating showcase of the global charter fleet, where brokers and crews exhibited some of the world's finest superyachts for charter. This has been the case since 1962, when yachts began gathering here to demonstrate the Caribbean's charter potential as a prime destination. Now in its 64th year, the show has become a mainstay in the charter calendar, drawing brokers, vendors and yachts from across the planet.
Set across three marinas in English Harbour, including Antigua Yacht Club Marina, Nelson’s Dockyard Marina and Falmouth Harbour Marina, this year the yachts ranged up to 80 metres with the Oceanco motoryacht Batello. Other yachts on display included 73-metre Starfire with Northrop and Johnson, 63-metre Soundwave with Roccabella Yachts and 47-metre King Benji with Cecil Wright and Partners. On the third day of the show, Black Pearl also made a surprise appearance with IYC, gracing Falmouth Harbour with her famous dynarig.
The official opening of the show on 5 December set the tone for the week ahead with a Caribbean supper evening at The Copper and Lumber Store Hotel. With all delegates invited, the evening was deemed open by Antigua Charter Show chairman Paul Deeth, who thanked delegates for their continued enthusiasm and support for the show, which continues to go from strength to strength each year.
For many captains and crews, the show remains as much about visibility as it is about connection. “At the Antigua Charter Show in particular, it is always a successful show for us,” said Captain Kevin Van Lujin of 70-metre Sherakhan, which was on display with Y.CO. “We've been coming to this show for many years now, and it's a great opportunity to show the yacht and help them understand how great the yacht is for charter." During the show, captain Van Lujin spoke of a new per-cabin charter offering, which the 70-metre yacht will roll out over this coming season.
Morning sessions began with an informative hour at the Copper and Lumber Hotel, where discussions ranged from essential fiscal and legal charter updates led by SOS Yachting and onboard connectivity solutions presented by MIMO Connect. These sessions fed directly into evenings designed for informal networking, keeping the community closely connected throughout the week.
With a huge international broker attendance, a heavyweight fleet and a tightly woven programme of events, the Antigua Charter Yacht Show has proved itself as a cornerstone of the industry calendar and a barometer for the year ahead.
After the event, chairman Paul Deeth referred to the event as a resounding success. "The feedback from everyone who attended has been extremely positive - from captains and crew, to brokers and vendors, they all had a great week. The evening events went down well as usual." He emphasised the invaluable networking opportunities for industry professionals within its relaxed and friendly setting.
Competition remains a cornerstone of the Antigua Charter Yacht Show. In the 2025 edition, the coveted Antigua Charter Yacht Show’s Concours de Chef and Tablescaping Competitions saw an anticipated return. This year's theme was a response to the burgeoning demand for health and nourishment, as well as the rise of dietary requirements on board. Participating yacht chefs were tasked with creating a wellness-forward, three-course menu in which at least one dish incorporated a restricted dietary focus. This included a vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, gluten-free, low FODMAP, or macrobiotic dish on the menu.
For an additional challenge, the chefs were presented with a mystery ingredient of vanilla bean from SNAP Provisions.
Chef competition winners
Yachts 180 feet and above:
1st place: Chef Thean Labuschagne of Starfire
2nd place: Chef Daniel Stoma Baldo of Roma
3rd place: Chef Alessandro Cargiolli of Amor a Vida
Yachts 126-179 feet:
1st place: Chef Jonny Sims of Asani
2nd place: Chef Molly McMullin of White Star
3rd place: Chef Sean Connolly of King Benji
Yachts 125ft and below:
1st place: Chef Thomas Carmeille of Kajikia
2nd place: Chef Alexis Charrett of Reve Blue
3rd place: Chef Luke Brooks, of Haze II
The tablescaping competition also brought stiff competition, where stewards and stewardesses were tasked with designing a table setting that reflected 'a journey of wellness', showcasing their artistry in table design, holistic service and creative ambience.
Yacht table design and service competition
In the category of yachts 180ft and over:
1st place: Chief Stewardesses Nora Edgington & Paloma Estrada of Amor a Vida
2nd place: Chief Stewardess Aimie Keech of Starfire
3rd place: Chief Stewardess Tamaryn Smith of Elis et Mar
In the category of yachts 126-179ft:
1st place: Chief Stewardess Matilda Redmond of Asani
2nd place: Chief Stewardess Beth Pendrous of Amica Mea
3rd place: Chief Stewardess Michelle Riherd of King Baby
In the category of yachts 125ft and under:
1st place: Chief Stewardess Alena Konysheva, Allora
2nd place: Chief Stewardess Isabel Tyrrell of Haze II
3rd place: Chief Stewardess Anais Michel of Kajikia
Speaking on the competition, Concours de Chef Coordinator, Chef Elizabeth Lee said, "It was deeply rewarding to facilitate such an exceptional display of fine cuisine and design from top charter yachts. I applaud all the 2025 participants and hope to see these, and even more skilled yacht crews, take part again next year."
The Antigua Charter Yacht Show has confirmed it will return in 2026 for its 65th edition, bringing the same energy, entertainment, and enjoyment that draw the industry from across the globe. The show will be held from Friday, 4 December to Wednesday, 9 December 2026.