Roaming the open seas on superyacht RoMEA

If you’re looking for the ultimate charter experience, it doesn’t get much better than RoMEA. Delivered by the German yard Abeking & Rasmussen in 2015 and featuring interior and exterior design from the drawing boards of iconic British designer Terence Disdale, this world-class superyacht combines luxurious, comfortable living spaces and a tasteful and functional interior with enviable performance and oceangoing capabilities, thanks to her range of 5,750 nautical miles and top speed of 16.9 knots. In other words, RoMEA can take you anywhere in the world and will turn heads as she goes. Photo: Imperial yachtsGuests on board RoMEA can benefit from a wide range of amenities including her pool, sundecks, observation decks and al-fresco dining spaces complete with barbeque. She also comes equipped with a range of watersports equipment ideal for adventurous types who want to make the most of life on the water. To find out more about what makes RoMEA such a distinctive charter experience, Imperial’s Julia Buklina, speaks with SuperYacht Times and reveals more about her time as a charter broker for this one-of-a-kind superyacht. Photo: Imperial yachtsTell me a bit about your background prior to joining Imperial and how you became involved in the yachting industry.

I first started my career in private aviation. I am passionate about the beauties offered by the sky and so I decided to orient my professional path in this way. In 2009 I was granted the opportunity to join Imperial, which already had a fast-growing and dynamic reputation at that time, to develop the new Charter department. Thanks to my experience in private jets and my knowledge of UHNWI clients, this opportunity was an obvious choice. Here I’ve been let into a mysterious and fascinating world made of crystal-clear seas, endless oceans and unique yachts. Photo: Imperial yachtsFor the last 10 years, I’ve been in charge of all charter needs with my team, taking care of our central agencies such as RoMEA and offering retailing charter to our clients around the world as part of our services. From my point of view, I’m glad to have discovered the beauty of this world during the last 15 years of my career.Photo: Imperial yachtsWhat is your favourite thing about being a charter broker and why? 

This has to be the positive feedback from our clients. Receiving wonderful testimonials after their cruises helps us to maintain a positive mood on a daily basis. Charter is all about emotions: if the guests are feeling ‘at home’ on board on the yacht we centrally manage or a vessel we have found for them, it means that all our preparation work has been worth it.

The charter broker is a very important part of the whole charter process: our main goal is to pair the right yacht in the right destination with the right client, making sure that their expectations will be reached and even exceeded. Sometimes it’s difficult to get a good idea of these requirements but it’s always exciting to push them as guests.Photo: Imperial yachtsWhen did you first meet RoMEA and what were your first impressions?

Our first meeting was right after her delivery in the summer of 2015. It was absolutely unique: she won me over with her pure style and incredible layout and amenities at the time - and she still does now! 

Her beautiful and traditional lines, her unique balance of harmony in every detail and her general atmosphere makes her a vessel on her own in her charter range. Every guest can find their own place in the small, magical world of this amazing superyacht. Working with such a vessel like RoMEA as the flagship of our Imperial Central Agency Charter Fleet is still a pleasure after four years, and even now she continues to surprise me after every visit.

Photo: Imperial yachtsTell me about some of the most exciting adventures guests have experienced on board RoMEA.

I can’t really pick one adventure: every successful journey on board RoMEA is the result of a massive team effort from our charter department, the Imperial operational team, and the professional, highly trained crew. RoMEA has visited many interesting places between the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Caribbean, exploring all the main island chains and cruising the coasts of Columbia and Mexico.Photo: Imperial yachtsHer captain is reputed for his knowledge and the impressive list of destinations he has cruised so far. He always does careful work on each and every itinerary so that the guests can see the most memorable places whatever the destination. If I had to pick one specific memory, the Christmas dinner we made on a remote island in the Caribbean around the Virgin Islands was an unforgettable moment that we offered to the guests on board.Photo: Imperial yachtsPhoto: Imperial yachtsWhere, in your opinion, are the best places to travel on board RoMEA? 

She can accommodate herself all around the world. With her technical facilities and luxury onboard entertainment, indoor and outdoor cinemas, spa area and beach club, RoMEA is a great charter pick for any region. As part of her winter 2019/2020 charter plans, RoMEA might visit the Indian Ocean for the first time. I am wondering what kind of surprises the crew will prepare for their guests in such interesting and in-demand area. Photo: Imperial yachtsWhat are the three things that make RoMEA stand out as a charter yacht experience?

Firstly, she has the most experienced, friendly and dynamic crew you could meet in the 80m+ charter range. They plan every detail for every charter to bring true happiness to their guests on board. We are proud to have built such a good onboard team, and the very positive feedback we receive from clients and brokers is proof that we are doing well.Photo: Imperial yachtsSecondly, her expansive facilities, including a spa with exclusive products and fine treatments delivered by onboard specialists; the fantastic main deck saloon converting into a 5.1 cinema with a panoramic screen, built for ultimate relaxation, and of course her impressive selection of water toys that always provide huge enjoyment!Photo: Imperial yachtsLast but not least – her outstanding interior decorated with high-end luxury furniture from Terence Disdale. The atmosphere created by the British designer is really peaceful, warm and airy at the same time, making all guests feeling comfortable on board.Photo: Imperial yachtsPhoto: Imperial yachtsHow is the upcoming season looking for RoMEA?

After her successful winter season in the Caribbean, RoMEA will head back to the Mediterranean at the end of April and she plans to visit the Adriatic, East and West Med this summer. It will be not possible to see these regions with the same eyes after having chartered on board RoMEA. RoMEA will also be available for this year's Monaco Grand Prix and the Cannes Film FestivalPhoto: Imperial yachtsIs there anything else you would like to add?

One of the main comments that always pops up in the feedback we receive from our clients is that RoMEA feels like a second home. After spending a journey on board, they want to come back again and again, it makes us very proud. As most of our clients say after their journey: “you don’t really know what a luxury superyacht is until you have spent a journey at sea with RoMEA”Photo: Imperial yachts