Private clubs are in demand, as are superyachts. Why not, then, introduce a members-only model to yachting? Armada Club is a first in this regard, providing access for meetings, dining, and wellness experiences.
Different from fractional yacht ownership, Armada Club follows a true private members’ model. In fact, the founders have been watching the sharp rise in interest within that space. According to Knight Frank, the global real estate consultancy and estate agency, more private members’ clubs opened between 2020 and 2024 than in the three decades following the opening of the renowned The Groucho Club in London in 1985.
“At its core, the club is about three things,” explains Claire Hagen, Armada Club’s co-founder. Namely, they are “privacy, consistently exceptional service, and the feeling that someone genuinely cared about your experience. Not just in what we offer, but in how we think; a handwritten note from the chef explaining tonight’s tasting menu. True luxury has never been about the price of things. It’s the extra detail that tells someone: we thought about you before you arrived.”
Privacy is a paramount principle especially because of facial-recognition search tools and related cybersecurity concerns. Jonny Harris, the founding director of Armada Club, is extra aware of this from having spent significant time around highly recognizable individuals. “For many, going out for a meal is not an option,” he says. “Even when they hire private spaces, there is always a risk to privacy. This club is something that would instantly make sense to them.”
So far, 20 megayachts, including some exceeding 330 feet (100 meters), are interested in participating. The Armada Club will begin onboarding them, a mix of strictly private and charter yachts, in March, ensuring they meet set operational and crew standards. (For charter yachts, their customary bookings remain unimpacted. The management teams submit just the time periods they and the owners wish to offer.) These same standards will be regularly reviewed, too. Membership, meanwhile, opens in June, with formal KYC and approval processes by the Armada Club board. Members can begin previewing available yachts beginning this summer as well. The initial Armada Club fleet will become available to members to begin using in September, coinciding with the Monaco Yacht Show.
Armin Dressler, the owner of the 82-foot (25-meter) yacht Imladris, is among the early participants. “As an owner, this is a strong new revenue opportunity and a great source of lead generation for other parts of the business, such as longer charters,” he notes. “The complimentary membership is equally appealing. It gives me the freedom to dine on other yachts.”
The owner of the superyacht Champagne Seas, a 164-footer (50-meter), agrees. “Dinner onboard is truly a magical experience,” he says. “As an industry, we need to make it easier to book these moments, while still preserving the privacy of the yacht. This is a good way to start!”
“Opening these vessels up for amenity access is a genuinely special opportunity,” Hagen says. “Lifestyle priorities are shifting, too. I see the wellness side becoming equally as popular as dining, because some of the best gyms, spas, and facilities in the world are onboard.”
Of final note, the Armada Club will reserve a minimum of 10 percent of all member and business membership annual fees for initiatives supporting marine conservation, ocean preservation, and crew mental wellbeing.
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