Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal and her 30-strong team have had a busy summer booking private yachts for bankers, CEOs and other high flyers now liberated from the shackles of Covid restrictions and willing to pay millions of dollars for week-long luxury cruises.

Bookings for superyachts through Fischer Travel Enterprises, where Fischer-Rosenthal is president, have spiked 20% this year from already high levels in 2021, a trend also seen by other companies chartering out luxury vessels that can come with all the frills from Michelin-starred cuisine to cinemas and submarines.

“Yacht charters are very popular because our clients want the privacy, security and flexibility that it gives them,” Fischer-Rosenthal said. Her company charges $150 000 just to join its members-only service, through which superyachts can be chartered anywhere around the world. “They want to have a luxurious experience.”

American celebrities and bankers on superyachts

Americans are a growing client base, helping to fill gaps left by wealthy Russians who aren’t traveling as much due to restrictions following the invasion of Ukraine. And it’s not just the likes of Elon Musk or Beyonce and Jay-Z hiring out these glitzy floating palaces. Fischer-Rosenthal said a couple from the US enjoyed their cruise in Greece and Turkey in July so much they booked another in Italy shortly after and invited friends along.

Fraser Yachts, which sells and manages superyachts as well as arranging charters, booked…