Best Marina Contest Winners

Nantucket Boat Basin & Haven Harbour Marina

Marinalife is pleased to announce that Nantucket Boat Basin, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, has been voted Best Transient Marina; and Haven Harbour Marina, in Rock Hall, Maryland, has won Best Customer Service in Marinalife’s inaugural poll of boaters nationwide. The Best Marina contest was introduced as part of Marinalife’s 10^th anniversary celebration, and honors marinas that go above and beyond the norm in customer service and hospitality. “Marinalife is thrilled to recognize these leaders in the industry for their commitment to enhancing the entire boating experience through their exceptional customer service,” says Joy McPeters, president/CEO of Marinalife.

George Bassett, Director of marina operations at Nantucket Boat Basin for the past 25 years, says, “It’s all about hospitality—when I can make our guests happy and feel as if they can truly relax, I know they will return.” And return they do. Nantucket Boat Basin (NBB) has an 85-percent return rate, and customers rave about the personalized approach of George’s team. George writes a hand-written confirmation note to each new customer, welcoming them to the marina. Upon arrival, first-time visitors receive a welcome bag, delivered directly to their boat. Staffers remember not only the names of repeat guests, but their preferred slip. Facilities are kept impeccably clean (the marina has 18 bathrooms and showers, and five people making sure they stay spotless), and a full concierge service ensures that all of a guests’ needs are met—restaurant reservations, tee times, arrangements for a clam bake on the beach. Stanley & Elizabeth Star, multiple-visit guests, say, “At NBB, you feel like you’re part of the family.”

Haven Harbour Marina has garnered many accolades and awards over the years. The lovely manicured grounds; warm, professional attitude; and impressive, immaculate facilities have earned the marina a loyal following. Boaters come from all over the East Coast for Haven Harbour’s first-class repair and maintenance team. Mark Bryden, the property’s full-time Customer Service Manager, focuses entirely on clients’ satisfaction and happiness—if there is a problem, it gets fixed immediately. Mark and his colleague Jonathan Jones, General Manager, require their staff to be fully versed in a 60-item list detailing customer service, ranging from how to greet customers to how the facility should look. Jonathan Jones says, “We go the extra mile to make our customer’s experience the best.” This can include delivering boats or transporting customers back to their home ports after service. “The facilities are excellent, well-maintained, and always clean,” says Haven Harbour customer Rita Shade from Woodstown, New Jersey. "The staff is exceptional and always friendly. The marina goes out of its way to help.”