Reviews

Name on Your Reservation: Carol Hanley
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: Eretmochelys
Charter Company & Yacht
Please answer the following questions pertaining to the charter company and the yacht you chartered.
Rating of Charter Company & Yacht: 3
Upon arrival and during your charter, were the staff of the charter company friendly and accommodating?
Our two guests arrived early and were planning to do some provisioning while they were waiting. Dream Yachts wouldn't let them set foot on the boat to inspect the refrigeration and freezer capacity. Otherwise the staff was friendly and accommodating.
Did the staff do a good job familiarizing you with the yacht and its equipment?
Yes. The person who checked us out was knowledgeable, helpful, and thorough.
They sent a young man to get us back into the marina when we returned to Nassau. Re-entry was challenging with wind, a narrow channel, and lots of expensive boats.
Was the yacht clean and in good working condition?
The boat was clean. A drawer fell out while we were underway and the track was broken so it couldn't be replaced. A ceiling panel fell in the galley, clearly not for the first time. There was a 30 amp fuse for the radio where a 10 amp fuse should have been. The line that held the main sheet block to the deck was frayed. We reinforced it.
The sails were worn and baggy. The main sail was hard to raise and lower, and we wished for a bigger jib.
Was the yacht's cooking and cleaning equipment sufficient?
Yes. The toaster was a star! One burner on the stove was better than the other, but that wasn't really a problem. There were too many glasses and cups and not enough storage.
Was the yacht well ventilated?
Since there were no screen on the portholes, the aft cabins had no(!) ventilation. Ugh.
Additional comments about the charter company and yacht you chartered?
Joanne warned us about Dream Yachts, but we wanted a monohull out of Nassau and there were no other choices. After the first few malfunctions, we made friends with the boat. It was fun to sail. We heard other stories (rumors?) about Dream Yachts along the way that made us feel our experience could have been worse.
Cruising Area

Did you like the area you chartered in?
We love the Exumas. We revisited some favorite spots and explored some new ones. We were surprised at the size of the boats there, compared to 10 years ago!
Would you like to share your itinerary or a vacation highlight with us?
Two weeks -- Nassau to Allen's to Shroud to Hawksbill to Warderick Wells to Black Point to Staniel to Cambridge to Norman to Nassau. We had hoped to get to Little Farmer's but opted to head north to Staniel instead because of weather.
Would you like to add any photos or videos to your review?
We may post these on our website with your review and / or use these for marketing purposes.

charter dates 04/22/2024-05/06/2024
Name on Your Reservation: Carol Hanley
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: Eretmochelys
Charter Company & Yacht
Please answer the following questions pertaining to the charter company and the yacht you chartered.
Rating of Charter Company & Yacht: 3
Upon arrival and during your charter, were the staff of the charter company friendly and accommodating?
Our two guests arrived early and were planning to do some provisioning while they were waiting. Dream Yachts wouldn't let them set foot on the boat to inspect the refrigeration and freezer capacity. Otherwise the staff was friendly and accommodating.
Did the staff do a good job familiarizing you with the yacht and its equipment?
Yes. The person who checked us out was knowledgeable, helpful, and thorough.
They sent a young man to get us back into the marina when we returned to Nassau. Re-entry was challenging with wind, a narrow channel, and lots of expensive boats.
Was the yacht clean and in good working condition?
The boat was clean. A drawer fell out while we were underway and the track was broken so it couldn't be replaced. A ceiling panel fell in the galley, clearly not for the first time. There was a 30 amp fuse for the radio where a 10 amp fuse should have been. The line that held the main sheet block to the deck was frayed. We reinforced it.
The sails were worn and baggy. The main sail was hard to raise and lower, and we wished for a bigger jib.
Was the yacht's cooking and cleaning equipment sufficient?
Yes. The toaster was a star! One burner on the stove was better than the other, but that wasn't really a problem. There were too many glasses and cups and not enough storage.
Was the yacht well ventilated?
Since there were no screen on the portholes, the aft cabins had no(!) ventilation. Ugh.
Additional comments about the charter company and yacht you chartered?
Joanne warned us about Dream Yachts, but we wanted a monohull out of Nassau and there were no other choices. After the first few malfunctions, we made friends with the boat. It was fun to sail. We heard other stories (rumors?) about Dream Yachts along the way that made us feel our experience could have been worse.

Name on Your Reservation: Carol Hanley
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: Eretmochelys
Virgin Island Sailing® Team
Please answer the following questions about your experience working with the VI Sailing team.
Rating of VI Sailing Team: 5
Is this your first time booking with a charter broker? No
How was your experience working with your broker to book the yacht? Very Easy
After booking the yacht, how was your experience working with the Concierge Team? Very Easy
How would you describe the information provided in your Vacation Planner?
Check as many as apply: - Thorough
- Informative
- Easy to Understand
How would you rate the frequency and content of communication from our team? Good Amount of Communication
Additional comments about working with the VI Sailing team to plan your vacation?
We were sailing out of Nassau, but the general info we received seemed targeted to the BVI. However it wasn't a problem since we were familiar with the Exumas.
The cruising guide wasn't helpful for the Exumas.
Would you book your next yacht vacation with Virgin Island Sailing®? probably

Charter Dates: 04/21/2024-04/28/2024

Name on Your Reservation: Alan Eldridge
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: Maraya
Virgin Island Sailing® Team
Please answer the following questions about your experience working with the VI Sailing team.
Rating of VI Sailing Team: 4
Is this your first time booking with a charter broker? Yes
How was your experience working with your broker to book the yacht? Very Easy
After booking the yacht, how was your experience working with the Concierge Team? Very Easy
How would you describe the information provided in your Vacation Planner?
Check as many as apply: - Informative
- Easy to Understand
How would you rate the frequency and content of communication from our team? Good Amount of Communication

Charter Dates: 04/06/2024-04/13/2024

Name on Your Reservation: Janice Smith
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: High Life
Charter Company & Yacht
Please answer the following questions pertaining to the charter company and the yacht you chartered.
Rating of Charter Company & Yacht: 4
Upon arrival and during your charter, were the staff of the charter company friendly and accommodating?
Yes
Did the staff do a good job familiarizing you with the yacht and its equipment?
Yes, to a degree. The man providing the briefing forgot one very important fact. We were never told that the fuel is drawn from one tank only, and we had to manually move fuel from one tank to the other. Once we realized a few days later that one tank was much lower than the other, we called and was given confusing directions on how to balance out the tanks. This create an issue where too much fuel was moved to one of the tanks. Then we were told there was no way to move fuel back to the now almost empty tank. This create a very stressful ride on the last day praying we would not run out of fuel in the starboard engine in 30 knot winds.
Was the yacht clean and in good working condition?
The yacht was clean, everything worked just fine - but it was definitely a bit beat-up and worn.
Was the yacht's cooking and cleaning equipment sufficient?
It could use more cleaning equipment. All that was provided was a small hand broom and no cleaning solutions. We only used the microwave.
Was the yacht well ventilated?
Yes, but the helm isinglass is very old and worn and hard to see thru. Especially right in front of the helm station. You want to see and get fresh air. So trying to roll it up we found many of the holders missing. Flapping was annoying
Additional comments about the charter company and yacht you chartered?
The microwave needs to be better attached. In rough seas, twice it fell and created a mess. The last time it fell, it hit the sink faucet, pushing the faucet over the counter and turning on the water, which leaked all over the galley.
Cruising Area

Did you like the area you chartered in?
Yes - just wish there were more to do on each of the islands. When the weather turned bad, it was kinda boring just sitting on the boat.
Would you like to share your itinerary or a vacation highlight with us?
Anegada was our favorite since there was much to do and explore, and the beaches on the windward side were fantastic. It also was the one few day we had great weather!

Jost Van Dyke had a great beach, but it was crowded.

Charter Dates: 04/06/2024-04/13/2024

Name on Your Reservation: Janice Smith
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: High Life
Charter Company & Yacht
Please answer the following questions pertaining to the charter company and the yacht you chartered.
Rating of Charter Company & Yacht: 4
Upon arrival and during your charter, were the staff of the charter company friendly and accommodating?
Yes
Did the staff do a good job familiarizing you with the yacht and its equipment?
Yes, to a degree. The man providing the briefing forgot one very important fact. We were never told that the fuel is drawn from one tank only, and we had to manually move fuel from one tank to the other. Once we realized a few days later that one tank was much lower than the other, we called and was given confusing directions on how to balance out the tanks. This create an issue where too much fuel was moved to one of the tanks. Then we were told there was no way to move fuel back to the now almost empty tank. This create a very stressful ride on the last day praying we would not run out of fuel in the starboard engine in 30 knot winds.
Was the yacht clean and in good working condition?
The yacht was clean, everything worked just fine - but it was definitely a bit beat-up and worn.
Was the yacht's cooking and cleaning equipment sufficient?
It could use more cleaning equipment. All that was provided was a small hand broom and no cleaning solutions. We only used the microwave.
Was the yacht well ventilated?
Yes, but the helm isinglass is very old and worn and hard to see thru. Especially right in front of the helm station. You want to see and get fresh air. So trying to roll it up we found many of the holders missing. Flapping was annoying
Additional comments about the charter company and yacht you chartered?
The microwave needs to be better attached. In rough seas, twice it fell and created a mess. The last time it fell, it hit the sink faucet, pushing the faucet over the counter and turning on the water, which leaked all over the galley.

Charter Dates: 04/06/2024-04/13/2024

Name on Your Reservation: Janice Smith
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: High Life
Virgin Island Sailing® Team
Please answer the following questions about your experience working with the VI Sailing team.
Rating of VI Sailing Team: 5
Is this your first time booking with a charter broker? No
How was your experience working with your broker to book the yacht? Somewhat Easy
After booking the yacht, how was your experience working with the Concierge Team? Somewhat Easy
How would you describe the information provided in your Vacation Planner?
Check as many as apply: - Thorough
How would you rate the frequency and content of communication from our team? Good Amount of Communication
Additional comments about working with the VI Sailing team to plan your vacation?
Since the boat being chartered was thru the Moorings, there was a bit of disconnect of communication. VI Sailing said they don't book hotel reservations, yet when I contacted the Moorings directly to do so, they asked why wasn't my broker booking it for me. Then there was no confirmation that anything was booked at all. It was all worked out, just a bit of confusion.
Would you book your next yacht vacation with Virgin Island Sailing®? Maybe

Charter Dates: 04/15/2024-04/22/2024

Name on Your Reservation: Brett Thomas
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: Maramar
Charter Company & Yacht
Please answer the following questions pertaining to the charter company and the yacht you chartered.
Rating of Charter Company & Yacht: 5
Upon arrival and during your charter, were the staff of the charter company friendly and accommodating?
Navagare was excellent- super attentive staff and very helpful throughout the 2 weeks we chartered the Maramar.
Did the staff do a good job familiarizing you with the yacht and its equipment?
Yes, they did an excellent job.
Was the yacht clean and in good working condition?
Yes
Was the yacht's cooking and cleaning equipment sufficient?
Yes
Was the yacht well ventilated?
Yes
Cruising Area

Did you like the area you chartered in?
Tortola...can't go wrong...

Charter Dates: 04/15/2024-04/22/2024

Name on Your Reservation: Brett Thomas
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: Maramar
Charter Company & Yacht
Please answer the following questions pertaining to the charter company and the yacht you chartered.
Rating of Charter Company & Yacht: 5
Upon arrival and during your charter, were the staff of the charter company friendly and accommodating?
Navagare was excellent- super attentive staff and very helpful throughout the 2 weeks we chartered the Maramar.
Did the staff do a good job familiarizing you with the yacht and its equipment?
Yes, they did an excellent job.
Was the yacht clean and in good working condition?
Yes
Was the yacht's cooking and cleaning equipment sufficient?
Yes
Was the yacht well ventilated?
Yes

Charter Dates: 04/15/2024-04/22/2024

Name on Your Reservation: Brett Thomas
Are you the Lead Charterer or a Guest? Lead Charterer
Boat Name: Maramar
Virgin Island Sailing® Team
Please answer the following questions about your experience working with the VI Sailing team.
Rating of VI Sailing Team: 5
Is this your first time booking with a charter broker? Yes
How was your experience working with your broker to book the yacht? Very Easy
After booking the yacht, how was your experience working with the Concierge Team? Very Easy
How would you describe the information provided in your Vacation Planner?
Check as many as apply: - Thorough
- Easy to Understand
How would you rate the frequency and content of communication from our team? Good Amount of Communication
Additional comments about working with the VI Sailing team to plan your vacation?
All the team were helpful and kind.
Would you book your next yacht vacation with Virgin Island Sailing®? Yes