Charteryacht Shows "Stress Busters" Extravaganza!

Read on for some real fun in the sun!

Catamaran Felicia

It's that time of year again. The Fall Charteryacht shows have just ended and yours truly has a "boatload" of treasures to unveil for you.
I guess it's no secret. Our world has become a bit more complicated, more challenging and certainly more stressful. On a positive note, finally, the election is over and we have a new president waiting in the wings. Wherever your support was placed, it is a relief to have it done.
I would venture a guess that if anyone needs a Stress Buster charter, after this campaign, it would be both President Elect Obama, and Senator John McCain! But I haven't heard from them yet.
So, folks, this one's for you....The yachts of the Virgin Islands have responded to your need for a break by offering so many options for "just getting out of Dodge" for a while!
There are new yachts, new crews, new cruising areas, new toys, new chartering terms for 5 days (no additional charge) and new Special offers (up to 10% off selected yachts and more!) to make it even easier to climb on that plane with your frequent flyer miles and just leave it all behind for a while. And you can look at it this way: When you are gone you won't be driving those expensive gasoline miles, you won't be burning as much energy in your home and, when you return, you will have a whole fresh outlook on life!
Visit with some of my favorites below. There's plenty more where these came from. All ya gotta do is call, and I'll be right there, with even more Special pricing and options for the weary charter client.








Here's Capt. Chris and Julie Bennett aboard their new acquisition, Catamaran Felicia. This cat is just plain gorgeous. 65' HUGE and magnificently appointed. This yacht carries 8 in supreme comfort and style. You can visit her at www.yachtfelicia.com. Ask me about special offers on this extraordinary yacht. For as little as $5875 per couple (based on 4 couples) you can join Felicia on her cruise of the Virgin Islands while treated to gourmet feasts and fine wines.
Make sure you take a look right up top of this Blog! She's lovely!


From Swan Victoria:
To the left is a magnificent example of a winning appetizer. Every Charteryacht show would not be complete without a judging of the cuisine in all categories of a beautiful and satisfying meal.
Chef Martha, aboard the beautiful Swan, Victoria, and voted Best Over-all Chef at the show created the winning masterpiece. It is Tangled Shrimp with Pineapple Chili-garlic sauce, served on a Pineapple wheel with avocado and baby green salad. Yum!
View this extraordinary yacht at www.charterbrochure.com/victoria for more information. She is fast, sleek with a consumately professional (and did I say "fun") crew?



Boys (and Girls) with their toys! And there was no shortage of them at this year's show. Here is Capt. Jonny and 1st mate and Chef Kelly of Catamaran Double Feature posing next to their Guitar Man Wii game. It is fun for everyone! It is one of the few toys that do not float on this terrific cat.
You can visit them up close and personal at their lovely website: www.doublefeaturecharters.com.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: BOCAS DEL TORO, PANAMA!! OLE!

Familiar faces in exciting new places!!

Fran and Steuart Rattle of Catamaran Two If By Sea Present:

I wonder how many of you ever thought about a dream vacation in Panama!! Yes, Bocas del Toro (Mouth of the Bull), Panama, to be exact. This is an ideal cruising area for Summertime chartering. The wind always blows and there are NO HURRICANES! I have spent several summers at that Latitude (or close to it in Venezuela). No Visas needed for US Citizens. I guarantee you that will be greeted often during your cruise aboard these waters that you will be met my dolphins without number. They will surround your yacht and make you laugh! The reefs are pristine, the water clear and warm, and the crowds, NONE! Most Panamanians speak some English, and are charming. This will be a special time aboard this lovely, spacious catamaran with a wonderful, expert crew who have traveled the world together. Now is the time to explore this fabulous area as it won't be a secret for very long.
Getting there: I just did a quick search on www.kayak.com (using PTY-Panama City, as a destination from Chicago O'Hare). My search brought up very inexpensive air fares, all under $400 round trip! WOW!
Blogspot of their adventures to be announced!



Check out the area...I would love to stowaway!
Note: This new adventure will be available for around $2333/per person/with 6 passengers traveling and which includes all meals and standard bar. This is a very reasonable price especially when the low airfare is considered.
This excellent tour will be available starting July 2009.

"Feasting On Waves", Alton Brown on the Food Network

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ab

If you haven't been watching the Food Network's Feasting on Waves with Alton Brown on Sunday nights, you have been missing a terrific opportunity to view the Eyelands of the Caribbee from the deck of a fabulous charter catamaran; two 50' chartered catamarans, in fact.

One cat was Chef de Mer, a fabulous platform for fun you can visit at www.viewyacht.com/chefdemer/.

There are 4 episodes, the first one exploring St. Kitt's and many other nearby eyelands. After visiting a vast luscious hydroponic garden on the island of Anguilla, last night we found AB sailing from Anguilla up through the Anegada Passage to end in, you guessed it, Anegada.

The Whispering Pines restaurant and watering hole served as a venue to a sumptuous Anegada eyeland-style barbeque featuring loads of lobster, baby back ribs, shrimp, mahi mahi and all the trimmings. If you haven't experienced a local barbeque in de eyelands, mon, you haven't seen barbeque!

Of course while the fire is heating up, you will be required to drink rum and then, maybe, some more rum!

The final episode will take place next Sunday night Sept. 28, 2008. Be sure to be there. Put on your pirate hat, eye patch, cutoffs and t-shirt, slather yourself with sunscreen and uncork your favorite brand of Caribbean rum to ease yourself into the picture.

Of course, you can experience all this yourself by visiting our favorite choices on board your own charter yacht at http://www.yachtchartersusvi.com/! Happy Feasting!

American Airlines Resumes Full Seasonal Schedule

Hoooray! Now coming to the Virgin Islands will be the same as always. Thank you, American Airlines!!
Aug. 20, 2008 -- As the winter tourism season nears, American Airlines will restore flights it's putting on hold for the fall season, Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty said Wednesday. Initially the scenario didn't look so rosy. "They weren't making a commitment to reinstate the flights come winter," Nicholson-Doty said. This prompted Nicholson-Doty and members of Gov. John deJongh Jr.'s Public/Private Sector Airline Committee to fly to Miami to speak personally with American's senior vice president for the Caribbean and Latin America regions, Peter Dolara, in hopes of convincing American to reinstate the winter flights. On Thursday American will cut one of its two daily flights from Miami to St. Thomas, but both will resume Dec.18.
American's once-a-day flight between Miami and St. Croix will resume Nov. 2. The daily flight between New York's JFK Airport and St. Thomas will resume Nov. 20 after running once a week for the fall. A second flight will be added on Fridays starting Dec. 18. American's flight between Boston and St. Thomas will run on a twice-weekly schedule starting Nov. 2. On Dec. 18, it will run five days a week. While the picture looks better with American Airlines, American Eagle isn't following suit with its flights between the territory and San Juan. "We are looking at various options," Nicholson-Doty said, declining to be specific because of ongoing negotiations. On Friday American Eagle is cutting its eight daily flights between St. Thomas and San Juan to three. This will remain the same throughout the winter season. American Eagle is also eliminating five of its eight daily flights between San Juan and St. Croix. No increases are expected for the winter season. The Tourism Department is putting $1.5 million of its money into partnering with American, Delta and, "to a lesser degree," Spirit Airlines to advertise the territory and the airlines. The ads include radio and newspaper advertisements, billboards and airport signage. Additionally, in Atlanta buses were wrapped with ads touting the U.S. Virgin Islands and a tag line to call Delta Vacations. In return, Nicholson-Doty said, the airlines provided complimentary airplane seats for travel agents, travel writers and sweepstakes winners. In Charlotte, N.C., Tourism is spending $375,000 to advertise St. Croix in radio, newspaper and Internet ads, Nicholson-Doty said. U.S. Airways flies to St. Croix from this Southeast city on Saturdays. "The ads encourage early bookings," Nicholson-Doty said. Other deals, including one to entice Jet Blue to fly to the territory, haven't worked out because the airlines wanted revenue guarantees. In the case of Jet Blue, the airline wanted $1.5 million in a monthly revenue guarantee, Nicholson-Doty said. "That's not within the scope of possibility," she said. Revenue guarantees could result in the territory paying for empty seats, Nicholson-Doty said. "We worked at developing marketing relationships that were a win-win for us," she said.

NO NEW FEES!!!

Not long ago, we were met with the news that the government of the British Virgin Islands were about to impose some hefty fees for charter yachts entering their waters. For the average charter yacht these fees would have topped $250 just to visit and stay for a while. We are very happy to report that with great effort on the part of our collective charter yacht organizations and many other entities involved with marine-based tourism, those fees have been tabled, at least for now. So, the Virgin Islands is still one of the most affordable places to cruise. Read below and Come on Down! (Lovely table setting presented by Motor Yacht Starfire www.mystarfire.com available for charter in the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean locales)

"BREAKING NEWS: Cabinet indefinitely defers implementation of harbour fees

Government Information Service Cabinet has decided to indefinitely defer the implementations of harbour fees for vessels entering or remaining in Territorial waters or those using a BVI Ports Authority facility.In a statement today, Premier Honourable Ralph T. O'Neal, OBE revealed that the decision was taken at a specially convened sitting of the Cabinet on Monday. It was previously announced that the new fee structure would have taken effect on July 1st but was subsequently deferred until July 15th. However, the Premier explained that based on representations made to Government by local associations, maritime agents and others involved in the yachting industry both locally and abroad, the decision was taken to defer the introduction of fees in an attempt to protect the Territory's competitive edge as a yachting destination."After all the BVI has been known as the sailing capital of the Western Hemisphere, if not of the world, and therefore it was extremely important for Cabinet to consider the representations that were made, as the Cabinet will do for any representation that the people will make," the Premier stated. He added: "It must be remembered that the yachting industry contributes to the economy of the Territory and the yachtsmen enjoy our waters from Anegada to Jost Van Dyke." The Premier further explained that the yachting industry is a significant contributor to the local economy and as such the sector must be safe-guarded against adverse impacts. "Cabinet reviewed the new fee structure and also we considered the cost implications of the charges when compared to the rising cost of fuel," the Premier said. He added that "In addition, Cabinet determined that if the BVI were to implement this new fee structure, the Territory may have become the most expensive destination in the world for mariners and yachts." In addition to indefinitely deferring the introduction of harbour fees, the BVI Cabinet has agreed to establish a seven-member focus group to review the said fees.This group will be chaired by Mr. Peter Haycraft and will include local agent, Mrs. Francis David, Acting Chairman of the BVI Tourist Board, Mr. Terrance Ford; Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority, Mr. Vincent O'Neal; Comptroller of Customs, Mr. Wade Smith; Ms. Lorraine Stoutt of Caribbean Transport and a representative from the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association. The group is expected to submit its report to Cabinet by September, 2008.The Government is committed to ensuring maximum economic development for the Territory and providing the necessary protections for the sectors that propel this growth."

All-Inclusive Vacation with a Twist!

ALL-INCLUSIVE FUN VIRGIN ISLANDS STYLE!!

Photo Courtesy of SY Promenade....www.viewyacht.com/promenade/

Say, what's your idea of an all inclusive resort vacation? Many choose a destination with white sandy beaches, glorious vistas, supreme comfort and style with a touch of adventure. No surprises there.
The results of a survey published in Forbes Magazine, (http://www.forbes.com/2003/10/16/cx_cv_1016feat.html) indicates that people want all the toys, all the meals, all the beverages, and all the excursions inclusive. It's a combination of time and value..."Customers don't want to spend a lot of time figuring out how much a vacation is going to cost them," says Sain. "And for the most part, these packages are a great value..."
Well, imagine this! An all-inclusive yacht charter is just that...all-inclusive. And there is a big difference. All meals and beverages are provided to your preference...customized just for you in advance of the trip.
And what else makes it special? You take your bedroom, living room, play area and all the amenities like kayaks, windsurfers, wakeboards etc. with you to beach after beach, island after island and coral reef after coral reef.
Your scenery constantly changes around you....you, in essence, are in/on a floating villa with a knowledgeable crew who not only are your personal gourmet caterers but who will daily adjust the week's vacation to your special needs, wants and desires. No same ol', same ol' here...just an exciting evolution of fun and relaxation to suit the whole charter party. What could me more all-inclusive than that? There is something for everyone!
And to make this idea even sweeter, the whole vacation usually costs much less than the resort-style holiday...and you get to see it all. All-inclusive...You can get details here..Happy Chartering!

Chartering News: Summer/Fall 2008

Newsflash!
The US Virgin Islands has been honored with a commemorative quarter. Oh, yes! We indeed are a part of the UNITED STATES Virgin Islands.


(Some ask me: "What currency is spent here?"....US, all US, and in the British Virgin Islands too! Fast as you can peel it off!)








Pirate News!! AAARGGHH, MATEY!! (Many ask us about Pirate activities in these waters)









Behold, the infamous Black Flag!!! This flag was the last thing many seamen saw in the Glory Days of Pirates. The privateers would espy an approaching square rigger, heavily laden with goods for the New World...and they began salivating. In the nooks and cranny-like coves of the British Virgin Islands, flanking the famous Sir Francis Drake channel, they would patiently wait. When the prize came into view, they would use their fast pirate ships, pounce from behind a high hill, and raise the Red Flag. This flag was a warning: "Hove to, surrender your arms and give us all your booty". Well, if the mariners were a little bit show, UP WENT THE BLACK FLAG AND ALL WERE KILLED.
In modern times, there are still pirates, oh yes there are! But they're behind the jewelry counters!! LOL!
Make sure your crew takes you to Norman Island, the island thought to be the premise of Stevenson's "Treasure Island". Snorkel the caves and search for the booty still thought to be there.

Here is your porthole to the US and British Virgin Islands! Making memories to last a lifetime!

Specials for Summer and Fall....please inquire if these ideas below do not fit your dream, and we will be happy to offer many more for you to consider. Just send an email to info@yachtchartersusvi.com or call 866-297-0163, US Toll Free.

Catamaran Catalyst Now Available All SummerDue to popular demand, Captain Alan of Catalyst has decided to open his calender for September and October.Summer is a great time to see the Virgin Islands. No crowds, quiet anchorages and deserted beaches makes it the ideal time for relaxation and rejuvenation. There's no better way to enjoy the islands than aboard Catalyst. Allan is also looking to fit a 6 night charter in for Christmas. Visit Capt. Alan and his yacht at www.viewyacht.com/catalyst.

Honeymoon Special on Godiva - $500 off the regular price. What better way to spend your honeymoon than to lazily sail around St. Maartin and St. Barts on your private yacht. Discover that secret cove where you can swim or snorkel off the boat. Dine in casual elegance in the spacious cockpit while Captain Dave serenades on guitar. Snorkel off Rocher Creole and be part of nature's tropical aquarium. Lay on the trampoline and count the stars overhead. We've put a few more stars in the sky for your honeymoon! As our honeymoon guests you will have the port (left) side of Godiva to yourselves. That's two cabins and bath. Come experience the romantic Caribbean on Godiva and make memories that will last a lifetime! Visit www.viewyacht.com/godiva to meet your crew and take a tour of this wonderful yacht based in St. Maarten.

NSS Pattam, a wonderful yacht is offering a vast array of special pricing and charter options for up to 8 passengers. Everything from a sail around the harbor, to a full term charter with extraordinary service for you to see the entire archipeligo which is the famous Virgin Islands.
Visit Captains Mat and Pat Bockh at http://viewyacht.com/nsspattam/index.php/5.
This is one lovely yacht offering something for everyone!



Thanks for visiting....please leave your comments/suggestions and I will promptly respond.

You know, this lovely area of the world is so very special. In addition to reef keepers, turtle protectors and historic ruins restorers, there are some very dedicated souls involved with boating safety in this area. Slip Aweigh Charters, Inc. supports VISAR (Virgin Islands Search and Rescue). Please visit them at http://www.visar.org/ and explore their good works. They have been first responders to many incidents and accidents in this area. Though the area is uncommonly safe compared, you know....just sometimes.....
They are almost entirely supported by personal donations. Thanks for all you do.
Margo Rose, Slip Aweigh Charters, Inc.