Catamaran Charters

[bgjj04]

I know these aren't exactly "cruises" in the traditional sense, but has anyone ever been part of a group that has chartered a catamaran for a week-long sailing trip in the Caribbean?

 

If so:

What was your experience (good, bad, or otherwise)?

Any suggestions when dealing with the charter company and/or crew?

Any "gotchas" (i.e., unexpected costs, "hoops" to jump through, etc)?

 

On our most recent "real" cruise, our friends and us jokingly discussed the idea while sitting on the beaches watching the catamarans sail around. Now that I'm home and I see that the per-person price isn't too unreasonable (considering we'd get a private charter with 4-8 of our closest friends that's truly all-inclusive), we're starting to consider the idea more seriously.

 

Thanks in advance!

[mrsfuzzmo]

no, but I've been really thinking about it. I've priced them many times and it seems to be reasonable. Not sure, though, how living in such close quarters with some of our friends would pan out. The price to fly to a departure port (usually an island) is quite high as well.

[bgjj04]

Not sure, though, how living in such close quarters with some of our friends would pan out.

LOL. Choosing the right travel partners would definitely be a huge part of it, and could definitely impact the enjoyment of the trip. Bad travel-mates on a large ship are easy to avoid. On a 60' catamaran with only 2 public spaces, not so much.

 

The price to fly to a departure port (usually an island) is quite high as well.

I've noticed this as well. Most of the ones I've looked at leave from either the BVI or USVI. The BVI flights are about double in price from what we usually pay to fly. USVI flights are about 50% more.