Testimonials

Well, there are so many wonderful things to say about this holiday. Rick and I had a wonderful time on your floating home. Thank you for making us feel so welcomed and at home. You both helped to make the trip fun, filled with sun, awesome food, drinks and adventure.

You compliment each other well and are fun to sail with. Thank you for everything. Wishing you both years of health and happiness.
Jennifer & Rick, Canada

Thank you for a wonderful week! It was a vacation to remember filled with fun, sun, and good company.
Brad & Tracy, Canada

The food was amazing and made for great photo ops. Lee was very happy to help with the sailing. Thanks again for everything!
Sabrina &amp Lee, Canada

What an amazing week! Not sure where to start…Cindy, you are a wonderful cook. You spoiled us every day and every meal with your fabulous concoctions. Just the smells from the kitchen were delicious. Derek, you are certainly the jack of all trades. Very impressive as a captain, and a leader. You certainly know your way around the islands and the boat. Most of of all, thank you for making us feel like KINGS and QUEENS and more importantly, like FAMILY! Can’t wait till next year!

Love you both!
Terri B., Jacksonville

Amazing week! Wonderful memories made! Can’t wait to start the planning for next year’s trip!
Maria, Pennsylvania

We came into this week not knowing if this type of vacation was for us…well we found out almost immediately that it was and a big part of that was because of the two of you! Derek made the choice of ARAVILLA an easy one by making initial arrangements easy and clear! Even though the first few days were a “little breezy”, we were having a blast! Your boat is amazing and we were comfortable the entire time. Cindy, your company and breakfast, lunch and dinners were just simply amazing. Definitely one of the things that made the trip for us!! I think the best outcome of the trip was how quickly we became friends and how easy it was for us to spend time together! You are now part of our family! We look forward to our return next year!!

With Love,
Dan, Pennsylvania

For us this vacation was a dream come true! I have to say I was a little nervous, not knowing what to expect. Would the food be good? Would I get seasick? Would I go stir crazy? Can I get in and out of a dinghy?

To answer, we are all closer than before and we’ve made new friends in you! The food was off the hook! I will most definitely be taking some recipes home. No seasickness! Yay! I LOVE SAILING and will be back next year – that is CERTAIN! Thank you for everything, and especially for going along with all our foolishness!

See you in 2019!
Nicole and Lou, Pennsylvania

Thank you very much for the amazing week of fun and adventures. Also for the introductions to all the amazing people on the island who we’ve heard so much about. You guys have spoiled us, and we will be booking our next trip soon!

Joey & Christina

Thanks for an amazing trip. We packed a lot into 4 days, including some great adventures. It was awesome to spend Derek’s b-day in Anguilla with Bankie Banx. Thanks for the great hospitality. C U soon

Mark

• What a pleasure to meet you and have you both take us to our race in Nevis. You two have such a great story and are on a wonderful  life adventure. It was sincerely a pleasure and I wish you both the best. Hope to meet you both again soon!
• Thank you Derek and Cindy for a wonderful experience on your boat! You guys are great hosts and I have enjoyed all your interesting stories. You took great care of us. Thank you so much! And Cindy, your brownies are amazing! Hopefully we will be back next year. All the best!
• Barend and I had a fantastic time on your boat! You have inspired us to live large, live our dreams, and live like you only have one life. When do you realize you are finally there? That is the real question.

The Team

What an amazing trip – trip of a lifetime! With that said, I will be back! Loved, loved, loved every second – great foot, delicious drinks, RELAXATION, beautiful water, riding in the princess seat, attempting to snorkel, riding in the dinghy, Grand Case, my St. Maarten drinks of choice – Blue Moon and Mojitos, and last but not least – Great friends and amazing hosts.

Will & Donna, Atlanta

Wonderful hospitality from Derek and Cindy. Very much appreciated – an unforgettable experience!

Frank & Char, Illinois

• Many thanks for a tremendous week filled with many wonderful sights , sounds, sensations, great food and drink. We enjoyed the many conversations and the advice on how to make the transition from corporate to the Caribbean!! Sail on!
• Thanks so much for a vacation we will always remember. Love your boat!
• Thanks for an exciting trip on ARAVILLA! You made my first sailing experience a great one. It was great getting to know you two and hearing some awesome stories. Great boat, great food, great times!
• I had a wonderful week on your gorgeous ARAVILLA. The delicious food and drinks Cindy whipped up definitely helped! You were both such great hosts and I will remember this trip always!
• What a fantastic week aboard ARAVILLA! I will always remember the great sailing, the beautiful islands, and most of all, the amazing hosts! Can’t wait to see you guys back in Canada sometime down the road. All the best in 2017!
• Thank you so much for such an incredible week aboard ARAVILLA! You both made our trip extra special. The boat is beautiful and the food was amazing. Thanks for taking the time to answer all my questions before we boarded too! We all had an amazing time, and my favourite part was definitely the hike in Colombier! Best of luck in 2017 – see you soon!
• Wow! You two are amazing! This was the MOST fabulous time I’ve had!! Meeting and sailing with you both has been beautiful. I felt so relaxed and spoiled by your great cooking Cindy, and both of your ready to please attitudes. You are a perfect couple, doing a perfect job, showing us a perfect time! The hospitality and company was beyond our greatest expectations! Until next time!
• Thanks for an amazing week. The sights, food, and friendship will always be remembered. Can’t say enough about EVERYTHING!

A good bunch of Canucks, Toronto, Canada

Aravilla is an elegant and modern home away from home on the water. It has everything you need for a relaxing and comfortable stay! The captains make you feel right at home and I immediately felt like I was in good hands. If you’re looking for a fun sailing adventure with your friends where you will get a personalized touch then I recommend this charter highly.

Derek and Cindy will look after all your needs including an itinerary that’s right for you, booking shore excursions, fantastic food and drinks, and of course your personal safety while at sea. The best part of this trip for me was that all I had to do was show up. Derek and Cindy looked after the rest! You will want for nothing except maybe a few more days on the boat when it’s over 🙂 “
Alana, Canada

A trip on Aravilla is a must to truly experience the islands. Captains Derek and Cindy‎ made our vacation memorable for everyone! Our group of 6 stayed aboard Aravilla for 7 nights and enjoyed a completely self-directed itinerary. Derek and Cindy were so attentive to everyone’s desires, making sure each person left St. Maarten with their own hopes fulfilled. They provided options at every port and prearranged activities like scuba diving for the group. They cared for us like family and made safety a priority on the water.

Our group had mixed experience levels with sailing and general time spent on the water so Derek and Cindy took this into account allowing us to participate as we felt comfortable. After a little time, we established our sea legs and felt completely at home on Aravilla. The sleeping cabins are extremely comfortable and I got a little too accustomed to being rocked gently to sleep on the water.

The food provided was truly amazing! Great variety of options for breakfasts and smoothies that I miss tremendously. ‎We never went hungry! It was also really nice to have the option of eating on shore too. Lots of memorable dinghy trips tendering to the docks at sunset for delicious local fare.

Being able to build your own itinerary was amazing! As a former cruiser, I can say that you certainly have more freedom to explore places in depth or make ‎a quick stop. There’s so much more to St. Maarten than what you see from a cruise ship. Some of the best places to port don’t see any cruise ship passengers at all!

Derek and Cindy work as a team to provide a vacation you won’t forget. They are partners in business, in life, and getting to experience a week in their lifestyle was really something awesome. I can’t say enough good things about our trip. The laughs were endless and the memories will stick with me always. Thank you Derek and Cindy for hosting us on such an amazing adventure aboard Aravilla!Renata R, Canada

Alan and I booked the trip of a lifetime aboard Aravilla last January. We love ‘doing as the locals do’ while on vacation and Derek and Cindy’s knowledge of St Maarten was fantastic. Between sailing to deserted islands and eating dinner at sunset while the waves rolled over our toes, their suggestions for adventures, eateries, and activities could have kept us there much longer than a week. I have to say snorkeling Creole Rock stands out as a top experience, as does cruising around St-Barth’s on quads all day finding secluded beaches to relax at…We look forward to going back!
Daryl & Alan, Collingwood, Canada