Tuesday, March 31, 2009

New flights to Martinique from San Juan - American Airlines

New daily flights between San Juan, Puerto Rico and Fort-de-France, Martinique

Martinique has become more accessible to US travelers thanks to newly-expanded service from American Eagle Airlines. Beginning May 1, 2009, American Eagle will offer daily service between its hub in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Fort-de-France, the capital of Martinique.



The new American Eagle service to Martinique will operate daily as follows:
  • From San Juan (SJU) to Fort-de-France (FDF):
Flight # 5020
  • SJU: Departure 7:15 pm
  • FDF: Arrival 9:06 pm

  • From Fort-de-France (FDF) to San Juan
 (SJU):
Flight # 5021
  • FDF: Departure 7:24 am
  • SJU: Arrival 9:25 am
So, if you've been thinking about chartering out of Martinique, this new schedule should really help out!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Crystal Clear - Special time-sensitive offers

Charly, owner-operator of the 54-foot CT ketch, has a couple of special offers to help you realize your dream sailing vacation...

Charter Yacht Crystal Clear in the Virgin Islands - Contact Paradise Connections

Don't miss these two, time-sensitive specials:
  • For any charter booking confirmed between now and May 31, 2009 to take place at any time INCLUDING Christmas and/or New Years, Crystal Clear will offer:
  • NO 10% "short charter" industry-standard surcharge... Even for overnight charters!
  • 10% discount off normal rates for charters of 4 or more nights
  • For ALL BOOKINGS of charters for the 2010 season made before July 31, 2009 will book at 2009 rates.

Crystal Clear is fully air conditioned and accommodates up to 4 guests in 2 cabins. It is a great boat for a couple or a family of four.


Come on down and enjoy yourselves!

Charter MAKAYABELLA in the Grenadines - News

We have received this bit of news from the charter yacht MAKAYABELLA, a 65-foot sloop based in the Grenadines, owned and operated by John & Susan.
We are thankful to be having a good charter season, due to so many repeat charter guests. We understand that business is off due to the global economy but we wanted to share with you some uplifting news from the Grenadines!

GRENADINE GREEN TURTLES

Besides the totally breathtaking beauty of the Tobago Cays here in the gorgeous Grenadines, we have a unique and touching experience that we always share with our charter guests.

Over the past few years, the once scarce Green Turtles are now to be found in increasing numbers grazing on turtle grass in the shallow crystal clear water off Baradel Island in the Cays. In many cases the turtles have become trusting enough to be approached gingerly by snorkelers allowing, an incredibly close encounter with these graceful wild creatures.

One of us will always accompany our guests on an encounter with the Green Turtles and we offer them the use of our underwater digital camera for a great photographic memento of the turtles, and their holiday on MAKAYABELLA. It is such an uplifting and moving experience which we never tire of sharing.

Back on board MAKAYABELLA we so enjoy watching the pleasure that our guests receive from viewing their photographs, and then their delight upon receiving a CD with copies of the photos to take home and share with family and friends. It is truly rewarding for us and our guests to share this unique and memorable experience. The two photos above were taken by recent charter guests.



We look forward to continuing to offer charter guests on board MAKAYABELLA a wonderful and truly memorable sailing holiday.

Sincerely, John Nicholson & Susan Bruce, s/y MAKAYABELLA
Try out the Grenadines next time!

Motor Yacht Charter NOVA SCOTIA

DESTINATION FOX HARB’R TOO (FHToo) offers special privileges to charter guests for the Fox Harb'r Resort in Nova Scotia!

Charter Nova Scotia - Contact ParadiseConnections.com

FHToo is a 161-foot Trinity motoryacht, and accommodates up to 11 guests in 5 cabins.

FHToo will be available this summer in Nova Scotia! Take advantage of this unique charter destination onboard DFHToo, as charterers are provided with a voucher package for the exceptional, 5-star Fox Harb’r Resort (valid for 7-night minimum charters). Vouchers include a round of golf at this top-ranking, picturesque course, as well as a trip to the serene spa, and the opportunity to test your aim in skeet or trap shooting.



Halifax International Airport (YHZ) is easily accessible with many airlines offering direct flights, and is a mere 80-minute drive from the resort. If that’s not close enough, Fox Harb'r has an almost 5000' runway, and with a Canpass or Nexus card one can fly in from the States without having to worry about customs.

DFHToo is available from $230,000 per week, plus expenses.

Looking forward to your inquiries!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Charter SECRET LIFE for 2009 Cannes Film Festival

The 147-foot (45m) motor yacht, SECRET LIFE, is available for the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Charter SECRET LIFE for the Cannes Film Festival - Contact ParadiseConnections.com

Charter rate:
  • 95,000 euros/week, plus all expenses
  • 10,000 euro security deposit
Secret Life accommodates 10-12 guests in 5 cabins (2 doubles, 3 twins, plus 2 convertible settees in the master cabin). Secret Life has a crew of 10.

Secret Life has been described as being a classic, refined and elegant yacht. She is the ideal yacht to host receptions, VIP clients and has ample entertainment areas such as the aft deck for al fresco dining, 2 interior saloons and a superb sundeck!

Don't wait too long! Deadline for the berth application is soon.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Charter Catamaran AMARYLLIS - Jimmy Buffett sighting

We just received an email from the charter catamaran AMARYLLIS. We recently had a very happy charter aboard Amaryllis and we'll be posting their comments soon, but in the meantime, here's some news from this excellent charter yacht:
JIMMY BUFFETT SIGHTING AT WHITE BAY!

March came in like a lion and went out with a blast! St. Paddies at 'Sir' Foxy's, Jimmy Buffett at White Bay, St. John Blues Festival in Coral Bay, and the usual great sailing, hikes, beach bars, etc. We had two 'parrotheads' on charter who were down here for a Margaritaville experience. They were sitting in front of the Soggy Dollar Bar at White Bay and saw Jimmy Buffett standing about 25 feet from them, blending in with the beach crowd. He obliged them with a picture, at which point the buzz went down the beach, "That's Jimmy Buffett!' and he made a speedy getaway. We joked that we had to pull some strings to make their vacation really special! But the bottom line is, you can't beat a Virgin Islands charter for a great vacation.

FAMILY DISCOUNT

We are offering 'one child free' so a family of four can charter AMARYLLIS for a week for $9,000, all-inclusive. This is a very competitive price and a good value for Mom and Dad. We've had a great season so far with families, couples, and singles. We will be available for charter through August 15th and will be back.
Charter catamaran Amaryllis - contact ParadiseConnections.com to plan your yacht charter sailing vacationAmaryllis is a 45-foot Privilege catamaran, owned and operated by Bruce & Laura Masterson, and accommodates up to 6 guests. Please note that Amaryllis is a non-smoking yacht. We spent quite a bit of time aboard Amaryllis with Bruce & Laura last November when we were in St. Thomas and we hope to see them again when we pass through next month. Bruce is a sailing instructor and offers informal training, plus he also teaches windsurfing.

Amaryllis will be available for charter through mid-August in USVI, BVI, St. Maarten or Antigua.

Parrotheads welcome :)

ASHLANA, End of Season Special Discount Offer

ASHLANA is offering an end of the winter season special before heading North for the summer to New England by way of the Bahamas.

Charter Yacht Ashlana Crew - Antigua - Photo © Paradise Connections
(Photo © Paradise Connections)

Any charters confirmed and taking place between now and April 15, 2009 in the Virgin Islands, will receive this super discount rate:
  • $7,000/wk for 2 guests and $8,200/wk for 4 guests, all inclusive except bar, dockage, communications & cruising taxes (Virgin Islands)
ASHLANA is a beautiful, 53-foot Little Harbor sloop (previously owned by Ted Hood). Ashlana accommodates up to 4 guests. The master cabin aft has two double berths with ensuite head/shower. The forward guest cabin has 2 lower single berths & filler to make a double, if necessary. Forward head is shared with crew. Or, if you prefer, you may use the crew cabin (port forward cabin) with upper/lower single bunks.
Ask about late Spring charters in the Bahamas!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Recent Charter Comments - Kids loved charter

Here's are comments left by one of our clients on a recent charter...

Kid's Charter Comments - Guests from Paradise Connections Yacht Charters

Jack is 8 years old.

"... Sail boats are better than cruise ships". Smart kid :)

New England Catamaran Charter, Summer 2009

Entrepreneurship (or E-Ship), presently in the Virgin Islands will be available this summer in New England. Based in the Newport Area, she will consider charters along the New England coast.

Charter catamaran Entrepreneurship in Virgin Islands Caribbean or New England - Contact ParadiseConnections.com

Whether you are looking for a weekend itinerary or longer, Entrepreneurship can provide a relaxing, yet fun filled holiday.

RATES: Summer 2009, New England, plus all expenses
  • $8,500/wk for up to 4 guests, Captain Only, plus all expenses
E-ship is fully air conditioned, 50-foot Catana catamaran, and accommodates up to 4 guests in your choice of cabins. The starboard hull is the master cabin. It has a king-size berth, with ensuite head plus separate shower stall. For the other guest cabin, you can choose which port-side cabin is best suited for your party. The forward cabin has a double, while the aft cabin has twin berths. All cabins have ensuite head/shower.

E-Ship is available for weekends and day sails out of Newport. Inquire!

Remember that Entrepreneurship is still available in the Virgin Islands before she makes her journey up north!
Hope to see you sailing!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Perseus - St. Maarten Bridge - Paradise Connections Yacht Charters

Continuing our ongoing quest for the elusive kitty litter, we had to pass through the St. Maarten bridge this morning...

Charter Yacht Perseus passing through Simpson Bay Bridge, St Maarten - (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
No, this isn't our boat... This is the 163-foot charter yacht, Perseus...

Charter Yacht Perseus passing through Simpson Bay Bridge, St Maarten - (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
Does anyone know what flag that is? I do, but it's not a very common sight around these parts.

Charter Yacht Perseus passing through Simpson Bay Bridge, St Maarten - (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
With a beam of almost 34 feet (the length of OUR sailboat!) they had plenty of room to get through the bridge. Hey, that means we can go through sideways, if need be :)

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to show that we, Sheila & Bob of Paradise Connections Yacht Charters, live aboard our boat and we live among the charter yachts and see them on a daily basis... not just at a charter yacht show once or twice a year when the boats are all prettied up for showing off to the brokers. We're in touch with the coconut telegraph. We pass by the boats when we dinghy through the harbors, see crew shopping, in restaurants, and just around town...

A few weeks ago, a charter yacht made a special trip to St. Maarten just to meet us and have us aboard for a visit. Tomorrow, we are going to visit a yacht that wants to enter the charter fleet and would like our advice. Next week, the catamaran Alidade is going to stop by St. Martin for a special visit to see us as we have not met the new crew. How cool is that?

Here are examples of a few of the charter yachts that have been around us recently in St. Martin / St. Maarten... Click on photo to enlarge image and click on yacht's name for online brochure.
Gunboat Catamaran Safari in Simpson Bay St Maarten (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
SAFARI
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)

Caliope of Arne in Simpson Bay St Maarten (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
CALIOPE OF ARNE
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
Coconut in Simpson Bay St Maarten (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
COCONUT
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)

Charter Yacht Fearless in St Maarten (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
FEARLESS
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)

Willow looking at Wonderful in Simpson Bay St Maarten (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
Our cat,WILLOW, looking at their cat, WONDERFUL
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)

Catamaran Wonderful in Simpson Bay St Maarten (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
WONDERFUL
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)

Stad Amsterdam in Simpson Bay St Maarten (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
STAD AMSTERDAM
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)

Catamaran Matau in Simpson Bay, St Maarten - (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
MATAU
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
Just took this fuzzy photo. Sorry,
but some jetskis just went by and
rocked our boat :)

Catamaran GODIV - Dave and Marci at Pirate Party, St. Thomas - (Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
DAVE & MARCI of GODIVA
(Photo ©2009 - Paradise Connections)
Pirate Party in St. Thomas, USVI

We were sad when we heard Godiva announce on the St. Maarten's Morning VHF Cruisers' Net that they were leaving on the afternoon's bridge opening. Godiva has left the charter fleet and is now sailing back towards Florida. We'll miss them, as we had three charters with Dave & Marci during their short winter season.

Contact PARADISE CONNECTIONS to plan your sailing vacation... CLICK for our contact info

Visit our website: http://www.paradiseconnections.com

See you around!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Charter yacht MATELOT in the Eastern Med this summer... Lower rates

The sailing yacht MATELOT is available for Summer 2009 charters in Croatia / East Mediterranean at less than their Summer 2008 rates!

Charter yacht MATELOT Caribbean winter & Eastern Med summer - Contact ParadiseConnections.com

Matelot has had a busy Caribbean season with SIX weeks of REPEAT charters so far this winter. Captain Angus Fuller would like to remind you that Matelot still has an opening for the last two weeks in April at the reduced winter Caribbean price of $25,000/wk for up to 6 guests, Caribbean Terms (all inclusive, except bar/beverages, cruising fees...).

Between charters, Angus has had the decks freshly sanded and they are looking like new, plus the main generator just received a complete overhaul earlier this month.

Matelot's full-width master cabin. Contact ParadiseConnections.com to plan your sailing vacation.Launched in 2005, Matelot is hull #2 of the Southern Wind Shipyard Farr 80’ Nauta deck saloon sloop.

Matelot is an 80-foot, Farr-designed sloop which accommodates up to six guests in three cabins. The full-width, master cabin forward has a walk-around King bed, settee, vanity/desk, plus ensuite head with a separate shower stall. The other two guest cabins are identical to each other with twin lower berths (not bunks), and both cabins have ensuite heads with separate showers. The crew quarters are aft of the galley and have their own, separate entry.

Where the action is!Matelot has separate guest and sailing cockpits. This offers guests who wish to be away from the sailing action, a spacious and comfortable area to relax.

Matelot is UK flagged, maintained to MCA category 2, and is consistently in top condition. Capt. Angus reports that the yacht has more back up and redundancy in systems than most yachts in her size and class. For instance, Matelot has two generators offering guests the option of running air conditioning 24/7. She also has two watermaker units with a capacity of up to 420 liters of fresh water per hour, two full refrigeration systems, and two air conditioning chiller units. In addition to her rigid routine maintenance schedule, Matelot recently received new luxury bed linens, and a new suite of carbon fiber sails is currently being built.

While offering guests luxury and comfort, Matelot is a true performance sailer having placed first in the 2007 ARC transatlantic race, and second in the 2008 ARC race; out of a fleet of 225 yachts both times. Good show, guys!

Charter Yacht Matelot's crew: Capt. Angus & Chef Jessie - Contact ParadiseConnections.comCaptain Angus Fuller has been cruising in the Caribbean since 1996 and skippering yachts in the Caribbean since 2001.

Capt. Angus and Chef Jessie were married in October of last year. They have worked together for the owner of MATELOT for four years, having run his previous yacht MATELOT (an Oyster 66.) Angus and Jessie have extensive knowledge of the Western and Eastern Mediterranean cruising areas, as well as the Adriatic / Croatia.

MATELOT is available for Summer 2009 charters in Croatia / East Med at € 2,000 less than the summer 2008 rates.

RATES, in euros: plus all expenses
  • June & September 2009: € 20,000 plus all expenses
  • July & August 2009: € 22,000, plus expenses
FOR MORE INFORMATION:

All the best!

ELEONORA Last-Minute Caribbean Charter

This is your last chance to book the classic styled, charter yacht ELEONORA in the Caribbean before she starts her journey back to the Mediterranean!

Classic Charter Yacht ELEONORA - Contact ParadiseConnections.com

s/y Eleonora is a 160-foot (49.50 meter) Schooner. She is currently in Antigua and is ready to go for any last-minute charters. Eleonora accommodates up to 8 guests in 4 cabins (3 doubles and 1 twin).

They have just adjusted her winter rate for this occasion and she is now offered at the outstanding rate of $55,000/wk, plus all expenses.
This is a beautiful yacht and, with a crew of nine, you will definitely be properly pampered!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Charter Yacht THREE MOONS goes green & not just on St. Patrick's Day!

Shelly & Randy, owner-operators of the 65-foot Irwin charter yacht Three Moons, wrote to us today (St. Patrick's Day) in keeping with the green theme :)

Charter Yacht Three Moons in St. Thomas, USVI - Photo by Paradise Connections ©2009 - Please do not use without permission.
Three Moons in St. Thomas, USVI - Photo by Paradise Connections ©2009
"It's fun to get people excited about planning a vacation that promotes a healthier global footprint. What are we talking about? Sailing aboard Three Moons! When our yacht is under sail, she's 50 steady tons of pure fun lifted by the wind on the turquoise waters of the U.S. Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands. Sure, there are times when the engine or generator is running; but we're taking extra precautions with our equipment to make sure that we're conscious of our environment. There are other ways Three Moons is thinking greener too!

"We've been working this season with local farmers to provide more produce for our provisions. There's a local gardener who provides all our fresh herbs. The fish prepared in our Award-winning galley is caught by area fisherman and is of the certified sustainable variety. Many of our fruits & vegetables are delivered straight to our yacht via a "boat boy" who takes pride in his fresh mangos, papaya, pineapple and other tropical fruits.

"Our islands are truly struggling with the lack of local recycling facilities for plastic bottles. We are now asking our guests to bring along a personal water bottle for our triple filtered water if they choose. This has been very successful! Yes, we also provide plenty of bottled water for our guests as well as insulated water bottles. The decision is totally for the guest to make; they seem to appreciate helping our islands work toward a "greener future"! Stay tuned...more great green ideas are on the way!"
Three Moons is a fully air-conditioned, 65-foot ketch which accommodates up to 8 guests in 4 double cabins.

For charters taking place before June 30, 2009, Three Moons is waiving the standard 10% surcharge for charters of 5 nights or less.
Three Moons is one of our favorite charter yachts with great hospitality, excellent food, wonderful fun... They really know how to pamper their guests!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Charter Gunboat Catamaran SAFARI in the Mediterranean Summer 2009

SAFARI the 62-foot Gunboat catamaran is currently in St Maarten (we can see them anchored way out there!) and Captain Lucky Mike is standing by for charters!

Safari will be available for charter this summer in the Mediterranean at the weekly charter price of 15,000 euros, plus all expenses.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all of you Gunboat enthusiasts to sail aboard a Gunboat catamaran!

Here's a couple of photos we took of Safari out in Simpson Bay, St Maarten just before the 2009 Heineken Regatta...

Gunboat catamaran, Safari - Photo by Paradise Connections ©2009 Gunboat catamaran, Safari - Photo by Paradise Connections ©2009
Gunboat catamaran, Safari - Photos by Paradise Connections ©2009

RATES:
Winter 2009 Caribbean: All-inclusive, except bar/beverages, cruising fees...
  • $17,500/wk for 2 guests
  • $18,500/wk for 4 guests
  • $19,500/wk for 6 guests
Summer 2009 West Med: Plus all expenses
  • € 15,000/wk for up to 6 guests, plus all expenses

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Hope you can taken advantage of the great airfares to Europe and sail with Safari this summer!

Charter yacht FORTUNA - Racing & Transatlantic passages

FORTUNA is still available for a charter for Antigua Race Week and also has a few berths still available for the transatlantic crossing this spring (Caribbean-Mediterranean), along with your "standard" crewed charter option.

Charter FORTUNA - Racing, TransAtlantic passages, Crewed charters - Contact ParadiseConnections.com

FORTUNA will head to the Mediterranean for the summer charter season. She is Spanish flagged with a Spanish charter license and fully legal for summer charters in and around Spanish waters.

Plus, FORTUNA is available for the 2009 ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria to St. Lucia (November). We spent two winters in Las Palmas and really enjoyed the atmosphere.

RATES:

For the remainder of the winter and the summer season FORTUNA's charter rates will remain discounted as follows:
WINTER 2009 Caribbean rates: All-inclusive, except bar/beverages, cruising fees...
  • $16,150/wk for 4 guests
  • $17,765/wk for 6 guests
  • $19,370/wk for 8 guests
  • $20,950/wk for 10 guests
SUMMER 2009 West Mediterranean rates: Plus all expenses
  • € 16,000 during May, June, July & September, plus all expenses
  • € 20,000 during August, plus all expenses
FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Looking forward to your inquiries!