Alana & Renata, Canada

A trip on Aravilla is a must
  • Charter Codename: DB Group
  • Date of Visit: March 2016
  • Charter Length: 1 week
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