April 2024 BVI Charter
Ivan and Marisia - This week has been incredible starting with the warm welcome and big hugs. It was easy to see your genuine personalities and bubbling energy. We knew you were the perfect fit for us!
Marisia - your attention to meals was over the top and much appreciated. I don't think we ate one thing that we didn't like. We also appreciated the variety of snacks set out for any time. Your enthusiasm for life is contagious never lose that ! You and Ivan both made us feel at home and inspire us to return sooner than later. We will definitely miss you especially Monday morning when we are making our own breakfast! You two are truly something special and we feel blessed to know you. We wish you all the luck.
Thank you for the most unforgettable week and for letting us be part of your world. Stay in touch .
Balonier
Marisia and Ivan
Thank you so much for a wonderful trip !
You two made us truly feel so welcome and special, you thought of everything from the details on our meal table, delicious meals , exciting snorkel/diving adventure, kayaking, game times and all the exciting islands, you took us to explore. We really enjoyed getting to know you both. You are such a amazing, kind, thoughtful friends. Thanks for making our trip the trip of a lifetime - Maley
March 2024 BVI Charter
This trip was absolutely perfect and it was all thanks to Ivan and Marisia! We were absolutely spoiled and no other sailing trip will ever compare.
We all got to experience new things and some of us conquered our fears of the ocean thanks to the calm and expert guidance of Ivan and Marisia. When we get home we will all forever be longing to hear the conch shell for marisia's spectacular meals. Please come visit us. Thank you for a week of unforgettable memories.
-The Loewinsohn Charter
March 2024 BVI Charter
You both are the best! We had an amazing time!
Ivan and Marisia you guys make the best team.
Ivan, your patient , encouraging, experienced and knowledgeable and a kind finger doctor that saved Abis life. Your expertise at the helm is fun to watch.
Marisia, your cotagions zest for life and all ocean creatures is a breath of fresh air. You are so fun and bubbly. The food always on point --> taste, timing and presentation. You make it all look so easy. Thank you both.
We are going home relaxed and will have a lifetime of memories to play over and over.
-The Harris Family
February 2024 BVI Charter
Dear Ivan and Marisia,
Thank you for making this past week the most memorable, relaxing and fun week ever! I feel so lucky to have gotten to know you both-here's to more adventures together.
Xo Hopie
ps Marisia- your energy is electrifying; thank you for everything!
Ivan and Marisia,
Wow...what an amazing week! We all loved everything we did, everything we ate, and we love you!
Love,
Karen
Ivan and Marisia,
I just want to thank you both immensely for the wonderful week on Ether. You guys were the chillest, most down to earth pair of captains I could possibly imagine and made our week amazing. Forever grateful for all the amazing food and calm leadership this week. Best of luck with everything you guys do in the future!
NYE 2023 BVI Charter
A true trip of a lifetime. To say that out experience exceeded our expectations is an absolute understatement.
The yacht itself was beautiful, clean, well maintained and comfortable. However, the magic was created by Ivan and Marisia.
We were greeted by Ivan and Marisia at out taxi with pure excitement and warmth-we were made to feel special immediately. Their eagerness to create a truly memorable vacation was remarkable.
Ivan's experience and professionalism and competency as a captain put us all at ease.
Marisia is an outstanding chef. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner was better than any of the "top" restaurants we have visited. There was great variety each day and the presentation made you feel like you were in a fine dining restaurant. We can honestly say that every meal was delicious!
Fianlly Ivan and Marisia worked together as an amazing team dedicated to creating a fun experience for all. We snorkeled, tubed, visited multiple island beaches, went to fun bars, explored the baths in VG and much more. The detail and care put into everything we did was remarkable.
Thank you so much for an amazing trip.
-The Wiggins Family
November 2023 BVI Charter
Ivan and Marisa were just incredible. As I shared with them there is customer service and there is customer experience. Customer service is how you treat someone, customer experience is how that person feels treated. I believe I can speak for each and every one of us that were on the trip that they treated us like Royalty! The food was better than a 5 star hotel and their patience, kindness, and humbleness is unheard of in today’s world.
-The Andersons
Ivan and Marisia Past Guest Review 2023
I sailed for a week in the BVIs with Marisia & Ivan in 2023 and cannot speak highly enough about their level of professionalism, service & most importantly- FUN. Ivan gave us a very detailed low down on our itinerary each day, clearly showing the knowledge he had about the area. We were on a set itinerary that we had done previously, so when we asked about any new magic hidden spots to venture to, Ivan was happy to comply. He took us to some of the most beautiful hidden grottos in the BVIs. Always with a smile or a quick witted compliment- could not have asked for a better captain.
Marisia is also just an absolute ray of sunshine. I'm not sure that I've ever met someone with so much energy & levity- it's absolutely contagious. She served absolutely amazing food every single day, paying special attention to dietary needs, and even went above and beyond when my 30th birthday arrived on the last day of our charter. She not only baked an incredible cake, but had a competition series for the entire boat to participate in. Oh- and decorated my cabin full of balloons! She always has a smile on her face and is eager to help in any way you might need.
Overall this team is absolutely phenomenal at what they do. From technical knowledge, to amazing customer service- they provide everything any charter guest would need. I would highly recommend them to anyone or any company. They will not disappoint.
Ivan and Marisia Past Guest Review
We sailed around the island of Antigua with Ivan and Marisia and had the best experience! Their friendly, warm. personalities made us feel right at home. They went above and beyond for us on our anniversary as well; setting up a private lunch for my husband and I. We recommend them and their hospitality to anyone able to book a trip with them! Happy Sailing!
-Kate and Chris
Marisia and Ivan were truly a dynamic duo. Two very important parts of the guest charter experience are professionalism in yachting skills and hospitality.
They excelled in both!
Ivan is a skilled sailor while cruising and is very mechanical, keeping everything clean and working. He is also an excellent dive master.
Marisia is a skilled sailing mate and has top notch galley skills, preparing wonderful meals. What strikes me most is their happiness and rhythm as a working couple.
They run an excellent charter and it was probably the best I've seen in the last ten years as an avid charterer. Most notable is their local know ledge and their ability to make guests feel comfortable. They are truly lovely and personable people.
-Joyce
Marisia is a friendly, outgoing, professional individual. She added so much value to our trip! Marisia is definitely a people person, making everyone feel comfortable and keeping things upbeat and fun.
She went out of her way to make sure we were all having a good time and always asked for feedback to make sure she was keeping all of us happy. She is a h
hard worker and with a great attitude and should go far in whatever career she pursues!
Hoping to sail with her agian!
-Lynn
April 2023 BVI Charter
I could fill the entire book with all the wonderful memories Richard and Dom helped us create, but that would leave no room for others to journal their good wishes...
Richard and Dom,
Thank you for feeding us some of the best food we've ever eaten, motoring us to every "must see" spot in the BVI and entertaining us with stories your own adventures.
I feel like we came to Ether as customers, but left as friends.
We truly could not have had a more enjoyable vacation.
Thanks for the memories,
Patrick
March 2023 BVI Charter
We had an amazing week long trip with Richard and Dom. This is our 3rd cat trip and Richard and Dom were just top notch! Dom, did an awesome job managing our diet restrictions with amazing and delicious meals. Everyone cleaned their plate with every meal. We will certainly boat with them again! Best Cat trip we have ever had!!
Thank you so much for everything!
Dec 2022 BVI Charter
Ode to Ether
Thanks and praise to Richard and Dom. With them at the helm you can't go wrong!
Your kindness is stellar your knowledge complete .
To keep us all happy was your amazing feat!
What was our favorite, one might ask... Anegada, lobsters or just maybe the Baths?
Our sail, this trip is one for the books. A tribute to friendship and 40 year old vows that we took!
So we thank you and honor you doing so much for us, teaching Nancy to sail and carrying my phone with no fuss.
Wishing you both fair winds and calm seas, the you are with your best friends life is a BREEZE!
Love,
Don and Jane
Kevin and Nancy
July 2022 BVI Charter
Ether is brand new and is fully stocked with everything we needed. The beds were very comfortable with very nice linens and modern bathrooms. Individual yeti cups for everyone in our group. We loved the cooler of fresh, filtered water each day. Every type of mixer and alcohol we could want for making drinks. Ben, our captain was also an excellent bartender who made perfectly balanced cocktails for us. Charlie is a very talented chef who prepared amazing meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. We especially loved the beautiful charcuterie boards she would make for a late-afternoon snack. Perfect for when we were hungry coming back from snorkeling or diving. Lunch and dinner meals were perfectly paired with wines. Charlie is also a dive master and we felt very comfortable with her leading us on dives as beginner divers.
Ben is a very calm and capable captain. We felt very safe with him and he was very friendly and easy to talk to.
-The Hariri Family
June 2022 BVI Charter
Ben – I’ll love you forever for going to the bottom of the ocean for my sunglasses, you are the best Captain! Charlie thank you for your amazing food and we loved chanting Celine Dion into the moonlight. All the food we had was amazing – our favourite dinner was lasagna and the lunches were so fresh! We will miss our daily morning smoothies! We absolutely loved Anegada! The beach at white bay was gorgeous! Singing, dancing, jumping, snorkeling, swimming and SHOTS! Thank you for keeping us safe and showing us all the best spots in the BVI, you both made it an unforgettable week and 30th Birthday!!!
-The Daleys
May 2022 BVI Charter
We could not have asked for a better crew than Charlie and Ben. From Ben’s patience in teaching Nick how to loop the lines to Charlie’s guidance in finding incredible snorkeling areas. Ben was a great bartender, even surprising us with a happy hour on the beach! Charlie’s take charge confidence was perfect for our group and made our trip even more enjoyable. Thanks to Ben & Charlie this trip went beyond expectations. Charlie is an amazing chef! All of our meals were delicious and fresh. Loved the variety! Especially loved the Lasagna, conch ceviche and smoothies! So many ‘’best’’ memories! Anegada – the scavenger hunt Ben & Charlie organized for us -, Conch Island. Incredible snorkeling everywhere, tons of fish, stingrays, turtles! Hobie cat races. Diving, flipping, dolphins swimming by the boat! Great memories and one-of-a-kind experience!
-The Giordanos
May 2022 BVI Charter
Thanks Ben for letting me drive the boat!! Charlie, loved your infectious smile and zest for life. Ben, thanks for answering all our dumb questions! What a wealth of knowledge and patience. Loved you guys, thanks for being patient with us problematic children! We didn’t know ‘’green stuff’’ could taste so good!! Thank you for keeping us healthy and making it taste so good! One word : AMAZING. Our best memories: THE WEEK! Everything, we loved the rally you made for us on Anegada, the baths, the color of the water and dancing on the beach in Anegada!
-The Curans
April 2022 BVI Charter
Where do we start?! Ben and Charlie you made this experience SO special for our family! You have such a spirit of hospitality and you lead our family beautifully with your many gifts! The food was amazing! We loved every single dish and appreciated how you so thoughtfully chose everything based on our requests. It was SO good! Our Best memories: Snorkeling, dinner with Charlie and Ben, Tubing, Sleeping with the waves, learning to sail!
You guys are sooooo nice and I will forever remember this trip! Food was down right Awesome! – Katherine
Tubing was awesome! My Favourite meal was steak! – Lauren
March 2022 BVI Charter
We had such a fabulous trip!!!
Right off the bat: the boat was new and the crew said we were only their second charter in the BVI’s, due to some sort of permitting or something? At first I was a little nervous wondering how it was going to go, but they could not have been more enthusiastic about where we were headed and what we were going to see. Captain Ben was super-laid back and friendly and very knowledgeable. Charlie was an excellent cook, very sociable and smart, and even taught the girls how to play a few new games. They really were a delight, which in that situation is really a make or break! Plus, they were young so the girls thought they were cool!!!
I’m not sure what other feedback to give, other than it was a great trip for our family and we made a lot of amazing memories! Thank you for all you did!!!!
March 2022 BVI Charter
Charlie & Ben – you are amazing! You are so welcoming, helpful and fun. Thank you for your patience with kids (and the rest of us!) and extra thanks from Carol for the help and consideration with her knee. You made our week extra special! Best food ever! Charlie, you have an amazing gift. Everything was delicious. Our favorites: aged steaks, shanghai noodles. Risotto, ceviche, brioche French toast, fresh conch ceviche, every dessert and daily chocolate chip pankakes!
Our best memories are the Anegada snorkeling tour, the sail to and from Anegada, diving the Rhone wreck and seeing the goliath grouper! Dancing at Foxy’s, Willie T’s Jump, Deep sea fishing, Driving the Mokes, best naps, kayaking, the baths, playing uno, the solitude at Great Camano, spending time with family and friends, making new friends, first ever snorkeling and sailing for the kids Riley and Parker : Best week of our lives
February 2022 BVI Charter
Everyone needs a Ben and Charlie! You two made our bucket list trip EVERYTHING we imagined. After the incredible hospitality, selection of our itinerary in the BVI and the fun competitions we had, we are sure we will be back to repeat this bucket list item. The food was impeccable from the eggnog French toast pulled pork sandwich, homemade gyoza and charcuterie was amazing. Every meal was a 5 star dining experience. From the best valentines day ever to the wet dighny ride to the yacht club to jumping off the boat with Charlie it was all fun! We will see you again – greg & janalee.
February 2022 Charter
Benoit and Charlie are SO much fun! Charlie taught us how to play Catan on rainy days and Ben let us steer the boat over choppy waters! They made sure we had the best tune ever – a truly exceptional crew. Awesome snorkeling & scuba diving with our guides Ben & Charlie who knew all of the best places. So much fun spending time together and them joining our gang for a week! About the food: everything has been absolutely incredible. The level of deliciousness was above and beyond our expectations! We truly enjoyed every meal. All the efforts spent in making every dish didn’t do unnoticed. Such complexity and variety! We are glad this was just a one week adventure or else we’d all walk out much heavier than when we boarded the boat ha!! The handmade shanghai noodles were incredible! Really meant a lot to me that we had such an amazing Chinese New Year night as requested. The conch ceviche was also mind-blowing! Thank you for all the food & snacks & drinks. Our favourite memories are snorkeling through a pod of over 50 dolphins – amazing! Watching the humpback whales play in the waves was incredible, so was exploring buck island and walking along the beach!
January 2022 Charter
“What a pair! The onboard experience can’t be beat – food, sailing, adventures, cocktails, snorkeling, fishing, paddle boarding and the coziest (always freshly-made!) beds to cap off the day. Ben: his warm, personable demeanor is a bonus and compliments his exceptional captain skills. Always cool, calm and collected at the helm – we felt safe and really enjoyed all the sailing. Charlie: unbelievably gifted, talented, creative chef – unmatched in her culinary skills (and we know skills!) She has an equally lovely personality and boat skills. About the food: *** Ether and Charlie deserves 3 Michelin stars! An experience worth booking for the food! Shakshuka, baked red snapper, prosecco-poached shrimps in watermelon radish, avo eggs benedict, crab & carrot agnolotti, wahoo with parsnip purée, snow crab boil + countless painkillers and delicious cocktails. Our best memory is in Buck Island – floating around and snorkeling, paddling and beach paradise. We loved hitting 8 kts on the St-Croix to St-John sailing journey after seeing a sunrise together.
Kat & Blaise, Karen + Glenn, Janice + Sully”
Previous Charter Reviews
“Benoit was absolutely fantastic, he knew the islands, made everyone feel part of a new family but also joined in so felt one of the gang. If I could personally request a skipper again I would have Ben in a heartbeat and wouldn't think twice!”
“His professionalism on and off the boat was just awesome. He always made sure are sailing conditions were perfect. I had a hard time adjusting to walking the plank and each time I looked up he was there with open hands to help. Benoît should be the model of how a yacht week skipper should handle themselves for guest.”
“I have nothing but great things to say about our skipper Ben! Very professional and made sure we where safe. He made our holiday a great experience. Ben was very knowledgeable but the places we were going to visit. First class skipper a must request for our next YW holiday. ”
