TURQUOISE TURTLE, a 50 ft Sailing Catamaran, available for luxury crewed charter

TURQUOISE TURTLE

SAILING CATAMARAN

Luxury Crewed Yacht

50 ft Sailing Catamaran

Ideal for up to 6 guests

3 cabins

2 crew

Scuba Onboard

Pricing from $16,000/week

Explore Pricing

'TURQUOISE TURTLE' is a Sailing Catamaran, accommodating up to 6 guests, available for crewed charter with a home base in BVI Based.

Turquoise Turtle is a Voyage 500 sailing catamaran with 3 ensuite queen cabins. She has a spacious salon and cockpit for dining and entertainment, and two large trampolines forward for lounging in the sun and enjoying the fresh ocean breeze. She offers lot of water toys for young and old at heart. There is also water access from a drop down ladder on the bow.

84 reviewsreviews

Turquoise Turtle is a Voyage 500 sailing catamaran with 3 ensuite queen cabins. She has a spacious salon and cockpit for dining and entertainment, and two large trampolines forward for lounging in the sun and enjoying the fresh ocean breeze. She offers lot of water toys for young and old at heart. There is also water access from a drop down ladder on the bow.

Explore the layout and specifications for TURQUOISE TURTLE, a 50 ft Sailing Catamaran

Specifications

Guests	6
Cabins	3
Queen Beds	3
Heads	4
Length	50 ft
Beam	27 ft
Year Built	2001
Year Refit	December 2017

Dive into the Details for TURQUOISE TURTLE

Season	2 Guests	3 Guests	4 Guests	5 Guests	6 Guests
Summer 2024	$16,300	$17,050	$17,800	$18,550	$19,300
Winter 2024 to 2025	$16,300	$17,050	$17,800	$18,550	$19,300
Summer 2025	$16,300	$17,050	$17,800	$18,550	$19,300

BREAKFAST

A fresh fruit platter, Fruit Juice, Tea and Coffee are served with breakfast every day.

Pancakes with maple syrup and bacon.

Egg, Bacon, Sausages, Mushrooms and Tomato with toast

Blueberry, Cream cheese stuffed French Toast

Breakfast Banana Split

Avocado toast topped with egg.

Salmon and Ham platter with Bagels and cheese selection

LUNCH

Lunch is served with your choice of soft drink, iced tea, beer or your favorite cocktail.

Crustless Spinach Quiche with seasonal salad.

Salmon Burgers with green salad and nachos

Chili Lime Chicken Salad with fresh baked bread

Savory Cheese Muffins with fresh sliced tomato and ham

Fish tacos with Avocado Lime sauce.

DINNER

Your choice of Wine, Beer or your favorite Cocktail to accompany your dinner.

South African Bobotie (Beef Bake) on savory yellow rice with traditional samble’s.

Garlic Shrimp with Peas and Linguine

Grilled NY Strip Steak, Potatoes au Gratin with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Coconut crusted Mahi Mahi and Lime Cous-Cous and sautéd Asparagus

Grilled Salmon, Rosemary baked baby potatoes sauté vegetables

Brazilian Moqueca de Peixa (Seafood Stew) with basmati rice

DESSERTS

Poached Pears in Red wine

Chocolate Rum cake topped with fresh rum cream

Baked Bananas Caribbean

Lemon Posset

Mango and Mascarpone Pound Cake Stacks.

Berry Chia dessert with fruit.

Resort Course Available	PADI Course Available	Compressor Onboard	Dive Tanks Onboard	Max Guests Per Dive
No	No	Yes	8	4

Scuba Overview

Both crew are PADI & SSI Dive Instructors
Emergency Oxygen is aboard the vessel.

⁂Full Course : Available (Although we suggest pool sessions are completed before charter.)
⁂Number of divers 4
⁂Night Dives: On request
⁂Guests are to supply their own dive gear or rent gear from a dive shop. Yacht will supply 8 tanks. Additional tanks are not included and would be rented by the guest if required. If divers are sure of sizes, the boat will assist in fetching and returning dive gear.
⁂Boat will supply guests with information regarding the preferred Dive Shop for scuba rental equipment on request.
⁂Please contact yacht for prices other courses offered.

Dive Pricing Details

Diving is $50 per dive per diver
Resort Course: Available $150 per diver
Refresher Course: $150 per diver
Open Water referral: $350 per diver (PADI or SSI only)
Boat will supply 8 tanks.
Client pays for air fills.
Max 1 dive per day with no more than 5 dives per week unless previously discussed with and agreed to by the Captain

June 2024

Dear André and Alison,

How we will miss your smiles, encouragement and guidance that we have come to take for granted during our week with you on the turquoise waters that you know so well. We feel God blessed and ordained this time and your awesome boat and wonderful personalities were the backdrop of our week together.
It was a time of bonding, adventure, learning, swimming, eating, drinking, snorkeling and appreciating our Creator’s handiwork in the beautiful and glorious islands. It would be hard to fathom having had better guides and friends to lead us through and around the British Virgin Isles.
And the food! You fed us extravagantly at each meal, with dishes that never failed to leave us “oohing” and “aahing”. And of course stuffed to the gills! Thank you Alison!!
And the drinks! Whether it was Andrés famous island speciality (“the joy-giver”) or other perfectly created cocktails we never had excuse to be thirsty! Thank you André
It was heartwarming not only to feel welcome on our beautiful home for the week but also on every stop your friends (actually family) who greeted us with open arms and smiling faces made us feel like part of the islands too. Your intimate knowledge of the marine life, birds and islands helped acclimate us and keep us interested in the trip on an even deeper plane.
Thanks also for being willing to tailor our stops and our activities to accommodate our wishes and as you got to know us to make the activities fit our personalities.
And thanks for taking care of us. We never felt insecure or lost or frustrated as you were always there with words of wisdom, to nurse us if we had sunburn or even small injuries and to make us feel comfortable. Thank you both!
All in all a truly incredible and once-in-a-lifetime experience for my whole family.

Our love and eternal thanks,

Glen, Karolan, Jack, Adena and Sam

Do not hesitate to book the Turquoise Turtle! You’ll love it!! 🥰

As I sit here watching the snow fall, I’m wishing to be back a few days aboard the Turquoise Turtle in the BVI! I had been daydreaming and planning our 2024 milestone trip to the BVI for several months. In fact, I found the Turquoise Turtle on the BVI chart chat probably 2 years ago after someone gave a glowing review. I’m here to give another glowing review. Our time with Andre and Alison aboard their 50’ catamaran was perfect! We are a family of 4 with an 18 year old daughter and a 13.9 year old son. We all love water, boating and scuba diving. We have done a lot of travel with our kids, very special trips…but this one has been the best to date! All of us agreed, that living aboard a boat with Alison and Andre in the BVI was super special.
I loved letting them plan the itinerary, I’ve never lost track of dates/times so much (and I’m a “Planner”!). As I sit here watching the snow fall, I’m wishing to be back a few days aboard the Turquoise Turtle in the BVI! I had been daydreaming and planning our 2024 milestone trip to the BVI for several months. In fact, I found the Turquoise Turtle on the BVI chart chat probably 2 years ago after someone gave a glowing review. I’m here to give another glowing review. Our time with Andre and Alison aboard their 50’ catamaran was perfect! We are a family of 4 with an 18 year old daughter and a 13.9 year old son. We all love water, boating and scuba diving. We have done a lot of travel with our kids, very special trips…but this one has been the best to date! All of us agreed, that living aboard a boat with Alison and Andre in the BVI was super special.
I loved letting them plan the itinerary, I’ve never lost track of dates/times so much (and I’m a “Planner”!). The crew took care of every detail, arranging taxis, eFoil lessons, massage, dinner reservations, diving gear, etc etc. Their boat is 20+ years old but shines like new. I like things clean and tidy and I know that’s not easy when having a boat in saltwater. But the Turquoise Turtle is a very clean and well maintained vessel. Obviously, A & A take great pride in their home on the water! Alison is a wonderful chef, accomplished First Mate and I doubt she’s ever met a stranger! Just a lovely person. Andre is a knowledgeable boat captain, as well as helicopter pilot, so we enjoyed talking flying with him. He makes a yummy Painkiller and taught us how to play Mexican train. They both love scuba diving and we felt very comfortable with them taking us on some very cool dives! I highly recommend if you’re looking for a crewed charter in the BVI, do not hesitate to book the Turquoise Turtle! You’ll love it!! 🥰, arranging taxis, eFoil lessons, massage, dinner reservations, diving gear, etc etc. Their boat is 20+ years old but shines like new. I like things clean and tidy and I know that’s not easy when having a boat in saltwater. But the Turquoise Turtle is a very clean and well maintained vessel. Obviously, A & A take great pride in their home on the water! Alison is a wonderful chef, accomplished First Mate and I doubt she’s ever met a stranger! Just a lovely person. Andre is a knowledgeable boat captain, as well as helicopter pilot, so we enjoyed talking flying with him. He makes a yummy Painkiller and taught us how to play Mexican train. They both love scuba diving and we felt very comfortable with them taking us on some very cool dives! I highly recommend if you’re looking for a crewed charter in the BVI, do not hesitate to book the Turquoise Turtle! You’ll love it!! 🥰

Paradise on the Turtle

May 2022
Overall:
If you're wanting to experience BVI and have a relaxing, memorable, beautiful experience with great food and even better people then sailing with Alison and Andre' on the Turquoise Turtle is the only way to do it. They have the knowledge, experience, connections and wonderful personalities to make your experience a once in a life time! From the first day aboard, we instantly felt like an extension of their family. The made us feel right at home, made great conversation, delcious food and cocktails and really took care of everything for us so we didn't have to even think or worry about a thing. Alison and Andre' will be forever a part of our lives and I hope to be able to go back again! Do yourself a favor and book with them. You won't regret it and everyone you know will be super jealous. :-)

Planning/Booking:
Where to begin! This trip was 3 years planning in the making. We had been planning this since before COVID and then it got pushed for 2 years. Then the boat we originally booked was sold so we had to scramble and look for a new one to accommodate our dates. After booking the 2nd boat, a week later found that vessel, too, had been sold. We almost conceited to defeat until we found the Turquoise Turtle. Alison and Andre' were very accommodating to our dates and the was gracious to accept the pricing we had initially book the other boats for. We hadn't even spoken to Alison and Andre' yet and we already loved them! Week before we were scheduled to book we hopped on a call with Alison and Andre' and chatted about itinerary, menu preferences and other activities we were wanting to do. This really helped us OCD Planners (like me) feel more at ease about what to pack and expect.

Let the fun begin!
We flew into STT the night before we were scheduled to board and we stayed at the hotel in the marina so we saw the boat docked when we checked in. We went to dinner that night and actual ran into Alison and Andre' ! we recognized them from their photos. We chatted and introduced ourselves briefly and they even gave us their table as they were leaving as we were sitting.

Day One: Boarding, Norman Island
We boarded at noon (however, they allowed us to bring our luggage after hotel checkout while we had breakfast and did some last minute shopping so we didn't have to lug it around). They took us through the safety briefing and showed us our rooms and how to use everything. Alison made incredible Chicken Curry Roti! Best meal of the trip (in my opinion). Wasting no time we got settled in and took off to our first spot where we snorkeled a beautiful area with caves and even a geo-cash item. it was very cool. We went to Willy T's bar and jumped the plank, drank, shots, dancing. Was so much fun! We then had dinner at the Pirates Bite, danced, and had a blast. Sitting outside in the hammock at night watching the stars was just stunning. No light pollution and think we saw every single star!

Day Two: Cooper Island
Woke up to an amazing breakfast of healthy banana splits. (bananas, strawberries, raspberries, black berries, Greek yogurt, honey, granola) the we went to a beautiful area called the Indians and snorkeled with some of the best and most beautiful fish and sea turtles! We had a yummy spinach quiche with salad for lunch and a delicious Steak Dinner with roasted potatoes and scrumptious Brussel sprouts followed by a cheesecake for dessert!

Day Three: Virgin Gorda
Woke up to another yummy meal for breakfast. Scrambled eggs, toast and bacon. We went to Virgin Gorda and explored the Baths, had a snack at the top restaurant where they had a pool to relax in and cute shops. I would highly recommend wearing flips flops here as the sand is VERY hot. We ate lunck on the boat, marinated grilled chicken salad with fresh avocado and cherry tomatoes. For dinner we had reservations at CocoMaya. What a gorgeous spot! Beautiful sunset, fun yard games, outside seating, swing seating at the bar, delicious drinks. Highly recommend eating here. it was so good! Alison was so helpful in ensuring we had timely reservations and got what we wanted, when we wanted.

Day Four: Anegada
This was a long sea day as the trek to Anegada is longer than any other other islands. We took a jeep tour around the island. Alison and Andre' already took care of getting the Jeep Rental reservations and drove us to the various spots. We went to a cute spot for lunch and did some reef snorkeling. Then we went to another bar area and had a drink and checked out the scenery. We ended the tour at Cow Wreak where we had the most delicious cocktails, fun games, great people and the cutest dog! For dinner we ate at The Wonky Dog and partook in the infamous lobster (Alison made sure our orders were in 2 days before). We danced for a hours on the beach and relaxed on the boat hammock checking out the meteor shower that had that night. Best day of the trip!

Day Five: Saba Rock & Oil Nut Bay
Morning we woke up to more fresh fruits, breads, jams, meats and cheeses. We traveled to Saba Rock and oil Nut Bay where we explored Saba Rock and had a cocktail before eating lunch in Po; Nut Bay at The Bitter End. the food was so good! Their burgers were probably the best ever eaten and their buns were HUGE! (no pun intended) That night, we decorated for our on board Luau where Alison and Andre cooked Hawaiian Skewers and rice pilaf. We had fun cocktails and listened to music. Another great day!

Day Six: Jost Van Dyke
Our final full day on the boat we woke up in our private harbor and took the SUPs to a tiny island and explored, took photos, swam. We had breakfast and then sailed to our final island, Jost Van Dyle, where we hung out on the beach, having cocktails, enjoying the beautiful turquoise waters, got our shopping on and ate at Henda's Hideaway. That night Alison made a traditional South African dish, Bobotie with sweet rice. So good! So much flavor and not something I would have every put together on my own. All the flavors of sweet and savory coming together in a magical way that left my taste buds wanting more! That night we went to the infamous, Foxy's and continued the fun with more cocktails and dancing. We ended the evening 007 style (Phew Phew). You'll just have to book with then to know what that means. ;-)

Day Seven: The End
Waking up on the final day was so sad. No one wanted to leave. My husband even tied himself to the boat in protest (not kidding). Alison had to drag us off. :-)
Before we would leave we need to get tested for COVID and we brought proctored kits to do on the boat. Well... come to find out, the test kits we had weren't the right ones. Alison and Andre's started chatting with their fellow charter captins and friends to see what we should do and we ended up finding a clinic at the harbor that could come to the boat and test us. Fortunately, the nurse was available immediately and we took the dingy to pick her up from the local dock. 30 min laters (and $100 per person) we had the results and we were good to go! Unfortunately, when we got to customs, they didn't even ask for the test results! Waste of money but I'm still glad we got them jus for the peace of mind.

Long Review but wanted to really share the experience and how wonderful Alison and Andre's are. I hope this was helpful!

July 2021

This trip is something I personally had wanted to do for a long time and I'm so happy we picked Andre & Allison to share the Turquoise Turtle with us for 7 days. From the original planning they were helpful in navigating all of the Covid testing requirements and planning our food of course as well as activities and diving.
To start with, the food onboard the Turquoise Turtle is gourmet dining 3 meals a day. We only ate onshore a couple of times so Allison worked very hard and managed to keep our 2 teen boys full which is not easy to do. We apparently weren't the first ones to suggest she put out a cookbook with all of these wonderful menu items. It is such a variety with influences from South Africa, Brazil and of course the Caribbean.
For activities, they always had something for us and the two boys to keep entertained (or just relax when we wanted to). Andre even pulled one boy behind the dingy on the paddleboard - never seen it one before - think he just created a new watersport!
One thing about Andre and Allison is that they know a LOT about the sea and marine life and it was great to get to snorkel and scuba with them. The parents had not dove in a quite a while and they were patient and ensured everyone was comfortable and safe. Overall that is one thing I really came to appreciate about this crew and boat, I always felt safe no matter what we were doing or where we were.
I could go on forever as it was such a wonderful trip but one thing I would like to convey more than anything is that these 2 people are great at what they do, they work VERY hard to ensure you have a wonderful time. They are basically entertaining you in their home for a week and I immediately felt at home and as if we were just extended family members visiting for a holiday.

St Maarten Dream Honeymoon

There aren't enough words to describe how amazing our trip was on the Turquoise Turtle. My wife and I were on our honeymoon, new to crewed yacht charters, and didn't quite know what to expect but what we got was a trip of a lifetime. We were greeted at the pickup location by two of the most amazing people (Alison and André) I've ever had the pleasure to meet with big smiles and a hug. Taken to the yacht on their dinghy and given a rundown of the boat facilities and our room. Everything was spotless and beautifully arranged. We quickly became accustomed to the boat life for a week as Alison and André made us feel right at home. When sailing, André was amazing and first mate, Alison, was quick. They knew exactly what each other were looking for when anchoring and I never once felt uneasy about their capabilities. When diving, they made sure we both were comfortable and safe and their experience really shows. They could have jumped into a shark tank (although they wouldn't!) and I would have jumped right in behind them knowing that I was completely safe with them. They found things we never could have seen on our own and they recommended the most amazing onshore activities and restaurants. They let us chose where the boat went (within reason due to winds, Anchorage and legality) and gave my wife and I the freedom to go a lil crazy (cliff jump in St. Bart was so awesome). They found the perfect beaches to put back André's Painkiller and Rum Punch and they even got us a unexpected bottle of Champagne for our honeymoon. At meal times, André would set the table while Alison would manifest magic on a plate that kept us in awe and drooling the entire time. I highly recommend you don't skip the dessert or their amazing coffee. Overall, I could not replace this trip in any lifetime and felt I made great friends with the Captain and Chef. We would do a charter with them again in a heartbeat. Thank you André and Alison for the trip of a lifetime.

Wonderful week with Family on Turquoise Turtle!

We (family of 4, 2 children ages 5 and 8) spent a week on board the Turquoise Turtle in February of 2020. Our goal was to have a relaxing, active week and an adventurous experience for the children. If you are trying to find the right charter boat to explore the BVI’s, this is the one.

Turquoise Turtle is Captained by Andre Stroebel and his wife Alison, who is Registered Nurse and excellent cook. Most importantly, both are excellent hosts and wonderful people. Andre has 30+ year’s experience as a helicopter pilot in South Africa. Andre is safety oriented and makes a great “Pain Killer” Drink! As a couple they have sailed the world and are very experienced yachtsmen.

Alison is a caring person who was wonderful with the children. She has a good knowledge of the sea life in and around the reefs and was always eager to share her knowledge with everyone.

Communication was simple and effective leading up to charter, during and after.

Pros:
• Itinerary Flexibility - The 1st night we studied a map of the BVI’s, discussed how we wanted to spend the week (quiet nights, excellent snorkeling, sailing, etc.). They were able to deliver exactly what we wanted our experience to be.
• Pick-up and drop off – Much easier we anticipated!
• Safety – focus on safety was throughout the trip. Not in an unreasonable way but very practical.
• Food – Alison made some great meals for us and Andre was impressive on the grill as well. Thank you both for being flexible with 5 and 8 year old’s peculiar eating habits!
• Privacy wasn’t issue as Andre and Alison respect their customers space.
• Friends – We came as strangers and we left as friends.
Cons:
I can’t really think of anything to say here.
Summary:
You are living on a boat and there are always small challenges with that. We certainly didn’t miss any of the luxuries we have a home. We had a great bed, shower and slept comfortably each night. If you are a family with children, this is an excellent charter choice for you. If you’re a group of friends, this is a great charter choice. If you’re a couple, it’s a great choice. Just go…

Pro Tips:
Minimalist packing. You really, really don’t need to pack much. Follow the packing instructions they provide in the pre-charter PDF. Also note, they have all of the snorkeling equipment you need, no real need to bring yours.

Alison was preparing another gourmet meal

As we were making our way home and discussing the trip, I heard the phrase " BEST TRIP EVER " repeated more than once! No doubt it requires a lot of planning, work, patience, seamanship, and people skills to accommodate a group such as ours for a week ...but Andre and Alison made it look easy. As people they are authentic, understanding, calm, gentle, and extremely competent. It seemed every time I turned around Alison was preparing another gourmet meal and Andre was answering sailing questions and mixing his famous "Painkillers". Andre and Alison are special people and do a fabulous job. You should have no hesitations in recommending them to any clients you may have. In all honesty, we passed their name along to other vacationers, 4 times ourselves, before we even got to the airport!

The vessel itself was clean, comfortable, and in tip top shape. The cabins were clean, roomy, well lit and airy. Clearly, their vessel is well cared for and perfectly organized for handling this type of activity. Scuba activities were handled in an orderly fashion and of course we saw innumerable fish species, octopus, squid, the Rhone wreck, etc, etc, etc, snorkeling as well was enjoyed by all. It was alot of fun!!

This was the 2nd charter we have taken in the last 5 years. I will guarantee you that if anyone I know expresses an interest in this type of vacation, I will be recommending Andre and Alison, no question, hands down, without a doubt!!

Again, Thank you and please feel free to share our thoughts as you wish.

Scott J., Wisconsin

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Lynne,

The trip was awesome! Andre and Allison were sea worthy very competent captains. Made us very comfortable in all that we did on the water! Food was fine food dining each meal! Andre’ and Allison were very friendly and accommodated and facilitated our every request.

Thank you for your help in arranging our trip!

Vicki G., Wisconsin

It was one of the most memorable trips we’ve done

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Jason H
My wife and I took our three kids with Andre and Allison on the Turquoise Turtle over Christmas for a week and it was one of the most memorable trips we’ve done as a family. Our kids 13, 11, and 9 had a blast. The beds were a lot bigger than I expected and views and being on the water was unbelievable. The stars at night were like I’ve never seen. Customs and check in was handled by the crew other than leaving which had to be done in person. The stops were all different and island hopping was so much fun; the time on board with long sails and playing games with our kids was just what we wanted. Allison is an amazing cook and we were never hungry. We only had one day of rough seas and Andre was able to minimize the swells. The Baths were unique and a lovely beach hike. The snorkeling was great and Andre and Allison both snorkeled with us to point out wildlife; we saw octopus, huge lobsters, rays, and innumerable tropical fish. I would highly recommend an underwater camera. Swimming around the boat and the underwater lights at night and watching fish and sting rays were beautiful. We had delicious meals on land as well; the Lobster Trap on Anegada was a great Christmas dinner. Beautiful beaches driving around Anegada- Andre arranged for a car and drove us himself. Coco Mayo was stunning at sunset and had great beach games. Soggy Dollar Bar and afternoon at the beach after swimming in from the boat will be one of my favorites. Painkillers there almost as good as Captain Andre’s. The lunch next door at Hendo’s had a delicious lobster sandwich with sweet potato fries that hit the spot. Most importantly, Andre and Allison were exceptionally skilled and safe sailors, patient and generous with our children, genuinely happy and kind, and made us feel like we were welcome in their home for the week.

Andre and Alison were great at accommodating our needs

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
John and Adam Quackenbush

We’ve been spending “spring break” on St. John in the USVI since my son was 15 months old. As he got older, we started looking for new adventures and two years ago, I convinced him to give scuba a try. At thirteen, he is a certified advanced open water diver, and the past few years, we’ve tried to work in as many dives as possible during our annual pilgrimage. Looking at the cost of renting a house, a jeep, booking trips (diving, fishing, excursions to the BVI), and meals, and comparing it to the cost of chartering the Turquoise Turtle, it was almost a wash. So we decided to give a half-board booking a go. We were not disappointed.

John and Adam Quackenbush

Andre and Alison were great at accommodating our needs. They let us change dates when my son had an unbreakable school commitment. They allowed me to bring my nephew when my wife couldn’t come. They planned a scuba vacation that allowed us to dive almost every day, taking us to some of the most beautiful sites in the BVI. They altered course to take us to great places to eat—including a special request from my son to visit the Willy T. They adjusted the menu to allow for me—the vegetarian. The food was excellent and Alison did a great job of adjusting the menu to handle the fact that I was a vegetarian while ensuring that everyone else was happy and ate well. They ensured that we had a great time during “down time.” And, since my son turned 13 during the trip, Alison baked a cake and they arranged for a little celebration for him.

And of course, Lulu, the ship’s cat, went above and beyond to make us feel welcome.

Overall, it was a great trip and we are looking forward to booking our next trip with the Turquoise Turtle.

Andre and Alison are now friends and I hope to do another holiday with them!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Sailors Family
We had an amazing trip with Andre and Alison! We spent a week aboard the Turquoise Turtle as a family, the best way to see the BVI’s, and everybody loved it. There were lots of fun outings with amazing snorkeling nearly every day, secluded beaches easiest to get to by boat, beach bars by dinghy, sounds better as the “rubba-duck” in South African speak. There also lots of activities aboard the boat when anchored in coves with kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and floats. And most importantly if you’re going to spend a week aboard a boat, you want your hosts to be friendly and kind. Andre and Alison were always happy and treated us extremely well. My kids really bonded with them as well, Alison was my youngest sons private snorkel guide at times! The food was amazing, even my pickiest child was commenting Alison should be a full time chef. Cocktails and wine always offered or ready upon request. One night we went to Willy T and they even volunteered to supervise the kids watching a movie so we could go be part of the nightlife at Peter Island. They also shared their photography with us at the end of the trip to add to our phenomenal picture collection because there are never enough pictures to capture such an adventure. This was our second trip chartering a boat in the BVIs, and having a couple manage the boat. It is by far the best way to enjoy your Vacation instead of doing it yourself. If you’ve never done it, you won’t feel cramped on this boat. Andre and Alison are now friends and I hope to do another holiday with them!

It was a wonderful adventure and unforgettable experience!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Stuart and Amy Sullins and boys

Our first impression was how graciously we were welcomed by Alison and Andre!! We had spoken on the phone and communicated via email prior to our arrival, and we felt right at home immediately. The yacht was immaculate and bright. They provided us a thorough safety briefing and showed us how to maximize our enjoyment of all of the yacht’s features.

We are all tall (the shortest family member is 5’10” 12-year-old Spencer) and we found we all had plenty of space. The queen-sized beds were raised but easy to climb into. The bathroom was plenty roomy enough for a week’s stay. We spent very little time in our own cabins, preferring the shared spaces on the yacht.

Salon, cockpit, deck space were Very clean. The salon was cozy and the boys enjoyed a couple of movie nights. The deck space in the front of the yacht was my favorite—we loved the beanbags and the trampoline lounging area.

The boat was kept clean during our charter including our cabins, the bathrooms/heads, our towels, bedding, the cockpit and the galley.

Andre and Alison provided toiletries, sunscreen, bug spray, snorkel gear and reusable water bottles; they tried to anticipate our every need!

We absolutely enjoyed “catamaran life” and embraced sailing or motoring each day to various destinations, hanging out on deck once we were moored, and lounging on the back with a “sundowner” prepared by Andre. With three teenaged boys our U.S. life is often hectic and filled with electronics, but our week on the Turquoise Turtle gave us the gift of each other, with every need taken care of by Alison and Andre!

I am going to speak about both Andre as Captain and Alison as co-captain and chef! We chose the TT as we admired Andre’s military background and appreciated Alison’s nursing credentials. We have one son who is accident-prone :-) and another son with an autoimmune disease, so it was important to us to have access to health care if we needed it (which we fortunately did not).

Alison and Andre were so open and communicative. We shared several meals all together, family style, and we just enjoyed getting to know them so much. Alison really did her best at keeping three perpetually hungry boys FULL!! Her meals were plentiful and hardy.

The first couple of days were very windy and rough and slowed our initial progress. Andre was so open about how we could “get back on track” with our itinerary and involved us in decision making with when we would depart, where we would go, etc.

Our itinerary was Great! We had planned most of it prior to our arrival and it was perfect! The weather did keep us from a couple of snorkel stops we would have enjoyed, but that was certainly not within anyone’s control.

We are all good eaters and enjoy trying some new foods, and Alison created filling and beautiful breakfasts every day and prepared a special grilled salmon meal and birthday cake for my husband’s birthday. Our lunches and dinners were so good also, and she incorporated some South African specialties into our meals.

We have three teenage boys, and Alison and Andre made sure to plan some “beach days” so they could play soccer, volleyball etc with other kids, Andre took them tubing behind the dinghy, and we had several delicious meals on land.

Would you sail with them again? Absolutely! It was a wonderful adventure and unforgettable experience!

One of my sons, Andy, and I are very allergic to cats. Lulu, Alison and Andre's 17-year-old precious cat, is hypoallergenic. She is bred to not have the undercoat that causes pet dander. She is a lovely laid-back cat who spends the vast majority of the day in their private cabin. Neither Andy nor I had any allergic reaction to Lulu.

Our week on the Turquoise Turtle was truly the best thing we have EVER done!

The Turquoise Turtle is luxurious, comfortable and the owners (Alison and Andre) are the kindest, most accommodating people you will ever meet. The Catamaran is beautiful, spacious and has all the toys you could ever wish for. Alison’s cooking is incredible (we tried to recreate a few of her dishes when we returned home to keep the experience going!). Andre is a very VERY reliable captain. He knows what he’s doing and where he’s going. We felt very comfortable and it was obvious we were in good hands. This is something I hadn’t really considered when booking a charter. When we were out on the boat, it was obvious that some of the captains on other boats had very little experience. That would have made me very nervous. We didn’t have to worry with Captain Andre! There is a cute kitty on board, she keeps to herself and is reclusive.

The locations Alison and Andre suggested were unique and just stunning. We saw amazing sea creatures while snorkeling, Alison is an excellent guide and has a huge lung capacity! You should see her dive down and look under nooks and crannies for cool stuff – she’s a real life mermaid!!! They also took us to some incredible locations on land, I won’t give away ALL of their secret locations but I can tell you… they are definitely in the know!!

Our week on the Turquoise Turtle was truly the best thing we have EVER done, I am so happy we decided to book a charter and even more grateful that we had Alison and Andre as our Crew. I cried for HOURS after we got off the boat – even though we went directly to a stunning villa, I was walking around crying my head off, it was such an incredible experience. Everything was so easy on the TT: would you like a towel, can I get you a snack, would you like a drink… no thinking, just unplugging and RELAXING. One thing to remember when booking a charter, you are on a boat for a number of days, you need to be with nice people, Andre and Alison are the salt of the earth, the kindest, most generous pair, you can’t go wrong with them!
Its been a month that we got off the boat and as I write this I am crying a little bit! I want to go back!!!!!!!!!

Georgina

Amazing Experience! One of our best trips ever! Andre and Alison are the best!!!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Andre and Alison were absolutely incredible! We will recommend them to all of our friends and can't wait to go back for our next trip. No one in our group had ever done an overnight catamaran trip, but everyone agreed the experience was incredible. Andre incorporated everything we wanted to do into the itinerary, but gave us complete flexibility if we wanted to alter it. Alison completely spoiled us and provided wonderful meals at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
They were just good people and so genuine in wanting us all to have a great experience. By the end of the trip, it felt like we were part of their catamaran family. We enjoyed their company so much that we insisted they join us when we went ashore for a drink or dinner. Andre also provided Painkiller drinks that were just as good as the ones at Soggy Dollar, where the drink was supposedly invented. When we snorkeled, Andre and Alison were extremely knowledgeable of the marine life and would always point out anything unique.
We felt safe the entire trip and had no issues with anyone getting sea sick. We weren't sure if 5 nights would be too long on a boat, but we all agreed we could have easily done 7 or longer. They had bean bags and cushions on the front of the boat which made cruising to the various islands relaxing and comfortable. The beds were also very comfortable. The only issue we had was the rooms got a little warm when sleeping so Andre turned on the AC to fix that issue. You do have to be mentally prepared for tight quarters in the rooms so you do need to pack light.
This was definitely one of the best trips we have ever taken! We were all talking about how much we would like for our kids to experience it - one day. This trip is an absolute must and Andre and Alison are the best!

June 2018

From the moment we boarded the Turquoise Turtle we knew we were in for the treat of our lives! Captain Andre and Alison are warm and welcoming hosts and crew. We felt immediately at ease with them and sensed that we were in very capable hands. Our time on The Turquoise Turtle was a dream come true. It’s a beautiful, well appointed boat. We loved all the attention to detail. Color coordinated from bow to stern...turquoise, of course! The berths are private air conditioned suites with their own port holes, hatches and heads and adequate space to store our personal goods. They even come with a sound system in case you need something more than the lapping water to lul you to sleep on the very comfortable queen sized bed. ;) Up on the bow, we discovered the perfect spot to sun bathe or just take a nap while suspended above the clear waters of the stunningly beautiful Caribbean Sea. The food provided made us feel like we were eating out of a 5-star gourmet galley! From their Signature Drink (A turquoise delight!) and the “Drunken Grapes” (an appetizer which preceeded one of our main courses), to the delicious finale, our dinners were accompanied by an ever-changing Caribbean sunset. The treat was to die for! Sailing, swimming and snorkeling in the amazing warm waters teaming with life (and yes, sea turtles!) was the experience of a life-time. We were given the option to participate in the sailing experience or just lay back and try to take it all in as the sails above billowed in the tropical breezes. All in all, for us, it was paradise found!

Dan and Marguarite

Up close and personal Experience

If you want an up close and personal experience in the Abacos or Exumas islands which are part of the Bahamas or even the Grenadines further south in the Caribbean you can not do better than hooking up with Andre and Alison Stroebel. Skipper Andre is an experienced pilot and sailor who will navigate you to small cays and towns that you would never otherwise reach. Islands where animals are the only inhabitants and beaches where there are more rays than you can count. Andre has a great sense of humor and loves to use his wit as he "shows you the ropes". You can participate in the sailing as much or as little as you want, in fact the whole experience is designed just for you from the moment you board until you have to drag your self away. Alison is the mate and makes you feel at home from the time she shows you your state room until you leave. She has stocked the ship with preferences from YOUR shopping list, she prepares nutritious meals and snacks along with preferred beverages!
So sit back and relax you can read all day if that is your pleasure, or you can hike a deserted beach, snorkel over a reef, swim with rays, kayak to a deserted island, or paddle board across a pink sunset. The captain and mate also know the best beach bars for rum punch and conch fritters.
This is an adventure vacation designed for you not a cruise designed for thousands you will come home having laughed and loved and with a head full of memories and you will vow to return, Andre, Alison and LouLou!

-Dick