March 2025
Andre went out of his way each and every day to make sure we understood our options for the day. His sole focus was that we felt safe, comfortable and relaxed. If we inquired about anything additional he would take all the time to explain and we did ask a million questions. He was fun and set the mood each and every day for what a vacation should be. Brandon really wanted to spear fish and he even hooked us up with his son and made it happen.
Magda was nothing short of excellence. She also made sure each day that we were having fun, that we felt like home and that we had everything we needed. Her cooking was amazing, I probably gained ten pounds from how delicious. Each dish was classic but with a touch of her creativity. Hummus and warm pitas but with anchovies on top, hard boiled eggs but with her delicious aoili, lobster grilled to perfection not with drawn butter but her special tartar sauce to name a few. She was such a delight to talk to and told us story after story. She scheduled some private romantic time for us but also engaged and encouraged us to party. She was the perfect balance of personal and professional.
Keeping up a yacht is such hard work. It was spotless when we arrived with Magda's homey touches in all the right places. We were made clear how to work the blue tooth, the AC and any safety features to aid in our comfort level. I loved the deck out front rather than a net and the leather bean bags that were supplied.
February 2025
Magda & Andre,
Thank you both for THE most wonderful trip! We all had such an amazing time and can't imagine having a better crew to do it with! Thank you Andre for getting us to see the most we could - and safely! Magda, thank you for the wonderful food and conversations. We wish you the best for the remainder of the season and if we don't see you again down here in the Bahamas, we hope to see you up in Calgary!
February 2025
Andre and Magda were incredibly gracious and served up fabulous meals, and we had a lot of laughs together. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment! Since we were not familiar with the Bahamas, we didn’t initially appreciate the travel time from Nassau to the Exumas, but in retrospect, we might have explored using airports in the Exumas for a shorter charter. That said, it was a fantastic trip from start to finish!
January 2025
Captain Andre allowed us to provide input to the daily itinerary options. He was respectful, informative, and quick to respond to our requests. He gave us every opportunity to experience sea life (ie; turtles, fish, sharks, dolphins, reefs, etc.). Snorkeling daily was great; and he always put our safety first. Alleviated any fear we had about sharks. He gained our trust in short order!! We would love to sail with him again.
Chef Jana was amazing!! Every meal was delicious with incredible presentation. We enjoyed her meal choices, not to mention they were prepared in a healthy manner with fresh ingredients. Jana made almost everything from scratch (eg; sauces, baked goods, etc.). Jana remembered everyone's drink preferences from a.m. to p.m. and was ready to serve up. She surpassed our expectations.
We would say 5* on both food and drinks. Every meal was a delightful surprise, which was fun. Incredible presentation for every meal. High quality, fresh ingredients (which was important to us all). Were happy with the quality of the wines, beers and alcohol, of which we amply partook.
December 2024 - New Years Charter
My wife and I, along with our adult children and wives, sailed in the Exumas, with Andre and Jana at New Years. We can’t say enough about what lovely people they are, and what a high degree of professionalism and hospitality they bring onboard! They are constantly working hard, while making it look like it's the easiest thing. They compliment each other's skills and anticipated our every need. They did an outstanding job of planning a great itinerary based on what we communicated was important to us and still allowed enough flexibility for us to be spontaneous! The perfect combination for a great vacation.
Andre is an excellent spearfishing guide (who loves fishing in general), we got lobster and hogfish, as well as tuna while trolling on the outside. All of which tasted superb after Jana prepared them. Snorkeling, hiking, SUPing, motoring, sailing, excellent and healthy food, it was exactly what we imagined, and we would sail with them again in a heartbeat !!
-Harry and Elle H
December 2024
We can’t thank Andre and Jana enough for providing our family a once in a lifetime, unforgettable experience aboard the Zuri 3!! From the moment we arrived, Andre and Jana were welcoming, professional, and attentive to our needs, ensuring we had everything we could possibly want for our sailing experience. Their warmth and hospitality was truly appreciated.
The catamaran itself was top-notch, well-maintained, and spacious, providing both comfort and safety throughout the trip. Andre and Jana were experienced and knowledgeable, offering us a personalized tour of the stunning Exuma Islands. The Bahamas’ beautiful waters, idyllic beaches, and vibrant marine life were all accessible thanks to the professionalism and service provided by Andre and Jana. From spearing lobsters, snorkeling, swimming with the turtles, lounging at amazing beaches, visiting with the swimming pigs to catching our dinner fishing, everything was amazing. And….Jana as our Chef, that was truly a once in a lifetime treat. Braised short rib, fresh lobster and hogfish, south African curry, ahi tuna sashimi along with decadent desserts, amazing breakfast and lunches; the food was incredible.
Whether you are looking for a relaxing getaway, adventurous watersports, or a memorable family trip, we wholeheartedly recommend Andre and Jana for your next vacation. Their expertise in navigation, along with their dedication to ensuring we had a fantastic experience, truly set them apart.
Another Amazing Trip with Andre and Jana!
On Christmas Eve 2023 my teenage kids, their friends, and I arrived in the Bahamas excited to board Zuri3 for our second charter with captain Andre and chef Jana. We were so excited to be spending the week with them again. Our first trip to the BVI’s in April 2023 was a very special experience and largely incredible and unique because of our hosts. I highly recommend jumping on board and spending the week with them.
The Bali 5.4 catamaran was beautiful. It was spacious, clean, new, comfortable, and well provisioned. While I thought that those criteria were most important for an enjoyable charter, we quickly learned that in fact, it was the professionalism, knowledge and kindness of our hosts that really made the trip so special. They were amazing.
From the moment we stepped aboard Andre and Jana made us feel so welcome and cared for. They had prepared a custom itinerary and incredible menu based on both a conversation we had about a week before the trip and their ability to shift on the fly as our needs changed throughout the week. Every single meal Jana prepared was a gourmet experience and her bartending skills didn’t disappoint either!
Andre was a great captain and quickly gave us confidence that we were in good hands. He showed us some really cool exploring and snorkeling spots that no one else seemed to know about and was attentive to the kids (and me) if we needed help with our gear, going paddle boarding, fishing, or were unsure about anything else. He was also an excellent teacher.
Trip number 2 was another big success, and we can’t wait to get back down to the islands to see them again soon!
Ian G and Family, April and December 2023
January 2024
We have gone on a catamaran cruise through the Virgin Islands for a family trip a few times and have found that the Captain & Chef can definitely make or break the trip. Luckily for us, Captain Andre & Chef Jana made it one of our favorite and most memorable family trips we’ve ever had!
Captain Andre always kept us on our toes with both new and familiar experiences. He tailored everything to our preferences and suggested great activities/locations that we had never experienced before (just don’t ask to see his dance moves). His personality and expertise in yachting kept our whole family engaged, active and begging to stay another week.
Chef Jana will blow you away from the first meal that is prepared upon arrival to her specialty drinks and every snack and meal to follow. One of our family members is gluten free and Chef Jana always made sure she had her own special meal, if necessary. Jana has a keen eye for guest preferences and flawlessly tailored each meal to our family’s taste. She is also highly organized and keeps the boat clean and comfortable throughout the trip.
Andre & Jana make a great team and went above and beyond to make our trip fun, exciting and unforgettable. Their hospitality was through the roof and they always made sure we were laughing & having a good time. Their knowledge of the islands, maritime skill and caring approach made this trip the best we’ve ever been on. They are the best duo to have and all around great people! We were so fortunate to have had them lead our cruise and remain in contact with them to this day.
We could not recommend Captain Andre and Chef Jana enough and will most definitely be back on a trip with them as soon as possible. Any group who books a charter with them is in for the trip of a lifetime!
March 2023
We just returned from the best vacation ever! Our very capable captain, Andre, and chef/first mate Jana, were just wonderful - they radiated warmth and welcome and worked seamlessly together to make sure our every moment aboard was the best it could be. Jana's meals were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious and she kept the tropical cocktails flowing! Can't wait to plan our next adventure!
January 2023
If you have not sailed on a Bali 5.4, you should. We have chartered numerous cats and own a Lagoon. Bali has really done something special with the way they have opened the boat up with the 5.4. We had 4 couples plus the crew onboard and you always felt like you had a place to socialize with all 12 people or find your alone time. The captain and chef, Andre and Jana, were fabulous. They made you feel like family and took super great care of us. The food was tremendous. The sailing was incredible (very awesome having a captain that actually wants to be involved if you want.) The itinerary was great, captain gave recommendations based on the weather but left it up to us. Captain Andre steered us to super fun little hangouts that I didn't know about in the USVI or BVI even though I thought I knew the area well. The Bali 5.4 makes the trip, it is an incredible boat. It was extra special because of how well this boat was kept, and the crew. The captain would routinely ask/suggest that if we wanted a happy hour swim platform he would lower the hydraulic dinghy platform and move the dinghy to the side, giving a perfect play area (actually at any time of the day, but at happy hour having it just above the water line helped keep the drinks above the water line.) I can't say enough good things about chef Jana. The main reason to crew a boat is to take away all the hard jobs, and she made putting out fabulous meals and snacks look easy (as we all know it is not.) She also handled our group of extremely varied dietary requirements very well. It was a trip of a lifetime and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
