March 14, 2009Dear Iris and Henry –We have been cruising the Caribbean for 20 years. But out last trip with you raised the experience to a whole new level!The Shaitan of Tortola is the Queen of the Caribbean! She’s beautiful. She’s comfortable (even for a six-footer like myself). She’s steady as a rock. And, she is bigger than my first two New York apartments put together!Iris, how you manage to turn out a cuisine that includes roast duck, eggs Florentine and fresh baked bread that’s better than half the restaurants in New York will remain one of the great mysteries of the 21st Century.Henry, your knowledge of the most beautiful beaches and the best snorkeling spots from St. Thomas to Grenada can only be called encyclopedic. (There’s also a word for your expertise with rum punches. But at the moment, I can’t think of it.)For anyone who wants to see the real Caribbean, there is no finer yacht that the Shaitan and no more gracious and knowledgeable hosts than the two of you.What more can I say? We’ll be back!Gail and JoeP.S. We don’t know how you arranged it, but the whale was the pièce de résistance!
Guests aboard in January, 2009
How did you enjoy your cruising vacation?
It was wonderful.
How would you describe your Captain and crew? Were they Courteous? Helpful? Friendly? Attentive? Knowledgeable?
We loved the crew. Everyone got along perfectly. Extremely knowledgeable! Fun!!
Tell me about your meals? Did the menus meet your expectations?
We ate too much. Each meal was terrific. Next time we will emphasize light meals.
How is the yacht? Is she clean and well-maintained? Were your cabins comfortable? Was the cockpit comfortable? Was there enough shade?
The boat was perfect. Spotless and very well maintained. The most comfortable we have ever been berth wise, and for a mono hull you felt like you were on a cat. The cockpit was perfect for an eight-pack. Henri left the awning up over the cockpit the entire time, so there was always shade.
How did you find the pace and the itinerary of your vacation?
It was great, no rush- rush, very laid back.
Would you charter this yacht again? If not, please explain:
Absolutely!
Signed: Holly Hemmer
11th Jan 2009
To Whom It May Concern:
Yacht Shaitan of Tortola
We are a British family currently living and working in Trinidad, and have recently spent a week over New Year on the Shaitan of Tortola with Henry Metz and Iris Moesing.
We were a party of 10 on the boat as we were joined by relatives from England for the holiday, and our ages ranged from 7 to 69 years.
We all had the most fantastic and relaxing time imaginable. Henry and Iris are really friendly and welcoming, yet at the same time highly professional and attentive. They were happy to chat and share their knowledge and experience. We were encouraged to get involved in hoisting sails etc if we wanted to, but for those who just wanted to lie back and relax that was no problem either.
Henry and Iris were very safety conscious, especially with the children. Lifejackets were compulsory for the children under 12 if they were outside the cockpit area while we were sailing. (Check availability of their stock against your children’s ages.) After every sail, the children were asked to wait until the anchorage was made safe before they were allowed to jump in the water.
The children had a great time together on the boat, spending time swimming, snorkeling, reading and playing games. Our 7 year old daughter spent a happy afternoon helping Iris to make pizza and cookies while we went snorkeling – even got her own apron! A highlight of the trip for all of them was swimming with the turtles at Tobago Cays.
Shaitan has ample space below deck – the salon is roomy and the queen sized double cabins to the rear had big beds and space to move around in comfortably. The forward cabins slept 3 children in each, with a double bed in each (big enough to play cards on!) and a single bunk above. There was always enough hot water for showers, and a choice of air conditioning or fresh air through the hatches made the temperature comfortable at night. There was a DVD player on board (US format) so the kids could have a break from the sun or sit out the odd rain shower.
The food on board was wonderful, and Iris constantly amazed us with what she produced from the small galley - home made bread, cookies and brownies, 3 course meals and even ice-cream. The lobster was out of this world. The children were offered a simpler option on most meals – either the same as the adults without eg sauce or salad, or a different option entirely. Even the fussiest eater was well fed.
I would have no hesitation in recommending the Shaitan of Tortola for a relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable family holiday.
Jackie Harris
From Guests aboard Shaitan of Tortola in December, 2007.