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| August 13-20 2009 BVI | CHARTER REVIEW OF TEAM AND VESSEL
Name: Mr. O.
Yacht: S/V Amazing Grace
Date: August 13-20, 2009
Comment on the comfort onboard Amazing Grace: The boat was very comfortable. We were a family with two boys. Each boy had their own berth and we had one also. Beds and bedding were comfortable. Meals were generally outside where there was ample room for 6-8; one night we ate inside and again was great – lots of room for everyone. AC needed at night due to extreme heat and captain very happy to run it.
Comment on the condition of Amazing Grace: The boat is very new and is in great condition. The captain and mate take pride in keeping it shipshape.
Comment on the cleanliness of Amazing Grace: The boat was very clean. The captain made sure that we knew to clean with the outside shower before coming in to minimize tracking of sand and salt water. They kept all areas of the boat clean – the galley, heads (cleaned daily), berths (beds made daily), cockpit area, etc.
Comment on the congeniality of the Captain and crew: Captain and mate very friendly and welcoming. They enjoy what they are doing and want others to enjoy themselves also. The mate spent several hours with our boys (11 and 16) teaching and being taught knots. They were always willing to act on any request and had lots of suggestions of things to do in the Exumas.
Comment on the service of the Captain and crew: Service was great. Refreshments were offered constantly, snacks were prepared prior to meals, towels were ready when coming out of the water, gear hung up and stowed for us, etc.
Comment on the fun aspect of the Captain and crew: We had a lot of fun with both. They both have a good sense of humor and enjoyed engaging us.
Comment on the expertise of the Captain and crew: Both are experts in what they do. We were very confident in their knowledge, whether it was sailing, teaching our kids, snorkeling, navigating, anchoring, etc. The captain has sailed in the Exuma for many years and knows a lot of great spots to visit, where great reefs are for snorkeling, etc.
Comment on the quality of your meals: Meals were wonderful. The captain prepares all the meals and we enjoyed them all. There was a wide variety, including fresh seafood a couple of nights. There was never a shortage of food.
Comment on the presentation of your meals: Meals were presented well, laid out nicely on the plates. There was often a theme. For example, one meal was a spicy island type meal with some typical Bahamian and Jamaican dishes. One night we had sashimi with pickled ginger and wasabi, and chopsticks were provided. One memorable breakfast was French toast made with bread purchased by a local woman on Staneil Cay, served with fruit and a delicious custard, all very nicely presented on the plate.
Would you charter this yacht again? YES
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| Broker | What a wonderful captain and chef team on board the Amazing Grace. Here is a captain and chef who have gone out of their way to make guests delighted with their charter and it is so appreciated. I am very proud to represent a professional team such as these folk. Their catamaran is new and with a hard cover color brochure these folk will rock the world..... Thank you to everyone.
Andrew 2009
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| November 2010 | We are writing to share some of our many positive experiences during our Amazing Grace charter. Let us begin by saying that Captain Craig and First Mate/Chef Mark exceeded our expectations at every turn. Getting to know these two gentlemen during our week onboard led us to realize that this statement is certainly the standard experienced by all guests on board Amazing Grace rather than the exception. However, it is important that we point out that our charter was not a typical charter for Amazing Grace for several reasons.
Due to a scheduling problem with our original charter, Craig was contacted just weeks before our arrival with a request for him to take over the contract, which involved sailing with ten high school students and two teachers. Because of the timing, the crew had to transition the boat from the previous charter to ours in minutes rather than hours or days. Even so, Amazing Grace was spotless when we boarded and dinner was already simmering. We were greeted warmly, and immediately the crew began assessing our needs and goals for the week.
Another positive for us, as the teachers responsible for our group of ten students, was Craig’s background in working with young adults. His engagement with the students, attention to detail, skilled navigation, and on-target suggestions for sites to visit and associated activities were great assets for us personally and the group as a whole. Additionally, First Mate Mark’s outgoing personality and eye for safety was a huge bonus in our peace of mind throughout the charter. Both Craig and Mark took the time to get to know our students by name, as well as their individual interests, strengths, and weaknesses. They were clear with their directions and expectations for student behavior while onboard and prior to all off-boat activities.
We all had so many incredible experiences during our week on Amazing Grace, mainly due to the professionalism and knowledge of the crew. They provided us with a fabulous boat upon which to explore the Exumas, fantastic food, and extensive opportunities to bond as a group. From snorkeling a plane wreck at Norman’s Cay, dinner and a bonfire at White Point Beach on Great Guana Cay, retrieving a bag of valuables from the pigs on Big Major Cay, snorkeling the reef at Bell Island, or learning about the mangroves and enjoying the currents on Shroud Cay, Craig and Mark provided a charter experience which was beyond anything we could have anticipated.
In summary, on behalf of our student group, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to both Captain Craig and First Mate Mark for a job exceptionally well done. We would highly recommend Amazing Grace, and especially her crew, to anyone looking for an adventure in the Exumas. They provided a physically, intellectually, and socially engaging adventure which resulted in lifelong memories for our entire group.
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| New Year 2010 | Mom – the best time of her whole life in the whole wide world
Son : It was so great and I was so happy I proposed to my girlfriend on the trip!
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| Bahamas Youth Group charters | This is a letter of reference for Captain Doring. I have personally known Captain Craig for the last 6 years. He has provided nothing but exceptional service while conducting charters for us at the Florida Sea Base (Boy Scouts of America).
As the program director for the sailing department, Captain Doring has provided me personally with assistance in many areas of program development, training for the attending clients (scouts,) and disseminating knowledge to fellow captains to ensure 100% customer satisfaction.
Captain Doring’s ability to teach all aspects of sailing, fishing, and life lessons to a group of young adults are second to none. Captain Craig’s fishing abilities are unsurpassed by anyone on our docks (of over forty captains).
Captain Craig was trained under the Boy Scouts of America for youth protection, hazardous weather, safety afloat, and safe swim guidelines for the last 6 years. Keeping children safe is something we all take very seriously.
Captain Craig was missed when he decided to move on to bigger and better opportunities and is always welcome back here at the Florida Sea Base.
Sincerely,
Captain Rich Beliveau
Program Director, Florida Sea Base
Boy Scouts of America
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| June 2010 Exumas | | More photos of our family having a wonderful time. |
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| 13-17 JULY 2010 - Bahamas | | Bonnie – just wanted to follow-up and let you know that our five days on the Amazing Grace with Captain Craig Doring was just that – “Amazing”. The trip was everything we had hoped for even more. From the boat itself, to the reefs and beaches we saw, all of us had a great time. We rested, we saw some amazing things, we bonded with our kids, they bonded with each other and Craig was gracious, professional and fun. Thanks again for lining this up and count on hearing from us again in the future. Guy |
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| Georgetown Charter 7-14 April 2011 | I can simply say that Craig and Cory will be life-long friends of ours. We bonded immediately and not because it was their job to do so, it\'s because they are two of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. At the end of our journey they dropped us off on Great Exuma, pulled away on the Caribe and I was so sad to see them go. Normally you just don\'t want your vacation to end...We didn\'t want to say goodbye to our friends.
The service that Craig and Cory provided was outstanding. They were very concerned with our needs and wanted us to be comfortable at all times. I\'m absolutely positive that if you had a request they would do everything in their power to accommodate. Gary and Cathy |
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| Bahamas Charter to the rescue as a result of Hurricane Irene August 2011 | We\'re now back in NYC. We wanted to thank you for helping organize our trip last minute and to let you know we had a superb time on board Amazing Grace.
From the moment we stepped on board to leaving at Governors Harbour/Eleuthera 6 days later, Captain Craig and Andrew were everything we expected and more. They were simply fantastic and come highly recommended. This was the first time our 3 boys had been on a boat so we weren\'t sure how they\'d take to the open seas (our son is 6 years old) and especially given Hurricane Irene\'s visit days before. Let\'s just say we were all captivated by the sheer beauty of the islands and very impressed with the excellent service we received from the crew. Both Craig and Andrew have a \'special talent\' with boys. More than anything I wanted you to know that. In particular Craig\'s navigation skills (he really know\'s the Exumas and Bahamas very well), his abundant knowledge of marine life and his cooking really rubbed off on all of us. Cooking for 5 guests and 2 crew for 6 days straight while manning the boat takes some serious talent. He was 100% right on. The food was hearty and just kept on coming and coming. Fresh catch daily, lobster omelets, Cornish hen, salads, gob stoppers, you name it. All there. I think the most important thing we learned from this trip as a family was we could trust Craig in any situation at any given time. The boys warmed up to him instantly as well as Andrew (Boy Scout leader) with his knot tying tricks and general coolness. The highlight of the trip for me was when Craig caught 4 fresh lobster after a very special visit to Shroud Cay. A wonderful birthday present. Every day had its own little adventures. Too many to pin down in an email. In general we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly and will have some very fond memories of this trip. Thank you Craig!
Now I have to get back to work...Best Regards, T and family
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| Christmas 2011 | Hi Nancy, Craig,
We arrived well yesterday, right back in the winter.
The tour was kind of a dream, especially when we had a look on all the amazing pictures. Once more many thanks for your hospitality and all your efforts. |
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