Sail Caribbean

My daughter went on Sail Caribbean twice. She did Alpha when she was 14 and returned for Foxtrot when she was 15 (2014 and 2015). The two trips were very different, and she loved them both. She truly gained self-​esteem and self-​sufficiency, developed real friendships, learned new skills in scuba and sailing, and loved the beauty of the BVI. The kids do their own cooking and cleaning of the boat so they learn teamwork and life skills. They learned about the ecosystem of the BVI and had plenty of fun activities. The experience took her outside her comfort zone in many ways and she acknowledges the personal strength she learned from that. From her telling, oversight was strong and rules were enforced. Both of these trips were magical experiences for her and her face lights up whenever she reminisces about them.

I’m a SC alum from the 90s. I can offer, perhaps, a more parental/​adult view, while at the same time speaking from a «camper’s» experience.
BASIC INFO
My younger sibling & I both did a 3-​week SC (separately, different yrs). I went with 2 classmates from my hs; younger sibling went alone. There were about 8 kids per sailboat (I believe 50-​ft bareboat monohull), 2 kids per cabin, & each cabin has its own head (bathroom). These were decently updated boats, but don’t expect a luxe yacht for a bunch of teenagers.
No air-​conditioning, but we were allowed to sleep on deck with a breeze. You moor or anchor at night & there were not many bugs off shore.
We got a real shower only a couple of times; it was mostly soaping up in your swimsuit & jumping off the boat to rinse (in salt water, yes).
We were not required to wear life jackets while sailing.
Yes, you cook your own meals but not every meal; you assign groups & take turns. Some cook, some clean, some have other chores. This is called self-​sufficiency, & learning to grow up. There was plenty of food, & meals were standard American dishes. Was it the grade of food I’ve had as an adult on staffed charters? No. Was it healthier than an all-​inclusive resort? Yes. Was it fair & reasonable for kids? Yes.
CURRICULUM
When I went, there were optional add-​ons, meaning for added fees, you could do additional activities during down time. I chose the Marine Bio class, which included a very cool night snorkel to see glowing sea life. I also did a beginner 50ft scuba dive.
For free, they offered the «Master’s» course, which was more in-​depth sailing info to study, & be quizzed on by your skipper. You could also get «dinghy certification» which allowed you to drive the dinghy, normally only permitted to the skipper. No, you could not head off in the dinghy anywhere you wanted; it was by permission only, & permission was not granted to visit friends on another boat.
They were very strict about no alcohol/​drugs. They woke us up early, & kept us very busy all day, so by evening we were too tired to try to get up to no good. Honestly, most of the kids there, even the most badass ones, were the type to behave when rules were enforced. No one tried to leave the boat at night, nor get into trouble when we had freedom on the islands.
TOURISM
SC introduced me to a LOT of neat places in the Carrib. I have gone back to take my husband to Anegada for the fried lima beans; to the Baths for snorkeling; to stay at Bitter End YC with the outdoor movies; & even bumped into Foxy at a B+B in the USVIs. All of these experiences originated from SC.
HOMESICK?
Many of the other kids at SC were familiar with the Carib. I had traveled to the Carib on family vacations many times before attending. This helped me feel familiar & comfortable in the environment, & insulated me from culture shock. I certainly don’t mean to say that the Carib has vast & exotic cultural differences, just that kids of all ages get homesick, & any cultural/​climate/​familiarity differences can affect them. One of my classmates had not been to the Carib, & experienced a bout of culture shock, but it passed fairly quickly.
I too had some homesickness, but it was more due to some unfriendly boatmates. It too, passed.
OTHER KIDS/​SKIPPERS
There was definitely a lot of diversity among the kids in my fleet. Ages ranged from 14 to 17. Kids from all over the US. Also, international kids from Europe, S. America, & the Carrib. Everyone spoke English.
As always with teens, a «cool» group develops, but is a lot more fluid on temp travel than the «permanence» of back home. While the majority of kids were from well-​educated & privileged backgrounds, taught to be socially responsible & modest, it was the pretentious bourgeois kids from Manhattan/​Fairfield Co/​Westchester Co, who ran the show.
My boat had half of each type. This is where your experience can change according to your skipper; ours was a cool-​guy himself, & favored the loud’n’flashy. The bougies made a show of being snobby about food, picking on people, monopolizing group discussions, dodging chores, etc. They even made fun of the skipper (who entitled them), behind his back.
Sadly, my experience would have been MUCH improved by a non-​DB skipper. My younger sibling had a skipper who did not tolerate brattiness, & it was a much better experience. (BTW, I have family from Fairfield Co/​Westchester Co, so I am not biased against them; I am calling the type for what it is.)
REFLECTION
Overall, I found it to be a great experience for my personal development; it incorporated travel, teen independence, hands-​on skill building, & nautical education. At the time, my friends at home were doing nothing special, getting no stimulation, & wasting their summer. SC introduced me to a world of independence I would not have known otherwise. I am very grateful for that. SC inspired me to branch out to other summer programs; the following summer an exchange in France, then Spain.

My son did Sail Caribbean last summer. He had an amazing time. He got his Advanced PADI and could not stop talking about all the awesome dives they did. He went without knowing a single person and it was not a problem. He loved the staff and made friends that he still keeps in touch with. My son had been to summer camp many times and did not at all mind sleeping on deck with his friends. I had read a few complaints about the accommodations, but maybe those people were expecting the Ritz. This is a camp-​like program, not a luxury yacht. For my son, it was really not that different from camp. From my perspective, I found the staff professional and responsive. Putting my son on a plane by himself to the Virgin Islands and not knowing the person at the other end required significant trust. The Sail Caribbean staff did not disappoint.

Our son was 14 years old the first time he went on a Sail Caribbean trip. It was a two-​week program at the end of the summer, after summer baseball was over and he was left with nothing to do until school started. We had to really persuade him to go. Even though he had been to the Virgin Islands before and loved being on a boat, the idea of living on a boat on his own, far away for two weeks, was daunting (for us too!) He finally agreed to go but was very apprehensive.
Of course, he ended up having the greatest time. Yes, all of his laundry smelled and they took showers in the ocean, but he didn’t care — he loved it. They are living on a sail boat — it’s not a luxury cruiser — but, hey a 58′ catamaran is no slouch either! These are teenagers, learning about life, independence, relationships, responsibility and yes, roughing it a little bit. It’s good for them — it’s been wonderful for our son. Every year, he comes back from his trip a little more independent, a little more confident and a little more responsible (a lot more tan! :)) Amazing what those few short weeks accomplish! He loves the sailing, the friendships he’s made and the marine science activities. The first thing he tells us every time he gets back is that he «definitely wants to go back next year.» From the kid who we had to convince the first time. The experience has made such an impression on our son that he wrote about it in his college essay.
My personal experience with the staff and crew members at Sail have been great. They are all very knowledgeable, helpful and responsive. Safety is a priority and the kids learn how to be safe on a boat and to respect the sea. The programs are well thought out and the staff makes sure they’re fun. Our son still keeps in touch with some of the crew/​staff from his trips as well as some of the kids. After three years of trips, it’s like they are family. He can’t wait to go back this year — for 3 weeks! I can’t say enough good things about this program.

Both my sons, ages 14 and 11, and their friend from China, had a fabulous time on Sail Caribbean last summer. They wanted to go to have a great time – I wanted them to go so that they could learn to live on their own in a safe and managed environment, learn some life skills while they were having so much fun they didn’t notice that they were scrubbing the bathroom, and so they would meet other kids with similar interests and diverse (yet comparable) backgrounds. Well, they had a great time and I got what I hoped for! Both my sons came back empowered by the experience – the older one earned his first SCUBA certification and the younger one sailed a Hobie for the first time – and well, it blew the Chinese boy out of the water! He learned so much about why the ocean is precious and how to have fun, not just study! It was a little harder for him, since he came from such a pampered environment, but even he learned to make it all work. Everyone is still in touch with their new friends from the program (and some of the counselors) on Instagram, etc. And the Sail Caribbean team – from the president to the admin experts – were FABULOUS, reassuring and careful from start to finish. Issues? My older son set the kitchen on fire (briefly) when he was learning to cook burgers. They both came home with coral scrapes that needed to be watched and treated with antibiotic cream. Their laundry smelled really bad. But they were totally proud of all three, and me, well, I got over it – after all, they had the time of their lives! Thanks, Sail Caribbean!
Ps I would have to say that if you had never traveled before, it would be a little hard to manage the USVI, but most of the other kids were sophisticated and flexible, and like my kids, managed the travel portion with no problem. Working with the admin team, even getting our friend from China to the USVI after he had serious visa problems worked out in the end – they went out of their way to pick him up and get him to his program with the other kids in his session.

I was surprised by the negative reviews below, as my son went for a two-​week trip at age 13 and had an incredible time. He liked all of the counselors on the 3 boats and met kids from all over the country with whom he connected well and became close. He LIKED sleeping on the deck with the other kids – that was not seen as a negative. He had no complaints about the food, and he typically is a picky eater. He discovered quickly that he did not like scuba diving and the counselors quickly got him integrated with the other kids who were not diving. He would have liked a bit more sailing, but his overall takeaway was very positive. From my end, I found the Sail Caribbean staff accessible, friendly, and super helpful when I had questions or concerns.

My son went there for 3 weeks. he came home after two and a half weeks. The activities where good when they did them. There was more sailing and down time then he expected. But, more importantly he felt very alone. The staff was not warm or where they conversational. Many campers felt homesick for that reason. They treated some of the campers like they were spoiled rich kids. My son is not and he felt badly for the way the others were being treated. When my son left they dropped him off at the airport and never checked if he got home safely. After speaking to many of the other parents they also said not one staff member called to see if they were safe. Many campers felt very alone out on the ocean with the staff. These campers are teenagers, but they are only 13 and 14 years of age.
Think twice before sending your child.

If you want a cheap boot camp for your child, then this might be for you. If you want you child to experience the camp and all the activities on the website, then save your money. Not as described, 3 persons to one twin or sleep on deck on a sleeping back with all the mosquito’s, no fresh water, the kids are required to drink water from a holding tank, my son had to return early from bacteria and dehydration. I am so sorry I did this to my son. BEWARE!!! Not as described! Poor care for your children and less than adequate medical care. They would not refund unused days or pre-​paid dives and activities. Sent him home sick. They do not feed the kids as per the brochure. I thought this would be the time of his life, but it is a nightmare.