BLACK TORTUGA

Dear Captain Troy and Chef Jodi,
 
Captain Troy and Chef Jody are a great team and made sure every wish came true and then some. The sailing upon the Black Tortuga was extraordinary. Captain Troy knew just where to go and what cay or cove to anchor for the night. WE all had the time of our lives from the first night with a camp fire on the beach to the last night singing our hearts out to Kenny Chesney and pointing to his house .Limeout and the pizza boat all added to the fun.Chef Jodi ‘s incredible meals were second to none from breakfast to lunch and dinner all superb and delicious!
 
So hard to say what was the highlight or the best part of the trip?
 
With that being said I must go with the overall service , kindness ,professionalism of Captain Troy and Chef Jody . They made the entire trip a pure joy!
 
Until next time….
 
Best Regards,
Andy S.

Dear Troy and Jodi - The word that all eight of us consistently used this week was "epic". And it was truly epic - gorgeous daytime sails, colorful snorkeling and scuba, paddle boarding, making the whole days of a 60th birthday extra special, a midnight paddle board trip to a beach bonfire, and saving a lobster tail shell for a second grade ocean lesson. All wrapped up in Jodi's phenomenal food and for Troys fascinating ocean knowledge. Thanks doesn't cut it -it was epic!

We can't thank you enough for such a lovely week. Private cruising with fabulous snorkeling, super fun sailing, kayaking, - the list goes on and to keep us going for all our adventures. Chef Jodi's food was outstanding! Thank you for accommodating all our different tastes and wowing us at every delicious meal. Such gracious hosts. Happy sailing!

Dear Troy and Jodi, thank you for such an awesome trip! Traveling with multiple sclerosis is challenging and get pretty anxious and a bit scared, but you guys ensured I had nothing to worry about. The swim platform and donut were game changers! You were always ready to lend a hand, help me and always with a smile. You are the best team ever! Jodi, you meals were fabulous! Thanks for everything, you guys rock!

Words can't even begin to describe the fun and amazing memories that we made on this trip. We truly had the best time. The food was awesome and so were all of the stops along the way. We will be back! Thank you so much for hospitality! Bill and Colleen Biggs

Thank you for the most amazing vacation we've ever experienced. We will cherish these memories forever. Your kindness, hospitality, and knowledge truly made this a “Dream Vacation”!

This was truly a trip of a lifetime. We've been dreaming of doing this for a long time and it was better than we ever imagined! Thank you Jodi and Troy for such an amazing experience! You guys are the best!

Thank you Troy and Jody for a week we will never forget and hope to recreate again and again. The food, the itinerary, the music, the weather and the company were absolutely perfect! Much love, until next time!

Y'all have been nothing short of perfect! Thank you for a week of love!

The best family time!! A fabulous experience for all of us. Exceeded all expectations. Jodi and Troy were the perfect personalities for their positions as chef and captain..and everything in between: tour guides, foodie advice, card players, and game hosts. We'll never be able to top this adventure and hospitality. Will miss you - your memories are the best of possessions and you have given us a 2022 Christmas trees' north. Thank you, Mark.

Thank you for this amazing week! I loved all the meals. It was such a fun week. This week was so fun with everybody on the boat. Jodi was an amazing chef and was very helpful. Troy was a great dive master and was fun all around! Food was very good! Playing dutch glitz was very fun! The best family time!

Thank you Captain Troy & Chef Jody for an amazing week! We really appreciate you accommodating our tandem request so we could hang out with the other half of our group. You were so easy to work with as we went back and forth for dinners and arranged times on water and land for us all to be together. We loved hanging out with you and getting to know both of you! Captain Troy, thanks for not throwing Chase overboard and putting up witjh teenage boy humor. Chef Jody – WOW – is the best word to describe your food. None of us have ever eaten so well on vacation! Both of you made our graduation trip celebration one of our best trips ever!

Troy and Jody, you exceeded our expectations with fabulous service and gourmet meals. Everything was just lovely and being with our friends and daughters on our your amazing boat was unforgettable! Thank you for everything you did to make us feel welcome, safe and loved!

Thank you Troy and Jody for an awesome week and for making our senior trip so special! I will be going to Ol' Miss next year! Thank you for one of the best weeks ever! Yall are truly amazing and I could not have imagined this trip with any other crew! If you are ever in auburn be sure to text me! I would like to see you again! This trip was truly phenomenal. The food was spectacular. I loved bar hopping with you two. Yall made this trip so special and fun for us all. Hopefully we will be on Black Tortuga again soon!

Troy & Jody,

This was the trip of a lifetime! You are both amazing and made the trip so special! Best food Ive ver had and most hospitable Captain! We will truly miss you! Cant imagine this trip with a better crew and boat! Counting the days until we can return! Love Holli Simon

First days are always filled with great anticipation of the adventure that lay before us. And a grand adventure is what we had. This crew of two made me feel like royalty. Captain Troy sailed this boat with the skill of a man with many years of experience. He maneuvered the boat with skill and grace of the sea turtles I saw moving effortlessly through the water. First Mate Jody enhanced our voyage. She brought an air of refinement that I have seldom experienced. I believe Emeril Lagasse would find it impossible to meat the standard that Jody set.

To the A team from Seal team 6: Thank you for treating us to an amazing trip. It is one for record books. Jody, your food is outstanding and we totally understand why you pick the sea as your home. Troy, your captain skills are impressive for such a young man. We have made memories we will talk about for years to come. Until next time, Diane, Kevin, Kraig, Kristie, Arthur, Jim, and Lora.

Dear Troy and Jody – thank you for an amazing week in the USVI. We loved seeing the various gems hidden away that you brought us to. The gourmet cooking and services was next level. Capt. Troy, thanks for taking us diving, black belt dinghying us around and cocktail creativity. This vacation was perfect! We don't want to leave. If you ever make it to the bay area, come visit! Much love!

Troy and Jody! Thank you for afabulous trip that exceeded all our expectations! Your knowledge of the best location, focus on our needs and interests, hard work and great attitude made the week amazing. We especially appreciated Troy's captain skills, nonstop water sports/hikes, great cocktails and love for games. We loved Jody's delicious meals that met all of our crazy preferences; Jody makes feed a crowd three meals a day for a week look easy – when we know it takes major planning, effort and attention to detail. You two epitomize great customer service and teamwork. We wish you the best and would love to travel with you again down the road. Thank you!

Thank you so much for a trip of a lifetime. Every minute of our trip was pure perfection. Eli now will continue to talk of Chef Jody's cooking and I dont think Jace will forever think no one can ever be cooler than Captain Troy. We will forever cherish the memories and pictures from this trip. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

We could not ask for a better vacation! A knowledgable captain and artist in the galley. You guys are super hosts. I am personally very grateful for the gift of your company and skills you have given to my family. I wish you all the success and happiness in the world!

Yacht & Crew
Please answer the following questions pertaining to the yacht you chartered and the crew.
Rating of Yacht & Crew:
(5 Being the Highest) 5
Was the yacht comfortable and clean?
Yacht was impecable
Was the yacht well ventilated?
yes
Was the crew friendly and accommodating?
Very friendly and accommodating
Was the food good and well presented?
Food was spectacular
8. Additional comments about the yacht and crew?
excellent hosts, guides, traveling companions. A pleasure to spend time with.
Cruising Area
Did you like the area you chartered in?
I would have liked to see more hard coral reefs.

Thank you for making an amazing vacation for all of us! You exceeded expectations and unbelievably fulfilled our crazy preference sheet! Loved the fantastic food and cocktails, sailing, coves, adventures, tortuga island, etc! We really appreciate all your hard work to provide awesome service, love to come back! Thank you for everything! Sue and Mark!

For our first time spending a week on a boat it exceeded our expectations! The hospitality, the places we visited, the perfect recommendations - your happy positive approach to everything was the best! You both made our trips so much better. Troy, your attention to fun and safety! Jody, the food and taking care of us! We will suggest this boat and crew to everyone!

Thank you Captain Troy and Jody for an amazing trip! Despite not being able to sail the BVI's, you found plenty of fun and adventure on land and sea. Great sailing Captain Troy! Jody, you are an amazing chef! We all appreciated your incredible three meals each day. The creativity and detail of the two of you with food, drinks, decor and service was top rate. Thank you for making this trip so wonderful!

Thank you for an amazing experience! From the moment we stepped onboard and were greeted with Jody’s hospitality and painkillers! and Captain Troys safety forward! and pragmatic 3 square rule - we knew we were in the right place. The personalized attention, the michelin star quality dining, the snorkeling, diving, sailing and of course the evening games will forever be part of.

Wow! The world of our trip! Everything from the food, hospitality, the boat, the adventures to our conversations with the crew has been extraordinary. You showed us places we never would have seen if we stayed on land. You two make a great team and you both made this an amazing experience for all of us. It was other-worldly! Can’t wait to come back! Safe travels with all of your adventures. Keep in touch!

We recently returned from the MOST AMAZING vacation on Touch the Sky! A group of ten friends sailed with Captain Ben, Chef Jody and Mate Troy for a week in the US Virgin Islands. The crew was phenomenal in every single way! Chef Jody made the most amazing, creative and delicious meals, taking into consideration dietary restrictions and personal food preferences. Her desserts were scrumptious as well! Mate Troy had cocktails at the ready and made some pretty fantastic libations! Captain Ben, not only was a wonderful, knowledgeable and experienced sailor, but a fantastic tour guide too. By the end of the week, we were sad to say goodbye to our new “friends & family” members.
Waking up in a beautiful harbor each morning never got old. Each day was filled with an exciting adventure. We spent our days snorkeling with sea turtles, fishing, paddle boarding in the crystal clear waters of St. Thomas and St. John, scuba diving for Caribbean lobster, wakeboarding & hydro-foiling (trying…), floating on the huge donut raft & swimming off the stern of the boat, hiking Ram’s Head, driving (Captain Ben chauffeured us) on “Rhonda” (the Honda zodiac) to Lime-Out for tacos & cocktails and hitting the remote beaches with a packed Yeti cooler…then back in time for happy hour!
Touch the Sky was a beautiful boat for our group to charter. The fly bridge was our favorite place to gather in the morning for coffee, in the afternoon to read & relax with a good book and of course each evening for Troy’s happy hour cocktail and Jody’s delicious appetizers! After dinner we’d return to the flybridge for some singing & dancing under the stars, then we would venture up to the stern searching for shooting stars and constellations in the dark starry sky.
The memories we created on our trip will last a lifetime! We are grateful to Kevin at Mainsail Yacht Charter for his expertise and knowledge in guiding us to this most perfect charter VACATION!

Morning All! Below is the review of Catamaran Touch The Sky / Rubenstein Charter / April 27-May 4, 2021

From Christian Parker Lentz:

1. Crew Friendliness: Have done a few of these charters before and Ben, Jody and Troy were extremely friendly, welcoming and integrated really well with the personalities on the boat.

2. Crew Knowledge: They had an answer for everything. With varying levels of experience in the job, they all knew their role well, had great local knowledge of the islands, reefs, coves we visited.

3. Quality of Service: Excellent. Always offering up ways to make the experience more enjoyable. An improvement would have been better quality/newer sheets/pillows and a change out of sheets at least once during the 7 days would have been appreciated.

4. The Professionalism of Crew: They balanced this really well. When it came to general safety and operation of the vessel, they were always professional and focused on the task. They were also able to keep the atmosphere relaxed and casual which made the experience great for us. The crew worked extremely well together and helped each other with whatever was needed. They each had their core jobs, but none flinched to help each other out. Ben needs a new photo on the website to show a bit more of his easy-going and fun personality and Troy needs to be on the crew roster on the website. These guys worked great together.

5. Value of the Cost + Expenses Charter: While a bit expensive, I find it good value. I personally enjoy spending as much time on the boat as possible and prefer to have all meals on board and activities in and around the boat. The additional cost of scuba for a few of us was expected and we had lunch at a local spot that was a bit pricey (still a good time), but just added on top of the all inclusive that was planned.

6. On-Board Cuisine: Excellent. Jody was amazing with the meals she put together for us. Planning and preparing for 12 people 3 times a day is not an easy task and she made it look easy. Also not easy to please everyone every meal (especially with this crowd) and she did a great job accommodating everyone. Personally, I found the portions too big (and so did my scale), but others really appreciated the portion size. And Troy was an excellent bartender treating us to creative cocktails. He just needs a bigger drink shaker so he can prepare more than 2-3 drinks at once ;-)

7. Destination / Location: The islands in the USVI are beautiful. Ben was really accommodating with getting us to daily/nightly destinations that met the groups' preference. We stayed in some amazing, quiet and secluded spots which was our preference. There were really only a couple destinations that were a bit crowded.

8. Water-Sports: There was plenty to do. The group enjoyed the different tow activities and the kayak and stand up boards were well used. It would have been nice if the boat had a windsurfer (btw - the crew offered to find one to rent for an additional cost), but the toys on board were sufficient.

9. Overall Satisfaction: Looking forward to doing it again. was a great trip!

Thanks again for all your hard work!