crewed@visailing.com | (800)382-9666 | (941)966-9387
AWATEA Guest Comments
Early August, 2025, charter guests aboard Awatea
Seriously the best charter ever! Olivia and Fraser are amazing, super attentive and always keep drinks full ;). Their kids are amazing too, very sweet and respectful. Such a lighthearted, fun, kind family. We had so much fun with all the water sports they had and activities we did. The scuba diving was especially awesome!
Props to Olivia for the food, my family has very specific eating restrictions and she did an INCREDIBLE job with everything. Also props to Fraser for the sourdough bread he makes, it’s the best! You will not be disappointed. We had so much fun, such an amazing experience!
Thanksgiving Week, 2025, guests aboard AWATEA wrote:
Took a while for our November charter to write a review but finally received it and it didn't disappoint! I have already put it up on CYA.
Have a great day,
Olivia
Our Thanksgiving trip with Awatea Adventures November 2025 was, quite simply, the trip of a lifetime. We were a large group of nine, which can often feel cramped or chaotic on a yacht, but Fraser and Olur crew with incredible grace, professionalism, and "Kiwi" charm.
The Boat & Space: The 63ft Balance catamaran is wonderful. Even with nine of us, we never felt like we were on top of each other. The layout is modern and airy, with plenty of spots to tuck away for a quiet moment or gather as a group. Impeccably clean, barefoot luxury style and in cabin heads for everyone it’s just right for relaxing time.
The Crew (Fraser & Olivia) What makes Awatea special is that it’s owner-operated. Fraser and Olivia aren't just staff; they are master hosts who genuinely love what they do. Fraser is a wealth of knowledge with a great sense of humor and sense of adventure and Olivia’s cooking is 5-star quality—how she produces such amazing food, never repeating a meal and with spot on wine pairings on a boat for nine people has us all convinced she has a bit of magic. Fraser is quite the mixologist and his specialty cocktails that match the dinner theme were terrific. We cannot say enough about this charming and highly skilled couple. We arrived as guests and left as friends.
The Adventure: True to their name, they delivered on the "Adventure." From E-foiling and wake boarding to incredible snorkeling and deserted secret beaches, fishing and hiking there was never a dull moment. They kept our entire group ages 25-67 completely captivated and active the entire week.
The Verdict If you want a "white glove" but sterile corporate charter, look elsewhere. But if you want a soulful, high-energy, and deeply personal adventure on a world-class sailing vessel, book Awatea. Everyone who went said best vacation ever - and we are a fairly sophisticated group of world travelers. We’re already trying to figure out how to get back on board.
Late November, 2025, charter guests aboard Awatea
Our Thanksgiving trip with Awatea Adventures November 2025 was, quite simply, the trip of a lifetime. We were a large group of nine, which can often feel cramped or chaotic on a yacht, but Fraser and Olivia handled our crew with incredible grace, professionalism, and "Kiwi" charm.
The Boat & Space: The 63ft Balance catamaran is wonderful. Even with nine of us, we never felt like we were on top of each other. The layout is modern and airy, with plenty of spots to tuck away for a quiet moment or gather as a group. Impeccably clean, barefoot luxury style and in cabin heads for everyone it’s just right for relaxing time.
The Crew (Fraser & Olivia) What makes Awatea special is that it’s owner-operated. Fraser and Olivia aren't just staff; they are master hosts who genuinely love what they do. Fraser is a wealth of knowledge with a great sense of humor and sense of adventure and Olivia’s cooking is 5-star quality—how she produces such amazing food, never repeating a meal and with spot on wine pairings on a boat for nine people has us all convinced she has a bit of magic. Fraser is quite the mixologist and his specialty cocktails that match the dinner theme were terrific. We cannot say enough about this charming and highly skilled couple. We arrived as guests and left as friends.
The Adventure: True to their name, they delivered on the "Adventure." From E-foiling and wake boarding to incredible snorkeling and deserted secret beaches, fishing and hiking there was never a dull moment. They kept our entire group ages 25-67 completely captivated and active the entire week.
The Verdict If you want a "white glove" but sterile corporate charter, look elsewhere. But if you want a soulful, high-energy, and deeply personal adventure on a world-class sailing vessel, book Awatea. Everyone who went said best vacation ever - and we are a fairly sophisticated group of world travelers. We’re already trying to figure out how to get back on board.
New Years, 2025 guests on board Awatea
We had a party of 8 adults over New Year’s Eve of highly experienced world travelers and we all had the most amazing vacation ever! The owner/operators Fraser and Olivia went above and beyond every single day to make our trip an adventure as well as relaxing. They were incredibly knowledgeable and flexible and friendly! One of the best treats of the week was Olivia’s cooking. She is amazing and made the most wonderful meals 3 times a day. The food was very fresh, creative and tasted amazing!! We all also awoke each day to Fraser’s fresh ground expresso and lattes! The yacht was gorgeous and comfortable. We had plenty of space! Total dream vacation!!
Late February, 2026, guests aboard AWATEA said:
Dearest Olivia & Fraser,
You two! You are both brilliant, and you absolutely smashed it. Beyond being terrific hosts, you brought such a cool, easy vibe to the week, and I know I can speak for all of us when I say we loved being in your company.
Olivia, the immense workload of making so much incredibly delicious and impressive food was astonishing (and without a break! (We’re so glad we skipped the restaurants!)). Fraser, thank you for being our barista, filleting our fish, making sure we were having fun, keeping us safe, and steering the ship (and more and more, I’m sure).
I miss those cappuccinos. The memory of coffee being delivered to sip while taking a morning dip is a favorite. And the trays full of piña coladas and spicy margs. And the freshly harvested coconut milk in our meals. And the boom jump and water toys, lounging on the trampoline while we sailed, and the gorgeous spinnaker. All of it.
And the boat! Wow — Awatea was just so lovely, comfortable, and perfect.
As my work and life to-do lists continue to grow and our three-year-old becomes more challenging, I find myself pulling from the reserves this trip banked for a little serenity. It was such a luxury to slow down. I remember being called to do so immediately on the walk from the airport to Awatea. Fraser, your pace on that walk was a perfect welcome — easing us into what has to be the most relaxed and relaxing vacation I’ve ever known.
I was so content to simply stare at the horizon and that stunning blue water. I tried reading my book but kept reading the same sentence over and over, so I gave up — my surroundings were far more compelling. And losing my grip on my phone and laptop was a priceless gift.
We know there’s an incredible amount of work happening behind the scenes to make a week like this feel so effortless, and we’re deeply grateful for all of it. On behalf of all eight of us, thank you. One million times.
Fondly,
Sarah
PS. Fraser — David reminded me of a conversation the eight of us were having around the table one evening about mustaches (one of the many dumb conversations you were probably forced to overhear). I’m sorry about that. We're idiots. And for the record — you look great with a mustache.
crewed@visailing.com | (800)382-9666 | (941)966-9387
