As many ease back into traveling and are looking for unique experiences that don’t require much planning and won’t break the bank (plus include most meals, drinks, and experiences), here are a few unique opportunities for travelers to get their feet wet (literally) and get back out there to explore the world and sea in small groups (perfect for those who might not be ready for a cruise just yet) — skip the family vacation house rental for the opportunity to have your own family skipper and vacation on a yacht.
TRIPS by Culture Trip has partnered with Dream Yacht Charter to offer yacht holidays. Think: eight-day yacht or catamaran cruises for up to 12 people that you can join and the vacation includes meals, drinks, and a range of activities. And the price tags won’t break the bank with most trips under $1,300 per person.
TRIPS by Culture Trip is currently offering several distinct Sea Experiences including:
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Vacationers will live their best life at sea on this eight-day British Virgin Islands yacht cruise. Visit several islands renowned for their dazzling waters, beaches and tropical reefs. Snorkeling and sunbathing will be the main pastimes – but guests will also get to explore uninhabited islands on foot, see pink Caribbean flamingos up close, and sip cocktails at breezy Caribbean-vibe beach bars. Guests will be joined by a small group, looked after by a fabulous cook, and captained by a local skipper with inside intel on the best mooring spots in the BVI. Starting from $1,283 per person (including 7 nights in a single or double cabin suite, seven breakfasts, six lunches, seven dinners, certain drinks and activities).
Escape to the tropical haven of The Bahamas on this eight-day cruise. Starting in Nassau, guests will board a luxury catamaran and set sail to Highbourne Cay, the gateway to the Exuma Cays – an archipelago of 365 idyllic islands. Encounter iguanas on Allen Cay, hike past blowholes on the way up Boo Boo Hill on Warderick Wells Cay, and swim with pigs off Big Major Cay. Guests will also snorkel in Thunderball Grotto (a setting for the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball), kayak through mangroves, and swim in secluded lagoons before returning to Nassau. From $1,187 per person (including 7 nights in a single or double cabin, full board, certain drinks and activities).
Guests will enjoy the crystal-clear water and pristine beaches of St Vincent and the Grenadines on this luxury, eight-day Caribbean catamaran cruise Guests will set sail from Martinique to the island of Bequia, for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and the opportunity to explore the lively Port Elizabeth. Stopping at tiny Mayreau en route to the uninhabited Tobago Cays, guests get to discover rich coral and marine life on a snorkeling adventure. In St Vincent, there’s time for a waterfall swim, while geothermal springs and La Soufrière volcano are on the agenda in St Lucia before returning to Martinique. From $1,107 per person (including 7 nights in a single or double cabin, full board, certain drinks and activities).
As remote islands go, French Polynesia takes some beating. On this eight-day catamaran cruise, guests will see the best of this stunning archipelago scattered across the mid-Pacific. Sail from the sacred island of Raiatea, said to be where Polynesian gods once resided, to the bucket-list mainstay of Bora Bora – an island that couldn’t be more divine if it tried. Snorkel in dazzling blue lagoons, home to schools of iridescent fish, rays and reef sharks, and sunbathe to your heart’s content on the immaculate beaches of Huahine. Vacationers stay in a private ensuite cabin, with meals freshly prepared three times a day. From $1,117 per person (including 7 nights in a single or double cabin suite, seven breakfasts, six lunches, seven dinners, certain activities).
All of these offers are available for select dates in March, April and May 2022 and beyond.
The Sea Experiences offering complements Culture Trip’s own collection of small-group adventures: TRIPS by Culture Trip is curated by travel experts and led by Local Insiders who know the destination inside out. The itineraries combine unique places to stay with immersive experiences, hyper-local activities and hidden gems that travelers might not be able to discover otherwise. All elements of a trip are thoughtfully researched, planned and organized so all you have to do is book and show up – and then embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. There are plenty of bucket-list worthy land trips including an opportunity to walk with the wildlife in the Galapagos Islands; go island hopping in the Greek Islands; a Southern Italy tour and more.
