A huge shout out and Thank You to Marin from Globe Sailor and George from the base.
Our dream of sailing the Greek islands exceeded our expectations and we fell in love with 'our' 42 foot catamaran, 'Evolution'. We have sailed the Whitsundays in Australia a few times; the coast from Split to Dubrovnik in Croatia and now Greece and to say we were thrilled with the level of service would be an understatement.
Leaving the responsibility to an experienced Captain and Hostess is always wise, enabling us to simply relax and take in the sights. You can always help them if needed. We had intended to cruise south to Mykonos and Santorini and when we embarked the cat, George the owner of 'Evolution' and Captain advised against it due to potential winds and the amount of time we would spend travelling, rather than swimming and enjoying exploring local villages. They urged us to do the Ionian isles and we were so glad they encouraged us to make that decision.
We purchased groceries and beverages and also ordered many items on the provisional list supplied. All packed away by our hostess. Every day we bought ice from a village as it was summer and as there was always a supermarket - replenishing items wasn't an issue. We bought local sim cards for the internet and mobile phones to work and connectivity was great.
Breakfasts and lunches were organised for us each day by our very capable and non intrusive hostess. Dinners were our only responsibility and a number of fabulous restaurants were recommended by the Captain, accommodating our wishes: Fresh fish, meats and delicious local dishes. One of our friends has specific dietary requirements and this was respected and it wasn't an issue. Once we started sailing, the Captain advised, the arrangement was we either gave $$'s to them for their dinners or they joined us. So we did both.
With just two couples in a four bedroom, four bathroom catamaran, space wasn't an issue, All amenities were clean and new and with the catamaran being built in 2017, we felt confident we'd chosen a great vessel and we were right.
We arranged to have a couple of esky's for drinks and the fridge and freezer were for food and ice.
My husband and I love cruising on a catamaran rather than a sailing boat - there is simply more space. Our friends were not as experienced and we didn't know how they would go, staying on the boat at nights and just cruising on the waters during the day - No sea sickness and they just loved it too. My husband is 6 foot 4 and I was a little concerned about the size of the shower, however, it was fine and even had a screen door. We loved how you could see the blue water and fish through a window under the stairs, whilst inside the cat. All air conditioning worked without a problem.
The wonderful villages - Hydra is amazing - provided our senses with exactly what we wanted. Relaxation. Calm waters. Great local food, shopping and site seeing and without crowds. Plus, we were blessed with fantastic weather. The people we met were warm, friendly and it was so safe.
We were extremely impressed with Marin from Globe Sailor, George from the base and crew, we also loved 'Evolution'. Their experience, flexibility and helpfulness was complimentary and certainly contributes greatly to having a brilliant holiday at the outset. Respecting the boat, crew and the islands, sailing is without a doubt one of the best holidays and we will return to Greece to experience the southern islands in the future.
Thanks again for making our holiday so comfortable; memorable and we highly recommend both Globe Sailor and the local operator, to arrange everything you want, to ensure you have the best holiday, sailing the Greek islands. Keep in mind at the end you will pay for all incidentals along the way including berthing, electricity and diesel (So take some cash and have either a Visa or Mastercard credit card).
PS:
If you've never sailed before, remember, when using the toilets on the boat, never ever put anything down the loos; paper included. It's not a talked about subject, however, for newcomers, they need to know. If there is a blockage because of an alien object, it's not fair on the other passengers, the boat and in particular the crew. Every day waste is taken off the boat. Like with other sailing trips, we all respected this rule and didn't have any problems.