Blue Horizon Travel & Yacht Charters

03/04/2025

Linda here…just returning from Portugal and Morocco. I highly recommend combining there two countries. Their moorish history is intertwined. Spring arrived in both countries before we got there.

11/20/2024

Diane & Marlene just got back from the big boat shows in the US and British Virgin Islands. We literally climbed on & off dozens of beautiful catamarans that can accommodate 2 to 10 guests. We inspected the yachts and visited with the crews to determine which boats we liked the best. I now have many favorites! Did you know you can have your own private yacht in the Virgin Islands for no more than the price of a luxury cruise or all-inclusive resort? Prices start at only $4,000 per person, all-inclusive, based on 6-8 guests for a 7-night charter. A perfect alternative to the big cruise ships!

Deep Blue was one of my very favorite yachts at the show. She is a beautiful 58’ Luxury Catamaran that can accommodate 8 guests. One of her unique features is a lovely queen cabin on the main deck with a door that opens up to a comfortable sitting area at the bow of the boat. Great place for your morning coffee!

Contact Marlene (309) 340-9350 or Diane (309) 526-3499 today!

08/04/2024

Visiting the New Jersey Shoreline, whether you’re with friends or the family is not like the critically acclaimed TV show. The Jersey Shore is one of the most sought-after vacation spots on the East Coast, especially during the summer months. With 130 miles of coastline, there are a variety of places you can go and visit.

Here are some tips on how to navigate vacationing at the Jersey Shore.

At Blue Horizon Travel & Yacht Charters, we specialize in providing groups and individuals with planned trips around the world. Let us help you plan your Jersey Shore Beach vacation today

07/24/2024

Hey Travelers - Globus has some incredible last minute specials for 2024. Take off another $100 pp if booked by August 16th or use your welcome back credits if you still have any you haven't used. Sorry can't use both. Contact Diane 309-526-3499 or email [email protected].

07/12/2024

Vacations can become expensive very quickly, depending on what kind of trip you’re planning. It’s important to do what you can to save money for them. If you are planning on taking a trip soon and are looking for ways to stack up some extra funds, here are a few tips to help you save.

06/30/2024

Here are Heather and Jason crossing the finish line at the Colorado Bike MS Saturday afternoon. She has been biking and raising awareness and funds for Multiple Sclerosis for over a decade.
So many of you have supported her each and every year. Bless you !!!

06/24/2024

Day 6 - Our family sailing adventure in the British Virgin Islands continues on Port To Vino Samana 59 with Captain Jeff & Caitlin Nichols. After an early morning breakfast, we sailed from the North Sound of Virgin Gorda to the beautiful island of Anegada. This is my very favorite island!

Anegada is the only inhabited British Virgin Island formed entirely from coral and limestone, rather than being of volcanic origin. Anegada is flat and low. It is about 15 square miles. Most of the population live the only village – The Settement. Tourism is Anegada’s primary business. Commercial fishing is next with local fishermen providing the majority of the fresh fish and lobster catch for the rest of the British Virgin Islands. It is a nature lover’s paradise. Anegada is known for its miles of white sand beaches and the 18-mile (29 km)-long Horseshoe Reef, one of the largest barrier coral reefs in the Caribbean.

Captain Jeff & Caitlin rented a safari bus for the day and gave us a grand tour of the island. We drove all around the island - visited several beaches, gift shops & beach bars. Our favorite was the Anegada Beach Club. We had lunch there and spent most of the afternoon relaxing on the beautiful powdery sand beach and swimming in the calm water.. Before I die, I hope to spend a week in one of their little beachfront bungalows. We also visited the Big Bamboo, Tipsy’s and the Cow Wreck Beach Bar. Late afternoon we went back to our boat via dingy to shower and rest up a little. In the evening, we went back to land via dingy and enjoyed a fantastic Caribbean Lobster dinner at the Wonky Dog.

Day 7 – We sailed to Marina Cay and anchored at Diamond Reef. This was our last chance to snorkel and enjoy the water. We could have gone ashore to the bar there. We all chose just to relax, enjoy the water and hang out on the boat. That night we had a delicious farewell steak dinner and reminisced about our week.

06/24/2024

Day 6 - Our family sailing adventure in the British Virgin Islands continues on Port To Vino Samana 59 with Captain Jeff & Caitlin Nichols. After an early morning breakfast, we sailed from the North Sound of Virgin Gorda to the beautiful island of Anegada. This is my very favorite island!

Anegada is the only inhabited British Virgin Island formed entirely from coral and limestone, rather than being of volcanic origin. Anegada is flat and low. It is about 15 square miles. Most of the population live the only village – The Settement. Tourism is Anegada’s primary business. Commercial fishing is next with local fishermen providing the majority of the fresh fish and lobster catch for the rest of the British Virgin Islands. It is a nature lover’s paradise. Anegada is known for its miles of white sand beaches and the 18-mile (29 km)-long Horseshoe Reef, one of the largest barrier coral reefs in the Caribbean.

Captain Jeff & Caitlin rented a safari bus for the day and gave us a grand tour of the island. We drove all around the island - visited several beaches, gift shops & beach bars. Our favorite was the Anegada Beach Club. We had lunch there and spent most of the afternoon relaxing on the beautiful powdery sand beach and swimming in the calm water.. Before I die, I hope to spend a week in one of their little beachfront bungalows. We also visited the Big Bamboo, Tipsy’s and the Cow Wreck Beach Bar. Late afternoon we went back to our boat via dingy to shower and rest up a little. In the evening, we went back to land via dingy and enjoyed a fantastic Caribbean Lobster dinner at the Wonky Dog.

Day 7 – We sailed to Marina Cay and anchored at Diamond Reef. This was our last chance to snorkel and enjoy the water. We could have gone ashore to the bar there. We all chose just to relax, enjoy the water and hang out on the boat. That night we had a delicious farewell steak dinner and reminisced about our week.

06/22/2024

Our family sailing adventure continues on the beautiful 59’ catamaran Port To Vino Samana 59 with Captain Jeff & Caitlin Nichols. What a glorious time we had! Between the large aft dining area, the front seating area, the trampoline and the large upper deck, there was plenty of room for the six of us to spread out and find our own space to lounge & relax. Day 4 found us on Cooper Island. We spent the whole day anchored there. In the morning, we swam and snorkeled again. After lunch we all went to the shore, to visit the beach bars, shops and spend a little time on the beach.

Day 5, after an early breakfast we sailed to Virgin Gorda to visit the BATHS. The Baths at Virgin Gorda are a natural wonder, featuring boulders and caverns that make up a maze that leads to secret rock pools and the famous Cathedral Room, a natural pool inside a small cave. There is a beautiful beach there you can enjoy at the end of your climb. Captain Jeff brought the group as close as he could with the dingy and they swam ashore. Caitlin led our group on the climb through the rocks. They got there early before the crowds so they could take their time and explore. Diane relaxed on the boat with her morning coffee as she has climbed through those rocks many times in her younger days.

After lunch, we sailed to the North Sound of Virgin Gorda. There we visited the Bitter End Yacht Club and Saba rock. We anchored for the night there so we could get an early start to my favorite island of Anegada. Caitlin is an amazing chef. Our meals were 5 star. Her professional diving and marine research background enabled her to give us so much educational knowledge of the sea and the fish that we saw each day. She & Captain Jeff make a good team! You can tell they love what they do. Stay tuned as we sail to the beautiful island of Anegada on Day 6.

06/18/2024

Wow! Diane has just got back from the best sailing vacation ever on the lovely 59’ catamaran Port to Vino Samana59. 7 glorious nights with our own Captain & Chef sailing the beautiful waters of the British Virgins Islands! Captain Jeff & Caitlin Nichols were incredible! Our family sailing vacation was totally customized for us according to what we wanted to do. It was everything I hoped it would be. There were 6 of us. We had 4 cabins each with a queen bed & private bath. Grandma Diane had the owner’s suite with extra room. Between the large aft dining area, the front seating area & trampoline and the large upper deck, there was plenty of room for everyone to spread out and find their space to lounge & relax.

With my mobility issues, this was the perfect yacht for me. It was spacious and airy – easy to get around on. There were lots of handrails. Their dingy platform lowers into the water, which made it extremely easy for me to get in and out of the water. On a yacht charter you can be as active or as inactive as you choose to be. Port To Vino has lots of water toys although we really didn’t take advantage of them. Everyone just wanted to relax and enjoy the water & the beaches.

We boarded our private yacht at Nanny Cay in Tortola. After lunch & a brief orientation we sailed to Norman Island and snorkeled in & out of the caves. We anchored at Treasure Point. Day 2 we sailed to the east end of Josh Van D**e. Some spent time on the beach. Those with more ambition took a hike to the Bubbly Pool. We anchored that night at Diamond Cay. Day 3 was White Bay on Josh Van D**e in the morning - beach time & the Soggy Dollar Beach Bar. In the afternoon we sailed to Peter Island and anchored at Great Harbor. We spent the afternoon snorkeling and just relaxing. Late each afternoon we had cocktails & snacks up on the fly bridge. Our Captain had a special cocktail each day. Stay turned for more of our sailing adventure as we continue on to Cooper Island on Day 4.

05/30/2024

Thank you everyone for your birthday greetings. This month
I took a cruise in Greece with 25 friends including Kathy Kohring Nauretz whose birthday was just 18 days before mine. The Diamond tiaras were compliments of another good friend Penny McLaren.
Lots of sun, exercise and delicious Mediterranean food. Opa! That’s the way to approach a birthday! I highly recommend it!

05/13/2024

While destinations like Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic rightfully steal the spotlight, there’s a treasure trove of lesser-known islands waiting to be explored by intrepid travelers seeking unique experiences away from the crowds.

When we think of the Caribbean, our minds often drift to images of pristine beaches, vibrant culture, and luxurious resorts. While destinations like Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic rightfully steal the spotlight, there’s a treasure trove of lesser-known islands waiting to be explo...