We have sailed with the Moorings twice, but both occasions were a LONG time ago.  Too long really to be able to give them a confident thumbs up or down.

Our first charter was technically not really a charter, but rather we took the week-long Bareboat Cruising course thru Colgate Offshore Sailing Schoolin Tortola.  (Highly Recommend). And Colgate booked thru the Moorings.   The second was during our trip to Belize.  Our captain originally booked thru someone else and we got moved over to the Moorings.  It is a long and convoluted story as to why we got moved, and probably not telling.

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The two reasons we haven’t since chartered with the Moorings are somewhat lame excuses.

First, they tend to be a little more than the places we have more recently chartered.  But from the two times we chartered there, whatever more we paid was totally worth it.  Their bots are all very nice and new looking and clean and everything works.  The marina looks like a resort, not a boat yard. The base in the BVI comes with a beach bar and a five star spa.  Most of their competitors (including the higher end ones) come with a snorkel shed and an ice machine.

Second, I’m on record on the Leopards.  I don’t hate them, but I also I don’t love them. To each their own. 

As already noted, The Moorings has an exclusive arrangement with Leopard, so if your sailing a catamaran with the Moorings, your on a Leopard.

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Two caveats that totally disprove the above rationale. 

  • Caveat 1: A couple of trips back, we did a last-minute special.  We were less than 30 days out and we checked specials with all the charter companies.  All of the deals were exceptional, and the Moorings was comparable to everyone else. So the Moorings is not ALWAYS more expensive.

  • Caveat 2: I took a tour thru the new Leopards at the Annapolis Boat Show in 2018.  Hate to say it, but there are pretty sweet.  The new front porch (aka walk thru salon) they have on all models is really very nice.  I could see us using that.  A lot. So come back before too long and I am sure we will (at some point in the next year or two) have an updated review listing all the reasons we loved booking cruising with the Moorings on some future trip.

And their website is phenomenal.  Their online booking is the best there is. And they are everywhere.  Damnit!