Anyone been on the SailJuliet lately?

[Pat S]

Lots of great reviews from folks who went with the Sail Juliet 3-6 years ago, but I can't find many recent ones. I'm thinking of booking with them and I'm hoping they are still as good as they once were.

Thanks,
Pat

 

[Ana]

Lots of great reviews from folks who went with the Sail Juliet 3-6 years ago, but I can't find many recent ones. I'm thinking of booking with them and I'm hoping they are still as good as they once were.

Thanks,
Pat

I guess I'm one of those that has been few years ago, what I noticed is that the time when John himself was on as Captain, made for a magnificent experience, granted we also had less than 12 passengers.
The next time John did all the set up and welcome of the passenger but remained on land, the replacing Capt was just average. He had marching orders and lost several opportunities to make it a great trip.

I just looked at their website and noticed several changes. The prices are still very reasonable and the limit of passengers still at 12, both very important factors.

I have been considering the Dry Tortugas trip but I work with robots they don't understand, or maybe it is me that can't find the code for liveaboard.

Hope you have a great trip, please come back and write a report.

 

[divengolf]

I have been considering the Dry Tortugas trip but I work with robots they don't understand, or maybe it is me that can't find the code for liveaboard.

If you looking at the Dry T., consider the M/V Spree. Frank (Wookie on SB) runs an extremely safe op and dives all the better sites there plus he usually does the Vandenburg off Key West. She is home ported in rhe Key West area which makes for a nice stay a couple days before or after the trips.

 

[deepstops]

I just ran a Labor Day week trip with them, I booked the whole boat, split the 12th person discount amongst the group, we had an awesome time (my second trip in two years). I prefer booking the whole boat because we can direct where we're diving.

FWIW, John Beltramo still captains about 50% of the time. The alternate captain (Rudy) is excellent as well.

 

[h2oSkier]

I don't have a reference point to any previous years but I was on the trip with Brian a couple weeks ago and we certainly had a great experience.

The boat is well maintained and the crew worked hard to ensure everyone had a successful trip. We were probably a little different group than they're used to hosting and watching how they adapted to our style after the first day didn't go unnoticed.

I've also done trips with Aggressor and Peter Hughes which IMHO are fantastic and do what they do extremely well. Juliet doesn't have some of their bells & whistles but I can't imagine them changing an itinerary or allowing the guests set the tone for the week the way we did.

Book your trip with confidence. They'll get you on dive sites no one else visits (or has numbers) and leave you with memories of a vacation well spent.

- Dave.

 

[Pat S]

Thanks for the updated review!

 

[Ana]

If you looking at the Dry T., consider the M/V Spree. Frank (Wookie on SB) runs an extremely safe op and dives all the better sites there plus he usually does the Vandenburg off Key West. She is home ported in rhe Key West area which makes for a nice stay a couple days before or after the trips.

I'm sure the Spree is very good, but if I have an option between a vessel that takes 12 people max and another with 24max, there's no way I'd choose the later.

Also the part of being "extremely safe" sometimes turns me off, for sure raises warning flags. I like to be allowed to plan and follow my dives, some times charters cross the line between safety and overprotecting nanny.

I enjoyed the trip in the Juliet greatly more with John as Captain, because he allowed my group to dive pretty much our way after we presented our plan. By the way this wasn't any aggressive plan but was different than the proposed by the DM for that particular day. This happened on the 3rd day, so the abilities of each diver on board (whether good or not) were evident. John had the option to just say no in the name of "safety" or like he did, consider the request.

Again, nothing against the Spree, actually I've heard good things about that operation, just one person's preferences.

Not that I'm an expert on liveaboards, I dive mostly locally off my small boat, but after being in the Juliet, next time I'm going on a liveaboard, I rather go with them as long as Johns is the brain behind it.

 

[scubafanatic]

I'm sure the Spree is very good, but if I have an option between a vessel that takes 12 people max and another with 24max, there's no way I'd choose the later.

Also the part of being "extremely safe" sometimes turns me off, for sure raises warning flags. I like to be allowed to plan and follow my dives, some times charters cross the line between safety and overprotecting nanny.

I enjoyed the trip in the Juliet greatly more with John as Captain, because he allowed my group to dive pretty much our way after we presented our plan. By the way this wasn't any aggressive plan but was different than the proposed by the DM for that particular day. This happened on the 3rd day, so the abilities of each diver on board (whether good or not) were evident. John had the option to just say no in the name of "safety" or like he did, consider the request.

Again, nothing against the Spree, actually I've heard good things about that operation, just one person's preferences.

Not that I'm an expert on liveaboards, I dive mostly locally off my small boat, but after being in the Juliet, next time I'm going on a liveaboard, I rather go with them as long as Johns is the brain behind it.

Ana, I've 'done' both boats (Juliet-Bahamas-summer '05) and SPREE here in the TX Flower Gardens MANY times and although I enjoyed all my trips on each boat, overall I prefer SPREE. JULIET only carries 12 divers max, but JULIET is an old (1970) converted boat (as in never designed for scuba originally) and is very cramped, I'd say there is more useful space per passenger on SPREE......navigating/climbing around JULIET below deck is like being crew on a U-boat....very tight! Also the SPREE dive deck is under permanent shade, meaning no baking in the sun or being in the rain/elements like JULIET's completely unprotected deck (unless JULIET erects it's 'tarp') SPREE is also a lot more camera friendly. (dedicated/protected camera area)JULIET is also much slower, although sailboats do look kinda romantic.

I'm not anti-JULIET (JULIET was a great trip and it was my very first liveaboard trip, which got me hooked on liveaboards) but I think SPREE is a better designed scuba dive boat. Also Capt. Frank/Melanie of SPREE doesn't babysit divers, once you demonstrate to them you do have a 'clue' about diving, they will cut you a lot of slack, their only real constraints on divers were don't bust their max depth limits, and don't run out of air......you don't even have to get back onboard with 500 psi or anything like that, if you can take a breath off your reg after you exit the water, then your 'golden'.

Karl

 

[Ana]

Does sound like an operation I could like.

I try to stay away from boats that carry a lot of passengers because they tend to herd divers, so to me is worth dealing with less than perfect accommodations, if I can dive with some degree of freedom.
What you describe certainly does not sounds like a herding boat. I will certainly keep it in mind for my Dry Tortugas trip .

 

[<*)))><]

Did the Dry Tortuga's trip on Juliet this spring with Capt. John. Had a fantastic time. Great diving, fantastic crew, & gourmet food. Rudy was on our trip as engineer(?)and I wouldn't hesitate to sail with him as captain.

I'll be diving with them again.