Info request: Tradewinds All-inclusive Yacht Charter

[jonhall]

Wondering if anyone has any experience with Tradewinds. It has always been an option of something I could get through my timeshare. I don't want to speculate about what I know or don't know about it other than to say that I do realize it is not a diving liveaboard but that diving is an option of something that can be done.

Any first hand info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Doc]

No firsthand knowledge.

But, I’ve been involved in similar. The vessels they feature (website) would be okay for flopping in and snorkeling, nothing more. So, you get SCUBA outings from an outside vendor. I’m sure you knew that.

In my experience, I was hired to fly for arrival ahead of a family’s private yacht and arrange charter for diving services. To make the outings more expeditious, I would have the pre-outfitted dive boats come alongside and transfer my guests seamlessly. Otherwise there would have been a lot of schlepping to and fro to the dive ops island base. My method costs more but would consume 3-5 hours to get a two tank boat ride.

I’m pretty sure Tradewinds will go with the to-and-fro method. It will be an 8 hour thing off of your yacht. The alternate I described providing took my professional level skills to make happen. My clients wanted and could afford what is truly concierge level service, a term that nowadays gets over-used to the point of meaninglessness.

I would not look at this as a dive vacation in any manner, it’s a vacation where you did a couple of dives. My people got an option of 11 dives in their week.

Just my guess from previous experience.

 

[Damselfish]

I used to have a bunch of points I was trying to find a use for and had looked into Tradewinds. I was never able to come up with a plan that worked well.

 

[jonhall]

I used to have a bunch of points I was trying to find a use for and had looked into Tradewinds. I was never able to come up with a plan that worked well.

Sometimes something in the timeshare pops up that seems like a good (or bad) deal. For me the point value is minimal: 4-5 points + an exchange fee which is usually between $219-$239 but I can pay outright for the week which, as an example, is $270-$280 for a week in Belize.

The all-inclusive fee is what threw me - about $2500 for both my wife and me - I chatted with different RCI reps to verify that the AI fee covered 2 people - it sounded cheap to me. Even with round trip airfare and island hopper flights, and staying a couple extra nights in a hotel in Palencia, it all works out to be $1000-$1800 less than booking just the week on a catamaran through their website (but still as much as what I may pay for 2 weeks on land somewhere.)

Was just hoping that someone, not on a strictly diving trip, may have experienced the TradeWinds Cruise and could share a little info.

 

[Doc]

Try FB Liveaboard Yachts or Trip Advisor, Yelp, etc.

 

[jonhall]

Try FB Liveaboard Yachts or Trip Advisor,

Good advice. Looked earlier - not much help (TripAdvisor reviews are 8-9 years old - but good) which isn't a good sign in my opinion, but broke down and requested to join the TradeWinds Cruise Club FaceBook group which is a private group. We'll see if they accept me since I'm not a TW member.