Last July my wife and I decided to make plans to charter a sailboat for a weeklong trip, it was on our bucket list. We decided that we would do it to coincide with my 70th birthday. I had the pleasure of connecting with Abbie from BVI Yacht Charters, who promptly sent us options of boats to consider. We selected the Alora and invited some close friends to join us. Fast forward to January of 2026 when we boarded the Alora to be welcomed by our captain, Franky and our chef, Leni . What a team! This pair did not miss a trick. We discussed what we wanted to do ahead of time and Franky planned around weather (wind etc) to make it happen. We had a delightful week of sailing, swimming, snorkeling, hiking and DINING. Every afternoon at 5 we were treated to the Captain's Cocktail hour: an appetizer and a specialty drink, every night was different. One evening we even had a birthday dinner staged on the back deck complete with candlelight and home baked carrot cake! (my favorite) We opted to have a couple of lunches and dinners off the boat which were carefully coordinated so we could enjoy the best of the BVIs. Highlights not to miss: Anegada, ( Tipsy's !!!) Virgin Gorda ( the Baths, Hog Heaven, a Tour with Sweet Willie), Peter Island ( get Franky to book a mooring for the evening) , and snorkeling at Norman Island. It was definitely worth every penny! A wonderful experience.