Dear Bernie & Ruth,
Being back in reality is not as rewarding as being in the BVI`s on Paradise. On behalf of Caroline, Alice and Larry, I want to thank you both for a delightful week of good company, great sailing and cuisine fit for gourmets.
The weather came around nicely and the anchorages were as beautiful as I remembered them. I hope the BVI Trust will continue to maintain these settings for the pleasure of future generations.
In one week we managed to cover most of the locations of interest, race and win (or at least tie) some other fast boats in transit, see some great coral and beautiful fish, and grow fat and happy on Ruth's culinary delicacies. As our first crewed charter, you spoiled us for any future charters. Forget bare boats - it's back to Paradise for our future BVI trips!
I wish you success in your venture and wish you Paradise for as long as you want or until the next great adventure comes along.
Chuck Gallagher
Dear Gail, (Broker)
I have completed and am enclosing the charter review form you had mailed to me. I would like to add a few addition comments.
First, I sincerely appreciate your having taken the time to ask for details about our party and what we liked to do before recommending that we charter Paradise with Ruth and Bernd. The sailboat and Ruth and Bernd were a perfect match for us.
We do love to sail and it was obvious from the first that Ruth and Bernd also love sailing. They are both very capable and safe sailors. In addition to the sailing they took to us to superb snorkelling sites which were delightful.
The food and hospitality were extraordinary. Both the preparation and presentation were nicely done. We found both Ruth and Bernd to be fine conversationalists and a pleasure to be with.
My wife and I have been fortunate to be able to travel pretty extensively and have vacationed in a number of different places. My wife’s comment to Ruth and Bernd as we left was “this is the best vacation I have ever had”, is a wonderful description of our trip.
Again, thanks for your help.
Cordially
Prof. Robert D. Johnson
Dear Ruth & Bernie,
When I first imagined a sailing trip in the Caribbean I had the idyllic vision of the sun dancing on crystal blue waters, white sandy beaches with swaying palm trees and gentle warm trade winds blowing through my hair. At least that’s the Hollywood image I had in mind. I was very pleasantly surprised when I learned that it really was like that on your charters. Also, being an Emergency Program Coordinator, I tend to think a bit too much about safety and that sort of thing but I can say without reservation that all of my concerns disappeared as soon as we set sail. Clearly you both are experienced Sea-Captains and have an excellent command of your vessel and the conditions you sail in.
To put it simply, you have the best of everything; the best yacht design with so much open deck space and seating areas that we never felt constricted while on board; the best navigation and communication equipment and the knowledge to find those special places that other charters miss; the best toys for playing in the Caribbean waters and certainly the best food and accommodations. What’s more is that you two are the best at everything; expert sailors; wonderful hosts (the meals were fantastic) and most of all, the best new friends.
We will not soon forget the wonderful time we had sailing with you and we certainly left a piece of our hearts on board ‘Paradise’. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality and a much-needed holiday. We returned home rested and invigorated.
Yours truly,
Stephen R. A. Waugh G.S.C.
CCRD Emergency Program Coordinator
Dear …….. (Broker)
As this was our first charter we didn’t know what to expect. Sailing with Bernd and Ruth realized what we had been missing and they set a level of excellence which we both believe would be difficult to surpass.
Colin & MaryAnn Thornley
Dear Bernie and Ruthie,
I want to thank you for the wonderful time I spent on your Paradise. Your boat is beautiful, roomy and comfortable. You were accommodating in every way, and helped my family have a vacation that will be etched in our memories for a lifetime. I had mentioned before the trip that one of my premier concerns on any vacation is being able to sleep. You took care of that worry by providing us our choice of cabins, all of which were outfitted well with comfortable beds and by having the nice cool air conditioning on at night; I had some of the best sleep I have ever had away from home.
My next concern was that of feeding the kids, who can be quite picky. Ruthie navigated around that potential trouble spot with her expert planning and cooking. At each meal the children had more than enough delicious choices of their liking, as well as something new to try. Ruthie, you were indeed wonderful in your tending to their needs in this area. The time aboard your ship was everything I had hoped for. It was so nice to wake up in the quiet of the morning and listen to the sounds of the surrounding area waking up, with the goats bleating and the gulls and pelicans diving for their breakfasts. Soon, Ruthie would bring the morning coffee, and, when all were awake, she prepared a mouth watering, yet healthy breakfast, and we were ready to sail off to the adventures of the day.
Though watching Bernie and Ruthie co-captain the boat was entertaining, Bernie picked out great places for us to enjoy the beauty of the islands. The beaches, snorkelling, and swimming were all that I had hoped for, and both Bernie and Ruthie were very obliging to any and all requests by our family, plus they had fun suggestions of their own. Bernie was willing to take out the kayaks whenever the kids asked, or just let us relax if that was our desire. They even watched over the kids while my wife and I went ashore one evening to listen to some music.
Not enough can be said about Ruthie’s wonderful cooking, or about the hospitality given by each of you. For me, the relaxation aspect of the trip cannot be overstated. Not having to worry about gathering the family for meals, or taking taxis to points of interest, or trying to keep everyone entertained, or wondering if we have everything we need. It was all done for me. It was total relaxation. I greatly appreciate your help in providing my family with such a wonderful vacation.
We can heartily recommend your Paradise to anyone, and welcome you to print or publish our recommendation as you wish.
Bill and Sylvia Benefield
Sandy, (broker)
Ruthie and Bernie truly know how to make guest feel welcome. In the south we call it “Southern Hospitality” Bernie even took time to show Rick the important points of sailing. He let Rick sail for awhile. (This made Rick’s trip) We have fond memories that will always stay near our hearts.
Great crew and boat…..that is what Paradise is!!!
Elaine and Rick Smith
Dear Bernd & Ruthie,
I am back in Chicago… returned to cold rainy weather.
I am still glowing from your wonderful and inspiring hospitality! Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. It is wonderful to experience such warmth. Your energy, outlook, and philosophy mean a lot to me and this industry. I am thrilled to share my excitement and personal testimony of sailing with you!
I will always cherish my time with you! Thank you again.
Kind regards,
Kim
Gail, (Broker)
I have completed our satisfaction survey and will mail it to you. I also wanted to send this email to let you know how much we enjoyed our time aboard Paradise with Bernd and Ruth. It greatly exceeded our expectations. Paradise is a beautiful yacht; very well appointed and in exceptionally fine condition. She made for very comfortable accommodations and truly enjoyable sailing. I am very happy with my decision to charter a sloop.
Ruth and Bernd were fantastic hosts, captain, admiral, cook and crew. We especially appreciated their delicate balance of befriending us while still catering us as guests. We felt like pampered friends. Our kids felt most welcome too. Having their guidance and flexibility in setting destinations was appreciated. I think their adjustments suited us well. Oh, and the food...the menu was great and suited both our adult and adolescent appetites. All combined, we really enjoy our time together as a family, playing cards, laughing, relaxing, and enjoying the natural splendour of the BVI.
Nonetheless we were sad to leave and Ruthie, we missed your fine food almost immediately... The care packages with banana bread helped soften the blow.
Overall the trip was a huge success, and I will highly recommend Paradise and Virgin Island Sailing to all who will listen! Thank you for your assistance, and for the wonderful champagne that awaited our arrival.
We talked often very fondly about our time on Paradise and our warm feelings will surely grow as we develop the memories of our best vacation ever.
Dan Reilly
Dear Ruth and Bernd,
I wanted to follow back up with you. Please find enclosed our much delayed gratuity payment. We miss the days and sun and water on the boat, and thank you again for your wonderful hospitality. It was truly a wonderful and memorable experience, as well as relaxing and fun for both Mary and myself. Everything was truly perfect and better than we had planned for the trip, and your attention to detail and professionalism were excellent.
We enjoyed the isolated beaches, warm water and afternoon drinks immensely.
If you find yourselves on the east coast of the US, please do not hesitate to look us up, especially if you are in the Cape Cod / Maine area.
M.T.
To whom it may concern:
We chartered the private Yacht “Paradise” from April 3-10 (7 days) 2006.
This was our first charter experience, and we were new comers to the experience and the geographical area. We had an exemplary experience and would highly recommend Bernd and Ruth.
It was truly a wonderful and memorable experience, as well as relaxing and fun for both Mary and myself. Everything was perfect and better than we had planned for the trip, and the attention to detail and professionalism were excellent.
We found that that if we did not have clear suggestions and requests, that they were both well equipped to make there own suggestions and decisions for us, which were well received.
Bernd is a true professional sailor and his respect for both the water, wind and his own boat are to be admired.
Again, we had an exemplary experience and would highly recommend Bernd and Ruth. We are happy to be contacted by prospective clients to answer any other questions.
Nick McCabe and Mary Tilt
Hi Bernie & Ruthie!
Hope you and Ruthie are well and enjoying your beautiful floating condo. Deb and I are both back to work and it seems it was only a dream to spend the most delightful vacation one could imagine with both of you.
You are two of the most impressive, sincere and caring people one could ever encounter and it certainly shows in how you run your business and treat your guests. Your sailing expertise, knowledge of the islands and personal attention to all details were greatly appreciated as was Ruthies exceptional cooking which was always five star. How does she do it in that ships galley?
You clearly understand the terms quality and service. Average and ok are just not in your vocabulary or acceptable methods of conducting business. You really care about people and it showed when you greeted us at the airport, escorted us on board and guided us thru our first charter experience. We plan on booking 'Paradise' again and as often as possible. I am sure that one day you will turn me into a fair "bare boater"
We also hope you will not hesitate to use us as reference for any potential customers and at any time.
Hope to see you again soon.
Best
John H. Neugebauer
CEO and Chief Operating Manager
The first guest on our Yacht Paradise wrote shortly after leaving us: January 2006
Exactly same for us it is hard to get use to gloomy London instead of Paradise! Yesterday we watched the “Master and Commander” just to remind us about sailing a bit.
We miss you both very badly. It was true Paradise to be together in the sea. Well… life goes on and I am sure we will see you very soon again. We will work on it and it will be all PERFECT again!
Please give my regards to Ruthie!
D+M+S
Ps: We also received a questioner form from V. S. Ltd. It is asking about how friendly you were, how the boat was ventilated, how the food was presented, how we liked the sailed area... etc. All very easy to answer as it all was excellent!
Daniel Bergmann
Being back in reality is not as rewarding as being in the BVI`s on Paradise. On behalf of Caroline, Alice and Larry, I want to thank you both for a delightful week of good company, great sailing and cuisine fit for gourmets.
The weather came around nicely and the anchorages were as beautiful as I remembered them. I hope the BVI Trust will continue to maintain these settings for the pleasure of future generations.
In one week we managed to cover most of the locations of interest, race and win (or at least tie) some other fast boats in transit, see some great coral and beautiful fish, and grow fat and happy on Ruth's culinary delicacies. As our first crewed charter, you spoiled us for any future charters. Forget bare boats - it's back to Paradise for our future BVI trips!
I wish you success in your venture and wish you Paradise for as long as you want or until the next great adventure comes along.
Chuck Gallagher
Dear Gail, (Broker)
I have completed and am enclosing the charter review form you had mailed to me. I would like to add a few addition comments.
First, I sincerely appreciate your having taken the time to ask for details about our party and what we liked to do before recommending that we charter Paradise with Ruth and Bernd. The sailboat and Ruth and Bernd were a perfect match for us.
We do love to sail and it was obvious from the first that Ruth and Bernd also love sailing. They are both very capable and safe sailors. In addition to the sailing they took to us to superb snorkelling sites which were delightful.
The food and hospitality were extraordinary. Both the preparation and presentation were nicely done. We found both Ruth and Bernd to be fine conversationalists and a pleasure to be with.
My wife and I have been fortunate to be able to travel pretty extensively and have vacationed in a number of different places. My wife’s comment to Ruth and Bernd as we left was “this is the best vacation I have ever had”, is a wonderful description of our trip.
Again, thanks for your help.
Cordially
Prof. Robert D. Johnson
Dear Ruth & Bernie,
When I first imagined a sailing trip in the Caribbean I had the idyllic vision of the sun dancing on crystal blue waters, white sandy beaches with swaying palm trees and gentle warm trade winds blowing through my hair. At least that’s the Hollywood image I had in mind. I was very pleasantly surprised when I learned that it really was like that on your charters. Also, being an Emergency Program Coordinator, I tend to think a bit too much about safety and that sort of thing but I can say without reservation that all of my concerns disappeared as soon as we set sail. Clearly you both are experienced Sea-Captains and have an excellent command of your vessel and the conditions you sail in.
To put it simply, you have the best of everything; the best yacht design with so much open deck space and seating areas that we never felt constricted while on board; the best navigation and communication equipment and the knowledge to find those special places that other charters miss; the best toys for playing in the Caribbean waters and certainly the best food and accommodations. What’s more is that you two are the best at everything; expert sailors; wonderful hosts (the meals were fantastic) and most of all, the best new friends.
We will not soon forget the wonderful time we had sailing with you and we certainly left a piece of our hearts on board ‘Paradise’. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality and a much-needed holiday. We returned home rested and invigorated.
Yours truly,
Stephen R. A. Waugh G.S.C.
CCRD Emergency Program Coordinator
Dear …….. (Broker)
As this was our first charter we didn’t know what to expect. Sailing with Bernd and Ruth realized what we had been missing and they set a level of excellence which we both believe would be difficult to surpass.
Colin & MaryAnn Thornley
Dear Bernie and Ruthie,
I want to thank you for the wonderful time I spent on your Paradise. Your boat is beautiful, roomy and comfortable. You were accommodating in every way, and helped my family have a vacation that will be etched in our memories for a lifetime. I had mentioned before the trip that one of my premier concerns on any vacation is being able to sleep. You took care of that worry by providing us our choice of cabins, all of which were outfitted well with comfortable beds and by having the nice cool air conditioning on at night; I had some of the best sleep I have ever had away from home.
My next concern was that of feeding the kids, who can be quite picky. Ruthie navigated around that potential trouble spot with her expert planning and cooking. At each meal the children had more than enough delicious choices of their liking, as well as something new to try. Ruthie, you were indeed wonderful in your tending to their needs in this area. The time aboard your ship was everything I had hoped for. It was so nice to wake up in the quiet of the morning and listen to the sounds of the surrounding area waking up, with the goats bleating and the gulls and pelicans diving for their breakfasts. Soon, Ruthie would bring the morning coffee, and, when all were awake, she prepared a mouth watering, yet healthy breakfast, and we were ready to sail off to the adventures of the day.
Though watching Bernie and Ruthie co-captain the boat was entertaining, Bernie picked out great places for us to enjoy the beauty of the islands. The beaches, snorkelling, and swimming were all that I had hoped for, and both Bernie and Ruthie were very obliging to any and all requests by our family, plus they had fun suggestions of their own. Bernie was willing to take out the kayaks whenever the kids asked, or just let us relax if that was our desire. They even watched over the kids while my wife and I went ashore one evening to listen to some music.
Not enough can be said about Ruthie’s wonderful cooking, or about the hospitality given by each of you. For me, the relaxation aspect of the trip cannot be overstated. Not having to worry about gathering the family for meals, or taking taxis to points of interest, or trying to keep everyone entertained, or wondering if we have everything we need. It was all done for me. It was total relaxation. I greatly appreciate your help in providing my family with such a wonderful vacation.
We can heartily recommend your Paradise to anyone, and welcome you to print or publish our recommendation as you wish.
Bill and Sylvia Benefield
Sandy, (broker)
Ruthie and Bernie truly know how to make guest feel welcome. In the south we call it “Southern Hospitality” Bernie even took time to show Rick the important points of sailing. He let Rick sail for awhile. (This made Rick’s trip) We have fond memories that will always stay near our hearts.
Great crew and boat…..that is what Paradise is!!!
Elaine and Rick Smith
Dear Bernd & Ruthie,
I am back in Chicago… returned to cold rainy weather.
I am still glowing from your wonderful and inspiring hospitality! Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. It is wonderful to experience such warmth. Your energy, outlook, and philosophy mean a lot to me and this industry. I am thrilled to share my excitement and personal testimony of sailing with you!
I will always cherish my time with you! Thank you again.
Kind regards,
Kim
Gail, (Broker)
I have completed our satisfaction survey and will mail it to you. I also wanted to send this email to let you know how much we enjoyed our time aboard Paradise with Bernd and Ruth. It greatly exceeded our expectations. Paradise is a beautiful yacht; very well appointed and in exceptionally fine condition. She made for very comfortable accommodations and truly enjoyable sailing. I am very happy with my decision to charter a sloop.
Ruth and Bernd were fantastic hosts, captain, admiral, cook and crew. We especially appreciated their delicate balance of befriending us while still catering us as guests. We felt like pampered friends. Our kids felt most welcome too. Having their guidance and flexibility in setting destinations was appreciated. I think their adjustments suited us well. Oh, and the food...the menu was great and suited both our adult and adolescent appetites. All combined, we really enjoy our time together as a family, playing cards, laughing, relaxing, and enjoying the natural splendour of the BVI.
Nonetheless we were sad to leave and Ruthie, we missed your fine food almost immediately... The care packages with banana bread helped soften the blow.Overall the trip was a huge success, and I will highly recommend Paradise and Virgin Island Sailing to all who will listen! Thank you for your assistance, and for the wonderful champagne that awaited our arrival.
We talked often very fondly about our time on Paradise and our warm feelings will surely grow as we develop the memories of our best vacation ever.
Dan Reilly
Dear Ruth and Bernd,
I wanted to follow back up with you. Please find enclosed our much delayed gratuity payment. We miss the days and sun and water on the boat, and thank you again for your wonderful hospitality. It was truly a wonderful and memorable experience, as well as relaxing and fun for both Mary and myself. Everything was truly perfect and better than we had planned for the trip, and your attention to detail and professionalism were excellent.
We enjoyed the isolated beaches, warm water and afternoon drinks immensely.
If you find yourselves on the east coast of the US, please do not hesitate to look us up, especially if you are in the Cape Cod / Maine area.
M.T.
To whom it may concern:
We chartered the private Yacht “Paradise” from April 3-10 (7 days) 2006.
This was our first charter experience, and we were new comers to the experience and the geographical area. We had an exemplary experience and would highly recommend Bernd and Ruth.
It was truly a wonderful and memorable experience, as well as relaxing and fun for both Mary and myself. Everything was perfect and better than we had planned for the trip, and the attention to detail and professionalism were excellent.
We found that that if we did not have clear suggestions and requests, that they were both well equipped to make there own suggestions and decisions for us, which were well received.
Bernd is a true professional sailor and his respect for both the water, wind and his own boat are to be admired.
Again, we had an exemplary experience and would highly recommend Bernd and Ruth. We are happy to be contacted by prospective clients to answer any other questions.
Nick McCabe and Mary Tilt
Hi Bernie & Ruthie!
Hope you and Ruthie are well and enjoying your beautiful floating condo. Deb and I are both back to work and it seems it was only a dream to spend the most delightful vacation one could imagine with both of you.
You are two of the most impressive, sincere and caring people one could ever encounter and it certainly shows in how you run your business and treat your guests. Your sailing expertise, knowledge of the islands and personal attention to all details were greatly appreciated as was Ruthies exceptional cooking which was always five star. How does she do it in that ships galley?
You clearly understand the terms quality and service. Average and ok are just not in your vocabulary or acceptable methods of conducting business. You really care about people and it showed when you greeted us at the airport, escorted us on board and guided us thru our first charter experience. We plan on booking 'Paradise' again and as often as possible. I am sure that one day you will turn me into a fair "bare boater"
We also hope you will not hesitate to use us as reference for any potential customers and at any time.
Hope to see you again soon.
Best
John H. Neugebauer
CEO and Chief Operating Manager
The first guest on our Yacht Paradise wrote shortly after leaving us: January 2006
Exactly same for us it is hard to get use to gloomy London instead of Paradise! Yesterday we watched the “Master and Commander” just to remind us about sailing a bit.
We miss you both very badly. It was true Paradise to be together in the sea. Well… life goes on and I am sure we will see you very soon again. We will work on it and it will be all PERFECT again!
Please give my regards to Ruthie!
D+M+S
Ps: We also received a questioner form from V. S. Ltd. It is asking about how friendly you were, how the boat was ventilated, how the food was presented, how we liked the sailed area... etc. All very easy to answer as it all was excellent!
Daniel Bergmann