Your reviews

We spent 5 fabulous nights aboard the Sugar Palm with Vincent and Florence.  It's hard to find the words to describe how amazing this holiday was.

First, the San Blas Islands are totally amazing.  The small islands, the colour(s) of the waters, the reefs, the currents, the fish ...beautiful, relatively untouched and unspoiled.  The Guna people were friendly , courteous and welcoming of our visit to their homeland.

Second, the Sugar Palm was the perfect vessel (Catamaran) for the six of us - Vincent/Florence, our friends Glenn/Sue and Donna/me.  Clean, tidy, lots of room and many lounging spots.  Really, really, very comfortable.

Finally, we can't say enough about our hosts Vincent and Florence.  Vincent was skipper, barbeque master, and guide exceptional.  Every day he spent hours with us making sure we saw everything and understood the significance of things we didn't know anything about.  Such as sailing a catamaran.  We swam, we snorkeled, we drifted on currents, explored islands and had so much fun - his personality and demeanour are delightful.  Florence was so much more than a host.  She is funny, animated, a fabulous cook (more on that to follow), and a "highly" experienced anchor girl.

The meals prepared by Florence and her kitchen helper Vincent are another highlight of the trip.  Breakfast, lunch, dinners, not to mention specialty cocktails and french wines were scrumptious.  Florence is modest about her culinary skills but let me tell you she can really prepare and serve fantastic food.  Every meal was like a high end restaurant experience.  Imagine having your own private chef and that's the experience on the Sugar Palm.

Vincent and Florence are memory makers.  Their abilities to engage and entertain in French, Spanish and English just added to the exotic feeling of the San Blas Islands.

Thank you so much for a wonderful holiday - adieu, à la prochaine.

Donna & Wayne, Suzanne & Glenn from Canada,

San Blas, February 2024

Dear Florence and Vincent,

Thank you so much for the amazing experience !

This were 4 of the most beautiful days of our life !

One day we will meet again !

Big hugs and lots of love 

Sarah & Jan from Belgium,

San Blas, November 2023

We spent 6 wonderful days in that true paradise.

The attention provided by the hosts Vincent and Florence on their catamaran "Sugar Palm" was magnificent.

The organization of the trip was perfect, we traveled from Chile for this purpose, upon our arrival a private plane was waiting for us to take us to the Porvenir runway, then a speed boat took us to the catamaran where we were treated like kings.

5-star food, bread freshly baked, a cozy and familiar atmosphere, in short, a large number of attentions that exceeded our expectations.

The catamaran is very well maintained and you feel like you are in a real home, 100% recommended and there is no time to repeat it.

Thank you very much Vincent and Florence for welcoming us into "your House" and for all your loving attention, see you soon.

Patricia & Rodolfo, Daniella & Mauricio from Chile,

San Blas, September 2023

We had the most amazing honeymoon on Sugar Palm with Vincent and Florence.

We have travelled all around the world and this is among the best experiences of our lives.

It was paradise, the boat was immaculate, the food was creative and delicious, and we will never forget our wonderful hosts who spoiled us with such delicious food, drinks and fun conversations .

We can’t say enough nice things about them -- their boat and local knowledge of the area made for an incredible week.

We highly recommend taking a trip with them. Be prepared to be spoiled beyond your wildest dreams.

Britney & Bryan from US

San Blas, July 2023

Amazing experience! 

It was a wonderful five-day cruise through San Blas islands. 

Vincent and Florence took us to heavenly islands, every day was a new surprise. They made us always feel comfortable and planned daily activities as snorkeling, dinghy rides to different islands and stand-up paddle excursions. 

The boat was very nice and neat.  Florence is a great cook.  Every meal was a new surprise with great dishes.  It was a mixture of local food with a French touch.

Thank you, Vincent and Florence, for the warm stay.

We are already dreaming of going back!

Camila & Ricardo from Peru

San Blas, June 2023

Dear Florence and Vincent, today we returned home from our vacation in Panama.

We would like to sincerely thank you for the unforgettable experiences with you in San Blas. We will never forget the warm atmosphere, care for the program and excellent food on your catamaran!

Adrian, Dana & Martin from Slovakia

San Blas, May 2023

I wanted to describe everything I had lived and what was provided but I realized other had done it very well so I decided to describe my feelings.

Full of tranquillity and totally relaxed and disconnected, even from the people I love the most. Thank you for the care, the delight, the organization, all carefully programmed and personalized.

During these 3 days, I felt that someone was caring for the smallest details and I just had to enjoy. I felt pampered.

I am grateful to you for life 

Sonia & Nuno, Susanna & Fred from Portugal

San Blas Islands, February 2023

Florence and Vincent are amazing hosts. They welcomed us onto their home from the moment we arrived.

Florence is an amazing chef. Everything she prepared was fresh and delicious. There was always more food than we could eat and plenty of drinks!  She was very accommodating with our food preferences as well.

They took us sailing to a few different locations. Vincent was so flexible with our daily adventures. He took us to several different islands to explore. We were able to meet some Guna people that live on the islands. We went snorkeling and swimming and enjoyed relaxing on the boat as well.

Their boat is immaculate with plenty of room.

Thank you Florence and Vincent for the most amazing, unforgettable experience! We would recommend Florence and Vincent to anyone visiting the San Blas Islands!!

Thanks again,

Tanya & Ryan, Cheryl & Todd from Canada

San Blas islands, February 2023

What an amazing dream trip with the Sugar Palm catamaran!

Vincent and Florence were exceptional hosts, very welcoming and attentive.

Vincent had so much knowledge of the San Blas area, and Flor is such an amazing cook. Fresh homemade bread every morning with our breakfast, and lunch and dinner we enjoyed fresh seafood right from the ocean.

Cocktails were delicious as well, the best margaritas and piña coladas.

We experienced the most beautiful remote islands and ocean activities with crystal clear blue water! Amazing! The boat was beautiful and very clean with great accommodations.

Highly recommend this amazing trip with these hosts.

Silvana, Raquel & Jorge from Canada

San Blas Islands, January 2023

We have had a great couple of weeks travelling around Panama and our final few days in the San Blas Islands, staying on Sugar Palm with Florence and Vincent was the highlight.  Sugar Palm, the 44ft Catamaran is their home and clearly so with the additional touches of potted plants, scatter cushions and the odd fairy light around the cabin.  If you want to visit the San Blas Islands, an area which completely devoid of any building such as hotels, and thus stripped bare to its raw Caribbean beauty, then this is a very comfortable way to do it.

We ate some incredible food whilst on board including jackfish ceviche and lobster, with fresh fruit and freshly baked bread every morning.  It must be mentioned though that we were apparently really lucky with our few days as they are totally reliant on what the local Kuna fisherman can bring them, and fresh vegetables are not always available either.  Florence also makes a mean cocktail.  Ask her to make you one of her Blue Lagoons!

Meanwhile, Vincent was the consummate host offering to take us to various islands, or to get out the snorkelling gear or SUPs’.  He clearly knows the area well and was able to find quiet bays in which to anchor the boat for the night or reefs which have a host of interesting marine life to examine.  Equally, Florence and Vincent were happy to provide us with shady spots on board so that we could read our books and lounge around -and we did a fair bit of that too!

Renate & Ian, Lisa & Alex from UK

San Blas Islands, January 2023

5 stars experience in a boat !

Vincent and Florence are the perfect hosts !

They know San Blas as the palm of their hands and take you to the coolest spots in the whole archipelago. Both are very experienced at the ocean that you feel safe all the time.

The food is AMAZING, the wine and cocktails are excellent that we felt we were in France !

Also the boat is so clean, well organized and comfortable.

They took so good care of us that we felt home since we arrived on the boat.

Really, really recommend it.

Camila & Guilherme from Brazil

San Blas Islands, December 2022

By far the best vacation ever!!

An amazing experience, not only due to the wonderful spot, San Blas is more incredible than we can see on the pictures, but also because Vince and Florence are special hosts. Everything is prefect, they care every moment if you are fine , if you need something and what you want.

Nuestra experiencia en SugarPalm de Florence y Vincent fue excelente !

La cocina y atención de Florence supera nuestras expectativas, así como la amabilidad y predisposición de Vincent para hacer actividades.

El barco ? Impecable !

Ya estamos sonando en volver !

Gabrielle & Ignacio from Argentina

San Blas Islands, May 2022

San Blas Islands, April 2022

We just got back from an incredible vacation with Vincent and Florence on the SugarPalm in the San Blas Islands.

Right when we first boarded the catamaran, we were impressed. Florence does an amazing job with keeping the catamaran clean and in tip top shape. Little things like plants and flowers, tasteful lighting, and decorations, really enhanced the environment and the overall onboard experience.

The catamaran felt like a home away from home. We were also very impressed with the food as Florence is an exceptional cook. Every meal was a delight – from barracuda ceviche to lobster pizza, and wonderful desserts.

The excursions were also exceptional. We are an active couple; not ones to just lie around on the deck all day. Vincent took us to some amazing places for snorkeling and swimming. On our second day Vincent took us out to a remote set of islands for some snorkeling and exploring - the location was magical with no one around for as far as the eye can see. We really felt like we were alone in this tropical paradise.

All in all, we cannot recommend this trip enough. The experience has given us amazing memories to last us a lifetime.

Michael & Patrick from Canada

San Blas Islands, December 2021

Mon épouse et moi avons passé 5 jours à bord du SugarPalm, dans l’archipel des San Blas en décembre 2021. Nous rêvions depuis un moment de faire l’expérience des îles tropicales, mais ne souhaitions pas aller dans un club ou sur une île bondée de touristes. C’est à l’occasion d’un anniversaire que nous avons franchi le pas. 

Tout d’abord le bateau, un Lagoon 44, est spacieux et tellement bien entretenu qu’il parait neuf. Les chambres sont spacieuses et aérées, et possèdent chacune leur petite salle d’eau (wc, lavabo et douche). 

Comme la météo le permettait, nous avons pris tous nos repas sur le carré extérieur et profité des bons petits plats et apéros préparés par Florence : un savant mélange de cuisine des îles avec une touche de France métropolitaine (un petit Côtes du Rhône qui nous rappelle la maison). Nous avons même pu déguster un ceviche de barracuda frais, pêché à la traine par Vincent et préparé à la tahitienne par Florence. 

Ensuite, le décor : les îles San Blas sont un paradis sauvegardé : 365 îles de sable blanc, parsemées de cocotiers et parfois d’un peu d’herbe, baignées dans des eaux bleu turquoise. La plupart des îles sont inhabitées, et celles qui le sont possèdent au mieux quelques cabanes habitées par les Kunas, les Indiens autochtones qui gèrent leur propre région. Vincent saura vous emmener, au gré de vos envies, vers les îles les plus reculées ou celles qui vous offriront une petite bière locale, les meilleurs spots de snorkeling pour admirer les poissons multicolores, raies et requins nourrices (inoffensifs), ou sur les fonds hauts qui vous offriront la plus belle palette de bleus. 

Au final, pour notre première expérience sur un bateau et dans les îles, le SugarPalm, Florence et Vincent ont placé la barre très haut.

Chrystelle & Fred from France

San Blas Islands (Panama), Decembre 2021

We had a amazing 4 days / 4 nights adventure with Vincent and Florence on the SugarPalm in the San Blas Islands (Guna Yala) !

This incredible paradise is a trip of a lifetime and something out of another world. Many days we felt like we were exploring uncharted territory and could be on the set of Gilligan's Island.

Vincent and Florence are wonderful hosts, always catering to our needs.

Vincent is an experienced and safe captain as well as a guide. He took us to some wonderful places (not crowded) and showed us around the islands beaches and beautiful waters.

Florence keeps the boat in immaculate condition. It is very simply and tastefully decorated. You can tell they both take meticulous care and have great attention to detail and they do the same with their guests.

The food and drinks prepared for us were healthy, delicious and plentiful. We never went hungry or thirsty on our trip, we enjoyed everything !

Vincent and Florence truly went above and beyond to make this such a WONDERFUL experience.

We have traveled around the world and this was among our top vacations. We HIGHLY recommend the SugarPalm for your San Blas adventure. We are already looking forward to the "next time" on the SugarPalm.

Jaimee and Carlos from USA

San Blas Islands (Panama), March 2020

Once upon a time a family from Canada had the good fortune to find SugarPalm Catamaran’s website as they searched for sailing charters for a March break vacation.

Little did they know that they would be treated to a week of the most spectacular food and drink, the most delightful and entertaining hosts, a beautiful, clean and well maintained boat, and the complete lack of worry for safety, planning, schedules or any of the stresses of daily life.

What a special life experience! Thank you with all our hearts for being so absolutely wonderful, sharing your home and stories and laughter and knowledge with us. For caring for us with all the right information, equipment, provisioning, and exceptional rum punch.

Merci. Everything about our trip was Très Yummy! Hugs from …

Annabel, Michael & Max from Canada

Grenadines, March 2019

Our family went to stay on sugar Palm for Christmas/ New Year 2018.

Vincent and Florence are truly amazing hosts- the food onboard Sugar Palm was a French culinary delight, the equal of any Parisian restaurants.

Their knowledge of the Grenadines took us to remote spots that we had not previously visited in other sailing trips and provided us with the holiday of a lifetime.

Lucy & Giles, Charlotte, Sophie & Thomas from UK

Grenadines, January 2019

I can say without hesitation that our time with Vincent and Florence on Sugar Palm was one of the best vacation experiences we have ever had.

Having a boat (all to yourselves), captained by someone as knowledgeable as Vincent, who takes you around to all the best spots, is absolutely the best way to experience the highlights of the local environment and culture. While our stay was quite short (only 4 days) and we had several issues (extreme dietary restrictions, and having to work out the electrical requirements for a CPAP machine at nights), Vincent and Florence absolutely exceeded our expectations. 

There was very clear communication about what we could and could not reasonably expect (given the remote location we were sailing in) and how to adjust to make the most of our time, from itinerary to meals. We stayed flexible and I must say that the trip was AMAZING. 

Vincent knew all the best spots to take us to see everything we wanted to in our short time with them. Florence, despite being placed under some severe restrictions for our meals, alw

ays came through with fantastic and wonderfully prepared food, and was always ready with a drink before you even knew to ask for it. They are both pleasant and easy to get along with people, attentive and ready to make sure you have as relaxing and enjoyable a stay with them as possible. 

Sugar Palm is a beautiful modern Catamaran and very easy to make yourselves comfortable and at home on. We lacked for nothing and couldn’t have asked for more!

If you do get the chance to plan a vacation with this fantastic couple, do yourself a favor and book with them- (future you will thank you!)

Angela & Chris from USA

Grenadines, November 2018

It has been a fantastic experience. Vincent and Florence were superbly generous hosts.

Florence cooks delicious fresh food, we enjoyed all our meals, and she makes the best ever rum punch with lots of fresh passion fruit ! Vincent is a very accommodating Skipper who makes sure you have a lot of fun and a varied itinerary and he makes a mean mojito - he laughed when I described it as "summer in a glass".

We had email our food and beverages preferences in advance of the trip and they had even managed to get hold of some out of the ordinary items on our list.

They definitely go the extra mile for their guests and I would not hesitate to recommend SugarPalm (travels all over the Caribbean islands) if you are looking for a private charter sailing experience - we had a marvelous time and would definitely choose them again. 

Janet, Julia & Doug from UK

The Grenadines, March 2018

When we see the pictures on your website we only want one thing: to be able to hop back on board! We had such a great time with Vincent and Florence on the Sugarpalm. It was exactly what we wished for and a lot more.

What we wished for was to see the Grenadines and enjoy the freedom to move around on our own sailing boat. We also like a bit of luxury and prefer the stability and space of a catamaran. Furthermore, we don’t want to spend much time to figure out the best moorings and we want to be in safe hands. Florence and Vincent made these wishes come true. They are good and experienced sailors and they know the area very well. So during our trip of five days in January they brought us to the best bays to anchor and made sure we where safe at all times.

Vincent taught us a little bit about sailing a catamaran and navigating in this area. He knows the underwater world very well and he took us with the dinghy to the best snorkeling spots in the area. Florence had asked in advance what our wishes were concerning food and beverages. So we knew a little bit what to expect. However, she surprised us with every meal. We loved the daily aperitif (in our case the signature rumpunch of Florence, not for the fainthearted…) which came with several savory bites. In particular the fresh fish, crab and lobster they acquired from the local fishermen where unforgettable when prepared by chef Florence. In addition, they surprised us with some great wines from their collection from the on-board wine cellar. 

The comfort on board of the Sugarpalm is amazing. We had the whole starboard side to ourselves and used one of the sleeping rooms as a walk-in closet. The beds are very good and the natural breeze inside the ship kept us cool. The highlight of our trip was our stay in the Tobago Cays where we enjoyed snorkeling with turtles and slept on a beautiful spot at the edge of the reef. There we also climbed a small hill on one of the islets for an amazing view of many different shades of blue.

Thanks Vincent and Florence for a few unforgettable days! Good luck with your future plans and safe journeys.

Dymph and Marc from Netherlands

The Grenadines, January 2018

This year we sailed on the Sugarpalm catamaran for the second time over New Year’s 2018 in and around Guadeloupe.

We had another fantastic trip with Vincent and Florence who were great hosts.

This time we sailed around several islands around Guadeloupe finding some great snorkel sites, cute towns to explore and relaxing on beaches as less time sailing. Vincent and Florence also rented a car for us and took us on a tour around the cute island of Marie Galante. 

Florence once again spoiled us with some amazing and fresh cooked meals. She spends a lot of time preparing beautifully plated and very tasty meals. Her rum punch is by far the best we have had in the Caribbean and there is always an endless supply! 

Florence and Vincent make the evenings on the sailboat fun with tasty cocktails, playing games and of course the night time rum aperitif. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip once again and highly recommend the Sugarpalm catamaran as a relaxing but also fun filled vacation.

Kim & Jarret from Canada

Guadeloupe islands, January 2018

Lauren and I had so much fun last visit that we returned to SugarPalm for a second vacation.

Same great food and stress-free cruising except this time we toured the BVI. The islands and sailing are fantastic here and the weather was incredible ; island hoping at its best!!! Anegada Island was my favorite! We loved exploring the island by SUV and got to see all the local beaches.

We will definitely be back down next year, we just need to pin point our next destination. 

Lauren & Jason from USA

British Virgin Islands, February 2017

We sailed on Sugarpalm catamaran for 7 nights over New Year’s 2017 from St. Vincent and the Grenadines to Grenada. This was by far one of our most memorable and relaxing vacations we have taken.

Florence and Vincent were amazing hosts. Vincent is not only a skilled skipper of the boat but also your personal tour guide at each anchorage. He took us to numerous snorkel sites, hiking, in town excursions and was very knowledgeable about all the local islands we saw along the way.

The boat was very well maintained and kept very clean throughout the trip. Florence is an excellent host, she made us feel welcome from the start and we learned a lot from her about the Caribbean as well as her experiences back home in France. Florence is also an excellent cook. The food she makes is very fresh, high quality and always plated beautifully. One of us had a gluten allergy and she took special care to find gluten free bread/products (which is a feat in the Caribbean!) and practiced making gluten free meals/desserts in advance to ensure she was providing a tasty meal, which she succeeded with wonderfully!

The trip also included all drinks. Florence makes a delicious rum punch which we enjoyed daily at happy hour. One day we even enjoyed it on our own private island Vincent took us to! 

Florence and Vincent took care of everything for us which made this trip very relaxing and as a couple we didn’t argue once as there were no decisions to be made!

We loved our trip and look forward to sailing with Sugarpalm again in the near future! Once our kids are old enough we would love to take them with us as the boat can sleep 4 comfortably and we would like to share the experience with them.

Kim & Jarret from Canada

Grenadines, January 2017

We've done several catamaran charters before and this was one of the best.

Florence and Vincent could not have been better hosts. Wonderful food, great scenery, they really knew the spots we would like the best as we don't like to go where it's crowded ! They could not have been more gracious and fun to spend time with.

Vincent also always looked out for our safety and escorted us snorkelling and on land tours. Poor Florence got left behind but she did an amazing job of cooking us gourmet meals and making sure the boat was spotless.

The boat was fabulous and although the weather wasn't as sunny as it could have been, it was still hot and the wind made for great sailing !

We like to go to different places each year but we will definitely consider coming back to sail with SugarPalm in a different part of the Carribbean ! Bonne chance vous deux !

Vicky and Zed from Canada

Grenadines, January 2017

My wife and I had a wonderful trip in the Grenadines with Vincent and Florence.

While we have traveled throughout the Caribbean we had never stayed overnight on a catamaran. Not knowing what to expect, Vincent and Forence were absolutly perfect from our first correspondence answering all our questions about the trip and helping put us at easy.

Every part of the trip was amazing.

The boat itself was always kept clean throughout the trip, and both Vincent and Forence make sure you feel at home from the moment you step on the boat until the trip is over.

They make sure to have the food and drink items that you like and also some new items to try local to the area. Florence does an impeccable job of cooking, with every meal different than the last. Every meal tasted wonderful and was presented beautifully. Vincent did a great job of sailing us to each island we went to (with the help of Florence).

They both went out of their way to make sure our itinerary was the best it coud be. Since we had not been to this part of the Caribbean before we left the itinerary up to both of them and they chose the best places possible to go and see. At the same time, they were open to any suggestions we might have had throughout the trip.

The entire trip was wonderful ! Vincent and Florence are delightful people and we got along with them wonderfully, I am sure they will be lifelong friends. Honestly, we really can't say enough about our trip on SugarPalm - it was probably our best vacation ever! We can't wait for our next adventure with them!

Debbie & Matt from USA

Grenadines, June 2016

Review #15127738 “Private Cruises In The Caribbean”
Great Sailing Adventure
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Booked a surprise 40th birthday trip for my boyfriend. And what an adventure! Could not have been happier.

The food was excellent, Florence is a great cook. A touch of French in the Caribbean!
The boat was immaculate and made for some very comfortable sailing, as well as being very comfortable for sleeping, eating and just relaxing.
Florence and Vincent were great hosts and they are extremely knowledgable about the area and took us to all of the best spots. But more importantly just being great people to hang out with and drink rum with into the night.

Looking forward to booking our next sailing adventure! Would recommend to everyone looking to explore the caribbean from a unique perspective.

Sara & Chris (with own toys) from USA

Grenadines, May 2016

Sailing on the Sugarpalm with Vincent and Florence more than exceeded our expectations for the trip.

This is truly an experience you cannot find anywhere else. If you are looking for a Caribbean adventure with the luxuries of a hotel and the security of a skilled crew who will handle all of the customs and misc hang-ups of traveling by sail, look no further. The locations we went to were picturesque but that was just the beginning.

The food! Each dish prepared was made with love and it showed in presentation, variety, and flavors. From French cheeses to lobster straight from the sea, each meal was a delightful adventure in its own. Breakfast lunch and dinner, and the drinks! All superb.

Cabins and bathrooms are always difficult on sailing boats. The Sugarpalm makes the best of it. The cabins comfortably sleeps two with easy to open skylights to catch the breeze for a wonderful nights sleep. Each cabin has a head that is well maintained, Florence cleans them daily, and just follow her instructions and you won't have any problems.   

Traveling with locals allowed us to see a side of the Caribbean we never would have found.  Not only all the best snorkeling spots and beautiful locations,  but they introduced us to the culture and people and gave us a peek into the Caribbean community on land and sea.

Finally, we can't say enough about Florence and Vincent. They are just wonderful to travel with, gave us plenty of personal space, always made us feel welcomed in their home and even stayed up way past their bedtime to swap life stories with us. Bring some music to listen to, a few swim suits and a laid-back frame of mind, and let them handle all the rest! We really can't recommend them enough!

Chrissie & Zac, honeymooners from USA

Grenadines, March 2016

Lauren & Jason from USA

Grenadines, January 2016