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Incredible Family Vacation on catamaran "Liquid Zen"!

"Wow, if you want the best vacation for your family to make everlasting, very special memories, this is it! A one-week cruise with Michael and Casey, our captain and chef, was just what we all needed to reconnect and spend quality time together. Our family of eight including my husband, our two daughters, son-in-law and three teenage grandchildren spent one week on Liquid Zen, a beautiful 52-foot catamaran with all the amenities. Without a doubt, we had our best family holiday ever! Michael and Casey pampered us from the moment they met us at the dock and helped us unload our luggage from the van to helping us with our luggage into the van when we, very reluctantly, started our journey home. They had wonderful suggestions of some extras, which I fortunately said yes to. Both were surprises for my family (it was a Christmas cruise) – the first day a massage therapist came aboard to give each of us a relaxing massage, which was the perfect way to jump right into “vacation mode.” And, the last day, I surprised everyone with a super band of three and as they played and sang from the swim platform on our boat, other boats and floats came to share in the fun and frivolity. Casey is a superb chef, so consequently mealtime was a real highlight of the trip – it was magical how such yummy food (and snacks) appeared many times each day just when we started to get hungry! We ate and ate, and she prepared special food for those of us who are gluten-free and vegetarian. Fortunately, there were many activities to prevent us from having to be rolled off the deck at the end of our cruise! We swam, snorkeled, went scuba diving, paddleboarding, hiking, ate lunch one day on a floating pod (whoops, this is in the wrong category!). There were all sorts of fun water toys that kept appearing – floats, floating chairs, kayaks, paddleboards where all sorts of silly games and competitions ensued. The sea life was never ending – sting rays, turtles, starfish, tarpon, multicolored designs on a myriad of fish swimming alone and in schools. At night, we watched the same sea life from the platform at the back of the boat all lit up from above. In the evenings we played our guitar, listened and danced to music, played cards and both night and day a lot of chess matches were happening – when we could get Michael to stop working, he won every game! He also designed a very interesting trivia game, which once again brought out our competitiveness! We highly recommend this 5-star experience with Michael and Casey on Liquid Zen!! We can’t wait to go back!!!"

LIQUID ZEN 52 Feet. (Cat)

Sleeps 8 Guests in 4 Queen(s), 1 Twin(s)

Online brochure https://www.cyabrochure.com/eb/215/pxa/7173/1

SCUBA: https://www.cyabrochure.com/scuba/215/pxa/7173

The Crew even put together a great recap of the charter!


Day One: Red Hook, STT

After a long anticipated trip down to the Virgin Islands, the day was finally upon us! The first wave of Frank, Rebecca, and Isabella prayed correctly to the airline gods and made it down on time. The remainder had to wait a little longer to make it to the promise land, alas, they finally did and joined us for a lovely first dinner aboard Liquid Zen in Red Hook. Little did we know, we would be treated to a local party off the back of our boat during dinner! After our local experience, we headed to bed for a nice rest after a long day.


Day Two: Red Hook, STT -> Caneel Bay, STJ

Bright and early your Captain tosses lines and heads off into the great unknown aka across Pillsbury Sound to Caneel Bay, St. John. While it seems like it is going to be a rainy day with nothing to do, Susan has a trick up her sleeve and has arranged for a full day of massages on the fly bridge of the boat! Frank, an expert of happy wife happy life, altruistically gives up his massage time, so Susan can have an extra half hour! During the day some explore Cruz Bay and enjoy some Irie Pops. Others snorkel around and do some beach combing. Later on, Casey treats us to her first of many amazing dinners and desserts, followed by an intense game of 31!


Day Three: Caneel Bay, STJ -> Waterlemon Cay, STJ

We have a relaxed morning with breakfast in Caneel Bay and a quick morning dip before heading East towards Waterlemon Cay on the North side of St. John. After a morning dive refresher with Professor Mike part of the group stays on the boat while three head into the depths of Waterlemon Cay for a nice dive. We see some really nice schools of fish, a big ol baraccuda, and some pretty coral heads before heading back because of the strong current. On the way back, your Captain decides to film the life of the bay permanently by leaving his GoPro in the dark grassy bottom! After some fun diving, we hang out on the big floating dock and paddleboards. Lukas and Rebecca entertain the whole crew with a WWE style wrestling match pitting two one armed foes against each other. It devolved into some form of breakdance fighting, and the winner is still unknown. Afterwards, the adventurous side of the crew headed in to shore and hiked up to the Great Manor House to watch the cotton candy sunset. Once we returned and had devoured another delicious dinner by Casey, Part One of Liquid Zen trivia began. The Kamrath clan took an early lead before deciding to save the rest of the questions for later.


Day Four: Waterlemon Cay, STJ -> Coral Harbor, STJ -> Great Lameshure Bay, STJ

With dreams of tacos on our mind, we eat an early breakfast and get ready to head towards Coral Harbor. Your Captain searches for an hour, without luck, for his GoPro and revs up the engines in defeat. We head around the East end of St John and tuck into Coral Harbor. Casey goes full navy seal and dives off the moving boat to save us a lily pad at Lime Out. We enjoy our tacos as we relax in the water and on the lily pad! Afterwards we hop back on LZ and head around the South side of St John to Great Lameshure Bay. We go for a nice snorkel around the bay, followed by an obstacle course on the floating mat and paddleboards. After reviewing the tape, I can confirm that Rebecca did, in fact, get the furthest on the course and is therefore the winner of all mat things. Lukas decides to challenge the Captain to a game of chess and is sorely disappointed when he realizes that even after all these years, the 3rd grader who got 22nd place in state still has it! We enjoy a beautiful sunset and listen to some music by our very own soon to be star (yes, we are going to claim we know Nadia as a best friend when she gets famous). After another delicious dinner by Casey, we hit the sack and get ready for another day in paradise.


Day Five: Great Lameshure Bay, STJ -> Hawksnest Bay, STJ

Waking up in Great Lameshure couldn’t be more beautiful, with the shades of turquoise glancing around the boat. We head off for a morning hike to Yawzi Point in between Great and Little Lameshure and check out some old plantation ruins as well. Once back, we all took a nice dip and enjoy some lunch in the bay. Afterwards, your captain begins his fun times with the dinghy. Despite his best efforts, he can’t bring it back to life, so we be brought the big boat around the corner for an adventure snorkel! We explore the cove with its abundant coral heads and fish and check out a cave in the rocks with the tide pushing in for a roller coaster ride. Afterwards we head off for a sunset sail, which turns into a fun (for some) night sail when our plan A bay turned out to be a bit rocky ☹ Thankfully, we have a plan B and head to Hawksnest Bay on the North side for a nice and calm night.


Day Six: Hawksnest Bay, STJ -> Congo Cay -> Cinnamon Bay, STJ

Your Captain and Joe spend the morning performing surgery on the dinghy to no avail, and everyone snorkels around the bay. After lunch, we head to one of the Northern Islands called Congo Cay for an afternoon dive and snorkel! The low visibility makes the rock formations a spooky but cool experience, and the schools of fish were abundant. After our underwater adventure, we head to the calmer waters of Cinnamon Bay, STJ. As luck would have it, we have this beautiful bay all to ourselves! We soak in the beautiful sunset as we cruise in and then settle in for some more delicious food from Casey. Afterwards, everyone hunkers down for part 2 of trivia! After a hard fought battle, the Kamrath Clan end up taking the W as the Captain is left to wonder whether he made his trivia a little too difficult.


Day Seven: Cinnamon Bay, STJ -> Christmas Cove, Great St. James

We have an early breakfast to get ready for the day’s big surprise! We head over to Red Hook for a Nascar pitstop refuel and reprovision and then swing to the South Side of St Thomas to Christmas Cove on Great St. James. We pick up a mooring ball deep in the beautiful turquoise bay and go for a snorkel around the Cay. The weather couldn’t be better, and we enjoy relaxing on the floating dock while taking in our last full day. Around 1:30 your Captain disappears and shows back up with three Pirates in tow! The surprise turns out to be After Irma Band coming to play for the afternoon. We set up the band on the back of the boat and let them serenade us in music new and old, while Frank shows off his dance moves! The rest of the bay comes to enjoy as well, and y’all are super impressed when your Captain shows off his tight rope skills walking on the mats out to a dinghy. After the band went home, we enjoy a few more games of chess, some relaxing on the boat, and one last amazing meal from Casey.


Day Eight: Christmas Cove, Great St. James -> Red Hook, STT

The sad day was upon us, time to say our goodbyes! We enjoy one last sunrise on the water and despite the gang’s best efforts to prolong the trip by dumping things in the water for the Captain to fetch, we eventually have to head to Red Hook. The crew is amazed one last time by your Captain’s 11/10 parking job in a tight slip before heading off to Moe’s for some flight snacks. We say our goodbyes and till next years, and we can’t wait to have y’all back again!

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