Schooners Alliance & Serenity

Good crew, clean boat, very nice and tollerent of both my kids and my parents!

My wife and I were trying to cram as much overview of the Virginina peninsula as we could into a 3 day mini-vacation. Trying to see Williamsburg, Yorktown, Jamestown, several museums, the Naval shipyards, and 2 theme parks into that time space is a bit much. We were forced to prioritize, but we knew we wanted to get on the water at some point. We found the pamphlet for the Schooner Alliance at our hotel. During a tour of the Norfolk/VaBeach area, another tourist recommended the cruise. Later at dinner, a local waitress advised it was well worth it as well.We decided to do Jamestown late morning/early afternoon on Sunday and scheduled the "Sunset Cruise" to end our day. The crew of the boat were extremely polite, very knowledgable - both about acclimating guests who'd never sailed before to the experience of sailing and about the area and its history. They made everyone feel welcome and comfortable. We even got to help raise and lower sails! The cruise was not a sight-seeing adventure. It was designed - and stated by the crew - to be a relaxing sail to just enjoy the area, the water, and the boat. Personally, I've been on alot of boats - some for business, some for pleasure. None ever had sails and none were this big with sails -- I had a blast. The quiet enjoyment of the wind and water were fantastic! The "Sunset" part was spot-on. Absolutely gorgeous, perfect sailing with a magnificent sunset -- as promised. Really recommend this cruise as a part of anyone's visit to the area!

My husband is the true sailor in our family...I'm more of a fairweather sailor. On this particular day, there was no wind when we left our son's apartment in Richmond (we were visiting from Michigan). We were actually a bit concerned that our day sail might become more of a "motorized" cruise. However, by the time we arrived in Yorktown, the winds were blowing and the seas were heavy. I thought for sure I'd be seasick. But no...this vessel is large enough and has 5 good-sized sails, so the boat almost cuts through the waves. The experience was ultra smooth and with no concerns at all. The crew was most cordial, answering all questions and helping everyone feel comfortable. What a relaxing and wonderful afternoon! I highly recommend this cruise. (Next time I'd like to try the sunset cruise...perhaps then we'd see some of the dolphins.) Thanks to the crew for helping make our visit to Virginia a most memorable one!

I would recommend this cruise to anyone who wants to have a great time with Greg the Captain and his crew!!

My wife and I really enjoyed our 11 o'clock sail. The crew was friendly and were eager to answer all our questions. We had a nice breeze, so the crew had to make adjustments to the sails several times .... which was fun to watch for us land lovers from Ohio. We sailed under the drawbridge with only a few feet clearance for the tallest mast ... making us appreciate the navigation skills of our Captain.

Went on the sail with my wife during a vacation from the west coast. Very much enjoyed the company of the crew. They were very friendly and informative describing the schooner and answering questions posed to them. Being a history buff, I would have liked them to have discussed more history of the area. Although out of the control of the crew, there was no wind, therefore the entire cruise was under power rather than sail. That was a downer.

We have watched the sails across the river for many years. This summer we decided to go ahead and take the trip and we all greatly enjoyed it. The captain and crew were professional, personable and very informative. Sailing on the river is a wonderful way to spend some relaxing and comfortable time on the water especially on a hot day.

My husband and I had taken the cruise last year with our adult daughter and this year, took our other daughter and her husband. We enjoyed it so much both times. We will definitely take the cruise again with some friends. The crew was outstanding.

We'd talked about taking the cruise for some time and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. I would definitely recommend it to others. Thanks.

Not only was the crew fantastic and engaging, it was just a beautiful schooner and a gorgeous sail. THANK YOU!

Captain and deck hands were fabulous!

Although winds were too light for much sailing and the weather was hot and humid [obviously both outside the crew's control], we had a very pleasant July evening on the James River, with a lovely sunset. The crew was friendly, pleasant, knowledgeable and accommodating.

When you are under motor power for half of the time, it kinda takes away from "sailing". The trip doesn't cover much territory. I'm glad we did it and we'll nevr do it again.

This was my first time on a boat and I really enjoyed it! My family and I had a great time.

The crew was friendly and informative, but the excursion was nothing. We were in sight of the dock for the whole time. We saw nothing new and felt like we were standing still.