Festiva Sailing Vacations

What Festiva Sailing Vacations does

Festiva Sailing Vacations is a private boat tour and sailing vacation operator specializing in by-the-cabin, crewed catamaran charters in the British Virgin Islands. Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with its operational base at Hodge's Creek Marina on Tortola, the company sells 7-night all-inclusive sailing itineraries priced at approximately $4,495–$5,500 per cabin. Its customer base consists of leisure travelers — couples, friend groups, and small families — booking directly through the company's website, phone channel, and TripAdvisor-driven inbound.

The core product is a crewed charter: guests book individual cabins aboard catamarans crewed by licensed captains and hospitality staff, with provisioning, route planning, and on-board service bundled into a single weekly price. In 2025 the company expanded its offering to include bareboat (self-skippered) charters through a formal partnership with sister company The Catamaran Company (established 1989), creating a combined bareboat-and-crewed ecosystem. Adjacent guest-facing infrastructure includes the on-site Capriccio di Mare dock restaurant at the Hodge's Creek Marina base, a "Last Minute Deals" pricing product, and a guest Preference Form intake tool.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and transactional: revenue is generated per cabin per 7-night charter, with distribution concentrated on owned digital channels and organic search/TripAdvisor reputation. The company is privately held and operates at small-operator scale (11–50 employees). The primary forward-looking risks are seasonality (BVI sailing is concentrated in the winter high season), Caribbean hurricane exposure, and the absence of any disclosed proprietary technology or AI capability that would differentiate the booking experience against larger global charter platforms.

Name

Festiva Sailing Vacations

Legal name

Festiva Sailing Vacations

Website

https://festivasailingvacations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Festiva Sailing Vacations sells by-the-cabin, crewed catamaran charters in the British Virgin Islands, serving couples, friend groups, and small families via direct booking for 7-night all-inclusive sailing vacations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Vacation Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cabin Charters & Shared Yacht Trips (THAEADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Catamaran & Sailing Cat Cruise Operators (THAEADAD), Cruise Yacht Charters (Private Crewed) (THAEADAG), Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

Keywords

• Crewed catamaran charters
• Sailing vacation packages
• Cabin charter services
• Yacht charter vacations
• Caribbean sailing holidays

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Cabin Charter Revenue: Guests book private cabins aboard crewed catamarans for 7-night all-inclusive sailing vacations. Pricing is per cabin, with additional revenue from gratuities ($800-$1,200 per cabin suggested), optional WiFi ($175/week), and scuba diving arrangements ($90-$120 per dive paid directly to dive operator).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Festiva Sailing Vacations sells 7-night all-inclusive crewed catamaran sailing vacations in the British Virgin Islands on a by-the-cabin basis. Each booking reserves a private air-conditioned stateroom with en-suite bathroom aboard a crewed Lagoon catamaran, with a captain, onboard chef, all meals, open bar, water sports equipment, and mooring fees included. Through its sister-company partnership with The Catamaran Company, it also resells bareboat, skippered, and skipper-plus-chef catamaran charters ranging from 40 to 55 feet.

Product overview

Festiva Sailing Vacations operates a fleet of crewed catamarans offering all-inclusive sailing vacations in the British Virgin Islands. The core product is the by-the-cabin crewed catamaran vacation package, where guests book individual private staterooms aboard a professionally crewed yacht rather than chartering the entire vessel. The experience includes a captain, onboard chef, gourmet meals, open bar, water activities, and guided island hopping through destinations including Virgin Gorda (The Baths), Jost Van Dyke (Foxy's and Soggy Dollar Bar), Anegada, Peter Island, and Norman Island. As part of The Catamaran Company, the company also offers bareboat charter alternatives for experienced sailors through a strategic partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crewed Catamaran Vacation Package All-inclusive 7-night crewed catamaran sailing vacation in the British Virgin Islands. Guests book individual private air-conditioned staterooms with en-suite bathrooms aboard a crewed yacht rather than chartering the whole vessel. Package includes an experienced captain and chef, chef-prepared meals (5 dinners, 6 lunches, 7 breakfasts), appetizers, desserts, standard open bar, onboard sporting equipment, water activities, and all mooring fees and taxes. Itinerary covers Virgin Gorda (The Baths), Jost Van Dyke (Foxy's, Soggy Dollar Bar), Anegada, Peter Island, and Norman Island. Targeted at couples, solo travelers, friends, and small groups who want a premium sailing experience without chartering a full yacht.
• Bareboat Charters Self-sail or skippered catamaran charters offered through The Catamaran Company partnership. Fleet includes Bali, Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, and Nautitech catamarans ranging from 40' to 55', with three flexible options: bareboat, bareboat with skipper, or bareboat with skipper and chef. Targeted at experienced sailors who want to operate the yacht themselves while accessing the same BVI itinerary base as the crewed product.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and supporting.

• Capriccio di MareminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Popular Italian restaurant opened a second location 'Capriccio di Mare on the Dock' at Hodge's Creek Marina in 2025. Recommended for Festiva guests arriving early or departing after their charter. Provides dining option at the marina base location.
• The Catamaran CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestiva Sailing Vacations is now part of The Catamaran Company, offering bareboat charters alongside crewed cabin charters. The Catamaran Company operates as the first all-catamaran charter fleet in the British Virgin Islands, established in 1989. Festiva guests may be referred to The Catamaran Company for bareboat charter needs.
• Travel GuardsupportingOthersTravel Guard provides travel insurance coverage for Festiva Sailing Vacations guests through partnership. Offers 24-hour emergency assistance, concierge services, and on-demand medical care. Links provided on website for guests to purchase coverage.
• Island Surf & SailsupportingOthersProvides fishing permits required for guests over age 16 who wish to fish from the yacht in British Virgin Islands. Also arranges delivery of fishing gear to Hodge's Creek Marina.
• Dolphin Water TaximinorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecommended water taxi service for guests traveling with larger parties arriving from St. Thomas. Provides transportation to Tortola for groups needing more than standard ferry service.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Conch Charters: Long-established BVI sailing charter company offering both bareboat and crewed yacht charters. Operates from Road Town, Tortola, competing for the same customer base in the same geography.
• BVI Yacht Charters: BVI-based charter operator offering bareboat and crewed catamaran charters. Same geography, similar customer segment, and comparable product mix.
• The Yacht Week: Operator of cabin-charter sailing experiences in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, directly comparable to Festiva's by-the-cabin model. Targets similar social/young professional traveler segments.
• Horizon Yacht Charters: BVI-based charter company offering bareboat and crewed catamaran charters from Road Town, Tortola. Directly comparable operating geography and product offering.
• The Catamaran Company: Direct sister company offering bareboat catamaran charters in BVI. Operates the first all-catamaran charter fleet in the BVI since 1989, sharing the same operational base and customer pipeline as Festiva.

Broad incumbents

• Sunsail: Major sailing charter operator with crewed and bareboat offerings in the Caribbean including BVI. Targets the same experiential traveler seeking all-inclusive sailing vacations.
• The Moorings: Established global yacht charter company (sister brand to Sunsail) operating sailing catamarans in the BVI. Offers both crewed and bareboat options, directly competing for the same luxury sailing customer.
• Dream Yacht Charter: Global leader in crewed and bareboat catamaran/yacht charters operating across the Caribbean and worldwide. Directly comparable cabin-charter offerings in BVI at greater scale and broader geographic reach.

Emerging players

• MedSailors: Cabin-charter sailing vacation operator in the Mediterranean targeting similar small-group/young professional travelers. Comparable business model in different geography, illustrating the model's portability.

Others

• Virgin Islands Sailing Academy: Sailing school and charter operator in BVI offering learn-to-sail packages and bareboat experiences. Adjacent customer base in the same destination with informal overlap with Festiva's audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FestivaSailingVacationsBVI
• Instagraminstagram.com/festivasailingvacations
• Xx.com/festivasailing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/festiva-sailing-vacations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Festiva Sailing Vacations