Cruising Guide Publications
Cruising Guide Publications is a privately held specialty publisher producing printed and digital cruising guides, charts, and a mobile app for sailors navigating the Caribbean, sold direct-to-consumer, through wholesale channels, and via international distributors across Europe and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersDunedin, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Cruising Guide Publications does
Cruising Guide Publications is a privately held specialty publishing company headquartered in Dunedin, Florida, founded in 1983 by Simon and Nancy Scott. The company produces printed and digital cruising guides for sailors navigating the Caribbean, including flagship titles covering the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, the Windward Islands, and the Northern and Southern Leeward Islands, supplemented by waterproof planning charts, NV Atlas cartographic products, and pocket dive/snorkel guides. In 2005, the company partnered with well-known cruising author Chris Doyle, whose portfolio of guides now forms a recognized sub-brand (Doyle Cruising Guides). Content is refreshed on an approximately biennial cycle and incorporates GPS waypoints, color sketch charts, anchoring details, provisioning information, and island ecology.
The business operates four revenue streams: direct-to-consumer sales of print guides and merchandise through its e-commerce website; advertising placements in the guides sold to Caribbean marine businesses; wholesale distribution to retail partners in the U.S. and through seven international distributors across Europe and Canada; and, most recently, a subscription-based mobile application launched in 2025 on iOS and Android that extends guide content into a recurring digital format. Customer segments are individual cruising sailors and charter customers, with no enterprise anchor accounts. The company remains self-funded with no disclosed external investment, operating with 51-100 employees, and its product surface is constrained to the niche Caribbean cruising market.
Cruising Guide Publications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cruising Guide Publications
- Legal name
- Cruising Guide Publications
- Website
- https://cruisingguides.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Cruising Guide Publications is a privately held specialty publisher producing printed and digital cruising guides, charts, and a mobile app for sailors navigating the Caribbean, sold direct-to-consumer, through wholesale channels, and via international distributors across Europe and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cruising Guide Publications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nautical Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware) (CRAMAIAG)
Keywords
Where Cruising Guide Publications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dunedin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cruising Guide Publications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Book and Guide Sales: Direct sales of cruising guides, dive and snorkeling guides, and charts through their e-commerce website. Products include the Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands, Cruising Guide to the Northern Leeward Islands, and Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands.
- Advertising: Revenue from advertisers in publications including the Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands and Cruising Guides to the Leeward Islands. Advertising rates vary by placement from $595 for quarter page to $2976 for back cover.
- Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale sales to retail partners and distributors internationally. Discount price lists available for wholesale clients.
- Mobile App Subscriptions and In-app Purchases: Subscription-based access to mobile application content with in-app purchases available. Subscriptions billed in advance on recurring periodic basis (daily, weekly, monthly, or annually).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands 2026 edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Cruising Guide to the Northern Leeward Islands 2025-2026 edition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands 2026-2027 edition |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Waterproof Planning Chart of the Virgin Islands |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | NV Atlas Bahamas 9.1: Northwest |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | NV Atlas Caribbean 12.1: Virgin Islands |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2026 Mid-Atlantic ICW Waterway Guide |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Waterproof Pocket Guide Corals & Fishes, Florida Bahamas & Caribbean |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Advertising - Virgin Islands Guide |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Advertising - Leeward Islands Guides |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Cruising Guide Publications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cruising Guide Publications publishes and sells printed and digital cruising guides, waterproof planning charts, NV Atlas cartographic products, and a Caribbean Cruising Guide mobile application for individual sailors and charter customers. The company generates revenue through one-time guide sales, mobile app subscriptions with in-app purchases, advertising placements in print guides, and wholesale distribution to retail partners and international distributors. Content is updated biennially and covers navigation, GPS waypoints, anchorages, weather routing, provisioning, and island ecology across the Eastern Caribbean.
Product overview
Cruising Guide Publications is a publishing company specializing in printed and digital cruising guides for Caribbean sailors. The product portfolio consists of flagship print guidebooks (The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands, The Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands, The Cruising Guide to the Northern and Southern Leeward Islands, and Chris Doyle's additional titles covering Trinidad/Tobago/Barbados, Venezuela/Bonaire, and dedicated anchorages guides) supplemented by waterproof planning charts, diving/snorkeling pocket guides, NV Atlas cartographic products, and the recently launched mobile application for Apple and Google platforms. Guides are updated approximately every other year, with advertising opportunities available across all major publications. The company operates primarily from print publications with a growing digital presence through its mobile app.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Doyle Cruising Guides: Chris Doyle's cruising guides including The Cruising Guide to the Northern Leeward Islands, The Cruising Guide to the Southern Leeward Islands, The Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands, The Cruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago, Plus Barbados and Guyana, and The Cruising Guide to Venezuela and Bonaire
Products and services
- The Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands (2026 edition, 25th anniversary) Comprehensive cruising guide covering the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, including navigational information, GPS waypoints, harbor details, provisioning tips, and island ecology. Updated approximately every other year.
- The Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands (2026-2027 edition) Popular cruising guide authored by Chris Doyle covering the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, including navigational details, sketch charts, GPS waypoints, and star charts.
- The Cruising Guide to the Northern Leeward Islands (2025-2026 edition) Chris Doyle's comprehensive guide covering Anguilla, Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, St. Barths, Saba, Sint Eustatius, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat, including color sketch charts and GPS waypoints.
- The Cruising Guide to the Southern Leeward Islands Guide covering Barbuda, Antigua, Guadeloupe, Iles des Saintes, and Dominica, providing navigational information and detailed island coverage.
- The Cruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago, Plus Barbados and Guyana Chris Doyle guide covering Trinidad, Tobago, Barbados, and Guyana with comprehensive cruising information.
- The Cruising Guide to Venezuela and Bonaire Guide covering Venezuela and Bonaire, authored by Chris Doyle.
- Leeward Anchorages Supplementary guide by Chris Doyle focusing specifically on anchorages in the Leeward Islands.
- Windward Anchorages Supplementary guide by Chris Doyle focusing specifically on anchorages in the Windward Islands.
- A Waterproof Planning Chart of the Virgin Islands Waterproof chart for trip planning in the Virgin Islands, priced at $9.95. Designed for use at the helm.
- A Waterproof Planning Chart of the Windward Islands Waterproof chart for trip planning in the Windward Islands.
- Waterproof Pocket Guide Corals & Fishes, Florida Bahamas & Caribbean Laminated waterproof pocket guide for identifying corals and fishes in the Florida, Bahamas, and Caribbean region, priced at $15.
- The 2026 Mid-Atlantic ICW Waterway Guide Waterway guide for the Intracoastal Waterway covering the Mid-Atlantic region, priced at $54.99.
- NV Atlas Bahamas 9.1: Northwest NV Atlas covering the Northwest Bahamas region, priced at $84.95.
- NV Atlas Caribbean 12.1: Virgin Islands NV Atlas covering the Virgin Islands region, priced at $108.95.
- 2026 BVI Calendar Calendar featuring British Virgin Islands photography by Dougal Thornton and Friends, showcasing beaches, bays, and aerial photography of Tortola, Sandy Cay, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, and Beef Island.
- Caribbean Cruising Guide Mobile App Mobile application available at Apple App Store and Google Play Store, providing Caribbean cruising guide content with in-app subscription purchase. Advertisers are included as points of interest (POIs) with basic contact information.
Companies that use Cruising Guide Publications
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cruising Guide Publications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Cruising Guide Publications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Freytag & BerndtminorAustrian distributor for Cruising Guide Publications products. Helps facilitate sales to European customers in the Austria region.
- Nautical Mind BookstoreminorCanadian distributor for Cruising Guide Publications products. Facilitates sales to Canadian customers.
- RolnauticminorCanary Islands distributor for Cruising Guide Publications products.
- ImrayminorEnglish distributor for Cruising Guide Publications products. Imray is a well-known nautical chart and publication publisher.
- Riviera ChartsminorFrench distributor for Cruising Guide Publications products.
- HanseNauticminorGerman distributor for Cruising Guide Publications products.
- Vrolijk WatersportsminorNetherlands distributor for Cruising Guide Publications products.
- Chris DoylecorePopular cruising author who partnered with Cruising Guide Publications 20 years ago. Author of Sailors Guide to the Windward Islands, Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands, Cruising Guide to Trinidad, Tobago and Barbados, and Cruising Guide to Venezuela and Bonaire. His guides are among the most popular in the Eastern Caribbean.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cruising Guide Publications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson: Long-established British nautical chart and cruising guide publisher. Imray is both a distribution partner and a direct peer, publishing competing sailing charts and cruising guides for European and Caribbean waters with a similar print-and-digital model.
- NV Charts / NV Verlag: German publisher of NV Atlas nautical charts and cruising guides for Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas. NV Charts is both a product partner (Cruising Guide distributes NV Atlas products) and a direct competitor in nautical cartography for overlapping cruising regions.
- Caribbean Compass: Caribbean Compass is a monthly sailing newspaper covering the Caribbean cruising community. It directly competes with Cruising Guide Publications for the same cruising sailor audience with overlapping editorial coverage of anchorages, regattas, and island services.
Broad incumbents
- Moon Travel Guides: Independent travel guidebook publisher covering U.S. and international destinations including parts of the Caribbean. Comparable as a specialty book-based travel publisher using a destination guide format, though focused on land travel rather than sailing.
- Sail Magazine: Established U.S. sailing publication covering cruising, racing, and charter with destination features. Competes for cruiser attention and advertising dollars with Cruising Guide Publications but at a broader, more general sailing audience.
- Fodor's Travel: Major travel guide publisher covering global destinations including the Caribbean. Fodor's competes for Caribbean traveler planning spend with Cruising Guide Publications, but at a much broader travel audience and via land-based hotel/restaurant guidance rather than nautical content.
- Cruising World: Major U.S. sailing magazine published by Bonnier covering cruising destinations, boat reviews, and seamanship. It serves the same cruising sailor demographic as Cruising Guide Publications but operates as a broader monthly magazine rather than a niche regional guide specialist.
- Practical Sailor: Independent sailing publication known for boat gear and equipment reviews, with some cruising content. Overlaps with Cruising Guide Publications' cruiser audience and serves a comparable long-form, subscriber-supported niche within the sailing media market.
- Lonely Planet: Global travel guide publisher with Caribbean titles. It targets a comparable pre-trip planning use case but at mass-market land tourists, whereas Cruising Guide Publications focuses narrowly on sailing-specific cruising content.
Regional players
- Dream Yacht Charter: Global bareboat and crewed yacht charter operator with a strong Caribbean fleet. It is adjacent rather than directly competing with Cruising Guide Publications, but its charter base overlaps the company's primary 'Charter Customers' segment and is a likely distribution channel for guidebooks and app subscriptions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cruising Guide Publications social profiles
Digital presenceCruising Guide Publications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cruising Guide Publications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cruising Guide Publications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cruising Guide Publications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cruising Guide Publications
What does Cruising Guide Publications do?
Cruising Guide Publications publishes and sells printed and digital cruising guides, waterproof planning charts, NV Atlas cartographic products, and a Caribbean Cruising Guide mobile application for individual sailors and charter customers. The company generates revenue through one-time guide sales, mobile app subscriptions with in-app purchases, advertising placements in print guides, and wholesale distribution to retail partners and international distributors. Content is updated biennially and covers navigation, GPS waypoints, anchorages, weather routing, provisioning, and island ecology across the Eastern Caribbean.
Is Cruising Guide Publications a public or private company?
Cruising Guide Publications is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cruising Guide Publications founded?
Cruising Guide Publications was founded in 1983. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Cruising Guide Publications based?
Cruising Guide Publications is headquartered in Dunedin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cruising Guide Publications make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Book and Guide Sales are the primary driver. The others are advertising, wholesale Distribution and mobile App Subscriptions and In-app Purchases.
Who are Cruising Guide Publications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson, NV Charts / NV Verlag and Caribbean Compass. Broad incumbents are Moon Travel Guides, Sail Magazine, Fodor's Travel, Cruising World, Practical Sailor and Lonely Planet. Dream Yacht Charter is listed as a regional player.
Does Cruising Guide Publications have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cruising Guide Publications.
What industry is Cruising Guide Publications in?
Cruising Guide Publications's product category is Nautical Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAG, Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware). Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 2731.