"I think it was honestly the most beautiful week of my life. It's a week where you switch everything off, you relax, you soak up the sun. Nothing but happiness." It's with these words that Claire tells us about her eight-day cruise in the Grenadines, aboard the Dream Panga, a Bali 5.4 catamaran. All the more unexpected, in fact, as she had won the trip in an Instagram competition run by Filovent. "If I hadn't won the cruise, I don't think we'd ever have done it, because it didn't really appeal to us," she confides. Setting off as a couple, with no sailing experience at all, Claire and her partner embarked in May 2026 to discover a world they didn't know, departing from Martinique and reaching the heart of the Grenadines. For anyone wondering what a catamaran cruise in the Grenadines might be like, here is an account that should shed some light.
In this article, I take you in the footsteps of Claire and her partner, from the pontoons of Le Marin to the turquoise waters of the Tobago Cays, by way of the deserted anchorages of the Grenadines, the coral seabeds and the evenings shared with a passionate crew.
A cruise aboard the Dream Panga
A large catamaran for sailing in a small group
It's aboard a Bali 5.4, named the Dream Panga, that Claire and her partner embark for this week in the Antilles. This large cruising catamaran, nearly 17 metres long, the kind of vessel you'll find for boat hire in the Grenadines, offers 6 double cabins for a maximum of 12 passengers, accompanied by a crew of 2, a captain and a stewardess-cook. But this time, luck was on our travellers' side: there were only six aboard, a French couple and two Italian couples.
And for once, space was not in short supply. "The boat was for 12 people and we were lucky because there were only 6 of us, so it was incredible." The result: a huge amount of room for everyone and the freedom to slip away or come together as they pleased. "Since it was big, everyone was free to be on their own, as a couple or all together."
On board: comfort and equipment
For a traveller discovering the world of boating, the comfort on board was a real revelation. "I found it very well equipped, comfortable, a little luxurious, and very clean." The cabins, with their private showers and toilets and a large double bed, offered a real cocoon, while the upper deck played the role of an open-air lounge, the ideal spot to share meals, watch the scenery go by and enjoy the sun.
As for equipment, nothing was missing. From bean-to-cup coffee machine to twin fridges, kayaks, paddleboards and full snorkelling kit, the Dream Panga had everything you'd expect of a floating home.
A passionate crew
But what makes all the difference on this kind of cruise is the crew. Aboard the Dream Panga, captain Rafik and cook Maïka, two sea lovers who have lived on a boat all their lives, accompanied the passengers throughout the trip. Their enthusiasm struck Claire as much as the landscapes did.
"They're passionate about the sea. We had loads of questions all the time, and they explained so many things to us." And above all, a captain with a single obsession: that everything be perfect for his passengers. "The captain really wanted to show us as many spots as possible. He did everything to make it perfect." With such a small group, the crew regularly asked the travellers for their views on the day's programme, in an atmosphere of real closeness.
A couple's cruise, a moment out of time
Beyond the boat and the crew, what Claire remembers most is that rare feeling of complete letting go. "There's zero mental load for a week. You don't ask yourself questions, you just let yourself be carried along." No meals to plan, no decision to make about the day's destination: just enjoy. And with the two Italian couples, they hit it off immediately. "By the end, we were a bit like a little family, everyone had their place at the table, their little habits." A whole week of letting go, with nothing else to manage but the pleasure of the moment.
8-day Grenadines sailing itinerary departing from Martinique
Boarding the Dream Panga at Le Marin (Martinique)
Day 1: Le Marin → Bequia
Day 2: Bequia
Day 3: Bequia → Mayreau
Day 4: Mayreau → Tobago Cays
Day 5: Tobago Cays → Bequia → Cumberland Bay
Day 6: Cumberland Bay → Les Deux Pitons
Day 7: Les Deux Pitons → Sainte-Anne
Day 8: Sainte-Anne → Le Marin
Disembarking at Le Marin (Martinique)
Day 1: Le Marin → Bequia (boarding and night sailing)
The meeting point is set for 6 p.m. at Le Marin marina, in the south of Martinique, one of the main departure points for a Grenadines sailing itinerary. It's time for discovery: of the boat, the crew, and the fellow travellers. And this first encounter will remain one of Claire's finest memories. "When you arrive on the boat, the cook had laid a lovely table with the aperitif she'd prepared." The setting sun, the blazing sky, the warm welcome: it was all there. "At that moment, I had stars in my eyes, and almost a tear in my eye. You could tell we were going to be happy."
After the aperitif and a first dinner on board, everyone heads back to their cabin for the night. Because to reach the Grenadines, you first have to take on a long crossing: thirteen hours of sailing, at night, rocked by the catamaran's roll. The passage from Martinique to Bequia is the longest of the week, and by waking, a completely different setting awaits the travellers.
Day 2: Bequia, the enchanted awakening
Early in the morning, around 5.30, Claire climbs up on deck. And there, the sight takes her breath away. "The landscape was incredibly beautiful." The Dream Panga arrives at Bequia (pronounced "BECK-way"), the largest of the Grenadine islands, renowned for its authentic, unspoilt atmosphere. First real day of cruising, first anchorage in Caribbean waters, and already the feeling of having slipped into a moment out of time.
It's also the moment when the rhythm of the trip falls into place, with a crew that wants only one thing: that everything be perfect. "Every time we sailed, the captain had us leave early, between 5.30 and 7, so we had time to make the most of the day."
Day 3: Bequia → Mayreau (4 hours' sailing)
Heading south to Mayreau, the smallest inhabited island in the Grenadines. There, a lovely surprise awaited our travellers, a captain's initiative that wasn't on the programme. "The captain knew the owner of a bar. In the afternoon, he'd given him some ribs, and the owner cooked them his own way. We went to his bar that evening to eat them. It was nice, because it made a change from the boat." An evening ashore, convivial and improvised, the kind of moment you only find on this type of cruise, where the captain knows his playground and its people.
Day 4: Mayreau → Tobago Cays (30 minutes' sailing)
A short thirty-minute sail is enough to reach the stage that will remain, without doubt, the highlight of the trip. On arriving in the Tobago Cays, this small uninhabited archipelago protected at the heart of a marine park, the setting leaves Claire speechless. "It was a bit of a tropical paradise. The water was turquoise, I'd never seen water like that."
This is where Claire experiences a major first. She, who had always been afraid to put her head underwater, finally takes the plunge into snorkelling, reassured by the crew. "With the captain and the cook, I felt safe. I knew they'd been born on a boat." Knowing she was nervous, the captain even sets up a buoy for her to hold on to. And the reward lives up to it. "For the first time in my life, I saw a ray. And lots of colourful fish, a turtle. It was incredible." In the afternoon, the crew takes the passengers by dinghy to the coral reef. One of the Italians even spots a shark. To crown this extraordinary day, a barbecue is organised on the beach, feet in the sand, facing the lagoon, prepared by a restaurant on the island. The crew also takes the chance to buy fresh fish on the spot, which Maïka and Rafik would cook themselves for the passengers the next day. A day of pure discovery, in one of the most beautiful anchorages in the Caribbean.
Day 5: Tobago Cays → Bequia → Cumberland Bay (6 hours' sailing)
The journey begins its way back north, with a busier day in terms of sailing. After a last look at the Tobago Cays, the Dream Panga sets course for Bequia for lunch, before reaching Cumberland Bay, on the coast of Saint Vincent. And the change of scenery is striking. Here, the landscape gives way to dense, wild and spectacular scenery, a deep bay tucked at the foot of hills covered in lush vegetation. "It was a bit of a Jurassic Park-style setting, it was very green." A totally different face of the Grenadines, rawer and more intense, a reminder of how each stop has its own atmosphere. The day ended beautifully: "We had a wonderful sunset. In the evening, Maïka had made us cocktails."
Day 6: Cumberland Bay → Les Deux Pitons (a 5½-hour sail)
Heading for Saint Lucia and the legendary anchorage at the foot of the Deux Pitons, those twin volcanic peaks that plunge into the sea and tower over the village of Soufrière. This is where the group made the only real visit ashore of the whole week, simply because they liked the boat too much to leave it the rest of the time. An interlude on land amid tropical vegetation, between sulphur springs, hot baths and waterfalls, before returning to the comfort of the Dream Panga.
Day 7: Les Deux Pitons → Sainte-Anne (another long day's sail of around 5½ hours)
Back towards Martinique, with one of the longest sails of the week. But far from being a chore, these hours at sea became one of the pleasures of the trip. "Sailing by day wasn't a bother at all, quite the opposite. We'd put out the fishing line, or I'd watch the scenery. We saw dolphins, turtles, and the landscapes kept changing. We were rocked by the water."
Along the way, the captain suggests a stop that wasn't on the programme: les Salines, one of the most beautiful beaches in southern Martinique. "He tells us: on the way, we'll stop at Les Salines, you'll love it. And we loved it so much that we asked if we could stay." It was a good call. "When we were anchored at Les Salines, we could see lots of turtles in the water. It was really lovely." The boat then reaches Sainte-Anne, a charming village in the south of the island, for the last anchorage of the trip. The evening before departure, Claire and her partner take the chance for one last stroll ashore, just the two of them. And on their return, the crew had set aside one final memorable evening for them. "When we got back, the whole table was laid with the aperitif for the last night. We put on a bit of music, we danced, we stayed up chatting quite late all together. It was brilliant."
Day 8: Sainte-Anne → Le Marin, time to say goodbye
One last short sail is enough to reach the port of Le Marin, where the trip ends in the middle of the morning. Enough to make you want to extend your discovery of the French Caribbean islands on a future sailing holiday. The moment of goodbyes, always a little bittersweet after such an intense week… "By the end, we were like a little family." A cruise over, but a revelation for the couple, who are determined to do it all again one day. "We really discovered something we didn't know and that we loved."
A few unforgettable memories
- Arriving on the boat: the very first evening will stay etched in memory. The aperitif laid out by Maïka, the deck still gleaming in the reflections of the setting sun, the smiling welcome from the crew and the other passengers. "Everyone was happy to be there, we were given such a warm welcome." A simple moment that captures the whole spirit of the trip.
- Snorkelling in the Tobago Cays: her first time with her head underwater, and already a ray, a turtle and shoals of multicoloured fish. A personal victory as much as a wonder, made possible by the confidence the crew inspired. "For the first time in my life, I saw a ray. It was incredible."
- The sailing and the scenery: those long hours spent on deck watching the sea go by, fishing or simply letting herself be rocked, punctuated by appearances of dolphins and turtles. "All week, I had stars in my eyes, from morning to night. It was magical." As Claire sums it up, this trip was the perfect balance between the moments of sailing, the stops for swimming and the conviviality of shared meals.
Fancy living the same adventure?
Do you dream of a sailing holiday in the Grenadines, between turquoise waters, deserted anchorages and coral seabeds? Whether you picture a crewed charter, a yacht charter or a flotilla holiday in the Caribbean, our advisors will build a tailor-made itinerary with you, departing from Martinique. Request your quote for a cruise in the Grenadines and put together the trip that's right for you.
Acknowledgements
A big thank-you to Claire, who was kind enough to give us her time for this interview, and for the superb photos she sent us to illustrate this account!
