This year was our fourth year in a row chartering a crewed Lagoon 450 in the BVI with our two young children (aged 11 and 9) over the February UK half term holiday.

Brian and Alex were a great crew and made our holiday on board Au Soleil really special. Through their knowledge of the area, clear communication and can-do attitude, we were able to pack in as much fun as possible, visiting all our favourite places, and some new ones, which brought a new level of enjoyment to our holiday. They constantly engaged with the children and had lots of fun with them which was a big bonus.

Nothing was too much and Brian and Alex greeted everything with a smile. We couldn't be happier: food, hospitality and company, all 5 star.

Thanks to Brian and Alex for making our favourite holiday even better. We’ll definitely be booking again for next year!

Let me start by saying the most important thing first; we are repeat guests of Au Soleil and Brian and Alex, which is probably the greatest compliment we can give them! We had such an amazing experience with Brian and Alex in 2019, we booked them again this year! And if we do this again next year – we’ll be going with Brian and Alex! I'll also mention that we’ve experienced two other catamaran charters prior to finding Au Soleil so we've got some good data to compare against 🙂. Au Soleil is a lovely, well appointed boat but what makes the charter next level is Brian and Alex.

Captain Brian’s attention to and command over the boat (and dinghy!) are obvious, he’s a savvy vet! Brian is always ready and happily willing to get out the floating rafts and kayaks, escort us around in the dinghy, and be flexible with our schedule as things arise. We hit a bad weather day this year and he quickly changed routes and found us a hot tub to hang out in! There is never a doubt in our minds that he always has everything under control.

And Alex…I mean c’mon! The food this year was off the chains! Her menu was on point, every single meal we had was memorable and diverse. It amazes me what she can produce out of that little galley! She has mastered the skill of anticipating when guests are about to be hungry. Be sure to ask her for the boat nachos, boat nachos are the best nachos. She also makes a killer charcuterie board and painkiller! Alex is always on her game and is determined to make sure guests are having a great time.

Captain Brian and Alex check all of the boxes. They are a great team and show a lot of pride in making sure that you have the best vacation. You can tell that they care about the boat and they care about their crew. They are both a joy to be around. It’s sad that we only get to hang out with them once a year because we consider them friends!

Where do I begin with describing my incredible week aboard Au Soleil with Alex and Brian? After the first day, my group and I had already decided it would be our favorite trip ever. I have been on a chartered catamaran once before and my husband had been on one twice, so we thought we knew what to expect and really did our research on all the crews beforehand. Alex and Brian honestly exceeded every possible expectation we thought we had, and this experience was far better than any of the ones before!

Let’s start with Brian: It is obvious he absolutely loves what he does and he’s so passionate about his job that it’s truly contagious. He was eager to answer all of our many questions and was a blast to hang out with. We all felt 100% safe and secure throughout our weeklong trip, even on the days the wind picked up and water got choppy. He was more than willing to dingy us out wherever, and he was also always offering us cold drinks and bringing us welcomed painkillers without us even asking. He is a great captain who knows what he’s doing and has a good time doing it!

Alex: WOW. I don’t think there is a way to describe her cooking or hospitality. She is an INCREDIBLE cook and every meal blew our minds! Her nachos on the first day after a wild afternoon at Soggy Dollar were the first sign that the week would be amazing! Some other favorites were her french toast, hangover breakfast sandwiches, pineapple boat with grilled shrimp and spicy mayo, fresh crabcakes (the best I’ve ever had and that’s saying a lot), and the quesadillas and fried plantains as a snack on the last day that were truly LIFE CHANGING. We never went hungry but also appreciated that her meals were all fairly healthy for the most part so we always felt good and never miserably full (except for the day we walked into the boat as she was pulling out FRESHLY BAKED COOKIES from the oven….I had three and regret I didn’t eat more!!) As talented as she is at cooking, she is even more talented as a first mate and the best to simply hang out with! She is so experienced at this job and works flawlessly with Brian. She is wise beyond her years (but also so humble) and we loved chatting with her about any and everything. There is always a smile on her face and she was constantly doing everything to ensure we were having the best time.

As I said previously, my husband and I had been on this trip before but this experience was like one we’ve never had. We came with no preference as to what we wanted to see and just let Alex and Brian take us to the places they thought we’d enjoy most and they absolutely killed it. Each day was somehow better than the one before, and we saw so many new places we had never even heard about. They are so good at reading the guests and coming up with tailored suggestions for all. I could go on and on about them! This trip is somewhat about the catamaran (which the Au Soleil was amazing and so spacious for our group by the way), but it’s much more about the crew and Brian and Alex are the WHOLE package plus so much more. We love them and will definitely be back to see them!

I am writing this lengthy review for our recent vacation experience in early June on the Catamaran Au Soleil with Captain Brian and Hostess Alex in the BVI and USVI. There is just so much to share and I’m sure I’m not capturing it all.
Friends of ours planned this trip and asked us if we would like to join them in the 3rd available room. I admit I was reluctant and unsure as I didn’t know how I would handle sleeping on a boat for 8 nights and didn’t know if I would be “roughing” it. I am SO Glad we said yes! Our experience exceeded my expectations on all levels, it was AMAZING from start to finish! ( No roughing it at all) Captain Brian was awesome and made sure we had a plan that was fitting for the group, safe, and fun. Even before the trip he graciously answered our questions and made sure we had a plan that fit our needs. We were able to see a large variety of areas. Leverick Bay, Anegada, Soggy Dollar, Foxys, Virgin Gorda, Josh Van Dyke, Caneel Bay, Christmas Cove to name a few. Brian made sure we had the best spots to spend the night and even went out of his way to get us a spot in the marina we wanted to stay in at Scrub Island. He also made sure our group had ample ice for the coldest of drinks. (we got the prize for the most ice used 😊) I never worried about our safety. He even went out of his way to round up some beach chairs for us to have on the secluded beaches and make dinner reservations too.

Alex was simply Fabulous! She was extremely attentive to us all, and made sure to cater to all of our unique requests or likes and dislikes. We elected to have most all meals on the boat and that meant she was cooking A LOT every day. Her planning was amazing, we had no idea where she stored all that food and supplies! Every single meal from breakfast, lunch, and dinner were not only Scrumptious but beautifully presented too! She absolutely blew us away on what she prepared on a boat! And the meals were even very healthy too which I appreciated!! She was super sweet and pleasant at all times! That girl never stopped! She was gracious when our group needed to buy even more drink ingredients and extra pizzas at the dock too. She graciously used our left-over steak from dinner and added it to steak and eggs the next morning. She obviously put a lot of time into this menu for the week and it made our experience super special! She wasn't just a cook, but also worked well with Brian in handling the boat when docking, sailing etc! Just amazing!

We all enjoyed spending time with both Brian and Alex and even though they were both ages of our group’s own kids, they didn’t mind hanging with us “old folks”.

The boat was also great! Brian and Alex really take care of this boat and everything was working superbly. It was super clean, air conditioned, spacious, comfortable and fun! Thanks to our friend Bryan for choosing the Au Soleil. If this boat fits your group’s needs, I would highly recommend booking it today along with this fantastic duo! Thanks for making our experience so memorable!

Vacationing with Brian and Alex on Au Soleil went above my expectations. From the moment we met we gained a mutual respect for each other and immediately felt comfortable with their knowledge of the islands and ability to coordinate plans and agenda for us. Having brought children of various ages I was concerned how the dynamics would be, but they proved to be responsible and engaging and went beyond to bring extra fun in our days. I was most impressed at how adept both Brian and Alex were at their jobs. I felt at all times and any minor inconvenience, they were one step ahead and in control, well educated and confident. I left, meeting two genuine people, very thankful they took such wonderful care of my family, and showed us a wonderful experience.

This trip is a bucket lister and then you’ll want to do it again, because once is not enough!

It’s the perfect balance between relaxation and exploring. You can’t possibly get over the clear changing blue deep waters, the different beaches, the fish, turtles, and the topography of the islands. Sunsets in a new harbor every evening are so peaceful and beautiful—just indescribable the sense of calm that comes over you...

The catamaran is modern, bright, roomy, and immaculate. The beds are super comfy. I worried there might not be enough to do on a boat for a week— not true. You can snorkel, kayak, paddle board, inland hop, bar hop, swim, relax, sun bathe, do yoga— all at any given moment. The water feels and looks great!!


Brian and Alex are delightful! The captain and hostess on Au Soleil. They are amazing individuals working flawlessly together. Brian is a master sailor knowledgeable and making sure safety is a priority. Alex is behind the scenes co-piloting and serving fresh delicious food(amazing cook) and drinks all day. She is such a gem; so skilled! Together they get a 10 in every effort put forth. Whatever you want—they aim to please and make it happen with ease and confidence. They will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Every experience is unique. You can make it your own. We did some amazing snorkeling, tried island drinks, listened to good music, explored many different uncrowded island beaches, and had delicious tranquil evening meals on the boat, watching the sunsets with connected conversations. Zero stress! Lots of exciting new things to see and do!!

So grateful for the experience!
You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you Au Soleil, Brian and Alex for making our week a 10! You’re the best there is!!

We chartered S/V Au Soleil for one week in February. This is the third time our group has chartered in the BVI so we had a few expectations going into the trip but it was by far the best one yet! The boat has a great layout for a group of six and it's well kept. We especially liked the extra seating up on the fly bridge. They have paddle boards, kayak, snorkel gear and a huge large floating mat which we really enjoyed. What really set this trip apart from the others was Brian and Alex. They are the perfect team. Brian is so knowledgable about the boat operations and we had complete trust in his ability to get us to where we wanted to go. And we had a busy schedule, with seven islands in seven days. He took us to each location with a smile on his face and we felt very safe with him in charge. Alex was the interior boss lady; she could whip up a plate of nachos and cocktails with impeccable timing. We dropped everything we were doing to gather around for her food. She pulled off some amazing meals in that small galley and was able to adjust to our last minute meal schedules. She takes pride in keeping the boat clean and tidy while on charter. They are both so friendly, easy going and accommodating and fit in with our group perfectly. You cannot go wrong with Au Soleil and Brian/Alex!

Just wanted to drop you a note to tell you we had a wonderful charter on the Au Soleil with Brian and Alex last week. You got what we were seeking and matched us to the right boat and crew. Suggesting we extend the sail from 5 to 7 days was the right call as Anegada was my favorite stop.

We had the usual – Will there be enough to do? Can you really spend time a week on a small boat? The crew’s expertise and lack of hassle from airport transfers to clearing customs to water knowledge and spot on dinner reservations made for a memorable trip.
We will be plotting future charters and talking the crew and the boat up!

Exploring the US and BVIs on Au Soleil with Brian and Alex was truly fantastic. The boat is immaculate and comfortable with abundant areas for sun and shade. The crew is vigilant about ensuring all is running smoothly.

Skipper Brian is a sun catcher able to navigate away from rain showers for that day’s water activities. Choppy surf round the Baths? Brian, the lifeguard, will paddle board you in while giving tips to the snorkelers at the same time. He can herd goats away from the roads of Anegada, and keep a close eye to ensure you are drinking your bottle water to offset rounds of painkillers during the afternoon at Soggy Dollar with the Swedes.

Alex, thank you for the adorable and delicious birthday cake. We especially miss your breakfasts and appetizer platters. We enjoyed hearing about your travels while sailing from island to island. You and Brian’s restaurant choices at St. John, Cooper Island and Anegada (with ribs for non-lobster eaters) were spot on.

This crew is caring, loads of fun, and will keep you safe.

Brian did way more than expected. He caught up on any hiccups we had and kept everyone in good spirits. LOVE!
Apart from being a gourmet chef Alex took care of us like our mom/best friend/party buddy would be. A million thanks!

Brian has been the best skipper - kept up all promises he's made to us from taking a dingy at dawn to getting us, hard to procure reservations and tables at the places we went to. His experience has made up for our lack of preparation and ensured that we had the time of our lives regardless of crew personalities. He was able to manage a diverse group of people, appeal to their sense of fun and adventure, unite and lead when there was trouble.
Alexa was awesome. She not only prepared delicious meals and kept the cabin clean, but she also told us what to expect from each day and how to prepare. She is an invaluable employee. Her future is bright!

Brian and Alex are AMAZING! I cannot say enough good things about this week, Brian made us feel like a family from the first night. He made sure this week was everything we wanted and more!

Alex's meals always tasted and looked great. She provided us with great tips and advice throughout the trip. I would highly recommend her.

Brian was brilliant, very entertaining, really listened to us and worked so hard to make our week the best week for us. He became part of our group and we loved having him as our skipper.
Alex, can you please move in with me? If I could give her Michelin stars she would definitely deserve them all. The meals she prepared for us were unreal. We ate more diverse food on the yacht than we do on land. :)