This is an EXCELLENT school with great instructors and vessels. All the vessels we used were in in excellent condition and spotless. Our instructor Chet was so personable that my wife and I have offered him a job on our boat as well. Jean, who is most certainly not from an "eastern-European block country"(which is a new form of racism that I was unaware of, so thanks for enlightening me on your ignorance Grace W, lol), is a very kind and fair man, and was more then competitive with his rates compared to others in the area which I know after exhaustive research. ***ATTENTION PERSONS READING GRACE W.' REVIEW*** Don't let 1 negative review skew your opinion of this business, or prevent you from using them. As a STUDENT of the facility the VERY SAME DAY as the person who posted the first negative review, I feel it necessary to set the record straight. 1. I am a local boat owner, and have used several instructors and captains from this school and from Charlotte Harbor Sailing LLC, BOTH are great schools with great people operating and working for them. 2. I personally inspected the vessel in question(a beautiful Beneteau) that very day, and it was used for my lessons the following days and I found no fault with it whatsoever. 3. There is a ship-store selling water-bottles and sandwiches less then 200 yards away, as well as a full service restaurant and bar. On a personal note, Grace W. was there to take BEGINNER lessons with a student that ended up taking his classes with us(luckily for him), which was about 2 months prior to this writing, so I am VERY skeptical to her claim that she has "sailed and chartered everywhere" with no prior knowledge, and considering the rest of the inconsistencies with her review, I would hesitate to trust the other negative reviews on her profile as well. read more

John and the entire staff at Yachting Vacations were terrific. First they went out of their way to adjust schedules when a tragic death occured in my family. Their first concern was for me and my family. The same sense of concern and safety was just as obvious when I was able to finally embark on my charter. In the end they helped me achieve a long time goal of learning to sail. ASA 101, 103 and 104 were earned under their guidance. The entire event was fun. Learning on a well maintained and appointed Beneteau 343 in both Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf was everything I had dreamed of. After returning home I was able to do a fractional share lease on a Jeanneau 37. When I told them I had earned my certificate from John's sailing school I was welcomed with open arms. His reputation of teaching to sail the right way certainly was understood withing the sailing community. I am certainly a satisfied customer and hope to go back for more sailing, learning and fun in the near future. read more

My husband and I took sailing lessons and were intrigued with it as a new and exciting recreation for us. We are both professionals and have traveled extensively throughout the world. Our goal in joining Yachting Vacations (YV)yachting experience was to have fun. Not only did we have a fun vacation, Mr. DeKeyser and his staff exceeded our expectations in every way! Normally, I would have been a bit scared out of my element on the water but the YV team was so competent and comfortable with sailing that I felt I had sailed my entire life! The choices for ports were stunning. The chartered yacht was stellar in appointments to every creature comfort. Meals we prepared onboard were delicious and very healthy. I came back to a very busy life fully refreshed and invigorated. When it comes to choosing how to spend our time and treasure, my husband and I are very selective. We could not have made a better choice and hope to schedule another voyage in the near future! read more

My husband and I participated in Yachting Vacations ASA Flotilla to Croatia last summer. It was a trip of a lifetime! Everything exceeded our expectations...the professionalism of the owners and trip organizers, Jean and Mila de Keyser, the beautiful, comfortable boats and the camaraderie of the participants on all 3 boats in the flotilla. We were fortunate enough to be placed on the lead boat with the de Keysers. We always felt safe with Capt. Jean's capable seamanship. Mila's warmth and attention to detail created a comfortable atmosphere for all on board. At every port of call we were warmly greeted by locals who were thrilled to see Jean and Mila return with another group of sailors to visit their beautiful island. Captain Jean and "Admiral" Mila are fun, friendly easygoing people who run their business with utmost professionalism. We look forward to chartering from them in Florida and sailing with them again next year in Spain. read more

What a great day on the Gulf of Mexico on May1, 2014. The Captain John and wife Milli were gracious hosts and provided us with a " taste" of what a real sailing adventure might be. We went out for several hours to test our sea legs. We are planning a sailing trip in the near future but our wives had never been on a sail boat and before we went on our journey, we wanted to make sure they wouldn't be sick all week. Captain John was just perfect. He explained terms, how the sail boat would handle the seas, what the day to day adventure would be like, etc. Our wives were so comfortable and " sea worthy " that they were ready to go that day. Captain John, Yachting Vacations, is competent, knowledgeable and very accommodating. We trusted his judgment and felt safe because we sensed his ability and concern for us. I would re comment Yachting Vacations to anyone who would like to do a sailing trip of a life time. Tom & Jodi read more

Thank you again Captain Jean, Mila, Carol & Pete. We had a great experience aboard SAER II, and sincerely appreciate your teams help & guidance on our first sail boat charter. She not only sailed and handled like a dream, but Kathy enjoyed the luxurious accommodations of the salon and the comfort of the cockpit, as well as the B&G Zeus and auto pilot. Once Kathy "took the helm" it was hard to get her "back on the sheets." The attention to detail & the appointments were outstanding. We had an incredible experience with Yachting Vacations. In addition to your hospitality, everyone we met in the Burnt Store Community from - Will, Lisa & Tony at the Trading Post, to the great people (both staff & guests) at Porto Bello's we enjoyed sharing time with. Every person we met in your community welcomed us & made us feel right at home. We are looking forward to returning to Yachting Vacations & Burnt Store in the future. read more

In November 2012 we went first sailing with Yachting Vacations in Punta Gorda. Jean and Mila brought us (my wife, my daughter and me) to the most beautiful islands in the neighbourhood. We remember Yuseppa Island as a white sandy pearl in the beauty of the Gulf. We could spot dolphins following our boat. A fantastic experience! In August 2013 my wife and I joined Jean and Mila in a flotilla in Croatia for a 7 day cruise. This was just amazing. We had fantastic boats, a perfectly organised journey, with stopovers in various beautiful marina's on the most impressive islands of the Dalmatian Adriatic Coast. In between the sailing we had the chance to discover beautiful areas, outstanding restaurants, nice beaches, crystal clear waters and much more. We're ready to board again at any time and to any location, but only with Yachting Vacations! Thank you Mila and Jean read more

Over the past few years I have taken 3 courses, ASA 105,106 and 114 with Yachting Vacations. I have also chartered twice with them. In all, I have sailed on four of the vessels from their fleet. Each yacht has been clean, well appointed and in 100% working order. It is a fact that Yachting Vacations has the best available charter sailing fleet in SW Florida for cruisers. If Charlotte Harbor and the beautiful barrier islands of Lee and Charlotte County are your destination you can not do better from a location, logistics, and fleet selection point of view. On a personal note, Jean and Mila have been very good to work with and have always been ethical and honorable in their business practices. They are truly people I would go to sea with and I hope to be chartering with them again soon. read more

Great team, great location, great boats! Yachting Vacations is located in a beautiful marina in Punta Gorda, Fl. I've chartered sailboats several times with YV over a 10 year period and also sailed in an ASA flotilla hosted and guided by the YV owners, Jean and Mila. I set pretty high standards for yachts that I charter, and the yachts from YV always more than exceeded my expectations. The service is always excellent. Jean and Mila know every boat and every boat system intimately, and any question or concern is addressed instantly. On your first call to YV you'll be a customer. On every call after that you'll be a friend. I couldn't recommend the yachts or the team at YV more highly. read more

I had the time of my life with these people last August in Croatia, learning to sail around the islands of the Adriatic Sea near the City of Split. These people were knowledgeable, experienced, accommodating and eager to please. In all respects they succeeded in their mission of teaching me to sail and showing me a wonderful time. The owners are Americans of Belgian and Peruvian origins, so we enjoyed the benefits of multi-lingual travel guidance , good companionship and a vast variety of cultural topics (including foods and wines!) for our warm and totally enjoyable time together. If you get the chance, by all means "go!" read more

My husband and I took ASA101 and ASA103 (Beginner sailing classes) through Yachting Vacations. It was an amazing experience, we had a blast. I learned a lot and I feel more comfortable sailing with my husband. The sailboats we learned on were clean, easy to operate and up to code. I also had the pleasure of meeting several of the instructors, they are very knowledgeable and passionate about sailing. I recommend this sailing school to anyone that wants to learn the art of sailing or just wants to fine-tune their sailing skills. "Safe Sailing" read more

We have chartered from Yachting Vacations four times (four weeks), and we have always had a great time. The boats have been spotless and in great shape, and the attention to detail exemplary. I have chartered a couple dozen boats in almost as many places, and Jean and his staff have exhibited the highest levels of care and organization every single time we have been there. They understand that it's not just about sailing, but about having a great vacation, and that's what they have provided for us, some of our most memorable vacations. read more

My wife and I just spent 4 days taking the ASA104 class from Chet and his team. We had a fantastic time! The knowledge and experience shared with us exceeded all of our expectations. We have taken several ASA courses at different locations, this was by far the best. The location in Charlotte Harbor is beautiful; we had dolphins following the boat each day. But what really took the experience to the next level was detailed teachings which Chet customizes to meet our specific learning objectives. read more

I do not understand the previous review. The boat we sailed on was very clean and John, the captain, was very friendly and knowledgeable. The marina had a manatee visiting while we were there and the bay opened to several dolphins. John was patient and a great teacher. Burnt Store is hidden away a little, but there are plenty of restaurants a short drive away. The marina opened to many hidden islands (My favorite was Useppa). My wife and I plan on going back next summer! read more

To one and all. My wife and I sailed in Croatia with Jean and Millie last year for a week and it was one of the best trips I have ever taken.They are both very knowledgeable and professional and very nice people as well. We had a great time and I would be pleased to have the opportunity to sail with them again. I highly recommend Yachting Vacations to anyone who is considering a sailing trip . Expect the time of your life. Jim Strubbe read more

Capt. "John" and Capt. "Chet" are top notch sailors and captains. My husband and I couldn't have had a more enjoyable two days on the water. The dolphins were racing beside and under the boat, the winds were in our sails and the smiles never left our faces. Professional, personable, and great teachers... these guys took great care of us. We sailed on "Promise" for our anniversary. They lived up to every promise! read more

Once again, Chet and team did an awesome job of delivering a great sailing charter. We decided to learn ASA 114 Cat Cruising after which we bareboat sailed to South Seas on Captiva and other great spots during our 5 day charter. Great boat and price but the service and boats were outstanding. Thanks guys, for the great time. See you next year! read more

Thank you Captain Jean and 1st Mate Mila! What an awesome cruise. The boat was comfortable, clean and well appointed. I really learned a lot and made some new friends. The sailing was 1st rate and your instruction patient and expert. Thank you for some life long memories. Keep us in mind for future voyages. read more