This holiday season, skip the stuff they’ll forget by February. Give them something they’ll still be talking about years from now.
This holiday season, skip the stuff they’ll forget by February. Give them something they’ll still be talking about years from now.
Let’s be honest. We’ve all received a few holiday gifts that left us wondering what we were supposed to do with them.
The gadget that seemed like a good idea at the time. The decorative thing that doesn’t match anything in the house. The clever little kitchen device that promises to change your life but ends up in the back of a drawer next to the other clever little kitchen devices.
And then there’s the annual hunt for something special.
We spend a lot of time, money and energy buying things that people don’t really need, wrapping them in expensive paper, and hoping for the best. By January, the excitement has worn off. By next Christmas, half of it has probably been donated, misplaced or quietly regifted.
So here’s a different idea: this year, give someone a trip.
Not another thing to dust. Not another gadget to charge. Not something that needs a closet of its own. Give them a week under sail, a new place to explore, a little adventure and the chance to come home with stories they’ll tell for years.
After all, you can lose a sweater. You can break a watch. You can misplace just about anything. But you don’t lose the memory of jumping off a luxury sailboat into warm Mediterranean water on a sunny afternoon. You don’t forget wandering through a small European village with new sailing friends, finding a little restaurant, ordering another bottle of wine and realizing there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.
That’s a souvenir you get to keep.
The beauty of giving travel is that it doesn’t have to be an elaborate surprise wrapped in a giant box. A trip confirmation, a little note tucked into a stocking, or a card that says We’re going sailing can be the beginning of something pretty wonderful.
And there are plenty of ways to make that happen.
Give them a place on the starting line.
For the sailor who has been watching the racing from the sidelines, there’s nothing quite like getting aboard and being part of the crew. From the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta to the BVI Spring Regatta, these trips put sailors right in the middle of the action.
It’s a gift with a little more adrenaline, a lot of teamwork and a story that starts with, “So there we were on the starting line…”
Race the legendary St. Maarten Heineken Regatta aboard Spirit of Juno, a Farr 65 performance racing yacht. Train with your crew before putting your skills to work during four days of Caribbean racing. No racing experience is required—just come ready to sail faster, learn, and be part of the crew.
Join American Sailing and Caribbean Sail Training for a hands-on racing adventure in the British Virgin Islands. Sail aboard Spirit of Juno, a Farr 65 performance yacht, and become part of the crew during one of the Caribbean’s most exciting regattas. Whether you’re new to racing or a seasoned sailor, you’ll learn, compete, and experience the thrill of teamwork at sea.
Give them a different way to see the world.
There’s something about arriving in a European harbor by sailboat. You tie up, step ashore and suddenly you’re part of a place instead of just passing through it.
In Croatia aboard Cataleya, that might mean exploring a historic island town, finding a waterfront table and spending the evening with the friends you’ve made along the way.
Or give them the Greek Cyclades aboard RHEA. Think island villages, long lunches, swimming stops and the pleasure of discovering Greece at sailing speed. The gift of Santorini, yes, that will be long lasting.
The photographs will be lovely. But the memories of the people, places and little unexpected moments are what they’ll bring home.
Welcome aboard Cataleya a 30 meter luxury motor sailing yacht which will be your home for 8 days as you explore the Dalmation coast of Croatia. This trip will include stops in Split, Hvar, Korcula as well as a few anchorages that are the secrets of the captain and the crew. Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime sailing vacation.
Discover the breathtaking beauty of the Southern Cyclades on a seven-night sailing adventure aboard RHEA, a magnificent 54-meter luxury sailing yacht. Explore Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, Paros, and Folegandros, where whitewashed villages, crystal-clear waters, secluded anchorages, and authentic Greek island culture await. Enjoy an unforgettable journey through the Aegean with a professional captain and crew, combining relaxed sailing, island exploration, and the timeless charm of Greece.
Give them a week with their own boat and a fleet of new friends.
A flotilla is a pretty terrific way to get away. You have your own boat, your own space and the freedom to enjoy the trip your way. But you’re also part of a fleet of fellow sailors, sharing anchorages, exploring ashore and meeting up along the way.
These are the kinds of trips where the best moments aren’t always on the itinerary. They’re the impromptu swim, the evening everyone gathers for dinner, or the new friend who turns out to be someone you want to sail with again.
Welcome aboard Cataleya a 30 meter luxury motor sailing yacht which will be your home for 8 days as you explore the Dalmation coast of Croatia. This trip will include stops in Split, Hvar, Korcula as well as a few anchorages that are the secrets of the captain and the crew. Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime sailing vacation.
Sailing the waters around La Paz, Mexico, is a truly magical experience. Nestled in the Sea of Cortez, often referred to as the “Aquarium of the World,” La Paz offers crystal-clear turquoise waters, calm seas, and stunning, unspoiled islands just offshore. With no Pacific ground swell, the waters are as smooth as a lake, making for relaxed and enjoyable sailing conditions.
Celebrate BVI Sail Week with 7 days and 6 nights of sailing alongside fellow boats for one epic flotilla experience. Explore the iconic baths, get in on a small boat regatta at the famous Bitter End Yacht Club, and swim to shore to visit the iconic Soggy Dollar Bar. It’s going to be an action-packed sailing adventure!
Give them a skill they’ll use long after the holidays.
Not every great sailing gift has to come with a passport. The Marine Diesel Maintenance experience is for the boat owner who wants to understand what’s happening below the companionway instead of just hoping that noise goes away.
It’s practical, hands-on and potentially a very good investment in future peace of mind. Besides, few gifts are more useful than knowing what to do when your engine starts acting up.
Welcome aboard Cataleya a 30 meter luxury motor sailing yacht which will be your home for 8 days as you explore the Dalmation coast of Croatia. This trip will include stops in Split, Hvar, Korcula as well as a few anchorages that are the secrets of the captain and the crew. Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime sailing vacation.
Here’s the thing about experiences: they don’t really end when you get home.
The trip becomes the story you tell at dinner. The photograph you keep on your desk. The friend you stay in touch with. The place you start planning to visit again. Years later, someone mentions that little harbor in Croatia, the night in the Abacos or the swim off the boat in Greece, and suddenly you’re right back there.
That’s the value of giving an experience. You’re not just giving someone a week away. You’re giving them something to look forward to, something to enjoy while it’s happening and something to remember long after it’s over.
And unlike that gadget that needs a software update, it never goes out of date.
You don’t have to find the perfect object. You just have to think about the person you’re giving it to.
The sailor who wants to race. The couple who keeps talking about Greece. The friend who needs a break. The family member who has always wanted to explore the islands. Maybe it’s time to stop buying them things and start giving them reasons to go somewhere.
Put a trip in a stocking. Give someone a week under sail. Give them a new crew, a new coastline and a story they’ll be telling long after the wrapping paper is gone.
Give the gift of getting out there.
Explore American Sailing Vacations:
https://americansailingvacations.com/
American Sailing Vacations. There’s more than one way to get out there.
