We spent 4 fantastic days onboard the Icarus. The yacht is extremely comfortable and we spent the days visiting some wonderful spots. Robert is an extremely competent skipper and he managed to always beat the crowds and get us to all the best snorkeling locations and beaches (dolphins included ). The food was excellent and we had a lot of fun with Robert and Veronica who made our trip with them very memorable . We would definetly book with them again.
We had an amazing day out, the yacht is truly amazing!
We visited a beautiful cave and swam through, jumped off cliffs, stopped at an amazing taverna for lunch, sunbathed on the deck….
Had Prosecco and a fruit platter on board provided by the lovely hosts Robert & Veronica.
Lots of knowledge on the area and a great recommendation for cocktails at a local bar after the trip!
Thank you for making our holiday! Xx
My wife Amanda and I were treated to an amazing sailing experience courtesy of Robert and Veronica in September of 2018. I first reached out and made contact with Robert about eight months prior. I found Celebration Charters online and they seemed to offer everything we were looking for on a sailing holiday. From the very beginning, Robert was extremely helpful and professional. He was always very prompt and accommodating in answering all of my questions ( I had a lot of them). The entire booking process was painless and it all went smoothly.
Our week Sailing started on Saturday September 1st. We had flown into Corfu the previous night and stayed at the Telesilla Hotel, which is just a short walk from the marina. We definitely recommend this hotel to anyone staying on the island of Corfu. The food is amazing and the staff treats you as if you are family.
From the moment we set foot on the boat, Robert and Veronica’s hospitality was tremendous. They made us feel extremely welcome by flying the flag of the United States right beneath their Scottish flag. They also decorated out cabin with signs celebrating our marriage. The first night was spent getting to know each other through dinner and drinks ( back at the Telesilla Hotel).
On Sunday morning we left the Gouvia Marina and headed to Lefkimmi for lunch and a swim. After lunch were continued on to Syvota where we would spend the rest of the evening.
On Monday morning we took a short trip to the “blue lagoon” in Syvota for a swim, and then headed towards Lakka on the island of Paxos. Robert recommended a restaurant to us for dinner, and even walked down there himself to make sure we had a great table for the night.
On Tuesday morning we left Lakka and sailed along the west coast of Paxos towards Emerald Bay on the Island of Anti Paxos. We swam and had lunch in Emerald Bay then set sail back towards the Greek mainland and ended our day in Two Rock Bay. Robert cooked us a great dinner that night, and we followed it up by an evening of star gazing while lying on the bow of the boat.
We sailed back to the island of Paxos on Wednesday anchoring in the town of Gaios. My wife and I explored the town and found some secluded beaches that only locals seemed to know of. That night, Robert and Veronica accompanied us to dinner and it was a fantastic meal.
On Thursday morning we left Gaios and headed back towards the mainland of Greece. Again we stopped for a swim and lunch before heading into town. Thursday night we stayed in the town of Plataria. Again Robert went out of his way to make sure were were taken care of for dinner at Olga.
On Friday morning we began heading back towards the Island of Corfu. Again we stopped for a swim and some lunch before ending the day back the the Goivua Marina. We all went out to dinner again that night and it was a great way to wind down the trip.
This was an amazing experience from start to finish. Everything was as Robert said it would be and there were never any negative experiences.
Robert and Veronica went out of there way to make us feel comfortable on the boat. If you need anything at any time all you had to do was ask. Being that they sail to these towns multiple times a year, most of the locals know Robert and Veronica. This made it much easier on us as tourists. They know all the best restaurants, bars, and beaches to visit on each island. Robert and I went for a hike one day on Paxos to visit and old lighthouse, and Robert have me a history lesson of the town as we walked through it.
All of the food that Robert and Veronica prepared on the boat was outstanding. Even Robert’s french toast ( which he wont tell me what it had in it).
Possibly the most under appreciated aspect of our time on the boat was Robert’s expertise in sailing it. Robert is a professional and takes what he does very seriously. We encountered some people throughout our trip that were definitely not experts in sailing and it made us appreciate Robert even that much more.
Hopefully this was not a once in a lifetime trip for us, but if it was, we absolutely got a once in a lifetime experience. We would recommend Celebration Charters to anybody we know. We are confident they would be treated to the same amazing experiences we were.
Thank you for everything Veronica and Robert.
Mychal and Amanda Weidman
To be honest Rob and Veronica’s Celebration Charters where our second choice, how lucky that our first choice where booked up, From first arrival to end of the day Rob and Veronica looked after us like family, nothing to much trouble, easy going, made us feel at ease, all true, Rob is a mine of information but didn’t talk at us as many guides do, Veronica food was wonderful, you have the option to stop at a good taverna for lunch, I am so glad we didn’t, I didn’t know a simple Greek salad and chicken served with bread an wine could taste so good. The day was spent cruising, eating and drinking, snorkelling and even a cave adventure. Even our 13 year old son admitted that it was more fun than the internet!! Money well spent indeed. Thanks Rob and Veronica enjoy the rest of the season.
We already knew Robert and Veronica briefly, from the many years we shared a pontoon in Gouvia Marina, but we had never been to sea on a yacht.
The reason for booking the holiday was that after owning or own motor yachts for 17 years, up to last year, it would be difficult not to have a holiday on a boat.
There was the obvious added attraction of being able to totally switch off and let someone else do the driving, whilst being waited on by the lovely Veronica.
We booked 8 nights with the brief that we wanted to visit places we hadn’t been to on our own, unless we specifically wanted to re-visit and Robert did this perfectly and gave us experiences we will never forget.
We were asked-pre arrival, if we had any special food or drink requests and these were fully accommodated. A real bonus with a fussy teenager in tow.
The whole experience was like sharing the boat with a couple of friends and getting to know them better has been a pleasure. Robert spent a lot of time with out teenage son swimming and playing in the sea, which gave us valuable sun bathing time!
Being able to totally switch off and relax cannot be over estimated, we all had a brilliant holiday and we would highly recommend them.
We booked a day’s sailing trip to celebrate our son’s birthday during our Corfu summer holiday. Robert and Veronica were wonderful hosts and tour guides and made the trip extra special with a lovely fruit platter and cakes for his birthday and champagne! We had an altogether fantastic day of sailing, stopping to swim in the beautiful bays with caves. This was by far the best day of our holiday and we were really pleased that we did this at the start of the holiday because we could then visit the sites that were pointed out during the day. We would highly recommend Celebration Charters as a ‘must do’ activity at the beginning of or during your stay in Corfu!
10:30 boarding the yacht. Rob & Veronica are ready, everything is clean and tidy. Rob is extremely knowledgable, which makes the trip educational and adds a flavor.
We were taken to see Corfu Town from the sea, then towards the North beaches for lunch and got to jump and swim. Plenty of drinks and fruits on board. Comfortable yacht – everything is well-timed.
Our family of four (two boys 8 and 10) spent a wonderful day with Veronica and Robert on board Icarus in July 2018. Wishing to avoid the standard ship-based tours we found Robert and Veronica through TripAdvisor and thought we would do something different. We arrived in the morning from our cruise ship and took a quick cab ride to the marina where we met by Robert and Veronica and were introduced to Icarus. We spent a wonderful morning motoring up the coast of Corfu where Robert and Veronica played the perfect hosts providing refreshments and interesting information about the area we were gentle passing by. A highlight for me was a short swim with Robert into Jack Sparrow’s Cave (I’ll not spoil the secret about the treasure we found here though). In the late morning the breeze picked up and we were able to sail swiftly over towards the Albanian coast before returning to Corfu for lunch a beautiful seaside restaurant that Robert and Veronica recommended. After a delightful Greek lunch we made our way leisurely back towards the marina where Robert had arranged a cab to take us back to port and to our ship in time for departure. Robert and Veronica are tremendous hosts. Our boys particularly enjoyed being able to steer and be the captain of beautiful Icarus. We all have no hesitation in recommending this adventure as a unique day trip off a cruise ship and, if we had the time, we would have loved to spend more time aboard exploring the wonderful Greek islands on a week-long charter. Thank you Robert and Veronica, we will never forget the day and the boys are still talking about our time aboard. Slangevar! David, Liz, Lachie and Campbell.
We spent a day on Icarus as part of my 70th birthday trip to Corfu in June. A fantastic experience delivered by Captain Robert and hostess Veronica. During the whole trip we felt like VIPs. Roberts extensive knowledge of all the places visited added to a truly magnificent day. A day I will never forget and would thoroughly recommend Celebration Charters. They deliver a wonderful experience.
We had an amazing time sailing with Robert and Veronica! We were together for 4 days sailing through several Ionian island and this was one of the highlights of our trip. Veronica and Robert are amazing, the kids loved it.
Me and my wife recently got married in Corfu and with it just being the two of us we decided to spend the day aboard the Icarus. WOW! what a day it turned out to be. As soon as we arrived we were greeted with champagne in hand and the warmest of welcomes by Robert and Veronica, this instantly set the tone, being made to feel so at ease and relaxed throughout our day. Once aboard, Robert sailed us around the edge of Corfu which allowed us to take in the stunning scenery and receive messages of congratulations from locals and tourists at nearby tavernas which made us feel very special. Whilst enjoying champagne on the bow we were then sailed to a restaurant called Tula’s, which Robert and Veronica had organised for us, this was another level of their service that didn’t go unnoticed and we thoroughly enjoyed their restaurant of recommendation. After our informal Mediterranean wedding breakfast we then enjoyed the rest of our day relaxing and were taken to bays where we could swim and snorkel which was fantastic. This was an experience we will never forget and made our day extra special. Veronica is definitely the hostess with mostess and could not do enough for us, with constant replenishing of drinks and snacks, offering to dry our clothes and towels, as well as the graft she puts in with helping Robert sail. With Robert you have very experienced skipper who makes you feel very safe at all times, even when it got a bit choppy whilst on the bow getting drowned by some big waves, which we loved. His knowledge of the islands is also second to none and very interesting, wether it being a part of history or which celebrity lives where. Robert knows his stuff. Overall we could not recommended Celebration Charters highly enough. This is definitely one of the best ways to celebrate any celebration or just a day out! Thank you Robert and Veronica for all you did for us, we will be returning one day. Best wishes James & Faye Makin x
We spent a week in the company of Robert the skipper and Veronica the hostess on board Icarus sailing the north Ionian islands. Their hospitality was second to none, Roberts knowledge of the islands is amazing and Veronica laid on wonderful food and took care of our every need. The yacht is immaculate and very comfortable. The week went far too quick. We visited some amazing places and ate at some great restaurants. It was our perfect holiday experiencing something different every day. We hope to return again and would highly recommend.
Had a fantastic holiday in Corfu. The highlight of our holiday was a fantastic day out on Icarus. Skipper Robert and his fantastic hostess Veronica were amazing, Robert has a wealth of knowledge of the island and it was great to see the Durrell house. We had a lovely lunch stop at taverna glyfa where we were collected and taken ashore by speedboat, something I didn’t think I would do at 68 years young. It really was an experience of a lifetime for me and my family. Thanks again Robert and Veronica… loved it.
My family and I booked this trip for a 50th birthday celebration in June 2018, and had a very special trip around Corfu aboard Icarus with our captain, Robert and hostess, Veronica.
Firstly, the Gouvia Marina was a lovely setting with some fine yachts in the harbour. We were delighted to find that the yacht with the Scotland flag flying high was ours for the day!
Greeting from Robert and Veronica was warm and friendly, and the boat was great too. Exactly what we were hoping for, and comfortably fit 8 adults.
Robert was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Greek islands, which made the trip more interesting as we sailed out. We sailed round Corfu town, incredibly witnessing 7 huge cruise ships docked. This took nothing away from the historic sights of Corfu, in particular the castle and the church. I was particularly pleased that I was allowed to sail the boat for a good period of time around Corfu with the guidance of Robert, who clearly has a passion for sailing.
We stopped for lunch in a restaurant chosen by Robert and Veronica, and I must say it was exceptional (I had a tomohawk steak to share with one other, thoroughly recommend it). The others had mixtures of great fish, beef and risotto, all of which went down a treat.
Leaving the restaurant, a special departure was planned by our hosts, with the birthday boy and his wife sitting at the back of the boat and Amazing Grace playing as we left. This demonstrates the thought that was put into the trip by Robert and Veronica (who also bought a very tasty birthday cake for us to eat, and a couple of bottles of bubbly to enjoy). I caught most of this on video and it will be shared on the charter Facebook page.
We then stopped for some swimming in the sea, into some caves, to top off an unforgettable experience for a 50th birthday.
It’s worth pointing out that I didn’t have to get myself a beer at any point, Veronica was always a step ahead of me.
We’ve done various charter boat trips in countries around the world, this was up there with the very best.
In summary, a magnificent trip with great hosts which ticked all the boxes and more.
My family and I had a fantastic day with Robert and Veronica. Robert’s knowledge of the island is incredible and Veronica is a tremendous host. We also stopped off at Toulas Restaurant in Agni for some amazing food and had a dip in the sea afterwards. It really was a birthday to remember and huge thanks to both Robert and Veronica for making it a special one.
We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with Robert and Veronica aboard their boat Icarus on a multiple day cruise around the Ionian Sea. Their knowledge of the area, best places to go for hiking, sightseeing, food and drink, time to arrive to avoid crowds in ports, history, etc. were invaluable and made the trip perfect. And the meals Veronica prepared on board were exceptional. Highly recommend them, their boat and the expertise they possess. Truly top notch professionals, yet fun people to be around.
Even though almost a month has passed since we had the wonderful day trip aboard the yacht Icarus, the memories are still with us. Lovely captain and his first mate Veronica. We were impressed not only by their sailing and hostessing skills but also by their history knowledge of the region, and not only that. As an English teaching academic I enjoyed the Scottish accent and the culturally grounded talks. Our world is an oyster and we hope we’ll meet again. Way to go, sailing Scotsman.
It does what it says on the Tin!
Celebration Charters is just that and if you have a special occasion, or want to treat yourselves, then this is a good place to start.
Robert is a proud Scot and a highly skilled and capable Master Yachtsman. You are in extremely safe hands. The lovely (also Scottish) Veronica is a quiet and reassuring presence and effortlessly produces meals on board with the minimum of fuss.
Did I mention Veronica also mixes a mean G&T?
The 50ft boat Icarus, Robert and Veronica’s floating home for the summer (he owns it), is immaculate, with lovely comfortable beds and plenty of room to sit around in the cockpit. The itinerary around the Greek islands is exquisite, and they have it off to a fine art (do not miss the snorkeling in the caves off Paxos or dinner in Petriti), but do make sure that you tell Robert in advance if you want to spend as much time as possible out on the water. We were unlucky with the wind a couple of times and ended up berthed in port quite early!
If you want to learn sailing from the best, or just sit and read a book whilst others do all the hard work, then you can’t go wrong.
My husband and I had a lovely week with Robert and Veronica and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them for seeing the best the Ionian has to offer.
