What a difference from last year at this time. That’s when Joe and I ran out to buy extra blankets cause it was SO cold on the lake….even though our yachts are heated!

We dug up a picture of some of the guests on Theresa Carter’s (The Local Tourist) charter last June that she won in our drawing. You’ll see that her guests are celebrating decked out in red fleece. Yes, it was summer in Chicago! They still had a great time on her birthday cruise…. but how much nicer to be cruising Lake Michigan when the weather is warm and beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful….the forecast is looking really fabulous for cruises. Mid 70s, a few 80s and a lot of those little sun icons we love so much.

If you’ve been thinking how much fun it would be to round up a group of friends and spend three hours on a luxury yacht cruising Lake Michigan, this is the perfect time. You don’t need a large group. Our smaller yacht, the Gypsy Spirit, holds up to 50 people, the perfect size for an intimate gathering. The Free Spirit is our larger luxury yacht that can accommodate up to 120 guests. But you don’t need that size group to book a cruise.

And you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy the spectacular Chicago skyline from a yacht on Lake Michigan. Although we do lots of parties and weddings and meetings, we also do “no special reason we just love to be on a yacht” charters.

All you need is some nice weather and some friends you like to be with. We’ll take care of the menu and drinks and make sure you and your friends are happy campers sailors.

Our Saturdays are pretty booked (although we do get periodic cancellations so if you have a special date in mind, always give us a call). But we’ve got some Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons (talk about a super way to relax on a Sunday!) and some weekdays here and there that are open.

To see some more of our happy sailors (most out on deck without blankets!), check out our photo gallery.

Puttin’ around the Marco waterways, and all you feel is the warm sun melting your stress away, the dazzling water gently motioning underneath and an innate calmness from being around water.

And then you see “No Wake.” What does that mean? In boating terms, “slow down”.  But it could certainly apply to more than your speed on the water.

Being in Marco Island (sometimes referred to as “God’s Waiting Room”) put’s a totally different perspective on life. Every day we hear pearls of wisdom like “You can’t buy time”…. “Time and tide waits for no man”….. “You can’t roller skate to heaven with your money”….and so on.

The message is always the same though the words may differ. Slow down and enjoy yourself. Take the time to note the good things in your life. Sometimes we take them for granted.

We really enjoy meeting people, being on the water, and sharing special moments. This is how we have fun.  But we always find great pleasure in seeing other people slow down and relax as well. That’s why we love seeing our clients enjoying time with their friends and family when they’re on a charter with us.

We hope you’ll keep Free Spirit Yacht Cruises in mind for celebrating the good times in your life.

Now that Summer has truly arrived in our fair city, we’re moving into Fall….or at least what should be Fall.  This is the weather we were supposed to have in June. Sunny, warm and beautiful.

It’s been good news for our clients who’ve had fabulous weather for their Lake Michigan private charters. The Free Spirit and Gypsy Spirit have been busy and booked with a bunch of company outings, a tour group from Italy, a group of friends in town to see U2 and some birthday parties.

We did manage to sneak a little time in on Sunday for our own private family and friends cruise. Thanks, Captain Joe. You’re the best!

Super weather?

A matter of opinion.

The Free Spirit and Gypsy Spirit were definitely rockin’ and rollin’.

Let’s see……after a week filled with company cruises, a group of sisters, who had cruised with us earlier in the summer, decided to bring their husbands and celebrate one couple’s 40th anniversary on a charter for eleven people.

A group of 26 friends who get together once a year to catch up had their 4th annual “Connection Cruise” on a Free Spirit Luxury Yacht.

We had two beautiful weddings. And on Sunday, we hosted a charter cruise for a silent auction benefiting St. Chrysostoms for the third year.

Did you do anything exciting over the weekend?

“There are other cruises, but I personally recommend this one because Joe & Angela make it such an intimate experience. They hosted my birthday/fundraiser on the Free Spirit in June and it was truly one of the best evenings I’ve ever had in Chicago – and considering what I do for a living that’s a statement!” Theresa Carter, The Local Tourist

Booking Your Charter

How far in advance should we book our special event?

Once you know the date and time of day, you should contact us. If you have an alternate date/time, please let us know. Our yachts can be booked many months in advance, so better to book ahead than wait.

To Confirm Your Date

We cannot guarantee a date will be available for either of our charter yachts without a deposit.

Terms

A deposit is required to hold a charter reservation for your event.  The deposit is 50% of the Chicago Yacht Charter. 

The balance, along with final guest count, is due 10 days prior to your charter date.

What happens if it rains or the weather won’t cooperate?

Your charter will proceed as scheduled. Our yachts are large enough to have your group inside, the food will have been ordered, and your guests invited. We’ve hosted lots of parties and meetings when the weather was less than ideal. 

Can I get a refund?

Sorry, there are no refunds due to inclement weather. All bookings are non-refundable.

Food

Do you provide catering or can we bring our own food aboard the Free Spirit or Gypsy Spirit for our event?

We work with the city’s finest caterers to provide an extraordinary variety of customized menus that will excite your taste buds and delight your guests. You may also customize your own menu. 

We highly recommended using our existing catering menus since they have been designed specifically for the yachts (and taste tested by thousands of happy guests).

Exceptions

If you really want to have your own special caterer, there is a $300. outside catering fee, and you must show proof of insurance.  The outside catering fee will be going up to $500. after February 15th.

Drink

Do you provide beverage service or can we bring our own? 

We have several bar packages, which are broken down on our Bar Menu.  All numbers must be guaranteed 10 days prior when final payment is made on your cruise. At this time, the number of people attending the cruise may be increased; however, there will be no refunds if the numbers are decreased.

You cannot bring your own beverages because we have our own liquor license. Cruise guests will not be permitted to bring aboard liquor or carry it off of the yachts; all liquor must be consumed while on board the ship.

Referrals

Who would I know who has rented your yachts?

You can view a partial client list here:

www.freespiritcruises.com/corporate-clients.html 

And check out some of our testimonials.

Any restrictions?

There is no smoking on the Free Spirit Yacht Cruises. And we don’t book bachelor parties (sorry, guys). But we do host bridal and baby showers.