Blue Azores
Blue Azores
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Santa Maria, Portugal
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
12 reviews
Excellent
9
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
3
Cora
Vila Nova do Sul, RS2 contributions
Sep 2019
We (myself, my wife and three kids 5,7 and 11 years) chartered the Catamaran "Moby Dick" for one week and had a great holiday sailing around the islands. Beautiful islands, but also largely due to Mike, our skipper and guide. Very experienced and very nice, showed us just all the right things. Can be recommended three times over!
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SebMuck
Berlin, Germany1 contribution
Aug 2018 • Friends
We did a sailing trip over one week and it was pure fun combined with a relaxed atmosphere. Skipper Mike did a great job and teached us some sailing basics. We enjoyed a great nature between Santa Maria and Sao Miguel and were impressed of the deep blue ocean by day and the clear sky by night.
There were some days with less wind but Mike told us quite clear, what our possibilities are and so we had a great trip, although we modified our track.
Clear recommendation!
There were some days with less wind but Mike told us quite clear, what our possibilities are and so we had a great trip, although we modified our track.
Clear recommendation!
Written September 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
derstefan157
2 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
We (5 friends) had a wonderful trip with our captain Mike. We were a little unlucky with the wind so we had to change the route but that's what happens when you rely on mother nature in order to do saying right. The captain Mike is quite a character and when get to know him better he is a wonderful person whose only aim it is that everybody has a good time on-board. We definitely will come back on deck. Cheers!
Written September 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gerby M
Ponta Delgada, Portugal4 contributions
Jun 2021
I was invited by a group of friends to participate in a sailing expedition to explore the Azores banks for seabirds.
The people came from all over the world to Ponta Delgada but Mike just did not show up. As we did not hear from him we contact him by phone and Email and he came with total unreasonable excuses like "wrong" winds (I used to sail on the Azores for many years myself" and end up to sugest that we do the tour another time. Of course this was not a option so my friends asked a refund from the more than 7000€ payed to Mike but he did not reply to this. He just rpped us off. Take care and look for a real charter company if you need one.
The people came from all over the world to Ponta Delgada but Mike just did not show up. As we did not hear from him we contact him by phone and Email and he came with total unreasonable excuses like "wrong" winds (I used to sail on the Azores for many years myself" and end up to sugest that we do the tour another time. Of course this was not a option so my friends asked a refund from the more than 7000€ payed to Mike but he did not reply to this. He just rpped us off. Take care and look for a real charter company if you need one.
Written September 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chelsey R
5 contributions
Sep 2017 • Couples
I took at trip with my mother in law and husband in September 2017 with Blue Azores sailing. We ended up leaving 3 days in to the 8 day tour. The skipper was unprofessional. I would not recommend.
Written December 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This young lady chartered a sailing boat evidently without realising that a sailing boat needs wind to travel. After a great day's sail we encountered slack winds and had to stay in the marina in Ponta Delgada. I wanted to offer alternative activities like coastering, canyoning etc., but the group prefered to continue by plane to the other azorean islands. Ms.Chelsey had paid by PayPal and tried to get a refund via them, but the claim was refused as unfounded and the money was returned to me, hence her harsh review.
Written January 10, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
alasdairdoyle
London, UK1 contribution
May 2018 • Friends
I enlisted the service of Mikeal Bahner at Blue Azores (Moby Dick) in January 2018, with the intent of embarking on a 1500 mile trip over the course of two weeks. It was meant to be the trip of a lifetime, with several friends, however quickly became a terrifying experience at sea with a tyrant high on power and drunk on boxes of red wine, and a complete lack of respect and manners for crew members on board.
Immediately upon arriving to Santa Maria, there were several points of concern, namely the boats readiness to undertake such a trip, as well as the captain's capacity to lead a group out to sea with a varying degree of experience and skill. None of us however could anticipate the degree of unprofessionalism, and at times, aggression and hostility he would show to myself and the others at sea.
This included a bizarre incident where he wittingly dropped the foresail onto my head, as well as cursing personnel on board, and ongoing sexual harassment of female members of the crew.
After four days at sea, we had clocked only 132 miles of the trip and it was suggested to us to return to Santa Maria. Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, we agreed, however suggested that it would only be fair that some of the money would be returned, given that clearly the agreement we had, had not been met. At this point, he became increasingly volatile in his behaviour, and personnel on board became concern for their own safety. This included him communicating to one of the members of crew that he was in 'no rush to return to Santa Maria, if we were seeking some form of refund.'
Accordingly he was looking to keep us at sea, despite clearly expressing our wish to return as soon as possible to Santa Maria, to exhaust as much of the two-weeks of possible and deligitimise any claims for refund. He was deliberately holding us without reason against our will at sea.
In total we were at sea 7 of the 14 day charter, and covered only 264 of the 1500 mile trip agreed upon. Numerous requests for some form of refund for the money paid was flatly refused.
We had additionally agreed to split food costs between the crew and himself. We are also yet to receive any money for this.
Further to this, we frequently witnessed Mike dumping various types of rubbish into the water, including tin cans, glass bottles, milk cartons etc., despite our attempts of collecting them for later disposal at harbour. He also assured us that this had no 'negative' impact on the environment.
Further to this, we were never issued receipts or presented with the necessary paperwork to undertake such a trip.
There are several others Boat Charters based out of the otherwise beautiful and friendly island of Santa Maria, that have been since highly recommended to us (Golden Sail, and Water and Wind), and others across the Azores islands. Prices are largely comparable. If only we had known before.
I should have been more scrupulous before committing to the trip, and done greater research before heading out to sea. Please don't make the same mistake I made.
*Please don't confuse this with the Whale Tours, with the same boat name, or the accommodation called 'Out of Blue Azores'.
Immediately upon arriving to Santa Maria, there were several points of concern, namely the boats readiness to undertake such a trip, as well as the captain's capacity to lead a group out to sea with a varying degree of experience and skill. None of us however could anticipate the degree of unprofessionalism, and at times, aggression and hostility he would show to myself and the others at sea.
This included a bizarre incident where he wittingly dropped the foresail onto my head, as well as cursing personnel on board, and ongoing sexual harassment of female members of the crew.
After four days at sea, we had clocked only 132 miles of the trip and it was suggested to us to return to Santa Maria. Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, we agreed, however suggested that it would only be fair that some of the money would be returned, given that clearly the agreement we had, had not been met. At this point, he became increasingly volatile in his behaviour, and personnel on board became concern for their own safety. This included him communicating to one of the members of crew that he was in 'no rush to return to Santa Maria, if we were seeking some form of refund.'
Accordingly he was looking to keep us at sea, despite clearly expressing our wish to return as soon as possible to Santa Maria, to exhaust as much of the two-weeks of possible and deligitimise any claims for refund. He was deliberately holding us without reason against our will at sea.
In total we were at sea 7 of the 14 day charter, and covered only 264 of the 1500 mile trip agreed upon. Numerous requests for some form of refund for the money paid was flatly refused.
We had additionally agreed to split food costs between the crew and himself. We are also yet to receive any money for this.
Further to this, we frequently witnessed Mike dumping various types of rubbish into the water, including tin cans, glass bottles, milk cartons etc., despite our attempts of collecting them for later disposal at harbour. He also assured us that this had no 'negative' impact on the environment.
Further to this, we were never issued receipts or presented with the necessary paperwork to undertake such a trip.
There are several others Boat Charters based out of the otherwise beautiful and friendly island of Santa Maria, that have been since highly recommended to us (Golden Sail, and Water and Wind), and others across the Azores islands. Prices are largely comparable. If only we had known before.
I should have been more scrupulous before committing to the trip, and done greater research before heading out to sea. Please don't make the same mistake I made.
*Please don't confuse this with the Whale Tours, with the same boat name, or the accommodation called 'Out of Blue Azores'.
Written May 24, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mr. Doyle had in fact chartered my boat to go to his “antipode” as he called it, which is in the mid-Atlantic. He is a Master of Contemporary Art and brought three young female students with him. Unfortunately we encountered slack winds at the beginning of the journey and had to turn back as Mr. and his company had booked flights home. Mr. Doyle turned down my suggestion that we visit the other Azorean Islands instead and immediately demanded a refund, at first 30% and later 50% on the grounds that we had only been out one week. This is contrary to all charter practice, the boat was at his sole disposal for the time he had booked and could not anymore be offered to other customers. I refused, I am not responsible for wind or weather. After this Mr. Doyle and his companions became very hostile and mean, smeared my Facebook page, wrote the reviews in TripAdvisor, complained to authorities etc. not hesitating to use any lies or fabrications:
Written November 3, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Cora
Lisbon, Portugal2 contributions
Sep 2019
We had a great holiday sailing around the Azores with the Catamaran "Moby Dick." After this I do not think I will ever charter a monohull again, this was soooo much more comfortable and enjoyable! Can be strongly recommended! Mike- the skipper- also showed us around on the islands and made our trip really interesting and exciting. Everything was suuuper!
Written January 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mikeglosh
2 contributions
Sep 2019
Very nice boat! Veeery nice skipper! Beautiful islands! Alltogether a great holiday! Can absolutely be recommended!
Written November 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fockaffe22
1 contribution
Nov 2017 • Friends
In November 2017 we sailed with Moby Dick to Madeira. MB is a high sea going catamaran. We always felt safe. Especially at high waves. Mike is a skipper who completely masters MB.
Written October 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Annsilein
Karlsruhe, Germany1 contribution
Aug 2018 • Friends
It was my first time on a boat and at the acores and it couldn't be much better. Mike taught me a lot about the sea, the islands and the Moby Dick. It was a great experience and I never felt unsave.
Written September 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.