Our Latest Reviews

Anna Valenzuela Avatar
Anna Valenzuela
8/03/2023 - Google
We did the full day charter with Captain Aaron. We had such an amazing time! We were able to see so much and snorkel in many different places. The kids wanted to see Hermit crabs and Captain Aaron delivered. They were so excited watching and racing them! Captain Aaron’s calm and patient demeanor made the trip that much more enjoyable. Would definitely recommend and book again if we go back to the Virgin Islands!
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Sorelle Skelton Avatar
Sorelle Skelton
7/30/2023 - Google
Don’t hesitate on booking this charter! You will love every minute of it! The boat was awesome. They were so knowledgeable about the area. We got to snorkel. They took us to so many great spots. We couldn’t have asked for a better time!! Definitely the highlight of our trip!
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Deanna Ferguson Avatar
Deanna Ferguson
7/25/2023 - Google
We chose the three hour tour due to the limitations of our cruise schedule. That said, it was probably the best three hours of my life. Even though I’ve snorkeled many times, this experience was so special because it was a small group and we could go to little places and move along quickly to make the most of our morning. I got to be right up close to green sea turtles, a nurse shark, and scores of fish. We snorkeled reef, grass flats and a sunken boat area and they even made a special stop so that we could experience the pizza boat. Add that all together plus the perfect island playlist, Captain Aaron’s calm expertise/wealth of jokes and trivia… this experience is seriously not to be missed! It’s way more than just a beautiful day. Booking was easy and communication with Mike (the owner) was straightforward and stress-free. He even helped me arrange transportation to/from the marina and ship’s port. I would give seven stars if I could. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Jane LaFerrara Avatar
Jane LaFerrara
6/29/2023 - Google
I highly recommend Shades of Blue and captain Aaron. It was one of the best days of our trip. Aaron took us sightseeing around the island and brought us to some amazing spots for snorkeling. The perfect end to our day was when Aaron brought us to @pizzapivi for delicious pizza and a beautiful sunset. A great day all around…can’t wait to go back!
janelA665XN Avatar
janelA665XN
5 star rating
6/28/2023 - TripAdvisor
A perfect day on the water! I highly recommend Shades of Blue and captain Aaron. It was one of the best days of our trip. Aaron took us sightseeing around the island and brought us to some amazing spots for snorkeling. The perfect end to our day was when Aaron brought us to @pizzapivi for delicious pizza and a beautiful sunset. A great day all around can’t wait to go back!
Katie Thompson Avatar
Katie Thompson
6/23/2023 - Google
Captain Aaron was wonderful - knowledgeable, affable, funny, unobtrusive, patient. A gem! The sunset was spectacular, the sea turtles were charming, the pizza boat was delicious. 10 out of 10 recommend. No drops of Rum Punch left behind!
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smccr48 Avatar
smccr48
5 star rating
6/21/2023 - TripAdvisor
Shades of Blue Blew Us Away Our Sunset cruise with Shades of Blue was fantastic in every way! Captain Aaron was terrific! He was super efficient, friendly, knowledgeable, and so good with our seven year old grandson. Every action he took was focused on giving us the best experience possible. The snorkeling in two spots was wonderful. The pizza was delicious. The sunset was so beautiful. Having great sound system for our playlists was a plus. The rum punch was a hit! The Island Girl was very clean and well provisioned, providing good space for family time. We all absolutely loved everything about it and it exceeded our expectations by a lot!
Kristen Giordano Avatar
Kristen Giordano
6/11/2023 - Google
We booked this trip for our 10 year wedding anniversary and Mike and Captain Aaron made it very memorable & a one of a kind experience we will never forget. It was my husband’s first time to the USVI’s & Mike went out of his way to accommodate us! Beautiful snorkel spots & unique private beach! We highly recommend booking through Shades of Blue Charters! Hope to visit again!
Anne Chowske Avatar
Anne Chowske
6/07/2023 - Google
We had the very best time on our private sunset cruise with Mike and Debbie on 6/4- our 35th Anniversary! They made us feel comfortable and felt like long time friends. They gave us a bottle Of champagne to toast on our cruise, which was so thoughtful. We saw many great beaches, historical places and other places of interest. We drove fast through some areas, which my husband and I both loved! The water spray and the exhilaration were amazing! We got fantastic photos of the sunset, which was just amazing. We would highly recommend Shades of Blue to anyone looking for a more personalized cruise/charter!
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Jason Shelton Avatar
Jason Shelton
5/31/2023 - Google
Wow, what a trip! Aaron, our Captian was tremendous! Our 1st trip to St. Thomas and they stuffed everything we could want into our 1/2 day. St. John, snorkeling, swimming with sea turtles and so many great photo stops! These guys treat ya right. Our family of 6 (4 kids 18-22) had an afternoon we won’t forget! Thanks Gentlemen… God bless, till next time!
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Jason S Avatar
Jason S
5 star rating
5/31/2023 - TripAdvisor
Perfect Afternoon! Wow! We were cruising with our 4 kids (18-22 years old) and they all said this was the highlight! Aaron was great and provided information and could not have been more helpful to our crew from Tennessee! Worth every dime for this experience!
Suril Dalal Avatar
Suril Dalal
5/16/2023 - Google
My group and I had an absolutely amazing time with Shades of Blue! We booked a full day charter and it was 100% worth it! We saw dolphins, turtles, and tons of fish and coral! Our Captains were super friendly and really assisted our group in feeling comfortable in the water. Even after 7 hours out there we came back wishing we could stay out longer. The boat also looks really nice! I know theres tons of choices for charters (I compared a lot myself) but these guys are both top notch and at a really reasonable price.
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jenniferfO7508DH Avatar
jenniferfO7508DH
5 star rating
5/01/2023 - TripAdvisor
Beyond expectations. We had a great experience with the 3 hour tour. Captain Kirk made sure we saw lots of amazing things and had great stories. We were originally booked on a different day but got rained out. We were so appreciative of Shades of Blue’s efforts to find another time so that we could still get this activity in. We had adults and teenagers in our group and everyone thought this was one of the best things we did on our trip.
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367reggier Avatar
367reggier
5 star rating
4/25/2023 - TripAdvisor
Perfection Aaron was amazing and this charter was easily the highlight of our trip to VI! He knows all of the best spots to see sea turtles, sting rays, starfish, coral reef & more!
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ShannonPecorelli Avatar
ShannonPecorelli
5 star rating
4/24/2023 - TripAdvisor
Best day of vacation, hands down! My family and I (grandparents down to young kids) had an amazing day on our charter. Captain Aaron took us to a few snorkeling spots where we got to see fish, seas turtles, and even a shipwreck. He was super knowledgeable about the area and made sure we had the best time. We stopped at Pizza Pi for lunch and had a blast! The communication before our trip was great, and we found the marina easily. Thank you Captain Aaron for our families “best day of vacation” and we hope to see you again!
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brookewJ9201LB Avatar
brookewJ9201LB
5 star rating
4/18/2023 - TripAdvisor
Amazing AMAZING trip out today on the Island Girl! Snorkeled alongside lots of turtles at a few different remote locations, drinks and apps at Lovango, and we had the best captain Aaron. Highly recommend getting on the water with Shades of Blue!
Sillytoast 3 Avatar
Sillytoast 3
4/15/2023 - Google
Mike and Captain Kirk of Blue Shades charter in St. Thomas was for sure the highlight of our cruise on the ncl encore. By far the best excursion we took all cruise and it worked Perfectly into the ships schedule thanks to mike and his awesome connections with Prince the taxi driver who took us to the boat. Mike got back to us in minutes and kept us up to date on weather, sea conditions etc. Captain Kirk was very personable with great sea stories and his experience as a captain was easily seen. He got us to some calm seas for snorkeling for our two 7 year old boys who never been snorkeling before. We saw tropical fish and some cool coral. The second spot was Maho Bay which had some had some huge sea turtles that swam right next to us!! Captain Kirk gave us a great tour and history of all the surrounding islands. We were sad when it ended. Thank you blue shades charters!
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Heather Rast Avatar
Heather Rast
4/09/2023 - Google
Highly recommend Shades of Blue Charters. Had a full-day boat ride & snorkeling tour around St. Thomas in March. Experienced timely, clear communication to help set up expectations and ensure a good guest experience. Our captain, Aaron, was friendly and funny, knowledgeable and skilled. He was very attuned to our interests without being overly involved in our small group's day. This was my first trip to the island, but when I travel back I'll be sure to book again.
Gregory Dombroski Avatar
Gregory Dombroski
4/07/2023 - Google
My wife and I had a great time with Capt. Kirk on the 3 hour snorkel trip to St. John. He is an excellent boat handler. We had very strong winds with 2-3 footers in Pillsbury Sound and the waters around St. John and the St. James islands. He handled the wind and the waves with ease. The reef snorkel was good, but the best was swimming with the sea turtles. I was able to hang out and watch 4 of them casually swimming around me. Capt. Kirk is a wealth of info about the Virgin Isles and pointed out many points of interest. Highly recommend Shades of Blue!!.
deb fisher Avatar
deb fisher
4/05/2023 - Google
Great day on the water with Captain Aaron. We have been snorkeling St. John for many years, but he was able to find new spots for us to visit. All three spots were beautiful!! This was our second trip with Shades of Blue in two weeks, and both trips were winners. We will definitely do this again next year!!
Marnie C Avatar
Marnie C
5 star rating
4/04/2023 - TripAdvisor
Best Day on the Water with Teens Not sure where to start but I know we didn’t want our trip to end! Amazing time on the water with Captain Aaron. Completely worth doing a private charter even for our small group - two teens and mom! Teens queued up their own music - important. Aaron knew just where to take us for the best snorkeling at our own pace, pulled up to a pizza boat before our last snorkeling adventure at Christmas Cove, and couldn’t stop smiling. Thank you for the memories. We will be back and maybe for a full day!
Sox2004 Avatar
Sox2004
5 star rating
4/02/2023 - TripAdvisor
Blue shades charters for the Win! Highlight of our cruise on encore! Had the boat to ourselves. 4 adults and two 7 year old boys. Went to two terrific snorkeling spots and Captain Kirk and Mike did not disappoint.
Saw huge sea turtles, coral, a goat chillin on rocks and tour of all the islands.
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Toyin Idowu Avatar
Toyin Idowu
2/13/2023 - Google
Such a fun day!! The captain/crew were so nice, and the boat was beautiful, clean and comfortable with good sun coverage! The 3 stops were nice - our day of travel the waters were a little bit turned up so we visited alternative stops south side of St. John. We had a blast just enjoying ourselves out on the water on an otherwise beautiful day. They did a great job of accommodating the two kiddos 2&4 y/o that we had on board. The kids really like the last stop on the little island with all the hermit crabs. And booking was super easy, and so responsive to our questions. Would 100% recommend Shades of Blue Charters!!
Tricia Bouma Avatar
Tricia Bouma
2/11/2023 - Google
We chartered with Shades of Blue. We had Captain Kirk and I can tell you that this was one of the best days we had on the water. His knowledge of the island was incredible. We swam with turtles, got up close with a hump back whale and had a great lunch at lovango Bay. I would highly recommend shades of blue. Our charter was one for the record.
FLC Forms Fulchino Avatar
FLC Forms Fulchino
1/27/2023 - Google
Day on the water with the kids and grandkids…..priceless! Captain G. was awesome with the kids, aged 5 - 10, and there are 4 of them! Christmas Cove snorkeling the sunken wreck, lunch at the pizza boat, Pizza Pi. Cruised the coastline all the way to the airport. Watched a jet land…..kids loved that. They even drove the boat! A day they’ll remember for the rest of their lives! I can’t recommend this charter company enough, the owner Mike, his 3 captains (G., Aaron and Kirk) and the perfect sized catamaran for a group up to 10 people! This is our 4th or 5th time out on the Island Girl with another one coming up next week!
patsy8993 Avatar
patsy8993
5 star rating
1/15/2023 - TripAdvisor
Beautiful Birthday with Shades of Blue! Had a great day with Captain Kirk & Cindy! Loved boating, snorkeling (turtles, starfish, rays) in beautiful coves with white sand beaches. Great lunch at Lovongo. They made my husband’s birthday one he’ll always remember!
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Kevin Barton Avatar
Kevin Barton
11/27/2022 - Google
Went out with Shades of Blue Charters today for a full day tour of St. John’s and a lunch stop on St. Thomas. We were picked up in Cruz Bay on a beautiful power catamaran with twin 300hp Suzuki 4 stroke motors. The engines were super quiet and smooth. The boat had a Bimini cover for the entire boat to keep us shaded from the sun. Captain Aaron was delightful and accommodating. He first took us on a sight seeing tour of some of the most beautiful coves on the north side of the island. Then we went snorkeling at a few of his favorite spots that are difficult to access by land. He gave us numerous lunch options, but we ultimately decided on Sapphire Beach on St. Thomas since we had not been over there. The food was great and there were multiple options including gourmet pizza and tacos overlooking a gorgeous beach with probably the nicest view of the islands to be found. Booking the boat was also quite easy and they were very responsive answering the phone. This was our family’s favorite day in St. John getting to see the islands by private boat. Thanks so much again for the experience and look forward to seeing you guys again on our next visit. Cheers!
Tim Gould Avatar
Tim Gould
11/27/2022 - Google
Captain Aaron took us out on a fantastic thanksgiving adventure. The boat was fabulous. The rum punch was top notch. I know he didn’t make the weather but the weather was perfect! We went to St. John and explored some of the beaches and crystal blue waters. If your gonna take a tour the St. John waters is the best I have seen in my life. Aaron was east to talk with. Easy to deal with. Super chill.
Gerald Greeley Avatar
Gerald Greeley
6/13/2022 - Google
Beautiful boat! Had a fabulous day checking out beaches and snorkeling. Captain Aaron was top notch. He gave us island history and new great spots. Highly recommend and will be sure to book again on our next trip.
Gerald G Avatar
Gerald G
5 star rating
6/05/2022 - TripAdvisor
Awesome day on the sea in the USVI. Outstanding day on Island Girl with Captain Aaron. A beautiful boat and great sites to see. We enjoyed the snorkeling and education.

We highly recommend Shades of Blue!

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