Portland RoadsReviews 355

AN UNBELIEVABLE BUCKET-LIST ITEM THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET! My family of 6 recently completed a skippered charter aboard 'Portland Roads' (Abell Point Marina) after wanting to experience The Whitsundays by boat for several years. At first we werent quite sure what to expect with our minimal boating experience, however as soon as we met John (our skipper) all the nerves were settled. John was absolutely amazing from prior to boarding, right through until our goodbyes. He shared stories, incredible local knowledge, the best snorkeling places to visit, boating information & experience and all the while allowing us to completely relax and take in the beauty of the Whitsundays! John showed us all the little intricacies of sailing to provide us with the know-how for when we travel with Portland Roads again on a ˜bare boat charter. ˜Portland Roads was incredibly an well-maintained boat with very comfortable bedding and lounges that made you feel like home. The kitchen had all the modern appliances needed and the bathrooms were immaculate. The sound system and TV were a great touch, however we didnt even turn the TV on once in 5 days due to the enjoyment of the trip! Words simply cannot describe the complete holiday that this actually was! We would like to thank John, Mick and all the team at Portland Roads for making this the perfect holiday, 5 days was simply not long enough! I HIGHLY recommend that if you choose The Whitsundays as your destination. For an experience you will never forget, contact John at Portland Roads to ensure that you are sailing with the BEST.

I cannot believe how brilliant this holiday was. Even the booking process with John was so much fun. Then we met Mike. He is such a great guy and handled our rookie crew with care and laughter during the briefing. He is so passionate about his boats and the Great Barrier Reef. What followed was my favourite holiday ever. I've done my fair share of traveling but this takes the cake. I am land-sick already and want to go back out on the water again on (my boat) Portland Roads. Thanks everyone - Very Special

Everyone needs to do this once in their lifetime - WOW! With John handling the booking we were spoiled with information. We used Whitsunday Provisioning so arrival to the boat was a breeze. And what a boat! We'd booked Portland Roads, what an inspiring choice, she's beautiful. Mike's briefing was exactly what us land lubbers needed and his daily calls helped create a holiday we will never forget. Thanks Mike. Everything about this holiday was Gold. Next year was going to be sailing the Med, not now - We're all coming back, please look after our boat until then. Love and Laughter Leriah

Beautifully presented vessels, well maintained and exceptional pre and post charter service are the few words that come to mind when I think of Portland Roads. There are quite a number of bareboat charter companies in and around the Whitsundays. In my years I have bareboated with a number of different operators in the Whitsundays. John the operational owner and his team are a set above the rest! They have a small fleet but a large to attention to detail. Having felt more like a number in past experiences with other operators, Portland Roads clearly feels like a family run business with the same genuine warmth that one would hope to find your own home. Thank you for for an exceptional charter and overall experience Portland Roads. The Whitsundays truly are a gem and you guys are delivering it on a platter.

We recently completed 14 days aboard Portland Roads. The boat is fully equipped and for the six of us was very comfortable with plenty of room and facilities to enable a magic cruising experience. Having limited sailing experience did not prove a problem as we operated under diesel power much of the time with occasional use of the jib.The comprehensive pre-departure briefing and ongoing twice daily support from the company gives great reassurance and confidence that provided you are conservative and follow instructions you can be assured of a totally enjoyable and problem free experience.We cannot recommend a holiday aboard Portland Roads highly enough and would like to thank management and staff for making our dream holiday a reality. Mike S

We recently returned from 7 nights on Lucy sailing and motoring around the stunning Whitsundays.It was smooth sailing from booking online to boarding and back. Deano gave us a thorough, informative and lengthy initiation to the boat, the surroundings, safety, where to swim and where NOT to swim, best beaches to Moore for the night and lots more.We did some fabulous snorkeling, swam and fished reconnected with nature, family and friends. I would highly recommend Portland Roads sailing company, their communication was prompt and friendly.

On Southern Man sailing around the Whitsundays was Paradise. Marks briefing was perfect to help us feel ready for our 5 days adventure. Southern Man had every thing we needed for the perfect relaxing holiday. Sitting on the comfortable outdoor chairs watching the sun rise & set, gazing at the clear night sky with beautiful stars was amazing. Recommend this boat with the 4 cabins & bathrooms its was perfect for our adventure. Thank you

We recently shared Portland Roads with 3 other couples. She is a very spacious and comfortable catamaran for a group of that size. Lots of refrigeration and freezer space and all of our food stayed frozen for the entire 8 days. Loved the indoor and outdoor tables and the lovely seats up the bow. Best of all was our briefer Mike. He had all the answers and went out of his way to help us out when needed. Recommend both the catamaran and the company for anyone considering their dream trip to the Whitsundays.

What an amazing experience to share with our children! We learnt and saw so many new and exciting things. Sailing added a wonderful dynamic to our trip. Once the motor was turned off and we were sailing to our destination, we gained a greater depth of appreciation for relaxation, feeling the motion of the ocean and hearing the gentile waters pass by.The Whitsundays are so beautiful I wish I could bottle it up and take it home with me. Thank you to Portland Roads for making our trip so easy, we felt safe and very well looked after. Thank you.

I cant rave enough about the experience we had on the Due West on our recent trip. Portland Road made everything easy for us. Deano gave us all the information we needed for a safe trip.The boat was all decked out with everything we needed for a relaxing, fun adventure... including a coffee machine! Waking up to a fresh coffee, and immersing myself in the spectacular beauty of the Whitsundays was mind-blowing. Sailing around the islands and swimming at White Haven Beach was absolutely breathtaking. An experience i will never forget and one i have not stopped encouraging people to book. Its great value and a lasting memory.

What a wonderful adventure we went had and what an exceptional part of the world you guy have up there in the Whitsundays. Everything was beyond our expectations, and we had high expectations as we have tried most of the charter companies in the Whitsunday, Caribbean and the Mediterranean. There were 6 of us onboard, 2 being children and we found the catamaran Southern Man well equipped and totally safe. There was more than enough room for us, and we loved the layout. The uptop galley was great with ample fridge and freezer space. Mark looked after us from the get go, picking us up at the airport and hiring us his van to get supplies. He covered everything in his briefing and communicated daily to answer any questions. I would not hesitate to recommend the guys from Portland Roads as it was totally professional from the beginning to the end. Well be back.