Featured Yacht PALOMA: Caribbean Adventure Aboard a 2024 Lagoon Sixty5

PALOMA is a luxury catamaran charter in the Virgin Islands built for guests who refuse to choose between performance and indulgence. At 65 feet and award-nominated in design, this 2024 Lagoon Sixty5 accommodates up to 10 guests across four ensuite cabins, crewed by three gifted South Africans who bring warmth, skill, and a genuine love of the sea to every charter.

Her design credentials are no accident. VPLP Design - with Patrick le Quément shaping the exterior and Nauta Design crafting the interior - created a vessel nominated for Best Boats 2022. On the water, she looks exactly as good as that sounds: broad, purposeful, and unmistakably contemporary.

The Virgin Islands suit her perfectly. PALOMA sails year-round between the BVI's legendary anchorages - Norman Island, the Baths, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke - and the USVI's quieter coves, with a toy inventory and a crew disposition that keep guests fully engaged from sunrise to sundowner.

A catamaran designed to be lived in, not just sailed

Most charter catamarans ask you to trade interior quality for deck space. PALOMA refuses that compromise. Her Nauta Design interiors feel closer to a well-appointed boutique villa than a production charter yacht: broad windows flood every saloon in Caribbean light, quality furnishings anchor each social zone, and the sense of genuine space is something you feel the moment you step aboard.

For groups, she's engineered for togetherness. The main saloon integrates a fully equipped galley, a generous dining table, and a plush lounge in a single, open-plan flow. The aft deck functions as a second dining room: shaded, sea-level, and perfectly positioned for a long lunch while the tender is still running. The flybridge, elevated above it all, offers panoramic views alongside a large dining table and comfortable seating that earns its place on every itinerary.

What distinguishes PALOMA in the charter market isn't any single feature. It's the accumulation of details that signal a vessel managed with genuine care: the Bang & Olufsen sound system, the underwater lights, the Dyson hairdryers in every cabin, the hydraulic aft platform. Guests who charter here regularly notice it within the first hour. First-timers simply feel extraordinarily well looked after.

Accommodations and onboard living

PALOMA accommodates up to 10 guests across four ensuite cabins, each with its own shower, electric head, and private wash basin. The layout adapts sensibly to different group configurations, a rare flexibility in this size class.

The owners' cabin sets the tone. A queen bed, generous closet, working desk, and a sofa occupy a full-beam space with direct private access to the aft deck, the kind of arrangement that genuinely earns the "owners'" designation. Two double guest cabins each offer a queen bed, full bathroom, and wardrobes. The fourth cabin features two bunk beds that sleep up to four guests, complete with safety railings, under-bed storage, and wardrobe space that makes it ideal for younger guests - though, as the brochure notes, configurations can flex: for eight adults, the bunk cabin converts to a twin cabin with beds pushed together as a queen.

Every cabin arrives stocked with high-end shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and - a considered touch - two Dyson hairdryers with full styling tools. The galley runs on premium equipment: a professional coffee machine, a Nutribullet blender, icemaker, dishwasher, washer/dryer, and elegant tableware that makes Chef Bianca's productions look as good as they taste.

Life on deck

Board PALOMA from the hydraulic aft platform - wide, flush with the water, and designed for easy access to the sea - and the outdoor hierarchy reveals itself immediately. The aft deck anchors daily life at sea level: shaded dining, cocktail hours, and the particular pleasure of watching an anchorage come into focus as you arrive.

Forward, the foredeck terrace is where the day's pace slows to something genuinely restorative. Sunbeds, comfortable sofas, and coffee tables fill the space - sun-warmed teak underfoot, the sound of water, nothing more pressing on the agenda than deciding which island comes next. The forward trampoline area extends that feeling out over the water, suspension above the Caribbean in the most literal sense.

The flybridge commands the whole picture: a dining table large enough for the full group, open sky in every direction, and views that - whether you're at anchor in Anegada's coral-rimmed shallows or running between islands under full sail - remind you precisely why you came.

Meet the crew

Captain Sean Knott

Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Captain Sean has spent six years navigating the world's oceans, including an Atlantic crossing that qualifies him far beyond the Caribbean's sun-drenched demands. His certifications - Yachtmaster Ocean, Divemaster, MCA AEC1 - speak to a professional standard that guests sense in how the vessel moves, how passages are planned, and how quickly a problem disappears before it reaches you.

Away from the helm, Sean grew up wakeboarding and water skiing, and has since added kitesurfing and e-foiling to his repertoire. That personal investment in water sports shapes how he approaches the toy inventory and the activity programme: he knows what works, what's genuinely fun, and how to read a group's energy. His sense of humour rounds out a captain who delivers both safety and enjoyment in equal measure.

Chef/first mate Bianca Cox

Bianca grew up in Noordhoek on the Cape Peninsula coast - snorkelling, paddleboarding, surfing - a childhood that shaped both her connection to the sea and the sensibility she brings to the galley. She holds a SYSA Superyacht Chef certification with both introductory and advanced culinary courses completed in Cape Town, and brings over five years of Caribbean yachting experience alongside a broader hospitality background in waitressing, bartending, and childcare.

What sets Bianca apart isn't just technical range, though her menu demonstrates that clearly, it's the feel she creates around the table. Every meal is an experience, calibrated to the group, the location, and the day you've had. She also holds a PADI Open Water qualification, meaning she's as confident taking guests to explore a reef as she is plating a multi-course dinner.

Deckhand/steward Brandon Knödl

Originally from Johannesburg, Brandon arrived in yachting via more than five years in luxury hospitality, where he developed a serious and studied approach to mixology. His philosophy - that a great cocktail should tell a story through flavour, presentation, and technique - plays out beautifully on a yacht. Whether it's a classic with a South African twist or something entirely original inspired by the surroundings, Brandon brings a considered creativity to every pour that elevates the cocktail hour from a habit to a highlight.

A menu worth talking about

Chef Bianca's sample menu reads like a document of ambition. It draws on Caribbean ingredients, South African heritage, and serious classical training to produce a programme that surprises without ever feeling performative.

Breakfasts range from Anegada Lobster Eggs Benedict with habanero-infused hollandaise to South African Malva-inspired Shakshuka, homemade sticky cinnamon buns, bagel lox boards, and build-your-own crepe bars. These aren't afterthoughts, they're opening statements for the day ahead.

Lunches cover serious ground: fresh lobster rolls on homemade toasted potato buns, Wagyu smash burgers with truffle fries, 24-hour sous-vide BVI coffee-and-cacao pork ribs, blackened local wahoo tacos, and yellowfin tuna poke bowls with sticky sushi rice and fresh mango. The menu leans local wherever the catch allows.

Dinners escalate the ambition: pan-seared miso Chilean sea bass with roasted lemon broccoli, rack of lamb with pistachio herb crust and mint yogurt sauce, lobster risotto with spring peas and lemon, and Caribbean-spiced fish with coconut rice, sweet plantains, and a spicy passionfruit beurre blanc that captures the islands in a single sauce.

Desserts close things out with South African Malva pudding and homemade custard, Milktart with cinnamon sugar, white chocolate matcha lava cake with raspberry pink peppercorn sorbet, and a lavender crème brûlée with fresh berries.

Brandon's cocktail programme accompanies it all, a bespoke drinks menu that adjusts to each group's palate and the anchorage of the moment.

Adventure, comfort and on-water living

PALOMA's water toy inventory is one of the most comprehensive in the Virgin Islands charter fleet, and it's deployed with the enthusiasm of a crew who actually uses this equipment. A brief introductory session with Captain Sean is usually all it takes to convince even hesitant guests to try the e-foils.

The full inventory includes:

• Two Lift e-foils - among the most exhilarating toys available on any charter vessel

• Four Sublue MixPro underwater scooters - ideal for reef exploration and guided snorkel tours with Bianca

• Spacious 150bhp Williams SportJet tender - fast, capable, and suitable for all towing watersports

• Wakeboard and waterskis (including mono-ski)

• Towable donut

• Two stand-up paddleboards (SUP)

• Floating dock (Boteboard inflatable dock)

• Inflatable hammocks and large inflatable bed

• Full snorkelling equipment for all guests

• Yoga mats

• Fishing gear, underwater camera, and underwater video equipment

• Hydraulic aft platform and retractable gangway for seamless water access
  

For certified divers, PALOMA offers rendezvous diving - the BVI's exceptional sites, including the wreck of the Rhone, are easily accessed via local operators. Connectivity is handled by Starlink WiFi, ensuring seamless service wherever you anchor. The Bang & Olufsen sound system and a TV screen projector in the salon complete the onboard entertainment picture.

Why PALOMA stands out in the charter market

Among luxury catamarans in the Virgin Islands, PALOMA occupies a specific and compelling position: she's the choice for guests who want a genuinely design-forward vessel - award-nominated, VPLP and Nauta-pedigreed - without sacrificing the toy inventory and activity depth that make a Caribbean charter genuinely memorable. At 65 feet with a 33-foot beam, she carries 10 guests without compression, offering the kind of personal space that larger groups so often sacrifice.

The crew is the decisive factor. Sean, Bianca, and Brandon bring complementary excellence: navigation and water sports, culinary artistry, and cocktail craft - all delivered with a South African warmth and directness that experienced charterers consistently identify as the difference between a good trip and an unforgettable one. When your e-foil instructor is also your Divemaster and your captain is also your wakeboarding coach, the itinerary becomes something genuinely your own.

Charter rates and availability

PALOMA charters at $59,900 to $62,900 per week, all-inclusive, for up to 10 guests. The all-inclusive rate covers all meals, bar, fuel, harbour fees, and water toy use - with gratuity customary at 15–20% of the charter fee. She sails year-round in the Virgin Islands, making her available for both high-season Caribbean escapes and the quieter, equally rewarding shoulder months. Peak weeks book early; if PALOMA is on your radar, the time to enquire is now.

For a luxury catamaran charter in the Virgin Islands that combines award-nominated design, a world-class toy inventory, and a crew whose individual talents are as impressive as their collective chemistry, PALOMA belongs at the top of your list. Contact the Ritzy Yachts team to check availability and begin planning your charter: https://www.ritzyyachts.com/contact