Captain/chef Richard Cassarino and First Mate Lisa Pratt, have more than 30 years' combined sailing experience. We spent years trying to make room for sailing in our busy professional lives in Providence, Rhode Island. One New England winter too many convinced us to make our passion for sailing our "priority."
Rich, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University, owned and operated Cassarino's Ristorante in Providence's "Little Italy" for 20 years. The restaurant is consistently rated the "Best Italian Restaurant in Providence". He now brings his superior cooking and entertaining skills to the high seas. Each meal served aboard Priorities will be tailored to your tastes, from breakfast to scrumptious multi-course dinners.
Lisa, an accomplished florist and art/design degree holder, owned and operated a successful, high-volume flower shop in Providence, Floral Designs By LiRog. She has 20 years experience with event and party planning.
We are thrilled to join our passion for sailing with our business experience to move into a more personalized sector of the service industry. We are a relaxed, humorous couple who like to enjoy ourselves as much as you do.
We enthusiastically welcome you aboard and invite you to share in our love of great sailing, great food, great wine and, of course, the Caribbean Sea.
Guest Comments:
We have never enjoyed a charter more and we attribute this in large part to the crew of Priorities. They were professional, friendly, and fun but never intrusive. Both Rich and Lisa were attentive beyond all expectations from the exquisite food preparations that accommodated to a "t" the needs and requirements specified on the preference sheet, to the beautifully appointed and impeccably maintained staterooms during our stay on board. The activity (or lack of!) and venue selections exceeded expectations.
Priorities is an absolutely impeccably maintained boat with fine linens, great entertainment options onboard (games, movies, music, comfortable reading spots) appreciated air-conditioning and good ventilation.
Although it cost us all a few self-inflicted pounds, there was not a single meal or snack that wasn't top-notch, expertly prepared and presented. Rich's years and training as a chef render him a
Miracle-maker in the restricted galley space the yacht affords.
Lisa is a wickedly good and talented mixologist who does not err on the side of pressing alcohol consumption too hard. Their wine selections were good. The fresh flowers and table settings lent extra, unexpected elegance. Here again, Lisa's training and knowledge as an event planner and florist made transitions from play to meals as seamless as they were gracious.
We enjoyed the Virgin Islands - familiar territory to all of us and always wonderful. What was particularly impressive, was given the up to 35 knot winds and choppy seas going on during our sail, we were never uncomfortable, our anchorages were beautiful and calm and we were able to get some fine and safe snorkeling in. We were confident we were in good hands on a well maintained vessel with a knowledgeable crew.
Sailing Directions was responsive, thorough and lined us up with precisely the caliber experience I had hoped for - in fact the entire experience well-surpassed my expectations.
With Rich and Lisa you leave Priorities hoping that you have made new friends in the crew - nice, intelligent, fun people - that you will soon see again.
Sally W.
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