FAQ

WHEN SHOULD WE ARRIVE?

We recommend that you arrive to the Marina parking lot 25 minutes before departure. You are welcome to come aboard 15 minutes prior to departure. We leave promptly at departure time so that you don’t miss a minute of the sunset!

WHAT TIME DO WE DEPART AND RETURN?

We depart at 7:00 pm

We return at 8:30 pm

These times will adjust in the spring and fall depending on sunset times.

HOW DO WE FIND THE BOAT?

We are located at the Golden Isles Marina - 206 Marina Drive, St. Simons, Ga 31522

Once you park in the Morningstar Marina parking lot, head up the stairs and walk past Coastal Kitchen restaurant. You will then walk down the dock until you see a gate. The gate code sometimes changes - please check your confirmation email for the current code. Then head straight ahead down the dock. We are the last boat on the left!

CAN WE BRING OUR OWN FOOD?

ABSOLUTELY! You are welcome to bring your own food on board or hire a caterer.

CAN WE BRING OUR OWN BEVERAGES?

ABSOLUTELY! You are welcome to bring non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. We have large coolers and Yeti Tubs on board and can help with cooler ice and drink ice. Just let us know what you need.

WHAT ABOUT ICE?

We can have both cooler ice & drink ice on board as needed. Make sure to let us know if you will need ice so we can get it ahead of time.

DO YOU HAVE A STEWARD ON BOARD?

We have an excellent First Mate on board. The First Mate is happy to help with small requests but is not a Steward per se. For Private Charters, we strongly suggest that a Steward be engaged if your party is over 10 people and require one for groups over 20. We can help you find a Steward who is familiar with String of Pearls.

The First Mate has primary responsibility for the safety of the passengers and the vessel and must be available to take care of those items first. To make sure the trip is enjoyable and that all guest needs are accommodated, a Steward can help with Beverage Service, food and catering needs, and clean up after the cruise.

Having a Steward also makes your cruise more enjoyable as you can relax and not have to worry about being a “host”. Feel free to ask us more about getting a Steward on board for your cruise.

DO YOU HAVE A BARTENDER ON BOARD?

We do not have a bartender on board, but we can help you hire one. Our first mate is very good at pouring wine and handing out beers but is not a trained bartender. As noted above, the mate is also primarily responsible for the safety of the passengers and vessel and must see to those items first. If you have a large group and are having a full bar, a bartender is a must-have addition to the crew.

CAN YOU PICK UP YOUR ALCOHOL FOR YOU?

YES! Just give us a list, and we will shop for you. We charge a $250 fee to shop for your beverages, deliver them to the. boat, and get them on ice and ready to go.

ANYTHING I SHOULD TELL MY CATERER?

If your caterer is delivering, we ask that the caterer arrive to the boat at least 30 minutes before departure in order to not delay departure. Please ask your caterer to arrive at the marina 45 minutes prior to departure.

Fried foods do not do well on the boat - they tend to get soggy.

If you would like any sort of special serving trays, please let your caterer know. Caterers typically send food in aluminum or other disposable containers.

DO YOU RECOMMEND CERTAIN CATERERS?

You are welcome to use any caterer or restaurant nearby, but the partners listed below are familiar with the boat and the Marina.

ANYTHING I SHOULD KNOW FOR MY PRIVATE CHARTER?

Private charters are a blast! We are excited to help you coordinate your event.

SERVICE

Our first mate is happy to help pour some wine and grab beers. but in order for your guests to be properly taken care of, we require a server for a party of 10 or more. If you are serving cocktails, we can help you secure a bartender.

The server will help set up, serve during the charter, check on the food during the charter, and clean up. We can help you secure a server and/or bartender for your cruise.

If you have a wedding cake, please make sure that the server is familiar with or instructed on how to properly cut a wedding cake.

SETTING UP

Please arrive or send your party planner at least 30 minutes prior to departure to set up your event. If you have a caterer and/or a server, please ask them to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure as well.

Carts are available in the parking lot. Let us know ahead of time if you would like our first mate to meet you in the parking lot.

You are welcome to come earlier in the day, but please let us know exactly what time you will arrive so that we make sure the boat is there for you.

If you want something other than tin trays typically sent by the caterer, we have some platters and bowls that you are welcome to use. You are also welcome to bring your own or have the caterer send them.

ALCOHOL

If you are serving beer and wine on your private charter, please have alcoholic drinks on board at least an hour prior to departure in order to allow for ample time to chill the beer and wine. If there will be a lot of beer and wine, please let us know so that we can have multiple iced coolers ready for the charter. If you are serving mixed drinks, please remember mixers, lemons, and limes. We are happy to pick up these items for you upon request. We can provide your alcohol for a $250 fee.

CLEANING UP

We are happy to help with clean up, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

If you are bringing a lot of items that you plan on bringing home with you afterwards, we will have a cart for you to use, and our first mate can help get the cart back to your car.

If you have hired a server, they should plan on staying to help with the cleanup.

Please ask the hired server to start packing food up about 30 minutes prior to our return.