Summer is sea season, so what could be better than a
cool Mediterranean cruise? A little pricey perhaps? It
doesn’t have to be. There’s no need for a boat of your
own when the Capitan San Marco, a 35m-long American
Schooner, docked in Dbaye, is available for rent.
The sleek sailboat is owned by Fred and Jacques Fremal,
Belgian twins with an appetite for adventure who sailed to
Lebanon four years ago on a mission to create their own fleet.
They envisioned a commercial enterprise that entailed
building a fleet of Phoenician boats, partly to revive this
bygone maritime civilization (see box). Today the project is
underway and keeps the seafaring twins anchored to
Lebanon. While here, they’ve made a business out of chartering
the Capitan San Marco for parties and weekend
cruises to Cyprus.
Naval architects, the brothers spent ten years building the
Capitan San Marco, which was launched in 1991. “There are
no more than 25 ships like this one in the world,” says Fred
Fremal. The Capitan San Marco is indeed a nautical feat and
continues to attract attention in every port it visits. In fact,
the Fremals have an impressive portfolio of articles written
about their boat. The clippings, in about five different languages,
are from magazines and newspapers from different
corners of the world.
The Capitan San Marco can be chartered for daytime or
sunset cruises, for a maximum of 40 people. Cruises are
priced at $600 for four hours and $900 for six hours from Monday
to Thursday or $900 for four hours and $1,200 for six hours from
Friday to Sunday.
These flat rates do not include entertainment or meals. The
boat has a sound system that can be used at no extra charge, and
customers can bring their own food or pay $10 per person for
a simple meal. For customers wanting organized catering and
entertainment, costs vary. But the Fremals encourage customers
to deal with event managers that regularly work with
them, as they are familiar with what works best on the boat. Why
take the risk of hiring catering companies whose waiters might
get seasick? And certain oily foods, such as pistachios, are not
allowed on the boat, as they ruin the wooden floor when
stamped on.
Weekend cruises to Cyprus are usually available for a maximum
of 12 passengers at $495 per person, including meals.
However, weekend cruises have been suspended while the Fremals
concentrate on building Phoenician boat
