• Wave icon Trip Type: Offshore
  • Speech bubble icon Instructors: 2
  • People icon Crew Size: Max 9 (10 for ocean)
  • Cake icon Ages: 18-70 ish
  • Pin icon Region: Caribbean & The Americas
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Adventure Rating:
High

Low to some

Experience Required:
Low to some

12 Days from £2,399

Dates, Prices & Travel

Iconic offshore sailing in the Caribbean from St Lucia to the Dominican Republic

Join the crew for a spectacular offshore sailing adventure, riding the warm, steady trade winds from St Lucia to the Dominican Republic. This is peak season for one of the world’s most important whale migration routes, with unforgettable chances to see humpback whales up close as they travel between their North Atlantic feeding grounds and the shallow, protected breeding waters of Silver Bank, Navidad Bank, and Samaná Bay. We start in St Lucia, with time to train and explore both the island and nearby French Martinique, before setting sail northwest on a thrilling 650nm passage across the Caribbean Sea. Expect fast, exhilarating downwind sailing as we pass the dramatic coastlines of Dominica, Guadeloupe, and St Kitts, then skirt south of the BVIs and Puerto Rico before crossing the Mona Passage, a key part of the whales’ migration corridor. From there, we follow the stunning north coast of the Dominican Republic to our final port of call in Puerto Plata. Along the way, you’ll have expert tuition, gain superb hands-on offshore sailing experience, explore some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful islands, and (hopefully!) witness one of nature’s great marine spectacles.

This is an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean qualifying passage if you sign on as a watch leader. Please read the relevant information carefully.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime with the offshore sailing experts?

Rubicon 3 are renowned as the offshore sailing experts, renowned in the sailing world for our extensive experience, comprehensive training, and a dedication to adventure and discovery. Our expert team, highly experienced sailors in ocean passage making, offer hands-on instruction in all aspects of offshore sailing, catering to both those new to offshore sailing and more seasoned sailors.

What sets us apart is our selection of unique, bucket list and less-traveled routes, ensuring offshore and ocean sailing that’s both exhilarating and full of discovery. At the core of our ethos is an unwavering commitment to safety and environmental sustainability, ensuring every voyage respects both the sailors and the sea. Additionally, we are as focused on individual skill-building as a sailing school, so that everyone is fully involved in every aspect of the passage. This holistic approach built Rubicon 3’s reputation as the go-to experts for anyone seeking the highest level of offshore sailing..

Want to join?

Go to the Dates & Prices button, where you can also get information on connecting travel, including where to fly and when and where to join the boat.

Sailing Area

sailing route map st lucia to dominican republic
The Yachts

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Key Information
What’s included
  • All food and accommodation on board

  • All fuel & berthing fees

  • Your own bunk and storage area

  • Use of oilskins

  • Use of lifejacket with PLB

  • All sailing tuition

  • RYA Competent Crew (supplementary fee)

What’s Not included
  • Your connecting travel to & from boat

  • Sailing & travel insurance

  • Meals you choose to eat ashore

  • Alcohol

  • Visas (where required)

  • Discretionary crew tip

Interested in dates & availability?

To see when this trip runs, its start and end locations, price to join the crew and availability, click on the ‘Dates, Prices & Travel’ button up top.

Discretionary tipping of the Rubicon 3 crew

We’ve priced this trip 5-10% lower than we otherwise would to allow you the option, at the end of your adventure, to offer a discretionary tip to the Rubicon 3 skipper and mate if you feel they’ve provided exceptional service. A combined tip of 5-10% is suggested but is entirely at your discretion and based on your satisfaction with their performance. See our FAQs here.

Got Questions? We’re Here to Help!

We get it – joining a major sailing adventure is a big decision, and it’s natural to have lots of questions before you book. Wondering who else will be onboard? What the experience will be like? These and many more questions are completely normal. While our homepage and FAQs provide loads of info, we know sometimes it’s best to talk it through. Don’t hesitate to contact us by phone, email, or live chat (at the bottom of the screen). Better yet, we’d suggest you schedule a call. Most crew who join do and find it really useful. We can discuss your options, answer every question, and make sure you’re booking on the perfect trip for you.

This is an overview of what to expect. These are real adventures so we do not have set itineraries or schedules and will work with the weather and opportunities we have at the time. Here are some of the likely highlights we can look forward to

Getting Started: St Lucia & Martinique

We will likely spend the first few days sailing between St Lucia and nearby French Martinique. These islands and the short passage between them are the perfect warm-up: learning the yacht, practising sail handling and navigation, and settling into the rhythm of life on board. It’s wonderful sailing and day sailing.

sailing yacht under spinnaker

We can head ashore somewhere new each day and there’s time to explore the towns and markets, swim from white sand beaches, and enjoy the unique mix of Caribbean charm and French flair. It’s also the perfect time for the crew to come together and bond over the sailing and training, with shared meals, lots of laughter, and the anticipation of the voyage ahead. Weather permitting, we will usually have 4-5 days sailing and exploring these two magical islands.

St Lucia Pitons

The Offshore Adventure: 650 Miles Across the Caribbean Sea

Once we, the weather and the yacht are ready, we set our course northwest for a passage of around 650-miles that should take 4 days. With the trade winds at our backs, expect fast, flat, downwind sailing – the kind of exhilarating offshore miles sailors dream about. Days are shaped by helming, navigation, watch rotations, sail adjustments, cooking up a storm in the galley and time spent on deck scanning the horizon, reading, relaxing and taking it all in. Night watches (we normally do 3 hours on, 6 hours off) are a spectacle of stars, sometimes phosphorescence streaming in our wake, and the camaraderie that grows naturally when sailing through the dark hours.

ocean sailing caribbean

Island Horizons – The Lesser Antilles Slipping By

Our route will likely take us nice and close to the green peaks of Dominica, the white-sand fringes of Guadeloupe, and the rolling hills of St Kitts, each one an enticing glimpse from the deck.. These islands have seen centuries of seafaring, and spotting them from offshore is a wonderful perspective and you get a real sense of their beauty, history, and the timeless pull of land after days at sea. As we curve west, we’ll probably sail close to the British Virgin Islands and the long coastline of Puerto Rico, both rich in history and striking in their natural beauty. The whales of the Mona Passage and the Dominican Republic lie just beyond.

caribbean islands from the sea at sunset

Whales of the Caribbean – Peak Migration Season

As we approach the Mona Passage and the rugged northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, we are sailing through one of the most populated whale migration routes in the world and we’ll be there at the absolute peak of the season. From mid-January to late March, thousands of North Atlantic humpback whales travel up to 5,000 miles from their summer feeding grounds off Greenland, Iceland, and Newfoundland to breed and calve in the warm, sheltered waters of Silver Bank, Navidad Bank, and Samaná Bay. Our likely route runs close to this migration corridor (there are small areas whereentry is forbidden) offering some of the best whale-watching opportunities anywhere on earth. Keep your eyes open for breaches, tail slaps, and the unmistakable plume of a whale’s blow, all moments that bring the ocean to life and stay with you long after landfall.

Whale

The Dominican Republic’s North Coast – Final Miles & Landfall

The last stretch will take us along the rugged north coast of the Dominican Republic, where mountains rise steeply from the sea and endless fishing villages dot the shoreline. After the miles we’ve sailed together, these final passages feel special and should be an unhurried run towards a well-earned destination of Puerto Plata.

Dates, Prices & Travel

Start Date & Location

March 16, 2026
St Lucia

End Date & Location

March 27, 2026
Dominican Republic

Price

£2,399

Deposit

£999

Availability

Available

Trip Information

Start Date: March 16, 2026

Start Time: 09:00

Start Country: St Lucia

Start Port: Rodney Bay, St Lucia

Start Marina: Rodney Bay

End Date: March 27, 2026

End Time: 10:00

End Country: Dominican Republic

End Port: Puerto Plata

End Marina: Marina Ocean World

Find Flights For This Trip
Fly Into: St Lucia (IATA code: UVF)
Fly Out of: Gregorio Luperón Airport (IATA code: POP)

* Flights are not included in the trip price.

Important Notes
Joining the boat
  • You will join the boat in St Lucia
  • It is scheduled to be in Rodney Bay
  • The trip starts at 9:00 AM on March 16 2026, so you will need to be in Antigua by March 15, 2026.
  • You have two options for accommodation on the night before the start date:
    • Stay in a hotel or AirBnB.
    • Alternatively, you can stay onboard the boat from 6:00 PM on a bed & breakfast basis. Select this option during your booking process.
Leaving the boat
  • You will leave the boat in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
  • The boat is scheduled to arrive into Puerto Plata on the evening of March 26, 2026, and you will need to disembark by 10:00, March 27, 2026.
General Notes
  • We have a very strong track record of meeting the scheduled end date, with only a few exceptions over a decade of sailing and across hundreds of thousands of miles of sailing. However, given the nature and distance of ocean crossings, we can’t guarantee it and recommend booking flexible onward travel from Jamaica or at least allowing an extra day in your itinerary as a precaution.
  • You cannot stay on the boat after the trip end date.
  • Once you have booked, we will connect you up with other crew so you can liaise regarding connecting travel, meet up in advance etc.
  • If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
5-Point Pre-Booking Checklist

Before you finalize your booking, we suggest you run through our pre-booking checklist:

  1. Check Flights: Make sure you have found the right flights for your trip. Book them as soon as you have booked your Rubicon 3 trip.
  2. Travel Insurance: Once you’ve booked your trip with us, buy some sailing travel insurance. Read our full guide here.
  3. Passport Validity: Ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date. Some countries require this for entry, so it’s crucial to check and renew your passport if necessary.
  4. Visas: Most sailors will not require any visas for this trip. However, if you are concerned, check any visa requirements for both your destination and any transit countries. If you do need a visa, processing times can vary, so it’s advisable to apply well in advance of your trip.
  5. Vaccinations and Health Checks: There are no vaccinations required for this trip. Make sure you have an acceptable level of fitness and agility. You can read our guide here. This is for the safety of all on board.
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