Serena Description
Hull number 1 of Beneteau´s new line of 62 ft sloops, Serena is style, grace and comfort under sail.
Cruising Area of Serena
Accommodations
Master queen forward and two aft queen suites
Draft Beer Aboard! Automatic Cocktail machine!
Specification
Water Sports
Scuba Diving 
Entertainment
Cuisine
Green Initiatives
Solar panels
Serena Crew Profile
Captain
Chef/Mate
Capt. Hugh O´Brien -
Born in England and then lived in more than a dozen countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Now a permanent US Resident living in the Caribbean & Florida, predominantly in the US and British Virgin Islands.
Hugh started competitive sailing and ocean racing in the UK & France in 1987 (36 years of ocean sailing experience). He com¬pleted his intensive Royal Yachting Association (RYA) YachtMaster 500 Ton Sail & Power Commercial License in 2002 at the presti¬gious UK Sailing Academy and worked as a Captain & Chef in commercial yachting in the Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, USA & Japan. Hugh also ran 5 Star Sailing with a 50 ft Beneteau Sloop as a Captain Chef in the Virgin Islands from 2007-2011.
A 20-year career in Marketing & Sales for American IT & Database companies saw Hugh working in some 20 countries and heading up operations in Europe, US, Asia & Latin America.
From 2018-2022, Captain Hugh owned and operated Ocean Star 60, a 60 ft Beneteau sloop. Having worked with Chef Vivi on Ocean Star 60, they have since become partners in Serena Yacht Charters, LLC, and operate the 63-ft sloop Yacht Serena, their new Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 62. Yacht Serena is the Hull #1 of Beneteau’s ultimate Oceanis Yacht cruiser series and has many extras, including a carbon fibre Code 0 racing sail.
Hugh attended culinary classes and schools in France, Japan and America, and specializes in Mediterranean, Latin American and Asian fresh food dishes with premium ingredients.
Hugh is a light social drinker but nonsmoker, no drugs, no criminal record, clean licenses and a broad sense of humor especially when trying to catch fish!
Vivianne Swietelsky
Chef/First Mate Ocean Star
Vivianne, or “Chef Vivi” is based in Water Island, USVI and Coconut Grove, Miami. She is known for her authentic interpretations of the world’s great cuisines - American, Mediterranean, Southeast Asian, and Latin American, and her signature fusion MediterrAsian cuisine. She is also makes amazing desserts and is an inspired cocktail mixologist.
For as far back as she can remember, Chef Vivi has been passionate about food and the artistry of its preparation. Born in the U.S. to an Italian father and a Venezuelan mother, she has travelled all over the world and lived in the United States, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Mexico, and the Caribbean and is fluent in five languages. Her family life revolved around the enjoyment of great food and her mother taught her to cook instinctually, from the heart. Chef Vivi built upon this foundation and has expanded her culinary knowledge and skills over the years.
Chef Vivi attended different culinary schools around the world and studied Hospitality Management at the Florida International Universi¬ty’s School of Hospitality & Tourism. She has been a restaurant Pastry Chef, owned her own upscale Miami catering company, “Truffles Catering”, and worked as Private Chef for HNWI in both private homes and on charter yachts.
Another one of Chef Vivi’s passions is sailing, and she has enjoyed working on sailboats around the world. She also has an ASA Certificate for Offshore Sailing gained in the U.S. Virgin Islands and has owned and operated several Beneteau yachts.
After working as Yacht Chef with Captain Hugh on Ocean Star 60, Vivianne and Hugh became partners in 2023 and now operate Serena Yacht Charters, LLC on their beautiful 63-ft Beneteau sloop, Yacht Serena. Yacht Serena is a very special yacht: she is the Hull #1 of Beneteau’s ultimate luxury Oceanis Yacht 62 cruiser series. Vivianne has enjoyed refitting Yacht Serena with many upscale amenities, including FRETTE sheets and towels, Lanvin products, and Bose sound systems in every cabin.
What Vivianne enjoys the most about being a Private Yacht Chef is the daily interaction with her guests and the pleasure of creating wonderful memories for them. She really loves the feeling of serving wonderful food, drinks, and delivering excellent service on gorgeous Yacht Serena. Her and Captain Hugh’s motto about their guests is, “it’s all about you, all the time”. Nothing matters more to them than delivering a five-star experience and exceeding even the highest expectations.
Serena Calendar
AvailableBookedHold (can be challenged)Unavailable| Dec 2024 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Feb 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |||
| Mar 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Apr 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
| May 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Jun 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
| Jul 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Aug 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sep 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
| Oct 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Nov 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |
| Dec 2025 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
Serena Reservations & Port Locations
| Start Date | End Date | Details (Holds can be challenged) |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2024 | Dec 27, 2024 | Booked: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Dec 28, 2024 | Jan 04, 2025 | Booked: Red Hook to Red Hook |
| Jan 11, 2025 | Jan 18, 2025 | Booked: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Cruz Bay, St John, USVI* |
| Jan 19, 2025 | Jan 24, 2025 | Unavailable: St Thomas, USVI* to St Thomas, USVI* |
| Jan 25, 2025 | Feb 01, 2025 | Booked: Tortola, West End, BVI to Yacht Haven Grand |
| Feb 02, 2025 | Feb 09, 2025 | Booked: St Thomas, USVI* to St Thomas, USVI* |
| Feb 10, 2025 | Feb 17, 2025 | Booked: Tortola, West End, BVI to Yacht Haven Grand |
| Feb 20, 2025 | Feb 21, 2025 | Unavailable: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Feb 22, 2025 | Mar 01, 2025 | Booked: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Mar 02, 2025 | Mar 03, 2025 | Unavailable: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Mar 04, 2025 | Mar 11, 2025 | Booked: Crown Bay, St Thomas* to Crown Bay, St Thomas* |
| Mar 15, 2025 | Mar 21, 2025 | Booked: Tortola, West End, BVI to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Apr 01, 2025 | Booked: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Apr 03, 2025 | Apr 10, 2025 | Booked: Tortola - Nanny Cay to Tortola - Nanny Cay |
| Apr 12, 2025 | Apr 19, 2025 | Booked: Tortola, Trellis Bay, BVI to Tortola, Trellis Bay, BVI |
| Apr 21, 2025 | Apr 24, 2025 | Booked: Tortola, West End, BVI to Tortola, West End, BVI |
| Apr 26, 2025 | Apr 29, 2025 | Hold: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| May 01, 2025 | May 08, 2025 | Booked: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| May 16, 2025 | May 23, 2025 | Booked: Saint Thomas, USVI* to Saint Thomas, USVI* |
| May 24, 2025 | May 28, 2025 | Unavailable: St Thomas USVI to St Thomas USVI |
| May 29, 2025 | May 30, 2025 | Unavailable: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| May 31, 2025 | Jun 07, 2025 | Booked: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Jun 08, 2025 | Jun 09, 2025 | Unavailable: Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* to Red Hook, St. Thomas, USVI* |
| Jun 21, 2025 | Jun 28, 2025 | Booked: Red Hook to Red Hook |
Serena Rates / week
The prices shown are for the entire yacht for a week-long (7 nights) charter. Inquire for lowest rate.Low price: $16,900
High price: $22,000
| Season | 2 Pax | 3 Pax | 4 Pax | 5 Pax | 6 Pax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Summer | $18,000 | $19,000 | $20,000 | $21,000 | $22,000 |
| 2024/25 Winter | $18,000 | $19,000 | $20,000 | $21,000 | $22,000 |
| 2025 Summer | $18,000 | $19,000 | $20,000 | $21,000 | $22,000 |
Yacht terms: All Inclusive
An all-inclusive charter covers all provisioning and running expenses. This includes a captain and crew that is fully trained and committed to your safety and enjoyment of your trip. A chef will provide the kind of exceptional, personalized meal preparation that you would expect of a five-star restaurant. The listed rate may not include all local taxes, cruising permits, premium beverages and scuba activities. Inquire for more information.
ADDITIONAL RATE DETAILS
Christmas week:
Up to 4 guests: US$22,000
6 guests: US$24,200
New Years week:
Up to 6 guests: US$25,300
Serena Guest Reviews
Mid-June, 2024, guests aboard SERENA wrote:
This charter has been truly phenomenal. We sailed this gorgeous ship. We snorkeled glorious reefs. We saw squid, shark, puffers - things we´ve never experienced before. The Virgin Islands are amazing, but what truly makes Serena remarkable are its owners. Between Vivi´s amazing meals and Hugh’s enchanting stories this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We feel like we´ve added family, we have enjoyed our time with Hugh and Vivi so much. The Pittman/ Baldwin/ Tolliver group are so grateful for the memories we´ve made this week. We will miss this beautiful area when we head back to Detroit, but we will miss these remarkable people even more.
Heather Pittman
P.S. Our nighttime sing-a-longs were epic! Best parties ever!
Captain Hugh and Vivi are Masters of Improvisation and Adaptation. The previous page covers what a fantastic week this has been. Adding to that is that we have 5/6 guests with various allergies, and the food was high end restaurant quality even when 3-4 different platings/ingredients were juggled. Vivi and Hugh adapted to our schedule of being late sleepers, and we still maximized our two main focci, Snorkeling and Sailing.
We saws how much effort this took, and we appreciate it!
Thank you.
Neil Pittman
Mid April, 2024, guests aboard SERENA wrote:
Thank you Hugh!! Words cannot express how much we loved our time aboard Yacht Serena with you & Vivi…. truly the trip of a lifetime!!
Early April, 2024, guests aboard SERENA wrote:
As we were filling out our preference lists, we figured you’d be dreading your week with us - fish lovers who can’t eat anything spicy, a teenager who eats no fish and vegetables, and a Vegan (gasp!) who likes very spicy things… Poor Vivi!
Luckily, we all like sailing, so at least you handsome fun on the boat on the extra windy days this week!
Serious hats off to Vici for crafting such amazing (individualized) meals to keep everyone happy (especially the F*#%ing Vegan) And Hugh, thanks for getting Taffy out for snorkelling trips without a hitch and listening to all Jeff’stories. You’ve learned far too much about this family - try not to use it against us
Thanks for everything….. I can’t remember the last time I felt this relaxed & well cared for. I hope we will be back for another Serena cruise!
Come visit us ❤️
Cheers, Melissa
Jeff loved sailing your beautiful boat & helping Milo learn the ropes. This, our first crewed charter was so relaxing, fun + delicious food unbelievable. Thank you both!
Taffy & Jeff
Thanks for the adventure - Milo