Crew Profile

Mickey Allison (Captain) and Alix Cayce (Chef/First mate)

Meet Alix and Mickey, a cheerful, hardworking team who promise a week full of laughs, adventure, and relaxation. As the son of a professional ocean racer, Mickey was practically born at the helm and he’s been sailing ever since, spending his youth cruising around the Pacific Northwest with his family then beginning working on sailboats professionally at just 15. He became a professional skipper in Seattle by 22, and has continued to captain boats around the world ever since. Alix was also raised on boats with her family in the Pacific Northwest and has always felt just as at home on the water as on dry land. She’s been cooking all her life, but specifically on yachts for the last three years. She has also earned her Level 2 Culinary Certificate with Ashburton Chef’s Academy in the UK which she completed with highest marks. Though they both lived not more than 5 minutes apart in Seattle their whole lives, it wasn’t until a sailing trip in Greece three years ago that they finally met. Alix was a guest on one charter, and Mickey the captain on another. Three years later, they’re a dedicated captain and chef couple here in the beautiful Virgin Islands who are passionate about sailing, food, and always finding the next adventure.

Both Mickey and Alix love the outdoors and spend their time off the water in the mountains snowboarding, backpacking, and hiking around the world. On the water, though, Mickey is an avid scuba and free diver and as a certified Dive Master he loves to take guests exploring below the surface. For the more experienced divers, he looks forward to showing you wrecks and reefs throughout the islands and for the less experienced looking to learn, he is always happy to show off the best snorkeling the islands have to offer or even to set up scuba lessons with local instructors.

You can count on them to have the hot spots in the islands dialed in. The islands are rich with hidden hideouts and floating bars, and this pair knows them all. Don’t let their age fool you though, Mickey and Alix are passionate about what they do and they are dedicated to providing an amazing vacation no matter what you’re looking for. Whether you want a week filled with adventure, a relaxing retreat for you and your family, or a romantic time on the water for you and your partner, Alix and Mickey will make sure that you wake up to the smell of fresh baked bread, that your meals are beautiful, fresh and local, and that your week is quite literally smooth sailing.


GUEST REVIEWS OFR MICKEY AND ALIX

Riley party-

I may need to pull out a thesaurus to find out how many different ways I can say - Spectacular/Amazing/Fantastic/Unbelievable. I could go on and on about what an amazing trip we just had.

We were a group of 4 ladies who were on board with the crew of Mickey and Alix. I think I can safely speak for all when I say that it was a fantastic and amazing trip.

The crew: If you are lucky enough to book this fabulous boat, you MUST request to go with Mickey (Captain) and Alix (1st Mate/Chef Extrordinaire). As much as I liked the boat, I would follow Mickey and Alix on any boat they were on. These 2 are as delightful as the day is long! I was so impressed with their knowledge.....about the boat; our surroundings; cooking; travel in general and just any other worldly topics. Mickey had the patience of a saint to answer our every 'Mickey, what is this? question'. They took the time to get to know us and what our likes/dislikes were - both in the area of our upcoming week of travel as well as food choices, etc. Mickey offered up great suggestions for things to do, which were in line with what we wanted to see, etc. Alix made the most amazing food in her little kitchen accommodations. Every day we would be tantalized from the scents coming from the kitchen, which would only lead to the excitement of eating our next meal. There was not one meal that anyone was disappointed by. There was always plenty of food, and when there were leftovers - we would feed Mickey some more! ha.

Not only was the food/crew amazing, but they took the time to get to know us as well. By the end of the trip, we began to feel like we were family. It was awesome to hear about their worldly travels, either when on the boat or during their off time. They are just an amazing couple to get to know and spend time with. I'm so fortunate I was able to get to know them a bit. I hope that I am able to someday travel with them again, but if not, this was certainly a trip of a lifetime.

Book this boat, with this crew - and you will not regret it. Enjoy yourself!

We just spent a week aboard with Captain Mickey and 1st mate Alix and had a magnificent vacation!!! They did a great job planning out the places they thought we'd like to see, and they were absolutely correct about every single one. Mickey's knowledge about the history and facts of the islands were second to none. Alix's meals were all superb, fresh and just perfect every time. And desserts.....OMG they were great!!! This was a top notch trip from start to finish. Communication was great, they kept us up to date with any changes that may come and were open to our input on what islands to see or skip. Our group was 4 women, 50'ish and accommodations were great....right down to the fantastic smelling body wash's that we all had to run out to get when we got home to remind us of our trip!!! The boat was in great shape and clean.

Do not hesitate to book. Request Mickey and Alix, you won't be sorry. We will see you all again in 2019!!!!


Santiago party-

We spent a week in May in the US and BVI with crew Mickey Allison and Alix Cayce for our honeymoon. While we anticipated a host of novel experiences and natural beauty, we were floored by the quality and excitement. Each day brought excellent food by Alix that was perfectly tailored to our interests, well organized adventures, and spectacular, romantic evenings. The flow of the days felt natural and adjusted to our sleeping schedule and energy. With regards to activities, we snorkeled, scuba dived, hiked, and enjoyed several beaches. Mickey was an excellent guide for our scuba dives - three in total -, and we saw super cool marine life including three sharks - bull, reef, and nurse -, sea turtles, puffer fish, rays, etc. It was my first time diving in the ocean and it felt safe and well-led. An unexpected surprise was the pleasure of conversation and time spent with the crew, who were inquisitive, fun, easy-going, and well read in a wide number of topics - seriously amazing people that we feel incredibly blessed to have met. We loved every aspect of the trip, from the crew to the nature, and would highly recommend CharterHouse to anyone looking to experience life at sea.

Collins party:

"It was all amazing. Seriously zero complaints from any of us. I can't critique it. Everything on your bulleted list (the crew, the food, the itinerary, the yacht, the overall experience)was awesome. The driver was great. The crew especially were a ton of fun and made everything so easy.

Just awesome!!!!”

Jack and Rose (New Yorker’s actually! They also said they’d be happy to be a phone reference for us so let me know if you’d like me to send you contact information)

My husband and I had the pleasure of spending a week at sea with Alix and Captain Mickey in the Virgin Islands during this first holiday season since the hurricanes. Chef Alix took all of our dietary needs into consideration and was always at least 3 steps ahead of us when it came to timing, planning and keeping our glasses filled! Her cooking was so good that we chose to have more meals on the boat than on the land as their excellence was guaranteed. Did I also mention she is utterly charming company and an accomplished sailor? We felt well taken care of and safe at all times.

Alix and Mickey were knowledgeable and creative during a very challenging time as the islands were starting the rebuilding process. Mickey brought his vast experience at sea and boat maintenance skills to our vessel which had experienced some storm damage. We cannot recommend them highly enough and would be happy to speak to anyone considering hiring them as crew. They have experience of both the Virgin Islands and Mediterranean and clearly love their jobs. We have already started planning our next sailing adventure and would not consider sailing with anybody else.


Feucht party

We took a week long, 1/2 -inclusive sail in June 2018 w/ 2 couples & 3 kids ages 12,10, & 8. I have done this trip before (stayed 1 week in Jost in a villa & another chartered sail adults only) & all I can say is sailing is the way to go & the crew can definitely make or break a trip...we were so impressed w/ Alix & Mickey & cannot say enough about their professionalism, hospitality, knowledge of the islands, & most important... their kindness & patience w/ our kids. The meals Alix cooked were so tasteful, fresh, & our kids even ate things they normally wouldn’t at home! The boat had plentiful water sport items available including adult snorkels, kayak, large floating mat, & paddle boards. Each morning we would wake up & find the kids sitting by Cpt Mickey learning about sailing & we would stop along the way for different water sport things they wanted to do. They also took us to great restaurants, & other island spots they knew we would love. We HIGHLY recommend this crew & will go back w/ out hesitation!


Ford Party:

The Virgin Islands are a very special place and to experience them on the water makes them even more special. To experience them onboard a catamaran makes them just that much more special. This time around, our week was guided by Captain Mickey with support in the galley and everywhere else by Mate Alix. These two are an amazing couple. They are personable, bright, confident, and passionate about sailing. They were a joy to spend a week with. When you go on a sailboat it would seem appropriate to do some sailing and that we did, every day. The ride is smoother, quieter, and definitely more fun than motoring. We ate great meals created by Alix. Best Key Lime pie ever. We read a lot. We snorkeled. We saw great sunsets. We had great conversations. We had a blast touring Anegada on motorbikes. Make sure you go to Anegada. It is a really fun, laid back island and we had an amazing sail when we left there. We look forward to sailing again


 
ALIX'S SAMPLE MENU

Breakfast

*All breakfasts include a fresh fruit plate and are served with coffee, tea or cocoa, as well as juice, Mimosa’s or Bloody Mary’s upon request.

1. French omelets filled with Boursin cheese alongside heirloom tomatoes on fresh sourdough toast, served with crispy bacon.
2. Lemon ricotta pancakes topped with powdered sugar and lemon zest, alongside gouda scrambled eggs and pork sausages.
3. Fresh sourdough toast topped with zesty avocado mash garnished with radish and red pepper flakes, served with chili oil fried eggs and crispy bacon.
4. Fresh baked Guava cheese braided bread alongside eggs any style and chicken sausages.
5. Juevos Rancheros featuring fresh made corn tortillas, sunny side up eggs, fresh made Mexican beans, local chorizo, and fresh pico de gallo.
6. Scrambled Eggs Florentine served with fresh baked thick cut grilled crusty bread and fennel spiced chicken sausages.
7. Scandanavian plate featuring salmon two ways, smoked and lox, grilled whole wheat seed bread, hard boiled eggs, pickled onions, labne, cucumber slices and local heirloom tomatoes, seasoned with my own everything mix and smoked flake salt.
8. Eggs benedict on fresh baked English muffins, topped with ham, poached eggs, and hollandaise then served alongside crispy bacon and spicy potato breakfast hash.

Lunch

*All lunches are served with water, iced tea, or soda as well as any bar selections upon request.

1. Spiced lamb meatballs served on freshly made, grilled flatbreads and topped with red cabbage slaw, herbed yogurt, lemon wedges, harissa, and mixed herbs; served alongside Mediterranean quinoa salad.
2. Mediterranean plate featuring sliced paprika fennel rubbed chicken, jammy roasted lemon wedges, tzatziki, Greek olives, hummus, sliced cucumbers and seasoned orzo; served with family style pita and labne, grilled halloumi drizzled with local honey, and dolmades.
3. Mahi Mahi tacos served on freshly made corn tortillas topped with spiced crema, red cabbage slaw, pico de gallo and cilantro, served alongside long plantain chips, lime wedges, and blood orange, avocado salad as well as house made black bean soup and a selection of fresh salsa’s and hot sauces
4. Pulled pork sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls served with Alix’s German-ish potato salad, cornbread muffins, and grilled watermelon salad.
5. Spicy fried chicken sandwiches served on brioche buns topped with seasoned mayo, lettuce, and special sauce served alongside Alix’s Corny corn-nut salad, and garlicy oven baked potato wedges
6. Seared sesame crusted ahi with ginger lemon cream sauce, soy scallion drizzle, avocado rosette, pickled ginger and a side of mango salsa served over rice.
7. Herby Thai shrimp salad dressed in a ginger, lime, peanut dressing and topped with fried ginger, shallots and garlic.
8. Miso glazed salmon with warm soba noodles and stir fried vegetables served with shallots and spiced soy drizzle.


Dinner

*All dinners served with a wine or cocktail pairing as well as any selection from the bar.

**Depending on the day, some dinners will include an appetizer such as Mussels in white wine broth with crusty bread, buttery herbed peel and eat shrimp, grilled squid with white beans and vinegared tomatoes, etc.

1. Grilled flank steak with charred scallion relish served over brown rice and accompanied by a tangy snap pea and radish salad.
2. Honey garlic crispy chicken served with creamy polenta and a side of lotus root and Asian pear salad.
3. Crispy skin salmon served with green romesco sauce, roasted purple potatoes, and a side of blistered green beans with lemony tahini labne all topped with a salsa of radishes, shallots and lemon.
4. Steakhouse night! Perfectly seared sliced steaks served with Yukon gold garlic mash, lemon roasted broccoli and Alix’s classic Caesar salad
5. Whole harissa roasted snapper served with blistered cherry tomatoes and a grilled orange on a bed of cous cous served with a mint and grapefruit side salad.
6. Seared scallops served with lemon white wine sauce, warm Brussel sprout and pancetta salad, and creamy parsnip puree.
7. Roasted whole chicken served with Persian Tadik saffron rice, roasted vegetable salad, and a light pan sauce.
8. Pea and mint Risotto with roasted Brill served alongside a bright and tangy green salad

Dessert

*All desserts are served with optional coffee or nightcap

1. Chocolate Negus with hazelnut cream, pistachio sorbet and cacao nib tuile
2. Key lime pie with two lemons
3. Apple tart with caramel ice cream and calvados caramel sauce
4. Mini citrus pavlovas drizzled with local honey and citrus reduction
5. Raspberry mousse in a dark chocolate teardrop served with chocolate snow and fresh berries
6. Deconstructed mango passion fruit Eton Mess with pistachio dust and freeze dried cherries
7. Grilled peaches drizzled with honey and served with whipped mascarpone and mint
8. Buttermilk pannacotta with honeycomb and poached pear