Sapphire Princess publishes a capacity of up to 127 guests on its own site, and that figure is corroborated twice. It appears as 1 to 127 passengers on the Captain Lou Fleet private charters page, first party from a second operator, and as 127 guests on Eventective, marketplace. This is one of very few Long Island boats that seats a normal size Long Island wedding, and it publishes no price at all.
sapphireyachtcharters.comSapphire Yacht Charters lists the boat at 11 Richmond Street. Captain Lou Fleet lists the same hull in its private charter roster at 31 Woodcleft Avenue, a short distance away on the Nautical Mile. Both are first party sources and neither explains the arrangement. Before a deposit changes hands, establish which company signs your contract and whose insurance covers the day. That is one phone call, and it is the first one to make.
There is no charter minimum, no per person rate and no hourly rate anywhere on the site. The operator states appointment only and gives a phone number, (516) 442-4614. Eventective lists on site catering service as an amenity, marketplace, and the operator describes dining options and a full service bar, first party, while naming no caterer and publishing no outside catering policy. Season, cruise durations and ceremony provisions are all absent. Weddings are named as a service and the boat is described as a wedding yacht, which is as close as the site comes to addressing a ceremony aboard.
Sapphire Yacht Charters makes no Coast Guard claim of any kind on its site. The Captain Lou Fleet page that lists this hull says its vessels are US Coast Guard certified, first party. That claim is aimed at the boat rather than at the captain, though the word certified carries no number with it. At 127 passengers this has to be an inspected vessel holding a Certificate of Inspection. No certificate is public for any Long Island vessel, this one included, so ask for a copy and read the passenger number and the expiration date off it.
The 150 passenger figure attached to The Lauren Kristy comes from third party editorial, and from four independent write ups that agree with each other.
The Freeport Gem publishes $4,950 for up to 50 people, tax and gratuity included, and $55 per additional person plus tax.
Captain Lou Fleet publishes 1 to 150 passengers for Captain Lou VII on its private charters page, first party, and the identical figure for two sister hulls at the same dock.
The Moon Chaser publishes a capacity of 200 people, first party, which is the largest of any vessel docked on Long Island.
Bay Princess II says it is licensed for 100 passengers, first party, which is the closest any Long Island operator comes to publishing a certificated number on its own site.
The operator publishes up to 30 guests plus two crew, first party.