Vela Cabins

Vela accommodates 26 passengers at full capacity, with one Owner's Suite, 11 double-occupancy staterooms and two single-occupancy "Cadet" cabins. All accommodations are air-conditioned and feature portholes and private bathrooms. Additional amenities include small hair dryers, shampoo and soap, and 110-volt outlets.

If you haven't been on a sailing vessel before, prepare for tighter quarters than you'd find on a mainstream cruise ship. That being said, Vela's cabins are well thought out, with cubbies and hooks; not all cabins have closets or drawers. You'll still want to pack light, however, and follow the line's recommendation to bring a soft-sided duffel instead of a suitcase.

The ship does much of its sailing at night, and the seas can be rocking, particularly when the boat passes between islands. You'll either get used to the rocking of the sea or you won't; patches and seasickness medication is available onboard and if you're susceptible, you should bring your own. We're seasoned sailors and were still woken up several times during a few rough patches; that said, the staff gives you plenty of warning before you sail and reminds people to take their medication.

There are six cabin categories onboard Vela:
Cadet: A single-occupancy cabin with a raised bed and private bathroom (the shower is adjacent to the toilet). Both Cadet cabins are located at the front of the ship. The square footage is 48 square feet.

Standard: A double-occupancy cabin with bunk-style beds (the lower one being the larger of the two). There are two Standard cabins onboard Vela. All-in-one bathrooms include a shower. The square footage is 61 square feet.

Deluxe: A double-occupancy cabin, also featuring bunk-style beds. All six Deluxe cabins include a private bathroom with shower. The square footage ranges from 66 to 72 square feet.

Compass: Located at the back of the ship, these two double-occupancy cabins feature a queen-sized bed and a fair-sized bathroom with shower and a porthole. The bed is raised and the ceiling is a bit lower; something to keep in mind if you're tall. These rooms are 90 square feet and have room for a side table with lamp.

Topsail: A double-occupancy cabin featuring a queen-sized bed and roomy bathroom. There is only one Topsail cabin on Vela. It's a better choice than Compass if one of you is tall. It's 72 square feet.

Owner's Suite: The largest cabin onboard at 144 square feet, with a king-sized bed and spacious bathroom. Both the cabin and the bathroom feature portholes. This is the only cabin onboard with a TV, and you can borrow movies for the DVD player.