Cover Story

with SERENDIPITY

Yacht Cruises

By Patty Andrew

Serendipity Yacht Cruises (SYC) is coming to the Clear Lake/Galveston Bay very soon with its sensational new large event destination watercraft, Golden Opportunity. More than just a party boat, SYC is planning entire packages featuring great food, fine wine, full bar, and live music all on the water for both day and evening events. The Golden Opportunity will host all sorts of occasions: corporate, social, fundraisers, family, community, and more.

SYC’s parent company has been sponsoring seminars in this area for many years, especially with all the oil and gas plants. With their familiarity with the area and true love of entertaining, SYC will provide a high-quality experience with the uniqueness of a yacht setting. Just imagine…

Savor the memories

It’s been 15 years since they have all been together, so everyone is eagerly climbing aboard the Golden Opportunity to relive what was, celebrate what is, and cheer what is to come. As they drift from deck to deck, they marvel at the beauty of water while giggling over high school memories of their Sweet 16 parties and their senior prom. On the water, it is quiet enough to hear the band playing the hits from their school days echo through the yacht as they all sing the words to their favorites. Here they can be the friends they once were, sharing their collective remembrances of volleyball and social studies. Thank you, Serendipity Yacht Cruises.

Saying “I do” to a wedding with wind and waves

As the sun dips down over Galveston Bay, the bride blinks back tears of happiness as she glides toward her fiancé holding on to her father’s strong arm. The great yacht gracefully moves through the waves while the couple make lifetime vows with their family and friends close by all waiting for that special kiss and first champagne toast. Plates of awardwinning dishes soon appear in front of the excited guests as they enjoy the early evening watching the last sailboats head toward docile Clear Lake. It is wedding like no other aboard the area’s newest addition to luxury event venues on the water with Serendipity Yacht Cruises.

Take time to relax

After several days of intense training, these professionals are looking forward for a time to unwind as they board chartered buses heading for the marina. As they walk down the dock, the lively music beckons them forward. In front of them is one of the largest party yachts in the area, decorated in full Tiki style with graceful hula dancers in grass skirts welcoming each guest with a lei and a special drink in a coconut glass. Mountains of food await them as the Golden Opportunity sets sail into the warm Galveston waters, leaving cares behind. It is time to make new friends at this luau extraordinaire as they dance, drink, and nosh the day away. Aloha!

SSHR, I decided to recommend the yacht company be based in League City. Prior, the thought was the East Coast, closer to the home office.

The yacht cruise company idea sat for many months. Then, when seminars and conferences quieted down during Covid surges, the yacht cruise company idea emerged front and center.

The first thing needed was selecting the name of the company. Serendipity Yacht Cruises was high on the list, which I zeroed in on while studying the phenomenon of serendipity and its results for many years. I discussed the name with the team, and everyone agreed, as many also benefitted from it. Random encounters and conversations trigger amazing, unique ideas, discoveries, and innovations, resulting in success and profitability; thus Serendipity was born.

Companies and universities are reinventing their culture to become serendipity machines. As studies have shown, serendipity will not happen to you; it will happen because of you. Our themes and events will be about the meeting, connecting, sharing, and having fun. Everything is an opportunity if we have the right mindset and look at things with ”yes, and” vs. “yes, but.” We want people via SYC to also explore outside of their comfort zone. Serendipity is constantly at work if we look for it and recognize it.

As we looked to the future of our new company, we knew uniting and bringing people together was going to be essential as we decided on a boat name. High on the list was Golden Opportunity.

The team felt this projected the synergy we are planning for corporate events, team building, sales meetings, fundraisers, bachelorette parties, all types of celebrations, and special events. Thus, Serendipity Yacht Cruises featuring Golden Opportunity was born.

Watch for us soon in the waters near you!

The Story of Serendipity Yacht Cruises

Lorraine Castiglia, SYC Director

The idea for Serendipity Yacht Cruises (SYC) began in August 2020 on a hot, sunny day in League City while on a boat ride planning for our first dinner event. Our planning team wanted to offer dinner on a yacht, so we checked out a few vessels but could not find one that met everyone’s needs so we headed back to South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center (SSHR), which had become “our home away from home.”

While I sat on my balcony with my laptop, I began brainstorming about the boat we would need and thought about having our own yacht company. As I imagined the types of events we could have, I created ideas for the company name and its first vessel. Without anyone knowing it, I did more research and kept a notepad by the bed as many ideas surfaced during the early hours of the morning each day at SSHR. I found being surrounded by such incredible views, the calming water, and many unique boats put my brain on a relaxing wave, recharging my batteries, and getting my creative juices in full gear. I realized that if we planned it differently and built it, they would come.

The dinner event on a yacht needed to wait for now. With much assistance from Bridget Bear, Director of Sales & Marketing, the team found an excellent solution at SSHR using the local facilities there which sparked another idea.

After researching the marketplace and experiencing the synergy at