Check Out Marisa Martinez’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisa Martinez. 

Hi Marisa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Cruising with La Cruz started like most businesses, just a dream. It wasn’t a dream to start a business though; that evolved and came later. My partner EJ and I met in 2016 and had always dreamed of living on a sailboat full-time and traveling the world. After we got our hands on our first vessel back in 2019, we renovated her from top to bottom and quickly hopped aboard and started our first adventure sailing through the Florida Keys. Wrightsville Beach had always been home base for us, so we had to return sooner than expected as COVID was shutting things down. With COVID, our jobs in Wrightsville Beach had become limited, and income was becoming scarce. We took the leap of faith and hoped that starting an open-air outdoor activity would still allow people to enjoy their time on vacation while visiting the area. In 2020, we tested things out and put-up fliers around town. The people who joined us on our first few charters ranted and raved, which got us excited about the prospective idea of starting our own business. Fast forward a few years later, and we have an awesome client base that we love seeing every year and upgraded our first vessel to a catamaran, which now houses the two of us, our pug Kevin, and expectant daughter, Rose. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It surprisingly was pretty smooth for the most part. The hardest part of starting a business was knowing nothing about business! I spent hours and hours of research and testing out different software products that might work for us. Of course, wasted some money on what we thought might work but eventually finding our way. We also work seasonally and head south for the winters. It was a challenge, in the beginning, to manage our finances to live the lifestyle we wanted. We had to be super minimal and really watch our spending those first couple of years while the business was just starting. We prioritize our winters to explore and sail the Caribbean as that was always the dream. Every year business has been growing exponentially, and we have found that perfect balance between work and play that we always had envisioned! 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Cruising with La Cruz offers sailing charters for the Wilmington area in NC. We bring people onboard our little floating home and cruise around the stunning waterways of Wrightsville Beach. There are many charter boats in the area, but we are the only catamaran vessel. Not only are we the only catamaran, but we are the only boat that comes with a pug! That’s what really sets us apart; it’s not just a charter boat that’s meant for cranking out as much money as possible; it’s our home. Guests love coming aboard and taking a tour of the inside. More times than not, we have our guests convinced that they are going to buy a boat and live this lifestyle by the end of the charter! 

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
While COVID was a miserable time, we found ways to take advantage of the situation. I believe it really helped get the business up and off the ground so quickly as so many people were eager to get out of the house. 2020 was our hardest year, as we had just toyed with the idea of starting up and it also being peak COVID. By 2021 we had customers who couldn’t wait to get outside in the fresh breeze to enjoy the water. 

Pricing:

• 2-Hour Cruise – $700
• 3-Hour Cruise – $875
• 4-Hour Cruise – $1000
• 6-Hour Cruise – $1350

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cruisingwithlacruz.com
• Instagram: Business Page: @cruisinglacruz | Lifestyle Page: @la.cruzin