Typically in Europe Jenneaus are the higher regarded boat although Beneteau''s marketing dollars have been well spent in the states, thus their better rep here. As far as cruising the Chessie and the ICW, you could do much worse then a Beneteau- I happen to be a fan.
For one, Beneteau actually builds a nice boat- if you compare them to most anything else on the mass market- and even if you compare them to smaller volume builders. Anything from the mid 90''s up is well thought out for comfort, style, space, liveaboard ability and yes, even seakeeping... The hull designs from finot and farr are fast when the hull is not heavily loaded and so long as you stay away from ex-charter boats and short
rig options you will generally find that nothing out there will give you more value for the dollar.
Your big sacrifice is more in the way of the pale vanilla character that these boats have, and the well-meaning but largely ignorant comments of other sailors who have half the space for the same length boat.
P.S. 12,000 of my 30000 bluewater miles were on beneteaus- a first 36 from Gran Canaria to Gorda and an oceanis 510 from BVI''s to Vancouver via Panama canal...Including force 8 off of Cape Mendocino-