We've used the Moorings in January 2017 and CYOA on numerous occasions -- most recently 3 weeks ago. Great experiences with both. I would rate the pr



-Great departure point to enjoy both the USVI and BVI. We love both the north side of St. John, the west side of St. John, Christmas Cove at St. James, and other easy-to-reach USVI destinations. And almost always far less crowded than many of the BVI hotspots.

-It's a small charter company. This cuts both ways. We thought the Moorings marina presence was amazing. And while you won't get that at CYOA, it is well-equipped setup and, more importantly, you will get personalized, detailed briefings from folks that are on-site and readily accessible-- FAR more so than with Moorings.

-In my opinion, you'll get boats better maintained and with more options (e.g. water maker)

-In answer to one of your specific questions, there are good provisioning options at CYOA. You can either use CYOA's provisioning service, you can self-provision at the Pueblo (a short taxi ride away), or you can go with third-party provisioning with FreshfoodsVI. Here's the link . .. https://www.resortcart.com/#/home. We've used FreshfoodsVI on our last couple of charters and have been very pleased. We show up and all of our food supplies are on-board and (partially) stowed.

-Airfare. We fly from Chicago, and we compare prices to St. Thomas and Tortola every year, with the same results. It is almost always significantly cheaper to fly to St. Thomas.

CYOA CONS

-Much smaller supply, so book the boat you want well in advance if you choose to use them.

-I mentioned earlier that the staff is very friendly and helpful. However, I will caution that if you're looking for a big warm-smiled welcoming committee, you won't get it. The front desk check-in and check-out process can be a bit terse.

-If you weren't planning to spend some time visiting anchorages at St. John, St. Thomas or St. James, but are expecting to make a beeline to the BVI, there's a good day sailing/motoring around St. Thomas to get there. I will say, however, that we've done this route for many years and it doesn't faze us a bit.

-If you are planning to include an Anegada excursion as part of your charter, that can be a challenge if you're starting and ending at St. Thomas, at least if you're not planning a trip of 8 days or more.

-Fuel. At present, CYOA does not have fuel services, so you are required to refuel at one of the other marina's in Charlotte Amalie before you return to base.


MOORINGS PROS

-Big, beautiful and well-provisioned marina.

-It's right in the middle of the BVI action, which not only means easy access to the hotspots, but also that you'll be in relatively close proximity to base if you run into problems. Note: by the time you get to Gorda Sound, you're a long way off from CYOA. Having said this, we've never had to contact CYOA for assistance in well over a dozen charters.

-Huge selection of boats, as you know.


MOORINGS CONS

-Again, I'm more impressed with the quality boats and options available at CYOA.

-If you plan to visit the USVI, you've got the same (and, frankly, worse, customs issues that you have in the vice-versa case).

-There's a mass produced feel (at least from the perspective of someone used to a much smaller charter company) that can be a bit off-putting. Our pre-charter briefing in January 2017 was an afterthought. And when we needed extra linens, pillows, etc..., it was tough to track someone down who could actually help.

-Over-all cost. As I recall, price comparisons between similar boats weighed slightly in the Moorings favor. But for us (again, flying out of Chicago), the pendulum swung considerably to CYOA's favor after considering costs of flying to St. Thomas as opposed to Tortola.


A WORD ABOUT CUSTOMS
Don't sweat clearing customs into the BVI. You can go through either Great Harbor at JVD or Soper's Hole on Tortola. CYOA will give you the forms you need in advance and we've always breezed through the process. I would counsel, however, that the process goes much faster/better when you've got your "Yes, Sir's" and "No, Sir's" and "Thank you, Sir's" down to a science (yes, they can be a bit officious). And now that you can clear back in to the USVI by a mobile app on your return trip, coming home is a snap.

In the final analysis, I'm very glad that both CYOA and the Moorings serve the Virgin Islands. Excellent companies, both of which have given us terrific memories. I think our 15+ trips with CYOA probably reveal a bias in that direction, but these are my thoughts as candidly as I can set them out.