StormJib said:
Particularly from Miami there is a growing collection of business travelers. Many of those flights and other costs are paid by employers or third party clients. In many cases the absolute lowest cost of air, ferry/bus travel will not be the first priority. While many who type here find the ferry great spor part of the adventure. There are far more travelers who will never consider the air, taxi, ferry, air combo. There is also the growing list of BVI regulars who will never risk the ferry dance again. When you consider many are spending $1,000 dollars or much more a day for their BVI time the cost of
the flight is an ever shrinking percentage of the BVI holiday or business trip. If you sail with us and insist on the ferry we expect you to ferry in the day before and ferry out the day after you are scheduled to be off the boat.
We are finished with the hassle of waiting for someone to get to the boat from STT and the stress of trying to help a guest make a doubtful and less
than reliable ferry connection at the end of a great visit.
I assume you are doing crewed charters. I believe most people planning on going on a charter are flying to their destination be it EIS or STT at least the day before and plan to be at a base that night or the following am.
Coming via SJU is no guarantee especially in summer with a connection out of Miami that you will be on tortola that day. 3 times we had an unplanned overnight in SJU. Alas if you read this forum you will hear problems of missed flights or cancelled flights from Cape Ait, Air Sunshine and Seaborne.
As far as a shrinking portion of the trip, that may be true for some. At Marina Cay I watched 3 private jets take off in the space of our lunch. So you are right for many visitors perhaps air fare is not a big consideration. However I think it is probably the single largest deterrent. Assume a family of 5 is traveling and you are making and paying the freight. Much of last year from our home airport, fares to EIS or VIJ were in the 1100-1200 range leaving early in am and getting to EIS 830 or VG the next day with an overnight in SJU. Or you could take Delta thru Atlanta to STT leaving at 6 am and be in STT at 130..,catch 230 ferry to Roadtown..be at our place in VG before 5 pm..for 580pp plus ferry punching the buttons..a litte less than 3 grand difference and shorter travel time.
So if you were the person (hypothetical as it is just the two of us)
