I am amused by this claim that the BVI should let the riff raff go to Mexico, DR or Cuba and gear up very expensive air service to cater to the high rollers. Claims that because charter yachts are getting bigger and more expensive and that Villas are more expensive with more amenities (don't necessarily find that true, much less change in rental villas than yachts) is somehow causing a proponent of this boondoggle to claim that these high rollers won't worry about the price.

These people seem to mistake these often hard working couples saving and or borrowing for a week's vacation in the BVI, for a few Owners of the two hundred ft mega yachts and Island Owners. They have nothing in common other than destination. However the former make up the bulk of BVI travelers.

This silly premise misses the mark badly for the average and the majority of the visitors to the BVI

Well let's take two families each with two kids who are renting a Villa above Smuggler's cove. They are sharing the 4 bedroom accommodations that lets say rent for 5,000 in June . So each couple is spending $2,500 for their share of the week's accommodations.

Or let's say the same two couples are chartering a 4 cabin cat for a week at a price of 10 grand, each couple's share, 5,000.

Btw many of the cats are split 4 ways so claiming because the boats grew larger and better equipped, in no way means that in most cases you have candidates for the old Robin Leach series badly misunderstands the case.

In addition the majority of these villa rentals and yacht charters are for one week. many people plan a whole year or a two years or more to make the trip. Some save for it, some max credit cards and I'm sure some have hit home equity lines to have that BVI vacation.

Now let's say this typical family from a Midwest city I'm familiar with can get tickets lately for about 600$ to STT with one connection thru Atlanta or Miami and arrive at 130 or 230 pm. 200$ + 50 for taxi gets them to west end. 2650 for the 4

If they take Jib's High Roller Express, they will have the same one connection in the states, may arrive at similar time or I suspect later because with everyone on the plane only going to the BVI an airline will wait till all feeder arrivals possible to try to load it. So currently it is about 900-1200 from the same Midwest city to EIS. With this High Roller xpress let's say it's 1800$. That family of four would be out about 7200 air fare plus probably 150$ taxi to west end.

So you are looking at the travel cost being about $ 3,700 higher for that family of four.

That difference in cost amounts to 1.5 times what they paid for their accommodations. It would be 3/4 of what they spent on their share of the charter boat.

I've have heard many more complaints about cost to get to the BVI since American dropped the props than I have inconvenience.

The BVI would be much smarter to spend their money on better ferry service and find those 30 or 40 seat prop planes and subsidize flights between SJU and EIS.

lLiane I'm guessing can tell you that not everyone chartering a yacht, even new and fancy, is unconcerned about cost of travel to the BVI. I know for darn sure that is true of many land based guests. People are like sheep. You can shear them many times but only eat them once. The High Roller Express will not appeal to the vast majority of travelers to the BVI because of cost.

And with that I will wait till another year and another change of his screen name to shoot holes in this plan.