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Thoughts on getting to Tortola
#137272
08/06/2017 08:40 PM
08/06/2017 08:40 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
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As I am looking into our next trip and costs, it has become a lot more costly to fly into EIS, especially with 3 of us now.
So as I have been looking into the various options, I had a thought. Couldn't we hire a Captain for a day to bring the boat to us in St. Thomas? Pick us up and we sail back dropping the Captain off. Same thing returning back to STT.
I figure this is a nominal cost, prevents us from having to deal with C&I with a huge group coming off the ferry and gets us on the boat right away.
Thoughts?
And on a side note - does BVI VIP get you anything at the ferry, or is that still only at the airport?
Matt
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: maytrix]
#137273
08/06/2017 08:58 PM
08/06/2017 08:58 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 464 Charlotte, NC
DEL
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Seems like the cost of a captain for a day (+ tip and meals and probably taxi from West End) plus a charter day (frequently 2X a sleep aboard) would be significant expenses. I guess it depends how much you dislike waiting in the C&I line in Road Town.
Douglas E. Linton
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: CaptainJay]
#137281
08/07/2017 10:13 AM
08/07/2017 10:13 AM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 737 Panama City Beach, Florida
xrayman67
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CaptainJay said: Matt you could just fly yourself in the day before to Tortola and pick the boat up and meet the rest of the crew in Red Hook. Some charter companies require a minimum of 2 persons aboard to leave the marina.
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: xrayman67]
#137282
08/07/2017 10:18 AM
08/07/2017 10:18 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,277 Saint Thomas, USVI
CaptainJay
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xrayman67 said:CaptainJay said: Matt you could just fly yourself in the day before to Tortola and pick the boat up and meet the rest of the crew in Red Hook. Some charter companies require a minimum of 2 persons aboard to leave the marina. Most do he owns the boat.
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: CHS_JDE]
#137283
08/07/2017 10:47 AM
08/07/2017 10:47 AM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 72
FrenchLaundry
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We have done this a few different ways and happy to share what we have done - which has some pros and cons. We have kids so an easy entrance was important to us. We have had our captain - who is amazing, check our boat out of Tortola (check out of BVI) - we had the provisions, fishing gear, sporting rental all delivered to our boat. He checked the boat out of BVI and moored at Caneel Bay or Leinster Bay at St Johns. We landed, headed to redhook - from there we have done 3 things. One, he picked us up at redhook, 2nd - we had a water taxi take us directly to the boat being moored at Caneel Bay, 3rd - we took the ferry to St. John's, loaded up the taxi and took it to Leinster Bay to a boat that was moored, provisions in the fridge, and a glass of wine waiting for us. We spent a couple of days on St. Johns and then checked back in to the BVI for the rest of our trip. We love St John's so that was part of the plan. I would recommend the 2nd or the 3rd option due to the issues with mooring balls. The first works well depending on the day and season.
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: warren460]
#137284
08/07/2017 10:55 AM
08/07/2017 10:55 AM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 304 Rockford, Michigan
aarpskier
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warren460 said: Re the ferry dock. I have been told no to west end and yes to road town. We went through road town on July 28th and nobody from the VIP club was there in spite of assurances that they would be. Same experience at RT on June 14. Disappointed.
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: FrenchLaundry]
#137287
08/07/2017 11:26 AM
08/07/2017 11:26 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
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Thanks for all the responses! Jay, that would probably work if we had others joining us. If it was just my wife, myself and our son then I don't think she'd be so happy being on her own As far as why I want to avoid the ferry, it is simple. Every time we have done it, it took a long time going through customs - and that was BEFORE we had our son. He has even less patience then I do, so my goal is to avoid the amount of waiting he might need to do. And as Jay said, we own the boat so there's really no added boat costs for us except for a Captain. I've got 2 commuter book coupons still, so for our next arrival, we'll end up flying in. Just looking at options for the future or possibly for our departure. Thanks!
Matt
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: aarpskier]
#137292
08/07/2017 10:06 PM
08/07/2017 10:06 PM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 27
TWB
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aarpskier said:warren460 said: Re the ferry dock. I have been told no to west end and yes to road town. We went through road town on July 28th and nobody from the VIP club was there in spite of assurances that they would be. Same experience at RT on June 14. Disappointed. We were met at the ferry terminal in Road Town on July 19th. I called Tammi when we boarded the ferry in St Thomas and told her which one we were on. She had the lady in the little tourist office at the dock meet us.
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: TWB]
#137294
08/08/2017 08:03 AM
08/08/2017 08:03 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
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TWB said:We were met at the ferry terminal in Road Town on July 19th. I called Tammi when we boarded the ferry in St Thomas and told her which one we were on. She had the lady in the little tourist office at the dock meet us. So what did this get you? Did you move through customs quickly?
Matt
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: maytrix]
#137295
08/08/2017 08:47 AM
08/08/2017 08:47 AM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 27
TWB
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maytrix said:TWB said:We were met at the ferry terminal in Road Town on July 19th. I called Tammi when we boarded the ferry in St Thomas and told her which one we were on. She had the lady in the little tourist office at the dock meet us. So what did this get you? Did you move through customs quickly? As we were queuing up to go to C&I she was waiting with a sign with our names on it. She then walked us to the front and all the way through the process. She even corrected my immigration form where I had left it incomplete
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Re: Thoughts on getting to Tortola
[Re: TWB]
#137296
08/08/2017 09:17 AM
08/08/2017 09:17 AM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
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If we could get that kind of service, that would be great! Sounds like the key might be calling when you are at the ferry on the STT side?
Last edited by maytrix; 08/08/2017 09:17 AM.
Matt
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