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Re: 7 day charter. Fly to STT or EIS?
[Re: Wnfaknd]
#152383
01/14/2018 09:53 PM
01/14/2018 09:53 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559 Apex, NC
agrimsrud
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
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I suggest you figure out what kind of boat you are looking for and run the numbers of STT vs. BVI. Chartering out of STT - which I believe really means CYOA - has lower costs for air travel but has higher fees imposed when you clear C&I in the BVI. Some people here will feel passionately that if you wish to be sailing in the BVI that's where you should start. My opinion is different since I enjoy the beaches and bays on St. John which you would probably not get to experience if you started in BVI. So find a boat you like on both the BVI and STT end and run the numbers then decide if the delta - whatever it might be - is that important to you. Then look at the other advantages/disadvantages to see if they have value for you. Some issues you might look at are: boat selection/cost including age and equipment, total transit time and cost, i.e., from your door step to sitting on the boat, cost selection and ease of provisions, sailing area, hassle/expense of checking in/out of US and/or BVI. June is a great time to be down there and I'm sure you will have a great experience.
Life's short - sail more!
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Re: 7 day charter. Fly to STT or EIS?
[Re: Wnfaknd]
#152447
01/15/2018 11:22 AM
01/15/2018 11:22 AM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559 Apex, NC
agrimsrud
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
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Also, I’m not a US citizen. Just a green card holder and getting back to the US is always a hassle for me There is no special queue for citizens vs. others when you check the boat in from BVI back into USVI. So I don't think there is any additional hassle for you vs. anyone else. The longest I"ve had to spend at C&I coming from BVI back into USVI was in November when we got there right when a ferry pulled up and I think we waited a half hour. From my experience, assuming you have your paperwork ready to go, the checkin is usually on order 10 minutes - hardly a hassle. The hassle you will have coming back through C&I into US proper - either at the STT airport or San Juan will be the same. In other words - I don't think your green card situation really weighs in with the decision.
Life's short - sail more!
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Re: 7 day charter. Fly to STT or EIS?
[Re: Wnfaknd]
#152503
01/15/2018 07:18 PM
01/15/2018 07:18 PM
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 633
BaardJ
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 633
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Also, I’m not a US citizen. Just a green card holder and getting back to the US is always a hassle for me It's an extra couple minutes for a US Resident Alien to get electronically finger printed at C&I at the pre-Irma Cruz Bay office or at the Charlotte Amalie office.
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Re: 7 day charter. Fly to STT or EIS?
[Re: Wnfaknd]
#152583
01/16/2018 02:17 PM
01/16/2018 02:17 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,601
Central Florida!
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Yes, definitely can be cheaper, BUT! Kind of risky. If you book one ticket and your flight gets messed up, the airline(s) is still responsible for getting you there. If you book separate tickets and something happens, you could be SOL. Your outbound flight is delayed, and you are just a no-show on the second flight, and they don't have to accommodate you at all. Same on the way home. Generally not worth the risk to me. Your mileage may vary..
Carol Hill
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Re: 7 day charter. Fly to STT or EIS?
[Re: Wnfaknd]
#152584
01/16/2018 02:18 PM
01/16/2018 02:18 PM
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 61 Massachusetts
Sea&SkiPJ
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 61
Massachusetts
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If you book to sju and then a separate flight to eis, it’s a lot cheaper Interesting idea! Actually about $200 cheaper per ticket.
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Re: 7 day charter. Fly to STT or EIS?
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#152586
01/16/2018 02:29 PM
01/16/2018 02:29 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,861 Bradenton, FL
Winterstale
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,861
Bradenton, FL
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Yes, definitely can be cheaper, BUT! Kind of risky. If you book one ticket and your flight gets messed up, the airline(s) is still responsible for getting you there. If you book separate tickets and something happens, you could be SOL. Your outbound flight is delayed, and you are just a no-show on the second flight, and they don't have to accommodate you at all. Same on the way home. Generally not worth the risk to me. Your mileage may vary.. We did this very thing last May with success -- booked Jet Blue to/from San Juan and Intercaribbean to/from EIS. Left plenty of time to get our bags and go out to the main terminal to check in for the flight to Tortola. Carol is correct that it can be risky but it saved us a bundle. We are doing the same thing in June for our upcoming 2 week charter...we were actually discussing it just this morning because JB moved their flight time back three hours and we now get into San Juan at 8:41 a.m. and don't leave for Tortola until 2:30. Intercaribbean has an 11am and I thought about calling to try to switch us and decided.....nah.....why risk it? We can see if they'll change us day of...if not, we'll take our bags to lunch and come back....
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Re: 7 day charter. Fly to STT or EIS?
[Re: Wnfaknd]
#152589
01/16/2018 02:58 PM
01/16/2018 02:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 61 Massachusetts
Sea&SkiPJ
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 61
Massachusetts
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Connections make me really nervous. On our last trip down - June 2015 - we flew US Airways (right before American discontinued them) from Boston to Charlotte and then on to STT. I allowed 4 hours for our layover in Charlotte, just to avoid unforeseen delays, planning on staying at the Windward Passage that night before hopping on the ferry in the morning. The inbound flight to Charlotte went as planned. The outbound flight from CLT to STT was delayed 3 hours because of late inbound flight crew, then another 2 hours for mechanical problems and then, as if to add insult to injury, once airborne, turned around over South Carolina and returned to Charlotte, at which time it was cancelled. Pandemonium!!!!
Managed to get on the first flight out in the morning, almost had to bludgeon our way onto the last ferry out of RT, spent the first night of our charter on board at the marina and lost a day of sailing.
I know this is an anomaly, and can happen to any flight, but connections just increase the odds of something going wrong. I'll take a non-stop any day.
Just saying.
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