TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Charter in Tortola Drop off in Charlotte Amalie

We have just booked a bareboat charter out of Tortola for the end of 2019. This is our second bareboat with our first about 7 years ago.

One of the members of our party has to be back a day earlier and will be flying through STT. We are debating an itinerary that would swing us through Charlotte Amalie on their final day to drop them off and then head back to Tortola for our last night/day. As I understand it, we would have to go thru BVI customs, sail to Charlotte Amalie, then I would go thru USVI customs drop them off, turned around sail back to the BVI and go through BVI customs. Is that correct? Seems like a lot of work? Would paying for a ferry/taxi to take them from BVI to Charlotte Amalie be a better(only he goes thru customs) alternative? We initially thought we wanted the experience of going thru customers on a sailboat, but not sure. Any other suggestion?

How long is the charter? I would have them take the ferry. If you're on a week charter you'll spend half the trip serving as a really expensive taxi.

10 Days.

You can have the BVI/USVI customs experience, drop off your guests, and have a nice side trip by going to St. John(Cruz Bay) instead of St. Thomas(Charlotte Amalie). You'll have US customs, hourly ferries to St. Thomas(Red Hook) and a great place to have lunch or dinner if you choose to spend the night. Also some good snorkeling spots on the way back to the BVI.

Much better time frame/distance covered to only go as far as STJ -- your departing guest will have no problem getting to STT airport - check the Crown Bay ferry option to make it even easier.
If you go to the USVI at least!!! one day earlier you can enjoy a peaceful and quiet anchorage somewhere along the N. Shore on a NPS mooring and have a much shorter sail back to Tortola base - clearing out of the USVI is not necessary [U.S. Citizens?] and JVD or West End are short sails from that side of STJ.

Unless you want to go to the USVI I would drop off the crew member in RT or JVD and let them ferry over.

I'll echo what other have said - I would only drop them off in St. Thomas if you/the rest of the crew want to spend some time in the USVI. Otherwise you'll spend a lot of time clearing the boat and entire crew out of the BVIs, into the USVIs and then back into the BVIs. Probably not worth it unless you want to spend at least a couple days in the USVIs. The ferry from Jost or Tortola would be far easier and faster for all involved versus taking the boat over.

However, if you do want to check out the USVI a night or two at St. John might be nice. And if you are a marina person Yacht Haven Grande in Charlotte Amalie is in a good location to drop your guest off and enjoy some of what St. Thomas has to offer. Christmas Cove is really nice as well for a night and you can get a great pizza from Pizza Pi there as well.

Thank you all.

Excellent points.

If we choose to be a taxi, for what appears will be about a half a day in all customs (totaled), then we will go to St Johns.

Thanks again.