TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands New info of protocols for yachts??

Anyone have info on the yacht "discussion" tonight??

Ahoy Captains,

As a Stakeholder in the Bareboat Yacht Charter industry in the BVI I have received the DRAFT Protocols for the Bareboat Yachts, Crewed Yachts, and Boatyards.
The salient points are #1 This is a Draft Protocol, #2 This is a Draft Protocol, #3 There is no mention of Any Medical Testing or Quarantine for any Guests.
There are no specific provisions for long term yacht occupancy at a dock. No provisions for security, body counts, or wash stations per occupied yacht.
The Draft Protocols are mostly the Logistics of Sanitizing and the Hygiene of the Vessels, Maintaining a Healthy Workplace, and Observing and Reporting Infections. In general the Protocols seem very straight forward and logical and practical, considering it is a deadly pandemic.
Logged into the on-line Stakeholder Consultation meeting tonight, Wed Oct 14.
The BVI Gov Moderators and Officials were all Very Polite and Professional.
Of course one of the first Questions was regarding the Medical Protocols for Tourists.
The Answer was Respectful and Precise and as Expected there would be No Discussion of that issue during this evenings meeting.
The Draft Protocols documented today and the Consultation tonight are strictly about the logistics of operating yachts safely regarding the Virus.
This is all to make a Yacht Charter in the BVI with your Family and Friends one of the Safest and Healthiest and most Enjoyable Vacations in the World into 2021 and beyond.

The BVI now has a Date, and in regards to a Protocol for Travel, is trying to control a hurricane.

As expected, and with more to gain or lose than the average TTOL member, I am resolved to waiting patiently for the BVI Gov decision, hopefully and with no other option, until next week?
And then as improvements in Testing and Treatment and Vaccines evolve, I look forward to positive changes in those protocols within weeks if not months.

Fair Winds, Brent from The Captains Compass

Sad that during the "discussion" that they would not entertain any questions about the protocols to be used. i guess I am not as patient as you. They have had 6 months to think. Now do something other than announce a date, which allows them in theory to say they are open. I have spent millions in the last 3 years in the BVI and need to show a profit for my investment.

OK..I dread to think how much they spent on that promo video?? From their past ventures I know they have probably overspent by one hundred percent ..but why do the video ..luring folks back and with ABSOLUTELY no clues as to how it will work???..Come on..time to get serious BVI Gov..this is embarrasing..I mean stupid and embarrasing...We want to help..we want to get the economy going..for all that is sacred..give us a clue!

Gee Mal....I am willing to bet a major news source would think this was one hell of a story if the BVI lured everyone back and then it ended up being Charlie Brown running for the football and Lucy snatching it away....just a thought.....talk about a bait and switch.

Obviously only if they actually DO put forth protocols that are totally undoable....
BVIYC did a virtual happy hour last week encouraging everyone to keep booking.

All the protocols for all businesses are being put in place to be ready for tourists to return from high risk countries. The bar and restaurant owners are jumping through hoops with plexiglass being required round all bars , numbers being limited and being assigned by the EHO , high fines and instant closure if rules are not followed.

This is so once borders are open people are used to serving like this, Lucy is not welcome.

Most of the US is closed to European tourists if not all and most of Europe is closed to US tourists due to Covid but they can travel from 1st December in the BVI, I hoped they would open to smaller Caribbean nations that had the virus under control first to get the entry protocols worked out, but they chose this route and so we wait.

....and there are so many tourists who will have that “we’re on vacation” attitude and want to drop all safety measures - I see it around me all the time here on the Gulf Coast - entitled, selfish behavior that reflects badly on the entire country. I can certainly understand the wariness but I don’t understand the whole “welcome back” campaign without listing the rules at the same time so people could make an informed decision before spending $$$. If the country is “technically” open but people still can’t visit due to the protocols? I wonder how rebooking will look or if it will be allowed without travel insurance. Do I just have to eat the $5k? I am sure I’m not the only one who is nervous :-(

The people I know who have been waiting on the BVI are starting to book other places. The timeline is getting to short and people want airfare ect.. locked in. The BVI is losing future revenue every day they delay. The Covid numbers in the USVI have been outstanding since their new protocols. Copy them and let’s go!
G

I thought the whole welcome bvilove video was a joke, starting with welcome back,when to come, come now and then at the end Dec 1st i was gutted and well pissed off. I'm sure they will open Dec 1st for all tourists, they are just getting us ready...i hope.

I sure hope so too.....

Giving BVI gov till 11/1 to announce the "plan".

If no plan or we don't like the plan ......

Then we postpone "again" to Spring 2021.

Starting to feel like another Fyre Festival....

This reminds me of Kapeye's song about the islands - "Come back another day".

George is right. I cancelled my DYC charter for 5 December, and am instead booked out of Key West. As much as I love cruising the BVI, I just couldn't wait any longer to start nailing things down. I've now got my boat and flights reserved, and am fudging up an itinerary.

I have spent a lot of time in Key West. I love the place! Enjoy!

Who did you book your charter through for Key West?

Take a sail to the fort off Key West Nice ride. Interesting Place.

Yes, Fort Jefferson is very interesting and there is good snorkeling there. We enjoyed that.

Dreamyacht; just reassigned my time I had reserved in the BVI

Friends of mine had some serious issues with their boats in Key West recently.....spent 8 nights out of 14 on the docks...they were NOT happy...just an FYI.

We took a pontoon plane from KW to Dry Tortugas and that was a great day, very good snorkeling off the beach. From the air you can see the sand dunes that are reportedly constantly shifting in that area and understand why Mel Fisher had trouble finding the wreck upon his return...
Met a couple from TX who were roughing it there (off the grid) for a week or two - took the ferry in, no electricity, running water, etc, and they described the walk to the restroom at night with dealing with hundred of crabs...A unique getaway!

A friend of mine just got back, said it was great, with no problems. I've had to have repair boats bring parts out in the BVI as well. I think that's not just limited to Key West, but anywhere you have boats in a charter program.

But being on the dock would suck, just not as bad as being on the couch at home.

I suspect that part of the problem may be that they have been slammed busy, as many people who normally would have chartered in the BVI and elsewhere, have punted to Florida, and they have not been able to keep up with maintenance issues, as all their boats are in service..

So I have decided not to go to my villa until the covid tests are removed. I understand they are painful and the thought of 4 of them just does not interest me.

they are not painful, just uncomfortable .

Thorsten, the best thing about this world is that you have all kinds of room to change your mind. Your patience has been sorely tried ( Irma/Maria were vicious to you), so letting yourself have some time off-screech will be a good thing.

I will wait and get one of the first vaccines and then come and go as I want. no covid test!

I hope a vaccine is quickly available to all. It appears however that the two front runners have serious refrigeration requirements that will slow distribution. The first year it’s quite likely that only high risk individuals will get the vaccine.
G

It seems unlikely that a vaccine will be widely available until late 2021 at best. The BVI and other tourism based islands need to find a way to reopen that makes sense for visitors or they just won't come down. The alternative is the destruction of the island economies. Buying medical equipment, up fitting some ICU units and contracting with medical personnel to handle any outbreaks would be cheaper than killing all tourist revenue.

Agreed, we work hard and save up for our trips to the BVI, we do go other places but we happily spend more per day in the BVI than anywhere else, and its worth it, the BVI government needs to step up and put reasonable policies in place, secure more ventilators and expand ICU capabilities and open up...the clock is ticking on the 2021 Spring season - sometimes the thought of a scary threat (virus) is much worse than the reality.

I hoped for a reopening for the 2021 season. I will be very surprised if that happens. The Covid numbers are going crazy in Europe and certainly not doing well in the US. The good news is mortality is way down but regardless I don’t see the BVI opening without a quarantine. The numbers may be better by Dec but it will be to late at that point. One change in policy in Europe is that they are showing very little interest in repeating the spring full lockdowns. They are however adding restrictions. Paris just went to a 9 PM curfew and the UK has a new program but not a full lockdown. It looks like they are trying to avoid the economic and personal devastation full lockdowns bring.