TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Differences between Moorings and BVI Yacht Charter

After 5 charters through Moorings we have decided to leave the nest and try a smaller company this time. I have read nothing but excellent things about BVIYC on TTOL so I am confident that our experience will be fantastic. I can say that so far the staff have been friendly and easy to deal with.

Can some of you with experience provide some insight into differences that we need to know about between BVIYC and Moorings? Are the boats stocked differently (dishes, towels, linens, etc)? How about the experience at the dock for the sleep aboard (I know that there is no pool)? Moorings provides some basic essentials when you board the boat. Does BVIYC?

Your insight is appreciated as always! We are sailing 7/24-31 on Jasper. If you see us that week come have a Painkiller with us! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

One thing is you know your boat's name ahead of time so you have crew shirts made from www.customsailingshirts.com <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

We have used BVIYC and had a very positive experience. The base is minimal compared to the Moorings, but very efficiently run and close to shopping. I would recommend you write to Abbie or Cassie and find out from them what items are stocked/standard on the boat besides linens, towels, etc. Definitions of basic essentials will very from person to person.

Take a boat, let charters run 20-30 weeks a year for three to five years (or longer) and hand it over to a new company that may or may not update it.
The price is lower for a reason.

I would say the biggest question should be fleet and maintenance standards and service while on charter.

It has been years since I chartered with BVI YC, but as TW says, they charter individual boats so you could find out if the boat you plan to charter has been cared for.

I have chartered with BVIYC 4 times from 2002 to 2009. Boats are well maintained and the staff is friendly and competent. I am chartering again with them. Wheels up in 9 days...

We have used BVIYC for our last 6 charters. We have used other companies but find that they have the best balance of the boats we want and price point. We love not being a booking number. Abbie and the office ladies will take good care of you and the dock staff is superb. The boats are clean, well cared for and the service is top notch. Rite way is just across the street so self provisioning is a viable choice. Just emailed Abbie about out plans for next year!!

Being able to pick the exact yacht you will be on is a big plus for us. BVIYC lets you do that

Abbie and Cassie have been wonderful about answering all of our questions. It appears that BVIYC does not provide a "starter kit" as the other charter companies do (just toilet paper in each head), but that's okay. We are pre-provisioning with Rite Way and finishing up the list when we get there - next week! We are chartering a 2015 Saba 50 - the youngest boat we've ever chartered in the past 30 years, including Moorings. I'll weigh in with more info after our return on the 20th!

We are chartering SYros from the 14th to the 21st. Sounds like you will be a day ahead of us. Hope to see you there... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

I am wondering what would happen if the boat that was chartered was damaged during the previous charter and would be out of service for your charter? What does the contract say? The big companies will just get another one. A small company might not have another one.

Can someone elaborate on the experience sleeping overnight at the dock? At Moorings there are multiple restaurants, bars Good bathrooms and showers that are open 24 hours. Whats it like at BVIYC?

The "small guy" will either trade boats with another operator or try to use whatever they have in their own fleet to meet your needs. Worse case they will just give you your money back. I would never count on a specific hotel room or specific boat for any trip no matter what you think you heard from the polite reservations sales person on the phone. For those that must have the shirts or drink glasses? Skip the boat name and use your groups or trip theme for the printed stuff. Make it something more personal to you and the the group. Say... "BVI Year 10" or something meaningful to you.

With a little tape you can even rename the boat...

We'll be finding out next Sunday. We're arriving early for our sleep aboard, and Abbie confirmed that there's not much there. We plan to hit Rite Way and hope the boat is ready early. For dinner we're taking the dinghy over to Village Cay Marina. The best base, IMHO, is Horizon at Nanny Cay. And Moorings is great too. But BVI had the best boat at the best price. I hope there are good shower facilities. Will keep you posted. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

Sleepaboards at the dock have changed over the last 10 years. After being the victim of a boat being boarded and robbed at night while we are onboard I have a new outlook. I was very surprised to find how many boat hoardings there have been and how little the police care. I would not consider a sleepaboard in that location unless they maintain a night watchman. This also includes TMM and Conch. They may well do so, just call and ask. As far as I know in thr string of boat boardings around roadtown no one has been caught and most of the time the police don't even want to take a report.
G

I have slept aboard with The Moorings, as well as several smaller operators in BVI and St Thomas. Very little time to kill after provisioning/ storing provisions/unpacking/eating dinner nearby and then onto the boat and sleep! The main advantage o sleeping aboard is having completed these tasks the night before , boat ready(not a quick turn around, addable to depart earlier. Locking boat when gone and securing before sleep is common sense. I grew up in and era when most houses in neighborhood were unlocked 24/7. Not anymore.
I am sure crime occurs but stay close to marina, travel in groups, as in any travels.This is true whether sleeping aboard or staying in nearby hotel.

Regarding boats being swapped out if not available, this can happen (rarely) and ALL operators, big and small, will try everything possible short of giving you your money back. Moving you to identical boat is ideal for them. Upgrading to another boat in own fleet is possibility. Possible transferring to another operator. But ALL the operators want you to continue chartering. What separates operators (Hotal airline, yachts) is how they handle the situation to build customer loyalty. If situation occurs, likely to be dealing with owner of company in smaller operators.

We were there in January with BVI Yacht Charters and the bathroom/showers had been remodeled. Two large showers with doors, two stalls, and two sinks with counter space. They were open all the times we needed to use the facilities. Besides the grocery store across the street there isn't much around there. There used to be a local restaurant we would always eat at but it has since closed. We always get a rental car for the sleep aboard day/night to get food, drinks, errands, picking people up, etc. It is much cheaper for us than the taxis since our party doesn't all arrive at the exact same time that day. We also started taking the dinghy over to other restaurants across the way.

The only complaint is that there is never much of a breeze (when we are there at the dock) and there is no shade really whatsoever on the dock or grounds so the very beginning and ending of the charter gets some of our party uncomfortable and grumpy.

I love after everyone is so hot and sweaty and working hard to get everything started, we finally pull out of the slip and start heading out for our charter. That breeze/wind and the cool water splashing up is just what everyone needs. It relaxes everyone and makes everyone in a good mood to start the week long trip.

The dock basic but it works for us. It is always the best price boat for what we are looking for and everyone at BVIYC is great to work with. That's the only company our captain works with.

Great information. Thanks all! I have heard such good things about BVIYC that I have no doubt we will be thrilled with the service. I know that the boat is 8 years old and we have adjusted our expectations accordingly. However it really is too good of a deal to refuse. Having the Generator and A/C is going to be a big plus in late July. Its good to know that the bathrooms and showers are open 24 hours. There is not much more that we really need!

Thanks again for all of the responses. If you are sailing 7/24-31 come have a Painkiller with us!

For us the sleep aboard expereince WAS "the" main difference. BVIYC boats were nicely maintained and staff gernerally helpful and nice - certainly more individual personality than moorings although I also find their staff very helpful and nice. Bit the bases just cant compare. You out in the harbor staring at a tanker (we were at least) at the end of a dark row of self storage with few to no stores AT the base. No pool, no great showers, no deli or coffee in the morning, no restaurant, etc. Now if those things dont matter (they didnt when I was younger) and you are willing to pay more then go with Moorings - however we certainly have had positive charters with BVIYC like others. When you do a 5 day charter, the overnight matters - less so for a 10 or 14

Hi, you should be happy with BVI YC. They are all great, but have worked with Abbie and Cassie. VERY nice answering all questions. We sailed Syros in 2012, good boat, a few things were not working but did not ruin our trip at all! We will be on Knot Too Late Jul 7 - 13!

We recently chartered Tennessee Waltz, a relatively new Saba 50 cat, from BVIYC, and we have also used The Moorings 6 times. In the interest of providing potential charterers my recent experience,here are a few points.

The good: Cassie and Abby are delightful to work with in the office, and responded well to our pre-cruise questions. Check-in was easy, and Chris did a great job with the extensive boat briefing. The cost of the boat was significantly below what The Moorings would have charged for a similar boat. We had one required service call which was handled extremely well, again by Chris.

The bad: 1) several months before our arrival, we received verbal approval for a second dinghy, required due to a large crew size of 12. But when we arrived the dockmaster had a real sour attitude about this and said they do not do this, later told me that there were no extra dinghys available, then later told me that they did not think charterers knew how to handle them. I did not like the fact he tried to BS us, and was so out of sync with his office. BTW, the Moorings has no problem with a 2nd dinghy. We finally got It after being firm. 2) The boat had a large sliding door between the saloon and aft cockpit which had bad rollers and was difficult to open and close. Since this door is used heavily all day, I strongly complained about it during the boat check-out, and the dock master told me that "all the Fountain Pugeot boats they receive had this problem and it could not be fixed". So later I went down the dock and tried the sliders on several others and they all worked perfectly. Again, total BS, and the slider was a major pain the entire trip. 3) the large cushions on top of the boat near the helm had torn tie-down straps requiring stowing the cushions below every time we were underway. 4) the docking lines and dinghy painter were old, worn and full of knots. 5) there are no clip gates on the safety lines, making it very difficult and unsafe for some crew people to get on and off the boat while docked, and the safety lines are starting to corrode. Since this is a 2015 boat, the only conclusion is that this wonderful boat is not being maintained well - all of these issues cost almost nothing to fix. Would I charter with them again? Yes, due to the savings. But ask lots of questions, and do not put up with any crap answers at the dock.

Just a point on the dinghy. At the Moorings the company owns the dinghies. They are in a pool and given out to each boat as needed. It's not a big deal to give you a second one. At most charter companies the dinghy belongs to the boat and is paid for by the owner of the boat. They are not supposed to be swapped around although I know it happens. The better companies should keep a spare or two on hand in case of problems but they might be reluctant to send it out as a extra.
G

Only 27 days now! Can't get here soon enough!

That may be true - they may be reluctant to send it out as an extra. But we were assured we could have the extra with a $1,000 deposit, but then the dock master lied repeatedly about it. The complaint was about the dishonesty and lack of communication with admin. However, it all worked out and we were happy in the end!

Having just returned from a BVI Yacht Charter after chartering with The Moorings (most recently last June), here are my thoughts. First, we were a party of 12. Try fitting that many on any 45/46 - even a 48 - in comfort! Well, The Tennessee Waltz, in spite of a few glitches, was absolutely the BEST boat we've ever lived on for a week! The refrigeration was the best I've ever experienced, and the ice-maker was an added luxury. The accommodations included three spacious staterooms and three smaller ones as well as two forepeaks with A/C! and Portholes! so one crew member used one for sleeping and the other for dressing. And of course, the "penthouse" and front seating area were much enjoyed. Now, the marina is even more basic than Fort Burt (Conch). There's nothing there, but it IS very close to Riteway and One Mart. We took a cab to Village Cay Marina restaurant and then slept on board before taking off. Still have fond memories of Nanny Cay .. and The Moorings base rocks it, but would definitely book with BVI again - check out their boats (and pricing)!

Thanks all. Out plan is to Dinghy over to Village Cay for dinner on the night of our sleep-aboard at their dock. Jasper has A/C so i'm not too worried about the evening start. Hopefully we get there early enough to get the boat checkout accomplished before they close at 5:00pm. Its going to be close because we land at STT at 1:18pm.