St John park fees going up

Looks like substantial mooring fee increases for 2016 but still less than BVI.

http://m.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-national-park-to-raise-user-fees-1.1954780

I found another press release with more information here:

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2015/10/08/vi-national-park-increase-fees

The National Park Senior Pass, available to those 62 and older for a one-time $10 fee, can be used for a 50% discount on mooring fees. The pass is available online at the NPS web site or at any National Park. So, if one of your crew has the pass, the current $7.50 discounted fee with rise to $13. Still a great deal!

Sounds like the America the Beautiful pass for $80 pays for itself after seven nights on a mooring.

Cheers, RickG

Link to the annual pass web-site is here:

http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm

still $13 for us seniors, yep 6 x = $78, at $26 it's only 3 12 days <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

When Rockefeller gave the property to the US National Parks he stipulated that the park was to be free for all Americans to visit.

$26? Who's bright idea was that - Since its a pay station and no one to give change, I think $25 would have made a lot more sense.

they accept credit cards

We're going to pick up the annual pass at the NPS Visitors Center in Cruz Bay on our January trip. I need to check if our sailing guests have the Golden Age pass. Two people are allowed to be named on the pass, but they do not have to be related. This works nicely for our boat.

Cheers, RickG

doesn't look like the annual pass covers camping fees (expanded amenities). Did you contact the park and get confirmation that it does? Looks like 65 and older can get 50% off.

I thought that Cinnamon Bay Campground was a concession, not run by the park. I didn't think that the pass would cover that, but I could be wrong. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

When they first installed the moorings they were free for about two years because they couldn't figure out a way to implement the fee to the boaters.
That should tell you what kind of geniuses you're working with. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

How on earth can you pay with a credit card at one of those pay station boxes?
And where does it show that the annual pass allows discounted moorings? I've looked at both links but didn't see moorings (or boats for that matter) mentioned anywhere. I must be going blind in my advanced age. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Spook.gif" alt="" />

You write your cc number on the payment form.

That doesn't sound like the best idea.

goozee

Here is a link to the page containing fees and discount info.

That's the only way with a card or go to an ATM.
You can always stiff them <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

why not, done it many times, you can also put cash in the envelope. It usually takes several weeks for the CC to post to your account. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Too much cc fraud going around. Our cc # was just stolen in St. Thomas. What a hassle.

goozee

I agree with goozee. Our CC was also stolen this past season, after we used it for the mooring fees. Maybe that was just coincidence but I tend to doubt it.

TomC, thanks for the link... I really must be going blind because I had read that earlier & skipped right over that. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

Guess we'll have to wait a few more years for the Golden Age discount... And meanwhile I'll limit my credit card theft to e-commerce websites & stick cash in the mooring boxes. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Who accepts CC's for mooring in BVI?

Cooper Island will add it to your dinner tab if you ask them. At some point the next day you may notice they also included it in their %15 gratuity too. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Note to self, try to limit financial decisions after two for one painkillers. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

The park should have a fee collection system similar to what they do in the Bight. I'd guess that a surprising number of vessels never pay. The $26.00 fee is silly, they should make it an even $30.00

The BVI has a lot of moorings in a place like the Bight, and many local businesses come out and collect the fees there and all over -- STJ has no businesses in each bay the way the BVI does - they often have a host boat designated in some of the bays over the winter season to basically take attendance but they can't collect money - the NPS maintaining the moorings is a big job already and I doubt they have the personnel and payroll to have a few boats try to go everywhere each evening and collect the fees.

I have been told that the NPS somehow monitors the names of the boats in the anchorages to see if they have paid. If not, the charter company gets dinged for the fee.

On a recent charter with IYC, I was asked to save the stubs from the envelopes and give them to IYC at the end of the charter.

never heard that one

It sounded odd to me, but when I am using someone else's boat, I try to abide by their rules.

This is true. I don't think it is every boat every day, but as Dirty Harry said, "Do you feel lucky?"

We usually pay with a CC, makes it so easy. We have also seen the courtesy guys driving around the anchorages

NPS at one time and took down the names of boats but didn't record the size or make of the boat,occasionally there was more then one boat with the same name.
Save your receipts.

For the record yes they do take down boat names and they will track you down thru the charter company. The St John park moorings are a great asset to the whole boating community. Please pay your park fees and round up to $30 if you don't have change. They do a good job using that money for the park in St John.

Jay

Just to agree with Jay... The NPS definitely keeps track of the boats on the moorings. I inadvertently picked up one of the balls for vessels over 60 feet, and within 10 minutes an NPS person motored up to me informing me of my error. You may not see them, but the NPS is keeping track of who is using the mooring balls.