TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Ferry from Road Town to STT, schedule

Good afternoon all! Where would I find the most current ferry schedule Roadtown to STT on a Monday on November 1st? Are we still needing reservations? And when can we make them, if so? We're taking a private water taxi from STJ to Scrub on the way over so I'm not sure about getting back. Thanks!

The schedule has only been released until 15 October.

Most likely you will need reservations but you'll need to wait and see what they say about capacity restrictions.

Thank you Jason! Which website shows the most current schedule?

lol. Such a great question.

Typically, the Port Authority publishes a monthly schedule and the the ferry companies share it but this is all on Facebook. Eventually, the ferry companies update their online booking system with their dates but it could take a few days.

For October, they never published a schedule, just added the September schedule to their FB page and said it's extended to October 15. Not very effective but it's attached in case you want to see it.

Rumors are for more ferries being added but until it is announced, canceled, announced again, and then updated I wouldn't count on it. No way there are going to be less ferries so you should be able to count on the September times.

Welcome to the islands...

We have already booked our Oct. 21 STT to RT 4:30 pm. I did call and confirm with Smiths before I booked the ferry. They said they were running that day. I am waiting to book the return ferry. I'm hoping they add a late morning ferry so we can stay out another night.

Interesting. Maybe they extended it until end of October and just never bothered to announce it.

We have booked tickets STT to RT for 10/23 @4;45pm. Waiting to see the Nov 6/7 schedule. Maybe we will get stuck in Paradise..... lol

We'll be on "Allegro" 41 Beneteau out of BVIYC. Say hello if you see us!

Which ferry company sold you the tickets? If it was RTFF, that makes sense because they have Saturdays in the current schedule.

Hey we have booked Native Sons on the 20th for 8 passengers.

Thank you so much everybody!

I too am waiting the RTFF November schedule to open. I called yesterday and the lady said sometime next month. Just hard to book a flight out of STT when you cannot secure a ride there...I too could be stuck in paradise.
If you see the schedule open please let me know and I will do the same LOL

After going back and forth since 1984 I now spend a night at both ends on STT, primarily at The Emerald Beach. I know if its a short vacation that may not work but longer than that I find it takes a lot of stress out of the trips..and you get to eat in Frenchtown!

Yep - RTFF



Absolutely!!!!

Adrian, we will be looking for you!

We'll be on "Watteau" 52 ft Lagoon out of Scrub! We'll be on the lookout for you guys!

October 1 - 14 schedule.

What happens if you just show up at the ferry dock at STT? Have AA tickets for Dec 9 and return Dec 21 Hoping Speedy ferry is doing a STT-VG trip by that time. Was told speedy will be running in late Nov

Are tickets only being sold for STT to Roadtown or is speedy also required to pre-sell tickets from roadtown to VG

If you just show up, you run the risk of not getting a seat. Capacity is limited due to COVID so I'd plan ahead if possible.

VG will be a vaccinated port of entry by then so it might be worth the extra cost to use a water taxi to take you directly to VG.

I have blocked a boat for 27 Nov to 5 Dec. We are waiting to book tickets for the 27 Nov ferry schedule. The preferred flight gets in at 4 PM. Being a Saturday they normally run a late ferry but it sure would be nice to see a schedule.

Why the heck can't they put out a schedule later than 2 weeks out? Have any of the ferries changed days since they've started running?
I'm scheduled to fly down on 10/22.

Yes, August was different companies than July. September went from 2 to 1 boat. October seems to be the same as September so far but we all think October 15 will be the return of 2 daily boats.

I called one of the ferry companies last week and was told that in Nov they expect the outbound STT to RT to move from a 4:30 depart to a 5:45 departure. Perhaps that is why they only have added 2 weeks to the schedule. The same company also indicated that all the boat companies have asked for additional runs so perhaps mid Nov they may go back to more ferries running a day. I guess all we can do is stay tuned and wait. Kind of silly that they cannot get things finalized more than a few weeks ahead....its frustrating!

Here is the remainder of October. Back to 2 ferries daily on 15 October.

Great!

Awesome....Thanks Jason.....that 11:30 ~ is that too late of a ferry to take for a 3:30 flight from STT?
(American Airlines)

Sorry to say Chris, you are not allowed into the country. Sad, but you'll bear up!

I would take it, but I have a higher risk tolerance than most. Should put you at the airport by 1pm with only 65 people on the ferry.

https://www.284media.com/local/2021...SAzjaYqJNbKNu5qLaADP7wMPsxtbPg8OO7cgt2js

Apparently they are increasing to two ferries after Oct. 15.

Every time I attempt a water taxi, the cost of very high. I can take the ferry system at much lower cost. If you have any water taxi's that you can recommend I will try again.

That won't work for the folks that want to go to Virgin Gorda. Why can't BVI ever get their act together. Not so difficult

There's a 4:30, 6:30, and 9:00 boat from Beef Island. For travel to VG, it would be better to fly to EIS than STT.

Years ago we swore that if at all financially possible we would only fly into EIS and never take the ferry again...LOL! Well, then we bought a condo on St. Thomas and now we are back to looking at transportation from St. Thomas to Tortola. I just booked a water taxi with Chill Out Charters from St. Thomas to Tortola for $900 for 6 people ($150 per person). Return trip is $840 because they give a discount for the return. They pick you up in Red Hook (so if flying in you will have to take a taxi to Red Hook, which is usually about $20 per person) but then take you right to West End to clear in and do the Covid stuff, then they will take us to our boat at the Moorings. For an additional $35 per person they will pick you up at Crown Bay Marina in Charlotte Amalie instead of Red Hook.

We've decided to just do the private water taxi both ways... yep it's expensive for sure, but this is our 60th birthday trip ( cancelled 3 different times ) from May 2020 and decided...what the heck, we're just doing it

We bit the bullet too on the private water taxi. After having issues with a flight from SJU to EIS. No times matched our incoming flight. This was supposed to be my 60th BD trip. I turned 60 in March. Husband is paralyzed on one side, he is mobile but just not for long distances. So we got the private water taxi. Very expensive but as you said we just did it!!!

I was able to book STT to Road Town for Nov. 12th with Native Son. I have not been able to find tickets for Sunday Nov.21 return trip. Anyone know which ferry is running this Sunday?

Those thinking about a private water taxi might recheck airfares direct to EIS. American just dropped fares significantly to Tortola. I paid 630 roundtrip from CLT to EIS next month. No ferries, portals and only clear customs once!
G

UGH! I just checked and ours would be $240 one way from Denver to EIS. Unfortunately, I've already booked the water taxi and we are traveling with 1/2 our crew and meeting the other half in St. Thomas. Thanks for the heads up though!

I be cautious pre-booking ferries for dates not officially released yet. The operator you choose may or may not know they are operating on that date but you could end up on the 9am ferry instead of the 11am ferry that you really wanted.

I’ve some friends who are arriving STt on Friday. It’s their anniversary and they’re heading to Tortola. How hold I advise them about the public ferries? “Forget about it” or “be patience” or something else?

This is great advice. If it turns out they don’t operate a ferry when you need it they will not refund your money! The best you will get is a credit for future use.
G

If they can afford a water taxi, it will be much faster. The people who arrived on the 4:30 ferry last week didn't get out of the terminal until close to 10pm.

Yikes! We’ve booked the water taxi for our upcoming trip. First time using them. Fingers crossed it’s a good experience!

They seem to know what days and times are available on the web site. Coming out of low season, 65 passengers per ferry may quickly become inadequate. I'm not sure if the if government will anticipate the up tick in demand. I just don't want to be the 66th person trying to get a ferry ticket in late November.

They are just selling tickets thinking they know the schedule. There was just a post last week from someone that bought a Native Son ticket before the schedule was released and then the schedule came out and Native Son didn't run that day.

Premier Faye announced last week the ferry passenger limit would be increased to 100. He said he thought it might happen this week.

I hope they staff up the ferry terminal to get the testing done faster.

Was that 10pm because the ferry didn’t leave at 4:30 or because everything at Road Town took so long? I assume they are processing people and then letting them through and that not everyone had to wait until 10pm to get through.

I'm sure the boat was a little late like normal but it was the processing at the ferry. These passengers were towards the end of the line. I'm sure some people were done by 6:30.

We were very last last week and it took about 90 minutes to get through.

I wonder if the processing time is different for private water taxi patrons vs regular ferry? Anyone travelled via water taxi lately?

It should be much faster. The water taxis come into West End, JVD, or VG and have a lot less passengers.

My entry at Beef Island with 4 passengers took about 20 minutes.

Our November 11th flights were just cancelled and AA is not offering a refund, only rebooking or a voucher!!! I'm now scrambling to figure out all of our options, including flights to STT. A few questions:

* Is there an updated ferry schedule for November?
* Are Native Son, Road Town Fast Ferry, and Smiths Ferry the only options for getting from St. Thomas to Road Town?
* Jason, where did that BVI Ports Authority image you posted come from? Facebook?

Edit: Looks like I've found the answers to my questions. For anyone else looking: International Ferry Schedule during Covid-19

Native Son published combined schedules for the next three months. These should be fairly accurate but, until "blessed" by BVI Ports cannot be taken as gospel.

I already posted these in a different thread, but here you go.

* Native Son, Road Town Fast Ferry, and Smiths Ferry are the only public ferries but there are LOTS of water taxi options. They cost more but are very convenient, much faster, and very popular.
* Yes, the Port Authority image would have come from Facebook. I have not seem them post the new schedule but the ferry companies worked together to compile the November, December, January schedules I have included here.

Thank you! Looks like 3 sailings each day, which is much better than the October schedule posted earlier.

Yes. Daily now -
Departing Charlotte Amalie - 9am, 2:30pm, and 5:30pm
Departing Road Town - 7:30am, 11:30am, and 3pm

Do we need to still book ahead?

AA must by law give you a full refund if they canceled your flight.

Jason - Moorings is now sending out the 3-month schedule you posted recently. Have you seen anything official on this yet? I've been checking the port authority FB page, but haven't seen anything new.
Thanks.

Nope. Nothing from the port but I believe the schedule as posted is accurate

Would anyone know if it’s possible to catch a 530 ferry to Tortola from st thomas if your flight arrives at 430?

No checked bags should be fine. If you have checked bags a bit tight but use a driver like Stanley at Love Cab or Kevin. They will call ahead and tell the ferry you are coming. The gotcha is that if the flight is late and you have to go over in the morning they will not refund your tickets. They will give you a credit to use another time. The next days ferry might be a different company so you could pay twice.

G