May 5 BVI Charter

Heading down to BVI through SJU tomorrow. Figured I'd update the group as we go.

1. Make sure your COVID test is within five days and three days if you're staying in SJU like we are for the night. Your results must have the verbiage on the results that say "RT-PCR."

2. BVI accepted our medical insurance here in the States. They required a letter from the carrier (BCBS) stating that COVID was covered internationally and they wanted the effective dates of the policy as well. BCBS put the effective date of two years ago to 12/30/4000 to show it was ongoing.

3. Make sure you charter company puts ALL the names of the passengers that are sailing with you on your contract or it might get denied. Of the seven people on my crew, five were denied. Had to call Moorings to have them add those people to the contract and resubmit.

4. The What's App number is gold for following up on your entry status. I submitted on Saturday at 1430 and didn't here anything for 30 hours. I texted the BVI Gateway folks on WA, they asked for my name and reference number from the portal, and approved it within a matter of minutes. The email with travel certificate was sent shortly thereafter.

I'll update further as we go.

I believe after May 15 just the negative test and certificate of vax are all that's required..then neg test on arrival and probably 24 hours quarantine.

3. Make sure you charter company puts ALL the names of the passengers that are sailing with you on your contract or it might get denied. Of the seven people on my crew, five were denied. Had to call Moorings to have them add those people to the contract and resubmit.

so this is new to me as I never have anyone elses name on the contract but do have them on the passenger list...anybody else have this issue?

That is correct, we had the same issue.

ok... I miss the days when boatyball was the most painful thing about boating in the BVI...

Moorings doesn't seem to be much proactive help here and they still haven't hired back my friends at base camp

what else do I not know I dont know?

Who or What is denying charter contracts if crew not listed? Are non listed crew denied permission to travel? Highly confused since this is first I have heard of this.

The crew was actually listed on the charter contract. It was in the remarks and the BVI portal people missed it. You must show that you have proper quarantine accommodations booked when you apply for entry.

Update….

Flight to EIS from SJU was four hours late. We worried they would cancel because you can’t land there at night. We lucked out and got in at sunset.

Testing there at 1830 local was organized and efficient, but it was by far the worst brain drilling I’ve had of the 50+ I’ve done. Not fun.

BVI dropped the ball on testing. Earliest results came back at 63 hours. Latest at 72 hours. Not pleased at all with this unsat turnaround time. We called at the 32 and 48 mark give or take a few hours. No one could answer any of my questions. They didn’t seem too concerned about it either.

Took day 4 test yesterday. Not much better than the airport. 29 hours later, no results. One of my crew asked when we could expect them, she said “tomorrow or next day.”

Good sailing and great wx, but they don’t seem too interested and having tourists back to kickstart their economy. If I was the minister of tourism, I’d be cracking the whip. Three days for a test result is ridiculous. Your mileage may vary of course.

Check them tonight around 9 pm we where there from the 17th of April to the 29. Seems like all our test, except the one done on Jost came back in the evening about 9pm. Good luck.

Results came around 1630. Released from Q. Nice to be free, but sad to see Soggy empty and Great Harbor relatively quiet.