You have a yacht charter booked in the BVI, now come the decisions for how to get there. You have options! Water taxis have made this process of crossing from the USVI into the BVI nearly seamless, public ferries have made it affordable, and American Airlines is now offering a direct flight to BVI from Miami. But how do you choose? Read below for some guidance on the best way to get to the BVI for a yacht charter:
Flying Direct into Tortola, BVI (EIS):
1. Great news! American Airlines is offering flights into Tortola direct from Miami. You will land on Tortola (BVI), and pass through customs as you exit the airport. Depending on what time you land you can either head straight to your boat via private taxi, or plan to stay at a hotel the night prior, then take a private taxi to your boat location the next morning. Simple as that! (Many yachts will include the land-taxi fee, yacht depending). This is definitely the best way to get to the BVI for a yacht charter.
Fly into St Thomas (STT) Option 1:
For your First Option, You can choose to arrange a private water taxi for you and your group. They will pick you up from the airport with your name on an Ipad, you then sit back and relax as they take you directly to your chartered yacht in the BVI. Keep in mind customs closes at a certain time, so if you land late into STT this may not be your best option unless you plan to stay in a hotel on St Thomas that evening.
The Process:
First, they will take you to the water taxi in red hook from the airport (25 min drive). The water taxi will then transport you from Red Hook St. Thomas, to Customs in the BVI (about 40 minute ride on a power boat). Here you can enjoy a frosty beverage of your choice on board while your captain checks you into the BVI. *This can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending, they are usually pretty fast but must mention the possible delay*. You will then be transported directly to your boat’s location in the BVI.
**This process would be in reverse on the way back to St Thomas**
See links below for some private water taxi recommendations, and reach out to them for a quote for your group!
Fly into St. Thomas (STT) Option 2:
For your Second Option: You can choose to take a public ferry from Charlotte Amalie Harbor, St Thomas to Road Town, BVI. Keep in mind this is definitely your cheapest option, but should your flight be delayed it may cause you to miss the last ferry that day.
Be sure to keep an eye on the schedules based on which ferry you pick, sometimes they close for holidays or on certain days of the week. Booking a hotel for the night on St. Thomas can be done on purpose the night PRIOR to your charter so you dont miss a day. Then plan to take the first ferry over to BVI in the AM.
See links below for the public ferry options to check your arrival/departure dates!
Links for the Public Ferry From St Thomas to the BVI:
Getting to the BVI via Private Water Taxi:
General Public Ferry Comparison / Information:
FERRY COMPARISON AND INFORMATION
Uncharted is Happy to Guide You
At Uncharted, we are happy to help guide you along this process. If you truly want the hands-off experience, we also partner directly with Lime Time Travel, a highly reputable travel agency, to book and coordinate everything for you, from your pre-charter stays, transportation, flights, everything.
We recommend booking your water taxi at least 3 months in advance, this gives you the best
possible options as well as ensures there are some available to take you on both your
arrival dates, and your departure dates.
In Conclusion, If you are looking to charter in the BVI, and have more questions about the arrival / departure steps, we are here to help! Send us a message and we will get back to you with any specific questions you may have. Let’s start planning your trip today!
-Caitie Rosko, Co-Founder of Uncharted
