TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Charter Yacht Phones and Boating Apps Question

So this is maybe a silly question question -- but I am curious what type of local cell phone (smart phone vs. an old school bar phone) is included with most charter boats. I know most of the vessels have them but as the person onshore I have no knowledge of any more detail than that. Do you use the phone that is provided with your boat or do you just use your own -- and get a roaming plan or use onboard wifi?

My interest is related to the potential use of boating smart phone apps to improve awareness of marine hazards and potential prevention of collisions at sea.

Do any of you use boating apps like Navionics or even boat beacon (AIS app) while in the BVI or does lack of data/wifi limit your use?

I am using Marine AIS to collect some information about vessel anchorages around JVD (deeper water, where megayachts anchor) as part of a UK Darwin Plus project on coastal and marine ecosystem resilience and am exploring potential use of AIS virtual ATONS; however, most of the boats in the BVI are not equipped with AIS which means the scope is limited (or at least now, who knows how it might change in a few years).

At least in the past--Conch boats had a basic phone for calling the base etc. and a tablet for boat info. Then you could purchase wifi service for the boat and use whatever you wanted to access that service.

All TMM boats have free WiFi, and the phone is just a flip phone. The phone is pre loaded with 10 minutes, but calling the base doesn't count toward those.

Moorings has local phone to call base. We have WiFi and use our Sprint phones which cover BVI at no additional cost....

I use Navionics...

The WiFi is actually pretty good

Because of the privacy issue, past track, current location etc. most of the mega Yachts do not turn on AIS wwhile doing simple BVI cruising.

I can’t think of any app that will help with the items you mention in the BVI more than the onboard chart plotter. The best anticollision device is a proper watch at the helm. Your personal smartphone will work just fine in the BVI and most companies offer a 10 dollar a day international plan that gives unlimited data and texts plus .25c per minute calls. Easy to start the plan online with T mobile and others.
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TMM Basic phone (capable of text) and is loaded with minimum of $10 of credit (NOT 10 minutes).

AND all TMM boats have "Free WiFi", which works pretty good in BVI.

We generally text via internet and FaceTime Audio from our individual phones.