TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands St. John Customs Question

Spending Christmas holidays chartering in BVI and wanted to know where customs is located on St. John and if it is a real hassle? We have friends staying on the island and they want us to come visit for the day but I'm not sure it will be worth the headache if docking/moorings/customs is difficult. Mostlikely it would be Dec. 29th and we'd be on a 42 ft Cat.

Also wondering if there are any rental moorings in Great Cruz Bay where the Westin is located?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Jon

St John customs is in Cruz bay.

Great Cruz is all private moorings. A couple of decent anchoring spots near the entrance on the south side but probably one of the nastiest mud bottoms I have ever anchored it.

Not sure what the protocol is post Irma but we used to nudge the keel into the mud left side of the creek to wait for a ferry to clear then pull in to the C&I dock. Clearance was easy but all crew had to appear. I heard they charge for using the dock now. If you dinghy in from another bay be nice. I watched them make a real horses patuti dinghy back to Caneel Bay and bring his boat in.

I think that rarely there is space to bring your boat in and anchor.

Space for 2 or 3 anchored boats .

I would pick up national parks ball in Honeymoon Bay and dinghy in.

I’ve always done the same, I wouldn’t take my boat to the customs dock because I draw 7’ and it’s too tight with the ferries.
If you are told that you have to bring your boat to the dock you can refuse if you don’t feel it’s safe and have them go to your boat.

Look up Proper Yachts in St John. They have a few moorings in Great Cruz and will rent them.

We cleared back in to St. John today. There is enough dockage for about 2 decent size boats along the wharf but they will charge you to use it. I think we paid $88 for 8 people today so $11 per person is probably the current charge. BVI ferries have not returned Post-Irma to St. John so not the previous drama but still a tight place to dock and not sure on the depth. Keep in mind that even though it says on the web site that St. John customs opens at 7:00 AM they don't open until 10:00 AM. We have been spoiled with having the CBP Roam App for our last 4 trips but our boat had to be swapped out with another one in the charter company that runs it for us.

Is your boat US flagged? does it have Roam registration? if yes, issue much simpler

There is room for 3 boats to anchor just to the left of the 2 green markers as you come in the channel to customs. I did it twice this week. Then dinghy to the natl park dock and walk over. We tried the roam app but had a glitch and had to go in person. The folks there were very nice and no charge.

Coming back to the bvi at west end we got hit with the harbor fee of $1 per foot. Also charged $30 fo some type immigration fees that I really didn't understand and haven't paid before. Just depends on the day and the person.

Yes .

Just got back to BVI from St barts (where their officials are pleasant).

In Spanish Town, 4 windows but i had to go to 5 windows (1 twice.... well actually 2 twice).

Had to refill forms for all crew although RT said we were okay if all badk by 12/10 (this was 12/9). Fees/ Fees..... New harbor Fee (but we never entered harbor of $1 per foot). "Oh, is that a new fee, as I have never paid it before?" "No.Not new, but reactivated" WHATEVER?

And over an hour. Officials intentionally dragging their feet. Texting during process.

Even demanded to see my EIS flight ticket to SJU.... First time in over 20 visits.


I always grin and bear asI know they can make terrible even worse.


I was thinking "Golden Goose".... Keep attacking the Golden Goose.

Perhaps just make it quicker with same costs.Seriously reconsidering BVI as Officials in SXM and St barts were so much nicer.

I wish BVI could send all C&I officials to "customer Appreciation " School.

Deepcut, I agree the fees are questionable and the C&I Agents are some of the worst in the Caribbean, but as long as people with a$$ wipe money keep going and paying the fees, the BVIs will continue to get worse for people like me who save up to enjoy the islands and still get bilked for these fees which only makes me less likely to spend any additional on the islands or worse come back. I know before I get blasted, if I cant afford it don't go..its not that, its the principal. Its comes down to either the politicians are dipping into the pockets or the C&I officials are?!?!

We had a very pleasant experience at Great Harbor C&I on JVD. We were on a CYOA boat from St Thomas and had to check back in at Cruz Bay (ROAM wouldn't work apparently because of some non-citizens on the boat). We moored at Lind Point and took the dinghy around (they charge to dock the dinghy at Cruz Bay). Can't say the experience with US customs and immigration was at all the high point of the trip.

There is a charge to tie up your dinghy at the commercial wharf in Cruz Bay ($1/ft as I recall). There is NO charge to tie up at the nearby National Park Service wharf.

I've found the Cruz Bay C&I officials to be pretty efficient (typically 15 minutes. It took me 30 minutes in December when I had to check in 1 Permanent Resident and 5 non-US passports reentering the US on an ESTA).

Come prepared with the Form I-418 crew list and Form 1300 Vessel Clearance Information completed in advance. Office opens at 10:30 am.

Stay away from the $$ wharf

Hei Baard,

God Jul!
Does it open at 10:00 (as their web site claims) or 10:30?

I believe it’s 10

It does seem that the BVI C&I people have a deservedly bad reputation, and the "new fees" as well as old fees continue going up while the corresponding service stays the same or even gets worse. I've been keeping my boats in the BVI for 15 years but the attitude on the island towards guests coupled with the extreme changes in costs and service at Nanny Cay have driven me away. I dislike whining about things and then not doing anything, so from now on time I've decided to spend my boating dollars elsewhere and plan on only dropping by the BVI to visit rather than be based there.

God Jul og Godt Nytt År!

Yes...it's 10 am.

Ja takk for det!

And for everyone else.... you can only dream of being as cool as a Norwegian but Happy New Year nonetheless!