TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands How much cash?

I'm wondering how much cash I need to take for a 1 week charter (5 adults) Lagoon 450. I know that most places will take my card - but some won't - and I believe someone said fuel is cash only? TIA

It depends on whether you plan on anchoring, mooring or taking slips. For slips, fuel, water, 95% of dinners, groceries, etc., is a lot like the US and Europe - everyone takes cc. From my experience we've always paid cash for mooring balls, except at Leverick when we've stopped for fuel, spent a night on a ball then a night in a slip (when used cc). I don't know if the other mooring ball places will take cc, as I've never asked.

Many in the BVIs charge a ~3% surcharge for using the card. This also includes paying your boat insurance and the final amount due when you pick up the boat.

You also have arrival and departure expenses that requires cash.

I believe we took $300/pp for a 10 night trip in Oct and had cash left over.

So fuel is not cash only?

I always paid for fuel with a credit card.

$2,000 should cover it if using your CC. You want to have enough cash in case the ATM is out of cash on the island your on.

If you use the boatyball for moorings you'll be using credit cards I assume.

That's what I was worried about. We'll moor most nights I assume; so not a ton of $$ there - but I was thinking fuel, a possible lunch or two, customs fees and misc tips would be cash.

Cash for the guys who bring ice and take the trash...
Safari bus tour for the group on VG. (Pub Crawl/Hog Heaven/The Baths)

Not sure if you’re solo or in a group but our groups have a boat “kitty”. Each couple puts in $200-225 at the start of the charter. We use it to pay for mooring balls, ice, trash, water & misc shared expenses. IF we have any left we use it for fuel at the end. Fuel dock took credit cards last time we chartered. We personally take another $1000 for the the two of us. Always end up bringing most of it home.

can you use cc at customs?

Thank you! I'm the Dad - wife and 3 of my kids (19-23) are crew - so it's on me. Sounds like I'd be good to take $2k and cards . . .

Fuel : Credit card every time (Not American Express)

Practically every restaurant and bar takes credit card.

Cash: Mooring balls
Ice/ trash/
Customs
Taxi
Tips

Thanks Wes. Makes sense.

and there are ATMS in Road Town, Spanish Town

I'm pretty sure you have to have cash for customs.

Never paid cash for fuel. And like others have said, we collect a "kitty" that stays on the boat for
moorings
ice
trash
some reprovisioning

Once that's established and the crew understands it, there's not as big a need for cash as there was 10 years ago. The last couple of trips we came home with much of what we brought (except for the "kitty")

Dave

I would agree. Just not 100% positive. Can't recall ever trying to use a credit card.

Is this $100/pp? $60 in and $40 out? Or do we just pay the $60 in?

Closing the loop on some of the pre-charter questions I had. As far as cash - I took much more than I needed. For 5 people (where I paid for everything) I spent close to $1000 in cash. That was, frankly, going out of my way to spend cash. VERY FEW places would not take my visa/MC. Also - for fuel on a 45' Lagoon with the genset running full time and under power at least half the time, I used 92 gallons ($360).

I have found that nobody takes Discover Card and heard of difficulties with American Express as well. Keep that in mind when expecting to pay with credit cards.