TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico Upcoming trip to USVI/SVI

Hope all is well with everyone. Kinda talking out our potential routes here and have some issues with our boat just coming off charter in USVI the day before our arrival for our trip. With regards to required tests. (I know tests have been a hot button topic but feel this may be unique).
Let's say we are flying into SJU on the 23rd. Negative Covid tests in hand to deboard plane. Then we have to snag a puddle jumper over to STT to meet the boat (same Negative COVID test in hand within timeline).
Snag boat and sail for 2-3 days in USVI before sailing over to Spanish VI.

I know we are not required to have a test to fly home on the 30th from SJU to the states, but what about when we enter the SVI and Puerto Rico halfway through the sailing trip? Our tests we received in the States that allowed us to land in SJU and STT will at that point not be within the required timeline. Are we cool once we are in the region or are we going to be barred from sailing from USVI to SVI without a 72 hour negative test?

Thanks!!!

I don't know if anyone has a clear answer on the current USVI to SVI entry requirements. Once you head to SVI you'll be outside the 72 hr testing window for entry to PR. You might have to first clear into Puerto del Rey Marina to be tested. Who are you chartering with? Are they providing any answers? I suggest calling CBP in PR to hopefully get an answer (and then share what they say).

Thanks for the reply Baard! We are on my personal boat. Unfortunately we are between captains and new captain is on a charter elsewhere so I can't rely on him to do the legwork.
Have talked to CBD in Puerto Rico to a guy who was helpful. He was on West end and said that the East end is it's own local government and recommended I called the Marina. He told me they do free testing at marina for incoming personal watercraft.
I'm on hold now with the Marina and they told me that they don't do testing but that they call in a third party for boats that have reservations with them. They don't have any dockspace. I'm back on hold asking for a different date.

My question is going to be, if we clear in via the CBD Roam app and don't actually ever go to shore (this is a thing, right?) how do they obtain our tests? I have a workaround on getting the tests timed right but IT would be an extra hoop.

I have a testing lab in the states and as such got licensed to be a US Government approved CLIA lab on the boat. I have the test kits and test reading computer on board so guess I can test everyone with my test kits the day we set sail to the USVI, BUT... then I am back to the question as to how to get those tests to the SVI government if we are checking in (It's a US BOAT) remotely. Or do we have to sail past the SVI to Fajardo and check in at Marina first, give test copies and then sail back East to SVI to cruise....

????

Any further info/update on SVI via USVI?

I just got off the phone with the crew of our upcoming SVI/USVI charter later this week. They said the SVIs are closed to charters, they were allowed to enter as a local boat. We will be skipping the SVIs this trip.

Thanks for the update!

Just got back and had a great time? flight entry into SJU was a snap and no delays at all. Sailed Culebra and Viequez and surrounding. Weather whipped up some swells and such but we were able to sail it. US flagged vessel, but not a Puerto Rican flagged vessel.

Fletch. glad you had a great time....for those of us thinking about a similar itinerary in the coming weeks, can you shed some light on some of your own questions you asked above? First and foremost, you WERE allowed to go to the SVI? What and where was the check in process/testing requirement? Were you able to use the CBP Rom app? Thanks!

I have the same question as Skindeep. Based on your post above, your boat started in USVI and then ended in Puerto Rico is that correct? Did you have a captain to sail it back for you? Did you have any trouble getting your US flagged vessel cleared into the the SVI at Culebra or did you go on to the mainland to clear in? We would love to get back to the SVI for a day or two in May if possible.

Sorry for delay, I hadn't checked here in a bit. My captain sailed over from USVI with my cousin and his crew in the boat. They sailed USVI for a few days, ran into STT and got covid test PCR. Waited for results in USVI and then sailed over to Spanish. They were able to clear in via that App online and never had to go to shore. Simple. We then were picked up when we arrived in Puerto Rico. We met them at Puerto Del Rey dock in Fajardo. Set sail the next morning around the SVI. Got dropped back off at Fajardo and cabbed to airport. Captain then stayed for a day in Fajardo to get some stuff before he sailed it back to STT for some downtime before next charter. It was simple.
When I uploaded my test on travel portal before my arrival, I received QR code and acceptance email INSTANTLY. When we landed, I just handed them that QR code and walked right through. That was it. No lines whatsoever.

Do you know where your captain and cousin got their PCR test in St Thomas and how many hours/days it took to get the result? Did they then submit their results to the Puerto Rico travel portal and wait for approval, or just show up in Puerto del Rey with the results?

I'm trying to figure out the logistics to fly from US to STT to get my boat nd then enter into SVI. I have no problem getting the 5 day covid test to enter the USVI, but there's no practical way I can get a 3 day window test for entry to Puerto Rico/SVI while still at home in the US as I have at least 2 days tied up in flight to STT + provisioning of boat + sail to SVI.

STT Clinical Lab in Altoona near the big Banco Popular. Results by email in less than 24hrs

Talked to my cousin... His reply was "Up the hill from the big ship harbor. About 2 dye for results. They never asked for them but we registered online and were expecting them to make us dock somewhere and turn them in. No one ever did. Captain checked in via that app online to register our arrival with customs or whatever".