TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Ferry vs Water Taxi

First, I would like to share that I really appreciate this forum and all of the great advice and sage experience people provide. It has been 8 years since our last charter. We will be arriving in July with a group of 7 people. I have used the Ferry from CA to RT on my previous trips, but read about many people recommending water taxis for only a little more cost.

I have received quotes from a couple water taxi companies and the price per person all in cost is $225-270. This includes airport taxi transfer STT to Red Hook. The ferry prices seem much lower at $60 per person plus the fee. I am a little unclear regarding ferry baggage fees. RTFF lists 3 bags per person for a fee of $10 and each bag after 3 is $10. Aquatic Rentals lists baggage fee of $10 per bag.

The economics of taking the ferry for one person with a couple bags appears to be about $90 vs the water taxi fee of roughly $250.

Please let me know if I am missing something in the comparison.

Also, it would be helpful if someone could confirm ferry baggage fees for me.

Thank you all for your help.

$85-$90/pp for ferry one-way is correct. There is usually only my wife and me traveling, so we haven't did the water taxi. Our last couple of trips including one next week, we fly into STT and take the ferry. Then fly out of EIS on the way home. Seems to work for us. Consider you'll need to factor in tips if you take a water taxi.

I would have paid anything to skip the line at the ferry terminal the last time we arrived. 3 little kids and 4 tired adults stood there for 2 hours. Much easier drinking a beer while your captain checks you in and then delivers you directly to your charter base.

Add $25/pp taxi to your charter base from the ferry terminal. The porter/bag man tip at the ferry terminal. We paid $20 as bag with RTFF in January.

I wont do it again. The cost comparison for me is now either direct to EIS or Water Taxi. Which is cheaper. The ferry has a sneaky way of beginning and ending your vacation in the wrong way.

What day and time did you go through customs? We have never waited more than 30 minutes for customs at the ferry except when covid testing was required.

You are fortunate.

Baggage fees are $10/bag period. Plus the bag man will also want a tip. I started adding up all the fees for the trip so this trip (April) we are flying to SJU from Orlando via southwest (free tickets) and then using intercaribbean to Tortola and then Silver on the way home end of April. Could also use the plane but very expensive for just 2 persons.., but so much more convenient . Vero Beach direct to Tortola.
Just bought a 20 ft pontoon boat for use in the intercoastal water way here in Vero Beach. Ugly boats but they are a floating people platform .and very easy to launch from a ramp. Turn the key and your off for a fun day.

Note that Aquatic charges $20/bag for bags 30-50 lbs.

Yeah, pontoons are not that pretty but great for floating - we have ski boats and pontoons up here in MI (and a 1942 Chris Craft). Docks and hoists going in this weekend - yay!

Snow clear out already??

Thanks for the input.

I really like the convenience of the water taxi. But the cost is about $150 per person more than a ferry one-way. For 7 of us, the incremental cost for convenience is about $1000. I think we will take the ferry and spend $1000 at Soggy Dollar....

LOL

Why don't people just fly SJU then on directly to EIS? This is what I have done for the past 6 trips. I will never understand why anyone decides to fly into STT and deal with the airline and ferry lines and time spent going between STT and Tortola. Just my .02.

We have had nightmare experiences flying SJU/EIS. Lost luggage
(Try getting that to a boat 2 days later) and cancelled flights.

Im really excited about the MIA -> EIS on AA. Havent seen it pop up on my searches yet. Anyone book successfully yet?

We are booked EIS-> MIA on AA 6/14/2023. I'm pretty sure that these flights begin 6/1/2023, and will operate only seasonally until AA determines if the route is viable long-term.

For some, STT still is the easiest way in. I fly a nonstop direct flight from JFK and are off the plane by 12:30. Arrange taxis ahead, hop the ferries and are enjoying evening dinner on VG. I enjoy the ferry rides and the fact that in one day I'm there. I've done alot more miserable things in my life besides standing in a customs line.
So for us, San Juan>beef>VG makes absolutely no sense. I would never NOT route through STT.

What skipdastraw just said and I go back and forth at least three times a year.