TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands The Moorings is being unresponsive

With all due respect to other charter companies I've just never chartered with anyone other than The Moorings. It's what I started with back in the 80's and I just stayed with a known quantity. I know I probably pay more but I've always gotten great service and I felt comfortable paying for it

For my upcoming trip in June I'm starting to get perturbed with them. I've got some questions on my paperwork and I wanted to arrange transportation from Beef Island to the base. I called in and after a brief hold got the "We'll call you back" automated response. They called me back at least a day later - maybe even two - but the person I spoke with couldn't handle my request and needed to pass me off to another department. Can you guess where this is going?

I was transferred to the other department and soon got the "We'll call you back" response. That was over a week ago.

I sent an email yesterday morning and have not heard back as of 10 pm tonight.

I'm not used to this kind of service from "The world's premiere yacht charter company". Are they having staffing problems? What's going on?

Sorry to hear this about Moorings. If all you need is a lift from EIS to the marina, I would not sweat it. There are lots of taxis there ready to whisk you away. Sometimes there's even someone from Moorings there to help.

I have never used Moorings (nor will I - no offense to the owners here). I prefer to use locally owned and operated companies (wherever I go) with exemplary service (and in the case of sailing - excellent well maintained boats). We avoid conglomerations.

Hope you get resolutions to your questions. Good customer service is not too much to ask.

Just a small point for the Moorings. Historically they have used more locals in management positions than most other companies. Managers are rarely local at many other companies.

We're chartering for the first time with the mornings in a couple of weeks. In the past we used a small company that got blown away in Irma and never came back. I made my reservation with the sales department in Clearwater Florida and got excellent service when making the reservation and paying I didn't have any questions until recently sent an email to the salesperson who booked the boat didn't get a response, finally called the Clearwater office and they said that she didn't work there anymore. Nobody bothered to take over my booking or inform me of this. We have other people in my party I wasn't sure if they filled out the passenger list yet. The Clearwater office transferred me to somebody in South Africa he said I could send all my questions to paperwork@thlmarine.com. He was able to help me with the guest question. Since then I have not had anymore questions. I did get an email though with information about how to be an owner at the moorings. yeah no. Luckily I have been to BVIs a lot so don't really have a lot of questions outside the boat realm. Just ask here . . . .have a good time

Several months ago the longtime owner of a Road Town business told me things were slow at the charter companies. I think he was mostly referring to the Moorings. He said everyone expected a banner year and spruced up in anticipation. It didn't happen. We lunched at the Moorings a couple times in peak season and were surprised to see the docks full of boats.

What did y'all see? A slow season could have resulted in cost cutting.

I do think overnight and charter guests are put off by all the cruise shippers.

We used to sail every year in the BVI. Since the pandemic, the prices have increased so much, that we now rent villas a few times a year for a fraction of the cost. We can still do everything we want to do via renting a boat or taking a ferry.

As for the cruise shippers, we always check the schedule and avoid certain areas until after 2pm.

Keep trying - hopefully, it's just a fluke - or you've been really lucky for 40 years. We have used TMM for many years and have always been treated with respect in a very timely fashion.

They finally got back to me and answered my paperwork question (after two tries) and arranged for pickup at EIS.

The cost they gave me was $64 one-way for 4 people. Is that what I would expect to pay just walking up to an available taxi (for 4)?

Seems a bit high to me but who knows.

Taxi rate sheet says $12/each, plus baggage, plus tip.

We just made that trip. No reservation, there were plenty of vans waiting.
$12 pp sounds right.

Now that I think about it, I think we did pay $16 x 2, so $64 is probably right for four.
It is quite a bit longer ride than from the ferry, obviously.

$12/person is for three or more people.

Sounds like you are calling the main line. Do you have your representative's name that did your reservation? I always call and ask for him and get him right away or a call back that day. In all the years this has worked and even now with our current reservation this has worked.

Same....

Like businesses all over the world there are fewer people in actual offices anymore. Remote work and technology allows phones to be answered all over the world. Upcoming charter I have with Sunsail in Greece, I have spoken to more people in the UK than in Clearwater.

I just read a story that federal office buildings in Washington are now 12 to 25% occupied. New York city Office occupancy is still less than 50%

I don't have the name of the person I originally booked with. Maybe it's on an email I got when I booked I guess.

Maybe it's just me but I don't want to have to find the exact person I happened to talk to on some call. I'm calling THE MOORINGS. If Joe Blow has left the company or is on vacay, I don't want to/shouldn't need to try and track him down. I should be able to call into the number on the web site and get service on my account.

Email seems a little better I'm finding. Still not really pleased.

Do you have your quote? Their Email and name is at the top. It's not really hard to have to "track them down". I have always had personalized service with them. It's nice to talk to the person that knows what I am looking for and what I booked. Like I said it's easier to call them direct and talk with someone familiar with your trip. If that person is not there then I have never had a problem with another person. Hope it works out for you guys.