TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Ballpark #s for Provisioning ?

Hey All -
I have another trip in the works. This time we're bringing two other couples down with us for ~ 10 days. So 6 adults in all, 10 days, 1/2 the dinners ashore.
I am doing the spreadsheet thing and am trying to figure out some working numbers for a Riteway order and a booze/water/drinks order.

Can anyone share what figure(s) they use for this ? When I use the numbers from when it was just my wife and I and triple it, it seems awfully high. Like we'd need a bigger boat just to store everything high.

Thanks in advance -
Chris

Depending on what you're chartering boat-wise, you might want to plan to re-provision a bit as you go.

We are doing the same thing for our trip. I have showed the other two couples the places we are ordering from, what is available and what my wife and I are ordering for us based on previous trips. I am letting them tell me what they think they will drink for the week . We will place the order together but they are paying for their own booze/beer.

One couple might drink a couple bottles of wine. The other couple will probably consume 3-4 cases of beer, several bottles of wine and 3-4 bottles of booze during the week. So you can see why each couple is paying for their own alcohol. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Try provisioning for three days as far as food goes and five days worth of booze, mixes and water then go on from there.
As for estimating future cost I would up it a digit to 4 times. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

For 4 adults 10 days we spend $450 ish for initial food. We are not big drinkers so add on what you think you will need for 7 days. We usually do steak, chicken, pork chops for the grill, tacos or burgers. There are opportunities to reprovision along the way so don't overdue the initial trip. If you try to buy 3 loaves of bread 2 of them will be moldy before the first one is used up!! We do cereal, yogurt, fruit for breakfast. If someone wants eggs they can eat ashore. Lunch is sandwiches, leftovers, salad. We always buy lots of chicken and grill it the first or second night. Leftovers are great for lunches, salads etc.
You can re provision at Sopers, Virgin Gorda yacht Harbor, Leverick and other places along the way

Instead of bread, we used flour tortillas and made wraps for lunches. It worked out great. We had eggs for breakfast which was nice.

Good idea. We find wraps keep well in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. Much longer than bread. Ideal lunch. When actually sailing we do an easy to eat and prepare lunch in bowls: salad leaves, tomato, cucumber etc, tuna, hard boiled egg, cheese, olives. Easy to eat on the go, tasty and sustaining.

Our last charter was 2 months ago and when my wife saw the prices of food, she packed a cooler full of certain items and we checked it as baggage. Everything from shrimp, burgers, bagels to spices for cooking ... She thinks she saved a couple hundred bucks ... Love that lady!

I'm glad you mentioned Wraps.
I normally purchase OLE Extreme Wellness High Fiber Low Carb Tortilla Wraps and I was impressed that after a week or two in a warm boat that they didn't get moldy.
Well guess what I found a wrap in its plastic bag in one of the cabinets that I forgot for 6 months and it wasn't moldy at all!!
I threw it out and am wondering what the ingredients name is that prevented the mold.
It obviously can't be good for you.

This is really a hard question for one right answer. There isn't one right answer.

I like the idea of getting input from all parties regarding what they want to eat, then have one or two crew members do the meal planning; for 10 days there are potentially 30 meals. Subtract how many you are going to eat ashore and then plan your meals aboard. Keep it simple for meals underway. Meals on the ball/anchor can be more elaborate but to what degree depends on the skills of the crew in the particular on board galley.

Costs: we developed a meal plan, from there we developed a provisions list (and we split provisioned - using one stop for a 7d charter). From there, an order was created, costs determined and IN ADVANCE, each crew member contributed to his share of the provision paying it to the Purser. One person (that was the purser) paid for ALL the provisions both initial and along the way. We also had a kitty. Each person contributed $75 for the week. This was for "extras" including potential for meals ashore. We ended up having enough in the kitty to do two extra meals ashore for 6. One at the Baths (lunch) and one at Foxy's (Drinks and Bar snacks).

Booze: we took input on favorite beverages from crew members, then had one bar meister (my son who is good at that) develop the beverage list. We drank way more water and morning after club soda than Vodka or Gin. We restocked a couple bottles of wine (more than a couple, actually!) and some beer. Restocked an entire case of club soda but just refilled plastic gallon jugs of water (planned a gallon per day pp and we probably used 1.5 gal. per day pp but don't go nutz over this trying to stock too much to start, just refill jugs (we started with 12 - two cases at Riteway) in a timely manner wherever.

Beer ration was 3/day, pp. Not surprisingly we drank more but not that much more. We drank less fancy drinks that required prep, even G&Ts, though we had planned on those. Hence, a full bottle of Vodka and one of Gin was donated to the Horizon dock staff upon our return.

Have fun in the planning. It should be that way.

We budget $125pp for the first week St. Thomas self-provision prices ++beer, mixers and liquor. We generally keep track of provisions and split them, but we tend to invite folks that pitch in pretty actively.

Cheers, RickG