TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands ferry question

AA changed our departure time from STT to an earlier time. We were planning on taking the 10am Roadtown Fast Ferry from Roadtown to Charlotte Amalie, but if they are still stopping in West End/Soper's Hole to pick up more folks, we may have to change plans. So, does anyone know if they are still going to West End after Roadtown, or have they fixed the broken ferry and are back to their old schedule?

What time does your AA flight leave from STT?

Dont know as we always take the ferry from WE..today Native Son had their 10 am running and there was Inter Island to St John and on to Red Hook at 10.15..if this helps..

AA moved our time from 4:30 to 2:30. Last year, with the 4:30 time, the Roadtown Fast Ferry left Roadtown at 10:30 instead of 10 (hey, island time) and went to West End, then STT, and there were several folks on board with a 12:30 departure time, and we were in STT at 12. Not one, but two C&I's, plus a cab ride...I don't think they made it and don't want it happening to us. Can you say "Best Western" hotel STT?

We left WE on Tuesday on the 10 AM Native Son that turned out to be a fast trip to STT.
Dave

We never want to risk it and always end up on the early boat, then go to CA for breakfast. It takes the stress out of it. If you do that, Gladys's is open early and they make a great breakfast, friendly service, etc.

RTFF usually is nonstop to CA. 10 am will you there and thru customs around 11:30 No more than 30 min to airport. So you will be there at noon.

Last month I took the 10 am RTFF from RT to CA and it was non-stop arriving about 11 am.
Fred

Doesn't hurt to see what Cape Air is charging for the direct flight to STT. We have friends staying at our house now, and they got tickets for this coming Monday for $98/each - as much as taxi-ferry-taxi would cost, and they get an extra half-day in the BVI!

There is a chance that the 10:00 am RTFF will not be running, especially if it is in the low season. This happened to us twice. On one occasion, We called RTFF the day prior too our return they told us it would be running but the next day it wasn't. We missed our flight in STT and stayed at Best Western Caribe across from the airport. The next time we took first ferry, had breakfast at Glady's, lunch at BW Emarald Beach and then on to STT, much less stress. I had never considered flying from EIS to STT, something to consider.

Tony

Ok.. no need to stress the charlie out

RTFF... as opposed to Tortola Fast ferry could be a source of confusion.

RTFF typically does not stop in WE.. it goes direct
RTFF typically does not have island style issues

Stuff happens... not sayin' it cant...but this is the better of all the ferries (my opinion only)

the 10am will be fine for a 2:30 flight (get a porter if everything goes wrong and you cut it too close for comfort)
the 10am is NOT fine for anything before 1:30 flights.. and even that is cutting it close

if you are truly uneasy... take the 7am RTFF from Town
Because.. if it fails to run - grab a taxi to WestEnd and catch Native Son at 10-ish... they won't all die the same day.
end of problem... and as RonP said... enjoy a morning in C-Amalie

After all these years... the day that RTFF screws me up... will be the day I change my tune... but until then.... see my comments above

Rather than the RTFF at 10, we usually take the Smith's ferry from Roadtown at 9:30. It stops in WE and goes on to CA, arriving before the RTFF does. It's also less crowded. We usually get to CA around 10:45-11 AM. You should be ok with either, for a 2:30 flight.

If it were me..I'd take the earliest ferry and breakfast in STT as suggested..its what we always used to do ..even for a 4 pm flight..I have seen waaaay too much panic at C and I with folks about to miss their plane. As we are now down for months at a time we have started going a day early..take the 10.15 to Red Hook via St John..have a nice lunch at the fish restaurant at the end of the dock overlooking the marina..dinner at "Oceana" of another great Frenchtown restaurant..overnight at Windward Passage..lunch at " Hook Line and Sinker " and on the plane. I would never have done that when I was just down for a couple of weeks but it is a restful way to travel now..especially as we fly to SFO and then drive another 90 mins to Sonoma, Ca.

Unless you are sleeping aboard your last night you should consider staying on STJ. Get C&I out of the way and sleep in the that morning.