TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Thoughts on the proposed BVI protocol...

The entry requirements should also be considered from a relative sense as opposed to just an absolute sense...

If USVI or Bahamas or wherever isn't as stringent as BVI then tourism will leave BVI to USVI or Bahamas. Substitutes for international tourism and local tourism have already taken place and I don't think it is likely people will move back up the ladder...

In the US 2nd homes, RVs, and boats are having a banner year...

If as Jason says that BVI follows social media then my suggestion would be to have a marketing strategy targeting social media sites.

I mean, I think we're all in agreement here. This idea as currently presented is horrible for tourism and simply won't work.

So what can we collectively do, if anything, to help?

You can do nothing as the premier is a stubborn person with little exposure to the real world. he will just run the economy into the ground and then say he needs to increase fees and taxes. Sorry, but that is what I see.

This really makes me doubt whether or not I should book in the BVI's for April 2021. I have a credit with Sunsail from April 2020 that I was planning to use next year. And while I can wrap my head around testing requirements, the quarantine and not being able to book airfare into EIS until 5 days prior are deal breakers. I have my flights into STT already, and would entertain a puddle jumper to EIS if I had to, but not being able to book until last minute is worrisome. Also, if I had already rebooked for next April but decided that the quarantine and other entry requirements were really too tough to make it worthwhile, would I be eligible for rebooking with no penalty since the BVI's would technically be open? I think I'll hang on to my credit a little longer and entertain other Sunsail destinations as an alternative.

I think the seaports being closed will be very short term. There will be too much volume for the airport and too much pressure from the ferry companies. The Premier has stated they would release the planned opening dates in the next couple of weeks so if you can wait that long, I think your issue will be resolved. My guess is January or February 1 for ferries.

That takes care of the flight issue but what about the quarantine? Thinking this through even further, we had planned to stay the last two nights of our trip on STT. Will I have to produce a negative test result to the USVI upon clearing customs? Which means I would have to factor in getting tested during vacation in the BVI's. Even without the overnight in STT, will there be a requirement for a test result just to transit within the USVI to the airport? I'm sure more details will become known as time passes but overall the uncertainty is preventing me from booking a BVI vacation in the near future.

IMO, there is little risk booking flights as most/all of the major carriers are waiving change fees. We are holding on to our Dec tickets for now with fingers crossed BVI will get this all sorted out to balance safety with practical travel protocols.

We are scheduled for two weeks land-based on Anegada in March. I would gladly comply with test before, on arrival, and a tracking bracelet. I could care less if the government learns that I am a slug who spends most of the day sitting on the porch staring at the ocean. I would even agree to 4 days quarantined if I could do it in the D&H Villas on Anegada. I'm not willing to give up four of my precious days on Anegada to be quarantined somewhere on Tortola. That would be the deal breaker.

You also need to consider risk of Moorings/Sunsail going out of business...I have a credit as well and plan to use in the May time frame if not sooner...

I suspect there are a few issues with the USVI ferries. If a local gets a Covid test, will he be allowed to go to St. Thomas, stay overnight and return the following day? If there is testing on arrival, where will they do it? What about quarantine? And what if there is a spike in cases? They may see how it goes.

If guests fly into Beef and transfer to Guana or Necker, for example, the risk is fairly small. That is probably the safe end of the spectrum. Then there are all the other situations.

They have had since March to come up with a plan, buy testing equipment, and figure this out. Unfortunately planning is not a BVI strong suit.

I think Moorings/Sunsail is the lowest risk of going out of business of all the charter companies. They have robust financial backing.

"Unfortunately planning is not a BVI strong suit."
The understatement of the year.

We rebooked our May 2020 charter with Sunsail for May 2021. Just finalized flights yesterday through SJU to EIS. Charter starts May 19. Sunsail sent me an upgrade from a 38 to a 41.0 this week. Also, Delta put a $100 credit in mine and my wife's Skymiles account back in September. I'm not sure why, but they're good through the end of next year.

I'm not worried about losing my money with Delta or Sunsail for that matter. However, my dates are tied to spring break up here and if I were to rebook now the price is $$$$$ more than when I initially booked to/from STT. I checked and strangely flights returning from EIS are not available on Saturdays but are there on midweek. Overall I still would prefer to keep my original plan to transit via STT and enjoy a week sailing in the BVI. Another option would be to keep my flights to STT and just stay in the USVI for spring break. I could then book a separate week outside of school vacation week for just DH and I when prices are lower and the situation perhaps more certain. I'm always looking for an excuse for a trip to the Virgin Islands!

Bahamas Protocol...

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...te-the-need-to-quarantine-301144569.html

Doesnt seem unreasonable

Seems like a good way to do it but I think the test they are using is the unreliable one. I wonder how much the Travel Health Visa is. The testing costs are included in the Visa fee. They have a lot of testing locations which seems like it would be important.

"Unreasonable" depends on where you intend to stay and where you have to return to for the additional testing. Probably makes many out islands nearly impossible and if on charter you have to return to base. Then what happens if you test positive on day 5? The testing on day 5, both in the Bahamas and BVI really makes little sense as incubation can take longer. I noticed that you can't determine the cost of your "Visa" until you upload your test along with number of travel days.

It would take some planning, but it looks like 20 testing locations so it should be manageable. I would think you could cover all of the BVI with less than 10 locations.

Jason - if the BVI had 10 sites, and we could test on day 5 somewhere else besides Tortola, and avoid Q, it could conceivably work. Still question the testing at the day 5 mark but that's JMO.

They keep stating they only have 8 ventilators. Perhaps they should have picked up a few more. They are not in short supply and thousands are stored in the US.

Don't want to be the skunk at the party ..3 couples with college a college student plan the spring break trip of a lifetime for their soon to be graduating seniors . They bring along a couple grandparents . They hire a large yacht for their party to tune of 35k. The crew of the boat bounce to shore and back during their guests quarantine aboard . At the third day test one or more of the college students are positive. The whole crew is quarantined aboard. Slowly most get covid, some mild symptoms .. one of the people get really sick.. Confined to a boat with someone getting more I'll and others feeling bad..the crew angry because the guests brought this aboard.

The only health care for advanced coronavirus is sub optimal and the crew can't leave the island until all are negative. Can see many lesser variations.

So now the Premier is annoyed because the media disclosed their protocolo and he says the protocols will change.

Fun times.

The Premier threw the health minister under the bus, saying the 4 day quarantine proposal came from the Health department.
I suspect some of this was a test to see what the response would be. I'm sure they would like as much time as they can get but if they push too far they will lose many potential tourists.

So there is still hope?

I've been thinking about this. I am willing to self isolate at home for two weeks before I travel (even if it means i don't host Thanksgiving for the first time in YEARS). I'm willing to get my brain swabbed right before I come (that test is horrible, been there, done that), and be tested on arrival. A Q and a retest after 4 days will likely be the line for me. I can imagine others feel the same. And booking air only after you have test results? Not gonna happen.

I don't see any of the governments going for the idea of pre-departure self-isolation as there is almost no way to verify it. I'm willing to do whatever testing they want but if they want to do tests during our stay, it needs to be convenient, i.e., local to whatever island I am on (that will almost always be Anegada). The whole idea of testing before booking air lines . . . there are so many problems with that I can't imagine them all.

I suspect there will be some changes when the cabinet finally votes. I also fully expect they will have to modify the protocols as they learn what works and what doesn't work.

I agree ecm56. I wasn't suggesting that self isolating at home would be a requirement - it is just something I am willing to do to be conscientious and extra safe (did the same before our sailing trip in the USVI in July).

You are giving these clowns way too much credit about floating a trial balloon. The reality is they are incompetent and can't get their act together,

The whole idea of booking air and a charter boat FIVE DAYS out is hilarious. Can you imagine finding flights at any kind of reasonable price??? Or how about calling your boss....”hey! Just got myself a negative Covid test so I think I’ll just pop on down to the BVI for a couple of weeks! That’ll be okay, right?”

I blame Boaty Ball. LOLOL Somewhere somehow it has to be their fault. LOL

Everything but that quarantine and third test sounds reasonable to me - the Q would be a deal breaker unless they let us do it off the Road Town docks in nearby anchorages like Trellis, Cooper, Peter, Norman, etc....sitting at the charter base? Nope nope nope....

I was just wondering, if soon after opening back up to tourist a small outbreak of the virus happens. Which I suspect will happen. Will they lockdown again? And if so, will I be able to get out? It just seems awful risky to go down soon no matter what the protocols are. At least for the short term. Trust me, if things were "normal" we would be on Anegada in November. But are now thinking May. The Dec 1 opening should not have been announced without a plan in place.

Winterstale, thank you for the morning laugh. It has to be Boaty Ball, right!?!?!?

Gotta find the humor somewhere.....

Based on earlier outbreaks and lockdowns, the government may implement some sort of curfew to limit movement but you should still be able to leave. Throughout our ongoing curfews, people have been traveling out via water taxi and flights.

On a similar note, I just saw the Bahamas implemented a 24hr weekend curfew starting 7pm tonight thru Tuesday 5am and a night curfew starting Tuesday for New Providence and Abaco. I doubt we'll see that here again but things do change. Be prepared.

I think in the end the BVI it seems to me has made a choice that their strategy is isolation and zero covid. That is their choice and you can’t really argue if that is the plan. The government however has a obligation to put forth a program for how the people and country will survive economically. Have they locked down credit to pay for all the minimum requirements? Will they have cash to get food imported? Will they have a tax base that is collectible and can keep the government running? Will they be able to provide basic medical care outside of covid to the people? This year is done. Even given the most optimistic vaccine statements it can’t be saved. The high season next year is probably in question. They need a plan. They have made their statement on tourism. Now they need to show how they will function for the next 1 to 2 years.

Ahoy Captains,

I love the InterWebs.
All this based on One uncorroborated report from an obscure web site with little traffic or advertising or vetting.
In the past few months various BVI Gov Officials have ‘Proposed’ No anchoring, 200 private ‘Medicinal’ marijuana farms, No open holding tanks, 2 week Quarantines, No labor permit renewals, $6000 Quarantines, ‘picket’ barges over a free RN Offshore Patrol Vessel, etc …
And most of these proposals have been announced late at night, within hours of their implementation, outside of the Premiers Office, and most have been Walked Back within weeks, especially issues regarding Quarantines.
Please consider waiting for this Stakeholder Consultation process to run its course before making any big travel decisions, or, if you are plotting a course based on a single post from a strangers Fakebook page then hire a Captain for your next charter.
The BVI has recently gone through a Level Orange / Level 3 Virus infection and there was a curfew but no Quarantine.
Please consider, before you ‘stick a fork’ in the BVI for the next 9 months, how far the BVI has progressed in opening for tourism in the past few months and how far the Internatinoal Medical Testing and Treatment and Vaccines have progressed in the past few months. There are new solutions being developed, literally, every day.
The BVI now has a Date, and Everyone in the World is working on hitting a moving target from a moving base.
Please correct me, sincerely, if you can suggest a vacation that offers better Physical and Mental health advantages this Winter, surrounded by certified healthy Family and Friends, and loaded to the gunnels with fresh food and fine liquors, with No Masks and No Distancing, than the ‘bubble’ of a Yacht in the BVI?

Fair Winds, Brent from The Captains Compass

Why don't we wait to see what they actually decide on doing?

Well stated, Brent.

Reminds me of the great Dusty Springfield song:".wishing..and hoping...planning and scheming..."