TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico BVI/USVI/SVI COVID Charter Strategy

Like many, we haven't chartered since pre-covid and I am getting really antsy to get back to the islands. Thinking of scheduling something for next February for my family and possibly a friend for each of our two daughters. MAYBE my son and his girlfriend, but I think they will be stuck at college during that time. Seems like the BVIs are in a constant state of flux and though we are all vaccinated, I don't really want to schedule a charter originating in the BVIs until we can pretty freely travel between the US an BVI without having to deal with testing. That said, I would like the option of entering the BVIs should things open up between now and February. So, I am thinking that chartering out of the USVI will be our best bet. We'd be close enough to the BVIs in the event we can enter (and return back to the USVI) without excessive testing requirements. And it doesn't seem like it should be too tough getting down and into the USVI - am I correct that no testing is required for US citizens on the entry into the USVI as well as return to the states? Also, if we can't get into the BVIs I would like the option of cruising over to the SVIs. Once again, any limits on US citizens travelling by boat between the USVI and SVIs? I have sailed from Puerto Rico mainland to the BVIs and back a few times so I am familiar with the area and conditions. I'm really only concerned about COVID protocol. Any input or thoughts on these plans? Anything I'm missing or not considering?

Thanks!

Matt

Latest info looks like things haven't changed and you still need a negative test to travel to the USVI. I believe the BVI is the same. I'd really like to think things will be closer to normal by Feb, if not much sooner. So it seems similar requirements for both, only added hurdle if you went to the BVI would be the negative test requirement coming back to the US.

https://usviupdate.com/

Tests still needed in USVI --- Continue to read site for Feb.

https://usvitravelportal.com/

It is definitely easier to access the USVI than the BVI. You take 1 test for USVI which is within a 5 day window prior to traveling and their portal is pretty easy to fill out. You do not need to take a test for your return to the US. For BVI you have to take a test within a 5 day window to traveling, get travel insurance, fill out the portal which can be a PIA, have a test on arrival and if you go back through the USVI for your return you have to get a test within 48 hours of traveling. If not going through USVI you have 72 hours to get a test and results. We went to the USVI 4 times last season and it was super easy to do. We did the BVI once and it was stressful but definitely worth it! That being said, we are trying our luck again and doing the BVI for 3 weeks this November even though we did love our time sailing in the USVI.

We just got back from a trip to the BVI. We flew from the states to St Thomas and took the ferry over to Road Town. Currently, do to low demand there is only one daily ferry at 4 pm going to Road Town and a 9 am ferry going from Road Town to St Thomas. We needed a negative test (providing you are fully vaccinated) to enter both St Thomas and the BVI, at arrive into BVI, you get a rapid test, 15 minutes later, with a negative result free to go anywhere. Prior to leaving BVI back to St Thomas, you need another test. Overall it wasn't too bad. One observation. since charters in USVI are not going to BVI, the anchorages' are all really crowded in USVI. We enjoyed total access to all the BVI almost totally alone.
I don't see it getting easy to sail between BVI and USVI anytime soon. So it's one or the other. Our Leopard is in the BVI so for now we are still content there. Hopefully sometime soon we can come and go again from BVI to USVI.

Sue, my wife and I will be on Anegada Nov 13-21. If you are there then we would love to meet you guys.

Thanks for the replies. I don't know that I want to spend a week or more on a boat confined to the USVI. If the SVIs were an option it would be more appealing. Sounds like the BVIs might actually be the best bet for us - just concerned about the testing/entry logistic and costs for our family of four plus a couple additional kids. Will continue doing my due diligence...

Thanks!

snmhanson, I definitely wouldn't call it confined, LOL! If you would like, I can send you my recommendations that I just wrote up for another site.

Would love to meet you all as well! Let's keep in touch. I'll PM you my email address.

We are heading to USVI November and would appreciate any info from your most recent trip. I suspect we will stay with in St Thomas and St John area. Thanks

A note on Coral Bay, there is a lot of work being done to clean the bay up. Coral Bay is as far from government services as you can get and is nearly self-governing. The Coral Bay Community Council actively pursues grants for cleanups that the USVI government will not or cannot do. One grant that is in-progress is the removal of derelict vessels left by hurricanes Irma, Maria, and Dorian. DPNR was slow to help and the USVI government actually swept the gross receipts tax off the top of payments to companies that did the salvage. Another grant will provide for additional dinghy docks in Coral Harbor. Another grant helps pay for dumpsters for volunteer cleanup. All of the non-boat underwater debris left from hurricanes that has been cleaned up solely by volunteers. The Coral Bay Yacht Club has been very active on all of these activities.

Coral Harbor is a mangrove lagoon and is naturally nutrient rich. You can normally see the bottom in 25 feet in the outer anchorage, to port of the first red channel marker; by the way those channel markers are set by the community. This is the best place for visitors to anchor. Why does Coral Harbor get murky? Runoff from all of those villas on the hills that were built in the last 20 years. We badly need storm water management.

This past winter we saw more visiting boats in a day than we used to see in a week. We had unbriefed newbies trying to anchor in a tight mooring field without knowledge of how to operate their windlass, visitors running out of dinghy fuel, mechanical issues, the kinds of thing that can happen away from the charter base. Lacking chase boats to come out to Coral Bay, the local cruisers and liveaboards provided aid and direction. Many of those points have been gathered in a Coral Bay Cruisers' Guide that will be published when the new Coral Bay Yacht Club site launches; I'll post the link when it goes up.

So, welcome to Coral Bay. It is a WORK in progress. Say hi to us on Echoes, we'll be back after hurricane season.

Cheers, RickG

Hello Sue. I loved reading your original post about USVI/SVI COVID Charter Strategy, as we are charting from CYOA in Dec 2021/Jan 2022. I see that you're planning to visit the BVIs in November. Will you be on a US-flagged vessel? It is my understanding that the BVIs are not accepting US-flagged vessels at this point. Also, I would love it if you could send me your recommendations that you wrote up for a different site.

LoveSun,

Carol put it under a different thread so you can find it there. We will be using Owner's Time through Sunsail/Moorings for our BVI trip this year so not taking the USVI boat. It's confusing but my husband and I own a 40ft Leopard Cat that is in charter with the Moorings in Martinique so we get owner's time through either Sunsail/Moorings most places they have a base (no US bases unfortunately). The USVI boat is actually my brother's boat and is in private charter with Paradise Yacht Management. You can actually get your boat into BVI waters from out of BVI waters but you have to hire someone to do it and be approved through the BVI government. From what I heard it is pricey, since you have to pay someone to take it while you fly in.

Rick,

When I wrote about Coral Bay, I actually thought about you and hoped I didn't offend you! We do love Coral Bay and actually looked to buy there but unfortunately we just couldn't afford the boat and St. John real estate prices. We ended up buying a cute little condo in St. Thomas. We did experience the influx of people trying to anchor (without experience) in Coral Bay and even offered to help a couple on a Moorings boat but they wouldn't take our help. One of the reasons we went over to Hansen Bay is so that we would be more comfortable with a night on anchor and not worried about swinging into someone. Love to hear that there are more plans to clean up the bay. Our long term plan is to live down there full time. My husband has been trying to get a job with the Park Service (he currently works for the Forest Service in Colorado) so maybe he will someday be a part of the continued clean up!

Sue thanks so much for all the valuable information you've posted here. I'm the husband of LoveSun. We're trying to come up with some itinerary hypotheses for our Christmas charter, and we're already committed to a US-flagged boat out of St. Thomas.

Below I've appended an email exchange I just had with Greg Romney, Deputy Commissioner of Customs, Government of The [British] Virgin Islands.


Me:
"Dear Her Majesty’s Customs,

Could you please answer a question for me? In December I am chartering (bareboat) a US-flagged vessel for my family from a company in the USVI, and hope to include the BVI on the charter itinerary.

A representative of the charter company has informed me that at present, due to COVID, US-flagged vessels may not enter the BVI. But the BVI section of https://bb.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/covid-19-information/ states "Effective 15 June, travellers who have been fully vaccinated with the final dose administered at least 14 days before travel can enter the BVI by sea through the Road Town Jetty; Soper’s Hole Dock, West End; Dog Hole Dock, Jost Van Dyke; and St Thomas Bay Dock, Virgin Gorda.”

Everyone who will be on the vessel during my December charter is already fully vaccinated. Could you please clarify for me whether we would be allowed to enter the BVI on a US-flagged chartered vessel?"

Mr. Romney:
"Good morning,

The BVI has not opened for foreign based charter vessels to enter and cruise in our waters. I cannot say that in December that will still be the case as this is a decision only our government can make.

However, the BVI is open for all persons to enter, vaccinated or unvaccinated. I hope this clarifies your question."


It is exceptionally difficult to find information about this "foreign based charter vessels" ban on official BVI government websites. An International Foundation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) legal review dated 5/8/20 of BVI COVID emergency decrees cites the official legislation and orders (see https://disasterlaw.ifrc.org/sites/...rch%20-%20Virgin%20British%20Islands.pdf):

"The COVID-19 Control and Suppression (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2020 (No. 5 of 2020) was signed on 1st April, 6 enabling orders to be made quarantining individuals, prohibiting or restricting the entry into BVI of ships and aircraft and prohibiting or restricting assemblies. ... Under this Act, a ferry, pleasure boat, commercial vessel, commercial airline, private aircraft or any other means of transportation at any port in the BVI is prohibited or restricted from entering the Territory, except as the Minister in exceptional circumstances may by direction in writing authorise."

A footnote to the latter sentence references "Prohibition or restriction of commercial vessels or aircraft (COVID-19) Order, 2020" which according to https://bvi.gov.vg/media-centre/two-covid-19-orders-and-two-bills-gazetted-today were added to the BVI government's official record ("The Gazette") on 4/9/20. I attempted to subscribe to The Gazette at https://eservices.gov.vg/gazette/ so I could read that order, but the damned website's new account creation logic was malfunctioning. So I quit in frustration after hours of scouring the Internet trying to find the fricking official information.


In summary I misinterpreted the statement in the BVI section of https://bb.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/covid-19-information/ stating "Effective 15 June, travellers who have been fully vaccinated with the final dose administered at least 14 days before travel can enter the BVI by sea through the Road Town Jetty; Soper’s Hole Dock, West End; Dog Hole Dock, Jost Van Dyke; and St Thomas Bay Dock, Virgin Gorda.” I guess that must only apply to ferries or BVI-flagged vessels carrying travelers from other places (or something).

Do you happen to know the COVID-related entry protocols for the SVI? Since they're also US territory (part of Puerto Rico), I'm hoping there would be little to no testing requirements and travel portal submissions etc. to go back and forth between the USVI and the SVI. I'll look into it and post back here with whatever I find.

Cheers,
Randy
S/V Grenadine

SVGrenadine,

I don't know anything about going from USVI to SVI with COVID protocols. I do believe that pre-Covid if you sailed between the two you did have to give PR a heads up that you were coming but I haven't done that since I was a kid, living on our boat down there. I'm sure there are others who can help you with this. We did do a charter out of PR in 2013 (we try to go to different parts of the Caribbean to give my kids a true sense of all the islands I sailed between as a kid) and my husband and I really enjoyed it. However, although my kids were happy to be in the Caribbean, it was their least favorite destination. There are a lot of private, non-crowded bays which we loved (unless it is a US or PR holiday and then there are tons of Puerto Ricans having a good ole time). Our favorite place was Culebrita. How long do you have? If it is only a week or two, you can see plenty in the USVI without going through more red tape (if there is in fact some) to get to the SVI. Also, one of my least favorite sails as a kid was sailing from Culebra to St. Thomas. It was typically straight into the wind and waves and took forever. Of course we were sailors and my parents rarely used the engine (if it worked) so we tacked and tacked and tacked again! If it were me and I had a ton of time, I would plan a trip to St. Croix instead of the SVI.

We've got the boat for nine nights. A few days and nights going to St. Croix and back is definitely one of the options I'm considering. Yours is the second recommendation I've had for St. Croix (the other being from Capt. Genevieve Evans - see https://lmtribune.com/northwest/cap...ee715da-9440-512b-9a29-15ac7e1ea2d7.html). I just rented her J/24 on Flathead Lake, and she's spent years teaching sailing in the USVI.

Cheers,
Randy

(PS. I'm in Ken Caryl, CO, and have a C&C 30 on Chatfield Reservoir).

caribbeangirl13, no problem. I wanted to add Coral Bay context. It is very much a DIY harbor and charter skippers are not getting proper briefings on the area. We are working to change that.

Cheers, RickG

I finally found the official BVI government order banning foreign-based vessels from entering.

It is at https://eservices.gov.vg/gazette/si...t%20%28COVID-19%29%20Order%2C%202020.pdf.

Its entire text is appended below.

Until this order is revoked, pleasure boats based outside the BVI may not enter.

----



Section
1. Citation and commencement.
2. Prohibition or restriction of commercial vessels or aircraft.








The Minister, acting in accordance with section 3 of the COVID-19 Control and Suppression (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2020 (No. 5 of 2020), makes this Order:

1.(1) This Order may be cited as the Prohibition or restriction of commercial vessels or aircraft (COVID-19) Order, 2020.

(2) This Order shall come into force on the 8th day of April, 2020.

2. In accordance with section 3 of the COVID-19 Control and Suppression (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2020 a ferry, pleasure boat [emphasis mine], commercial vessel, commercial airline, private aircraft or any other means of transportation at any port in the Territory is prohibited or restricted from entering the Territory, except as the Minister in exceptional circumstances may by direction in writing authorise.

Made by the Minister this 8th day of April, 2020.

This morning I was able to get information on COVID-related entry requirements into the SVI. I called the number listed on https://travelsafe.pr.gov and was told that to enter the SVI by sea on a chartered sailboat from St. Thomas, every person on board would need a negative result from a PCR test taken within three days of arrival in the SVI. And every person on board would need to complete a travel declaration on https://travelsafe.pr.gov.

Then, per https://usvitravelportal.com and https://usviupdate.com, to get back into the USVI from the SVI, every person on board would need a negative result from a PCR or rapid test taken within five days of commencement of travel to the USVI. And every person on board would need to make a submission through https://usvitravelportal.com.

So, that's not very attractive from a logistical convenience point of view. The https://travelsafe.pr.gov person I spoke with did say that the SVI entry requirements could change between now and my December charter. But I don't hold out much hope that it will get easier.

We had a charter paid for (since 12/2019) that we have moved twice. We now have to take it or lose our money. What I need to know is if, right now, charters from Red Hook USVI are allowed to enter the BVI waters if all protocols are followed? We have 8 persons, 7 vaccinated, that would need to enter. Our charter company has told us this is not possible.

The only private boats that I know of who have entered the BVI for the USVI were going directly to Nanny Cay for haulout. This has been by arrangement of Nanny Cay. Expect the protocols to change over time, but its not feasible now.

Cheers, RickG

To thefosterfarm:

Please refer to my earlier posts in this thread:
* https://www.traveltalkonline.com/ub...i-covid-charter-strategy.html#Post263741
* https://www.traveltalkonline.com/ub...i-covid-charter-strategy.html#Post263775

This information is authoritative and obtained within the last five days. In addition, earlier this week I met with two people I know who currently or very recently lived aboard in Fajardo, PR and St. Croix, USVI. They all confirmed that the BVI are closed to foreign pleasure boats.

Your charter company is telling you the truth. I received the same conclusion from my charter company (CYOA, in St. Thomas, for a Christmas charter I've had booked for a while) about a week ago.

The only thing you can do, aside from losing your money, is to change your itinerary plans to not include the BVI.

That governmen quote is dated 2020, not 2021!!!!!

Yes, I think the BVI have been closed that long (since April 8, 2020).

On 9/11/21 BVI Deputy Commissioner of Customs Greg Romney emailed me "The BVI has not opened for foreign based charter vessels to enter and cruise in our waters." (see http://www.traveltalkonline.com/ubb...i-covid-charter-strategy.html#Post263741)

If you have not chartered in the USVI before you will find plenty to do for a week. Even if the BVI relaxes the current rule on private boats you won’t be able to make things work with the unvaccinated person unless they are a child.

Update: effective Oct. 1, vaccinated persons no longer need to apply for entry to the BVI. They still need a negative test within the last five days, and they need to show proof of vaccination. But despite this slight relaxation of COVID entry protocols, there is no indication that the BVI have reopened to foreign-based pleasure boats. I first heard of this update from New England Sailing Center, for whom I'm helping to deliver a boat from Newport to the BVI in November (they're allowed to take their boat in because they have a yacht base there, and this boat is part of their BVI-based fleet). This update also appears on https://www.bvitourism.com/reopening.

I don’t think it was possible however the BVI announcement that takes effect 1 Oct states charter boats can enter the BVI. Your charter company may feel however that they don’t want to risk the boat getting stuck in the BVI should covid issues occur.

Thanks for this thread. We're considering a trip in March 2022, into the BVI, where we'd like to spend 3-4 days of a ten day trip in the USVI. It seems clear to me that you can't take a USVI charter to the BVI at this point in time; but what about taking a BVI charter to the USVI for a few days and then back to BVI? I know it's impossible to predict what the restrictions will be in 4-5 months, but as of now, is that possible? Would be only fully vaccinated adults, US Citizens.