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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: MBF1216]
#311269
01/05/2024 12:23 PM
01/05/2024 12:23 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,552
Central Florida!
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MBF--don't know anything about Silver in particular, but how full are the AA flights from EIS to MIA? If the load is fairly light for all of them, it could be they might cancel one and consolidate them.
Carol Hill
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: MBF1216]
#311390
01/07/2024 02:14 PM
01/07/2024 02:14 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 330 Hilton Head, SC
Steve27
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 330
Hilton Head, SC
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Just a suggestion about the ferry. If you are catering a boat it is stressful and almost impossible to clear your boat in bVIs and grab a ferry to get to the airport onetime for your flight. (Island time issues). We have always just done our charter ending on Saturday and ferry over to ST Thomas around noon and we spend the night there in a hotel. We have one last big dinner and take our time stress free to the airport on Sunday and home that evening. Dont know if that works in your plans but a suggestion to make it a little less stressful and not having to fly on small planes or deal with multiple airlines with delays. Hope you have a great holiday.
Cruising the local waters here in SC and GA. Love the BVIs and miss the Tradewinds!
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: MBF1216]
#311403
01/07/2024 05:27 PM
01/07/2024 05:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,447 Miramichi NB Canada
Sandsailsun
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,447
Miramichi NB Canada
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My 2 cents….if you have the extra days ( vacation time is precious , I realize) I would do as Mal suggests and stay overnight in STT. silver is very unpredictable and very strict with bags and weights for flights. We had our bags delayed from EIS-SJU and saw them two weeks later . It was a heck of a racket. For comfort and less stress pay the little extra for a nice stay in STT and enjoy . Going on vacation shouldn’t be this stressful but unfortunately these last few years have been difficult. Hoping you find a solution that works well for your situation…and most of all have fun ![smile smile](/images/graemlins/default/smile.gif)
Kim
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: Sandsailsun]
#311502
01/08/2024 06:41 PM
01/08/2024 06:41 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 321 Massachusetts USA
tmsxmsails
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 321
Massachusetts USA
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We had our bags delayed from EIS-SJU and saw them two weeks later . It was a heck of a racket. This is worrisome. I'm booked with Silver for the ends of a JetBlue connection in SJU. I did this specifically so I wouldn't have to play the ferry roulette (and didn't want to pay for a water taxi). Was this a one-off or chronic?
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: MBF1216]
#311505
01/08/2024 06:56 PM
01/08/2024 06:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,447 Miramichi NB Canada
Sandsailsun
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,447
Miramichi NB Canada
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It has happened a couple of times with us but the last one was more recent and was discouraging as silver was not very responsive. We flew EIS-SJU ( stayed overnight as planned ) then onto Boston. drove home to Eastern Canada from there. It was the Jet Blue staff who finally found our bags out back in a store room. silver had sent them to San Juan at some point but not sure when. They then delivered them fed ex 2 weeks later. If you don’t mind potentially not having your stuff after a trip it’s not an issue. Just plan accordingly . Going is not so much of s big deal as silver will send them eventually they just have to find you . Really travelling these days is not great fun but so worth it. Carry on is the way to go if you can swing it. On a separate and really funny note we actually had two bags go missing in June from the ferry from Road Town to Charolette. A real mystery…Mr Hodge from Road Town fast ferry was fantastic and called us to report they had fallen into the bilge when they opened a hatch to check on a potential leak! Oh the stories ![smile smile](/images/graemlins/default/smile.gif) he actually mailed them to us …for real
Kim
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: MBF1216]
#311522
01/09/2024 03:18 AM
01/09/2024 03:18 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,711 Memphis, BVI, CT
RatmansWife
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,711
Memphis, BVI, CT
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Carry-ons fit on the newer Silver planes. We have never had a problem with our bags not making it. We check a lot of heavy bags going down, and they have occasionally been a day late arriving, usually on Cape Air. If all our flights are not on one ticket, we plan a night in San Juan.
Last month we tried the new Miami route, which for us reduced the trip to two flights. It was an early morning, but we were on Beef Island by 2:30, with our four checked bags, each 50-60 lbs. A quick taxi to Trellis Bay and we were back!
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: RatmansWife]
#311525
01/09/2024 09:25 AM
01/09/2024 09:25 AM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,447 Miramichi NB Canada
Sandsailsun
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,447
Miramichi NB Canada
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Carry-ons fit on the newer Silver planes. We have never had a problem with our bags not making it. We check a lot of heavy bags going down, and they have occasionally been a day late arriving, usually on Cape Air. If all our flights are not on one ticket, we plan a night in San Juan.
Last month we tried the new Miami route, which for us reduced the trip to two flights. It was an early morning, but we were on Beef Island by 2:30, with our four checked bags, each 50-60 lbs. A quick taxi to Trellis Bay and we were back! How wonderful . Was so lovely to meet you last year. We have a friend named Don Murney ( nicknamed cowboy) used to have a beautiful boat Mystery , contacted us to say he was on your island now. Have you run into him by chance?
Kim
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: tmsxmsails]
#311588
01/09/2024 06:15 PM
01/09/2024 06:15 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 330 Hilton Head, SC
Steve27
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 330
Hilton Head, SC
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We had our bags delayed from EIS-SJU and saw them two weeks later . It was a heck of a racket. This is worrisome. I'm booked with Silver for the ends of a JetBlue connection in SJU. I did this specifically so I wouldn't have to play the ferry roulette (and didn't want to pay for a water taxi). Was this a one-off or chronic? Seems everyone talks about Ferry Roulette, yet in all the years I have never found a time I have had a problem catching a ferry. Ironic since the problem seems to be the airlines reliability all the time...LOL
Cruising the local waters here in SC and GA. Love the BVIs and miss the Tradewinds!
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: MBF1216]
#311591
01/09/2024 06:35 PM
01/09/2024 06:35 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,711 Memphis, BVI, CT
RatmansWife
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,711
Memphis, BVI, CT
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The first - and only - time I rode the Bomba Charger, after being hassled by shills, we finally left St. Thomas. The boat broke down at least a half dozen times en route. A crew member would descend into the bowels of the boat and get it going, but the engine would fail yet again, spewing horrid diesel smoke. A poor baby eventually barfed all over Ratman. We limped into West End, they cancelled the run to Road Town, and we were all left to crowd into taxis and pay the crazy fare to Trellis Bay. I will do nearly anything to avoid another ride like that.
Speedy's is another story - great service at a fair price. Aquatic Rentals is also very good.
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: Steve27]
#313402
02/11/2024 03:46 PM
02/11/2024 03:46 PM
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 53
knitsoftwear
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 53
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This is true - Last May we planned on BOS->ATL->STT with Delta - then overnight and the ferry to RT. Delta was a nightmare with multiple canceled/late flights and a stay in ATL. I figured going home (same plan in reverse) would have to be better. I was so wrong. It was worse It should not take 3 days coming and going.
Delta - we are NEVER getting back together. Lost money on hotel, prepaid ferry (never doing again) and limo. And had trouble finding a limo company that could pick us up the next day.
Oh and the ferries were the only easy part of the trip
Last edited by knitsoftwear; 02/11/2024 03:47 PM.
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: MBF1216]
#313452
02/12/2024 12:25 PM
02/12/2024 12:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 14
Wayward Son
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 14
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We just booked United, IAD to STT, first week of May. Direct flights coming and going, so we will take the ferry from Charlotte Amalie to Road Town. We wanted a later departure time in STT, and the Spirit options were not workable. We found out Spirit was booking us separate flights instead of connecting flights, meaning we'd have to leave the terminal, get our bags, and then have to re-enter through TSA to make the second leg (in FLL). We tried going through BWI, but thumbs down on that return mess. When we added up the baggage costs, United wasn't too much more, and well worth the reduced hassle.
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Re: Flight help to BVI
[Re: GeorgeC1]
#321432
06/20/2024 06:25 PM
06/20/2024 06:25 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 330 Hilton Head, SC
Steve27
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 330
Hilton Head, SC
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I am not sure what the ferry roulette comment was about. The ferry service was terrible for several years after Irma and no fun during covid but the last 18 months it’s been very good. I have made 10 trips or more and every ferry has been close to on time with no other issues. In fact the last two ferries I took out of CA left early! Just a statement that everyone is saying the ferries are unpredictable. There has been plenty of complaining about the ferries ever since I have been on here. Way before Irma. All I was stating is we have never had issues even right after Irma. However there are many commenting about flight issues yet still say they want to avoid the ferry. Just stating that the issue is usually the flights.
Cruising the local waters here in SC and GA. Love the BVIs and miss the Tradewinds!
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