• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $23,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $23 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Best boat trip to the BVI's from St. John

S

smitte2

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Hi,

A group of 4 of us will be in St. John May 21 - May 28 and want to take a boat trip / excursion to the BVI's. I see lots of choices out there such as Stormy Petral, Nauti Nymph and etc. Was hoping the trip included a real good
snorkel stop.

Any recommendations?

Cheers,
Steve:cool:
 
M

mariawolf

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
1,043
Reaction score
15
Location
Delaware
Resorts Owned
Harborside
Frenchman’s Cove
I have to tell you we have gone on some more independent day trips and they are hit or miss--one the boat was so sold it was scary. We always come back to the one out of the Westin where we stay--it is clean, polite and they take you to a nice spot to snorkel--it is a day trip to Jost. We are leaving in a week and my brother plans to dive so if he is pleased with his trip will post when we return on May 1.
 
DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
11,840
Reaction score
2,246
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Resorts Owned
WKORV OFD (Maui)
WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
Check-out the VINOW BBS - (google VINOW) - lot's of trip reports discussing ways to get from STJ/STT and the BVI - there are a few popular places to go (e.g. The Baths, Jost Van Dyke) - there is a public ferry to JVD and Totola - but their departure times are pretty early for getting back. The Ferry schedules/costs are on VINOW. Plus you need to go through Immigration/Customs which can eat into your time. They are cheaper than taking private charters.

With Private charters you pay $20pp and the Immigration/Customs is taken care of. There is one charter that a few people mention that I am considering checking out - New Horizans II. It is $135pp + $20pp for Immigration/Customs (plus tip) - seems costly, but I understand that you get a full-day out of it, and can get a lot more time in. NHII goes to like 4 places.

How much does the Westin charter cost? Where does it take you?

We plan to be there in mid-June. We plan to arrive in STT and take a taxi to Red Hook and the ferry to Cruz Bay - where we will pick up a 4WD and then drive to the Westin. Versus, taking the Westin ferry - do you have thoughts on this?
 
M

mariawolf

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
1,043
Reaction score
15
Location
Delaware
Resorts Owned
Harborside
Frenchman’s Cove
The Westin ferry is what we always take--we get our bags at airport carousels and never see them again until we get to our villa--it is a nice ferry not crowded etc. I think you can only take it if you are staying at the Westin. As to their day trip I think it is about $75 per person plus the customs fee in cash. You have a continental breakfast, drinks all day and they stop at one snorkel site based on weather and all gear is provided--then lunch at Foxy's and a stop also at the beach at the "Soggy dollar bar". It is an all day trip and although we are chartering our own power cat for 5 days while there this time I think it is a great trip to get a taste of the BVI--from which you will only want more--as evidenced by our upcoming stay at the Westin to include our boat charter!!
 
C

caribbean

TUG Lifetime Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,116
Reaction score
1
Location
Goochland, VA
I have taken the ferry from STT over to Tortola as well as JVD with no problem. I can also highly recommend the "Limnos" day trips. They go out of STT, but stop in STJ to pick up passengers on the way. They have a nice all day trip over to the Baths with snorkle stops at the caves at Norman Island and one other location. Included lunch and drinks.
 
DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
11,840
Reaction score
2,246
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Resorts Owned
WKORV OFD (Maui)
WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
Interesting info.
The problem I have with taking the regular ferry to the BVI is that it comes back way too early. I have been to Tortola/Virgin Gorda while I was bareboat sailing (way back in 91). So I would like to take my loved one there (The Baths at least) - I missed JVD before - so I would like to get there also.
The rest of the time - we plan to explore STJ.

I am staying at the Westin, but don't have the need to go back/forth to STT, and I am picking up a 4WD in Cruz Bay - so I figured to just take a taxi to Red Hook and ferry to Cruz Bay - pick-up car and drive to the Westin. It is way less expensive - although that is not the driving force. I am still open to it - if I can get to the car rental in Cruz Bay.

We are only taking one-bag each so I don't expect much of an issue. Last time we had diving and sailing gear - so direct service would have been nice - we took taxi/ferry to West End - it was a hassle - (and hot...) - especially after travelling/partying all night from SF... lol

Does the Westin day trip go to The Baths? What time do they return?

Thanks for the info on the Limnos day trips - I have also seen them recommended, What do they charge? Does the boat have good space (not crowded yet big enough)?
 
Last edited:
C

caribbean

TUG Lifetime Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,116
Reaction score
1
Location
Goochland, VA
The Limnos boats are nice with both covered and uncovered seating areas. Can't begin to remember how much they cost as it has been a couple of years. But it was well worth it. I have been on them 3 times, all good experiences. I spent a lot of one trip right up front, talking to the Captain and he even diverted from his normal path, at my request, and went around on the other side of a couple of the islands so we could see something different.
 
P

POJ7

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
51
Reaction score
0
Location
Dover, MA
Hi,

We did Stormy Petral last year and it was great. They do a very nice job pointing out interesting things, help with customs at BVI and guide you through the Baths at Virgin Gorda. We're planning to go with them again.
 
mabelline7

mabelline7

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2005
Messages
58
Reaction score
0
Location
Jackson, NJ
The day trip from the Westin is through Cruz Bay Watersports to the Baths and is a great day trip at about $125 per person, leaves about 9am and returns about 4pm includes some munchies, snorkel gear and they take you to the Baths to explore and then to a great snorkle spot. Well worth the $. We were going to rent a boat for ourselves, chartered for the entire day which costs about $1400 and includes munchies, snorkle gear and a stop at all the diffent beaches on the island too... It's all good
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top