The Catamaran Company – Tortola, BVI

Hodge’s Creek Marina, Tortola

Thank you for choosing Virgin Island Sailing® as your charter broker.
This additional information is provided to ensure your charter is well-planned and an unforgettably wonderful experience.

Planning Your Travel:

Your travel to the Tortola, British Virgin Islands will most likely take the majority of a day, and therefore you should plan on arriving the day before you start sailing. Here are two routes to consider:

Fly into Tortola
Arrive in Tortola (Beef Island Airport – code EIS) via either San Juan, Puerto Rico or a direct flight from Miami (starting June 2023 on American Airlines). We recommend checking online with consolidating web sites like Expedia and Travelocity. Sometimes the best fares are found by purchasing your flight segments separately.
Fly into St. Thomas, Ferry or Water Taxi to Tortola
Arrive in St. Thomas (Cyril E King Airport – code STT) and take a public ferry or private water taxi to Tortola. You can typically find the best selection of flights through airline consolidating web sites like Expedia and Travelocity.

Public Ferries – The public ferry operators are Road Town Fast Ferry, Smith’s Ferry and Native Son Ferry. The ferry companies rotate between 4 passenger ferries daily. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Ferry schedule information can be found here: Virgin Islands Ferry Schedule.

Arrival Flight: Your flight can arrive in St. Thomas up to an hour before the ferry departure time.
Departure Flight: You should plan on taking a ferry that is 4 hours or more in advance of your St. Thomas flight departure time.

Tortola to St. Thomas:
7:30am Road Town > Charlotte Amalie
10:00am Road Town > Charlotte Amalie
11:30am Road Town > Charlotte Amalie
3:15pm Road Town > Charlotte Amalie

St. Thomas to Tortola:
9:00am Charlotte Amalie > Road Town
2:00pm Charlotte Amalie > Road Town
4:00 pm Charlotte Amalie > Road Town
5:30 pm Charlotte Amalie > Road Town

The ferry cost is $60 one-way, plus $10 port fee from St. Thomas to Tortola, $20 departure tax from Tortola to St. Thomas and $10 per piece of luggage. There is a $10 per person BVI Environmental fee paid in cash to BVI Immigration when you arrive in the BVI.

Private Water Taxis – There are several private water taxis to choose from. The water taxis generally depart from Red Hook, St. Thomas for a 40-45 minute ride to BVI customs at West End or Road Town, Tortola. A private water taxi will cost 2-3 times more than the public ferry, but you will experience a personalized service with a flexible schedule. Dolphin Water Taxi is one of the more popular water taxi services: Click For Dolphin Water Taxi Info.
Other water taxi operators are Chillout Charters Water Taxi, Island Time Water Taxi and Ocean Dreams – Water Taxi.

Arrival Night Accommodations:

Your charter boarding time is 5:00 pm for a sleep aboard at the marina.

If you travel the day before your charter starts, we recommend staying at Maria’s by the Sea in Road Town, or if you have time to enjoy the beach before your charter, we recommend staying at Lambert Beach Hotel. For more hotel recommendations, please see St. Thomas Hotels and Tortola Hotels.

Base Address:

The Catamaran Company
Hodges Creek Marina, East End
Tortola, VG1130, BVI

Passport Notes:

Passports are required for every one traveling to the Caribbean.

If you arrive to Tortola by plane, you must have a Passport Book. Passport Cards are not accepted and you will be rerouted to St. Thomas at your expense for flights and ferry.

Check your passport expiration dates to ensure your passports are valid until after your trip.

Trip Insurance:

We highly recommend trip cancellation / interruption insurance in case of emergencies.

You can obtain a policy with the most coverage by purchasing it sooner rather than later. Some policies have the most coverage within 2-3 weeks after confirming your charter. You can choose to purchase insurance from any provider of your choice.

Here are a few companies our clients have used:
Safe Travels Voyager – Standard Policy has COVID-19 Coverage
TravelEx Insurance
Generali Global Assistance
TravelGuard Insurance

Snorkeling Gear:

Snorkels, masks and fins are available at the base on a first come, first serve basis. You can also bring gear with you or rent it from the dive shop at the marina: Sail Caribbean Divers.

Water Sports, Fishing And Diving:

Water Toys: You can rent equipment at Water Toys Rental Form – delivery to your yacht is free of charge!

Fishing: If you would like to fish from the yacht, we need to confirm that the yacht has the required BVI Fishing Registration. Please complete this form and we will find out and let you know asap: BVI Vessel Fishing Registration – Information Request.

If the yacht is registered for fishing, a fishing license is required for any one 18 years or older who will be fishing during your charter. You can rent fishing gear at Water Toys Rental Form. The cost for the personal fishing license is $45/person. We recommend applying for your license in advance. The water toys rental company can assist for a small fee or you can apply directly with the Fisheries Department. The application to apply directly is at BVI Fishing, which includes info about fish and seasons.

Diving: If you are already certified for diving before your trip, you can rent dive gear. If you are not certified, you can arrange for a dive boat to meet up with you in a nearby bay and take you for an introductory course (1/2 a day) which is a good way to see if you get hooked! See Blue Water Divers BVI or Sail Caribbean Divers for more information on both options.

WiFi Service:

Standard WiFi: A router is on board to activate upon arrival. The cost is approximately $125 – $150/week.

Provisioning:

Since there are many good grocery stores on Tortola that offer pre-ordering with delivery to your yacht, we recommend ordering your provisions in advance. This also makes for a smooth and easy start to your charter. If you would like to select some items yourself when you arrive, we recommend at least ordering your heavy and non-perishable items in advance.

Keep in mind that delivery of orders should be after your scheduled boarding time.
Please remember that anything you will consume or throw away – you supply, including charcoal for the grill.

Cruising World Article – Provision Planning for a Sailboat Charter Vacation

Order in Advance:

- - - Grocery Stores:
      OneMart – Road Town, Tortola
      Rite Way – Road Town, Tortola
      Bobby’s Marketplace – Road Town, Tortola
    - Specialty Stores:
      TICO – Beverage Supplier in Road Town, Tortola
      Caribbean Cellars – Beverage Supplier in Road Town, Tortola
      Good Moon Farm – Organic, local produce in Trellis Bay, Tortola
      STEAKATION Artisan Butchery – Fresh Meat and Seafood in Road Town, Tortola
    - Catered Meals:
      Elite Culinaire is owned and operated by Chef Kenetha who is well know for her years onboard BVI crewed yachts. She has completed extensive professional chef training and is now offering chef-prepared meals for bareboat charters. Select your desired meals and you’ll be contacted with a quote: Package Meals Order Form

Self Provisioning:

You can self provision the day your charter starts at One Mart, Rite Way or Bobby’s in Road Town.

If you are provisioning on a budget, you may consider bringing some items with you. You can find a list of recommended provisions items to bring with you at Bareboat Charter Packing Tips.

Contacting VI Sailing | The Catamaran Company:

Prior to arriving in Tortola, you will contact Virgin Island Sailing® for any of your charter needs: Call 800-382-9666 | 941-966-9387 or Email Concierge Team. As your charter nears, you’ll hear from our Concierge Team with useful information and reminders to assist in your planning. Click here to Meet Our Team.

Once you arrive in Tortola, you will work directly with the excellent staff at The Catamaran Company. Their local office is located at the Hodge’s Creek Marina on the east side of Tortola. Their phone number is 1-284-494-6661 and office hours are approximately 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. For your friends and family that are not chartering with you, feel free to give both The Catamaran Company and Virgin Island Sailing® phone numbers.

Starting Your Charter:

Your boarding time is 5:00 pm and the briefings will be the following morning.

Prior to departing the docks Catamaran Company will give you a personal chart briefing and yacht briefing the morning after your sleep aboard at your earliest convenience after 8:30 am – you can expect to leave the marina around 11:00 am.

Returning The Yacht:

Your charter ending time is 10:00 am, which is the time you should be ready to disembark the yacht. You are asked to return the yacht reasonably tidy, take off your garbage, pile the linens into one heap, and empty out the fridge. Tie her up nicely to the dock and close all the hatches. Flush toilets before returning to the marina so they aren’t smelly and remember to refill with before coming in to the dock.

Packing Tips & Checklist:

We’ve put together a list of packing guidelines and a downloadable checklist to assist you in ensuring you have everything you need for your vacation: Bareboat Charter Packing Tips

Please also consider participating in the non-profit Pack for a Purpose.

Please Use Only Mineral Sunscreen.
Please help preserve the glorious beaches and stunning underwater world that lure you to our shores so that you and your loved ones can enjoy them for years to come! Avoid sunscreens that contain the “Toxic 3 Os” of oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene – they are prohibited in the United States Virgin Islands. Wear rash guards, hats and use only non-nano mineral sunscreen containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, the only sunscreen ingredients deemed safe and effective by the FDA. For a selection of recommended non-nano mineral-based sunscreen lines, see Island Green Living.

Itinerary Planning:

Here are some tools to assist with your itinerary planning before and during your charter.
We will also mail you a complimenatry Cruising Guide Book & Planning Chart. If you don’t receive this within a couple weeks after confirming your charter, please let us know.

BVI Events & Activities with Full Moon Party Info
Online Cruising Guide – Virgin Islands. Click Read Online, password: @K466=x7
BVI Cruise Ship Schedule – Charterers typically plan to avoid the island where cruise ship passengers are – at least until late afternoon.
BVI Now App – Download to use during your trip for local information on the islands and BVI businesses.
Weather Resources:
Weather Channel
Weather Underground
Wind Guru

Expenses During Your Charter:

The currency in British and US Virgin Islands is US Dollars. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, but you should also plan on having cash for anticipated expenses.

Overnight Moorings
There are some anchorages that allow mooring reservations the same day (starting at 7:00 am) with a small up-charge. This can be done using a website called BoatyBall. For an additional fee they also offer 24 hour advanced mooring reservations. To get the best use of this service, we recommend setting up your account before your vacation.
The other moorings are first come, first serve – the cost is typically $30/night, paid in cash. You should plan to arrive at your overnight location by 3:00 – 3:30 pm during the higher seasons and 4:00 – 4:30 pm during the slower seasons. Once you hook-up to an available mooring, someone will approach your yacht in a dinghy to collect payment and give you a receipt.
Meals ashore
Charterers usually dine ashore for at least half of their dinners and occasionally breakfast or lunch. Most restaurants accept credit cards – Visa and MasterCard are more widely accepted than Amex. The average cost for dinner and drinks is $50/person. Of course this does not include a delicious Caribbean lobster!
We always recommend dining at Myett’s in Cane Garden Bay!
Ice & Water
Only cash is accepted in some locations. Ice costs $4.00 – $6.00/bag and water costs approximately $0.15/gallon.
Fuel Top Off
You are responsible to top off the fuel at the end of your charter. The Catamaran Company will instruct you during your briefing of locations you can refuel at the end of your charter. The average fuel cost is $5.50/gallon.
Transportation
Taxis on Tortola (and St. Thomas) are readily available and will accept cash only.
Departure Tax
The British Virgin Islands Departure Tax is $20/person which is payable at the airport or ferry terminal.
Skipper | Cook Gratuity
If you are hiring a captain and/or cook it is customary to tip them at the end of your charter. For a first day check out skipper $30-$50 is typical. For a skipper or cook staying on board for the entire vacation, The Catamaran Company includes gratuity in the pricing for the skippers.

Cell Phone Service:

A local cell phone is not provided by The Catamaran Company.

Many personal cell phones will work in the British Virgin Islands. We recommend contacting your cell phone provider for specific details of their coverage in the British Virgin Islands, and to find out what international calling and texting plans they can offer.

You may also consider ensuring you have WiFi for WiFi calling on board. See WiFi Service options under the Enhance Your Vacation tab.

Special Notes For Children:

If you have small children in your party please bring a life jacket and harness for each child – it is a law that a life preserver is worn by children under 12 on any moving vessel (including the dinghy). You may be able to rent children size life jackets from Sail Caribbean Divers. If you would like to rent a pack n play, car seat or other children products, check Island Kidz. It is also a good idea to bring snorkel gear for kids; a perfect fit will make them more likely to give snorkeling a try and have fun doing it. It also helps their confidence to practice in the bath tub or pool before you arrive!