Thank you for choosing to charter with VOYAGE charters - we look forward to meeting you and sharing with you the delights of the beautiful British Virgin Islands – sailing, snorkeling, diving, eating and relaxing aboard our luxury catamarans.  If you have not chartered a yacht in the British Virgin Islands before, the following suggestions may help you plan for your trip:

1.
Getting There - Most major commercial airlines fly into Beef Island (EIS), in Tortola or into St. Thomas (STT).  Please check our website and refer to the Flights section for availability and schedules.    From St. Thomas, you must take a ferry to Tortola and arrive at the West End ferry port.  For information on ferry schedules, please visit the BVI Welcome website: www.bviwelcome.com/ferries.html.  If you are interested in a private water taxi, please contact Dohm’s Water Taxi, located in Red Hook St. Thomas, USVI.  340-775-6501.
 
2.
Emergency Contact Information – International cell phones are provided to guests upon check-in for emergency use only.  Unfortunately contact numbers are not available prior to your charter to give to your family members.  However, we have found that the majority of cell phones do work in the BVIs.  Call your cell phone carrier and have them authorize “international” calling.  As a backup, you can always give them the BVI base’s phone number.   It is available 7 days a week – 8am to 6pm.  1-284-494-0740.
 
3.
Travel light - you won’t need much!  Like the lifestyle, clothing in the BVI is casual. Bring as many changes of swimwear as you can and a few pairs of shorts and T-shirts.  It is a good idea to pack one light-weight sweater and a pair of long pants as it can be cool on the water at night.
 
4.
 Pack your things in duffel bags or soft-sided luggage as these can be easily stored onboard.  Hard-sided suitcases and “roller suitcases” do not fit in the cabinets and will take up valuable space in your cabin.
 
5.

Always carry a swim suit, change of clothes, and any vital medications in your carry-on luggage. This way, if your luggage is delayed, you will be able to enjoy your vacation while the airline traces it.  If your flight route is complicated you may wish to label your luggage:

Voyage Charters BVI
Sopers Hole Marina
Frenchman’s Cay, West End
Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Please do not ship packages/luggage in advance of your charter.  The base staff cannot accept responsibility of any personal belongings and do not have storage facilities available for pre-shipped items.
 
6.
All VOYAGE Bareboat charters start at NOON and end at 10:00 a.m.  You will be able to board your yacht at NOON.  If you are scheduled for a sleep-aboard, you may board your yacht beginning at 5:30pm.   If you are arriving after 6pm, proceed to the VOYAGE charters Marina office located in Sopers Hole.  A mailbox by the front door will have an envelope with your name on it.  Inside will be the location of your yacht and a welcome note, onboard you will find shower tokens and a user’s guide for lights, stove and heads.  The refrigerator and freezer will be con and A/C running if your yacht offers this amenity.  The marina office opens at 8am in the morning and your briefing and check out will begin at 9.30am.
   
7.
We provide PDFs (life jackets) for all guests onboard our yachts; however, if you have small children, we recommend that you bring custom fit PDFs (life jackets) with you to ensure a guaranteed fit.   Also, we provide snorkel equipment and fins in various sizes onboard our yachts.   We highly recommend that if your young children wish to snorkel from the boat, that you bring snorkel equipment that fits them properly to ensure a good experience.
   
8.
If you haven’t already confirmed your hotel accommodations on Tortola, the best value and accommodation on Tortola is located at our base, The Bay View Inn.  Our rooms offer spectacular views of the West End and St. John.  Each room is air conditioned, has cable TV, telephone, and large balconies.  Rates from $110 - $175 and are based on double occupancy.  For more information, please visit our website or contact our VOYAGE charters USA office.
   
9.

For those of you who plan on scuba diving, fishing or have water toys delivered to your yacht, we recommend the following suppliers (please ask them to deliver after you have boarded your yacht):

•
Blue Water Divers provides diving equipment rental and rendezvous diving.  Go to www.bluewaterdiversbvi.com for details. 
   
•
Last Stop Sports offers a wide variety of water sports equipment, such as kayaks, boat floats, windsurfing, fishing gear, and much more.  Check out their website at www.laststopsports.com.
   
•
Renport provides most electrical supplies, such as TV/VCR and modem rentals for your charter.  Please check out their website at www.renport.com.
   
10.
For trips ashore and the rare occasion when you might want to wear shoes on deck, a good pair of deck shoes is recommended.  Beach shoes, such as ‘Teva’s, are a must for this vacation as you will need footwear that can get wet and filled with sand.
   
11.
The sun in the British Virgin Islands is fierce and commands respect.  Sunscreens are a must. Please do not pack suntan oils as they turn the boat decks into skating rinks. We also prefer “PABA free” lotions as PABA will stain fiberglass.  A good pair of sun glasses is essential as are a couple of hats.
   
12.
The water temperature in the BVI is usually between 75-80 degrees which can feel surprisingly cool after an hour or two so if you own a light wetsuit or exposure suit, please bring it along.  Shortie wetsuits can also be rented from local dive operators.
   
13.
Music is a must.  Bring your favorite CDs or your MP3 player.  All boat stereo systems have CD players and auxiliary jacks to plug in your M3P player.  Don’t forget to pack your 3mm mini-jack to run music through the yacht’s sound system.
   
14. Inverters are built in to each yacht with 110 / US outlets enabling you to use/charge your electronics.
   
15.
If you have hired a skipper for your charter, please keep in mind that a 15% - 20% gratuity (based on the skipper’s fee) is highly recommended.   You are also required to provide a cabin/head and meals/ beverages for your skipper while on charter.
   
16.

Provisioning - We recommend that you do your provisioning online with Bobby’s Marketplace several weeks prior to your departure.  They have a great website where you can order online and have your provisions delivered at no additional cost to your yacht. Please make sure your provisions are delivered AFTER you arrive, the base does not have facilities to store them before your scheduled boarding time.  Check www.bobbysmarketplace.com for details.

We also recommend RiteWay Food Markets.  They don’t have an online provisioning option, only in person, but they have a large variety of provisioning options as well.   Their website is:  www.rtwbvi.com
   
17.

Our boat briefings generally last 1 ½ – 2 hours.  It is imperative that this briefing is extensive and thorough in order we impart the correct information to the skipper prior to his or her departure from our base.  We recommend both the skipper and first mate attend the boat briefing.

9:30am (for Sleep-Aboard Clients only)
1:00pm
3:30pm

If you arrive after 3:30pm and are scheduled for a NOON start, the next briefing will be done at 9:30am the following morning.
   
18. In order to prepare for your boat briefing at the base, we recommend you view our online briefing at www.voyagecharters.org
   
19. Onboard each yacht is one set of charts and a Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands by Nancy and Simon Scott.  Another popular guide is Virgin Anchorages.  If you wish to purchase your own guide prior to arriving, go to www.cruisingguides.com
   
20. Night sailing in the BVI is not permitted.  You should plan to be at anchor or moored prior to sunset.
   
21.
Mooring Fields – Most anchorages in the BVI will have mooring balls for you to rent overnight. They are on a first come, first served basis. If you are sailing during peak holidays you may want to navigate to a mooring field a little earlier in the day to guarantee a spot. The overnight rates vary from $25-$60, depending on location.  In Sopers Hole Marina, mooring balls are privately owned and can be rented for a fee.  Should your itinerary bring you back to Sopers Hole Marina during your charter, we would suggest that you make use of the free slip. Slip availability is not guaranteed.  We do request you make reservations 24 hours in advance.
   
22.
There is free wireless internet service on our dock for all VOYAGE clients.  You must come into the office and get a user id and password for internet access.
   
23.
Two complimentary bags of ice are available to you upon boarding your yacht.  If you require additional bags of ice, the cost is $3.50 per 10 lb bag.
   
24. Free water top-offs are available at our base during your charter.  Please call on Channel 16 to let us know your estimated arrival time for faster service.
   
25. Tokens are required to use the shower at our marina.  Please let us know during your check-in if you would like to receive complimentary tokens and how many you need.  Any unused tokens should be returned to our office.
   
26.

Two sets of linens and 2 sets of towels will be provided for each cabin.  Please note that the beds will be made up in the cabins only.  Additional linens and towels for berths will be stowed onboard. If you require additional linens or towels than are supplied, please make the arrangements with our BVI office staff.  Rates for these items are as follows:

Sheets @ $1.50
Hand Towels @ $1.00
Pillow Cases @ $0.75
Tea Towels @ $0.50
Bath Towels @ $2.00
   
27.
Local currency in the BVI is USD, however, most major credit cards and travelers checks are accepted throughout the BVIs.
   
28.
VOYAGE charters also allow our charter clients to sail to Anegada based on their sailing resume and previous Anegada trips.  Please indicate on your Sail Resume if you are planning to sail to Anegada during your charter. An addendum to your charter agreement will be approved by the by the VOYAGE BVI base, cancelling out the standard Anegada exclusion. Please note: no chase calls to Anegada.
   
29.
VOYAGE charters allow our charter clients to sail to the US Virgin Islands, however, St. Croix is off limits as well as the Spanish Virgin Islands.  Please indicate on your Sail Resume if you are planning to sail to the US Virgin islands while on charter.  An addendum to your charter agreement and paperwork for customs will be approved by the VOYAGE BVI base prior to your embarkation.  Please note:  no chase calls to the USVI.
   
30.

National Park Fees and Cruising Taxes

National Park Fees are calculated per boat and billable per week.

Up to 4 passengers - $25 per week
5 – 6 passengers - $35 per week                    
7 – 8 passengers - $45 per week
9 – 10 passengers - $55 per week   
11 + passengers - +$5 per week

Cruising Taxes

Dec 1 – Apr 30:  $2 per person/night
May 1 – Nov 30: $0.75 per person/night

VISAR Virgin Island Search and Rescue donation $1 per person
   
31.
Hull/Dinghy Damage Waiver - All VOYAGE yachts are assessed a mandatory $50 per night fee, this covers damages to hulls, the dinghy and motor. This fee is not applied to the evening of your sleep-aboard and is non-refundable.
   
32.
Security Deposit - A $400 security deposit is required to be paid at the BVI base prior to embarkation in case of damage or loss of yacht inventory and or equipment.  If using a credit card, an authorization for $400 will be placed on the card.  This security deposit will be refunded at the end of your charter if all inventory and equipment is returned.
   
33.
Travel Insurance - VOYAGE charters offers Charter Cancellation Insurance to all of our clients.  This insurance is calculated based on 7.5% of the charter fee. This coverage applies to all guests and is not sold on an individual basis.  Charter Cancellation Insurance is provided by AIG Travel Guard and covers you for charter cancellation & interruption, trip delay, baggage delay, medical expenses, emergency medical transportation and also offers hurricane coverage.   It is highly recommended that all charter clients purchase insurance in case of an emergency or must cancel your trip.
   
34.
Departure Tax - When leaving the BVIs, departure taxes must be paid at the airport or ferry terminal.  Beef Island airport departure tax is $20 per person.  If taking the Ferry back to St. Thomas, departure tax is $5 per person.  Only cash or travelers checks are accepted.
   
Yacht Inventory
 

General

  

Galley
• Full tank of diesel   • Refrigerator and Deep Freezer
• Full tank of fuel for dinghy   • Microwave (not available on V380 / V450)
• Full tank of propane gas   • Coffee pot
• Full tank of water (150 gallons)   • Toaster
• Generator / A/C (available on all V500s and V440 Premier Plus)   • Blender
• Ice Maker (V500 only)   • Pots and pans and cookware
• Fixed Bimini   • Dishes and bowls
• Rigid inflatable dingy with 15hp outboard   • Large and small plates
• Dinghy anchor and rode   • Stemware and tumblers in various sizes
• Dinghy ladder   • Cups
• Propane BBQ grill   • Flatware
• BBQ tools   • Cutting board
• Cabin fans   • BBQ utensils
• Boat Hook / Bucket   • Knife set
• Igloo Cooler   • Cooking utensils
• Mosquito Screens for hatches   • Bottle opener
• Snorkel Gear & Fins   • Can opener
• Tool kit   • Clothes pins
      • Gas igniter for stove & BBQ
         

Electronics / Navigation Equipment

   Linens
• VHF Radio   • 2 bath towels per person
• Autopilot   • 2 hand towels per person
• Log and depth-sounder   • 2 sets of linens per cabin berth
• GPS   • Pillows and blankets
• Inverter (built in)   • 4 dish towels
• Electric Windlass   • Oven gloves /mittens
• Cigarette Lighter Outlet 12V      
• Boat Phone  

Starter Pack
• FM Stereo / CD Player with saloon and cockpit speakers   • Bottle of water
• Binoculars   • Bottle of wine
• Chart and Cruising Guide   • Sachets of coffee, tea, creamer and sugar
• Ruler / Divider / Pencil/ Breton Plotter   • Coffee filters
      • Salt and pepper shakers

Safety Equipment

   • Roll of paper towels
• Basic First Aid Kit   • Matches
• PFD (life jackets)   • 1 Roll of toilet paper per head
• Flashlight and batteries   • 7  large Trash bags
• Flare pack     Window cleaner
• Fire extinguishers     Sink brush
        Liquid dish detergent
        Liquid hand soap
        Toilet cleaner

Please feel free to contact your charter specialist if you have any additional questions or concerns. We hope to make your VOYAGE charter vacation an experience you will remember long after you have returned and that the BVI’s, “Nature’s Little Secret” will become your favorite charter destination for years to come.
Happy sailing!