Winter charter - BVI? Antigua? Or ??

Hmm ok...

RichardShead said:
Hmm ok I have booked through before but not sunsail.

If that's the case see my post above !

To add there is a transit lane to the left of immigration.
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Hmm ok ............? WTF is Hmm ok supposed to mean
If you think I am making this up ( Why would I ? ) give Sunsail a ring.
I was trying to help the OP who is considering the BVIs with Sunsail from making the same mistake as me.

In 2010 and 2011 my experience at VCB was dire.
After my 2010 experience I spent some time on the phone with Sunsail trying to avoid the same customs/immigration/check in/security/emigration fracas for 2011.
They told me it was not possible for them to book me through to Beef island from the Virgin Atlantic flight. In Transit was just not an option.

So as feared 2011 was even worse, with the computer down for check in and all security scanners out, meaning all hand luggage was opened and searched. Horrendous queues. Three and a half hours at VC Bird all spent in a queue. A scrum was a better description not enough organisation to sort out a queue.
I suggested to the orginal poster that he should try and avoid taking the standard (no in transit) Sunsail/Virgin travel package.
That you were able to In Transit through VCB by not using Sunsail/Virgin and flying BA really confirms my point.
Hmm ok...... you had a good experience of VCB.
Thats great.
 
In Transit

We recently transited Antigua Airport on route to beef island and had had all the horror stories about getting through the Airport in time given that we had a short connection 1.5 hrs. We were on an inbound BA flight with a LIAT connection but on separate tickets. In reality it was no problem.

When I checked in in LGW with BA even though the connection was not with BA and had not been purchased with BA I just asked for the baggage to be checked through to end destination and provided airport code and flight numbers

At Antigua when you then get off the aircraft there are two lines the Righthand line is for in Transit Passengers if you take this you enter the terminal you do not have to clear immigration and the LIAT desk just inside will check you in for the connection. You provide them with your BA checked baggage tag and the job is done. You then pass through a short que to security check your hand baggage and you are straight through to departures. Total time taken 15 mins so plenty of time.

If you don't check your bags to end destination you have to que through immigration (and provide forms) then wait for your bags, then check in with LIAT then pass through security and that can take some time.


Mikeneave
 
Miken said:
We recently transited Antigua Airport on route to beef island and had had all the horror stories about getting through the Airport in time given that we had a short connection 1.5 hrs. We were on an inbound BA flight with a LIAT connection but on separate tickets. In reality it was no problem.

When I checked in in LGW with BA even though the connection was not with BA and had not been purchased with BA I just asked for the baggage to be checked through to end destination and provided airport code and flight numbers

At Antigua when you then get off the aircraft there are two lines the Righthand line is for in Transit Passengers if you take this you enter the terminal you do not have to clear immigration and the LIAT desk just inside will check you in for the connection. You provide them with your BA checked baggage tag and the job is done. You then pass through a short que to security check your hand baggage and you are straight through to departures. Total time taken 15 mins so plenty of time.

If you don't check your bags to end destination you have to que through immigration (and provide forms) then wait for your bags, then check in with LIAT then pass through security and that can take some time.


Mikeneave
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That sounds like a really great idea, we always fly Virgin as our Daughter is crew and we get a deal, do you think that will work with them as well?

It's usually a bit of fun and games at Antigua Airport but you're on holiday so don't stress about it.
We've done a few BVI trips, once our flight was a bit late and we ended up behind a lot of other flights in the queue, it took an hour and even then our baggage wasn't on the reclaim. We missed our flight to Tortola and ended up having to have a night at the Coconut Grove on Dickenson Bay.
Since then wherever we go in the Caribbean we have a night or two in a hotel as it's much easier to get onto Caribbean time that way than on a boat.

To the OP.
I would also recommend the BVI's for your first trip and the idea of a week flotilla and then a week bareboat is excellent, our second ever sailing trip was a BVI flotilla with the Moorings when they did them out there and it was fun and social with the security of the lead crew in the background, that will give you the confidence to go off by yourself for the second week and do your own thing.
Sunsail are really organised for both flotilla's and bareboat in the BVI's and anything that will make it easier for you is a no brainer, so go with them.

We have chartered from Horizon in Antigua and they are a really nice company to deal with but they don't do flotillas there and although Antigua is one of my favourite islands the sailing is a little more challenging for a beginner to the Caribbean.

Your next step after the BVI's is definitely the Grenadines, there are longer trips between islands but the whole area is wonderful, we love it and have been several times and would go back again and again.
The Moorings out of Canouan is easiest there if you only have a week as you're right in the middle of the chain and you don't have to do the slightly longer passage from Grenada or St Vincent to get to Tobago Cays which is the jewel in the crown.
 
tom52 said:
Hmm ok ............? WTF is Hmm ok supposed to mean
If you think I am making this up ( Why would I ? ) give Sunsail a ring.
I was trying to help the OP who is considering the BVIs with Sunsail from making the same mistake as me.

In 2010 and 2011 my experience at VCB was dire.
After my 2010 experience I spent some time on the phone with Sunsail trying to avoid the same customs/immigration/check in/security/emigration fracas for 2011.
They told me it was not possible for them to book me through to Beef island from the Virgin Atlantic flight. In Transit was just not an option.

So as feared 2011 was even worse, with the computer down for check in and all security scanners out, meaning all hand luggage was opened and searched. Horrendous queues. Three and a half hours at VC Bird all spent in a queue. A scrum was a better description not enough organisation to sort out a queue.
I suggested to the orginal poster that he should try and avoid taking the standard (no in transit) Sunsail/Virgin travel package.
That you were able to In Transit through VCB by not using Sunsail/Virgin and flying BA really confirms my point.
Hmm ok...... you had a good experience of VCB.
Thats great.
Click to expand...

Erm you seemed to have taken that personally ... That was not my intention and was not aimed at you just the way I speak on the forum so applogies if you thought I was questioning you.

Like others I have cleared VC bird more than any other Caribbean island an can say I have never had a problem that includes checking right through, clearing then checking in or just clearing.

I am sorry you have had a problem but in reality I consider an hour for clearing at any airport the norm anything less a bonus.

For me St Lucia by far the worse but I now consider the US to be one of the best ...

Funny old world.... Last from me on this one, I think there is enough info now for the OP to make a comfortable choice.

Have a good weekend
 
BVI

We went to the BVI 3 years ago...great, easy sailing.

Really, really, really... this is what you do.

1. Book flights to BVI (Beef Island) via somewhere in the Caribbean.
2. Book a hotel in Road Town for, say, 3 days. You will also get over jetlag this way.
3. Book a taxi which will drive you around the umpteen charter companies in one day, making no decisions until you have been to around three of them.
4. Book the boat which best suits you...and you have seen it...and you can haggle over the price.
5. Smile, because you haven't been ripped off.
6. Smile again, because you have leveraged the fact that the BVI has the largest charter fleet in the world. Because Yanks don't know how to take holidays, if you avoid the peak times like Christmas, New Year and Thanksgiving, you'll be spoilt for choice.
7. Toast me on your first night onboard...probably anchored off Norman Island!!!

Have fun.
 
TQA said:
Barefoot Charters out of St Vincent have a 'value' Bene 325 on offer if it is just the two of you.

http://www.barefootyachts.com/html/yachts.htm

The sail down from St Lucia to St Vincent or Bequia is a long one and it is often tough sledding going back esp. when you can't pick a good day. That was why I was advising starting from either St Vincent or Canouan. But yes you are almost certainly going to have to take a puddle jumper to either St Vincent or Canouan.

The BVI is slightly easier sailing but does not offer the variety of Grenadines. The exception in the BVI being Anegada which has seen the demise of more than a few charter boats. Your company may or may not let you go there.

Incidentally if you plan to visit Cumberland Bay or Wallilabou on St Vincent the aggressive boat boys have been retrained into polite 'Beach Front Service Providers' [ I am not kidding!] and on my last visits including two in the last 6 months were polite and friendly.
Click to expand...


We've chartered that boat before. I think she's called Pelican Pete. We had a cracking 10 days. Very good service from them.
 
+1 for BVI
The hurrican season ends at the end of November, December should be your earliest time.

That's why most transatlantic crossers travel end of December - January.

BVI is a great cruising area, unless you want to push hard up and down the Carib chain.

Antigua is OK but limited compared to BVI for 2 weeks.

My Admiral agrees after spending a season in the Caribbean
 
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