The Moorings extends operations to USVI
One of the territory’s leading charter franchise companies ‘The Moorings’, has announced a new business venture in the neighbouring United States Virgin Islands (USVI).
The company’s St, Thomas, USVI operations are set to commence next month.
“A variety of charter options will be available with all-inclusive Crewed yacht charters available beginning in February 2021 and Bareboat Sailing and Power yacht charters available from March 2021. This new base joins The Moorings’ growing list of charter destinations now open and available for charters in 2021,” The Moorings stated.
It added: “Just a short 10-minute drive from Cyril E. King Airport, this newest base is located in Yacht Haven Grande Marina in Charlotte Amalie. With multiple major airlines accommodating direct flights from the United States, charter guests will find it easier than ever to arrive at their yacht quickly and seamlessly. In addition, no passport is required for US citizens.”
USVI destination sought-after for a while
Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at The Moorings, Josie Tucci explained that the neighbouring destination was on the company’s radar for quite some time.
He said: “The USVI has long been a sought-after cruising grounds, and we are excited to offer this new, captivating destination to our charter guests. The Moorings always strives to provide first-class charter vacations, and this new operation will enable us to continue delivering the seamless, convenient vacation experience our clients have come to expect”.
According to the aforesaid release, The Moorings owns a number of world-class yachts, including previous Boat of the Year winners.
The fleet includes the Moorings 5000 and Moorings 4500 sailing catamarans, a smaller three-cabin Moorings 4000 sailing catamaran, and the swift and stylish Moorings 433 power catamaran.
BVI charter industry affected by pandemic and restrictions
Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BVI — which is referred to as the sailing capital of the region — has suffered immense losses in its charter industry.
This is partly due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the region and the government’s decision to close the territory’s borders to tourism for approximately eight months.
Additionally, despite the territory’s borders reopening to tourism on December 1, the decision to allow entry only through its international airport is said to have further contributed to a lower-than-expected influx of persons who usually utilise the seaport ferry services.
However, the BVI’s charter industry could likely see an increased return in activity after the next two months, following the BVI Ports Authority’s recent announcement that the seaport borders are set to reopen from March 1.
The March date was a further deferral from the previously-promised January 21 and December 8 reopening dates.
Premier Fahie said the seaport facilities and its staff needed more time to get the necessary safety mechanisms in place as the territory continue its fight against COVID-19. This serves as a further COVID precaution for the territory.
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They are leaving the sinking ship
Read Caribbean Journal. The entire Caribbean basin is flourishing. New hotels, new resorts, new yacht basins and friendly and welcoming. The exact opposite of the BVI. What is the purpose of a Tourist Board when they have no clue or experience and the government doesn’t want the Tourists or white people on the island. As other islands welcome new business and investment the BVI does exactly the opposite. The money on the island is going only one way. And that is out. There is nothing being done to attract money to the BVI. It was bad before but with this recent leadership and the racist comments you are truly doomed. People read what’s going on and it’s being spread through social media. Have a great day.
This is only the beginning. The ferries, taxis, provisioning businesses and others will feel this one for a long time.
Can’t get to BVI with restrictions and limited vacation days. Headed to St. John, and am looking forward to what the sailing options are around the USVI, not for this trip but in the future. Since we can easily ferry between St. John and st Thomas it’ll be a good time to learn more. Would prefer BVI, but it’s unrealistic to book and is MARCH 1 really even a firm by water port date? I doubt it given it’s moved 3 times already.
But awesome to know there are charter services that we’ve used in the past now available in St Thomas.
Here’s the concern and warning to BVI. It’s a simple sail/power sail to BVI and for those that have cleared in and out of other Caribbean countries know, it’s not too hard to do and st Thomas may be a great new spot to start and end from – especially with A LOT more airline and accommodation options.
And I agree…the BVI tourism folks had better be getting their “stuff” together and include the boat charter companies in their plans.
It would be way less stressful to make St Thomas or St. John the start for a charter. Easy flights, easy accommodations and no real worry about missing a flight due to a ferry or customs issue.
PS – what is going on with the crime there??? Yikes!
march 1 gtfoh
Well did you expect them to stay. The Owners of the yachts have to pay mortgages and so the yachts are being moved to a location that renters and tourists can get to easily without the quarantine BS. This adds another nail in the coffin of the BVI as they will remain there and it will be easier even after the pandemic for tourists to begin their charter in St Thomas. No need for plane or ferry rides to get to the charter. The BVI asked for this by their actions and they got it. More to come. These things become irreversible.
Moorings being working on this for a long time.both government has drop the ball.The charter boats industry has being suffering for years not having an international airport. Usvi.has all what the guest are looking for. Bvi is serious trouble. Always steps behind. And next the financial sector.
Usvi has what the quest looking for.easier access. Due to having an international airport. Next the financial sector gone. We in big trouble.
BVIs has been doing it to themselves for years, pretending this is the only place with clear waters, sunny beaches and nice sailing anywhere else in the world. Arrogant enough to charge fees to arrive, fees to stay, fees to leave, routine rudeness upon arrival, and pricey to boot, and then the virus. Instead of taking a more rational measured and iterative approach, the BVI response was total isolation, and then a convoluted scheme to allow visitors in via the most expensive means of getting here (via Beef), and yet more fees for visitors. Fair enough and understandable, but not much thought appears to have been given to the commercial consequences thereof. No real thought given to how the US VIs has managed things better despite the virus. So, this comes as no real surprise. No doubt the retaliation will be to detain any sailboat that crosses inches into the BVI waters (despite it not generally being a maritime issue for pleasure boats). Pride comes before a fall is the aphorism that comes to mind.
May God help us now. !!! Oh Lord help us. these tourist are gonna go to where its so much more accommodating… Lord help us!!
The excuse regarding the delay of the Seaport opening until March 1, should remind us of the Government’s insistence that it had a plan, had had one since March, regarding the opening, regardless of not having discussed things with the private sector. So, when we opened on December 1, we had a Portal that just barely made it under the wire, didn’t work, and still doesn’t work. If not for the tireless work of the people behind the scenes, no one would be entering. Five weeks later, the “developer” in Jamaica has still not got it working well. The wristbands turned out to be not waterproof, and fairly easily gotten around. So, it should not be surprising that nothing was done to prep the ports until the last minute, when it was too late. Nice plan. And Heaven knows what Certificates we will suddenly be required to produce, in order to be vaccinated! Failure to plan is a plan to fail.
Don’t bet on the government reopening the seaports come the 1st of March.
Sunshine, beautiful beaches, and the sailing infrastructure are not easily replaced. I have sailed the entire Caribbean and there is no place to sail like the BVI…..its Disney sailing. Having said that its more about the collapse of the island culture that has become more of a worry to sailors. Guns, drugs, crime, all the focus on racism, belongers/non-belongers etc are becoming the focus of tourists/sailors. The apparent damage done by this virus has been as much cultural as economic. Agree or disagree with the governments response, it has been the degradation in the attitude of the people that has been the concern. I’m sailing in March and April. The government restrictions are a temporary inconvenience. The drugs, guns, and crime are becoming a concern.
They like to follow suit, their main competitor in the BVI Dream Yacht Charter open a base in Cuba they go there now DYC open a base in St. Thomas because of Covid 19 they run there now too. Why didn’t try to open up first after Irma?? No they coulden’t their competitor was the first. DYC was the first Charter company to reopens after Irma. Lol.
They saw two other companies open bases there because of Corona so that why they going there too why they never do this before???
They saw two other BVI companies open bases there because of Corona so that why they going there too why they never do this before???
Fun
I’m going to be honest here. There’s no competition for The Moorings because they are the largest charter company with bases all over the world. They always used to do this but they stopped. However I’m happy to hear they resumes. @ really…Virgin Charter Yachts was the first company to resume business after Irma.
Do your research? They are not the largest worldwide, they are only the largest in the BVI NOT WORLDWIDE.their competitors is the largest with more bases than and boats.
Dyc was the fist to open
According to info mooring have 20 bases worldwide and the other have almost 60.according to reports vyc only had their first cat in 2019??
Long in the making, in fact surprising it took that long. The moment the bvi gov declared an economic suicide it was clear it’s a matter of time.
The moment the opening policy and procedures were cleared off to understand this isn’t really an opening and customers are not coming …. they had to act.
I once felt bad for the bvi, thinking it’s terrible but since then learned that to many locals, white tourists, especially from the US is not really welcomed. So maybe this is indeed best possible solution
We have three boats chartered from voyage in may. They will be delivered to red hook and we will head to the Spanish virgins. We read the news AND comments in the Bvi newspapers. We do not feel welcome or safe. We’ve been chartering in the Bvi for 10 years and will miss all our local friends.
Agree. It feels like a hostile environment. Sad but true
Sailed BVI several months last year.. very nice. Been sailing USVI since October this year.. The big difference is the people working in the USVI are SO NICE.. They smile and take care of their customers.. They know what hospitality is! And the government workers are accommodating as well! Bottom line.. In the USVI it feels inviting as if they want us to visit.. period.