Good Morning, Good Morning! I have some great news for you all!!! After a whole lot of waiting, policy changes, paperwork, hard work and overall…well, confusion…Love City Excursions (LCE) is now exploring the British Virgin Islands with guests once again (Doing a little happy dance over here!). And I couldn’t be more excited to share all of their trip details with all of you today.
Co-owner of LCE, Katie Zachary, and I have been texting back and forth for MONTHS about all of the policies and adjustments to commercial boating for foreign charter companies in the BVI. And I was so, so happy when I received an email from her last week that they had finally been able to get all of their paperwork through to once again bring paying guests into our sister islands.
It is now time to book your trip to snorkel the Indians, explore the Baths and the Bubbly Pools, play at Sandy Spit, enjoy a Painkiller with Leon at Soggy Dollar, give Foxy a high five and a hello, grab a lobster quesadilla at One Love and play some bags at Beeline. With LCE, you have your pick of three amazing vessels that will give you and your friends or family a smooth and steady ride to all of your favorite BVI destinations in one day.
Oh, and your guide for the day will be an experienced captain who lives on St. John and has spent plenty of time in the BVI in years before the pandemic. Abbie, Ben, Joe or Luke will show you all of the adventures that the BVI (or the USVI) have to offer with inside information about the area and years of experience as mariners!
For your boat, you’ll have your choice of Catzilla I, Catzilla II or Silver Coral.
The Catzillas are both 33 foot World Cats and are iconic in the St. John charter industry as Catzilla I has been taking happy guests out on the waters of the BVI and USVI for nearly ten years. They each hold up to twelve passengers, have a ton of comfortable seating options in the shade or the sun and two 300 HP Yamaha engines that will get you to all of your favorite BVI destinations in your day at sea with LCE and their experienced captains.
All Full-Day Catzilla (I &II) Trips Include the Following:
- USCG captain
- Bottled Water
- Ice
- Painkillers
- Pool Noodles
- Snorkel Gear
For a more luxurious day on the water, take a closer look at Silver Coral; a 36’ long, 15’ wide Aquila power catamaran that offers expansive and comfortable seating options for fun in the sun (or shade!). The seating features bow seats that expand to full loungers for the ultimate comfort in sunbathing.
Explore the day away without a care in the world: Silver Coral has a roomy interior salon, a head, plenty of sunny and shady lounge areas and, in addition to having a knowledgeable captain to drive and guide your day of fun, you’ll have a crew member on board as well to make sure that your cup is never empty and a beaming grin is on your face all day as you adventure throughout the BVI.
All Full-Day Silver Coral Trips Include:
- USCG Captain and Crew
- Fuel
- Top Shelf Bar
- Breakfast
- Afternoon Snack
- Bottled Water
- Ice
- Painkillers
- Pool Noodles
- Snorkel Gear
Now, a few things about the BVI trips. We all remember the daily debacle at customs check-in, correct? Well, not much has changed there and reports of lengthy waits have been rolling in. But, on these boats, the wait won’t be a worry as you lounge in the sunshine and sip on your first adult beverages of the day while you wait. Pick-ups for these trips are at 8AM so that you can get a head start on the day and pack in THE MOST amount of fun before clearing back into the USVI Customs Office in Cruz Bay at 3:30PM. However, once you have cleared back in, you are welcome to venture back out to the boat for a bit to finish off your day in the USVI if you choose!
BVI customs fees are also subject to change…Nothing new there right? 😉 Currently they are about $75 per person and must be paid in cash.
Also, DO NOT wait until the last minute to book. Due to the BVI restrictions and policies (remember, it IS a foreign country), passport information must be submitted to LCE at least two days prior to your charter in order for your captain to submit your information electronically. So, if you are planning to head to the BVI with these amazing folks, book AT LEAST a week in advance if not several!
Ok, so, this all kind of sounds like a lot of extra in order to get on a boat for a day, right? Well, let me tell you now that all companies currently traveling with guests between the USVI and BVI are all experiencing the same things as the BIV Customs offices get acquainted with new electronic check-in systems and the new protocols.
But I have been to the BVI now twice over the past couple of months. Both times there was a pretty good wait at customs. But both times, I can honestly say, the fees and the wait were absolutely 100% worth it once we were jumping off the Willie T and enjoying a cocktail at White Bay once again.
The pricing structure that Katie and Joe have set up at Love City Excursions is actually the most reasonable I have seen yet for a BVI trip. Catzilla trips start at just $1250 for up to six guests but they can accommodate up to twelve at $50 per each additional guest. Fuel is not included and can range from $150-$350, depending on your destinations and there is a $200 surcharge on all Virgin Gorda trips (subject to wind and weather).
Exploring the BVI in the lap of luxury that is Silver Coral is a bit more spendy but, remember, you’re also getting a full top shelf bar, breakfast and snacks as well as a crew member to wait on you throughout the day! Silver Coral BVI trips start at $2800 for up to 6 guests but they can accommodate up to twelve for $150 per additional guest. Additional fuel rates can fall into a similar range as Catzilla and a $250 surcharge will be applied to all Virgin Gorda trips.
Oh, and as always, if you LOVED your captain and crew, like I know you will with this gang, a 20% tip based on the total trip cost is standard for a day filled with enjoyment and fun in the sun.
Well, what are you waiting for? We have all been dying to get back to the BVI since 2020. And now, the time is upon us! Book your BVI (or USVI) adventure today with Love City Excursions. More information is available on their website or by emailing Katie directly. Congrats Katie, Joe and crew at Love City Excursions! I know it has been a long road and I’m so happy to see you BACK in the BVI!
Best wishes to those looking to spend a big load of cash visiting the BVI. We’ve been many times and these prices are nuts. Very happy to spend our time in the beautiful USVI.
After a few years of NO BVI trip, my family is extremely exited to be going back again in June. Thanks in advance Katie and Joe.