Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

Our Typical Sailing Day in the Virgin Islands video will give you a great idea of what to expect on your Virgin Islands sailing itinerary. Additionally, you can learn more about day one, when you arrive in the Virgin Islands in this video. Once at sea, every day includes an hour of discussing the day’s sailing plans at the galley table, sailing and hands-on learning at sea, plus exams and exam reviews. We almost always take the time for a nice long lunch break where you can explore an island, snorkel, swim, and enjoy vacationing in the Virgin Islands. We’ll moor or anchor by 5pm as well, so you have plenty of time to enjoy vacation activities in the Virgin Islands in the evening too!

The total cost for a sailing vacation in the BVI vs USVI is different for a few reasons. The cost of chartering a sailboat in the BVI includes National Park fees and cruising fees, both leading to an increased cost for BVI sailing itineraries.

All of our Virgin Islands sailing itineraries are completely customized to the sailors on board! Sometimes plans change due to weather, other times students may decide there are other activities or places to visit in the Virgin Islands that they would like to incorporate into their sailing trip. Your captain will be happy to work with you to make sure your Virgin Islands sailing itinerary is everything you dreamed of!

Choosing between a select vs premium sailboat for your Virgin Islands vacation won’t affect your itinerary but it will change which sailboat you spend the week on! Select sailboat options are older sailboats (2020) and won’t always have amenities like air conditioning available. Premium sailboats are 2021 and newer with generators, air conditioning, and water makers always included. Learn more about each type of sailboat available in the Virgin Islands on our yacht page. 

You can take group sailing courses with Go Sail Virgin Islands, where you just book a cabin and will be sailing with other ASA students you may not know, or you can book out an entire vessel and just sail with your chosen family members and friends! You can learn about both of these options on our courses page.

We offer transparent pricing on all our Virgin Island sailing vacations. Pricing is listed alongside each ASA course on our courses page. For bareboat charter pricing, contact us directly. We offer 10% discounts on bareboat charters to all our ASA alumni as well as all other ASA members. ASA course discounts are also frequently offered on our social media pages and newsletter. Send us a message to sign up for our monthly newsletter with sailing deals, tips, and advice!

Go Sail Virgin Islands is the top-rated Virgin Islands sailing school for good reason. We provide our ASA students and bareboat charter customers with reliable boats, top-notch instruction, and consistent communication. We do everything in our power to ensure your trip is a 5-star experience!

Most trips book 1 year to 6 months in advance of departure for peak holiday weeks Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and February – April Spring Break/Easter. Most trips will fill within 3 months of departure, however if you have a specific week in mind booking early will be more likely to get the exact yacht and dates you want!

• Hats
• Sun-Shirts (we have a great selection of sailing gear!)
• Gloves
• Wind-breakers
• Warm weather clothing
• Light long sleeve shirts for nighttime
• Non-restricting pants
• Clean deck shoes

Generally, it is best to stick to one carry-on sized bag per person, if you are sharing a cabin, or two carry-on sized bags if you have your own cabin. You are free to bring larger suitcases but it might take a bit more work to fit everything comfortably in your cabin. Soft-sided bags are also easier to store, especially on monohulls that have slightly less storage space available.

Cell phone service is often sporadic in the Virgin Islands. Cell service is usually best with AT&T, but Verizon and T-Mobile can be pretty limited. Sometimes, even when sailing in the USVI, your phone will switch over to BVI towers and international fees with your cellphone provider may apply. The best way to stay connected to set up the international plan with your provider for BVI Sailing trips. There should not be international fees in the US Virgin Islands.

The Virgin Islands is known for its “champagne sailing”— we have the best weather conditions for learning to sail! Consistent winds, beautiful skies, and warm water and temperatures make the Virgin Islands an ideal place to sail. The Virgin Islands are also a short trip from the US mainland and US citizens don’t need a passport to sail in the USVI!

We operate courses during the best weather conditions in the Virgin Islands November through July. The Easterly Trade winds are predictable 15-20 knots out of the east. The Virgin Islands are at 18 degrees latitude which means we are about 1000 nm from the equator. There is 1 foot or less of tide and the weather is almost the same year-round. It’s sunny 75-80 degrees every day. The water temperature is 75-82 degrees.  There are two “seasons” in the Virgin Islands wet season and dry season. The months of August, September, and October are more rain squalls, and it is more likely hurricane will be nearby, which why we do not operate trips during this time. Starting in November the conditions are dryer until the end of April. May, June and July have more occasional rain with great sailing winds, and less people in the anchorages.

You can wear shoes on the deck of the boat if they haven’t been worn outside before. However, we generally recommend going barefoot on board!

We will provision your sailboat prior to your arrival for all ASA course bookings. If you let us know of any dietary restrictions when you book your trip, we will do our best to shop with your restrictions in mind and let you know if there are specific items we can’t get. Some items are expensive or difficult to find in the Virgin Islands so we recommend bringing your own coffee and creamer, if you are particular, and any special treats you can’t live without! Here are some additional items you’ll want to pack for your Virgin Islands sailing vacation:

• Textbooks
• Printed exams, completed to the best of your ability
• Sea sickness medications and remedies (if you think you may need them)
• Snorkeling Gear
• Sunscreen (ocean-friendly and non-aerosol)
• A bluetooth speaker
• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and other toiletries

WiFi is available at many Virgin Island ports , however, there is no guarantee of WiFi service being available for your Virgin Islands sailing vacation. The best way to stay connected is to use a personal hotspot on your phone with At&t. Verizon does not work as well.

A bareboat charter is a rented yacht without crew. When you charter a bareboat in the Virgin Islands you are committing to being your own captain and crew! The name “bareboat” refers to the fact that your Virgin Islands sailboat will be “bare” of hired crew and provisions. However, Go Sail Virgin Islands can provide tips for provisioning your sailboat in the British Virgin Islands or US Virgin Islands.

It doesn’t cost you anything extra to use a yacht charter broker, like Go Sail Virgin Islands, and in fact, working with a broker can make for a more budget friendly sailing vacation. Go Sail Virgin Islands will negotiate bareboat charter pricing for you and offers special sailing discounts for ASA members and previous sailing customers. Additionally, we know the best charter companies in the Virgin Islands and will ensure you are sailing on a reliable yacht for your bareboat vacation.

The great thing about bareboat chartering in the Virgin Islands is that you are in charge of your own destiny! Go where you want, when you want, for as long as you want! Keep in mind that if you bareboat charter in the British Virgin Islands, you cannot sail to the USVI. Traveling to Puerto Rico is permitted but you may be out of range for the chase boat to reach you if you are in need of assistance. There are also hefty fees to take a USVI bareboat charter to the BVI so we recommend staying in the USVI during your bareboat charter vacation.

Your Virgin Islands bareboat charter does not come with groceries included. However, we do include the following items aboard to get you started!

In The Galley:

• One sponge
• A small bottle of dish soap
• One small roll of paper towels
• Multiple dishtowels
• One garbage bag

In Each Head

• One roll of toilet paper in each bathroom.

You have several options in terms of provisioning for a bareboat charter: In-person grocery shopping or provisioning the boat using a grocery store that delivers to the dock on your arrival day. If you would like a provisions delivery in the Virgin Islands, remember to include your last name and the boat’s name on your order. Remember to tip your dock staff when your provisions arrive, as they ensure all your food is put away!

If you run out of ice during your bareboat charter, keep in mind that at Norman Island, Peter Island, and Cooper Island, small boats travel around mooring and anchoring sites selling ice and other assorted goods.

Here are a few grocery stores and provision delivery services you can use in the BVI:

• RiteWay Nanny Cay Nanny Cay Marina VG1110 Tortola, British Virgin Islands; +1 284-340-2263. Open 7 days a week from 7:00 am – 7:00 pm: This is a short walk down the dock near Omar’s restaurant. They are good for last-minute purchases and the basics.
• RiteWay Provisioning Road Town: Pasea Estate, James Walter Francis Highway, VG1110 Road Town, British Virgin Islands; +1 284-347-1188. You can fill out an online provisioning form from this location which will deliver your items to your boat on the day of arrival. They have a great selection of meats, cheeses, and produce.
• Bobby’s Supermarket Road Town: Road Town VG 1110 Tortola, British Virgin Islands; +1-954-314-5198. They will also deliver to the yacht. They carry a lot of gluten-free and organic items.
• One Mart Road Town: Port Purcell, Tortola, British Virgin Islands; +1 284-494-4649. They also have an online provisioning form that can deliver to the yacht.
• Grape Expectations: Road Reef, Road Town, US Virgin Islands; +1 284-346-9463, [email protected]. This store carries specialty frozen items. They are great for fish, meats , and bread and will deliver.
• First Choice Provisioning: Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands; + 1-284-343-6765, [email protected]. Petronella will shop at all major grocery stores to ensure your order is complete.
• Steakation Butchers: Waterfront Dr, Road Town, British Virgin IslandsLocated in Road Town. This boutique grocery store offers fresh meat and fish, marinated meats, produce, specialty meat cuts, and more.

For beer and wine, we suggest these companies:

• TICO: Pasea Estates Near RiteWay; 284-494-2211 X323. You can order online or over the phone.
• Caribbean Cellars: Lower Estate, Road Town, British Virgin Islands; +1 284-393-4470. You can order online or over the phone.

Note: TICO and Caribbean Cellars do not deliver on Sundays.  If you need to have it delivered on Sunday, please request a Saturday delivery, and our team will ensure it is secure for your arrival.

This article on provision shopping in St. Thomas will ensure you have everything you need

before you set sail on your US Virgin Islands bareboat charter! If you have additional questions about provisioning feel free to contact us for more information.

How should I best prepare for the Virgin Islands bareboat charter?

One of the best ways to prepare for your first bareboat charter in the Virgin Islands (other than taking your ASA certification courses) is to watch and read our Boat Briefing Series. These videos and articles will help you feel confident sailing on your own, knowing where items are aboard your sailboat, and how to troubleshoot basic sailboat issues while at sea.

If you are traveling from the US Virgin Islands to the British Virgin Islands, you aren’t required to have a visa. You will need to carry a passport and file an immigration form electronically at least 36 hours before you travel.

Here’s a link to the new immigration form.

A Virgin Islands bareboat charter and a captained charter are two totally different types of sailing vacations! In order to bareboat charter, you’ll need to have at least one person on board with sailing experience (preferably ASA certifications) whereas for a captained charter, no one needs sailing experience. Generally, bareboat chartering is a better experience for those who wish to gain sailing experience and feel in charge of their own sailing destiny!

We offer a variety of different yachts for bareboat chartering in the Virgin Islands. You can choose between catamarans, monohulls, and even trimarans! Find out more about the yachts we offer for bareboat charters on our yachts page.

To bareboat charter in the Virgin Islands with Go Sail, you’ll need to have your ASA certifications and prior sailing experience (which you can get during a weeklong liveaboard vacation with Go Sail). If you get your ASA certifications with Go Sail, we’ll also offer you a discount on your first bareboat charter with us!

As well as buying all the groceries and alcohol you will need for the week, there are a few other provisions you’ll likely want onboard your Virgin Islands bareboat charter! Here are a few of our top Virgin Islands provision recommendations:

• Extra kitchen sponges, including one for each of the heads
• A small microfiber towel for the galley
• Several boxes of different-sized resealable plastic bags
• A box of kitchen garbage bags
• Aluminum foil
• Air freshener for each head
• Headlamps or small flashlights for riding in the dinghy at night
• Cooking spices
• Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash

One of the best ways to prepare for your first bareboat charter in the Virgin Islands (other than taking your ASA certification courses) is to watch and read our Boat Briefing Series. These videos and articles will help you feel confident sailing on your own, knowing where items are aboard your sailboat, and how to troubleshoot basic sailboat issues while at sea. 

The Virgin Islands is known for having champagne sailing conditions, which means the best of the best! The Virgin Islands winds are a reliable 15-20 knots out of the east and temperatures are fairly consistent throughout the year. Water temps are usually around 82°F (27°C)! For more specific information about where to find sailing weather information for your trip on sailing weather apps and sailing weather websites, check out our articles on Virgin Islands sailing weather below the weather FAQ dropdowns

We operate courses during the best weather conditions in the Virgin Islands November through July. The Easterly Trade winds are predictable 15-20 knots out of the east. The Virgin Islands are at 18 degrees latitude which means we are about 1000 nm from the equator. There is 1 foot or less of tide and the weather is almost the same year-round. It’s sunny 75-80 degrees every day. The water temperature is 75-82 degrees.  There are two “seasons” in the Virgin Islands wet season and dry season. The months of August, September, and October are more rain squalls, and it is more likely hurricane will be nearby, which why we do not operate trips during this time. Starting in November the conditions are dryer until the end of April. May, June and July have more occasional rain with great sailing winds, and less people in the anchorages.

We’ve never cancelled any Virgin Islands ASA courses or bareboat charters due to hurricanes but — weather happens! This is one of the many reasons why it is a good idea to get traveler’s insurance for your trip

If we need to cancel your booking with Go Sail Virgin Islands due to a Force Majeure event (this includes natural disasters), we’ll let you know as soon as possible and credit your trip towards a future trip. Your safety and sailing safety is our biggest priority so we’ll work with you to come up with a new plan for your trip depending on your availability and preferences. The alternative date must be accepted within three months from the original date of your Virgin Islands sailing vacation. 

Keep in mind, if there are additional costs incurred by the client as a result of changes to a trip, Go Sail is not liable for those costs. This is one reason we highly recommend travel insurance to all our customers!

Force Majeure is a legal term that outlines the events beyond our control that may affect your Virgin Islands sailing trip. In our Terms and Conditions, you can find more information about Force Majeure but here are a few of the events that are covered under Force Majeure:

-Governmental decision
-Law (obligation of maritime assistance)

-Weather events (fire, flood, drought, monsoon, natural disaster, cyclone, particularly tropical cyclone, named meteorological phenomenon, etc.)

-War, explosions, acts of terrorism, uprisings, sabotage, insurrection, coup d’état, civil unrest, etc.

-Threat to personal safety (such as hostage taking, kidnapping, assassination, bombing, suicide attack, boarding, acts of piracy)

-Epidemic, quarantine, or confinement

-Disruptions to sources of supply (particularly of energy, raw materials, etc.) or transport, 

-Blockage of transport routes (canal, port access, port congestion), strike, lock-out, or any other event beyond its control.