Travel Guidelines
Arranging YourFlights
The travel days for all of our adventures are the beginning and end dates listed on the adventure schedule. With all of our trips, students are met by our Sail Caribbean staff at the Beef Island, Tortola (EIS), or St. Thomas (STT) airports.
Travel Options
There are two options for travel to the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Our strong preference is Option 1 into St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands (USVI). You will find more direct flights that will most likely be less expensive. Option 2 into Beef Island, Tortola, BVI – via San Juan, Puerto Rico – is also acceptable if that works better for you.
- Staff will personally meet all students in STT after they leave the plane and enter the baggage claim area.
- We then take a taxi together from the airport to the ferry (10-minute ride), where we go together on a 55-minute ride up the island chain to Road Town, Tortola
- Arrivals must land no earlier than 10 am and later than 4:30 pm in order to catch the last ferry to Tortola
- You absolutely must call us to discuss any flight arrival into STT later than 4:30 pm
- Departures must be no earlier than 11:00 am, and no later than 4:30 pm (earlier preferred). Please contact us (info@sailcaribbean.com) for approval if you cannot find a flight in this timeframe.
- Sail Caribbean will bill $150 to cover the cost of the round trip ferry, taxi, and departure taxes
- Staff will personally meet all students in Tortola (EIS) and ride together to our marina base 15 minutes away
- All arrival and departure times are acceptable
- On departure day most students leave Tortola before noon and not later than 4:00pm, although all departure times are acceptable
When Making Your Travel Arrangements
After ticketing, it is necessary to provide Sail Caribbean with your airline itinerary and record locator (confirmation code). This can either be emailed or entered directly into the Travel Page of your My Sail Caribbean online account.
Additional Travel Information
Fly into either St. Maarten (SXM) or Antigua (ANT) and then fly into Beef Island, Tortola (EIS)
- Use LIAT or WinAir to connect from SXM or ANT to EIS
- Staff will meet students in Tortola and ride together to our marina base 15 minutes away
All major airlines require that children traveling alone under a determined age must be checked in under their ‘Unaccompanied Minor’ program. Unaccompanied minor (‘UM’) passengers experience full monitoring including escort and supervision by airline customer service employees for the duration of the passenger’s travel day, including connections of the same airline.
Our staff will personally meet the airline employee responsible for the passenger in order to have them released to Sail Caribbean after identification check and signature. Approximately 50% of our teens fly this way due to their guardian’s preference or because it is mandated by the teen’s age. In addition to the cost of the airline ticket, an additional fee may apply. If traveling as a UM, please provide our NY office with a copy of your receipt for the UM service. Please contact your airline carrier for specific UM rules and rates.
We will email out all pertinent information of the staff person meeting the UMs at the airport within 2 days (48 hours) prior to the start of the program. You will need to present this information to the airline upon check-in at the airport. You can use the following information as a place holder when booking travel:
Mike Liese
256 Main St.
Northport NY 11768
284-499-1759
mike@sailcaribbean.com
Staff will accompany all students from our base to the airport departure counter, and then accompany them to security. We can’t go any further, but we remain at the airport until their flight has departed.
- Departures must be no earlier than 11 am and no later than 4:30 pm (earlier preferred). Please contact us for approval if you cannot find a flight in this timeframe.
You will need a passport that will be valid for at least six months beyond the dates of your program for all travel to the British Virgin and Leeward Islands. US citizens can find downloadable passport applications and other helpful information on the State Department website. It’s a good idea to make a copy of your passport to keep at home while you are traveling in the Caribbean (or anywhere else).
Visitors from some countries will also be required to have a visa for entry. For all programs, except Delta, check the website here if you are unsure whether or not you need a visa. For Delta programs, click here.
If you have any additional questions regarding travel arrangements for your teen, please call our New York office at 800-321-0994 or 631-754-2202.