Helpful Information for Parents



Flight Arrangements General

We suggest The Moorings Travel Service (from North America) but you are not required to use them.
Our Air Agent there is Soun Saysonvang, her direct number is 866.649.2003.
Leave her a message if she is unavailable and she will return your call.
The Moorings and sister company Sunsail are part of Travelopia, a pioneer in the specialist travel sector. The Moorings Travel service works exclusively with charter boat guests and they are happy to give you a quote and can help arrange for students to travel together.

Below are a of sample travel plans.

For British Virgin Islands Discover Adventure Voyages, students fly into either Tortola's Beef Island Airport (airport code EIS) or St. Thomas - USVI (airport code STT).

Traveling to the voyages in Tortola BVI info: BVI Transportation (pdf)

If flying into Tortola, you fly into San Juan, Puerto Rico via jet and catch a regional airline to Tortola - BVI (airport code EIS).
The current primary carriers into Tortola are Cape Air and Seaborne from San Juan and and LIAT from St. Martin and Antigua. It is a short 40 minute flight from each to Tortola's Beef Island Airport.
American, Delta, and Jet Blue make frequent flights to San Juan from most major hubs in the USA.

Beef Island Airport BVI  (CC BY-ND 2.0)

SEABORNE Airlines www.SeaborneAirlines.com and Cape Air Airlines www.capeair.com are code shared with the major airlines. The prices I have seen for the stand alone flight from San Juan range from $220 to $400 round trip.

Arrivals from San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) into Beef Island, Tortola (EIS):
  • Cape Air Flight 9K4691 departs San Juan 1:10pm
  • Cape Air Flight 9K4511 departs San Juan 2:50pm
  • Cape Air Flight 9K4571 departs San Juan 6:13pm
  • Seaborne Flight BB4510 departs San Juan 10:00am
  • Seaborne Flight BB4514 departs San Juan 2:10pm
Departures from Tortola:

Cape Air and Seaborne have multiple morning flights. Please consider leaving earlier rather than later as if there is a missed flight or delay (i.e. afternoon thunderstorms), having more time in the day is very beneficial to a smooth return home.

  • Cape Air Flight 9K4401 departs Tortola at 7:30am
  • Cape Air Flight 9K4461 departs Tortola at 10:17am
  • Cape Air Flight 9K4541 departs Tortola at 2:30pm
  • Seaborne Flight BB4510 departs Tortola at 10:15am
  • Seaborne Flight BB4514 departs Tortola at 3:25pm

Below are links to current Travelocity Air Searches:
Miami (MIA) to Tortola (EIS)
New York (JFK) to Tortola (EIS)

Alternatively, you can fly into St. Thomas - USVI (airport code STT), an Odyssey Expeditions staff member will meet you at the airport and escort you to the Charlotte Amalie ferry terminal ($12 taxi + $2 bag not included).
There are several ferry companies servicing Tortola.
The ferry ride is about 45 minutes and costs $40 each way (not included)
There is also a departure tax of $10 from the US and $20 from the BVI's and a $10 BVI arrival Environmenal Fee (not included).

You MUST arrive in St. Thomas by 3:35 pm to catch the ferry.
Your flight departure home from St. Thomas - USVI should not be before 11:30 am, in order to allow for ferry transport time, US Customs and taxi from ferry dock to airport. This option is generally lower cost than flying to Tortola from San Juan and easier IF you can get there by 3:35 pm.

Fast Ferry to BVI
Click Here to view the BVI Ferry Schedule.
Below are links to current Travelocity Air Searches:
Miami (MIA) to St. Thomas-USVI (STT)
New York (JFK) to St. Thomas (STT)

Transfers

  • Transfers between the marina and Road Town's ferry terminal or the Tortola's Beef Island airport are escorted but not paid for (approx $10 and $25 each way respectively) by Odyssey Expeditions with our transportation service.
  • An Odyssey Expeditions staff member will meet all arriving students at the respective airports, Tortola's Beef Island (EIS) or St Thomas' (STT) and assist with the transfer.

Our voyages are in the Windward Islands and the Grenadines.

  • Discover Adventure voyages start and end in Saint Lucia (airport code UVF).
  • Advanced Adventure SEA Voyages are one-way voyages. The first voyage goes south bound and the second north bound. The north island is Saint Lucia (airport code UVF) and the south island is Grenada (airport code GND).

Traveling to the voyages in Windward Islands and Grenadines info: Windward Transportation (pdf)

Flights into Saint Lucia UVF originate from:

  • Atlanta ATL
  • Boston BOS
  • Charlotte CLT
  • Chicago ORD
  • Miami MIA
  • New York JFK
  • Newark EWR
  • Toronto YYZ
  • London LGW & LHR
Flights into Grenada GND originate from:
  • Boston BOS
  • Charlotte CLT
  • Miami MIA
  • New York JFK
  • Bridgetown BGI
  • Toronto YYZ
  • Port of Spain POS
  • London LGW & LHR

Below are quick links to current Travelocity Air Searches:

Voyage 1 - Discover Adventure Voyages Sample Flight Information (starts in Saint Lucia (UVF) June 7th, ends in St Lucia (UVF) June 20th) Voyage 2 - Advanced Adventure SEA Voyages Sample Flight Information (South bound - starts in Saint Lucia (UVF) June 21st. ends in Grenada(GND) July 11th) Voyage 3 - Advanced Adventure SEA Voyages Sample Flight Information (North bound - starts in Grenada (GND) July 12th, ends in Saint Lucia (UVF) Aug 1st) Voyage 4 - Discover Adventure Voyages Sample Flight Information (starts in Saint Lucia (UVF) Aug 2nd, ends in St Lucia (UVF) Aug 15th)

Transfers

  • Transfers between the marina and the Grenada's are not included (approx $10).
  • Transfers between the marina and St Lucia's airport are not included (approx $30).
  • An Odyssey Expeditions staff member will meet all arriving shipmates at the respective airports, and assist with the transfer.

Unaccompanied Minor Status Information

Depending on your child's age on the day of their flight, they may be designated by the airline as an Unaccompanied Minor (UM). Some airlines define UMs as those under the age of 12, while others define UMs as those under 15. The airlines designed these programs to help provide additional security to your student while they travel. If your child is originating from points outside the US, this may not apply.

Here are your responsibilities for any parent of a UM:
  • Your child must take UM status if they are defined as such. It is mandatory based on age.
  • You must pay for UM status for BOTH the outbound and return flights while checking in for the outbound leg. If your child becomes "of age" during the voyage, this will not apply to the return leg.
  • You will need to provide the name and contact details of the Odyssey Representative in the arrival airport during the check-in process.
    We will email this to you a few days before the voyage starts.
  • You must ensure that the entire trip uses a single airline carrier on both the outbound and the return itineraries.
  • You must confirm with the airlines that your student is not flying on the day's final flight. Airlines will not take responsibility for an Unaccompanied Minor overnight.
  • Please understand we can only accept UMs flying to our arrival airports of St. Lucia UVF and Grenada GND on those days of regular travel. We will not have a staff representative at the airports on other days/times without prior arrangements.

If you have questions regarding this UM status, please call our office at 727-619-6246. Your airline should also be able to answer some questions on the specific regulations and requirements.



Tropical Marine Biology Voyages

Learn to Dive and Sail - No Experience Necessary

Odyssey Tropical Marine Biology Voyages
5 Full star Full star Full star Full star Full star
read 53 reviews




.