Private Full Day or Half Day Charter – 37′ Midnight Express

The best part of this charter is its reach. From St. Thomas, you can cross into the British Virgin Islands by fast private boat rather than arranging separate ferries or flights, then spend the day among the Baths, Norman Island, Jost Van Dyke, and other island stops. The 37-foot Midnight Express has three 300HP outboards, so the boat is built for open-water travel as well as swimming stops.

I like the private format, since your captain can shape the day around your group instead of following a fixed schedule. I also like the practical gear on board: bottled water, soda, a cooler with ice, snorkeling equipment, and swimming noodles. The main consideration is cost. The $1,950 price covers the group, but fuel, lunch, a customary 20 percent captain gratuity, and a $75-per-person BVI customs fee are extra.

Key points to know before booking

• Three 300HP outboards: The blue and white Midnight Express is designed to cover a lot of water in one day.
• Four to eight hours: You can choose a shorter USVI outing or a longer cross-border day, depending on the plan you arrange.
• Passport required: Bring a passport for BVI entry at Soper’s Hole or another approved entry point, then clear US customs in Cruz Bay on the return.
• The Baths take two hours: Virgin Gorda’s boulders, caves, rock pools, and Cathedral Room are the main natural attraction on the full-day route.
• Up to six passengers included: Larger groups can book, but more than six people incur an additional fee.
• Extra costs matter: Fuel, lunch, captain gratuity, and $75 cash per person for BVI customs are not part of the base price.

A fast private boat from St. Thomas

The charter begins at 8:30 a.m. at Compass Point Marina in Estate Bovoni, St. Thomas. Pickup is offered, but confirm the exact arrangement when you book. At the marina, your captain meets you and walks you to the boat.

The Midnight Express is a blue and white 37-foot vessel powered by three 300HP outboards. That setup gives the charter a very different feel from a slow sightseeing boat. You are paying for speed, space, and the freedom to cover several islands in one outing.

This matters in the Virgin Islands. The water between St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Norman Island, and Jost Van Dyke can turn a simple map into a long day of transfers. A private boat removes much of that planning. You can spend more time at the places you care about and less time working around public schedules.

The boat is booked for your group only. The published capacity allows up to 12 people, though the included rate covers up to six and an additional fee applies above that number. Ask for the exact larger-group price before committing, especially if you are comparing this with a second boat or a shared excursion.

Past bookings have included Captain Jervan and Captain Jashae. Captain Jervan is specifically praised for adapting the day to a group’s preferred route, while Captain Jashae is associated with the Midnight Express and the stories shared along the way. Captains can vary, so treat those names as examples rather than a guarantee.

Crossing into the British Virgin Islands

If you choose a BVI route, everyone needs a passport. The first formal stop is usually Soper’s Hole at West End on Tortola, where passengers clear British Virgin Islands customs and immigration. Another approved entry point may be used, depending on the route.

This is not a minor detail. A passport card or other document may not meet the requirements for your particular crossing, so check current entry rules before departure. The tour information specifically says to have passports ready, and that is good advice. Keep them dry and easy to reach rather than packed at the bottom of a beach bag.

BVI customs fees are not included. The stated charge is $75 cash per person, which can make a sizable difference for a family or a full group. Carry the required cash and budget for it separately from the $1,950 charter rate.

The customs stop is listed at about 30 minutes, but border procedures can affect the pace of the day. That is another reason not to plan every minute around a long list of stops. A private charter gives you some control, but it cannot control immigration lines or official processing.

The Baths at Virgin Gorda

The Baths are the signature stop on this route, and the planned visit lasts about two hours. Here, huge granite boulders form passageways and sheltered spaces along the shore. You follow the maze toward small rock pools and the Cathedral Room, a natural pool inside a cave-like opening.

I would allow the full time here. The Baths are not simply a quick photo stop from the boat. The appeal is moving through the rock formations, finding the pools, and seeing how the shore changes from open beach to narrow passages and shadowed chambers.

The stop is listed with no admission ticket included because no ticket cost is specified in the tour details. Still, you should ask the operator if any local access charge applies on your date. The supplied information does not give one.

Two hours is enough for a meaningful visit, though it may feel short if you want a leisurely beach stay as well as the rock walk. Wear secure footwear suitable for uneven surfaces, but do not confuse that practical advice with a promise about conditions. The route through the boulders can be more active than a normal boat-to-beach stop.

The Baths are best for people who want a natural attraction with a bit of movement and discovery. If your group mainly wants to sit on the boat and swim, you may prefer a route with fewer land stops.

Norman Island and the Treasure Island connection

Norman Island is scheduled for about two hours. Its reputation comes partly from the idea that it helped inspire Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. That story gives the stop a touch of adventure, but the value of the visit is also practical: it offers another chance to swim, snorkel, and shape the pace around your group.

The tour description leaves the exact Norman Island activities open. That is useful on a private charter. You can ask your captain how much time to spend in the water, whether to combine the stop with another nearby area, or how to fit it around the Baths and lunch.

Snorkeling equipment is included, along with swimming noodles. Bottled water, soda, a cooler, and ice are also supplied. Lunch is not included, so discuss food plans before leaving. You may need to buy lunch at a stop, bring your own provisions, or arrange the day around a meal break.

A two-hour Norman Island stop can be a strong counterpoint to the Baths. Virgin Gorda is about walking among rock formations, while Norman Island is more suited to time on or in the water. If you have children or adults with different interests, that mix can work well.

Jost Van Dyke for a Painkiller or Rum Punch

The Jost Van Dyke stop lasts about one hour. The planned choices include a Painkiller at Foxy’s or a Rum Punch at the Soggy Dollar. These are familiar BVI names, and the stop gives you a taste of the island’s easygoing beach-bar culture without requiring a full day ashore.

The hour is brief. I would see this as a drink and atmosphere stop, not a chance to explore all of Jost Van Dyke. If someone in your group does not drink, ask the captain how the time can be used instead. The boat includes swimming equipment, so a short swim may fit better than a bar visit.

Drinks at the island venues are not included in the charter price. The tour supplies soda and water, but alcoholic drinks, food, and lunch are separate expenses. Keep that distinction in mind when estimating the total.

Jost Van Dyke is one of the smaller islands in the BVI, but its small size is part of the charm described by the operator. The stop works best for groups that enjoy a little local flavor and do not need every minute devoted to sightseeing.

Returning through Cruz Bay and St. John

On the return to the US Virgin Islands, passengers clear US customs in Cruz Bay on St. John. This is another formal border stop, listed at about 30 minutes. Keep passports available until the process is complete.

After customs, the charter can continue in the US Virgin Islands. The route description allows time to explore historic shorelines dating back to the 1600s and swim at well-known beaches. The exact beach or landmark is not fixed in the supplied details, which gives you a chance to discuss your priorities with the captain.

A shorter four-hour charter may suit you if you want a local St. Thomas and St. John outing without the border formalities. A seven or eight-hour plan makes more sense if you want the BVI crossing and several major stops. The advertised duration is approximately four to eight hours, so confirm the precise length and route before you pay.

Do not assume that every listed stop fits comfortably into a half-day. The Baths, Norman Island, and Jost Van Dyke alone account for about five hours of stop time, before crossing, customs, and travel between islands. For that combination, you should plan on the longest available option.

What the $1,950 price really covers

The base price is $1,950 per group, not per person. For six people, that works out to $325 each before fuel, customs, lunch, and gratuity. For a larger group, the per-person cost drops, but the extra charge above six passengers must be added.

That price can be good value for a group that wants a private boat, a fast vessel, and the ability to cross between countries in one day. It is less compelling if only two people are booking and you mainly want a short local cruise. In that case, compare the cost with shorter boat options in St. Thomas.

Fuel is extra, but no fuel estimate is provided. Ask for a realistic range based on your intended route. A BVI crossing and multiple island stops will likely require more fuel than a four-hour USVI plan, but the supplied information does not state a fixed amount, so the operator must provide that figure.

The customary captain gratuity is 20 percent. On $1,950, that would be $390 before any other charges, though the final tip should reflect the service you receive and the applicable charter amount. Customs adds $75 cash per person. A group of six would owe $450 in BVI customs fees alone.

Lunch is also separate. Put all of those costs into your comparison. The headline price is clear, but the true day-of cost will be higher.

Comfort, gear, and the private format

You receive bottled water and soda, plus a cooler and ice. That is useful in the Caribbean sun, though you should not treat it as a full meal service. Since lunch is not included, bring or buy the food plan that fits your group.

Snorkeling equipment and swimming noodles are supplied. This saves you from packing bulky gear and makes it easier to add water time between the major stops. The available information does not specify the exact equipment sizes or styles, so ask if anyone in your group needs a particular fit.

The private setup is the biggest service advantage. You are not sharing the boat with strangers, and the captain can respond to your group’s interests. A past charter with Captain Jervan was specifically praised for accommodating a custom itinerary, which is exactly the feature to use: explain whether you care most about The Baths, swimming, bars, beaches, or seeing several islands.

The boat is described as well kept, and the Midnight Express upgrade made a strong impression on one family booking. An upgrade is never something you should count on, though. Reserve the boat category you actually want rather than expecting a different vessel on the day.

Who should book this charter

I would recommend this for a family or group of friends that wants a full, private boat day and can share the cost. It is especially suitable if you want to combine major BVI sights rather than settle for one beach or one island.

It also suits people who value a captain’s local guidance and stories. The captain is not just steering you between points. You can ask for help balancing border formalities, swimming time, landmark visits, and a meal stop.

The charter is less suitable if you dislike fast open-water travel, want a predictable low-cost excursion, or do not want to manage passports and customs. It may also be too ambitious for a group that needs a slow pace at every stop.

The tour information says most people can participate, and service animals are allowed. It is near public transportation, and pickup is offered. Still, ask direct questions about boarding, seating, mobility needs, and the boat layout if anyone in your group requires special assistance. Those details are not provided.

Weather, cancellation, and practical planning

The trip requires good weather. If poor weather cancels the charter, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. For a normal cancellation, you need to cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes made inside that window are not accepted, and the cutoff uses local time.

I would book this early if your dates are fixed. The experience is booked about 34 days ahead on average, a useful sign that popular dates can fill. Have your passports, cash for customs, lunch plan, sunscreen, and a dry way to carry documents ready before you arrive.

The start time is 8:30 a.m., and the activity ends back at the meeting point. Confirm pickup details, exact duration, the expected boat, fuel estimate, and the route before departure. Those questions are especially important if you are choosing between a half-day and a full-day plan.

Should you book the Midnight Express?

Book it if you want a private, high-speed way to combine St. Thomas, St. John, and the BVI in one carefully planned day. The Baths, Norman Island, and Jost Van Dyke give the full-day route a strong mix of natural scenery, swimming, and island stops.

I would be more cautious if your budget is tight or your group is small. Once you add fuel, a 20 percent captain gratuity, $75 per person in BVI customs fees, and lunch, the final cost rises well above $1,950.

For six or more people who will use the boat for a full day, the value makes more sense. Ask for a custom schedule, keep passports and cash handy, and treat the listed stops as a starting plan rather than a promise that every stop will receive equal time.

FAQ

Where does the charter begin?

The charter begins at Compass Point Marina in Estate Bovoni, St. Thomas, USVI.

What time does the charter start?

The stated start time is 8:30 a.m.

Where does the activity end?

The charter ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The approximate duration is four to eight hours, depending on the selected plan.

Is the charter private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

How many people are included in the listed price?

The included rate covers up to six passengers. More than six passengers incur an additional fee, although the boat can accommodate up to 12 people according to the tour details.

Do I need a passport?

Yes. Passengers need passports for departure from St. Thomas and for entry into the British Virgin Islands. Passports are also needed when clearing US customs in Cruz Bay on the return.

How much are the BVI customs fees?

The stated BVI customs fee is $75 cash per person.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included in the charter price.

What equipment and refreshments are provided?

The charter includes soda, bottled water, a cooler with ice, snorkeling equipment, and swimming noodles.