🗓️ Pre-Trip Edition — Planning your trip? Here’s what to expect for your charter week starting Saturday, March 07 through Friday, March 13, 2026.
Use this briefing to plan your provisioning, pick your itinerary, and know what to expect when you arrive. We’ll publish an updated Arrival Edition on Saturday with the latest conditions.
⚠️ Captain’s Advisory
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🌊 Sea State Advisory: Waves up to 5.6 ft. Drake Channel crossing may be uncomfortable.
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🚢 Cruise Ship Alert: 18 cruise ships visiting (52,052 passengers). Road Town, The Baths, and Jost Van Dyke will be busier on ship days.
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🏛️ H. Lavity Stoutt’s Birthday (observed) (Monday, 2026-03-09): Government offices and customs closed. Plan your customs/immigration needs accordingly.
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⛵ Hillbilly Flotilla (2026-03-07 to 2026-03-14): Large flotilla group — expect busier moorings at Jost Van Dyke (Mar 8), Bitter End/North Sound (Mar 9), Anegada (Mar 10), Leverick Bay (Mar 11), Norman Island (Mar 12), and Cooper Island (Mar 13). Book moorings early!
🌤️ 7-Day Marine Weather Forecast
| Day | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Direction | Conditions | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 03-07 | 77°F | 20 kts | 24 kts | ENE | Light Rain | 3.2mm |
| Sun 03-08 | 77°F | 20 kts | 23 kts | ENE | Light Rain | 2.7mm |
| Mon 03-09 | 77°F | 21 kts | 24 kts | ENE | Light Rain | 1.6mm |
🌊 Sea Conditions
| Day | Wave Height | Sea State | Swell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 03/07 | 5.6 ft | Slight | 2.0 ft |
| Sun 03/08 | 5.3 ft | Slight | 2.4 ft |
| Mon 03/09 | 5.3 ft | Slight | 1.7 ft |
| Tue 03/10 | 5.4 ft | Slight | 1.8 ft |
| Wed 03/11 | 5.4 ft | Slight | 2.1 ft |
| Thu 03/12 | 4.7 ft | Slight | 3.0 ft |
| Fri 03/13 | None ft | Unknown | — |
🚢 Cruise Ship Schedule
| Day | Ship | Cruise Line | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 03-07 | Costa Pacifica | Costa Cruises | 3,617 |
| Sat 03-07 | Silver Ray | Silversea | 728 |
| Sat 03-07 | Brilliance Of The Seas | Royal Caribbean | 2,580 |
| Sun 03-08 | Norwegian Sky | Norwegian Cruise Line | 2,405 |
| Sun 03-08 | Costa Fascinosa | Costa Cruises | 3,617 |
| Sun 03-08 | Seabourn Ovation | Seabourn | 638 |
| Mon 03-09 | Celebrity Ascent | Celebrity Cruises | 3,950 |
| Mon 03-09 | Norwegian Epic | Norwegian Cruise Line | 5,074 |
| Tue 03-10 | Norwegian Joy | Norwegian Cruise Line | 4,620 |
| Tue 03-10 | MSC Virtuosa | MSC Cruises | 5,772 |
| Tue 03-10 | Wind Surf | Windstar | 404 |
| Wed 03-11 | AIDAsol | AIDA Cruises | 2,686 |
| Wed 03-11 | Celebrity Beyond | Celebrity Cruises | 3,373 |
| Wed 03-11 | Viking Sea | Viking Ocean | 930 |
| Thu 03-12 | Norwegian Aqua | Norwegian Cruise Line | 4,224 |
| Thu 03-12 | AIDAblu | AIDA Cruises | 2,500 |
| Thu 03-12 | Marella Discovery | Marella Cruises | 2,074 |
| Fri 03-13 | Valiant Lady | Virgin Voyages | 2,860 |
Impact: On cruise ship days (Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday), expect heavier traffic at The Baths, Road Town waterfront, and popular beach bars at Jost Van Dyke.
🏛️ BVI Holidays & Government Closures
- H. Lavity Stoutt’s Birthday (observed) (Monday, 2026-03-09): Government offices and customs closed.
⛵ Regattas & Sailing Events
- Hillbilly Flotilla (2026-03-07 to 2026-03-14): Large flotilla group — expect busier moorings at Jost Van Dyke (Mar 8), Bitter End/North Sound (Mar 9), Anegada (Mar 10), Leverick Bay (Mar 11), Norman Island (Mar 12), and Cooper Island (Mar 13). Book moorings early!
🔗 Useful Links
- BoatyBall Mooring Reservations — Reserve your moorings now!
- BVI Customs & Immigration — Hours and requirements
- Windy.com - BVI — Real-time wind and weather
- Marine Traffic - BVI — See ships in real-time
- BVI Tourism — Official BVI tourism info
This briefing is brought to you by BoatyBall — the easiest way to reserve moorings in the BVI. Book your balls before you go!
Published March 04, 2026. Weather data from OpenWeatherMap & Open-Meteo. Cruise schedule sourced from CruiseDig.com. Always confirm conditions before departure.
