FOR GUESTS ALREADY IN THE BVI

Papi Chulo Isn't a Cruise-Ship Day Trip

Papi Chulo departs from Penn's Landing Marina on Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands — not from a cruise line's shore-excursion dock, and not from the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's built for guests who are already staying in the BVI - villa guests, hotel and resort guests — who want a real day on the water on their own schedule, not a few hours ashore timed to when a ship needs to leave port.

How Papi Chulo Compares

Papi Chulo
Many Day-Trip Catamarans
Home port
Penn's Landing Marina, Tortola, BVI
Often depart from the U.S. Virgin Islands
Built for
Guests already staying in the BVI
Cruise-ship passengers on a shore excursion
Schedule
Mon/Wed/Fri, or a private charter any day you choose
Set by the cruise ship's port call
Border crossing
None — you're already in the BVI
Often required, from the USVI into BVI waters and back
Boat
60-ft custom power catamaran, up to 30 guests
Varies by operator

Who Books This?

BVI villa guests on a day trip power catamaran Papi Chulo

BVI villa & resort guests

Already on Tortola or a nearby island? Papi Chulo picks up close by — no transfer out of the territory to reach the boat.

Private yacht charter guests

A day off your own boat at The Baths, Norman Island or Jost Van Dyke, without breaking your BVI cruising permit or itinerary.

Groups who don't want a cruise-crowd day

Scheduled trips run to Papi Chulo's own timetable, not a ship's, so the pace — and the crowd at each stop — is different.

Book the BVI-based charter, not the shore excursion Scheduled trips run Mon/Wed/Fri at $150 per person. Want your own day, your own stops? Private charter is $3,250 for the boat, up to 30 guests.
Book Scheduled Trip Book Private Trip
BVI Catamaran Charter

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all BVI day-trip catamarans depart from the British Virgin Islands?

No. Many day-trip catamarans that visit BVI destinations like Jost Van Dyke or The Baths actually depart from the U.S. Virgin Islands, which means an international border crossing each way. Papi Chulo departs from Penn's Landing Marina on Tortola, inside the BVI, so there's no crossing involved.

Is Papi Chulo a cruise-ship excursion?

No. Papi Chulo runs its own schedule out of Penn's Landing Marina — Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the scheduled trip, or any day as a private charter — independent of any cruise line's port call or shore-excursion timetable.

Can I book Papi Chulo if I'm staying at a villa or resort in Tortola?

Yes — Papi Chulo is built for exactly that guest. Trips depart Penn's Landing Marina and also pick up at Little Dix Bay, Scrub Island and Peter Island, so most BVI-based stays are a short hop from the boat rather than a trip out of the territory.

Do I need to cross into the U.S. Virgin Islands to take a BVI catamaran charter?

Not with Papi Chulo. Because it's based at Penn's Landing Marina on Tortola, the whole trip stays inside BVI waters — no USVI crossing, no customs stop, in either direction.