The two holiday weeks are the most expensive and the most crowded of the BVI year. At least one BVI broker reported in September that New Year’s week 2026 is close to sold out while Christmas week still has boats. If your dates can move, here is how the two weeks really compare.
What is happening this year
- One BVI charter broker reported in mid September that holiday enquiries were close to double last year, with New Year’s week filling first.
- BVI tourism figures show overnight visitors up 10 percent in the second quarter of 2026 against 2025, and total arrivals up 20 percent. The islands are busier.
- American Airlines is flying up to six nonstops a day from Miami to Tortola this winter, so more people can get there.
Christmas week
- Boats are easier to find and some are priced at normal winter rates, not the holiday premium.
- The anchorages are busy, not packed. You will still get a mooring at Cooper or in the Bight if you arrive by early afternoon.
- Some restaurants close on Christmas Day itself. Ask when you book dinner.
- You are home before the New Year crowd arrives.
New Year’s week
- The busiest week of the whole year. Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke fills for Foxy’s Old Year’s Night party. If you want to be there, take your spot a full day early and expect to anchor.
- Most fleets charge their highest rate, and many set a minimum number of nights.
- White Bay, the Bight and North Sound mooring fields are full by late morning. Have a second choice for every night.
- It is a great party. It is not a relaxing week.
Our blunt advice
Families and first timers: take Christmas week, or better still the first two weeks of December, when the weather is the same and the price is lower. If the New Year party is the point, book now, accept the price and plan every night around getting in early. Either way, the Christmas winds are blowing by then: 16 to 20 knots most days and more when a front goes by to the north, so plan shorter legs.
To see what a holiday week costs once you add food, moorings and bar tabs, read bareboat vs crewed: what the week really costs. If you want a second opinion on dates or boat size, talk to a captain. The first call is free.
Quick answers
Is Christmas or New Year better for a BVI charter?
Christmas week is quieter, easier to book and sometimes cheaper. New Year’s week is the busiest and most expensive week of the year, built around the Old Year’s Night party at Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke.
How far ahead should you book a holiday BVI charter?
Nine to twelve months for New Year’s week, six to nine for Christmas. By late September most New Year boats are gone.
How busy are BVI anchorages at New Year?
They are at their fullest of the year. Popular mooring fields fill by late morning and Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke is packed from 30 December. Arrive early and have a backup anchorage every night.
