BVI Catamaran Provisioning 2026: Tortola Cost & Shopping Guide

Updated May 2026.

How much should you budget for food and drinks on a 7-day catamaran charter in the British Virgin Islands? The honest 2026 range sits between $35 and $75 per person per day, depending on group size, how much you cook on board, and how often you stop at beach bars. A 4-person charter spends $1,500-2,400 on food and drinks; an 8-person week runs $2,800-4,800; a 10-person luxury week with every dinner ashore can top $7,000. BVI provisioning runs 30-40% pricier than a comparable Med charter because nearly everything except rum, lobster and tropical fruit is imported. This guide covers the shopping list, where to shop near each marina, three worked USD budgets, and the hidden costs that catch first-timers off guard.

Why BVI provisioning matters more than you think

A BVI charter gives you your own catamaran, galley, and mooring ball off a deserted cay 30-60 minutes by dinghy from the nearest real grocery. Self-sufficient means happy. Underprovisioned means a morning radio call to Riteway and a half-day detour back to Tortola for water and beer. Beach bars are famous (Soggy Dollar’s Painkiller, Foxy’s, Willy T, Pirates Bight, Saba Rock) and you’ll eat at plenty of them — but dining ashore every meal x 7 days x 8 people gets expensive fast: $55-85 per person per dinner once Caribbean lobster and drinks are on the bill. The smart pattern is a mix: 3-5 dinners aboard, 2-4 ashore at marquee beach bars, lunches mostly aboard. The other reality is BVI heat — you’ll drink 5-7 litres of water per person per day in season, and the boat’s tank is for cooking and showering. Bottled water is non-negotiable.

The detailed shopping list

Break the list into five categories. Confirm with your charter operator what’s in the standard galley pack — most BVI charter companies (The Moorings, Sunsail, Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare) include salt, pepper, oil, basic dish soap, paper towel and a starter pack of toilet paper. Some offer a “starter kit” of staples for an extra $80-150.

Breakfast staples (7 mornings)

Eggs (two dozen per 4 people). Bread or bagels from a Tortola bakery (Sunday Morning Bakery in Road Town is the local favourite). Butter, jam, peanut butter, yogurt. Bananas, papaya, mango, pineapple, watermelon, passion fruit — Caribbean fruit is the breakfast luxury, overbuy it. Granola, oatmeal, cereal. Coffee (filter + instant), tea, UHT milk for boat coffee.

Lunch and galley dishes (5-7 lunches)

Bread, wraps, tortillas. Olive oil plus a small bottle of coconut oil. Salt, pepper, jerk seasoning, garlic, limes (more than lemons in the Caribbean), tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers, avocados in season. Deli meats: smoked turkey, ham, salami. Cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, brie, feta. Canned tuna. Olives, hummus, salsa. Dry pasta, rice, pre-cooked grains for travel-day lunches.

Dinner ingredients (3-5 dinners aboard)

Fresh local fish if you can — snapper, mahi-mahi, wahoo and kingfish are the BVI staples, sold at fishing-boat quay sales in Road Town and Sebastian’s in West End. Local chicken (frozen at Riteway and OneMart). Beef and lamb are imported and pricey — $18-30/lb for steaks. Sweet potatoes, plantains, callaloo (the Caribbean spinach), peppers, onions. Fresh thyme is the dominant BVI herb (jerk + stews); add parsley and cilantro. Scotch bonnet pepper (one whole pepper per pot — these are hot). Marie Sharp’s hot sauce is the regional standard.

Snacks and sweets

Tortilla chips, salted nuts, dried mango, plantain chips (the local snack), dark chocolate, Caribbean rum cake from a Tortola bakery for one celebration night. Budget $35-55 per person.

Drinks — the budget surprise (35-45% of BVI provisioning)

This is where BVI provisioning runs hotter than the Med — imported alcohol and bottled water add up fast.
— Water: 5-7 L per person per day. 280-390 L for 8 over 7 days. 1.5L bottles in cases of 6 or 12 at Riteway or OneMart — $5-9 per case.
— BVI rum: Pusser’s Rum (historic British Navy rum, blended in the BVI) — $22-28 per 750ml at Riteway. Callwood’s Arundel Cane Rum from the Callwood Distillery in Cane Garden Bay (200+ years of continuous distillation) — $20-30, available at source from the distillery on day 2 or 3.
— Beer: Carib lager is the regional staple, plus Heineken, Presidente, Stag, Red Stripe. Cans only. $25-35 per case of 24. Plan 4-6 cans per drinker per day.
— Wine: White and rose travel better than red. Decent wine at Riteway runs $14-28; boxed 3L $20-35.
— Mixers: Pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut (Coco Lopez — essential for Painkillers), tonic, ginger beer, limes by the bag.

Cleaning and galley essentials

Dish soap, sponges, paper towels (buy double — heat kills them fast), heavy garbage bags, extra toilet paper (2 rolls per cabin), foil, ziplock bags. Plus reef-safe sunscreen (BVI law since 2020 bans oxybenzone and octinoxate), after-sun and insect repellent (sandflies on Anegada at dusk).

Practical considerations before shopping

Fridge size. A typical 45-50 ft BVI charter catamaran has 100-150 L of fridge plus 40-60 L freezer. Not enough for 8 people’s perishables for a full week in the heat. Plan two provisioning runs: a substantial Day 1 main shop in Road Town + a top-up on Day 3 or Day 4 (Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda).

Stove. 2-3 propane burners plus a small oven. No microwave. The BVI charter dinner staple is grilled fish on the rail BBQ, rice and beans, plantains, salad — 25-minute prep.

Water tanks. 600-1,000L fresh water on board. Refill at Nanny Cay, Soper’s Hole, Leverick Bay, Spanish Town and Anegada (limited) — $0.20-0.50/gallon at most marinas, $0.75-1.00 on Anegada. Drink only bottled water.

Ice. Most modern BVI cats have icemakers — confirm at boat handover. Otherwise buy a bag at Soggy Dollar’s, Pirates Bight, Saba Rock or Leverick Bay — $5-8 per bag, one per day for a 6+ crew.

BVI Cruising Permit. Required for every charter vessel. Your charter company files it. Daily fee: $4/person/day winter (Dec 1 – Apr 30), $2/person/day summer (May 1 – Nov 30). For 8 people on a 7-day winter trip: $224. Not optional.

Environmental tourism fee. $10 per person, one-time at arrival — usually bundled into your charter invoice.

Provisioning delivery services. Tortola has a developed ecosystem: Bay Side Provisioning, Crystal Clear Provisioning, OneMart Provisioning Service, Riteway Charter Provisioning all take orders 24-48 hours ahead and deliver to the pontoon at Wickhams Cay, Nanny Cay, Hodge’s Creek and Soper’s Hole. 10-20% markup plus $40-100 delivery. Worth it for groups of 6+.

Eat-ashore strategy. The comfortable rhythm: 5 lunches aboard + 2 at beach bars, plus 3-5 dinners aboard + 2-4 ashore. Eating ashore every dinner at $50-80 per person x 8 x 7 = $2,800-4,500 — that’s the trap.

Cash and cards. BVI runs on US dollars. Cards accepted in Road Town and at major beach bars; smaller bars and Anegada lobster shacks are often cash-only. Plan $300-500 in small bills aboard. ATMs concentrate in Road Town.

Fresh fish etiquette. Tortola fishing-boat morning sales 07:00-09:00 — Caribbean Sea Adventures fish market (Road Town), Sebastian’s quay (Apple Bay-West End), Pusser’s Landing (Soper’s Hole). Prices 40-50% below frozen supermarket.

Where to shop near the major BVI charter marinas

Supermarket coverage in the BVI is concentrated in Tortola. The chains you’ll see most are Riteway (the dominant BVI grocery — flagship at Pasea Estate, plus Bobby’s Marketplace branches), OneMart Wholesale (the bulk-buy option behind Wickhams Cay II — biggest imported-goods selection and the cheapest cases of beer and water), and Bobby’s Marketplace (Riteway’s smaller-format urban branches). OneMart wins on price; Riteway wins on fresh produce and meat.

Road Town (Wickhams Cay II) — main BVI charter base

The most-used BVI pickup point — home to The Moorings, Sunsail, Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare. The most developed provisioning ecosystem in the BVI.

— Riteway Pasea Estate — flagship branch, full deli + bakery, 5-10 min by taxi ($20-30 each way).
— OneMart Wholesale, Pasea Estate — bulk water, beer, wine, canned goods. 5 min by taxi.
— Bobby’s Marketplace, Road Town centre — smaller, fine for Day-3 top-ups. 5 min walking.
— Bay Side, Crystal Clear, Riteway Charter Provisioning, OneMart all deliver to the pontoon.
— Caribbean Sea Adventures fish market on the waterfront — fresh BVI catch each morning.

Nanny Cay Marina — alternative Tortola base

Bareboat and crewed catamarans plus Horizon Yacht Charters and smaller operators. The on-site marina store covers urgent gaps but is not a full shop.

— Nanny Cay Marina Store — bread, milk, ice, snacks, basic dry goods. Walking distance.
— Riteway Pasea Estate and OneMart Wholesale — 10-15 min by taxi or rental car.
— Bay Side and Crystal Clear Provisioning both deliver to the Nanny Cay pontoon.

Hodge’s Creek (East End Tortola) — Dream Yacht and Horizon base

Quieter than Road Town but has weaker walking-distance shopping.

— Riteway East End — 5 min by taxi or a short walk. Bobby’s East End — smaller, walking distance.
— Tortola Charter Provisioning and OneMart Provisioning both deliver to the Hodge’s Creek pontoon.

Soper’s Hole (Pusser’s Landing, West End Tortola) — ferry hub + smaller-operator base

Closer to Jost Van Dyke and Norman Island, further from major supermarkets.

— Pusser’s Company Store — premium liquor, Pusser’s rum at source, some food. Not a full supermarket.
— Harbour Market West End — small grocery, fine for top-ups.
— Bay Side and Crystal Clear Provisioning deliver here for a $30-50 west-end surcharge.

Spanish Town (Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour) and Leverick Bay — North Sound entry

The standard mid-charter top-up spot if you started on Tortola.

— Buck’s Food Market, Spanish Town — full grocery, walking distance from the harbour. Biggest store on Virgin Gorda.
— Yacht Harbour Provisions, Spanish Town — provisioning-focused store at the marina.
— Leverick Bay Marina Store — small but well-stocked for North Sound stops; ice + cold beer fridge.

Anegada — the outer-island reality check

Anegada is flat, coral-reef-fringed, conch-and-lobster country. It is not a provisioning stop. Treat it as a “we have what we have on board” night.

— Anegada Pop-Up Store and small village shops carry bread, basic produce, water and beer at premium prices ($8-12 per case of water vs $5-9 in Road Town).
— The point of Anegada is the lobster — pre-book at Anegada Reef Hotel, Big Bamboo, Cow Wreck Beach Bar, Sid’s Pomato Point or Potter’s by the Sea. Call by VHF or phone the morning you sail in. Whole grilled spiny lobster $55-85 in 2026.
— Bring extra cash. Many Anegada places are cash-only or have intermittent card connectivity.

Three worked USD budgets — 4, 8 and 10 people

The single most-asked question: “how much should we actually budget?” Three realistic scenarios for a 7-day BVI charter in February-March 2026 at current Caribbean prices.

Scenario A — 4 people (two couples, moderate budget, 3 dinners ashore)

Standard 40-46 ft catamaran. Simple breakfasts aboard, cold lunches at the anchorage, modest drinking, three of seven dinners at beach bars.

— Breakfast onboard (7 days x 4 x $6 per person): $168
— Lunch onboard (5 days x 4 x $9): $180
— Lunch ashore (2 days x 4 x $28): $224
— Dinner onboard (4 days x 4 x $18): $288
— Dinner ashore (3 days x 4 x $55): $660
— Drinks (water + Pusser’s + Callwood’s + Carib + wine): $320
— Snacks, sundries, ice: $120
— TOTAL: ~$1,960 (about $490 per person)

Splitting roughly: groceries-and-drinks ~$900-1,200, eating ashore ~$700-1,100. The all-in band for a 4-person comfort-but-not-luxury BVI week falls at $1,500-2,400, or $375-600 per person.

Scenario B — 8 people (family + friends, mixed appetite, 3 dinners ashore)

47-52 ft catamaran (Lagoon 51, Bali 4.6, Leopard 50). The most common BVI profile: mixed-age crew, two cooks splitting kitchen duty, three marquee dinners ashore (Soggy Dollar lunch, Anegada lobster, Pirates Bight or Saba Rock).

— Breakfast onboard (7 x 8 x $6): $336
— Lunch onboard (5 x 8 x $9): $360
— Lunch ashore (2 x 8 x $28): $448
— Dinner onboard (4 x 8 x $19): $608
— Dinner ashore (3 x 8 x $62): $1,488 (includes one Anegada lobster night)
— Drinks (water + Pusser’s + Callwood’s + Carib + wine + mixers): $680
— Snacks, sundries, ice: $220
— TOTAL: ~$4,140 (about $518 per person)

Splitting roughly: groceries-and-drinks ~$1,900-2,600, eating ashore ~$1,500-2,400. The all-in band for an 8-person mixed-comfort BVI week falls at $2,800-4,800, or $350-600 per person.

Scenario C — 10 people (luxury cat, all dinners ashore, big drinking budget)

Lagoon 55, Sunreef 60 or Leopard 53 PowerCat. The high end: skipper + hostess/chef on board, every dinner ashore at marquee BVI beach bars — Soggy Dollar, Pirates Bight, Cooper Island Beach Club, Saba Rock, Anegada lobster at Cow Wreck, Foxy’s Taboo, a final Pusser’s Pub Road Town dinner.

— Breakfast onboard (7 x 10 x $7): $490
— Lunch onboard (4 x 10 x $10): $400
— Lunch ashore (3 x 10 x $32): $960
— Dinner ashore (7 x 10 x $80): $5,600 (mix of beach bars + one Anegada lobster night)
— Drinks (premium wines, Pusser’s, Callwood’s, Painkillers ashore): $1,400
— Snacks, sundries, ice: $280
— TOTAL: ~$9,130 (about $913 per person)

The luxury all-in band lands at $5,500-9,500, or $550-950 per person. Painkillers at Soggy Dollar run $12-16 each and can add $300-500 per evening for a 10-person crew on a beach-bar afternoon. Plan accordingly.

For the broader Caribbean charter cost picture, see our Caribbean charter cost breakdown.

Hidden and extra costs to budget

Beyond the food bill, several smaller line items hit the BVI trip cost:

— Provisioning delivery fee: $40-100 or 10-20% markup over supermarket.
— Taxi to supermarket: $20-30 each way at most Tortola bases.
— BVI Cruising Permit (charter co files it): $4/person/day winter, $2/person/day summer. 8 people x 7 days winter = $224.
— BVI environment tourism fee: $10 per person, one-time arrival.
— Mooring ball fees: $30-40 per night at popular spots (Norman Island, The Bight, Marina Cay, Cooper Island).
— Marina overnight berths: Nanny Cay, Leverick Bay and Spanish Town run $2-4 per foot per night. A 50-ft cat = $100-200/night.
— Skipper tip if you booked a captain: $30-50/day/guest. For 4 guests x 7 days x $40 = $1,120. Cash, end of week. Hostess/chef tip similar.
— Water tank refill: $0.20-1.00 per gallon at most BVI marinas.
— BVI eSIM data: $15-30 for a 7-day data eSIM (Airalo, Holafly). US/EU plans roam at $5-10/MB.
— Snorkel tour fees: $20-30/person at popular reefs (Indians, Caves, Cistern Point) if you join a guided trip.

Pro tips for smoother provisioning

Book provisioning delivery 48 hours before pickup. Saves 2-3 hours of Day-1 supermarket chaos. Specify dietary preferences, brand requests (Pusser’s vs Mount Gay vs Cruzan rum), and the boat name + charter operator.

Day 1 morning: stock only staples and drinks. Leave budget for Anegada lobster, fresh fish at fishing-boat sales, and beach-bar lunches. The supermarket is for boring stuff.

Memorise the BVI cocktail foundation: Painkiller — 2 oz Pusser’s, 4 oz pineapple juice, 1 oz orange juice, 1 oz cream of coconut, grated nutmeg on top. Dark and Stormy — 2 oz dark rum, ginger beer, fresh lime. Three bottles of Pusser’s and one of Callwood’s keep a 10-person boat happy for the week.

Pre-book your Anegada lobster night. Call Anegada Reef Hotel, Big Bamboo or Cow Wreck Beach Bar on Day 1 to reserve grilled lobster for arrival night. They cook to order — pre-booking is mandatory in season. $55-85 per lobster plus sides.

Buy reef-safe sunscreen only. BVI law since 2020 bans oxybenzone and octinoxate. Most US-imported brands are illegal here. Bring Stream2Sea, Sun Bum Original SPF 30 or Thinksport.

Hold a “shopping cap” envelope. Give one person the provisioning kitty in cash, track receipts, square up at the end of the week. Prevents 8 people from awkward bill-splitting over Painkillers every evening.

Ready to plan your BVI week?

Browse our 2026 fleet availability on the catamaran fleet page — every boat shows live dates, base port and equipment. For a custom quote with your dates and crew size, use the contact form on the site and we’ll come back within 24 hours.

For more context: bareboat vs crewed, the Caribbean season 2026 guide, our day on a Caribbean charter piece, and the Lagoon 51 review for the dominant boat in our fleet.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I budget for food on a BVI catamaran charter?

Around $35-75 per person per day for an all-in food and drinks budget — that covers groceries, drinks, and a balanced mix of dinners aboard and at beach bars. For a 7-day charter that’s $245-525 per person, or $1,500-2,400 for a crew of 4 and $2,800-4,800 for a crew of 8. The luxury tier with every dinner ashore at marquee beach bars pushes the per-person number toward $700-950 per week. BVI provisioning runs 30-40% pricier than a comparable Mediterranean charter because nearly everything except rum, lobster and tropical fruit is imported.

Can I have groceries delivered to the marina in Tortola?

Yes — Bay Side Provisioning, Crystal Clear Provisioning, OneMart Provisioning Service and Riteway Charter Provisioning all deliver to the pontoon at Wickhams Cay, Nanny Cay, Hodge’s Creek and Soper’s Hole. Order 24-48 hours ahead. Markup 10-20% plus a $40-100 delivery fee. Worth it for groups of 6+.

Where is the best place to buy fresh fish in the BVI?

Buy from fishing boats at three reliable Tortola morning markets — the Caribbean Sea Adventures fish market on the Road Town waterfront, the Sebastian’s-on-the-Beach quay at Apple Bay (West End), and the small fishing-boat sales at Pusser’s Landing in Soper’s Hole. All sell snapper, mahi-mahi, wahoo and kingfish off the morning boats — quality far better, prices 40-50% below frozen supermarket.

Do I need to bring water from home?

No — bottled water is widely available at every BVI supermarket. Plan 5-7 litres per person per day. Buy 1.5L bottles in cases of 6 or 12 at Riteway or OneMart for $5-9 per case. The boat’s water tanks are fine for cooking and showering but tap water on the boat is not for drinking.

What’s typically NOT included in catamaran charter pricing in the BVI?

Food, drinks, fuel, the BVI Cruising Permit ($4/person/day winter, $2/summer), the $10/person environmental tourism fee, marina overnight fees, mooring ball fees ($30-40/night), final cleaning, and any crew you book (skipper + hostess + chef rates are separate, plus 10-15% tip). Plan to add 30-50% on top of the boat-charter rate for the all-in trip cost. Our Caribbean cost breakdown covers every line item.