Sail Caribbean, COVID-19
Sail Caribbean COVID-19 Policy 2023
Note: This policy is subject to amendment at any time. If you have questions about this policy, please contact Sail Caribbean at info@sailcaribbean.com. If you have questions about vaccines, please contact your healthcare provider.
Are students required to be vaccinated for COVID-19?
Yes. All of Sail Caribbean’s staff and students are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Sail Caribbean operates internationally and takes a wide, firm stance on our ethical responsibilities. While ecological accountability is always at the forefront of what we do, the impact we have at the locations we visit includes community health. This is inclusive of the health of students and staff as well as those who live in the British Virgin Islands. Sail Caribbean maintains the mindset that we must all work together for the health and safety of both individual students and our entire adventure community. Regulations and requirements are still being constantly modified worldwide, thus Sail Caribbean will be operating with current best practices designed to mitigate risk for everyone involved.
We have monitored information from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, the Government of the Virgin Islands, and others in our adventure travel community. The British Virgin Islands or any location may change policies at any time given the ever-evolving nature of global health; therefore, Sail Caribbean and its staff and students will be as prepared as possible to protect everyone. With all parents and students adopting this community-protection mentality, we look forward to our healthiest season yet.
What are Sail Caribbean’s COVID-19 requirements for sailing in 2023?
- All students must be fully vaccinated. Sail Caribbean believes that the best chance of maintaining a safe, healthy environment for everyone is to have all students and staff be vaccinated prior to sailing.
- Negative rapid test 24 hours prior to departure. This does not need to be proctored or lab-certified, however, Sail Caribbean will require a photo upload of the negative test.
If you have questions about this policy, please contact Sail Caribbean at info@sailcaribbean.com. If you have questions about vaccines, please contact your healthcare provider.
What kind of COVID-19 test should be used for the required pre-departure test?
A negative PCR or rapid antigen test result taken up to 24hours before departure will suffice. This must be uploaded to the student’s Camp in Touch account.
What are Sail Caribbean’s COVID-19 guidelines for students before departing?
Sail Caribbean strongly recommends that all students and staff plan for a 10-day pre-trip precautionary period. During this period, students and staff will be asked to refrain from activities with increased potential for exposure to COVID-19 and self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.
Activities with increased potential for exposure include gathering with friends, eating in restaurants, participating in gym sports, etc. The goal of this precautionary period is to reduce the risk of a participant being exposed to COVID-19 and becoming infected themselves, and to reduce the chance of coming in close contact of a positive case. 48 hours prior to departure, all students must take a rapid COVID-19 test conducted via nasal swab. If participants receive a positive test result or have close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 in this time period, they will not be permitted to travel and join their program. Sail Caribbean will not issue any refunds for a student who cannot join the program or is removed from the program due to COVID-19 related illness. Students should carry health insurance covering COVID-19 related medical expenses, as these will not be covered by Sail Caribbean.
Before departure, students should have printed copies of their negative COVID-19 antigen test results as well as their vaccination card and proof of travel medical insurance to bring in their carry-on luggage.
How should students mitigate risk on travel day?
Sail Caribbean recommends that all students wear masks during all travel to the BVI: at airports, on planes, and during any possible ground transfers by car. Masks must also be worn on the BVI ferry and in the customs port. Additionally, maintaining a robust hand washing routine while traveling is key to reducing risk of infection. All students should travel with hand sanitizer and extra face masks.
How will Sail Caribbean mitigate risk during the program?
Sail Caribbean staff will conduct daily temperature checks of all students, including monitoring for any symptoms indicative of a COVID-19 infection. Routine hand washing, sanitizing, personal hygiene maintenance, and social distancing (when possible) protocols will all be followed by both staff and students.
What happens if a student contracts COVID-19 while onboard?
Anyone who tests positive will be immediately isolated in a hotel room while supervised and cared for by staff for the remainder of their required isolation. If staff or students develop symptoms of COVID-19 at any point during their program, they will be isolated and tested as soon as possible. In the event of a positive test result, Sail Caribbean will work closely with BVI officials and medical professionals to ensure appropriate documentation of the positive test result and subsequent isolation requirement to aid in insurance claims. Parents will be welcomed to join their child in a hotel, and consideration for travel back home will be determined by BVI and international travel rules. Parents will be responsible for all costs associated with isolation requirements.
What happens if a student tests positive before departure? Can they still sail?
If a student tests positive in the 48 hours before leaving for their adventure, they will not be permitted to travel and join their program. Sail Caribbean will not issue any refunds for a student who cannot join the program or is removed from the program due to COVID-19 related illness. Students should carry health insurance covering COVID-19 related medical expenses, as these will not be covered by Sail Caribbean.
Refund, Insurance, and Cancellation Policies
Sail Caribbean offers travel insurance through a travel protection plan from Trip Mate, which is available to US and Canadian residents. This plan includes trip cancellation coverage, which reimburses non-refundable program expenses if a family cancels their adventure due to a covered reason such as sickness. Plans also include missed connection, trip interruption, and travel delay coverages. COVID-19 is treated the same as any other sickness under the terms of the plan. Trip insurance through Trip Mate is only available prior to, or at the time of, full tuition payment. Coverage must be purchased for the entire tuition cost.
For further protection, families may add the Cancel for Any Reason Benefit (CFAR) to their plan at an additional cost. If a student is eligible to add CFAR (not available to NY residents), this reimburses up to 75% of the non-refundable program expenses if the student decides to cancel their adventure until 48 hours before the scheduled trip departure date for any reason not otherwise covered by the plan. This includes fear of contracting COVID-19 during the program. CFAR does not cover: 1) penalties associated with any air or other travel arrangements not provided by Sail Caribbean; or 2) the failure of Sail Caribbean to provide the bargained for travel arrangements due to cessation of operations for any reason. CFAR is not available to residents of New York. The Trip Mate plan can be reviewed here. Click here for important disclaimers regarding the plan. For pricing and further information, please contact Sail Caribbean at 800-321-0994 or info@sailcaribbean.com.
Further Questions
If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Sail Caribbean at info@sailcaribbean.com. If you have any questions about vaccines, please contact your healthcare provider.