island hopping

Depends on which islands you're talking about. If it's the BVI's, then ferries. Otherwise, airlines like LIAT, Seaborne, AA, etc.

LIAT is cheaper than AA, but once you are here you will hear about charter possibilities, etc. Also, cruises can be a great way to get around and see other islands.

Many people are under the impression that the islands in the Caribbean are linked by an inexpensive mass transit system similar to what you'd find in major cities. This is simply not the case. Traveling between islands is not much different than traveling between major cities and countries anywhere else in the world. Getting from one island to another won't necessarilly be quick or inexpensive unless those islands are very close by.

To put things in perspective the Caribbean Sea itself covers an area of over 1 million sq. miles and if you travelled from the Caymans along the arc of the various islands to Aruba you'd cover a distance of over 2,000 miles. So how you get between islands depends on your point of origin, your intended destination and how much time you have. Generally speaking unless your destination is close by (i.e. under 10 to 20 miles) you'll probably have to fly. Travelling by boat, be they commercial ferries or chartered sailboats & powerboats, can be very time consuming as they don't go very fast.

Ferries will be your least expensive means of water transportation but these generally link islands that are in close proximity to one another and are seperated by "protected waters". Travelling over open water gets quite rough and often results in an uncomfortable trip for the passengers so there are very few ferries making long trips. A good rule of thumb is if you can't "see" the island you want to reach from the island where you are you probably won't be able to reach it by scheduled ferry service. There are some exceptions but "line of sight is generally the case. Depending on the distance travelled one-way fares can range from around $10 PP to $100 PP.

Going to other islands by charter sailboat or power boat gives you more flexibility but the cost increases dramatically. Figure that sailboats travel at an average of 7 to 10 mph (I know boats speed is usually measured in knots but I figure if OP is asking this type of question he/she is unfamilar with boating terms) but because of wind direction they may not always be able to sail in a straight line to an intended destination. Power boats go a bit faster (say around 10 to 15 mph) but cost more to operate. When traveling by charter boat you have to figure in the cost to get the boat back to its point of origin if you are not doing a round trip. Charter rates for sailboats capable of travelling between island will probably cost you around $300 for a 2 to 3 hour trip and maybe as much as $500 to $600 for a 6 hour trip. A decent size power boat will run you somewhere around $500 to $600 for 1/2 day and probably around $1,000 to $1,200 for a full day.

Flying between islands offers its own set of challenges. The number of islands you can reach from your departure island will be limited so if you want to visit an island not serviced by an available airline you might have to make two or three stops "en route" and perhaps even switch airlines once or twice at your intermediate stops. In addition, flight schedules may be such that you might end up overnighting on a different island even though your planned destination might be only 100 or 200 miles away. Depending on where and when you are flying fares can range from $40 PP to $500 PP each way.

Lastly, you can travel around the Caribbean on scheduled cruises but you'd first have to make your way to the initial Port of Debarkation for that cruise. Once on the cruise ship you have to stay on board foir the entire itineray (think of it as taking a cruise vacation).

Remember too that more often than not travelling between islands is considered international travel so you have to have your passport in order and you'll be clearing immigration and customs every time you leave and return to the USVI's and every time you land in a different "country" (i.e. island).

The fare on scheduled airlines run about $2 per mile each way. I flew STX to STT this week and the ticket was $168. If you fly STX to San Juan on the American Eagle the fare for a round trip can be as much as $280 for a round trip.

To fly to most islands you will have to connect through San Juan making even a short trip into a long journey.

Jim