Seabase Tall Ships ’24
Expedition Number TS062024-AB | Reservation Number P5P6M3 | Dates June 20-25, 2024
Please review these important policies and other updates regarding the Seabase Tall Ships ’24 trip.
This page was last edited Thursday, 10th August 2023.
Total Cost
The expected cost of this trip is $2,600.00/participant. This includes Seabase tuition ($1,300), airfare ($900), ground transportation/baggage fees/meals ($200) and swag/incidentals/other ($200). This amount will be due in full from every participant by 15th May 2024. This estimate is based on the ’22 trip, which finalized at ~$2,420.00/person – however, the Seabase tuition has materially increased in two years plus there is other inflation to take into account.
Please note – This $2,600 assumes a fully subscribed trip with 24 participants. As Seabase prices by the crew and not by the participant this amount will go up if there are less than 24 participants. The per person Seabase tuition is $1,300; each 1 participant less than 24 means there is $1,300 that must be prorated among the active participants. This incremental amount (which is a moving target) will be handled as an additional payment to be billed in May ’24 and paid prior to departure. Troop 934 has always been able to send full crews to Seabase and at this time we do not expect 2024 to be any different.
Payment Plan
To date, most participants have paid at least $175.00 towards the trip, leaving $2,425.00 to go. Troop 934 is going to collect that amount in nine monthly installments of $270.00/person/month with the first installment due beginning of September 2023 and the final installment being due at the beginning of May such that the full $2,600/participant is paid no later than 15th May. Mechanically, we will issue everyone a Square invoice (grossed up 3.5%) and you can EITHER pay the Square invoice OR bring a paper check to the first regular Monday meeting of each month. The payment is late if not paid by the 15th of the month. When the participant is fully paid we will stop issuing monthly invoices to the individual (at present, there is at least one leader who will not get a May ’24 invoice).
If a participant does not want to be bothered with the payment plan s/he is more than welcome to accelerate and pay the entire balance now. As tuition must be paid to Seabase in installments there is no deferral of monthly payments due.
Refunds
Refunds of amounts paid for a Seabase/Northern Tier trip are very tricky as (1) Seabase/Northern Tier charge tuition by the group, not by the person; (2) Troop 934 buys the cheapest possible airline tickets, meaning non-refundable; and (3) Troop 934 runs High Adventure on a net-zero basis, meaning the participants are responsible for exactly 100% of the cost (and will be refunded the excess, if material).
- If a participant decides before 1st September to withdraw from the trip – no harm, no foul, we will refund your deposit.
- If a participant decides to withdraw after September 1st but before airline tickets are purchased – all money paid to date will be “locked” and cannot be refunded until (1) the trip is fully subscribed – meaning 24 participants and (2) the replacement participant “catches up” on payments to date. No new invoices will be issued from that point forward.
- If a participant decides to withdraw after airline tickets are purchased – all money paid to date will be “locked” and the Seabase tuition cannot be refunded until (1) the trip is fully subscribed – meaning 24 participants and (2) the replacement participant “catches up” on payments to date. As airfare is nonrefundable the actual amount refunded will likely be only the Seabase tuition. No new invoices will be issued from that point forward.
If you are going to withdraw, please send the Scoutmaster (Lee), the Troop Treasurer (Will) and the overall Trip Leader (Malinda) a confirmatory email ASAP so we have a paper trail. A verbal is not enough.
Other Matters
Eligibility., including Swim Test There are three basic requirements for eligibility, all three of which must be met with no exceptions. This is a Sea Base policy, not a Troop 934 policy.
- Be an active, registered member of the BSA.
- Be at least 13 years of age by the date of arrival at St. Thomas Sea Base.
- Be able to pass both the BSA Swim Test (the one for summer camp, administered by T934 before departure) and the Seabase Swim Test (a more strenuous test, administered by SeaBase on the day of arrival at St. Thomas).
If you cannot pass the SeaBase Swim Test when it is administered by the SeaBase staff you will be sent home at your own expense with no refund of any monies paid. This is a Sea Base policy, not a Troop 934 policy. Please see details on page 5 of the participant guide, which can be accessed here.
Passports. Passports are technically not required for travel to the US Virgin Islands. However, a suitable government-issued ID is required for air travel regardless of destination.
- For adults (16 and over) this means a NC Driver’s License that includes Real ID.
- If the top right of your NC driver’s licensee has a white star inside in a gold circle then you have a Real ID.
- For youth (meaning any youth that does not have a NC Driver’s License that includes Real ID) this means — by default — a US Passport (which is both unexpired and signed).
- Youth under 16 who are physically flying with a parent (meaning a parent is on the trip as a leader) are usually exempt from the passport requirement … but several times over the years we have experienced gate agents with contrary opinions.
Our past experience with gate agents says that all youth (regardless of age) must have a valid (signed and unexpired) US Passport for any trip that involves air travel to meet airline photo ID requirements. If you do not have a passport already please start an application ASAP.
BSA Membership. All High Adventure participants on the trip must be active members of the BSA. At present, not everyone on the trip is an active member. Participants who are over 18 and under 21 at the time of the trip must be registered as College Scouter Reserve and be current on Youth Protection Training (YPT).
SWAG. Troop 934 will design and produce a custom hooded sunshirt and a t-shirt for this trip. If anyone is good with Adobe and wants to take the lead please speak up. Seabase requires a mask/snorkel; usually, we buy these in advance directly from Seabase in a group order along with certain souvenirs (webbing strap belts and patches).
Participant Guide. Seabase publishes an excellent participant guide, which can be accessed here. A careful read of this document will answer many of the questions you may have at this time.