Thanks! I'm newly married (yes, again... but this guy is real sweet) and starting on new adventures. We're staying with friends on St. Thomas, so at least they'll be able to help and point us in the right direction. The crime thing kind of scares me; someone (else) told us to get in before dark and stay there. It should be pretty and I look forward to snorkeling and nature stuff. I've never been outside the continental US before, so silly questions: do you need enough cash for everything, or do cards work there? What about phone service/nationwide plans that work in Puerto Rico; is it the same there? Thanks!
Thats cool. I'm actually glad you found St Croix enjoyable Its assuming what you think the vistor wants - relaxation mode or festive mode. I tend to think festive but its usually half and half. What I mean by St Croix not touristy is its more laid back & not as "active" in comparison to other places. But I guess its like any place, after living there a while grass is always greener somewhere else. It does have the same snorkeling & scuba, nice quiet sandy beaches, general relaxing island charm, and for fun can drive up the winding road to the most easternmost point of all US territory, look out at nothing but wide ocean... One knock against St Croix - its where Tim Duncan is from, eehk... -Cost of living there is at least 25% higher than the US. As are a lot of items like food, things imported in. -All debit & credit cards will work. (Yes, US currency) -Cell phone service will of course work....Depends on your carrier if it considers US Virgin Islands long distance or outside the roaming area for extra charges. AT&T doesnt, others might.
OK, just had to bump this because I just had to post, literally, live from a beach on St. Thomas. Of course, I shouldn't spend too much of my vacation time on clutchfans. It is pretty; the snorkeling I especially recommend. Coral reefs right out there and it's like being in a fancy aquarium, everything right under your nose. We have some friends to stay with who are also giving us rides and letting us borrow stuff; otherwise things would add up and this would not be an easy vacation to afford. Food is mroe expensive here; groceries or especially restaurants. Thank goodness we bought a bunch of dry stuff at Wal-Mart back home and brought it with us. We're mostly going around snorkeling different places. Tried St. John and it is a very pretty place. Transportation costs can add up quickly, though. We're considering diving (though we're not sure if diving's really "for" us), hiking on St. John, and whatever else we can get a ride to. Probably not St. Croix - too far. Maybe the British islands like Tortola (do have to have a passport for that, of course, which we have; but you don't for the USVI). Still a lot of transportation cost, again, so not sure... any recommendations?
One word regarding this: yes, your debit card should work, however I got slapped a huge fee ($20 each) for debit transactions by my bank (Wells Fargo) in St. Thomas. They called it a "out-of-country transaction" because, even though I was in a U.S. territory, it's not one of the 50 states. Fortunately, I only had two charges, but I was still pretty angry. Might want to check with your bank before you go.
Wow, thanks for the heads up! I haven't used my Wells Fargo piece of plastic yet, thank goodness. Did a Visa card, once. My other plastic is a Regions; not sure how that would work and not sure if I want to know. Trying to use cash mostly, but you only want to carry so much.
WTF? I've used my WAMU, and Compassbank debit cards in Saudi, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Canada, Bolivia, Bahrain, UAE, Italy, France, England, and countless other countries with not a single extra charge. Sounds like Wells Fargo sucks donkey balls.
Go to the Udder Delight and get a good milk shake, it's made with rum and delicious. The golf course is awesome, play the devil's triangle (if you golf) Of course find a good Reggae station and chill. I went out at night and if you know where you are going it is safe. But if you go to the wrong neighborhood, be very careful.
Stock up on travelers checks. You're protected if they are lost or stolen (unlike your cash), and it should be easy to cash them. Use your credit card(s). Sometimes, I've discovered that after charging something overseas, by the time it's processed in the States, the change in exchange rates saved me a bit more money. Of course, it could be the reverse today! Consider talking to a travel agent. They shouldn't charge you for a conversation and might be able to give good advice. If you don't want to use them, just say you're still making up your mind as to what you plan to do, which is the truth. You're going to have a fabulous time, Isabel, and congratulations! Don't forget the sunscreen!!
hehe, the Udder Delight is right around the corner from where we're staying (with friends)... didn't know the milk shakes were that "interesting"... What wrong neighborhoods? You weren't visiting El Cubano, were you? I hear 2 out of 5 locals have HIV... thought surely not but one of our friends is a nurse and says it's true... Anyway, the trip's interesting so far, though unlike most tourists who make it this far, we don't have much money to spend. Thinking I'll skip the trip to the British islands because of transportation costs. We've been mostly snorkeling which is the best thing to do anyway... having a coral reef right in front of your nose, like being in an aquarium.
