Welcome back Blu!!! Where ya been - - besides DisneyWorld?

I think your rate is fairly decent, actually, given gas prices. All fares are fairly crazy right now.

When are you going?

Hi LLBL, I've missed this forum. Everytime I logged on and realized I hadn't yet done the re-registry, I just read and logged off. I did keep up...but no posting. So hard!

Been here and there......a few nice spots...all brief visits. Latest was Vegas 2 wks ago. I didn't like it as much as I thoughts I would.

Coming back to STT late next month....dates still aren't firm. Something like 12-14 days. Bringing the usual suspects. Have the villa lined up, but have to book the air by midnight tomorrow. Have some tix on hold.

Will definitely be on STJ for Carnival. Hoping to get to the BVI.

STJ Carnival, eh??? Does that mean we're hooking up for some Johnny Cakes, sweetie???? If you're a good girl we'll let you watch firecrackers with us.

Hello Blu,

Have you ever tried http://www.bookingbudy.com for airline tickets. Sometimes this site works out very well. But also always go to the airline website if you find something, sometimes it's even cheaper.

Good Luck
Grace

Hi Blu!

Nice to talk with you again! No luck in Vegas? My husband loves it there!!!! I really just like it for the fountains at Bellagio and walking the strip at night with all those bright lights! 🙂 OK, I do also like to play poker! Anyways... I feel your airfare pain! I purchased tickets back in February for our trip at the end of June for about $550/pp. At that point the price seemed to be steadily rising so I decided not to risk a higher price. I'm flying AA out of Boston with a stopover in SJ. Good luck with the tickets! Countdown is on and I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!! I have only been to St. John for 4 hours and now I am going for 10 days! YIPPPPPEEEEE!

I howled loudly on Fodor's Talk (I hadn't discovered vinow yet!) in Jan. about the high fares we were finding for STT. We're flying from PIT thru PHL, and we paid over $700. I was amazed--thought this was "low season" for the islands, but the TA said not anymore! And here in Pgh. we have few options as to carriers unless we want to spend umpteen hours getting there!

So, good luck with the airfare!

PS How would you rate the villa you rented last Sept. as compared to other places you've stayed if you don't mind my asking?

Blu,
Your not alone in the airfare world. Were going to STJ July12-21 and our airfare originally was $482, although we had vouchers from last year which brought it down a little bit. Those come in handy, only negative is driving to airport to redeem them, such a bummer. Now im checking ourfares in hope to obtain some more vouchers, and on usairways.com roundtrip out of PHL its $650.. PHL is where were flying out of, but we have a stop in charlotte. Thats another thing, I havent seen many nonstops on there out of PHL.

Blu - We will be there 6/27 - 7/4, so let me know when you firm up your dates. Our kids would love to have a play date on the beach one day! I think we're headed to the Baths and JVD on Sunday, July 1st with StuScott.

LLBL, I'll definitely be there on those dates. Let's PM and make a plan!

Coco, yep...the vouchers help, but the drive to the airport is a hassle. Interesting though, i used refund vouchers to book a Florida trip in August and they let me mail them in, rather than going to the airport. They booked the flight and took my CC numbers, then I had 48 hours to get the vouchers in the mail. About 2 wks later I saw that the charge hit my CC, with the voucher credit applied. Worked perfectly! Using a voucher this time, but they're making me drive to airport to redeem -it is a different kind of voucher, though. Not only is the airfare up, so is the rental car rate through Hotwire. It is up to $25 a day, as opposed to the $15 I've always paid. All around, this trip is more expensive than I'm used to.

Mamie, the villa I stayed in last Aug-Sept was Fairwinds Villa on Peterborg. I liked it so much that I tried to book it again this time, but the owner said it was booked solid for my timeframe. Fairwinds has a few unusual, yet very desirable villa features. It has one of the largest pools you'll find in a VI villa. I want to say 38X18? Better check that...I'm not sure...but I think that's right. It gets deep on one end, so it is good for real swimming and splashing around. Kids loved that one!! Most of the villas that have pools will have a much smaller pools....more like plunge pools or cocktail pools. Also, Fairwinds offers a separate pavillion for the Master Suite...complete with bedroom, sitting area, private oceanfront deck, laundry room, walk-in closet and shower for two with ocean view. Overall, the pool, location, view and size of the home (it is a large villa with massive amount of outdoor space and decking) is the draw. The furnishings aren't top...not luxury like some of the other villas. But, I found it to be comfortable. The kitchen was really nice and had everything I could have needed - including TWO ovens and two sinks. The gas grill needed to be repaired since the fire was not coming out on one side, but the owner warned me beforehand and when he showed up on our departure day, he said he had the replacement parts with him...so I assume that has been handled. Pool light was broken, but was also getting fixed when we left.

The house is really private. You could skinny-dip all day. You're at the top of the cliff...nothing above and nothing on the sides....owner owns the lot to the side. Aside from the fact that the furnishings are a little on the lower end (think hotel quality, not luxury home quality), this villa is awesome. If he brought in a designer and upgraded the furnishings (including exterior furnishings), he'd easily have one of the top villas in the USVI. Villa has some wear on it because it is a wooden structure sitting oceanfront on a cliff. There's a steady breeze up there....really nice, at night it can be a little windy, which is nice for sleeping. If you want to catch the tradewinds, this is one of the best locations on the island. Also, it never rains! It rained to the left of us...and to the right of us....but never over the villa (we stayed 14 or 15 nights, can't recall). I mentioned this to the owner and he laughed an said it is true. Of course, he said it stinks for him because he rarely get rain for his cistern.

If you want sparkly, new and with upper-end furnishings, you might not be ok with it. But, for the location and the size...and the features....the price is good. He's also a good guy and I'd trust to rent direct from him. He refunded my security deposit without me even mentioning it. My family begged me to rent that villa again. I have no affiliation with this villa, other than that I stayed there and hope to stay there again one day. I trusted the recommendation of other VINOW posters who stayed there before me.

Its funny bc last year we spent a fortune, now this year were making out awesome. We rented a villa at the Westin, so were saving $500 there, and our airfare with vouchers is helping us save $600..

Coco,

How'd you get the deal on the Westin? Is it really a good deal, or was your villa just really expensive last year? I've found Westin villas to be pretty expensive.

Last year we actually only had a room, so this year we decided to try a villa. Found the villa to be alot cheaper. I like the Westin, so it works for us. Now next year, were back at CoCoDeMer villa.

Bluwater, thanks for the great details; we are staying there this summer, and I am glad to hear the positive review!

Blu -
I do think that airfares must have raised alot in the past couple weeks due to the increase in fuel prices. I booked a trip to Aruba a couple weeks ago out of Charleston WV (VERY small airport) at $575/pp. Today they are up to $640/pp. This flight is with one stop in Atlanta with Delta. Since our flights out of Columbus OH for STT were $500/pp, I felt the $575 to ARuba (out of our little airport) was a good price, so I bit. Glad I did, because I don't look for prices to go down that much the way gas prices are now.

anyhoo, good to hear from you again! I've wondered about you ever since your Disney trip. Figured you were just too busy for message board lately.

mamie, let me know what you think of Fairwinds. Did you go back to my trip report and see my pics of it?

MountaineerGirl,
Yes, I guess it is the fuel prices. The fares went up again this evening. My dates are now $900 r/t out of PHL. Good thing I booked when I did. Funny though, American has decent fares and FF seats. The American dates won't work for me because i need a longer stay, but I have 2 people coming down for just 6 days and they got $330 r/t. And, my parents got FF seats on American...where USair wants 60,000 miles PER TICKET in June and July. They must be nuts.

I have been busy....a couple of other trips to new places, which required much research on my part. I have missed this forum and my old friends. Sorry to have been gone! I tried to read, but was too lazy to post since I didn't know how to get the new password.

Blu, have you tried flying out of Newark Liberty? Continental flies non-stop to STT from there. We booked a trip in July/August for $446 (fees and taxes included) pp. Checked prices this morning and they are at $416 with out taxes and fees. So figure another $50-$60 on tip.

Patrick,

I have not considered flying out of Newark. It's just so painful to drive 1.5 hrs to Newark when PHL is 20 minutes away. Luckily, I got $446+ tax w/USair. I had to adjust my travel dates to take advantage of the $446 fare.

Will keep Newark in mind when push comes to shove. Thanks for the tip!

wow it sounds like you did good after all! As far as Newark, that's where we flew thru (from columbus,OH) and I won't do it again. Both ways, we sat over an hour on the tarmack. If we aren't ready to take off within 20 min or so, why do they board us? On the way down, after sitting there for 45 min, they announced we were 21st in line for takeoff! another 30-40 minutes to go! Hubby said to avoid ALL New York area airports from now on.

Well keep me in your thoughts in July LOL, bc this is the first flight in 5 years to STJ that we are having to connect. We are connecting in Charlotte, so im hoping it goes quick and smooth and no BS. It seems like US Air has cut back on their non stop flights, dunno maybe im just not checking the right dates.

Blu- Yea its very convenient going out of PHL, I couldnt imagine traveling any further. Waking up at 3-4am and having to get going, I want to just get there and be there.

Mountaineer Girl, where are you from?