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I'll be landing on STT Monday afternoon with 3 companions, picking up a rental car and driving to the car ferry to STJ. We're planning on stopping at Cost-U-Less to buy liquor and food supplies for a 9-day villa stay on STJ. I know we don't need to buy everything for the whole trip, but past experience suggests that getting as much as possible on STT will save money.
Would anyone recommend any other strategy to stocking up? (We want to save money, but at the same time we don't want to hop all over the island tracking down the very best prices - our time is worth something)
thanks for any advice you can provide (even if it's "just go to C-U-L and stop worrying about it")...
Yes I would probably do that as well. Selection and prices are better at cost u less. As long as you don't mind hauling all the stuff to STJ I would get as much as possible on STT and just pick up a few things as you need them in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay, not sure where you villa is.
soxman21 wrote:
Yes I would probably do that as well. Selection and prices are better at cost u less. As long as you don't mind hauling all the stuff to STJ I would get as much as possible on STT and just pick up a few things as you need them in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay, not sure where you villa is.
I'll be nearer Cruz Bay. Thanks for the reply - looks like I'll stick with plan A.
We've recently shopped for liquor on STT and comparing Big KMart, Cost-U-Less and Plaza Extra.......for liquor, Plaza Extra has the most favorable pricing at least right now. And, if you are looking for Captain Morgan, you should try to buy it at the airport duty free before you leave the airport. The local distributor is NOT distributing it. No one has it.
FL Barrier Islander wrote:
We've recently shopped for liquor on STT and comparing Big KMart, Cost-U-Less and Plaza Extra.......for liquor, Plaza Extra has the most favorable pricing at least right now. And, if you are looking for Captain Morgan, you should try to buy it at the airport duty free before you leave the airport. The local distributor is NOT distributing it. No one has it.
I don't normally add KMart to the mix when it comes to comparing liquor prices as their selection is so limited but it's seriously a six of one and half a dozen of the other between Plaza Extra and CostULess which changes weekly. You can't go wrong with either one. As far as Captain Morgan is concerned, once Diageo gets going on STX their products will be all over the islands. However, the new Cruzan 9 spiced rum is pretty hard to beat!
I would guess that you'll be able to find pretty much all you need at CostULess. They don't bag your groceries but have a big bin of empty boxes in which to stash your purchases. If you don't feel like cooking or going out to dinner your first night on STJ, their rotisserie chicken is excellent! Pair it with some good bread (they have a pretty good selection in the frozen section) and a salad (their produce section is pretty good) and maybe a baked potato and you're all set!
If there's anything you absolutely have to have and you can't find it at CULess, then just continue on Rte 38 and go into Plaza Extra which is at the very end of Tutu Park Mall. Coming out of there, continue on Rte 38 all along the shoreline and that'll take you right to the ferry terminal.
Enjoy a great visit!
Save money and avoid hassle. Before leaving the states, pack a rolling cooler with frozen meats (steak, chicken breast, ground turkey), dense food items (nuts, cheese, cold cuts, frozen veggies) and "must have " speciality items. Some soft sided coolers are "carry-on" size. If you check a hard sided cooler, make sure it has a latch or method of sure closure. Use Ice packs, as ice cubes are not allowed, Clearly label wrapped meats.
You are on vacation. It's time to relax and enjoy the beautiful island of STJ. You can get all your supplies, beer, wine, liquor and food right at Star Fish market and the gourmet shop right across the hall on STJ in Cruz Bay. You'll save time, no hassle of packing "supplies" from home, one stop shopping and you are supporting the local economy of the island you are visiting!
Also if you go to Starfish, they have one of the best deli sections, so you could pick up something ready to eat so you can relax in your villa. Unless you're coming directly from STX or SJU, you'll probably be hungry.
Jill wrote:
You are on vacation. It's time to relax and enjoy the beautiful island of STJ. You can get all your supplies, beer, wine, liquor and food right at Star Fish market and the gourmet shop right across the hall on STJ in Cruz Bay. You'll save time, no hassle of packing "supplies" from home, one stop shopping and you are supporting the local economy of the island you are visiting!
No kidding! I would hate to be wired so tightly on a special vacation to paradise to sit on the beach and worry if I got my booze for the best possible price. I mean in the grand scheme of things, with airfare going through the roof, $4/gal gas, and the high cost of villa rentals....is driving all over the island looking for a store so you can save $1 per litre really a way that you want to spend valuable time in the islands?
Plasticpirogue wrote:
[quote=Jill]
You are on vacation. It's time to relax and enjoy the beautiful island of STJ. You can get all your supplies, beer, wine, liquor and food right at Star Fish market and the gourmet shop right across the hall on STJ in Cruz Bay. You'll save time, no hassle of packing "supplies" from home, one stop shopping and you are supporting the local economy of the island you are visiting!
No kidding! I would hate to be wired so tightly on a special vacation to paradise to sit on the beach and worry if I got my booze for the best possible price. I mean in the grand scheme of things, with airfare going through the roof, $4/gal gas, and the high cost of villa rentals....is driving all over the island looking for a store so you can save $1 per litre really a way that you want to spend valuable time in the islands?
When you're renting a vehicle on STT to take it to STJ it's quite normal to stop en route to purchase groceries and booze to take with you and the stores are on the way to the car ferry so it's not a question of driving all over to save pennies. People have been doing it for years and If it were that nutty of an expedition then St Johnians wouldn't make regular trips over on the barge to STT to stock up ...
STT Resident wrote:
[quote=Plasticpirogue]
[quote=Jill]
You are on vacation. It's time to relax and enjoy the beautiful island of STJ. You can get all your supplies, beer, wine, liquor and food right at Star Fish market and the gourmet shop right across the hall on STJ in Cruz Bay. You'll save time, no hassle of packing "supplies" from home, one stop shopping and you are supporting the local economy of the island you are visiting!
No kidding! I would hate to be wired so tightly on a special vacation to paradise to sit on the beach and worry if I got my booze for the best possible price. I mean in the grand scheme of things, with airfare going through the roof, $4/gal gas, and the high cost of villa rentals....is driving all over the island looking for a store so you can save $1 per litre really a way that you want to spend valuable time in the islands?
When you're renting a vehicle on STT to take it to STJ it's quite normal to stop en route to purchase groceries and booze to take with you and the stores are on the way to the car ferry so it's not a question of driving all over to save pennies. People have been doing it for years and If it were that nutty of an expedition then St Johnians wouldn't make regular trips over on the barge to STT to stock up ...
Yeah, I have to say "wired so tightly" and "driving all over the island looking for a store so you can save $1 per litre" are a bit excessive in characterizing my desire to find one place on the way from the airport to the ferry where I can find a good price on provisions. Also completely inaccurate ... not driving all over the island, and saving quite a bit more than $1/lt.
Anyway ... found it quite easy/efficient/economical to stop at CUL, and will be stopping there again on the way back tomorrow for duty-free purchases, maybe with a stop at AH Riise as well for harder-to-find items if we have time. I'll post some prices from C.U.L. for other tightly-wound types to peruse (in a separate post).
Thanks for all the replies, even the amusingly critical ones.
Please do, I will be down there in January so I am interested.;)
You have found a very down to earth attitude about this whole shopping and saving $$$ lifestyle.
Plasticpirogue wrote:
Please do, I will be down there in January so I am interested.;)
You have got to be kidding me; no wonder why Mardi Gras isn't in Washington State. If the prices were like that in Louisiana, we wouldn't have ANYTHING to celebrate!
