Here's an article I found when looking into STX before our first trip in '07:

http://www.st-croix.net/stepchild/carnival.html

Just had a great ten day trip in April and are already planning two trips for '09, airline schedules willing. Been going to the USVI 1-2 X per year since the mid-80's. Thought of our other island choices - Anguilla was our top choice for a "new" island but then finally decided to try STX - on the second day of our trip we wondered why it had taken us so long to get there.

Probably seeing so much growth on STX's sister islands since we started visiting is what makes us like STX so much now. I confess that my favorite will always be STJ but until construction and infrastructure settle there a bit we are really enjoying STX.

When I started looking into Carribean vacations, STX was 1st choice as it was so much cheaper than STT. It is very laidback, somewhat limited on things to do. I have my next vacation in 2 weeks to STT and am looking forward to a little more to do. STX is beautiful and since I can not compare to Stt at this point, you would not be sorry. We spent alot of time just lounging around our villa but also out sightseeing. The locals that we encountered were very friendly. We went to the Buccaneer 1 day to go to the beach and it was worth it. The casino was very nice also but I didn't win-so it is off my list of favorite places-:-) haha. Its like any other island-be careful and don't forget to act like you would back home when it comes to safety.

St Croix is the VI's best kept secret. When we starting looking around the carribean for place to retire or buy investment property St. Croix kept coming up. We knew we wanted to be under the US flag. Went to St. Thomas - hated it; Couldn't afford what we wanted on St. John though very beautiful. Came to St. Croix and were blown away. We kept saying, "it's so rural - not crowded and laid back." And yes, we heard many of those same things about crime, etc. and most of them came from people in st. thomas. As for cruise ships, there will be a few coming in the next year. But quite frankly, a lot of people on St. Croix don't care about an influx of about cruise ships. You have to come and see for yourself. We just left in May and were heartbroken we had to leave. We are diligently working on getting there full time. So check it out, you won't be disappointed.

I live on St. Thomas but when I want to wind down my favorite place to stay is Cottages by the Sea on St. Croix... The people are different, the lay of the land is different, and it's a very relaxing place to be for me.

My family just visited St. Croix this year, stayed at the Buccaneer, and loved it. The beaches are not as nice as St. John but the island has more of a culture to it - less Americanized. than St. John There is more crime than on St. John but about the same or less than St. Thomas - not to start that argument all over as it pops up on the boards periodically. Use common sense and you'll be fine. The island was not at all crowded in April when we visited - not crowded with tourists. We spent most beach time at the Bucaneer and one day on Buck Island which can rival any St. John beach. We've never stayed on St. Thomas so I can compare St. Croix to it.

St Croix has a beach in Jack's Bay that you hike @ 1 mile in and you get to experience a n incredible, white sand very swim able beach that is completely undeveloped . I don't' remember seeing any houses or the like. During the week it's unlikely you'll share the beach with anyone. It's truly a beach lover's beach. The snorkeling is OK, too.

Please be cautious when going to Jack and Isaac's beach. It is beautiful, but also very remote. If you needed assistance of any kind it would be a long time coming.

DO NOT GO TO ST. CROIX. We were there about 2 years ago and stayed at one of the Divi Resorts. I now understand why we couldn't find much info on the island, there is nothing good to say about it!! Oh i'm sorry we did enjoy the monument for being the most easterly point of the US territiory. It was beautiful at that lookout but the area was desolated.

They desperately need an influx of money to bring it up to any standard. We also didn't feel safe there even in the daytime. Oh yes there
is also a bad rodent problem. Couldn't wait to go home. Never though I could find an island in the Caribbean that we would hate.

St. Thomas is the best of the three islands. Easy to get around, people are pretty friendly and you have everything you need on the
island. Also a great jumping point to other islands (British Virgin Islands etc.) and also the lovely St. John. Which is a must see.

So take my advice and go elsewhere.

Linda,
When everything around you is bad, it seems like a personal problem to me and, you need to look at yourself. My guess is STX just wasn't the type of place your superior butt was looking for. Next time try Sandals.

just read the reply from Linda, and I agree with ironman's comments.

Last year we visited both STT, STJ and STX, we found that the beaches on STJ were the most beautiful, but we had the best snorkeling
on Buck Island. I liked STX and Christianssted is a nice town. STX is definitely worth visiting.

Linne

Kind of a vague negative review from Poster Linda - except for the specific part about Point Udall being "desolated" - we didn't find Point Udall "dreary", "dismal", "forlorn" or "wretched" so calling it desolated wouldn't work for me. We did find Point Udall among the pristine scenery along a beautiful coast road and enjoyed the fabulous breeze and vista at the monument.

No Micky D's or Wendy's out there, though...no stand for banana daiquiris...no souvenir shopping. Just the sounds of the wind and the ocean and the birds.

I guess we must have lower standards, but we loved STX on our two trips, last year and this year, and are planning two trips in '09. Have made many trips to STT and STJ and don't think any of the three is better - just different. STX, however, has not yet had the building boom evident on STT & STJ and some of us don't think that's such a bad thing.

DO NOT GO TO ST. CROIX.

Oh yes there is also a bad rodent problem.

Tsk, tsk....I sure wish you folks on St. Croix would train your rodents better. I'd much rather visit an island with good rodents.

Gerie - yeah, but most do have hearts of gold. Even though they think they're baaad and hang out in town wearing little black leather jackets and chains, I saw one help an elderly villa cat across the street one afternoon...:D

Margy, no reply from Linda yet...wonder if we'll ever see her on here again.

😀

Gerie - yeah, but most do have hearts of gold. Even though they think they're baaad and hang out in town wearing little black leather jackets and chains, I saw one help an elderly villa cat across the street one afternoon...:D

Margy,

So, you're saying it's just an image issue? Good to know. If Connie's right, however, Linda will never even be aware of that. Such a pity.

.

Ex-ack-a-ly, Gerie! They really need a good PR person or, er, PR rodent. I heard from a friendly mongoose that the STX rodents had high hopes for a better image when the movie Ratatouille hit but, unfortunately, that bit of exposure merely caused visitors to try to catch them and make them cook for them during their villa stays. You can see the problem caused by generalization - I mean, not all rats are culinary geniuses...:D Now, they are hoping that a style makeover show will show them as cute and cuddly and result in the better image they crave...;) I think I read that Fox has bought the pilot and will be filming on location - maybe the OP would be willing to return to STX to watch the reveal...

- Margy (who is feeling particularly witchy tonight)- 😀 😀 😀 😀

We are leaving for STX in TWO DAYS and can't wait. It will be our second time there, and we've been dreaming of returning since our first trip there in 2000. In fact, we would love to live there some day. Nothing to do? Rodents? Point Udall is the most interesting thing on the island? Good Lord, what about the Domino Hut? Christiansted's amazing, fantastic restaurants? Live music at the Blue Moon? Columbus Cove? Buck Island? The view from Ham's Bluff? Clearly Linda did not get out and about much, and she didn't appreciate the lovely island's mongooses, who are responsible for keeping the island snake-free8-)

I can't get over her thinking Point Udall was the most intereting thing on the island!!

Hi, I am also leaving for St. Croix in 2 days. I am very excited!! I have received lots of great tips, etc. from Margyz as well as pictures from her trip!!