HI - We loved Aruba but we like staying at villas and there are not too many in Aruba so we really love the USVI. Ahhh, a USVI Newbie - so much research to do, so many decisions to make. Good for you!

Customs (either STT or STX): Try to pick up a customs declaration form when you are arriving so you can have it all filled out before you get to the airport for your return flight. After you check in at the airline counter, get your boarding passes and check your luggage through, you move through to "the other side of the wall" where you reclaim your luggage and go through passport control. If departing from STT you can make all of the lines a bit less painful (especially on Saturdays or Sundays) by using a porter (Red Cap or Sky Cap, I always forget which at STT) who will take your bags at the curb, move you to the head of the line (yes, people will glower at you - lol), go with you through checking the bags in, tag them and then take you and your bags around the wall and through passport control. Basically, the porter will stay with you up until your go through TSA screening where he will handle getting your checked baggage through TSA while you go through TSA screening for yourself and your carry-on. I would recommend Richie at STT - call out his name - he works for Red Caps took great care of us in May. On STX we did not have the same luck with porters and had to handle all of our luggage - we may have just picked the wrong porter, though. You enter into the US Customs area and they will ask you if you have any food or fruit. No fruit is allowed back. If you have a sandwich or something packed in your carry-on to eat on the plane just reply that you do not have any food, only snacks. Wait for an agent to be free - don't crowd or form a line behind another passenger - an agent will call you to move up when one is free. We have passports so going through customs is pretty easy. They run your name through the computer, ask you a couple of questions and you are on your way. If not traveling with a passport I'm sure someone on this board can help you with what you need - maybe a birth cert and your driver's license?? If traveling in 2008 I would check the rules for passports. If you plan on day tripping to the BVI be sure you know what those rules are too, going into 2008 as I think they will change. Be sure to declare your liquor and add up your purchases and total them on your form - if you have duty to pay on extra liquor or whatever I think there is a cashier close by. A smile and a "good afternoon" starts you on your way to an easy time. I always try to remember that these folks are mostly b o r e d sitting there so I try to joke around a bit which always helps. After passport control you proceed on through to TSA. On STT it is very important to pay attention to the lines and and the TSA agents when they tell you to move ahead and where - no sense of humor in TSA on STT and it has seemed that way to me for years - the STX TSA folks we encountered were a lot friendlier in this area. That's about it - TSA is pretty much the same as at any large airport - laptops out, shoes off, little bags of liquids out for inspection. STT used to be quite the ordeal going through TSA and I'm sure it could revert back to that if the threat level is elevated but our last couple of departures have gone quite smoothly.

Regarding villas - you may find reviews or comments on various villas on this board, Trip Adviser or the Caribbean On-Line message board (whose regulars post mostly about STJ). Try the search functions. Some of the boards also have villa review features.Or, you can just post the name(s) of the villas you are interested in and solicit comments. There are different areas on each island and many. many villas to choose from- you might want to do some research first to see which island you are drawn to (STT & STJ are just 20 minutes away from each other by ferry so you can stay on one and day trip to the other, kind of a two-fer :)) what areas on your preferred island appeal to you and then look at villas in that area. Most posters have their preferences as to which island and which areas they prefer on that island. DH and I have been visiting since the mid-80's and like all 3 islands for different reasons but we have our preferences of where we like to stay on each. As you do research you will most likely notice that the same villa is often offered by more than one online company. Some of these companies are not based in the islands. Quite a few folks like to determine who the on-island villa manager is for the villa they have selected (the company that works directly with the villa owner, performs the maintenance and cleaning, and holds the booking calendar) and book directly through them. Nothing against villa agents although we prefer that they are on-island. We have a relationship with an agent on STJ and book STJ villas through her (and sometimes even broker STT villas through her) but last year we took our first ever trip to STX and, because it was our first time on that island and we didn't have any contacts or the lay of the land yet, we wanted to book directly with a management company. As you do your research you will most likely come across posts about the good the bad and the ugly when it comes to working with the various villa agents and managers. Some of it comes down to personal preferences in addition to past performance and loyalty for the repeat renters. However, be aware as you are investigating that some do charge a service fee in addition to the rental; some ask for a refundable security (or damage) deposit, some do not; some ask for a a non-refundable damage waiver; some take credit cards, some do not, and there are various deposit and deposit timing requirements company to company

Ok, I've gone on long enough here - time to let someone else chime in, especially about the requirements when traveling without a passport . There are so many nice posters on these boards that love to talk about the USVI and will be glad to help you as you plan. Please feel free to PM me with direct questions anytime, too.

- Margy

Sherban, going through Customs in USVI is just like going through Customs in Aruba. The only difference between leaving USVI and and other Carribean islands, you don't go through immigration.

Margy- Thanks for elaborating...getting tips from more experienced folks helps.

Richmond- Thanks also to you for responding.

Aruba is unique because you go through customs in Aruba and NOT when you arrive in the US, which is nice and fast once you get stateside...I like fast and easy...how about flying STT to the mainland...do you go through customs in the US or just in STT?

Many Thanks Again..

Sherban - no customs on arrival; departing, you go through customs on STT (or STX, if that's your island) and that's it.

Thanks again Margy...I understand the process now, I appreciate your responses.