Yes there is a duty free shop by the gift shop post customs, and you can carry on.
Jay

It has been my experience, on several occasions, that if the aircraft is full the gate agents could restrict your carry-ons to one piece of "luggage" per passenger. They will then gate check your "extra" bag.

btw...the "second" piece of carry-on is usually considered a hand bag, computer bag or other personal item.

Also, in the many years of bringing back liquor in the "six pack boxes", I only once had a bottle break. And that box was packed inside of a suit case. ...go figure.

$7-8/liter.

Any know the cost of a bottle of Cruzan rum at like the local Kmart?

was at the airport departing last Sunday and by comparison the liquor at the airport was twice as expensive as at K-mart or Pueblo or at the Shoppes of Charlotte Amalie.... I bought rum down by the cruise docks and packed it in all my dirty laundry for cushioning - nothing broke thank goodness but it was definitely risky with they way they throw the luggage around. Good luck!!

I was in KMart today and passed by a big display of the flavored Cruzan rums. I pay $7.99 for them at Plaza Extra and CostULess and they are $8.99 at KMart. I've never found KMart to be the best buy where liquor is concerned.

I normally go to Cost-U-Less, Price Smart & Cohen's (by the cruise ship dock next to Avis). Each store has the "best price" for certain items.

I've also purchased at the airport....the rums are typically $3 more and the other liquors $4 to $5 per bottle more.

Thanks for the information. My last three trips the 6 packs were opened by TSA and on the last trip, the carton rolled down the luggage carousel soggy and trailing liquid. We had bought it at a well known shop in Havensight and watched as it was carefully packed. At the airport, my husband had to go retrieve the car (as we could hardly get into the hotel shuttle with that mess) while I stood outside the airport smelling like a brewery and trying to move my soggy and now disintegrated box; it was only an inexpensive bottle of rum, not the "good stuff" that I buy for gifts to friends and neighbors, so even with a busted bottle, it wasn't any big economic hit (but oh, what a mess!). and I still saved lots on the deal. I think that on this trip next month I will heed the advice here and just get it at the airport (maybe just a 2-pack this time, one for each of us to carry) and spend the $2-3 more in the hopes it will make it home. TSA was willing to reimburse: about 9 sets of papers, original receipts, time and place the break occurred (I suspect it actually broke on our arrival since the box was just beginning to leak) and so on........hardly worth it. And as I said, the savings were still significant.

(I agree with other posters, go to K-Mart for the best of all prices, and they do box it well: I'm just afraid to try it again although several years ago we did it a few trips and it was just fine)

Suggestion.....When I pack my six-pack boxes, I always wrap each bottle with 2-3 sheets of newspaper...then I crumble newspaper and place it on the bottom of the box & top of the bottles. "A nice tight fit."

Even though TSA has always inspected them the boxes always made it through without breakage.

However, the one time that I packed the box inside of a suitcase, TSA opened the box, removed a bottle and placed it back inside the box upside down. That was the only bottle to ever break on me. Go figure.....

You can carry on from the airport in St Thomas, but if you have a connecting flight and have to go thru security again for your connecting flight-you will not be able to get thru with the carry on liquids. Cheers!

One customs agent on STX suggested that I use dirty socks and underwear in the sixpack box to cushion the bottles. He didn't give any reason but perhaps he knew something. I've never had any problems with my liquor bottles.

Bassman:

I've considered that, as well.

But I always pack my boxes weeks in advance and the thought of dirty underwear against my bottles, well....yuk (lol)......

F.I.