Your plan is a very popular and much-used one by countless visitors going to St John for their vacation. Groceries generally are less expensive on STT than on STJ while the selection is much greater. St Johnians regular make the trip over to STT to stock up!

First, there's no choice where the ferry is concerned. The CA ferry is strictly a passenger ferry which only runs 3X daily. The car barge goes out of Red Hook on the East end of the island and you can find the rates and schedules top right this page under, "Quick Links".

My shopping preference is CostULess followed by Plaza Extra. CUL is a warehouse-type store (no membership necessary) with very good butchers in house, an excellent produce section, a very large liquor, wine and beer selection (all beers by the case, not 6-packs) and pretty much everything else you could need at very reasonable prices. For "fill-ins" you'll go past Plaza Extra where you can stop if necessary. CUL doesn't bag your purchases but they have a big bin of boxes and also sell "cold bags" and big regular bags (or you can bring your own).

Directions: Follow the waterfront road (Veteran's Drive) all the way to the end and then turn left at the last set of lights. At the next set of traffic lights turn right onto Raphune Hill (Rte 38). You'll go up the hill and then the road becomes Weymouth Rhymer Highway. A mile or so on and you'll turn left at the next set of lights into Market Square East where CostULess is located and easily visible. When you come out of Market Square East, go left back onto the highway and continue on Rte 38. You'll come to Tutu Park Mall on the left where Plaza Extra is located (along with KMart and many other stores, fast food restaurants, etc.) To get to Red Hook you simply continue on Rte 38 all the way into Red Hook where the ferry terminal will be on your left. Total drive time to get from the airport to the ferry terminal is around 35 minutes (speed limit is 35 and usual driving speed is in the 20-30MPH range). Avis will provide you with a road map but it's not at all complicated.

Hope that helps a little and enjoy a wonderful vacation!

PS: This site's format has changed and the "Quick Links" appears to have disappeared. Go to "St Thomas" top of page and scroll down and right to "transportation" where you'll find the ferry schedule link).

Be sure not to miss the last barge to STJ which leaves at 7PM. That's it for the night.
Take the earlier 6PM one if you can as you may be looking for your villa all the way out in Coral Bay in the dark.

Be sure to arrive at least 15- 20 min. prior to the departure times.
The car ferry leaves out of the Red Hook location.

If you are running late, you may just have to shop in STJ.
Starfish Market would offer the largest selection.

Thanks STT and Alana!

Even if you land on time, you may not have time to shop before catching the early ferry.
Allow one hour for bags and car rental = 4:30.
half hour to get to the market =5:00.
Half hour at market = 5:30.
Half hour to get to ferry = 6:00.
4 - 6 is "rush hour" (relative term as nothing on the VI is rushed).
Sometimes the villa agents will meet you at "an easy to find central location" and you can follow them into the property. I'd ask.

Unfortunatly, your plan does not make sense and could conceivably make for a very stressful end to an already stressful day of travelng.

1. You are arrivng on a Friday, during rush hour, during Carnival, on a small island with 55,000 people on it... Wow.

2. The soonest you will have your bags, if you are checking them, is 4:00.

3. St. Thomas grocery stores are notoriously packed on a Friday afternoon prior to a weekend and it is payday.

4. If you even made it to the car ferry in Red Hook on time, it will also be packed because it's at the end of the day on a Friday.

Your solution to a quicker arrival on St. John and your place in Coral Bay:

1. Provide your grocery list to someone on the island who will buy your groceries for you Friday morning while you are flying and you can reimburse their receipt when you arrive.

2. Have the groceries delivered to a private boat for hire near the airport which can take you to St. John, the trip takes 40 minutes. There is a marina 4 minutes from the airport.

3. Rent your Jeep from an agency on St. John and have it waiting for you when you arrive at the Park Service Dock. (I pity the person who is planning to drive the rental from the airport to Red Hook).

This solution will have you on St. John by 5:15. Your current plan could possibly find you spending Friday night on St. Thomas.

Hemingiway makes a good point, especially if you've never traveled the Vi before and considering carnival. I wonder how much that type of personal service costs?

I can provide all of the above, but want to make sure I offer it properly under the guidelines of the forum.

With all due respect. Hemingway's "advice" is nonsense and purely reconfigured to slide around this site's TOS which resulted in the removal of his previous (first) post.

Carnival activities resulting in travel disruptions on April 19th? Hemingway should check Carnival dates and activities as he obviously has not a clue.

"St Thomas stores are notoriously packed on a Friday afternoon prior to a weekend and it is payday"? Good grief!

"Your current plan could possibly find you spending Friday night on St. Thomas." Nonsense.

Friday afternoon traffic, a drive across island, CUL, Tutu, and the car ferry are all plausible options after a day of TSA, possibly at least one airport connection and getting out of C.E. King... Simply was offering an alternative which involves less time, a gorgeous introduction to the island with no stress and a drink in hand at 20 knots across the bluest water with you and yours only - Time is precious for those who don't see this everyday - there are many way to go east...

hemingway wrote:
Friday afternoon traffic, a drive across island, CUL, Tutu, and the car ferry are all plausible options after a day of TSA, possibly at least one airport connection and getting out of C.E. King... Simply was offering an alternative which involves less time, a gorgeous introduction to the island with no stress and a drink in hand at 20 knots across the bluest water with you and yours only - Time is precious for those who don't see this everyday - there are many way to go east...

You're trying to circumnavigate a forum's TOS which prohibits advertising or self promotion. Advertise your service appropriately and it's best to do so by not falsifying basic facts.

I have to disagree. Many posters come on this board inquiring about private pick-ups, water taxi, and alike. Cannel charges top dollar for their "private ferry". Carnival offically starts on april 19th this year. And you can bet your bottom dollar many folks will be out shopping and prepping for guests and parties. Traffic stores and red hook's ferry dock will be busy.
Lots of folks come on this board offering services...bookings, condos, charters, resturants--why not private provisioning and water crossings.
I can't imagine that these services are cheep..... But it sure does sound nice.....

You will have no problem getting your rental car - stopping at CostUless and making the car ferry to STJ in Red Hook - Friday afternoon or not -
--- if you choose to have a provisioning service have it done on STJ and stocked in the villa - a common practice in STJ but not inexpensive - since you are renting a car in STT there is no 20kt. vessel needed to make the long wet slog up the S. side of STT in a 'picnic boat' - the car barge is your only choice and works just fine.
No Worries ---You will be able to drive off the ferry in STJ, fairly well provisioned and be in your villa for dinner well before sunset.

Thank you "blu4u"!... The tagline was "Need some planning help, please"... That's what we are here for, to offer help in planning and logistics because we KNOW. While some want to give grocery store suggestions and driving directions to those who may have never driven on the left and have no understanding of "routes" and our driving habits, there are those of us who REALLY want to help ensure that a trip to our beautiful home will ensure many repeat visits as opposed to a potentially unpleasant experience which may result in a future trip to Jamaica or Mexico, as opposed to a return to our Paradise. I hope we can make sure that every minute they spend here is a moment to be cherished and not wasted on the day to day taskes associated with traffic and grocery lines that we, as St. Thomas Residents, deal with on a daily basis. I hope that VIKINGLIKE has a fabulous time in Coral Bay and St John and that they provide some feedback so that we all will may know! 🙂 Cheers

hemingway wrote:
That's what we are here for, to offer help in planning and logistics because we KNOW. ...

Please don't have the temerity to include me in your "we" group. Your sole intent in coming to this forum was to promote your new business. No altruism was involved. Worse, you opted to provide MISinformation to further your agenda.

STT Resident wrote:
[quote=hemingway]
That's what we are here for, to offer help in planning and logistics because we KNOW. ...

Please don't have the temerity to include me in your "we" group. Your sole intent in coming to this forum was to promote your new business. No altruism was involved. Worse, you opted to provide MISinformation to further your agenda.

Good word "TEMERITY"
Noun 1. temerity - fearless daring - the trait of being willing to undertake things that involve risk or danger;

But I kinda fail to see where making travel recommendations requires "temerity" or involve risk and danger....

Tart/STT resident your instructions are fine. A hassle especially if the flight is delayed, but entirely possible.
Hemingway's suggestion is fine too. Several outfits offer provisioning and private transfers ....at a premium cost.
The delta factors are time and money.

The best solution may lie somewhere in the middle. Bring frozen supplies on plane. Maybe rent car at airport (is avis at the airport? can't recall). Proceed to the ferry. Stop at food center if time allows. If not just shop at starfish for fill ins. I wouldn't worry about arriving after dark as most rental agents will meet you especially if you ask. Just know ahead of time that nothing moves fast in the VI.