It's not "playing the game" by exchanging pleasantries before doing business in the VIs. It's a cultural thing. And if it takes a WHOLE FIVE MINUTES for a bartender who is cleaning glasses to get over to me...well I really don't mind. It's 5 minutes spent in paradise. I can sit for five minutes in that setting.

I don't know but my experience has been fine with service in the VIs. I don't expect it to be fast...I'm in slow down mode down there myself. The servers have been friendly enough. In fact some of them have been wonderful.