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Re: Sunday BVI to STT
[Re: warren460]
#57562
06/09/2015 01:20 PM
06/09/2015 01:20 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530 Ya never know...
HillsideView
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530
Ya never know...
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I agree with Mal. Especially on a weekend (you didn't mention time of year but high season can be nutty) We usually have a 130 out of STT and take the 7 am. Have had the 10 delayed/cancelled a bit more than I care for.
My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
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Re: Sunday BVI to STT
[Re: warren460]
#57563
06/09/2015 01:22 PM
06/09/2015 01:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720 Massachusetts
maytrix
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
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Another option depending on how long your trip is - you could head to St. John. Check in that morning in Cruz bay and have them take a ferry from there, then spend a couple days in St. John.
We actually did this our last trip, although we picked up friends there rather than drop them off. Worked out great and we had a couple great days in St. John.
Matt
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Re: Sunday BVI to STT
[Re: leeguice]
#57570
06/10/2015 05:24 PM
06/10/2015 05:24 PM
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 304 Rockford, Michigan
aarpskier
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 304
Rockford, Michigan
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On Sunday, June 7, there was no 7:00 am RTFF out of Road Town. There was an 8:45 am NS, and a 9:00 am RTFF. Both had 40-50 passengers. The NS arrived at CA first, and the RTFF waited near the dock for 20+ minutes to allow the NS passengers to clear. Unfortunately, we were on the RTFF. Didn't matter though, because the Petite Pump Room was not open on Sunday.
If you are charting with Sunsail or Moorings, they have an RTFF ticket agent at the base. Saves time standing in line for tickets at the ferry dock, but she only takes cash. There are two lines at the Road Town ferry dock. One family member pays the exit tax for the group. Have another member stand in the security line.
By the time we cleared C&I in CA, there was no time to go into town, so direct to the airport, which was mobbed. Hint: At the airport, you can buy the same beer and cold sandwiches quickly from little kiosks that you can in the restaurant, without waiting in line for 20 minutes.
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Re: Sunday BVI to STT
[Re: leeguice]
#57573
06/12/2015 07:49 AM
06/12/2015 07:49 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 123
maryqueenofshots
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 123
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Leeguice - always remember that ferry schedules can be sporadic, especially in the "slow season" - but right now, the first scheduled ferry on Sundays is the 9:00am Road Town Fast Ferry from Road Town to Chartlotte Amalie, St. Thomas - there is no "scheduled" 7:00am ferry on Sundays, though sometimes if you call the day before you will find that there is, indeed, a 7:00am! The 9:00am is even pushing it a bit. If the ferry leaves on time, it's a 10:00am arrival in Charlotte Amalie, then possibly up to an hour, or even more, to get through customs and immigration depending on the crowd, plus time to taxi from the ferry to the airport. This means perhaps arriving after 11:00 a.m. at the airport and then waiting in line on a Sunday (busiest day to fly out of St. Thomas) to check in. That amount of time may sound reasonable, doesn't it?? BUT . . . depending on your airline, you may be "required" to check-in at the airport on St. Thomas a full THREE hours prior to flight time (American Airlines for sure . . . check the fine print on your ticket for Caribbean travel requirements - or better yet, call the airline and speak with a representative!)! Seems a bit ridiculous (and it really is!), but the main reason the airlines do this is because Caribbean flights are notoriously overbooked (though they won't admit this!), so if you arrive even 2-1/2 hours ahead and a full complement of passengers happen to have checked in ahead of you, it is YOUR fault for being "late" and now up to you to rebook on another flight, meaning YOU have to pay the change fees and the additional $$$ if the fare on your rebooked flight is more than the fare on your original flight (which it likely will be) - PLUS you have to consider a hotel (again, at your expense) if the next flight out isn't until the following day! It is rare that the flight will be filled with checked passengers three hours in advance (especially in the "off season"), but I believe it is better to be safe than to be sorry! If I were you, and your guests seem to have the option, I would check into Cruz Bay, St. John the day before the flight; enjoy the day/night there and then take an easy ferry (easy meaning no customs/immigration in St. Thomas when they ferry from another USVI - cutting travel time down considerably!) on Sunday morning. A great vacation can be ruined by a (possibly very expensive) problem flying home! ENJOY!
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Re: Sunday BVI to STT
[Re: Manpot]
#57576
06/12/2015 11:00 AM
06/12/2015 11:00 AM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951 St. John, USVI
RickG
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
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If you get to STT early, we like to head to Tickles at Crown Bay. They have a good breakfast/brunch 7-days with good drinks.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423 Grenada
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Re: Sunday BVI to STT
[Re: sail2wind]
#57579
06/12/2015 05:36 PM
06/12/2015 05:36 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,861 Bradenton, FL
Winterstale
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 5,861
Bradenton, FL
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sail2wind said: If you have tickets and a boarding pass you will be allowed to board, even 1/2 hour early. Gates close 10 minutes before departure, then your late. Otherwise if you are bumped, the airline must get you a room and a meal voucher. We have never been to STT more then 1 1/2 hour early and never missed a fight. Same here, Evan - we are usually there 1.5-2 hours ahead max - it's just such a lousy airport to hang out in. We typically stay the night before our flight at the Best Western Caribe Beach so we're literally across the street from the early morning flight.
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Re: Sunday BVI to STT
[Re: sail2wind]
#57581
06/22/2015 04:43 AM
06/22/2015 04:43 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 123
maryqueenofshots
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 123
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sail2wind said: If you have tickets and a boarding pass you will be allowed to board, even 1/2 hour early. Gates close 10 minutes before departure, then your late. Otherwise if you are bumped, the airline must get you a room and a meal voucher. We have never been to STT more then 1 1/2 hour early and never missed a fight. I, too, have been lucky never having been bumped off a flight from STT during all my years visiting the BVI before I moved here permanently, but just this past January four friends arrived at the airport in St. Thomas on a Sunday (yes, peak season AND a Sunday), 1 hour and 45 minutes before flight time and were told that the flight was full. They had printed boarding passes the day before, but had to check in at the front counter in order to get their checked luggage tags and they were told their seats were "allocated to other passengers" because they did not check in with their luggage 3 hours before! Knowing one of the friends, it must have been quite a scene! He put up enough of a stink that they were rebooked on a connecting flight through Miami and his subsequent scathing letter to the airline resulted in a refund to his credit card of the extra fees plus 5,000 airmiles for each of the four passengers! Again, HIGH season is when this happened!
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