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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: tradewinds]
#74432
11/10/2015 01:18 PM
11/10/2015 01:18 PM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999 Macon, Georgia
GlennA
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,999
Macon, Georgia
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No worries. I have been coming through STT for 20 years arriving between 3:00 and 4:00PM with enough paraphenalia to sink a battle ship and have yet to be marooned on STT. Call Kevin as many here do and he will shepherd you to the best connection.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. - Mark Twain
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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: RatmansWife]
#74433
11/10/2015 01:23 PM
11/10/2015 01:23 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,040 Charlotte, NC
NCSailor
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,040
Charlotte, NC
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RatmansWife said: Don't forget to consider your return. Clearing Customs twice in St. Thomas, plus the 3 hour advance check-in, and you will lose a day on the end of your trip. At Beef Island, you basically show up an hour early and are good to go. Yes, good to go SJU where you have to clear customs and then check back in again. We have done both and I don't see the advantage.
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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: RatmansWife]
#74436
11/10/2015 04:48 PM
11/10/2015 04:48 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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RatmansWife said: Don't forget to consider your return. Clearing Customs twice in St. Thomas, plus the 3 hour advance check-in, and you will lose a day on the end of your trip. At Beef Island, you basically show up an hour early and are good to go. You no longer need to clear customs twice in STT - just got back last week - no customs clearance needed at STT for our return flight - we cleared in off the ferry the night before and that was it.
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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: Refuse1]
#74442
11/12/2015 01:17 PM
11/12/2015 01:17 PM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 26 Colorado
3rdTimesaCharm
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 26
Colorado
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First time we flew into San Juan, spent the night, and said never again. Have done the STT-ferry route the last two times and it's worked wonderfully. Seems like vacation begins once you get to the ferry dock. Chartering out of St. Thomas sounds even better!
Sailing * Sunning * Snorkeling * Swashbuckling BVI 2003/2006/2008/2015/2016 (My head isn't that big, I'm just closer to the camera ... really ;-)
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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: Refuse1]
#74443
11/12/2015 01:26 PM
11/12/2015 01:26 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,711 Memphis, BVI, CT
RatmansWife
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,711
Memphis, BVI, CT
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Thanks to the tips from folks here over many years, I've become pretty good at searching fares and options. Lately, the cheapest fares have involved overnighting in San Juan and taking the early morning Seaborne flight. Even factoring in the hotel, we save $$$.
Being on an out island, it's much better to arrive before nightfall, which makes even the 6:10 pm arrival a close call. And that is often the most expensive flight.
If you have enough people, another good option is flying to St. Thomas and chartering a plane to Beef Island. We did that in March and it was wonderful.
Could American route you through Dallas, with an overnight there?
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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: Winterstale]
#74444
11/14/2015 11:39 AM
11/14/2015 11:39 AM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 23 St. Paul, Mn.
Genie
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 23
St. Paul, Mn.
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We have always flown into STT in the afternoon around 3 and caught the ferry to Road Town with 3 kids in tow. It has never been an issue for us. Knock on wood but we haven't had any problems in 10 trips down in the past few years. We always carry on our bags and hustle out of the airport. It is doable. Heading down next week and I hope I didn't jinx anything.
Cool Change
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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: 3rdTimesaCharm]
#74445
11/14/2015 02:06 PM
11/14/2015 02:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,277 Saint Thomas, USVI
CaptainJay
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,277
Saint Thomas, USVI
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3rdTimesaCharm said: First time we flew into San Juan, spent the night, and said never again. Have done the STT-ferry route the last two times and it's worked wonderfully. Seems like vacation begins once you get to the ferry dock. Chartering out of St. Thomas sounds even better! We have a winner <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> [/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/captainjay/]captainjay, on Flickr Friends Don't let friends ride ferry's.
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Re: Ferry from ST Thomas to Road Town
[Re: StormJib]
#74447
11/15/2015 11:30 PM
11/15/2015 11:30 PM
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,618 Woodstock, GA
RickinAtlanta
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,618
Woodstock, GA
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StormJib said: "For check-in: 180 minutes (3 hours) prior to departure"
That is to factor for the time it can take to get from the curb through the lines of the day to the gate to board. Each Day and Time of Day is Different. Sometimes SST can be a bit of a zoo.
"For boarding passes or to check bags: 90 minutes prior to departure"
That is the point where the computer may lock a traveler out no matter how long they have been in line. During periods of heightened security, that decision can be made by a government 1,000's of miles away.
What worked for one person ten times has no relevance to any future group trying to get to their seat on the plane before the computer closes or the plane door closes.
Putting the ferry in your critical path has a history of leaving inbound travelers in STT the first night and getting outbound travelers to St. Thomas too late to make their scheduled flight. When that happens the burden is all on the traveler to sort out. Many do just fine with the STT and the ferry combo. Many end up very disappointed. Yes, It is your vacations and emotions. +1 on "Friends do not let the friends ride the ferry"! Just more BS as you don't have a clue. NEVER had a problem with the RIGHT ferry in 13 years since 2002!
Last edited by RickinAtlanta; 11/15/2015 11:41 PM.
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