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STT Vs. EIS??
#90802
03/19/2016 08:51 AM
03/19/2016 08:51 AM
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 251 Okla
ScurvyD
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 251
Okla
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Do you guys have any preference about where to fly into? Is it all about price? Can you still bring your coolers into EIS? Any thoughts or opinions would be awesome. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />
I'd like to be a jelly fish, cause jelly fish don't pay rent.
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: ScurvyD]
#90804
03/19/2016 09:14 AM
03/19/2016 09:14 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900
Central Florida!
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Price and convenience. Can you get a non-stop into STT? The fewer moving parts you have, the less chance for a FUBAR that messes you out of a day or so of vacation. From many parts of the country, it is a lot cheaper to fly into STT, even when you add on the ferry. However, if you have to have a connection just to get to STT and flying into EIS isn't that much more, that's the way I personally would do it. Your mileage may vary.
Carol Hill
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#90805
03/19/2016 09:53 AM
03/19/2016 09:53 AM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 57 South Carolina
rock13
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 57
South Carolina
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On a similar note, I can't book all the way through on delta from CHS-EIS with a SJU connection. So I will obviously have 2 separate tickets. Do I need go back through security once I land in SJU? I'll have about a 2 hour layover.
Kenneth
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#90807
03/19/2016 10:04 AM
03/19/2016 10:04 AM
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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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We fly through EIS for a few reasons. Timing. We can fly direct Boston to SJU and then use Cape Air. So we get to the BVI earlier. Cost is also very similar so that doesn't play a big factor. Plus the scenic cape air flight is a huge plus!
Matt
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: ScurvyD]
#90809
03/19/2016 10:37 AM
03/19/2016 10:37 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,672 Memphis, BVI, CT
RatmansWife
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,672
Memphis, BVI, CT
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We have done both, but 95% of the time go through SJU to EIS. We are on the east end, so it would take half a day to get here using the ferry, plus the taxi would eat up any savings.
For us, STT only works if we charter a plane to EIS, or if we can connect using Cape Air. The latter can work very well if you are booking last minute.
The other big factor is your final day: you have to allow lots of time going through STT, especially on the weekend. The lines at Customs and Immigration can be long, as well as the airport lines, given that most flights leave about the same time.
San Juan is not perfect, but we, and many of our neighbors, have taken to flying in late the day before, staying at the airport hotel and catching the early Seaborne flight. This saves money and makes for a much more restful arrival.
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: rock13]
#90810
03/19/2016 10:44 AM
03/19/2016 10:44 AM
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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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rock13 said: Manpot, what was your experience with SJU? I think a number of members that have traveled through SJU in the past have had items stolen from their bags. I'm not sure that's happened recently at all. We've gone through there over a dozen times over the past 4-5 years and never had an issue.
Matt
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: maytrix]
#90811
03/19/2016 11:30 AM
03/19/2016 11:30 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,900
Central Florida!
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Matt--BUT! Have you had anything of value in your bags??? I know for us, we are VERY wary of SJU and NEVER leave anything of value in the bags there. We actually try not to bring anything of much value regardless, but going through SJU, it goes double or triple. As far as actual connections through there, the experience with customs/immigration/getting a gate/fast baggage/etc has in general been good the past few times through there.
Carol Hill
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: rock13]
#90812
03/19/2016 11:38 AM
03/19/2016 11:38 AM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 826 Tortola, BVI
LianeLeTendre
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 826
Tortola, BVI
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I would emphatically echo Malcolm's statement. I too have had several horrible experiences flying through San Juan.
The first time, returning from Toronto, my flight to Tortola was cancelled. Because of the way the travel agent here on Tortola booked the flight, American claimed they were not responsible and would not pay for a hotel.
I had "blown the wad" in Toronto and I don't own a credit card, so spent the night at the airport. No fun at all.
Another time, it took so long to go through the TSA check point, I missed my flight despite being there in plenty of time. Someone from a different airline from the one I was using, came through the line twice calling all passengers for this flight or that to the front of the line and ahead of me. They were late getting into line because their flights had been delayed.
They made their flight and I didn't, despite the fact that had they [color:"red"]not[/color] been called ahead of me, I would have easily made my flight. I was once again told that the airline wasn't responsible and had to pay for a hotel room overnight.
On another occasion, I was hauled aside for a physical pat down ... for no reason at all. The woman who patted me down took exception to my voicing my opinion that it would be pretty hard to hide any weapon or illegal substance considering I was wearing a pair of shorts with no pockets, a t-shirt and flip flops. I guess that was the wrong thing to say, because she sent me for an internal search. Very humiliating and time-consuming. I missed my flight AGAIN!
Twice I had things stolen from my checked luggage and once, my brother-in-law was made to check his carry-on. Naturally, he had valuables in the carry-on and asked if he could take them out before checking the bag. The lady at the counter said there was no time, took the bag and when we reached Tortola, all his valuables (including about $2,400.00 in cash) had been stolen. It took the thieves no time at all because it went right out to the tarmac. The bag wasn't out of our sight for more than 5 minutes before it was loaded into the plane.
I will [color:"red"]NEVER[/color] fly through Puerto Rico again as long as I live. TSA agents are rude and aggressive, the TSA line ups are ridiculously long and all too often, flights are cancelled.
Any chance I get, I fly to St. Maarten and then wherever I may be going ... but if that option isn't available, I take the ferry to St. Thomas.
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: joeandholls]
#90814
03/19/2016 01:47 PM
03/19/2016 01:47 PM
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 251 Okla
ScurvyD
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 251
Okla
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Thanks for all the great info folks.
I'd like to be a jelly fish, cause jelly fish don't pay rent.
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: ScurvyD]
#90815
03/19/2016 02:33 PM
03/19/2016 02:33 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 45 Louisville,CO
MrMGtd
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 45
Louisville,CO
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As many many posts have indicated for various reasons (ferry issues, pullout of routes by major carriers, time zones, SJU issues, sky rocketing $ of SJU-EIS flights, on and on) it's getting harder and harder to get to Tortola to enjoy our beloved sailing. Our recent trip to BVIs via STT from Denver had "schedule" changes by Delta (ie cancelled our ATL-DEN) flight and rebooked us on a flight that left 30min before we got into ATL (go figure that one). For us, the 45min SJU-EIS puddle jumper was as much as DEN->SJU!! IF we could even get a flight to work for us (yes, the trials and tribulations of the high season travel). Either way given the time zones/flights we'd have to overnight SJU or STT or spend 6-8hrs in the airport. We did get hit this time with some new (at least to me) $15 "baggage handling" fee each way on the ferry over the tix cost. Wasn't expecting that additional $60 each way for the 4 of us, nor heard about it here on TTOL or ferry web sites. Then hit the multiple ferries trying to dock and offload at the same time. So FYI for others taking the ferry route. Makes the SJU-EIS a bit more attractive IF one can get on a puddle jumper flight. Love sailing in the BVIs but it's getting harder and harder to justify the $, the hassle. Like so many others here would love the BVI govt to "fix" the ferry situation since the companies won't do it. But that's been discussed ad nauseum here so no need to continue that in this thread. Just venting!
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: MrMGtd]
#90816
03/19/2016 03:19 PM
03/19/2016 03:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 430 South Carolina
Riverfrontbrewer
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 430
South Carolina
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MrMGtd said: As many many posts have indicated for various reasons (ferry issues, pullout of routes by major carriers, time zones, SJU issues, sky rocketing $ of SJU-EIS flights, on and on) it's getting harder and harder to get to Tortola to enjoy our beloved sailing. Our recent trip to BVIs via STT from Denver had "schedule" changes by Delta (ie cancelled our ATL-DEN) flight and rebooked us on a flight that left 30min before we got into ATL (go figure that one). For us, the 45min SJU-EIS puddle jumper was as much as DEN->SJU!! IF we could even get a flight to work for us (yes, the trials and tribulations of the high season travel). Either way given the time zones/flights we'd have to overnight SJU or STT or spend 6-8hrs in the airport. We did get hit this time with some new (at least to me) $15 "baggage handling" fee each way on the ferry over the tix cost. Wasn't expecting that additional $60 each way for the 4 of us, nor heard about it here on TTOL or ferry web sites. Then hit the multiple ferries trying to dock and offload at the same time. So FYI for others taking the ferry route. Makes the SJU-EIS a bit more attractive IF one can get on a puddle jumper flight. Love sailing in the BVIs but it's getting harder and harder to justify the $, the hassle. Like so many others here would love the BVI govt to "fix" the ferry situation since the companies won't do it. But that's been discussed ad nauseum here so no need to continue that in this thread. Just venting! Mr M- I am not sure what the Delta flights are costing you but we have been very happy with AA (codesharing w Seaborne) booking DEN,MIA,SJU,EIS. The last flight in Oct and next one in June were red eyes that get us to EIS by about 1pm.
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: Manpot]
#90825
03/19/2016 10:13 PM
03/19/2016 10:13 PM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 854
Cleobeach
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 854
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Manpot said: Must have run out of garbage bags to carry their loot that day..got to love recycling SJJ style.. ha! Ever since I zip tie our checked baggage shut. We dont check anything of value but damn it, I missed having my beach bag on that trip! I am sure the zip ties only deter the lazy thieves it no one has cut them yet.
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: sail2wind]
#90826
03/20/2016 08:08 AM
03/20/2016 08:08 AM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 430 South Carolina
Riverfrontbrewer
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 430
South Carolina
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sail2wind said: Riverfront and MrM I also feel your pain. We have one more leg from Grand Junction then you guys. We can fly Delta to SLC, United to DIA, or AA DFW. STT has always been more convenient and less expensive. We did have a Leatherman stolen in SJU. In many years and many ferries, we have never been stranded in STT or BVI, guess we are lucky. Yeah, it's nice to live in out of the way places, but it makes travel challenging! We now have about a 3 hour drive to DIA, but that's not near as bad as having an extra leg on an already long trip. I wonder if one of those private jet services out of Centennial Airport could go direct to EIS??!!
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Re: STT Vs. EIS??
[Re: Riverfrontbrewer]
#90828
03/20/2016 01:21 PM
03/20/2016 01:21 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
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Riverfrontbrewer said:sail2wind said: Riverfront and MrM I also feel your pain. We have one more leg from Grand Junction then you guys. We can fly Delta to SLC, United to DIA, or AA DFW. STT has always been more convenient and less expensive. We did have a Leatherman stolen in SJU. In many years and many ferries, we have never been stranded in STT or BVI, guess we are lucky. Yeah, it's nice to live in out of the way places, but it makes travel challenging! We now have about a 3 hour drive to DIA, but that's not near as bad as having an extra leg on an already long trip. I wonder if one of those private jet services out of Centennial Airport could go direct to EIS??!! We have flown No Way DIA, $150 from GJ. It is a nice quick flight, better then the 4 1/2 hour drive to DIA.
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