# Westin St John [Master Thread] - Part 2 (June 2014 and forward)



## DavidnRobin

*[This new WSJ Master Thread covers June 2014 and forward]*

Here is link to original WSJ Master Thread (pre-June 2014):
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111510

OK - as mentioned in the original WSJ thread - time for Part 2!

This thread will cover WSJ-VGV (Hillside), WSJ-BV, and WSJ-CV (open in 2015) - as well as info related to St John and surrounding area.

If you own WSJ, visiting WSJ, or a StJ lover - please participate with info you may want to share, or stuff you may want to discover.  Be sure to tell others that may be interested in this great resort and spectacular island.

Enjoy!
David (DavidnRobin)


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## DavidnRobin

So let's start with a time-lapse GoPro video (raw) that I took during sunset at Ram Head (Fri 13th, June 2014).  We hiked out to Ram Head (Salt Pond Bay) to see the full moon rise - met alot of cool local folk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb5Fzb0lsBs&list=UU5XBUKwidwqKKZpEW0OO_mg


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## DavidnRobin

*Past Trip Reports (FYI)*

May 2006 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25569
May 2006 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24157
Jun 2008 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74510
Ost 2008 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84417
Jan 2009 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90911
Jun 2009 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99223
Jun 2009 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=100331
Apr 2010 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120698
Jun 2010 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123157
Jun 2011 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1132005
Aug 2011 - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1160867&postcount=852
Jan 2012 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168315
Apr 2012 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169655
Jun 2013 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193562
Aug 2013 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=197102
May 2014 - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210392

These are the ones I could find easily - feel free to link other past trip reports that I may have missed.


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## LisaRex

David has a tad more experience than me, but here are my Trip Reports:

Jan/Feb 2012http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168315&highlight=trip+report
Jan/Feb 2009http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90911&highlight=trip+report


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## DavidnRobin

Thanks LR - surprised I didn't find these - these are some of may favs.  I recall the Booby Rock snorkeling discussion of your snorkeling-crazed DH.  I was thinking the wrong 'rock'.  Booby is certainly doable from Salt Pond - considering that it is SP Bay  I still wouldn't do it - especially alone.
{more on why I am glad I wear a snorkel-vest later...}

Booby Rock is in the forefront of the time-lapse video (raw) that I posted a YouTube link to.  Hiking out to Ram Head for the sunset and full moon rising (sans Sahara Dust) certainly was Bucket List worthy.

We had another fantastic time at WSJ/StJ - I won't write a trip report per se, but will plan to link photos and videos when I get a chance (I have hours of raw GoPro footage to go thru) - plus tidbits/highlights as well.


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## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> So let's start with a time-lapse GoPro video (raw) that I took during sunset at Ram Head (Fri 13th, June 2014).  We hiked out to Ram Head (Salt Pond Bay) to see the full moon rise - met alot of cool local folk.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb5Fzb0lsBs&list=UU5XBUKwidwqKKZpEW0OO_mg



Pretty cool video! 

We visited Salt Pond in May, but did not venture further to Ram Head.


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## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> We had another fantastic time at WSJ/StJ - I won't write a trip report per se, but will plan to link photos and videos when I get a chance (I have hours of raw GoPro footage to go thru) - plus tidbits/highlights as well.



We leave in 20 days for round 2 of our WSJ trips this year. Maybe I'll combine the two trips into a semi-trip report.


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## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Pretty cool video!
> 
> We visited Salt Pond in May, but did not venture further to Ram Head.





tomandrobin said:


> We leave in 20 days for round 2 of our WSJ trips this year. Maybe I'll combine the two trips into a semi-trip report.



It can be a hot/humid (bring lots of water and some protein bars/nuts), but definitely worth the hike (IMO). The only confusing part is during Blue Cobblestone beach section - just keep on heading down the beach (cobblestones) until the end. You will see an entrance to the trail heading up towards Ram Head.  Do not dismay - once you hit the middle section on the way up - you will get a strong breeze to cool down with (you will know it when you get there).  Watch out for the assorted cacti.

I am still working on my trip report... I will post (link) photos and vids.


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## Conan

FYI we stayed last March in a hillside one-bedroom unit, renting from an owner, and we took the sales tour for the units now under construction.

We didn't buy the timeshare, but we did buy the Explorer package for $4,500 - - a week's use of a 2-BR unit in 2016, ferry tickets, and 85,000 Starpoints. Valuing the Starpoints at as little as 2 cents each, that's $2,000 for the points and $2,500 for the week's use.  [The booking I've made so far out of these points was worth 3.6 cents/point. By that measure the division of value is $3,000 for the points and $1,500 for the week's use.]

We called this week to reserve for 2016. We had a choice of a new bayside unit (they said it was the last one available for the week we wanted) or a hillside unit. We decided to go with the hillside unit, since we liked the view and the privacy when we were there.

The package requires that we take another timeshare tour.  I wonder if another Explorer package will be on offer.


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## LisaRex

Conan said:


> We didn't buy the timeshare, but we did buy the Explorer package for $4,500 - - a week's use of a 2-BR unit in 2016, ferry tickets, and 85,000 HH points. (Valuing the HH points at a little over 2 cents each, that's $2,000 for the points and $2,500 for the week's use.)



HH? Hilton Honors? Now, that would be something.  

$4500 for a 2 bdrm + 85k SOs wouldn't be a horribly bad deal.


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## Conan

Oops - - I'll edited my post.
I got 85,000 SPG Starpoints as part of the deal.

So far I've spent 12,000 Starpoints to book two nights at the W Washington D.C. on a cash + points basis : 6,000 points/night + $110/night + $16 tax/night.

The all-cash price for a comparable (refundable) booking is $299 + tax = $342 per night so 6,000 points spent this way are worth $342 - $126 = $216 or 3.6 cents/point.


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## DavidnRobin

*June letter to VGV Owners*

*Dear fellow Virgin Grand Villas owner: *

We recently participated, as your elected directors, in the summer meeting of the Board of Directors of our owners’ association. The meeting was held by conference call, as the Board has only one in-person meeting per year, which occurs during the annual meeting. (There is also one informal face-to-face workshop to review a proposed budget for the following year, but no action is taken at a workshop).

We are happy to report that electricity rates, while at record high levels, have held steady during the first half of the year, and that barring any major surprises (such as a damaging hurricane), we expect to be on budget for the year. 

*Posting website *
The biggest news since our last report is that the owners’ website for posting units for sale, rental or exchange is now operational. (The website is also the home for the voluntary owners’ directory). As of mid-June, 347 owners had registered for the website, and there were 196 active listings on it, including 92 units offered for rent, 61 units offered for sale, and 19 units offered for exchange. We are all in debt to our Board chair, Teri Castleberry, for the creation of this website. She dealt for more than two years with an often-challenging software vendor, at the request of the Board, and was finally successful in achieving the result that you can now use. For your convenience, we reproduce below the instructions that we sent in May for using the website.

Secure access to the site is provided to Owners registered with MyStarCentral. Please follow the steps below. 

I have a MyStarCentral account:
Visit starwoodvactionnetwork.com and click on 'Owner Login' in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Enter your Username or Email and your Password and click 'LOG IN'.
Hover your mouse over 'Owner Quick Links' in the upper-right corner of your screen and select 'MyStarCentral' from the drop down list.
Click on 'Your Owners Association' in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select a 'Westin St. John Resort & Villas - Virgin Grand' unit and click 'View the Details of this Ownership Week'.
Click on 'VGV Owner Posting Board' in the right-hand section of your screen.

I do not have a MyStarCentral account:
Visit starwoodvactionnetwork.com and click on 'Owner Login' in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Click 'REGISTER NOW'.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the online form.
Click 'Go directly to the StarCentral homepage'.
Click on 'Your Owners Association' in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select a 'Westin St. John Resort & Villas - Virgin Grand' unit and click 'View the Details of this Ownership Week'.
Click on 'VGV Owner Posting Board' in the right-hand section of your screen.
This will take you to the Association's website where you must read and accept the terms and conditions of the disclosure statement. You will then be taken to the homepage where you can sign up and create your member profile. 

Please be aware that you must create a member profile and be logged in to create or view current listings. Just beneath the boxed message on the homepage, there is a link you may click on to view detailed instructions for use of the website. This detailed instruction document and the FAQ page can be accessed without logging in to the website.	

There is one tricky part about logging in for the very first time. When you have followed the instructions above and get to the main page for our posting website, you will see this box:

{Instruction Box won't copy...}

If you are registering for the first time on our bulletin board, DO NOT enter your email or password where it says to enter them. Instead, click on the words “New members click here to sign up.” After you have signed up as directed, on return visits to the site you will enter your email and the password that you selected. 

*Construction at the resort *
As you know, quite a lot of construction and refurbishing is taking place on the hotel side of the resort this year. Three hotel room buildings have been gutted and refitted for sale as timeshare units in the new Coral Vista development. The Beach Café is being renovated and will re-open as the new Lemongrass Restaurant & Bar, which, like the Beach Café, will be operated by Starwood. The menu will be similar to that of the Beach Café, but we are told that it will have a more Caribbean flair. Mango Deli will move next to the new Lemongrass Restaurant & Bar, re-opening as The Marketplace at Great Cruz Bay. Both areas will be air-conditioned space. The resort hopes that another restaurant will open above the lobby by some time this winter, where Cruz Bay Prime was previously located. The gate house is being moved to the hotel side of the property. It will be staffed 24 hours a day. On our side of the road, there will be an automated gate arm that can be opened by swiping a room key, and there will also be an intercom at that location so that an operator can open the gate remotely. Renovation of the airport lounge is almost complete, and renovations of the lobby, fitness center, and kids’ club will take place during the late summer and fall. 

*Sale of reacquired unit weeks* 
As you know, the Association has acquired several dozen unit weeks as a result of foreclosures and of negotiated settlements with owners who were delinquent in their maintenance fee payments. In order to generate revenue to the Owners Association from these unit weeks, we have now conducted two bargain sales of these unit weeks to existing owners. This spring sale was very successful; we offered 63 unit weeks for sale, and 33 of them were purchased. These sales replace owners who were not paying their maintenance fees with new owners, and therefore help to hold down maintenance fees for all owners. Foreclosure actions are currently pending for 109 unit weeks and may be initiated for additional unit weeks for which liens are in place, and owners locked out, because of non-payment of maintenance fees. Notwithstanding the delinquencies, the percentage of maintenance fees that we actually collect is on a par with that of the other SVO resorts. 

*Energy costs*
We continue to seek ways to reduce energy costs, given the very expensive cost of electricity in the Virgin Islands (currently about 50 cents per kilowatt hour). We have decided against installing solar panels in a ground array, for aesthetic reasons, but at this meeting, we approved the installation of additional photovoltaic (solar) panels on the roofs of the hillside buildings. Starwood is installing similar panels at several locations on its side of the resort. An outside company is providing the cells and installation, and will maintain them, and we will pay it 35 cents per kilowatt hour for the electricity we purchase. Although our new solar panels will account for only 10% of the total amount of electricity to be generated by the project (with the hotel side producing the other 90%), we will receive approximately 18% (based on our current proportionate consumption rate) of the energy that is produced, which results in about a 2.4% cost savings by not purchasing that power from the power company. 

The photovoltaic cells that already exist on buildings 41 through 44 and those that will be added to the hillside buildings will not come close to meeting our need for energy. We are continuing to study the desirability of purchasing a co-generation facility to meet most of our needs. One factor for us to consider is that the local utility on St. Thomas is converting its fuel source from diesel fuel to propane, and it expects that the conversion will reduce fuel costs by about 30%. To the extent that this saving is passed along to customers (and not offset by rate increases to cover the cost of conversion), this step could decrease the difference between the cost of electricity purchased from the utility and electricity that the co-generation facility would produce, with the result that it would take longer than the estimated seven years for the co-generation facility to pay for itself. Another factor for us to take into account is the siting of the co-generation facility. As we reported after the annual meeting in March, two sites are under consideration: one on the hotel side of the property, and one in the yard behind buildings 43 and 44. From our perspective as your elected directors, the former would be preferable, but we we will not support the project unless we are convinced that occupants of those buildings will not hear noise from the equipment. A possible advantage of locating the facility on the hotel side of the property is that it will generate waste heat, which could in principle be harvested for the hotel laundry and for some of its heating and air conditioning. However, Starwood would have to invest in the infastructure in order to use the heat. We have asked Starwood to consider whether it is interested in using the heat. No decision on purchasing the co-generation equipment will be made before our next meeting in November. 

*Walls in Buildings 41 and 42* 
As you will recall, the vast majority of owners in buildings 41 and 42 would like us to construct a wall to bisect the large upstairs room into two separate bedrooms. The Management Company has advised that this would require, for any particular unit, the unanimous consent (or at least affirmative non-objection) of every owner of that unit. The owners have now been polled by email and mail. At least one objection was registered for each of these units: 4111, 4112, 4113, 4114, and 4213. No objection was interposed by an owner of units 4110, 4115, 4210, 4211, 4212, 4214, or 4215. However, for each of these units, 6 to 10 owners have not responded to the mail or email. Starwood is going to try to contact by telephone the owners who have not responded. A wall will be built, at no additional expense to the owners, in any of these units for which all owners can be reached and none objects to its construction. 

*Minor matters* 
We remind owners that smoking is prohibited on the property, including in your units and on your terraces, except as permitted at designated smoking areas. At present, there are three such areas: at the turnarounds for the hillside buildings, and in one area near the pool villas. Signs will soon be put in place reminding owners that smoking is allowed only in those designated areas, and the Board is in the process of drafting a formal rule barring smoking except in the areas provided. 

In our last report, we mentioned that a sidewalk was being built alongside the driveway leading to the lobby. It has now been constructed, and there is also a sidewalk from the pool villa area to the main road. 

The General Manager is investigating the possibility of installing rods, hooks, or retractable clotheslines on the patios of the pool villas. 

And once again, we ask owners to turn off the air conditioning (or increase the temperature) while they are not using their units during the heat of the day. This is the single most important thing that owners can do to keep maintenance fees down, as many of our costs are fixed, but our energy cost depends largely on how much power the owners draw. 

Your owner-elected members of the Board of Directors, 
Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com

Robert Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


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## DavidnRobin

Thread needs a bump...
During our June trip to StJ/WSJ some friends of ours were in the USVI/BVI for a 1-week sailing charter (they met up with us one night in Cruz Bay). This is not WSJ or StJ centric, but great video of their sailing adventure.  Thought some of you USVI lovers would enjoy this.
Makes me motivated to get my photos/videos in order.

YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zdUAYgphfg&feature=youtu.be


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## clymberz

We are thinking of going to St John Aug 9-16 but after researching weather, we have become worried about Hurricane season.  A google search said that hurricane season is August and September.  We would be bummed if we made such a big trip only to find rain every day and snorkeling cloudy. Any comments about going to St John Mid-august?


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## DavidnRobin

clymberz said:


> We are thinking of going to St John Aug 9-16 but after researching weather, we have become worried about Hurricane season.  A google search said that hurricane season is August and September.  We would be bummed if we made such a big trip only to find rain every day and snorkeling cloudy. Any comments about going to St John Mid-august?



Nice to see a posting here (other than me...).  I do not think mid-August is a big worry.  It is mainly about unstable weather that can occur during these months.  For example - there is a TD (TS?) that is/was heading to USVI right now (they need the rain, but not a downpour...) - I think it is dissipating. The odds of getting a hurricane at the time you are in the USVI are slim, but you can always buy Trip Insurance. 

Mid-Sept to mid-Oct - a lot of StJ businesses shut down and it is real quiet (that can be good or bad depending on your perspective).


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## clymberz

Thanks David!  I love all the info you've posted here.  

I guess my concern is not about running into an actual hurricane.  Instead, I'm just worried about running into plain old rain.  I'm just trying to figure out if it is safer to just save the miles and go another time in the year when good weather is more likely.  Having said that, I'm not too worried about a a scattered shower.  I just don't want to be stuck in the room waiting out the rain, only to find snorkeling visibility is poor due to the sand being kicked up.


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## DavidnRobin

clymberz said:


> Thanks David!  I love all the info you've posted here.
> 
> I guess my concern is not about running into an actual hurricane.  Instead, I'm just worried about running into plain old rain.  I'm just trying to figure out if it is safer to just save the miles and go another time in the year when good weather is more likely.  Having said that, I'm not too worried about a a scattered shower.  I just don't want to be stuck in the room waiting out the rain, only to find snorkeling visibility is poor due to the sand being kicked up.



That chance always exists (of course).  We go in June to reduce our chances (look at an annual rainfall chart for the USVI).  One thing is almost assured - it will rain...  we have been lucky for the most part - but it is always a gamble one must take when visiting the Carib.

generally - it is a 20% chance of rain - meaning if you stand in one place - you will have a 20% chance of being rained upon (most rain happens at nite).

I would not worry about mid-August - other than it will be hot/humid - and a 20% chance of rain...
Weather predictions are usually not accurate more than 7 days out.


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## LisaH

I was there Aug 10-17 last year and weather was fantastic. Didn't rain much at all and when it happened, it's in the late afternoon, evening or night. There is at least one other Tugger who owns in that week. Hope he will chime in...


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## okwiater

Our first visit to WSJ was with a StarOption trade in "hurricane" season. The weather was fantastic. Many shops are closed for the off-season, but enough of them were open that we didn't miss anything. However, since it tends to be wetter during that time of year the mosquitoes can be worse.

All that said, I wouldn't hesitate to book during hurricane season but would probably consider trip insurance just in case.


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## LisaRex

I wouldn't avoid going to St. John in the fall because of the risk of a hurricane.  I'd consider taking out trip insurance, though if a hurricane hits, you won't really need it because both the airline and the hotels will re-route you to another location for free.


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## canesfan

We visited mid August 2010 and didn't have any rain.  Weather was absolutely beautiful.  The following week, they got hit with a hurricane. It's the luck of the draw when it comes to weather in the Caribbean that time of year.  I'd take my chances again though.  Our first trip to Hawaii, it rained the entire time and that was very unusual. Nothing is guaranteed.  As others have advised, trip insurance.


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## clymberz

Thank you everyone for your input on our August trip. My wife has been reading recent reviews on TripAdvisor this evening and is becoming very concerned with the amount of negative reviews due to construction noise, lobby mayhem and lack of certain facilities like the fitness center.  

I'd like to think that this is affecting the hotel guests more so than the timeshare owners, but I really don't know.  

Would someone who has visited recently or perhapsis still there mind commenting?

In particular, what should I expect for the fitness center.  I saw the notes from the BoD meeting about the fitness center work going on now.  Also, the website states that the fitness scrente/spa have been relocated.  I'm curious to know what to expect?

Also, since this is our first time, are there any requests that I should add to the reservation?   I'm just really glad to go and will be pretty happy with anything.  But if there is anything construction oriented to consider, please let me know.  

Also, Amalie may not have a car for us based on our flight arrival. Is there a 2nd (or 3rd) choice we should consider?

Thanks for reading this post. We are excited to go and just have some pretrip excitement jitters 

PS: I'm reading through the whole thread and so apologies if any of my questions were already answered elsewhere. Thanks again.


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## DavidnRobin

They are in remodeling phase 
It affects everyone
It is the Islands after all - do not over think it.
People are inclined to write poor reviews over good ones
Good word for StJ adventure... Adapt.


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## Henry M.

I was there with my wife and daughter in May. I did not experience any issues with the construction/renovations for the Coral Vista phase of the resort. We were located just above the construction site, in the Bay Vista phase. 

The lobby had not been relocated when we were there, so can't comment on that.

I never even looked for the fitness center. We were active enough in the island that the fitness center didn't cross our minds. You can swim and hike around various beaches and get some real outdoor excercise.

I rented from Amalie Car rental. The previous time I rented from O'Connor, right at the resort. I had a good experience with them. On that trip, we used the Westin ferry to get between STT and STJ. We were just two people, so because the fact that we didn't need the car for the full week, we about broke even taking the ferry and renting 3 days from O'Connor, vs. renting the full week from Amalie Car Rental. The second time there were 3 of use. The more there are, the greater the savings renting in STT, since the Westin ferry is pretty pricey per person.


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## czar

emuyshondt said:


> I was there with my wife and daughter in May. I did not experience any issues with the construction/renovations for the Coral Vista phase of the resort. We were located just above the construction site, in the Bay Vista phase.
> 
> The lobby had not been relocated when we were there, so can't comment on that.
> 
> I never even looked for the fitness center. We were active enough in the island that the fitness center didn't cross our minds. You can swim and hike around various beaches and get some real outdoor excercise.
> 
> I rented from Amalie Car rental. The previous time I rented from O'Connor, right at the resort. I had a good experience with them. On that trip, we used the Westin ferry to get between STT and STJ. We were just two people, so because the fact that we didn't need the car for the full week, we about broke even taking the ferry and renting 3 days from O'Connor, vs. renting the full week from Amalie Car Rental. The second time there were 3 of use. The more there are, the greater the savings renting in STT, since the Westin ferry is pretty pricey per person.



We're in the midst of trying to figure out what to do this year.  Our 2nd oldest is now 4, so the cost for the 5 of us (we have a 2 yo who ships for free) is $420.  Last year, we only rented a car for one day - the kids are still a little young to last going out for more than a few hours and still really prefer the pool.  Would be nice to get out 1-2 days to see some of the beaches again and go visit the other side of the island, but we may not even do that depensing on temperaments   But at the very least, I know we don't need a car for the week, and we'd have to rent at least 2 days from O'Connor's to break even on renting in STT and taking ferry compared to WSJ ferry and then renting from O'Connors.  

The big issue trying to grapple with is what to do with the ferry.  If we can somehow navigate the public ferry with our 3 kids and luggage, we'll save quite a bit of $$.  I'm guessing we'd save ~ $300; however, not sure what that would be like (are they helpful with luggage once you get out of taxi; do they store it somewhere for the ride over)?  If it's not a huge ordeal, we'd be better off (financially) taking a taxi to red hook and then the public ferry and taxi into WSJ from there.  

Our flight arrives (delta) 12:16pm and departs 1:29pm Friday-Friday.

Any advice?

EDIT: Actually, I think I underpriced the cost of a taxi for 2 adults and 3 kids.  I'm guessing the taxi to the dock from airport likely costs $40-$50 for all of us incl luggage?  Plys another $25 or so on the other side (StJ)?  So conservatively I am thinking $150 for taxis R/T plus the ferry cost of ~ $60 with luggage R/T.  So maybe $210 versus $420.  Plus, talking with wife, sh'ed really prefer NOT ro drag car seats like last time, so thinking we won't even rent a car this trip - we can always taxi it to beach if we want to go.


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## Henry M.

I have never dealt with the people ferry. The car ferry was pretty simple. You just back your car in and sit in it until you get to Cruz Bay. You can also step out of the car if you wish. 

With small children, I'd be willing to pay more for convenience and if I didn't need a car, I'd take the Westin ferry and be done with it.


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## DavidnRobin

Car pickup at STT is way to go - even if you are not using it everyday.  $30 1-way on car. Barge at RedHook.  I have taken taxi-ferry-taxi - drag... And fess add up. 
If you need to get something at the market (etc) - one person can just run and get it.  Quick...
Speed limit is 20mph - go slow.
Do not overthink this - do not forget to account for the convenience.


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## bobpark56

*This advice does not apply to everyone*



DavidnRobin said:


> Car pickup at STT is way to go - even if you are not using it everyday.  $30 1-way on car. Barge at RedHook.  I have taken taxi-ferry-taxi - drag... And fess add up.
> If you need to get something at the market (etc) - one person can just run and get it.  Quick...
> Speed limit is 20mph - go slow.
> Do not overthink this - do not forget to account for the convenience.



Lest other readers take this a blanket advice, it is possible to underthink this. For example, we typically stay on St J for more than a week. We don't need a car for the first days when we arrive, and we don't need one for the day we depart. By renting our car on St J, we save on the order of $80/day for those days, compared to renting on St T. It adds up. And because of the length of our stay, we can still get the 10 percent off-season weekly discount with Courtesy Car rentals on St J...along with a place to park when we drive to town. YMMV


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## bobpark56

*Good advice, but it's not universal*



DavidnRobin said:


> Car pickup at STT is way to go - even if you are not using it everyday.  $30 1-way on car. Barge at RedHook.  I have taken taxi-ferry-taxi - drag... And fess add up.
> If you need to get something at the market (etc) - one person can just run and get it.  Quick...
> Speed limit is 20mph - go slow.
> Do not overthink this - do not forget to account for the convenience.



Lest other readers take this a blanket advice, it is possible to underthink this.

For example, we typically stay on St J for more than a week. We don't need a car for the first days when we arrive, and we don't need one for the day we depart. By renting our car on St J, we save on the order of $80/day for those days, compared to renting on St T. It adds up. And because of the length of our stay, we can still get the 10 percent off-season weekly discount with Courtesy Car rentals on St J...along with a place to park when we drive to town. YMMV


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## DavidnRobin

Just saying - it is not just about the cost.  Do not underestimate the convenience and freedom.


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## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> Just saying - it is not just about the cost.  Do not underestimate the convenience and freedom.



I agree with renting the car from Amalie car and taking over if we'd pan to use it but based on our trip last year, the walk to the market was quick, parking for BV is inconvenient, and our kids are still too young to make spending a full day off site enjoyable. We also don't want to deal with the car seat issue. In 2 years, we'll only need 1 small seat and our kids will be old enough to explore. At that point the cost of renting a car will be less than taking the ferry for all 5 of us. 

In the meantime, no car seats, no rental car so trying to figure out whether it's worth the extra $200 (and is that accurate?) to take the Breeze. I'm thinking it might be but hard to justify that amount of money for short-term convenience. But last year we had to wait a few hours to get into our unit and methinks we'll be behjnd everyone else in the line since they'll all be checked in at the airport. 

As an aside - can we, and is it worth, trying to make a villa request?  Water view is most important to us.


----------



## LisaRex

Czar, I think you should go ahead and request a water view, though I believe that this is one case where the villa is actually assigned at the time you book it (because so many owners own fixed weeks).    

As far as the ferry goes, your arrival time (12:15pm) will be very tight to make the 12:45pm ferry to St. John, and the next one doesn't leave until 3pm.  So take that into consideration when you are deciding.  

*WESTIN BREEZE
FOR TRANSPORTATION AUGUST 1 - DECEMBER 21, 2014*
FERRY DEPARTURE TIMES: MONDAY - THURSDAY

DEPART WESTIN                    DEPART CROWN BAY MARINA
5:15 AM*                                 ----------------------                 
11:00 AM                                 4:00 PM

*24 hour notice required

FERRY DEPARTURE TIMES: FRIDAY - SUNDAY

DEPART WESTIN                    DEPART CROWN BAY MARINA
6:00 AM (To Redhook)          ------------------------
7:00 AM (To Redhook)          ------------------------
9:00 AM                                   10:00 AM
11:00 AM                                 12:45 PM
1:45 PM*                                  3:00 PM
-------------------                       5:30 PM

*Water taxi for arrivals after 7:30 PM

*PUBLIC FERRY *

Below are the public ferry schedules.  Note that there is a public ferry that departs from Charlotte Amalie at 1pm (highlighted in red below), which sounds like it could be a great option for you. The timing seems doable and since it's near the airport, it would save you from an expensive cab ride to Red Hook. 

*Public Ferry departing from Red Hook*
Transportation Services and Varlack Ventures
(340) 776-6282/(340) 776-6412

20 Minutes
One Way/Round Trip 
Adult (Resident) $6.00 $12.00 
Adult (Non-Resident) $7.00 $14.00 
Kids (2-11) $1.00 $2.00 
Seniors * $1.50 $3.00 
Luggage/Boxes $4.00 piece 

*Red Hook → Cruz Bay*
5:30 am ** | 6:30 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 9:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | Noon | 1:00 | 2:00 | 3:00 | 4:00 | 5:00 | 6:00 | 7:00 | 8:00 | 9:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | Midnight

*Cruz Bay → Red Hook*
6:00 am | 7:00 | 8:00 | 9:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 | Noon | 1:00 | 2:00 | 3:00 | 4:00 | 5:00 | 6:00 | 7:00 | 8:00 | 9:00 | 10:00 | 11:00 pm

*Public Ferry departing from Charlotte Amalie*
Transportation Services and Varlack Ventures
(340) 776-6282/(340) 776-6412

45 Minutes
One Way Round Trip 
Adult (Resident) $12.00 $24.00 
Adult (Non-Resident) $13.00 $26.00 
Kids (2-11) $3.50 $7.00 
Seniors * $6.00 $12.00 
Luggage/Boxes $4.00 piece 

*Charlotte Amalie → Cruz Bay
10:00 am | 1:00 | 5:30 pm*

Cruz Bay → Charlotte Amalie
8:45 am | 11:15 | 3:45 pm

* VI residents only, proof of age required (62+).

** Not on Weekends.


----------



## OKPACIFIC

clymberz said:


> In particular, what should I expect for the fitness center.  I saw the notes from the BoD meeting about the fitness center work going on now.  Also, the website states that the fitness scrente/spa have been relocated.  I'm curious to know what to expect?
> 
> Also, since this is our first time, are there any requests that I should add to the reservation?   I'm just really glad to go and will be pretty happy with anything.  But if there is anything construction oriented to consider.



The fitness center is operational in its current location in the courtyard mall. I asked the employees today when they were moving and they said "in a couple of weeks". The new location will be in the old conference center area.

Coral Vista constuction continues, so it might be noisy in Bay Vista buildings 25 to 27. Also they are jackhammering around the closed hot tub by the main pool so it might be noisy in some of the hotel units in buildings 10 and 11. Hillside and the Pool  Villas are nice and quiet.

Enjoy your stay!


----------



## tomandrobin

OKPACIFIC said:


> The fitness center is operational in its current location in the courtyard mall. I asked the employees today when they were moving and they said "in a couple of weeks". The new location will be in the old conference center area.
> 
> Coral Vista constuction continues, so it might be noisy in Bay Vista buildings 25 to 27. Also they are jackhammering around the closed hot tub by the main pool so it might be noisy in some of the hotel units in buildings 10 and 11. Hillside and the Pool  Villas are nice and quiet.
> 
> Enjoy your stay!



Last week we were in Building 27 and our friends were in building 26. You can not hear the construction when the doors are closed.


----------



## OKPACIFIC

tomandrobin said:


> Last week we were in Building 27 and our friends were in building 26. You can not hear the construction when the doors are closed.


Like he said....Thanks Tom, it was nice meeting you and Robin!


----------



## Bob808

TripAdvisor currently showing some not so great reviews of the property.  Would someone please take a look at these reviews and share some comments?


----------



## tomandrobin

Bob808 said:


> TripAdvisor currently showing some not so great reviews of the property.  Would someone please take a look at these reviews and share some comments?



We just got back last week from the resort. Its still in the middle of a major renovation and those are the type of comments you usually see under those circumstances. 

The work that is complete looks fantastic. The Lemongrass and Marketplace just opened two weeks ago....both are great improvements over the previous versions. (ps-get the Red snapper at Lemongrass, its fantastic! ). The temporary lobby is inconvenient, and having the whole area around the existing lobby tedious for getting to the new lobby. 

We did not experience any bad or rude service. We did have a hiccup with getting new shampoo mid-week......certainly not something to scathe the hotel on. Every time we called for a shuttle, one was at the villa in under 5 minutes. 

The costs of staying at the hotel are what they are......people complaining about that do not understand the expense of staying at the Westin in St John.


----------



## tomandrobin

OKPACIFIC said:


> Like he said....Thanks Tom, it was nice meeting you and Robin!



Ditto John.....Tell Nancy we said Hi.


----------



## bubfn

*New Owners at Westin*

We just completed a purchase of a week at the Westin, a 3BR pool unit. Our first use is July, 2015! We spent a week on St Thomas in April and 1 day on St John. We loved it so much when we got back I bought a week there, and went back for a week this month! We just got back from our week there so I thought I'd add a few comments.
There we 7 of us, my wife and myself, 2 adult children and 3 small kids (9,7,7). We took a cab from the airport to Red Hook, I pre-arranged pickup with *Christopher Taxi and Limo service *on St John. He was prompt in responding to texts and phone calls and was waiting for us at the airport. We were happy enough with his service that we used him on the way back, and I will use him next time as well. Very clean vehicle, professional driver. The advantage of a private taxi is that you don't have to wait until it fills, no additional stops and he is there waiting for you. The cost was about 125$ for the 7 of us I believe, including tip. At the people ferry in Red Hook there are porters that will help you with your bags onto the ferry, just remember to not over pack (pack, and then take half out and leave that at home) and you should be able to get by with 1 or 2 checked bags for a large family!
We rented a car on St John. I would recommend this over getting on St Thomas for a couple of reasons. 
I think it is good to support the business on St. John.
I have driven on St Thomas and St John. Neither is a big deal, however it is much easier to adjust (a few miles under your belt should be enough) to driving with the less traffic on St John. It is easy to find your way from STT to Red Hook, after you have driven it a time or two, but if it is your 1st time, it may be a little exciting finding you way.If you have car issues it will be easier to deal with it if you rent the car on St John. 
If you do only want a car for a couple of days of your trip, it will be much easier renting a car on St John than at STT and then returning it. Although I don't have any specific complaints about the car rental company on St Thomas (Discount), I did have better/easier service getting the car on St John. Not as busy, easier to refuel car, easier to find and get to rental agency, etc. I can't think of one reason that I would ever rent a car on St Thomas a take it to St John.
This trip we rented a Villa and drove by the Westin everyday at least once. There is a grocery store within easy walking distance to the Westin but I would not plan on walking into town. That store has everything you will need for your stay. We went to a different beach everyday, sometimes 2/day. We went to the far end of the island (east) and to the southern end. For us, we will always have a car whenever we go St John. 

If anybody has any questions I will be happy to answer if I can!


----------



## bubfn

*New owners at Westin*

One other thing I was going to mention was the parking issue in town. Parking is difficult to find except for 2 options. We used Slim Man's parking every day. They always provided very good, friendly service. It cost us $5-10 to park there but for the convenience it was well worth it (cheaper than most ramps/lots I've used in most cities!). It is located right behind the build where the Beach Bar/High Tide/Joe's are located, on your left as you are driving down the 1 way street. The other lot we used was the one next door to the police station. No problems there either.
There is a free public lot that you drive by on your way to town from the Westin, may be a 5 minute walk to town. We never parked there, but during our stay there were always spaces available.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Welcome to the WSJ Thread and TUG, and congrats on becoming an Owner.

I can think of many good reasons to rent to StT and take the car barge (as we do) - this has been discussed here often - so I won't rehash. But too each their own...
Of course, the number of people (adults/children), length of stay, arrival/departure times, and vehicle use while on StJ matters in the decision.

If you ever do rent on StT - I recommend Amalie (brand new vehicles, and great service).

It is about 3 mins from the public lot to Woody's - it just seems longer in the heat/humidity...


----------



## conkyjoe

We are scheduled for a Wednesday Owners Update at WSJ.  We own a 2BR LO resale at  Harborside and wanted to get some input from WSJ Tug members before our "update" this Wednesday.  Does the Explorer package they might offer make economic sense?  We live in Southern California to making the trek out to SJU or STT takes a day.  We usually fly Southwest Airlines to San Juan using SWA points.   Sadly, Southwest doesn't fly to STT.
THanks in advance for any tips.  Dan


----------



## DavidnRobin

Just say 'No'...

You can rent from Owners at the MFsas long as you don't go during peak season

Spirit flys from LAX to STT via Ft Lauderdale - if you can stand it...


----------



## LisaRex

I've been to WSJ twice, and both times I took the Westin ferry and rented a car on site on O'Connors.  Didn't regret it. In fact, for first time visitors, I still recommend this path.   But for our January '15 trip, we will go with Amalie.  Why?  

1) They meet you at the airport with your car, so no waiting on a shuttle.  You just walk out with your luggage, and load up. That is super convenient. 

2) I'm now familiar enough with both islands that I feel comfortable navigating to Red Hook. 

3) The friends who are joining us have been there before, so I'm not taking anything away from their "wow" factor of taking the Westin Breeze over.

4) Renting a car for the week gives us the option of coming and going as we please.  With daily rentals, you have to work around their 8am-5pm hours (with an hour+ for lunch).

5) The main reason is that we can stop by the Food Center (a grocery store) near Red Hook and load up with groceries before we head over to St. John.  Prices there are much more reasonable than on St. John.


----------



## ekinggill

*Anyone stayed at Frenchman's Cove?*

Tuggers,

I am tacking four nights at the Frenchman's Cove in St. Thomas onto the end of our week on St. John. Will be there August 16-20. Travelling with wife and two kids, a girl 9 and a boy 6.

I posted this in Marriott but thought I would ask here as well.  If you have ever stayed at MFC, please feel free to weigh in on the following:

First off, my assumption has been that guests in a Cove villa have full access to the Frenchman's Reef amenities. Please confirm or dispel my assumption.

Second, looking for some experienced owners' insight into must do's with the kids on and off the property. We will have my niece to babysit one night, so if there is a kid-free evening must do, we would love to hear that too.

Thanks,

Rich


----------



## czar

Anyone use LowKey Dives?  http://www.divelowkey.com/

I was looking around for snorkel options instead of the one at the Westin, and they offer a bunch. They also offer a discover scuba package that includes 2 shallow dives, which is be interested in trying. 

Any experiences?


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> Anyone use LowKey Dives?  http://www.divelowkey.com/
> 
> I was looking around for snorkel options instead of the one at the Westin, and they offer a bunch. They also offer a discover scuba package that includes 2 shallow dives, which is be interested in trying.
> 
> Any experiences?



I haven't, but many I know have.  I would contact Jason at Island Roots - and ask who he would recommend?  Also, I think Steve Simonsen (StJ UW photo/video-grapher) uses LowKey. Also, ask Tugger ferndale - but you will need to PM as I do not think she reads the forum regularly (unlike some of us with nothing better to do...).  My neighbor in B33 also dives (Tugger EricAndCarol) - you can try a PM, but not sure he pays attn.

I never got around to my 'trip report' - yet - but I would highly recommend Island Roots (if you can find an available reservation that is...) - not for diving, but for an adventurous water day - no matter what is your thing...
The Circumvent St John was one of best water days ever.


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> I haven't, but many I know have.  I would contact Jason at Island Roots - and ask who he would recommend?  Also, I think Steve Simonsen (StJ UW photo/video-grapher) uses LowKey. Also, ask Tugger ferndale - but you will need to PM as I do not think she reads the forum regularly (unlike some of us with nothing better to do...).  My neighbor in B33 also dives (Tugger EricAndCarol) - you can try a PM, but not sure he pays attn.
> 
> I never got around to my 'trip report' - yet - but I would highly recommend Island Roots (if you can find an available reservation that is...) - not for diving, but for an adventurous water day - no matter what is your thing...
> The Circumvent St John was one of best water days ever.



Thank you. Emailed Island Roots. Looks like a great option since perhaps my wife and kids could join me. I'm fine wig just snorkeling, and in fact, I'd be fine with finding some shallow water spots my kids could play in.  Mentioned your referral. Didn't think you'd mind since you referred us to Amalie, too.  Hope that was OK!


----------



## czar

czar said:


> We're in the midst of trying to figure out what to do this year.  Our 2nd oldest is now 4, so the cost for the 5 of us (we have a 2 yo who ships for free) is $420.  Last year, we only rented a car for one day - the kids are still a little young to last going out for more than a few hours and still really prefer the pool.  Would be nice to get out 1-2 days to see some of the beaches again and go visit the other side of the island, but we may not even do that depensing on temperaments   But at the very least, I know we don't need a car for the week, and we'd have to rent at least 2 days from O'Connor's to break even on renting in STT and taking ferry compared to WSJ ferry and then renting from O'Connors.
> 
> The big issue trying to grapple with is what to do with the ferry.  If we can somehow navigate the public ferry with our 3 kids and luggage, we'll save quite a bit of $$.  I'm guessing we'd save ~ $300; however, not sure what that would be like (are they helpful with luggage once you get out of taxi; do they store it somewhere for the ride over)?  If it's not a huge ordeal, we'd be better off (financially) taking a taxi to red hook and then the public ferry and taxi into WSJ from there.
> 
> Our flight arrives (delta) 12:16pm and departs 1:29pm Friday-Friday.
> 
> Any advice?
> 
> EDIT: Actually, I think I underpriced the cost of a taxi for 2 adults and 3 kids.  I'm guessing the taxi to the dock from airport likely costs $40-$50 for all of us incl luggage?  Plys another $25 or so on the other side (StJ)?  So conservatively I am thinking $150 for taxis R/T plus the ferry cost of ~ $60 with luggage R/T.  So maybe $210 versus $420.  Plus, talking with wife, sh'ed really prefer NOT ro drag car seats like last time, so thinking we won't even rent a car this trip - we can always taxi it to beach if we want to go.



Well we ended up booking the Westin ferry. Took a 60 second conversation with my wife. Should have started there


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> Well we ended up booking the Westin ferry. Took a 60 second conversation with my wife. Should have started there



LOL - Happy wife = Happy Life.


----------



## LisaH

Just saw your post... 
For MFC, you have full access to the hotel amenities. However, the hotel is quite a distance from MFC so, instead of walking, you may need to wait for the free shuttles to get there. I have done both.
For kids activities, I think Coral World, Megan's Beach would be interesting to visit. I was going to say that you could take the kids to St John but they will be going there anyway...



ekinggill said:


> Tuggers,
> 
> I am tacking four nights at the Frenchman's Cove in St. Thomas onto the end of our week on St. John. Will be there August 16-20. Travelling with wife and two kids, a girl 9 and a boy 6.
> 
> I posted this in Marriott but thought I would ask here as well.  If you have ever stayed at MFC, please feel free to weigh in on the following:
> 
> First off, my assumption has been that guests in a Cove villa have full access to the Frenchman's Reef amenities. Please confirm or dispel my assumption.
> 
> Second, looking for some experienced owners' insight into must do's with the kids on and off the property. We will have my niece to babysit one night, so if there is a kid-free evening must do, we would love to hear that too.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Rich


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> LOL - Happy wife = Happy Life.



Haha. Yes. How do I forget that. 

In her defense we do have to get the kids up at 4 AM to make our 8 o'clock flight. She took a long look at me and said, "are you serious? You want to try to lug the kids and the luggage on a taxi and the ferry and back to another taxi and then wait in line to check in?"

I think next year, and if not, you're after, but only need two small car seats, so renting from Amalie and taking the ferry over is going to be our best option. 

I'm hoping to set something up with the island roots, and instead of the money we would pay for the rental car, spend some time out on the water with the family.


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> I haven't, but many I know have.  I would contact Jason at Island Roots - and ask who he would recommend?  Also, I think Steve Simonsen (StJ UW photo/video-grapher) uses LowKey. Also, ask Tugger ferndale - but you will need to PM as I do not think she reads the forum regularly (unlike some of us with nothing better to do...).  My neighbor in B33 also dives (Tugger EricAndCarol) - you can try a PM, but not sure he pays attn.
> 
> I never got around to my 'trip report' - yet - but I would highly recommend Island Roots (if you can find an available reservation that is...) - not for diving, but for an adventurous water day - no matter what is your thing...
> The Circumvent St John was one of best water days ever.



Dave thanks for the tip. Jason got in touch with me tonight. Booking is tight even in the "off season!"  But we're going to do a morning 1/2 day trip around St. John's North Shore with the option to extend to full day of the kids are into it. Psyched. Good use of our car rental money and the money I'd have spent on a large group snorkel tour


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Seasonal Closings - 2014*

Seasonal Closings (2014)
http://newsofstjohn.com/2014/08/13/2014-seasonal-closings/

Staying Open:
Across the Street Bar 
Asolare
Baked in the Sun
Barefoot Cowboy Lounge 
Beach Bar 
Cafe Livin’ (May close one week for maintenance)
Castaway’s Tavern  
Chateau Bordeaux
Chester’s  
Cruz Bay Landing 
da Livio’s 
Deli Grotto
Driftwood Dave’s: Opening at 1 p.m. (though dinner) Monday through Friday until November 1
Etta’s West Indian Cuisine
High Tide 
Jake’s
P & P’s: Open Tuesday through Saturday. Must call (340) 693-8587 for reservations.
Quiet Mon (May close the last week of September for maintenance)
Sam and Jack’s Deli (Hours may vary depending on demand; visit their website for more info)
Sogo’s
St. John Scoops 
Sun Dog Cafe – (They will be open throughout, with a brief maintenance period in early October. During that time, they will serve lunch and use the bar at Virgin Fire.)
Tap Room 
Uncle Joe’s
West Indies Delight
Westin
Woody’s 
X on St. John 

Closing: 
Aqua Bistro: Closed September 6 through September 11
Banana Deck: Closed September 1 through October 15
Cafe Concordia: Closed September and October
Cafe Roma: Closing September 1; Reopening October 3
Caneel Bay Resort (including restaurants): Closing August 26; Reopening November 1
Coral Bay Caribbean Oasis: Closed; Reopening September 1
Fatty Crab: Closing this Saturday: Tentatively reopening October 15
Joe’s Rum Hut: Closing September 2 for three weeks
La Tapa: Closed as of August 23; Will reopen either October 11th or 17th
Lime Inn: Closed as of August 24th – They’re holding a pig roast at Oppenheimer that day and all are invited; Bar reopens bar September 23 with food; Restaurant will reopen in early November; Exact date to be determined by weather
Margarita Phil’s: Closed for September
Miss Lucy’s: Closed September and October
Morgan’s Mango: Will close 1-2 weeks in October – Dates Undecided
Motu Bar: Closing August 15; Reopening in October
Ocean 362: Closed August 25 through October 15
Ocean Grill: Closing August 31; Reopening September 29
Pickles (Tentatively)
Rhumb Lines: Closed September 16 – October 18
Ronnie’s Pizza Closed; Reopening September 15
Shipwreck Landing: Closed September and October 
Skinny Legs: Closed September 1st -27th except for NFL Sundays (the 7th,14th,and 21st); Will be open 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. then with a limited menu. Reopening September 28
Tamarind Inn: Closed August 27 to September 9 for maintenance
The Fish Trap: Closing August 22 through October 7
The Terrace: Closing October 1 through October 25
Tourist Trap: Closing August 23; Reopening September 23
T’ree Lizards Restaurant (Cinnamon Bay Campground): Closed September and October
Vie’s Snack Shack: Closed September and October
Virgin Fire: Will celebrate the end of season with a party on August 30; Reopening October 1.
Waterfront Bistro: Closed September 1 through October 9
Zozo’s Ristorante: Closing August 26; Reopening November 1


----------



## ferndale

czar said:


> Thank you. Emailed Island Roots. Looks like a great option since perhaps my wife and kids could join me. I'm fine wig just snorkeling, and in fact, I'd be fine with finding some shallow water spots my kids could play in.  Mentioned your referral. Didn't think you'd mind since you referred us to Amalie, too.  Hope that was OK!




Czar,
   I may be too late to be of help, but we have used several companies for diving and snorkeling on St. John.  We usually spend 6 out of 7 days on the island out on a boat!!  Feel free to pm me if you want more info!


----------



## czar

ferndale said:


> Czar,
> I may be too late to be of help, but we have used several companies for diving and snorkeling on St. John.  We usually spend 6 out of 7 days on the island out on a boat!!  Feel free to pm me if you want more info!



THanks so much for the offer. I booked cap'n jason for 1/2 day trip and I think that's probbaly all we'll do this round.


----------



## czar

T -minus 14 hours and counting. 

Two quick questions.

First, can you bring your own alcohol in the form of canned beer to the main resort pool?

Second, do they have a model of the new Coral Vista to show? Just curious about going on the owners update.


----------



## TDS

I can't say for sure about bringing beer to the pool, but I would expect its discouraged.  I've been here several days and I've only seen one person at the pool with what appeared to be items they brought themselves.

Yes, there is a model of Coral Vista available for viewing.  If you don't want to do an update, you might be able to view it at night.  We noticed a couple of nights ago that they had the lights on in the model after dark - it of course wasn't open, but we could see most of it from the window.  I would imagine that leaving the lights was to encourage viewing from the patio for sales purposes.


----------



## czar

TDS said:


> I can't say for sure about bringing beer to the pool, but I would expect its discouraged.  I've been here several days and I've only seen one person at the pool with what appeared to be items they brought themselves.
> 
> Yes, there is a model of Coral Vista available for viewing.  If you don't want to do an update, you might be able to view it at night.  We noticed a couple of nights ago that they had the lights on in the model after dark - it of course wasn't open, but we could see most of it from the window.  I would imagine that leaving the lights was to encourage viewing from the patio for sales purposes.



Ok thanks. I just couldn't remember from last summer. Our trick at other places is usually to find out what kind of canned beers they serve and then buy some and trade off ordering and then bringing a few of our own. 

Good to know about the model. Will definitely sign up for the owners update then!


----------



## suzannesimon

This is our home away from home.  There shouldn't be a problem bringing your own drinks if that is your choice.  We take soft drinks to Frenchman's Cove pool area and sometimes beer.  I much prefer their rum drinks to mine, however.


----------



## czar

suzannesimon said:


> This is our home away from home.  There shouldn't be a problem bringing your own drinks if that is your choice.  We take soft drinks to Frenchman's Cove pool area and sometimes beer.  I much prefer their rum drinks to mine, however.



Haha. Thanks!  Yes, I agree. I leave the real drink making to he professionals. Looking forward to a couple painkillers!  And some Guava wata from Rhumb Lines.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Beer in cans is fine.  Starfish and StJ Market has (had) Sierra Nevade Pale Ale in 16oz cans - in case you like real beer.
No bottles allowed on StJ beaches.


----------



## Politico

*Red Hook ferry and weather*

We are scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon. The weather forecast for tomorrow is calling for 20-30 mph winds. Does anyone know if winds at that rate will delay or cancel the car ferry?


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> Beer in cans is fine.  Starfish and StJ Market has (had) Sierra Nevade Pale Ale in 16oz cans - in case you like real beer.
> No bottles allowed on StJ beaches.



I think I Remeber you mentioning SN. Right now Lagunitas takes the #1 spot. But that's a close 2nd.


----------



## czar

*Just landed*

Breezy and 90°. Flight got in about 20 minutes early (scheduled for 12:16) so we're already on the shuttle, about to depart for the 12:45 ferry we didn't think we'd make!  

Surprised at the completely full flight over!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t8udYOwmhU


----------



## tomandrobin

Lucky Lucky Guy!


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> I think I Remeber you mentioning SN. Right now Lagunitas takes the #1 spot. But that's a close 2nd.



Of course we prefer Lagunitas - but can only get SN in cans.  Plus, it is a bit lighter for the hotter temps.




{Denis Bay}


----------



## ksqdomer

In June Castaways had 8 Rogue beers on tap. That surprised me.


----------



## czar

*Resort Update*

So a little less than 24 hours on site. There are some frustrations and annoyances, like the noise and reroutes, but the work being done is really nice and will make WSJ nice for years to come so worth it. 

Super nice check in experience. About 1000x smoother as compared to last year and even though our room wasn't ready they took my number and called within the hour they promised and actually came and found me when the call went to VM. I really love the staff here. 

The Marketplace is a huge improvement and there is some delicious looking prepared food in the case. Such a nice spot and more convenient. 

Internet in BV is definitely faster. Last year was barely getting 1 meg download. Getting 3+ consistently. Can actually stream content for my kids which is a great thing at 6:00am. 

We ended up taking the Breeze, and with our little kids and the 4:30 wake up yesterday, that was definitely the right decision. Someone else on the Breeze, who has been coming for about 9 years, told me that the car rental agency here has car seats, so I'm going to check into that. Either way we're headed out for an am charter on Thursday so we'll get to snorkel!

So excited to be back. Headed to owners update Tuesday or Wednesday. The CV units look nice and the demo units had the lights burning last night!

PS: decided last night that we are coming for a minimum 9-10 days next trip. Too hard to travel here, decompress, and then re enter civilization all within 7 days.


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> PS: decided last night that we are coming for a minimum 9-10 days next trip. Too hard to travel here, decompress, and then re enter civilization all within 7 days.



Color me jealous.
We use a combo of StJ Market and Starfish - but we have a car.  Make sure you look at price and expiration date on the foods.  I saw some dating back to last year.
If we hadn't bought our adjacent 2nd week from owners that we got our 1st week - we would have sold (given away...) our single week. It was just too much to travel all the way there, acclimate, and have to turn around and come home. Even 2 weeks seem too short.  I would really like to spend 4-6 months there - if I could just hit the lottery... (or get adopted by W5* )


----------



## bobpark56

*Look at port closures, not ferry cancelations*



Politico said:


> We are scheduled to arrive tomorrow afternoon. The weather forecast for tomorrow is calling for 20-30 mph winds. Does anyone know if winds at that rate will delay or cancel the car ferry?



Our experience is that is not the ferry that gets canceled, rather it's the port captain's (port authority's) decision to close his port. 

We had an experience with an approaching hurricane where the port at Charlotte Amalie was closed, but Red Hook was still open...for a bit. So the Westin Ferry took us to Red Hook, where we were placed on buses for the trip to the airport.


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> It was just too much to travel all the way there, acclimate, and have to turn around and come home.



I was under the impression there were relatively simple flights from SFO to STT?  Or is it just the length/timing of the flights, etc?

We haven't worked out the logistics yet for next summer, as flight schedules are just starting to come out, but I'm sure from Victoria, BC it's going to be a large number of connections to get there (as we can only get to a very small number of hubs from here).


----------



## DavidnRobin

Generally we go SFO-MIA then MIA-STT on AA.  Either as a red-eye from SFO-MIA, or over nite in MIA at the airport Sheraton on points.  Then rent from Amalie and car-barge over.
The biggest issues are the time-change and the heat/humidity, and food shopping.  We have a Fri-Fri, so all in not really copacetic until Sunday - and then having to pack-up Thur nite to leave on Friday - only really gives Sun-Thurs.  5 full days in reality with time to adjust (being from chilly SF Peninsula - relatively).  Added a week gives us much better vacation experience - 5/7 vs. 12/14 - a 20% increase LOL.


----------



## czar

*More on tax bills*






VI property owners are about to get their 2013 property tax bills which will be the first issued under the new tax structure.  going to bet that David has posted specifics on this before, and he certainly knows more about it, but quick recap of article is that there was a 0.75% property tax rate on all properties in the Virgin Islands since 1936 and that's been overturned. Apparently it was a huge legal battle. Now, they are variable rates, from .38% for residential owners to 1.4% for timeshare owners.

It also seems from the article that they've changed the responsibility for billing taxes based on ownership as of January 1 of the current tax year. So, it seems like that would make transfers easier since the new owner would not be responsible for taxes from the previous tax year.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*USVI Property Tax Update*

As czar mentioned (surprised I saw nothing from StJ blogs/FB)
Timeshares taxed at 1.41% - ouch.  Local governments again screwing TS owners (e.g. Maui...) 2x higher than the next level (commercial) and 3x higher than residential (even though many are used for short-term rentals). The prior TS tax rate was 1.25% (iirc) - so that is a 13% increase.  For example - our tax bill is ~$130 - so expect it to go to $147.
At one point it was doubling (a few years back), but got struck down.

*Property tax bills to be issued soon*
{from VI Daily News}

The Division of Real Property Tax issued a statement Friday that it plans to begin issuing the 2013 property tax bills to Virgin Islands property owners in coming weeks.

The division also is offering a discount to property owners who pay their bills within 30 days of their being issued.

The bills are issued to all property owners of record as of January 1, 2013. The 2013 property tax assessments are based on new property values reflecting recent assessments that were conducted by the Tax Assessor's Office.

"Some property owners will see an increase in their property tax bills, while some will see a decrease," Tax Assessor Ira Mills said in a prepared statement.

The factors that affect each taxpayer's property tax bill include market value, the tax rate and statutory exemptions, according to Mills.

Exemptions, or credits, are available in the following categories: general homestead; veterans; seniors; disabled; Class 1 inheritance; visitable home; and tax credit circuit breaker. Although taxpayers can no longer apply for credits against the 2013 or 2014 bills, they can do so in advance of the 2015 bills.

The tax rates for the 2013 property bills, as outlined in Act 6991, are:
- 0.004946 - Unimproved non-commercial real property.
- 0.003770 - Residential real property.
- 0.007110 - Commercial real property.
*- 0.014070 - Timeshare real property.*

The 2013 bill also will include information about unpaid tax years, and property owners who have not paid their 2012 or prior tax year bills can contact the Tax Collector's Office to make arrangements for payment.

Payments can be made at:

- St. John: Islandia Building.
- St. Thomas: Builders Emporium.
- St. Croix: 1105 King Street (Government House, Christiansted); 1131 King Street, Suite 101 (Christiansted); 4008 Estate Diamond (Dept. of Finance, Sunny Isles); and Lagoon Street Commercial Building No. 1 (Frederiksted).

The Tax Collector's Office accepts checks, cash, money orders, Visa, MasterCard, ATM and debit cards.

Questions about delinquencies can be addressed to the Tax Collector's office at 776-8505 on St. Thomas; 776-6737 on St. John; 773-1105 in Christiansted; or 772-0120 in Frederiksted.


----------



## okwiater

czar said:


> So excited to be back. Headed to owners update Tuesday or Wednesday. The CV units look nice and the demo units had the lights burning last night!



Do you have any photos of the CV units? Which unit(s) did they have available to tour? I am curious if they resolved the problem with the tiny window in the 2-BR loft. Also, are there decent views from any of the bedrooms?


----------



## czar

okwiater said:


> Do you have any photos of the CV units? Which unit(s) did they have available to tour? I am curious if they resolved the problem with the tiny window in the 2-BR loft. Also, are there decent views from any of the bedrooms?



Sorry no photos. Left my phone by mistake. Yes actually decent view from ground floor unit. We toured the two end units in the building closest to the lobby. A studio and 2 br. Interesting layout. Definitely smaller than BV units. Basically they made the bathrooms smaller. Double sinks in master but just shower. All we need. We felt the BV bathrooms are wasted space. The kitchen is slimmed down. Only 2 burners. Again no oven. It's more of a galley style with less counter space. Definitely a smaller fridge. The eating area is bench style but shorter with a 90° Turn to seat at the end and pushed close to the living room. Living room is definitely smaller too with couch and small dresser with TV over it.  Master Bedroom is angled off the living room. 

The views we saw are similar to BV (ie through the trees) but different perspective since closer and less elevated. 

Units are really nicely appointed. 

3 bedroom is combining a studio and a 2br. No loft to see. 

She said the farthest building (below BV 27) will have nicest views. 

Purchase price for 2br week may through December is $38k. 

See price sheet below 






MF are crazy!  $3300 for 1 week 2br in summer/fall season and $4500 for 3br?  I almost didn't believe them. 

Fyi for those interested the Explorer package is $2600. I purchased it in case we decide to try to do something with a requal a week and trade in. We also get 2 free ferry passes which is a help since we need 4. So next summer we'll likely stay in CV for 5 nights and move to BV for 4-5 nights.


----------



## czar

I think they quotes me the wrong MF. I think those amounts are for diamond season.


----------



## LisaRex

The SP conversion on these units is laughably low.  

And the SOs don't jive with the 2015 SO table.  Are they revising this, or are they seriously going to give owners fewer SOs to exchange out than they are going to require to exchange in?


----------



## suzannesimon

I don't think the maintenance fees change from one season to the next so it is worth it to buy the best season to get the most bang for your buck.


----------



## czar

LisaRex said:


> The SP conversion on these units is laughably low.
> 
> And the SOs don't jive with the 2015 SO table.  Are they revising this, or are they seriously going to give owners fewer SOs to exchange out than they are going to require to exchange in?



I don't understand it at all. It's intentionally confusing. And are the first 2 categories of points "sold out"?  Maybe that's why the MF they quoted me were higher since you'd have to buy 2 different points packages?  Basically you have to cob those different points packages together to get to 148.1 or 196 etc. 

They didn't mention anything being sold out so who knows.


----------



## czar

suzannesimon said:


> I don't think the maintenance fees change from one season to the next so it is worth it to buy the best season to get the most bang for your buck.



My understanding from some prior conversations is that the Home Option MF are based on season, since its a different product (similar to RTU). But perhaps they changed that, too.


----------



## TDS

czar said:


> I think they quotes me the wrong MF. I think those amounts are for diamond season.



What you listed for MFs for a 2BR is correct - its $3280 for a summer unit with $148,100 SOs.  I did an update last week.  I don't know about the amount you listed for a 3BR unit.  The fees are even higher for "Diamond" season - in this new phase, MFs are not based on square footage, but instead they correspond with the number of SO's owned in the trust (Coral Vista is a trust ownership, not a deeded property).  

They told us that they do have a few units in Diamond season left, but have stopped selling that season during the pre-construction period.  They intend to hold a few of them for sales once construction is complete.  So, for now, only the other two seasons are available for developer sales.


----------



## czar

Something changed then. When I had spoken with direct sales in the fall, they had quoted about $2500 for a summer two bedroom unit for 148,000 options.



> December 5, 2013, 02:53 PM	  #109
> okwiater
> 
> Resort season 148,100 options was $2518 MFs.
> Resort season 95,700 options was $1915 MFs.


----------



## czar

TDS said:


> What you listed for MFs for a 2BR is correct - its $3280 for a summer unit with $148,100 SOs.  I did an update last week.  I don't know about the amount you listed for a 3BR unit.  The fees are even higher for "Diamond" season - in this new phase, MFs are not based on square footage, but instead they correspond with the number of SO's owned in the trust (Coral Vista is a trust ownership, not a deeded property).
> 
> They told us that they do have a few units in Diamond season left, but have stopped selling that season during the pre-construction period.  They intend to hold a few of them for sales once construction is complete.  So, for now, only the other two seasons are available for developer sales.



It's hard to imagine them charging a 150% of the BV MF for a smaller space. I think a 2br summer BV is about $2100


----------



## DavidnRobin

TDS is correct.

The MFs for BV are not dependent on season.

I am sure they love you posting that price-sheet photo... 

The MFs for the 3Bd will be the 2Bd MF plus the studio MF.

How did trip with Jason on Island Roots go?
Get to Maho Bay...


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> TDS is correct.
> 
> The MFs for BV are not dependent on season.
> 
> I am sure they love you posting that price-sheet photo...
> 
> The MFs for the 3Bd will be the 2Bd MF plus the studio MF.
> 
> How did trip with Jason on Island Roots go?
> Get to Maho Bay...



Headed out with Jason Thursday morning. He only had two spots left. The morning after we arrived or the morning before we left. Figured it was worth waiting Til we were settled.


----------



## DavidnRobin

In the meantime - taxi to Maho - far end. That will take you along most of the north-side.
Snorkel to Francis beach and back.

Check out Honeymoon and Solomon beaches (side-by-side) - if calm


----------



## czar

*Westin StJ access from roadway*

Starting tomorrow, 8/20/14, access from
The main road will be by keycard only at guarded gates.

PS for anyone who needs some WSJ love






From the tennis courts


----------



## tammymacb

*New Owner*

Hello from long term DVC members who have never owned any other type of timeshare.

We visited the Westin for a week in July and loved it so much we bought a 2 bedroom resale (hillside) when we got home. My husband have visited the Caribbean for years, and we just had the time of our lives.

I have a whole lot to learn (I'm fluent in DVC but the rest, not so much) but I rejoined Tug today to learn it.


----------



## TDS

czar said:


> It's hard to imagine them charging a 150% of the BV MF for a smaller space. I think a 2br summer BV is about $2100



Correct - the MFs at CV are about 150% higher than BV and VG. And despite that, it appears that they are selling briskly.  I think it is in part because pre-construction prices are lower for CV and they aren't selling Diamond season now.  We were shown prices for the BV phase and if my memory is correct, a 2BR unit unit was over $60,000, 3BR unit was over $80,000.  And I believe those were in Resort Season.  So, if you are focused on the purchase price, as many first time buyers are, paying $1000 per year more in MFs probably doesn't seem too bad if your other option is going to cost $20,000 more up front.


----------



## okwiater

TDS said:


> Correct - the MFs at CV are about 150% higher than BV and VG.


 
Aside from the lack of a full kitchen in CV, the MFs are actually what's kept me from pulling the trigger. I'm so confused as to how the maintenance costs are so disproportionately high for these units when they really should cost no more to maintain (if not less) than BV. And since they're brand new, there's not even any delinquencies built in to those MFs! I wish we had some sort of explanation...


----------



## czar

okwiater said:


> Aside from the lack of a full kitchen in CV, the MFs are actually what's kept me from pulling the trigger. I'm so confused as to how the maintenance costs are so disproportionately high for these units when they really should cost no more to maintain (if not less) than BV. And since they're brand new, there's not even any delinquencies built in to those MFs! I wish we had some sort of explanation...



I just don't understand how I was quoted those maintenance fees in the fall around $2500 but it's possible for them to go up by almost $800 in just a few months. Since there were people who posted on the coral vista thread  that they purchased many many months ago, I wonder what they were quoted? And, what the heck is the maintenance fee in the winter??? I was told by direct sales in the fall that the maintenance fee for Cora Vista would be about $1000 more during diamond season as compared to be Bay Vista.  

When I questioned the salesman today about it, he just shook his head and said yeah, we don't understand it either.

PS: they were trying to get me to add on even a basic number of points for "just" $11k. It seems like I recall that the smaller the SO package, the higher the MF cost per point?  Is there something fishy going on since the two largest packages of points in Resort season aren't for sale and instead you have to buy 2 smaller packages, increasing your MF?  Or is that just crazy?


----------



## okwiater

czar said:


> I just don't understand how I was quoted those maintenance fees in the fall around $2500 but it's possible for them to go up by almost $800 in just a few months. Since there were people who posted on the coral vista thread that they purchased many many months ago, I wonder what they were quoted? And, what the heck is the maintenance fee in the winter??? I was told by direct sales in the fall that the maintenance fee for Cora Vista would be about $1000 more during diamond season as compared to be Bay Vista.
> 
> When I questioned the salesman today about it, he just shook his head and said yeah, we don't understand it either.
> 
> PS: they were trying to get me to add on even a basic number of points for "just" $11k. It seems like I recall that the smaller the SO package, the higher the MF cost per point? Is there something fishy going on since the two largest packages of points in Resort season aren't for sale and instead you have to buy 2 smaller packages, increasing your MF? Or is that just crazy?


 
You're correct -- the MF for 148,100 HOs in Resort season was $2,518 just a few months ago (1.7 cents/HO). However, at the same time, I was quoted $1,915 for 95,700 HOs (2 cents/HO). So we knew even then that there was some sort of bulk discount for buying a larger points package.

I think you're right, though; either the salespeople are confusing the MFs of Diamond vs. Resort season, OR the salespeople are stacking smaller packages of points at a higher cost per HO.

My guess is that Starwood has only a certain % of points packages available for pre-construction sale, and they are holding the rest back for when the units are finished and they can increase the prices. As a result, the salespeople are piecing together the inventory they have left.


----------



## czar

okwiater said:


> You're correct -- the MF for 148,100 HOs in Resort season was $2,518 just a few months ago (1.7 cents/HO). However, at the same time, I was quoted $1,915 for 95,700 HOs (2 cents/HO). So we knew even then that there was some sort of bulk discount for buying a larger points package.
> 
> I think you're right, though; either the salespeople are confusing the MFs of Diamond vs. Resort season, OR the salespeople are stacking smaller packages of points at a higher cost per HO.
> 
> My guess is that Starwood has only a certain % of points packages available for pre-construction sale, and they are holding the rest back for when the units are finished and they can increase the prices. As a result, the salespeople are piecing together the inventory they have left.



I went back through the CV thread and based on the numbers you were given for MF, I calculated approximately $3300 for diamond season 2br so that's strange that's what it happens to be. Nevertheless, I think you're right. And I bet that's what those two top packages are marked off as uavailable on the explorer pricing sheet. Won't be able to come
Back and get 148k SO for $38k, or if so, it will come at a proce premium. That will make resales tricky business!!


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaRex said:


> And the SOs don't jive with the 2015 SO table.  Are they revising this, or are they seriously going to give owners fewer SOs to exchange out than they are going to require to exchange in?



Smells like SVR - different StarOptions out vs. in...


----------



## DavidnRobin

tammymacb said:


> Hello from long term DVC members who have never owned any other type of timeshare.
> 
> We visited the Westin for a week in July and loved it so much we bought a 2 bedroom resale (hillside) when we got home. My husband have visited the Caribbean for years, and we just had the time of our lives.
> 
> I have a whole lot to learn (I'm fluent in DVC but the rest, not so much) but I rejoined Tug today to learn it.



Welcome aboard.  As you, we love StJ as well.  What week did you buy? We own weeks 23 and 24 - also own 2Bd TH villa (B34).


----------



## tammymacb

Thanks! We bought week 29 and I'm currently looking for week 28 also. My husband and I spend a couple weeks in the Caribbean every summer, and this was just perfect.


----------



## okwiater

*Coral Vista progress*

dck Worldwide, which is doing the construction for WSJ-CV, has posted a presentation covering the progress. Some new pics for those who are interested.

http://prezi.com/wiq6iq48d09t/st-john-westin-resort/


----------



## okwiater

*CV villa*

CV villa shower


----------



## okwiater

*CV villa*

CV villa living area


----------



## okwiater

*CV villa*

CV villa dining


----------



## okwiater

*CV villa*

CV villa construction 1


----------



## okwiater

*CV villa*

CV villa construction 2


----------



## okwiater

*CV villa*

CV villa construction 3


----------



## okwiater

*CV exterior*

CV exterior 1


----------



## okwiater

*CV exterior*

CV exterior 2


----------



## okwiater

*CV lobby*

CV lobby 1


----------



## okwiater

*CV lobby*

CV lobby 2


----------



## okwiater

*Lemongrass*

Lemongrass 1


----------



## okwiater

*Lemongrass*

Lemongrass 2


----------



## okwiater

*Lemongrass*

Lemongrass 3


----------



## okwiater

*Lemongrass*

Lemongrass 4


----------



## okwiater

*Lemongrass*

Lemongrass 5


----------



## okwiater

*Lemongrass*

Lemongrass 6


----------



## NNerland

*CV MF's*

I did talk to my contact at Starwood, as I was a purchaser of the 148,100 resort season.  We purchased for flexibility and were able to Retro to get to 5*.  We have about 40% the capital usually required to get to 5* because of our BV ownership and retro's we completed.  It was a win win for us.  

BV is pretty much sold out with the new values, their MF's are so much cheaper and you get really good value for Options and Starwood Points (exchange) relative to the MF's of other resorts.

The new CV is a trust of points, therefore they are able to charge you more appropriately for the season use, where they can't with the deeded property.

So the 148,100 has been sold out since midwinter and the prices for MF's you are seeing to get to 148,100 is done by cobbling seasons together to get you the points you want.  Again, they are selling as more of a property to exchange out of, yet have ownership to get in when you can.

It is new, so spendy, and people are apparently paying up.  I was just glad to confirm that our 148,100 will start about $2450, I am sure it will go up...but we got rid of Kauai, our first property, because their fees kept going up and their options were less.  We LOVE St John and LOVE that we got to 5* and only own 3 1/2 weeks (3 every year + 1 every other) versus the typical 5 weeks it takes to get to 5*


----------



## okwiater

I think CV is going to have a much bigger delinquency problem as compared to the other phases. The MFs are insanely high.

A side question: if I buy 3 packages of points to get to 148,100, is that 3 weeks that I can deposit into II?


----------



## DavidnRobin

It is good to see that they have found way to attempt to even out the MFs between high- and low-season ownership.

The fees for WSJ phases have increased much more than WPORV - all things considered (time as factor) - and the SOs are the same (148.1K) and the SPs also about the same iirc (84K SP for conversion for 148.1K SOs at WPORV w/o 10% bump being 5*).

Even in the low season (high MF/SO) at WSJ - my Gold+ VGV neighbor paid (resale) $9K for 2 weeks worth 95.7K SO per week in 2015.

The SO-SP conversion for VOIs with high MFs (e.g. WSJ, WPORV, WKORV/N HRA...) are not worth it - unless extreme fuzzy math is applied as done by SVO Sales.

Up until recently - for about $20K you could get a resale 3Bd Plat+ VGV (pool) - that is going to have a huge amount of SOs associated with them in 2015 - even the Plat VGV are going to get a 50% bump in SOs.

let's see where this all is (MFs, etc) in 2017-18 - when the CV dust settles.

A 40% discount over what amount? Meaning - all-in-all how much capital was laid out - and what are the total MFs?  What the 'book' price is buying from SVO shouldn't even be in the equation.  I am sure this bargain it was not cheap, but if you have cash to burn, then why not?


----------



## czar

They do look really nice. Both the external and internal construction looks excellent.


----------



## czar

That's incredibly messed up. They did not reference that at all and completely dodged the question. Hey told me to email with any questions and no answer to that one surprise surprise 

They're going to have some ANGRY owners when they find out they're paying $800 more per year for the same SO. It's egregious. Whether it will do anything of not, I'm writing a letter to corporate because I raised the issue and they definitely were less than honest about it. 



NNerland said:


> I did talk to my contact at Starwood, as I was a purchaser of the 148,100 resort season.  We purchased for flexibility and were able to Retro to get to 5*.  We have about 40% the capital usually required to get to 5* because of our BV ownership and retro's we completed.  It was a win win for us.
> 
> BV is pretty much sold out with the new values, their MF's are so much cheaper and you get really good value for Options and Starwood Points (exchange) relative to the MF's of other resorts.
> 
> The new CV is a trust of points, therefore they are able to charge you more appropriately for the season use, where they can't with the deeded property.
> 
> So the 148,100 has been sold out since midwinter and the prices for MF's you are seeing to get to 148,100 is done by cobbling seasons together to get you the points you want.  Again, they are selling as more of a property to exchange out of, yet have ownership to get in when you can.
> 
> It is new, so spendy, and people are apparently paying up.  I was just glad to confirm that our 148,100 will start about $2450, I am sure it will go up...but we got rid of Kauai, our first property, because their fees kept going up and their options were less.  We LOVE St John and LOVE that we got to 5* and only own 3 1/2 weeks (3 every year + 1 every other) versus the typical 5 weeks it takes to get to 5*


----------



## NNerland

The SO-SP conversion for VOIs with high MFs (e.g. WSJ, WPORV, WKORV/N HRA...) are not worth it - unless extreme fuzzy math is applied as done by SVO Sales.

I hear this argument ALL the time on TUGG.  However, it doesn't take fuzzy math to say it is NOT WORTH IT -- obviously it depends on where you use the points.  Do you ever go to New York, San Francisco, St John Westin, Chicago, Iowa City on a Football weekend, etc....many times these rooms are $400+/night and take 7,000 to 16,000 points.  St John can run upwards of $1,000/night and in Europe you can save big money too.   I wouldn't say using points at a FourPoints makes sense, but you have to admit those who have these timeshares through Starwood aren't usually staying at the Fourpoints.  They are investing in the Starwood Brand and higher end properties.   I have found that 75% of the time we are saving 50% on rooms when breaking down valuations of points we use.  In addition to the close to 750,000 points we got through two purchases, using the AMEX on the purchases - we got some nice perks for the intial investment.

As for 40% discount comment - versus retail.  I realize you can buy all you want and go where you want or buy at Mandatory resorts - however we are a family that likes to use our ownership and have flexibility to see the world in a high class way that we could not otherwise afford.

Also - I am referring to Bay Vista MF's -- Virgin Grand have ALWAYS been high and I believe it was a lack of funding for replacement that caused much of this.  I believe that the newer SVO's are better run in terms of funding for updates and improvements and many costs have been associated with taxes, utilities, labor and insurance costs...just as many of our OWN PERSONAL HOMEOWNERSHIP COSTS have risen ahead of inflation - not to mention healthcare.

We purchased 2 properties through Starwood Direct and 2 properties on the secondary market - were able to do upgrades and retros to get us to 715,000 Staroptions.  We got very lucky with the recent re-valuation of St John and the lowest cost MF's per value received ownership in Bay Vista.

This can all change - but we have a good base to build off of and have many benefits to reap before it becomes more painful.


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar - to my understanding, the MFs bills for CV have not come out. I think the point is how you package the SOs together - results in different MFs for the same amount of SOs - if I understood correctly.

now - more important things - photos of Trunk, Maho, etc...


----------



## NNerland

czar said:


> That's incredibly messed up. They did not reference that at all and completely dodged the question. Hey told me to email with any questions and no answer to that one surprise surprise
> 
> They're going to have some ANGRY owners when they find out they're paying $800 more per year for the same SO. It's egregious. Whether it will do anything of not, I'm writing a letter to corporate because I raised the issue and they definitely were less than honest about it.



I do not side with Starwood, often struggle with value of capital tied up and loss of future growth, versus spending along the way; but in this case it is very clear.  What you are buying is NOT 148,100 in the sense of 1 week in that season.  You are buying 2 lower seasons, each season having a MF's associated with that week.  If you want to have enough points you have to do it that way.  They split up into so many different seasons/week options - that just like with other properties with Plat Plus, Plat, Gold, Red, etc - you have various options and prices available with each.

I personally would NEVER cobble together with the higher fee, but it is pretty clear.

After reading often on this site - like those who only watch Fox News, MSNBC or CNN - you start to only see things one way and believe what you are programed to believe.

No doubt Developer purchases are expensive - and I would have never gotten to 5* that way -- but you get what you get and those who cobble together in other ways don't get the value and flexibility.  That works for some and not for others.  But to blanket that one way or the other is the right way for everyone is wrong and misleading.


----------



## DavidnRobin

You hear the fuzzy math argument all the time on TUG because it is true - and born out of years of experience and many sides of the discussion that has gone on for years - you can spin it anyway you want (thus... why it is called fuzzy math).  I certainly have my share of SOs and SPs - as well as overpaying - but at the same time - I have some great resorts - and great vacations. If 5* works for you - and you were obviously willing to pay it - more power to you.

Re: MFs - what I meant is the MFs that are being charged now is a reflection of the current state of MFs at BV and CV - as well as VGV.  But, overall - the MFs have flattened out at a rate 50% higher than ~2007. You are comparing an already high MF to an upward increase in bringing WPORV into the mix.  All I am saying is that they were already high - and the SO-SP conversion (which can obviously can and should be optimized) is a poor conversion - and more so with high MFs.

The SOs for SVN exchanges are truly the gauge that should be considered - and that goes to both upfront costs and annual costs.  That is what is the true cost - not some implied discount of paying full-freight - even with the requals.  Bringing in the aspect of SO to SP conversion has only flexibility value - a poor one from a financial perspective.

I see you like the comparison to certain News organization - the truth is that the world is not black or white - that is to your point - and that it is not a one-size fits all. As said - if you have the spare money - go for it - someone needs to keep the boat afloat.

I can easily look at my OFD at WKORV - which has a value on SVO sheets of $125K and claim that I got a great deal - but in reality it still cost a lot of cash upfront and in MFs.  Is it my fav VOI? Yes. Do I enjoy it immensely? Yes.  But at the same time I realize that my vacation monies could go a lot further if I rented down the beach, and certainly do not delude myself that I saved 50%+.


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> czar - to my understanding, the MFs bills for CV have not come out. I think the point is how you package the SOs together - results in different MFs for the same amount of SOs - if I understood correctly.
> 
> now - more important things - photos of Trunk, Maho, etc...



David,

Weird phone call this morning at 8:45. It was Jason. "You free?  A charter just cancelled."  "Yeah," I replied. "Be there in an hour."  

We were supposed to go tomorrow am. 

What's the best thing you've ever done on a vacation?  Hands down - Island Roots.


----------



## czar

Mermaids chair 






Customs house





Never too young to put your face underwater...










View from Annaberg


----------



## czar

*Big Issue in Coral Bay*

Our babysitter, a local transplant, was telling u last night that there's a huge issue going on in Coral Bay, where she lives. Apparently there's a plan for a large, 145 slip mega yacht marina and shopping development. On the front page this morning.


----------



## okwiater

This would be a terrible blow to the unique paradise that is St. John.

Apparently, there was a hearing yesterday (August 20) at the legislative building in Cruz Bay. Anybody know what happened?

http://newsofstjohn.com/2014/08/10/coral-bay-marina-thought/


----------



## DavidnRobin

Keep the photos coming - good to hear that the charter w/ Jason of Island Roots worked out.  Plus I hear rains are coming.  Jason is really a well-rounded person, I could only wish I had it that together at 28yo.

re: Coral Bay - I wrote a letter against Summers End's plan for a marina in CB. Using the environmental angle (too big and too close to Hurricane Hole - a NPS Preserve).  However, I do think that CB could use a small marina - at least a pump-out station.  Unfortunately, history of USVI is that big money wins as big money can line the pockets of the local politicians who make ours look like angels.


----------



## czar

*Coral Vista progress*

They stated opening for occupancy early winter 2015


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> Keep the photos coming - good to hear that the charter w/ Jason of Island Roots worked out.  Plus I hear rains are coming.  Jason is really a well-rounded person, I could only wish I had it that together at 28yo.
> 
> re: Coral Bay - I wrote a letter against Summers End's plan for a marina in CB. Using the environmental angle (too big and too close to Hurricane Hole - a NPS Preserve).  However, I do think that CB could use a small marina - at least a pump-out station.  Unfortunately, history of USVI is that big money wins as big money can line the pockets of the local politicians who make ours look like angels.



That was the same sentiment from te locals with whom we spoke.


----------



## YYJMSP

czar said:


> They stated opening for occupancy early winter 2015



Winter 2015 = a year from now?  Or do you mean Jan 2105?

CV appears to be in the online villa booking tool as of at least Apr 2015 (i.e. 8mos from now, which is all I can see with SO's), assuming those are the one's showing as 3BR L/O's


----------



## DavidnRobin

I recall mid-2015 as well as 1st reservations - but they will probably do what they did with BV - open inventory in the 1st building, then open up as the other buildings are finished.


----------



## czar

YYJMSP said:


> Winter 2015 = a year from now?  Or do you mean Jan 2105?
> 
> CV appears to be in the online villa booking tool as of at least Apr 2015 (i.e. 8mos from now, which is all I can see with SO's), assuming those are the one's showing as 3BR L/O's



Correct, Feb 2015 it sounded like.


----------



## LisaRex

Thanks for all the great photos, Czar.  If you happen to stroll by the tennis courts, can you let me know if they are in good condition? Last time we went, they needed attention, especially the lights.

We'll be heading to WSJ in January 2015.  I'll try to post photos then.


----------



## czar

LisaRex said:


> Thanks for all the great photos, Czar.  If you happen to stroll by the tennis courts, can you let me know if they are in good condition? Last time we went, they needed attention, especially the lights.
> 
> We'll be heading to WSJ in January 2015.  I'll try to post photos then.



We were on them the other night and they seemed fine but doesn't mean they are. My wife is the tennis player in the family. We did use the lights and they lit right up.


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## czar

Side of building 23 (they actually made a lot of progress while we were here)




Bar at lemongrass - we came here two nights for a drink and really liked the ambiance




New greeting/check in area - was not open when we arrived


----------



## czar

FYI - weather/water rough enough today that they're brining the Breeze in and out of Red Hook.


----------



## czar

*CV sales*

FYI - sent email to WSJ sales re MF discrepancy. They didn't answer directly but responded by saying that they were sold out of 148k inventory.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> This would be a terrible blow to the unique paradise that is St. John.
> 
> Apparently, there was a hearing yesterday (August 20) at the legislative building in Cruz Bay. Anybody know what happened?
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2014/08/10/coral-bay-marina-thought/



There is a lot of interesting info arising from this proposal for a mega-marina in Coral Bay with serious accusations pertaining to the Summer's End so-called 'Developers'.  And shows an interesting glimpse into the inner workings/battles of StJ - where money generally wins out.  Hopefully (IMO), not this time.

For those interested... Active St John (Facebook) is a good place for the latest happenings (and also is a microcosm of life on StJ itself)


----------



## czar

*Goodnight Great Cruz Bay*

Fyi - took two trips for me to figure out Cruz Bay versus Great Cruz Bay!


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> There is a lot of interesting info arising from this proposal for a mega-marina in Coral Bay with serious accusations pertaining to the Summer's End so-called 'Developers'.  And shows an interesting glimpse into the inner workings/battles of StJ - where money generally wins out.  Hopefully (IMO), not this time.
> 
> For those interested... Active St John (Facebook) is a good place for the latest happenings (and also is a microcosm of life on StJ itself)



Hilarious... 

http://lifeonourrock.com/2014/08/proposed-st-john-marina/


----------



## Beaglemom3

Mods: Please move this if I'm out of line in posting here. Thanks ! 

Would like to ask WSJ owners ( I used to be one)  before I place my exchange request in the Marketplace .

Is a swap or exchange of a 2 bedroom, Hyatt Sunset Harbor, Week 4 (end of January-beginning of February) for a WSJ, non summer,  1-2 bedroom, a lopsided request ?

Just want to see if there's anything too outlandish with this planned request before posting.

Thank you.


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## czar

Hmmmmmm. Fishy.  Their "plan" sounds a lot like tactics lifted from Mexican timeshare scams. Hahaha. 



DavidnRobin said:


> Hilarious...
> 
> http://lifeonourrock.com/2014/08/proposed-st-john-marina/


----------



## DavidnRobin

*WSJ now a gated community*

http://www.on-stjohn.com/2014/08/26/the-westin-is-now-a-gated-community/

I for one will miss the 'guard' on the other side of the street.


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## DavidnRobin

*Sign the Online Petition against Coral Bay Marina*

Sign the Online Petition against Coral Bay Marina
(If you care about preserving Coral Bay)

http://www.stjohn-info.com/stjohn-u...-bay-marina-as-proposed-by-summers-end-group/


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## DavidnRobin

*Solar Update at WSJ*

http://www.stjohnnews.com/index.php...t-improve-neighbors-view-of-resort-from-above


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> http://www.stjohnnews.com/index.php...t-improve-neighbors-view-of-resort-from-above



Wow that's really exciting. Wonder what the utility bills will look like. Weren't they planning at one point to use a combo of solar and natural gas or something to power the resort (or maybe just Hillside)?


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> Wow that's really exciting. Wonder what the utility bills will look like. Weren't they planning at one point to use a combo of solar and natural gas or something to power the resort (or maybe just Hillside)?



To my understanding... This is different than what was in last letter from Phil&Bob. I posted it a few months back.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> To my understanding... This is different than what was in last letter from Phil&Bob. I posted it a few months back.


Although the photograph is of the Hillside buildings, it sounds as if Westin is proposing these modifications as part of an update to the resort's overall master plan. Generally this would be required before any individual projects can go forward. I would think the purpose of this is to green-light any individual solar projects as proposed by the VGV BOD, as well as for the other areas of the resort. But it doesn't mean they're going to immediately start covering every usable surface with solar panels.


----------



## Bob808

Initially, at least, I suspect installation of solar panels will increase maintenance fees.


----------



## czar

Bob808 said:


> Initially, at least, I suspect installation of solar panels will increase maintenance fees.



I think it will depend on how they're being funded. I've been involved with a couple of these projects and with subsidies and deprecation, even when financed, the monthly cost was less than the original cost of the energy.


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> I think it will depend on how they're being funded. I've been involved with a couple of these projects and with subsidies and deprecation, even when financed, the monthly cost was less than the original cost of the energy.



text from post #12 re: Energy costs related to WSJ-VGV (Hillside)

Energy costs
We continue to seek ways to reduce energy costs, given the very expensive cost of electricity in the Virgin Islands (currently about 50 cents per kilowatt hour). We have decided against installing solar panels in a ground array, for aesthetic reasons, but at this meeting, we approved the installation of additional photovoltaic (solar) panels on the roofs of the hillside buildings. Starwood is installing similar panels at several locations on its side of the resort. An outside company is providing the cells and installation, and will maintain them, and we will pay it 35 cents per kilowatt hour for the electricity we purchase. Although our new solar panels will account for only 10% of the total amount of electricity to be generated by the project (with the hotel side producing the other 90%), we will receive approximately 18% (based on our current proportionate consumption rate) of the energy that is produced, which results in about a 2.4% cost savings by not purchasing that power from the power company. 

The photovoltaic cells that already exist on buildings 41 through 44 and those that will be added to the hillside buildings will not come close to meeting our need for energy. We are continuing to study the desirability of purchasing a co-generation facility to meet most of our needs. One factor for us to consider is that the local utility on St. Thomas is converting its fuel source from diesel fuel to propane, and it expects that the conversion will reduce fuel costs by about 30%. To the extent that this saving is passed along to customers (and not offset by rate increases to cover the cost of conversion), this step could decrease the difference between the cost of electricity purchased from the utility and electricity that the co-generation facility would produce, with the result that it would take longer than the estimated seven years for the co-generation facility to pay for itself. Another factor for us to take into account is the siting of the co-generation facility. As we reported after the annual meeting in March, two sites are under consideration: one on the hotel side of the property, and one in the yard behind buildings 43 and 44. From our perspective as your elected directors, the former would be preferable, but we we will not support the project unless we are convinced that occupants of those buildings will not hear noise from the equipment. A possible advantage of locating the facility on the hotel side of the property is that it will generate waste heat, which could in principle be harvested for the hotel laundry and for some of its heating and air conditioning. However, Starwood would have to invest in the infastructure in order to use the heat. We have asked Starwood to consider whether it is interested in using the heat. No decision on purchasing the co-generation equipment will be made before our next meeting in November.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*WSJ-VGV Prop Tax Update*

prepare yourself...
{some StJ villa owners are screaming mad with a 10x increase in Property tax - not WSJ-VGV - tax rates were at 1999 level - that's right.... 1999}
but I will hold on until I see mine...

http://www.on-stjohn.com/2014/09/08/whats-your-property-tax-rate/

update: I went into the USVI Property Tax search database as sometimes our tax bills take weeks to get to us.  Ours has gone up by 33% ($118.50 to $156.18 per week).

FYI
The USVI timeshare tax rate has increased from 1.25 to 1.41%.
For our WSJ-VGV timeshare (2Bd TH, weeks 23-24) - the overall assessment has changed over the years. Since we bought... it used to be $5500 land, and $11800 'improved assessed value' (total $17300 @1.25%), then it became all 'improved assessed value' of $15800 (@1.25%), then it dropped to $11100 last year (@1.25%) and in 2013 it remains at $11100 (@1.41%).


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> update: I went into the USVI Property Tax search database as sometimes our tax bills take weeks to get to us.  Ours has gone up by 33% ($118.50 to $156.18 per week).



Our property taxes went up by about 32% ($225.75 to $296.88 per week).



DavidnRobin said:


> The USVI timeshare tax rate has increased from 1.25 to 1.41%.



Not quite -- the prior rate was technically 1.25% of 60% of assessed value (equivalent to 0.75% of assessed value). The new rates are a straight 1.41% for timeshares, which is an 88% increase. However, this coincided with a reduction in the assessed value. Your assessed value was probably $15,800 through 2012, resulting in a $118.50 tax liability. For 2013, your assessed value is now $11,100, resulting in a $156.51 tax liability.


----------



## czar

Well, hopefully the money will go to a good place.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> Our property taxes went up by about 32% ($225.75 to $296.88 per week).
> 
> Not quite -- the prior rate was technically 1.25% of 60% of assessed value (equivalent to 0.75% of assessed value). The new rates are a straight 1.41% for timeshares, which is an 88% increase. However, this coincided with a reduction in the assessed value. Your assessed value was probably $15,800 through 2012, resulting in a $118.50 tax liability. For 2013, your assessed value is now $11,100, resulting in a $156.51 tax liability.



Thanks for the clarification - I was wondering why the math wasn't working out for the earlier years.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Virgin Grand Villas - 2013 USVI Property Tax - Update from SVO*

Dear Virgin Grand Villas Owner,

The Office of the Tax Assessor of the United States Virgin Islands has announced that the 2013 property tax bills are being issued to all property owners of record as of January 1, 2014. The tax bills are due October 6, 2014. Payments received by the due date receive a 5% discount. Property owners are encouraged to pay the 2013 tax bill by December 6, 2014, in order to avoid late payment fees. 

SVO Management, Inc. (SVOM) has not yet received the 2013 tax bills, however, the Office of the Tax Assessor has posted them online. Please follow the steps below to submit your payment by October 6 for the 5% discount. To locate your information online, you must have an established Parcel Number or your loan must have been paid in full as of January 1, 2014. Please be aware that payment of taxes online is not available.

Search the Property Tax database using your name and Parcel Number.
Select the 2013 Tax Year to view the amount of tax due and print the detail page.
Choose one of the following payment methods: 

Payment by Check:
Make your check payable to the Government of the United States Virgin Islands.
Write the Parcel Number on your check.
Payment by Credit Card:
Print and complete the USVI Credit Card Authorization Form in its entirety.
Write the Parcel Number in the “Apply Amount to” section of the form.
Provide a copy of the cardholder’s passport or driver’s license .

Include a copy of the detail page for the Parcel that shows the tax amount due.

Request a paid receipt and include a stamped self-addressed return envelope. Please be sure to retain your paid receipt for future reference.

Send your check or credit card authorization form, via certified or registered mail with return receipt requested, to: 

Office of the Lieutenant Governor 
Property Tax Collection Division
P.O. Box 447 
Cruz Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00831

We anticipate receipt of the tax bills this week and will begin mailing to Starwood Vacation Owners shortly thereafter. If you choose to pay your tax bill using one of the methods described above, please retain the tax bill you receive from SVOM for your records. 

SVOM is happy to assist you with any questions you may have on this matter, however, please understand that SVOM does not have the ability to adjust your tax bill. Furthermore, contacting SVOM will not preserve your protest rights with the Office of the Tax Assessor. The deadline for filing appeals with the Board of Tax Review regarding tax assessments is December 23, 2014. Please click here to access appeal forms and information regarding the tax appeal process.

Sincerely,
SVO Management


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> Well, hopefully the money will go to a good place.



... :hysterical::rofl::hysterical: ...eom


----------



## DavidnRobin

*St. Johnopoly... WHAT?!*

Now for something completely different...
I can't wait to get mine - soon come.
(and I can't believe these guys actually pulled it off - from an idea over a few drinks in Cruz Bay to reality - amazing...)

http://stjohnopoly.com

TOO MUCH FUN!!!











(I think this answers the question of what is the best island resort in SVN... suck it WLR, HRA, WKORV/N and WPORV... )


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## okwiater

Thanks David. There goes sixty bucks.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> Thanks David. There goes sixty bucks.



Good to see someone else excited other than me. I pre-ordered months ago - with free shipping (helps to follow all things StJ... saved $15)


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> update: I went into the USVI Property Tax search database as sometimes our tax bills take weeks to get to us.  Ours has gone up by 33% ($118.50 to $156.18 per week).



Mine is as follows:
Amount Billed: 175.88
Amount Due: 169.17 
Last Year: $134.25

Not sure why my week (32) is more than David's June week.


----------



## okwiater

How does one pay their WSJ-VGV real estate taxes and claim the early payment discount? Simply deduct 5% from the property tax amount and send a check for that amount?


----------



## bobpark56

*Don't count on that*



okwiater said:


> How does one pay their WSJ-VGV real estate taxes and claim the early payment discount? Simply deduct 5% from the property tax amount and send a check for that amount?



Don't count on that. We sent our property tax payment in by mail last year, in time to arrive about a week before the discount deadline. As near as we can tell, the tax office never picked up the mail...until after the deadline. This caused us to lose our discount.

This year (we are here now at a rental villa in town) I walked the tax bill over to the office yesterday. Lo and behold, I was charged about $3 less that the tax bill said we had to pay. Not sure what is happenng here. Could it be last year's lost discount finding its way back to us? Or is there a discount for payng in person?


----------



## okwiater

bobpark56 said:


> Don't count on that. We sent our property tax payment in by mail last year, in time to arrive about a week before the discount deadline. As near as we can tell, the tax office never picked up the mail...until after the deadline. This caused us to lose our discount.
> 
> This year (we are here now at a rental villa in town) I walked the tax bill over to the office yesterday. Lo and behold, I was charged about $3 less that the tax bill said we had to pay. Not sure what is happenng here. Could it be last year's lost discount finding its way back to us? Or is there a discount for payng in person?


I guess what I'm confused about is whether the billed amount is inclusive of the supposed discount, or if 5% would be deducted from that. I can't find any guidance on how to claim the discount properly.


----------



## DavidnRobin

My discount shows up as a reduction (credit) in my next year's bill - it has for every year. This year my tax bill was credited ~$6 per week from last year's payment.  I would not advise trying to calculate the discount - if it shows, it will be on next year's bill.  I would not confuse the situation by trying to apply the discount now - it may not be worth the headache later.
{you have been to the USVI, right? }

I just sent mine yesterday (9/29) as I was at WKORV last week.  Deadline for discount is Oct 6 - it will be close knowing how slow mail gets to StJ.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> I just sent mine yesterday (9/29) as I was at WKORV last week. Deadline for discount is Oct 6 - it will be close knowing how slow mail gets to StJ.


 
Thanks. I received my property tax bill and saw the fine print with the discounted amount. I will mail it tomorrow with a return receipt, as USPS is showing an arrival of October 3.


----------



## bobpark56

*Some Notes re WSJ*

We are staying in our Virgin Grand villa this week, and I have some notes that may be of interest:

1. FreeCycle is useless. There is nothing there of any utility other than a full bag of charcoal briquettes...not much help, as all WSJ grills are gas grills (I think). But if you are going out to Little Lameshur, there are some grills there when you could use the briquettes.

2. FreeCycle (again). They have indeed put a unit-key activated lock on the door, but the door is never locked! So if locals were taking items from the freecycle before, as some have said, there is nothing there yet to stop them.

3. Sam & Jack's Deli is now Samantha & Eric's...and has been for about a year. Has this affected quality? Not sure, but I went there in early afternoon to pick up a meal of spaghetti and meatballs, which their web page said was in stock, only to find no such thing. I had to settle for for some sort of yuppy-foofoo stir fry...which wasn't terrible, but I would not seek it out again.

4. The automatic gate to the Virgin Grand villas is (mostly) working. One peculiarity though, it that if you are exiting behind another vehicle, the gate will/may close on you before you can get through. Then it gets stubborn: You must back up almost to the pool villas and start over again to get the gate to open. I'm guessing this is something that may get fixed, but it ain't fixed yet.

5. The Scotia Bank next to the Starfish Market has closed. Their ATMs are still active, though, but I wish they were not...as they charged me $5 for a withdrawal (almost $3 more than Scotia charges me in Cancun). Your only alternative for a bank ATM at the moment is the First Bank in town. I do not know what their ATM fee is. (Bank ATMs are usually cheaper that other ATMs, if that is of concern to you.)

6. If you will be staying in unit 4214 or 4215, you will have a rather barren stroll into your villa. Most of the plants along the way have died and been torn out...apparently some time ago by the looks of the soil. Perhaps this was due to the pathetic dribble/semi-spray that now comes out of the sprinklers.

7. As to other gardening issues, there are places where new sod squares have been laid atop unprepared ground. Needless to say, this has not worked well. What's left now is a splotch of rather brown grass. Seems like not all of our maintenance fees are being applied with common sense. (In fairness, there are areas where the sodding was done properly. The brown ones may simply have been laid out of sight of the supervisor.)

8. I had intended to inquire about the above issues at the Virgin Grand owners meeting that proceeds the VG cocktail half-hour, but those meetings seem no longer to exist. It's a shame. The last one I attended was quite informative.

9. And If you are a VG owner and get an invitation to the VG cocktail half-hour, be sure to verify that it has not been canceled. I attended Monday, as I had been instructed, and there was no one there.

10. If you will be arriving in the near or relatively near future, you will find the normal lobby under construction...with the personnel moved down the hill to where a store used to be, just before you get to where the deli used to be. The good news here is that this temporary lobby is air conditioned, so you will have a cooler check-in.

11. When you pick up your welcoming package from the concierge (Karen was our very helpful lady), one of the most useful things you will get is a little white card that gets you a 15% discount at the St John Market...now refurbished, enlarged, and named the St John Gourmet Market...just off the Virgin Grand grounds.

12. For dining, something new has been added in town within the past year that you may wish to try: De' Coal Pot. Norma is the chef, Kim is the waitress, the food is Caribbean and quite tasty, the dining area is air-conditioned, and the prices are a touch less than in most other establishments in town. Ox-Tail soup, curried goat, and conch are three dished that have consistently received good reviews on TripAdvisor. Oh, and the fish is good too. And be sure to try the sweet potto stuffing.

13. Another good, new spot, especially for breakfast, is the Cruz Bay Landing.

14. If you can find Cruzan's (pronounced Cru-shun's) Estate Diamond Dark Rum (5 year), you may want to give it a try. It's one of the nicest sipping rums I have encountered. Cruzan hadn't made it for some time, but renewed production about a year ago. I found it at the Dolphin Market for about $17 (manufacturer's suggested price is $21, but you will have trouble finding it at that price in the U.S.).

15. If you want a beach chair, the cheapest rental I could find was $35 for a rather flimsy, close-to-the-ground chair. For a better deal, I think, you can buy a more solid chair (with shoulder straps for carrying) at the hardware store behind/above the Starfish market. Price: $50.

16. I took the Lind Point trail (roughly a mile) out to Salomon Bay for snorkeling last week. This is something I will do again when next on St J. Lovely Bay, nice snorkeling, nice sand, and no one else there...though one local showed up later. Tip: Parking is hard to find near the start of the trail. Try stopping by the National Park Visitors Center that faces Mango Junction. I understand that you can get a parking pass from them that will let you park in unused ranger spaces for free, if they have spaces available. You will need to surrender your driving license until you return. Tip #2: once at Salomon Bay, you will find the best snorkeling alongside the points at either end of the bay. The corals are a bit different in the two spots, as are the fish. I saw more and larger fish along the point to the left as you face the ocean.

17. If you are inclined to drive to Little Lameshur Bay (I recommend it), be sure to have 4WD and have the place you rent from show you how to use it. And be sure to check that you are permitted to drive on this "off-road" stretch. It used to be that some car rental companies prohibited this. But ours (Courtesy Car Rental) said that that prohibition was now removed...at least for their vehicles. Little Lameshur does have picnic tables (2 or 3), grills, and a toilet, but no other facilities. Every time I have driven to Little Lameshur, I have seen one or two deer on the way in. This time one of them was a nice, but smaller than at home, 8-point buck.

18. And be sure to stop at The Tourist Trap on the way back for a snack and refreshment. It doesn't look like much, but the food & drinks are excellent (check it out on TripAdvisor). If you do stop, make sure to try their pulled pork nachos. You will be glad you did. Our 4 guests could not decide which of their painkiller, boom-boom, or "Drink Right, Drive Left" concoctions was the best. They all raved about the nachos. And enjoyed their tacos & fish sandwiches.

19. On another trip to Coral Bay, Skinny Legs is worth a stop...if a good hamburger is to your taste. The change in ownership a while back does not seem to have hurt their quality.

I hope you enjoy St John as much as we have,

  --Bob Park


----------



## tammymacb

*Tax bill?*

I recently bought. I haven't received one. Should I look for it somewhere? I don't want to get in trouble for not paying it.


----------



## okwiater

tammymacb said:


> I recently bought. I haven't received one. Should I look for it somewhere? I don't want to get in trouble for not paying it.


If it had been transferred to your name and updated in Starwood's records prior to the tax bills being issued, I would think you would have received it by now. It's possible it went to the prior owners instead.

Here are the instructions from SVO for paying your tax bill:



Click here to search the Property Tax database using your name and Parcel Number.
Select the 2013 Tax Year to view the amount of tax due and print the detail page.
Choose one of the following payment methods: 

Payment by Check:
Make your check payable to the Government of the United States Virgin Islands.
Write the Parcel Number on your check.
  Payment by Credit Card: 
Print and complete the USVI Credit Card Authorization Form in its entirety.
Write the Parcel Number in the “Apply Amount to” section of the form.
Provide a copy of the cardholder’s passport or driver’s license .
 
 Include a copy of the detail page for the Parcel that shows the tax amount due.
Request a paid receipt and include a stamped self-addressed return  envelope. Please be sure to retain your paid receipt for future  reference.
Send your check or credit card authorization form, via certified or registered mail with return receipt requested, to: 

  Office of the Lieutenant Governor 
  Property Tax Collection Division
P.O. Box 447 
Cruz Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00831


----------



## DavidnRobin

TS Gonzalo is heading over USVI - Noon (Oct13)

Now upgraded to a hurricane.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Save Coral Bay*

Just in case you care - and weren't aware…

http://www.gofundme.com/coralbay


----------



## bobpark56

*WSJ Sales folks say there will be no upstairs walls installed in 41xx or 42xx.*

The WSJ sales folks told us that no walls wll be installed in units 41xx or 42xx, as a 100% favorable vote was needed for the entire complex...and it was not received.

I had thought the criterion was to be 100% for any individual unit. Guess I had this wrong.

  --bp


----------



## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> The WSJ sales folks told us that no walls wll be installed in units 41xx or 42xx, as a 100% favorable vote was needed for the entire complex...and it was not received.
> 
> I had thought the criterion was to be 100% for any individual unit. Guess I had this wrong.
> 
> --bp



To my understanding - Sales is incorrect.  It was 100% for individual villa, but not all votes were cast.


----------



## bobpark56

*That's what I thought. Where do we get the official status?*



DavidnRobin said:


> To my understanding - Sales is incorrect.  It was 100% for individual villa, but not all votes were cast.



That's what I thought. Where do we get the official status?

I think I saw somewhere that our villa (4215) was one that had received a 100% approval vote. And there were others.

Hello Virgin Grand HOA reps...are you out there somewhere?

  --bp


----------



## DavidnRobin

Phil will likely not respond even if he still reads TUG.

This was in the a letter to the Owners that you should be able to find in the original WSJ thread.  iirc, not all votes were received and they needed 100% of votes as well as 100% approval.  They were going to try and contact the Owners that didn't vote - but WSJ has a serious database issues (incomplete or unverified).


----------



## applekor

bobpark56 said:


> That's what I thought. Where do we get the official status?
> 
> I think I saw somewhere that our villa (4215) was one that had received a 100% approval vote. And there were others.
> 
> Hello Virgin Grand HOA reps...are you out there somewhere?
> 
> --bp


Hi BobPark56, I just sent you a PM


----------



## bobpark56

*Info on Walls Found*



DavidnRobin said:


> Phil will likely not respond even if he still reads TUG.
> 
> This was in the a letter to the Owners that you should be able to find in the original WSJ thread.  iirc, not all votes were received and they needed 100% of votes as well as 100% approval.  They were going to try and contact the Owners that didn't vote - but WSJ has a serious database issues (incomplete or unverified).




The latest info, dated June 2014, can be found on MyStarCentral...accessed from your ownership info via "Reports from Owner Representative Directors."

It seems my understanding was partially correct, partially incorrect:
a. The decision to put in walls is to be on a unit by unit basis;
b. 100% approval is required for that unit;
c. Five of the six units in building 42 have received no negative votes (it's one of 6 for bldg 41);
d. BUT the number of owners not responding ranges from 6 to 10 for each unit...hence no approved action planned as of June 2014.

Subsequent to that report, I noticed that our vote for the wall had not been recorded for unit 4215 (not sure now where I learned this). I replied, asking them to add our name to the approval list and was told that it would be done. So apparently votes are still being accepted...or at least they were back in June.

Hope this info helps,  -- Bob Park


----------



## okwiater

bobpark56 said:


> I replied, asking them to add our name to the approval list and was told that it would be done.


 
They accepted a vote by e-mail? Sounds like we could just trawl through the property records and submit affirmative e-mail "votes" for the wall in the remainder of the units


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Conde Nast Traveler 2014 Awards - Top 30 islands in the world*

St John #8

http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries...ds-in-the-world-readers-choice-awards-2014/23


----------



## pacman777

Maui and Kauai ranked 2 and 3. At least Starwood has some good coverage of top islands.


----------



## DavidnRobin

2015 VGV-WSJ Proposed Budget released - is usually final.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1687657&postcount=16

Note: small decrease - again.

Studio - $1420.57
1Bd - $1894.16
2Bd TH - $2367.74
2Bd Prem - $2841.14
3Bd pool - $2841.34


----------



## YYJMSP

*SJU to/from STT*

Anyone have any experience on the flights between San Juan Puerto Rico and St Thomas?

Starting to narrow down available points flights for next summer's combo USVI/Puerto Rico trip, and right now (not having any luck right in to STT), looks like we can get in/out of Puerto Rico, and would have to make our own way on the last bit -- JetBlue flies real planes twice a day, and codeshares with Cape Air on Cessna's the rest of the day...

Never dealt with either of those airlines.


----------



## bobpark56

YYJMSP said:


> Anyone have any experience on the flights between San Juan Puerto Rico and St Thomas?
> 
> Starting to narrow down available points flights for next summer's combo USVI/Puerto Rico trip, and right now (not having any luck right in to STT), looks like we can get in/out of Puerto Rico, and would have to make our own way on the last bit -- JetBlue flies real planes twice a day, and codeshares with Cape Air on Cessna's the rest of the day...
> 
> Never dealt with either of those airlines.



We just flew Cape Air from STT to SJU. No problems...and actually one benefit: We arrived early at STT and they were able to fit us on a flight that got us to SJU 2 hours ahead of schedule.

One point: This is not a flight to take if you have lots of luggage. It's a small plane (not a jet) for about 10-12 passengers. But it does stay below the clouds...we flew at 1500 feet (I could read the instruments), which gave us a nice view of Culebra on the way. We had one full size suitcase, 2 carry-ons, one CPAP case, and one large purse that had to be stowed...and they did that with no problems.

The air conditioning is not great, but the flight is not long...about 45 minutes, as I recall. And do not expect to sit next to your traveling companion(s). They load passengers by weight so as to get a good load balance.

Oh, and if you have any time in Old San Juan, I suggest you give La Fonda del Jibarito a try for dining (see my recent review on TripAdvisor).

  --bp


----------



## YYJMSP

bobpark56 said:


> We just flew Cape Air from STT to SJU. No problems...and actually one benefit: We arrived early at STT and they were able to fit us on a flight that got us to SJU 2 hours ahead of schedule.
> 
> One point: This is not a flight to take if you have lots of luggage. It's a small plane (not a jet) for about 10-12 passengers. But it does stay below the clouds...we flew at 1500 feet (I could read the instruments), which gave us a nice view of Culebra on the way. We had one full size suitcase, 2 carry-ons, one CPAP case, and one large purse that had to be stowed...and they did that with no problems.
> 
> The air conditioning is not great, but the flight is not long...about 45 minutes, as I recall. And do not expect to sit next to your traveling companion(s). They load passengers by weight so as to get a good load balance.



We've done Cessnas before, it's always fun to get up on the luggage scale holding your carry-on.  Good thing they don't read the number out loud 

45mins is pretty long though.  I think the last one we did was about 30mins, and definitely a nail-biter if you're not ready for the ups/downs with the wind currents 



bobpark56 said:


> Oh, and if you have any time in Old San Juan, I suggest you give La Fonda del Jibarito a try for dining (see my recent review on TripAdvisor).



Thanks -- we'll have five days in San Juan...


----------



## letsgomets

Cape Air, as one might imagine from its name, flies extensively around Cape Cod, the Islands (ACK and MVY, as opposed to the Carribean ones) and Boston.  Has a very good reputation.  Planes are quite small.  Passenger usually gets the seat next to the pilot and no luggage in the cabin bigger than a small briefcase or purse.


----------



## letsgomets

Really looking forward to our first trip back in two years -- we gave our unit to family last xmas and took a family trip to S. America instead.  

Got an email from SVO today that mentioned ferry dock renovations in late 2014 or early 2015 that will force people to dock at Cruz Bay.  Anyone know the timing of this?

Also, not sure the timing of our flight arrival is going to make the Westin ferry attractive since we'd have to wait around a couple of hours.  Anyone know the names of the private companies that will do the same thing?  I once had the name of one that was actually charging around the same price as Westin for a family of 4 and you wouldn't be hostage to the Westin schedule.

Thanks.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Why not just rent on StT and take car barge over?


----------



## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> Why not just rent on StT and take car barge over?



One reason is if you do not want a car for the whole week. (This assumes the outfit you rent from will deliver your vehicle to you at your unit and transport you back to your unit or to the ferry when you depart. Ours does.)

Another is if you want to have a guaranteed parking place in town. We used this option 3 times this year...and we needed it.

Another is if you want to take advantage of a 10% discount offered for off-season rentals.

Another is if you rent from a outfit that gives you a 6% additional discount for paying in cash.

Another is if you rent from an outfit that gives you an upgraded vehicle without extra charges (this has happened to us twice now...I'm going to give it a try again in 2016).

Another is if renting a basic vehicle (one that would suit you on St J) is not large enough to carry all passengers plus their baggage...meaning that you will need a larger vehicle if renting on St T.


----------



## DavidnRobin

And there is lots of counter points - often discussed and debated, but letsgomets was asking about logistics using ferries - thus my remark.  Sure, go ahead and rent on StJ as well (And pay $400+ for WSJ ferries, or deal with public ferries).  We have done the trip many ways - we now rent on StT from Amelia.

Sure that comes at a premium - but after spending $2500/week (in MF and taxes) and $1000pp in transportation costs - not too mention the money dropped on food/Bev and charters while there - spending a few more $ is a choice for those of similar thought.  Once we looked at that versus ferry cost, and other alternatives (many), is what we find to work for us.
YMMV


----------



## letsgomets

Thanks, but we don't rent a car.  We've found it more economical to take a taxi to go to the north shore beaches or Cruz Bay when we want rather than drive.  So we're just trying to figure out the best way to get to/from the airport, thus our question about private boat and the status of the ferry dock in case anyone knows.


----------



## LisaRex

The WSJ website states that timing depends on permits.  You can't predict when a government official will get around to issuing permits on the islands.  If you want, you can send an email to WestinStJohnRenovation@Westin.com and see if any more information is forthcoming.

As far as private companies go, many people recommend Dohms.  Warning that there are a ton of surcharges, and none of the quoted prices include gratuities.  (Although the website doesn't mention a fuel surcharge from Crown Bay, that's a much longer trip, so I'd be surprised if they didn't hit you with it, even though the pp rate is much higher.)

*Water Taxi Rates*
All Fares are Based on One-Way Transfer
*Phone (340) 775-6501 * Fax (340) 715-1398* 
CURRENT RATES for 2014/2015 
****There is currently of Fuel Surcharge of $15, $25 or $50 per trip between Red Hook and St. John*

*6:15am - 6 pm  $30/person 5 person minimum $150 minimum*
6pm - 12am Private Trips $35/person 5 person minimum $175 minimum
12 am - 1:30 am $60/person 5 person minimum $300 minimum 
5:30 am - 6:15 am $45/person 5 person minimum $250 minimum

*Between Crown Bay and St. John  (Additional $20 Dock Fee)*
6:15am - 6 pm  $60/person 5 person minimum $300 minimum

http://reservationsbvi.com/Ferries/dohm.html

Note that this doesn't include transportation from the airport to the dock or the dock to the resort (vice versa on the way back). People who use Dohms, usually use their recommended taxi, which is Christopher's. It is a reasonable rate, but I'd be really intimidated by the Standby/Waiting surcharge.   Honestly, I'd just hail a taxi from the airport rather than risk a $150/hr standby surcharge.  

Here is the quoted rate for Christopher's:

Between Airport and Redhook $75.00- 4 Person Min. & $15pp over 4 pax, No fees for Luggage

 -Standby/Waiting: $150.00 per hour
-Tours/Sightseeing: $150-$300 per hour

Details Gratuities are not included and will be automatically added in for group trips 
 ******** There is a ONE (1) WEEK Cancellation Policy ********
 Please note: Trips scheduled prior to 8 AM must be reserved by 5 PM the day before.

http://virginislandswatertaxi.com/landtaxi.html


----------



## LisaRex

So....assuming you're a family of 4 traveling with 2 suitcases each, and your flight arrives between 6:15am and 6pm (cheapest rate), unless you're really adverse to waiting for the Westin ferry, it's going to cost you a pretty penny to arrange private transportation.

*Taxi rate to/from Red Hook, using public transportation
*$40 ($10pp x 4) + $16* luggage fee=$56 + $10 gratuity = $66

*Dohms Water Taxi *(assuming you're the only travelers)
$150 (minimum) + $15 fuel surcharge = $165 + $30 gratuity = $195

*Taxi rate from Cruz Bay to Westin:*
$5pp x 4 = $20 + $16 luggage fee = $36 + $8 gratuity = $44

*Cheapest private transportation cost one-way $305 x 2 = $610 total
Flat-rate Westin ferry cost (assuming kids are over 17; kids 4-17 are $90pp) = $120pp x 4 = $480 total + $40 gratuity = $520 (maximum)*

*For public transportation, there is a fee for luggage, on both St. Thomas and St. John: A flat rate of $2 per bag shall be added to the fare for each passenger. The rate for items greater than 30"x20" shall not exceed $4 per item.

http://www.vinow.com/stthomas/getting_around_stt/taxi_stt/
http://www.vinow.com/stjohn/getting_around_stj/taxi.php


----------



## letsgomets

So helpful!  Thanks!


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaRex said:


> *Cheapest private transportation cost one-way $305 x 2 = $610 total
> Flat-rate Westin ferry cost (assuming kids are over 17; kids 4-17 are $90pp) = $120pp x 4 = $480 total + $40 gratuity = $520 (maximum)*



So for 2 adults + 1 kid would be $120x2 + $90 = $330 for the Westin ferry?

Are there any other charges (airport to ferry terminal?), or do they include everything from the airport to the villas?

The Westin ferry includes "unlimited shopping trips" back to St Thomas, correct?  I assume that they include the return ferry ride, but you're on your own for any costs to/from the ferry terminal in St Thomas?

We bit the bullet and booked our points flights (as far as southern Florida), and now have to wait 3 more days before we can book our preferred arrival date at WSJ... :whoopie:  Then we hold out for a price drop hopefully on flights between southern Florida and USVI and Puerto Rico (looks like around $400 per person)


----------



## LisaRex

YYJMSP said:


> So for 2 adults + 1 kid would be $120x2 + $90 = $330 for the Westin ferry?



Yes, that's correct.



			
				YYJMSP said:
			
		

> Are there any other charges (airport to ferry terminal?), or do they include everything from the airport to the villas?



Everything is included, except for the gratuities.  (For the taxi driver who takes you and your luggage to the dock, and the porter who delivers your luggage to your room.)



			
				YYJMSP said:
			
		

> The Westin ferry includes "unlimited shopping trips" back to St Thomas, correct?  I assume that they include the return ferry ride, but you're on your own for any costs to/from the ferry terminal in St Thomas?



Yes, they provide the ferry and you provide the rest.  We've taken advantage of this once to get back to St. Thomas for a fishing excursion. We notified the concierge ahead of time that we were going to take the first ferry back to St. Thomas, but no one at the dock seemed to have any notification that we'd be there.  I told the concierge why we were headed to St. Thomas, but she kind of insisted that we were going over to shop, right? and we quickly learned to say this whenever anyone asked.  

We shared the ferry with a lot of workers who I assume had worked all night.  They were all tired but very friendly.

On the way back, we took the public ferry back to Cruz Bay since it was well after the last Westin ferry departed.


----------



## NNerland

It is expensive, but when you start breaking it down it isn't too bad.   We travel with family and small kids and there is nothing better than getting to our home airport, checking bags and hardly touching another bag until we leave and arrive at home.  The door to door service is awesome when you have your hands full with kids.  Even if you don't, by the time you taxi, public ferry, taxi again you are often ahead.

One note, I keep seeing statements about tipping.  My understanding, and it states so on the website and ferry fact sheet is it INCLUDES all BAGGAGE HANDLING - which is tips.  That is what I was told.  You can certainly tip on top of that, but the handlers are getting tipped out of the charge.  That makes it pretty slick.  In fact often you never see your baggage handlers as they deliver bags and pick them up when you aren't around.

Again - it can get spendy if you have a large family - but we don't need a car for the entire week, the rental cars often lack space to put luggage and thus defeat the purpose of renting in STT.   

Don't always take everything as 100% fact and final judgement...often it is a couple talking about why it makes sense for them.    

You don't need a car everyday, so save the $100/day and you quickly pay for your 1st Class transportation...kick up your feet, visit the bar before you board and enjoy the ride!


----------



## letsgomets

NNerland said:


> One note, I keep seeing statements about tipping.  My understanding, and it states so on the website and ferry fact sheet is it INCLUDES all BAGGAGE HANDLING - which is tips.  That is what I was told.  You can certainly tip on top of that, but the handlers are getting tipped out of the charge.  That makes it pretty slick.  In fact often you never see your baggage handlers as they deliver bags and pick them up when you aren't around.




We've always taken the Westin ferry -- was just considering other options this year in light of our arrival time and possible ferry dock construction.  But otherwise, I agree that the convenience can't be beaten and is worth the extra money that we spend relative to taxi to Red Hook, ferry, then taxi from Cruz Bay.  Two years ago, however, we had a very frustrating experience - waited for a while in the airport, then when we got to Crown Bay in the 2nd taxi, the ferry was pulling out because it was full.  They made us wait two hours for the next one so it ended up being more than 4 hours from landing to Westin.  That's certainly enough to make me think about private water taxi options.

I also saw the notice about tips being included, but I never trust that the guys who you would tip (taxi drivers, porters) actually see the money.


----------



## LisaRex

I, too, usually tip on top of "gratuity added" meals, etc. Heck, I even tip the iguana driver! But then again, I'm usually in such a good mood on vacation, I'm like Tinkerbell spreading pixie dust around, except I use singles and fives.  

That being said, I always say "+ gratuity" because I want people to consider their tipping habits so that they can make a fair comparison of Option A v Option B.  I'm not really advocating it one way or another.


----------



## LisaRex

letsgomets said:


> Two years ago, however, we had a very frustrating experience - waited for a while in the airport, then when we got to Crown Bay in the 2nd taxi, the ferry was pulling out because it was full.  They made us wait two hours for the next one so it ended up being more than 4 hours from landing to Westin.



Bummer!  What time of the year did you travel that it was so crowded?

We usually head over to Tickles (bar/restaurant at Crown Bay) for a nice little lunch and a "Welcome to the Islands" Painkiller if we're able.  I can't imagine what kind of shape we'd be in after 3 1/2 hours of Painkillers. 

P.S. We've never gone to WSJ with the kids.


----------



## letsgomets

It was 3 years ago, Saturday before xmas.

Kids were real troopers -- probably held it together much better than I did!


----------



## YYJMSP

*Resort fee*

I assume the $40/day resort fee doesn't apply to ownership bookings with StarOptions, just to hotel bookings via cash or SPG points?

T-25hrs until we can book


----------



## LisaRex

YYJMSP said:


> I assume the $40/day resort fee doesn't apply to ownership bookings with StarOptions, just to hotel bookings via cash or SPG points?



That is correct.  I don't even recall being charged for a tourist tax.

We're coming up on 2 months before our WSJ trip.  It's already turned cold here in the Midwest, so I'm already looking forward to it.


----------



## bobpark56

LisaRex said:


> That is correct.  I don't even recall being charged for a tourist tax.
> 
> We're coming up on 2 months before our WSJ trip.  It's already turned cold here in the Midwest, so I'm already looking forward to it.



In Oct 2012, we moved after a week in our 3BR villa to a 5-night SPG stay in a studio...which WSJ nicely upgraded to a 1BR Hillside unit. We were charged the $40 resort fee for only 2 of the 5 nights. Go figure.


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaRex said:


> We're coming up on 2 months before our WSJ trip.  It's already turned cold here in the Midwest, so I'm already looking forward to it.



We're 8mos away and I'm already looking forward to it 

Argh!  Someone took my 2BR Loft in the last day before the 8mos boundary kicked in...   Or I guess perhaps someone took a unit that overlapped with our desired 10day booking...  Either way, the wife is not going to be pleased...

I guess we book a 2BR and see if the Elite wait-list works as well at WSJ as it did at WKORV/N.


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> I assume the $40/day resort fee doesn't apply to ownership bookings with StarOptions, just to hotel bookings via cash or SPG points?
> 
> T-25hrs until we can book



Correct - fee is for hotel side - not sure about II (but likely)
And like all things StJ - likely random event


----------



## OKPACIFIC

Please let us know how that wait list works for you at WSJ.  We wait listed a Coral Vista studio for weeks 12 and part of 13 at the exact 8 month date and haven't had any success yet. I've called periodically to check on it but no luck yet.


----------



## YYJMSP

OKPACIFIC said:


> Please let us know how that wait list works for you at WSJ.  We wait listed a Coral Vista studio for weeks 12 and part of 13 at the exact 8 month date and haven't had any success yet. I've called periodically to check on it but no luck yet.



We are trying to get one of the 2BR lofts, which I'm pretty sure are only in CV given the StarOptions required, sleeps 8 configuration, etc.  We're arriving just after the Jul 4th weekend.

Last night, I saw a 2BR loft available, but only for 9-days.  So, in my stupidity, I decided to go for it.  Someone else took the new unit before I could click on reserving it at exactly midnight (9PM my time).  And of course, I lost the original 10-day 2BR non-loft (had to release the StarOptions) since someone went and grabbed it (or it didn't come back to inventory?).

Releasing a unit puts back the StarOptions immediately, so at least that's nice to see...

Luckily, someone else must have let go of a unit an hour or so later, so I scooped it up for a 9-day 2BR non-loft stay.  Better to have something booked.  My wife was going to kill me when I told her I had nothing...

I have two wait-lists going for 2BR lofts, one for the original 10-day stay and another for the 9-day stay.  They expire 60 days in advance of arrival.  Looks like you can hold as many wait-lists as the number of VOIs you own.  Cool...

We've had good success with wait-listing at WKORV/N.  I think we had 3 different requests filled that one year when we had 7 units of various sizes booked.


----------



## LisaRex

YYJMSP said:


> We are trying to get one of the 2BR lofts, which I'm pretty sure are only in CV given the StarOptions required, sleeps 8 configuration, etc.  We're arriving just after the Jul 4th weekend.



This has been discussed in another thread, but Starwood claims that they do not assign rooms (or phase) until check-in.  So if you book a 2 bdrm, they can assign you any 2 bdrm in any phase, even though not all phases sleep the same number of people.  So even though the description makes it seem like it's in CV, you may get moved to another unit.  (FYI, last time we went to WSJ, I originally booked a regular 2 bdrm but was later moved to a loft 2 bdrm.)  

That's why my advice is to make sure that you indicate that you have x guests list on your reservation well ahead of time if that's what you'll need.  If you show up with 10 people because your confirmation indicated that it slept 10, I think you'd have a lot more leverage with the front desk clerk if you declared that you'd actually be bringing 10 people vs. the guy who only brings 4 people and wants a loft just because they're bigger and nicer.


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaRex said:


> This has been discussed in another thread, but Starwood claims that they do not assign rooms (or phase) until check-in.  So if you book a 2 bdrm, they can assign you any 2 bdrm in any phase, even though not all phases sleep the same number of people.  So even though the description makes it seem like it's in CV, you may get moved to another unit.  (FYI, last time we went to WSJ, I originally booked a regular 2 bdrm but was later moved to a loft 2 bdrm.)
> 
> That's why my advice is to make sure that you indicate that you have x guests list on your reservation well ahead of time if that's what you'll need.  If you show up with 10 people because your confirmation indicated that it slept 10, I think you'd have a lot more leverage with the front desk clerk if you declared that you'd actually be bringing 10 people vs. the guy who only brings 4 people and wants a loft just because they're bigger and nicer.



Agreed it's up in the air until arrival, but my point is that there are 2 loft configs, sleeps 8 in CV and sleeps 10 in BV, both requiring the same number of SO's.  

When I inquired, SVO says they will not put you in a smaller sleeps unit than the one you booked, nor will they put you in a unit that costs less SO's.  So if you book a sleeps 10, you'll get BV.  If you book a sleeps 8, you could get either CV or BV ("an upgrade to a larger unit").

Weird thing is that the reservation we have for the regular 2BR right now shows up on the SPG site, but it doesn't say to contact SVO for more details like our other upcoming villa stays.  It looks just like a hotel booking, you can click through to details, and it says the rate plan is "Svn owner" at $0/nt with a $40/nt resort fee, and describes the room as a 963sq.ft. 2BR villa, which only matches the 2BR CV config.

Not that I'm going to hold my breath and take that as correct, I'm sure it's just another IT monkey issue...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Do not pay attention to what is listed for WSJ on the SPG site for a SVN reservation.


----------



## LisaRex

YYJMSP said:


> When I inquired, SVO says they will not put you in a smaller sleeps unit than the one you booked, nor will they put you in a unit that costs less SO's.  So if you book a sleeps 10, you'll get BV.  If you book a sleeps 8, you could get either CV or BV ("an upgrade to a larger unit").



Well, that makes more sense than what they told another Tugger, which is what they could put you in any 2 bdrm.  Good to know.

We'll be arriving Jan 17th.  I wonder if the CV phase is even close to being completed.  It would be nice to check out new digs, though I think they'd be an even farther walk than the BV phase.  (I don't think that they have a parking lot on that side of the resort.)


----------



## DavidnRobin

CV buildings are closer than BV - with pool as point.
Neither have parking.


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## okwiater

No units in CV have kitchens.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> No units in CV have kitchens.



Correct - kitchenettes only

Fully equipped kitchenette with breakfast bar, cooktop, microwave oven, refrigerator with icemaker, dishwasher, coffee maker, toaster, blender and dinnerware


----------



## DavidnRobin

Someone was asking if the USVI Property Taxes had been processed yet.
They finally came thru my bank - Nov 24.
I sent them on Sept 27.

'Go Slow' is the USVI adage for a reason...


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Someone was asking if the USVI Property Taxes had been processed yet.
> They finally came thru my bank - Nov 24.
> I sent them on Sept 27.
> 
> 'Go Slow' is the USVI adage for a reason...



Strange. I mailed mine a few days after you did and mine cleared on Nov 7. Last in first out? 

 Also strange was that they didn't actually present and cash the check. They simply deducted the amount electronically.


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## Henry M.

FYI: In the BV section, property taxes are included in the maintenance fees. I don't have to send them in separately. I just recently got my bill for next year.


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## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> Strange. I mailed mine a few days after you did and mine cleared on Nov 7. Last in first out?
> 
> Also strange was that they didn't actually present and cash the check. They simply deducted the amount electronically.



I have a photocopy of the check in my checking account info.  Previously, it was just an electronic deduction (like yours)

btw - the 2015 WSJ VGV MFs have been posted - 0.66% decrease from 2014.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Nov. 2014, Report to VGV Owners*

November 26, 2014	

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner: 

As your elected representatives on the Board of Directors, we participated in September in a session with management to consider a proposed budget for 2015 and in the November 2014 meeting of the Board. This is our report to you.

Maintenance Fees Going Down Once Again 
Thanks to good work by the management company, vigilance by your Board of Directors, a lower rate of non-payment of maintenance fees, and a decrease in water usage (because pool leaks were discovered and repaired), maintenance fees are going down again this coming year. The decrease is not significant – an average of $14.23 per unit week (a little less for small units, a little more for large ones), but of course, any decrease is better than an increase, provided that there is no reduction in the quality of the resort or the services that we receive when we visit.

We were able to achieve a small reduction despite the facts that our property insurance premiums have increased substantially, from $66 per unit week in 2011 to $209 in 2015, and that in 2015 we will incur fees for alarm maintenance and termite treatment that we must pay every five years. A main driver of the increased insurance premiums is the revaluation of the property by the insurance company; the property is worth considerably more as a result of the improvement of the buildings in the last few years.

However, we think that it is safe to predict that over the next few years, we will probably experience maintenance fee increases, although we will try to keep them as small as possible. In addition to any normal cost-of-living increases (for example, in staff wages), one reason for the expected increases is Starwood's continuing conversion of its hotel rooms, including the poolside rooms, to time share units. As you know, in recent years Starwood created the Bay Vista and Coral Vista developments on what was hotel property, and it is now starting a fourth timeshare development at The Westin St. John by converting some hotel rooms in Building 12, one of the poolside buildings. Each conversion causes the number of units on hotel property to decrease, because two hotel rooms are often converted into one two-bedroom unit. The legal agreements that govern the property provide that most common expenses are shared in proportion to the number of units (not the number of bedrooms) for each entity. So, for example, in 2014 our Virgin Grand property accounted for 28.7% of the units, and therefore bore 28.7% of the common expenses (such as waterfront activities and the salaries and benefits of the front desk workers, the reservation clerks, and the security personnel). But in 2015 our share of the units and of those expenses will be 31.1%, and our share will continue to increase for as long as Starwood replaces hotel rooms with a smaller number of timeshare condominium units.

Until the creation of the Coral Vista development, there were 175 hotel units. Now there are only 96 hotel units and 54 Coral Vista units, a reduction of 25 units. If there are further conversions of multiple hotel rooms to single ownership units with no corresponding savings in cost resulting from the smaller number of units, our maintenance fees would continue to rise.

Please note that these developments by Starwood are not something that the Virgin Grand Board of Directors can control or even influence. We are providing the information to you so that you can anticipate what might happen, not because there is anything we can do to prevent this possible maintenance fee increase.

As an aside, we have no sense that an elimination of the hotel would necessarily diminish the quality of the resort. We have vacationed at other Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts that had only timeshare units, and no hotel, and the quality of those resorts (such as in Maui and Princeville, Hawaii) is just as high as that of The Westin St. John.

Co-generation of Electricity
The principal issue for our Board discussions during the past year has been how to control our energy costs. As you know, the electrical utility in the Virgin Islands has been charging extremely high rates for power – currently about 50 cents per kilowatt hour. And the rate has increased steadily for the last five years. Not only is the power company's electricity expensive – it is also unreliable, causing frequent power outages at our property. 

As you know, we have installed photo-voltaic cells on the roofs of some of the Virgin Grand buildings to produce solar energy for us. But solar energy cannot meet all of our needs. Some additional cells are being installed on certain roof surfaces of the hillside buildings, but most of those surfaces do not receive enough sunlight to make installation of still more cells worthwhile. We also considered a ground array of solar cells below buildings 31 and 32, but we decided that such an array would be unsightly and would destroy the look of the resort.

As we have previously reported, we are considering purchasing co-generation equipment that would produce all of our remaining electrical needs by burning LPG (which comes in liquefied form and produces a combustible gas). At current prices, the cost to us of the fuel would be about 33 cents per kilowatt hour, and a service contract for the equipment will add about 4 cents per kilowatt hour to this cost. The equipment would be located on the hotel side of the road, not on our property, and underground lines would bring the electricity to Virgin Grand. 

However, we are still evaluating whether this would be a worthwhile investment. If the current rate that we pay for electricity were to continue or increase, we could recover our cost in less than seven years, and after that, we would save a good deal on our electric bills. But it has been announced that the local utility company is converting its generating equipment from diesel fuel to LPG. That could significantly decrease the price of the electricity that we purchase. We cannot presently estimate the pace of the utility's conversion or whether it will really result in a lower price for electricity. It is therefore quite challenging for us to predict the amount that we would save by purchasing co-generation equipment or how long it would take before we would break even on our investment in the machinery and start to save money. So we are continuing to study the issue rather than deciding to buy co-generation equipment at this time. Meanwhile, because the savings from the utility's conversion may not actually be realized, we are investigating the expected useful life of the co-generation equipment and the availability of long-term service guarantees.

Owner Posting Bulletin Board 
We continue to receive some mail from owners who ask us how to access the owner bulletin board for listing units for rent, sale, or exchange, so as a friendly reminder we have included the instructions here: 

	Secure access to the site is provided to Owners registered with MyStarCentral. Please follow the steps below. 

I have a MyStarCentral account:
Visit starwoodvactionnetwork.com and click on 'Owner Login' in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Enter your Username or Email and your Password and click 'LOG IN'.
Hover your mouse over 'Owner Quick Links' in the upper-right corner of your screen and select 'MyStarCentral' from the drop down list.
Click on 'Your Owners Association' in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select a 'Westin St. John Resort & Villas - Virgin Grand' unit and click 'View the Details of this Ownership Week'.
Click on 'VGV Owner Posting Board' in the right-hand section of your screen.
I do not have a MyStarCentral account:
Visit starwoodvactionnetwork.com and click on 'Owner Login' in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Click 'REGISTER NOW'.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the online form.
Click 'Go directly to the StarCentral homepage'.
Click on 'Your Owners Association' in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select a 'Westin St. John Resort & Villas - Virgin Grand' unit and click 'View the Details of this Ownership Week'.
Click on 'VGV Owner Posting Board' in the right-hand section of your screen.
This will take you to the Association's website where you must read and accept the terms and conditions of the disclosure statement. You will then be taken to the homepage where you can sign up and create your member profile. 

Please be aware that you must create a member profile and be logged in to create or view current listings. Just beneath the boxed message on the homepage, there is a link you may click on to view detailed instructions for use of the website. This detailed instruction document and the FAQ page can be accessed without logging in to the website.	

There is one tricky part about logging in for the very first time. When you have followed the instructions above and get to the main page for our posting website, you will see this box:

User Login	If you are registering for the first time on our bulletin board, DO NOT enter your email or password where it says to enter them. Instead, click on the words "New members click here to sign up." After you have signed up as directed, on return visits to the site you will enter your email and the password that you selected.

Also, a few Mac users have had difficulty signing in with Safari. If you use a Mac and have difficulty, try using Google Chrome.

Chikungunya Virus
A tropical virus called chikungunya has now affected the entire Caribbean region. See the recent New York Times article about it and the St. John Tradewinds article (reporting that the disease has reached St. John). This is a virus borne by day-biting mosquitoes. The resort treats standing water on the property, and there are also 26 mosquito traps on site. However, many of us also travel to other places on the island. We therefore advise owners to use mosquito repellant containing DEET during daylight hours, particularly when venturing off the resort grounds.

Sidewalk
We are investigating the possibility of building a sidewalk along the main road from our property to the St. John Market, so owners who shop there would not have to walk in the road. We have asked the Board of the Bay Vista development to share the cost with us, as Bay Vista owners also shop at the St. John Market.

Annual Owners' Meeting
The next annual owners' meeting will take place at the resort on April 20, 2015. We encourage those of you who will be in St. John at that time to attend, when there will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the meeting.

Sincerely,
Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com

Robert Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com

This email was sent by SVO Management, Inc. You've received this email as a convenience in the general course of communication regarding your ownership.


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> As you know, in recent years Starwood created the Bay Vista and Coral Vista developments on what was hotel property, and it is now starting a fourth timeshare development at The Westin St. John by converting some hotel rooms in Building 12, one of the poolside buildings.



That sounds like Building 12 is not part of Coral Vista, so there is yet another phase coming?


----------



## okwiater

YYJMSP said:


> That sounds like Building 12 is not part of Coral Vista, so there is yet another phase coming?



That's how I read it. A "fourth" phase. It makes sense to eliminate the rest of the hotel rooms now that they're down to just a couple of buildings remaining.

 The most interesting part of the letter was the reference to Hillside paying its share of common expenses based on a percentage of the total # of units. This will lead to a pretty significant increase in Hillside's share of common expenses as hotel rooms are eliminated.


----------



## LisaRex

Building 12 is definitely not a part of the Coral Vista phase.  Interesting...


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## Henry M.

My understanding is that eventually the whole complex will be used for timesharing. I guess they're getting started on the last hotel area near the pool now.


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## okwiater

Slight digression...

Does anyone know whether your deeded unit matters in the Bay Vista phase? I figured that since they are float weeks the deeded unit numbers were for recording purposes only. Is that true or do you have a right to your deeded unit?


----------



## LisaRex

okwiater said:


> The most interesting part of the letter was the reference to Hillside paying its share of common expenses based on a percentage of the total # of units. This will lead to a pretty significant increase in Hillside's share of common expenses as hotel rooms are eliminated.



I think you're correct.  Acc to my calculations (based on the remaining 96 hotels rooms being converted into 66 TSs), VG owners will get hit pretty hard.


----------



## steve1000

okwiater said:


> Slight digression...
> 
> Does anyone know whether your deeded unit matters in the Bay Vista phase? I figured that since they are float weeks the deeded unit numbers were for recording purposes only. Is that true or do you have a right to your deeded unit?




You are correct. The deeded unit is for recording purposes only unless a fixed week/fixed unit was purchased.


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## letsgomets

DavidnRobin said:


> November 26, 2014
> 
> Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner:
> 
> one reason for the expected increases is Starwood's continuing conversion of its hotel rooms, including the poolside rooms, to time share units. As you know, in recent years Starwood created the Bay Vista and Coral Vista developments on what was hotel property, and it is now starting a fourth timeshare development at The Westin St. John by converting some hotel rooms in Building 12, one of the poolside buildings.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Philip G. Schrag
> phil.schrag@gmail.com
> 
> Robert Werbel
> robert.werbel@yahoo.com
> 
> This email was sent by SVO Management, Inc. You've received this email as a convenience in the general course of communication regarding your ownership.



Is Starwood now planning to convert the entire remainder of the hotel to timeshare?  We own in BV and had always understood that while they planned to convert the lower hillside (now CV), the 6 buildings around the pool would always be a hotel.

While others may have the experience of an all-timeshare resort that I don't have (I'm dubious), one thing that was always important was that we could extend our stay by booking a hotel room for a few more nights.  St. John is a long way to travel for just a week, but can't afford the time for 2 full weeks.


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## DavidnRobin

*New WSJ Signs*

http://www.on-stjohn.com/2014/11/26/new-westin-signs/

I miss the sea turtle...


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## bobpark56

*What good is the freecycle bldg if it's never locked?*

What good is the freecycle building if it's never locked to keep non-members out?


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## LisaRex

Personally, I think that timeshares, etc should have a place where you can donate things like beach chairs to charity or local schools.  They can open up a thrift shop and resell them and pocket the money.  Win win.


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## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> What good is the freecycle building if it's never locked to keep non-members out?



I thought it had been (they supposedly added card key access)? (I recall this past June)
Is it not locked?  Really should let someone know at WSJ - they are often uninformed of issues and willing to correct when informed.

Overall - IMO - VGV Owners are not made aware (reminded...) about the FreeCycle program (via Front Desk, welcome email, etc).  It was working early on.  Also, moving the Security Guard from that side of street allows for off-Resort people to do a bit of thievn'


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## DavidnRobin

ok - I waited a reasonable time to discuss the Elephant... (wearing the $ sign hat)

So... if I understand correctly - as WSJ converts to Timeshares, the MF for VGV will be disportionally impacting (bigger relative increase) since VGV has a higher percentage of villas... (As compared to VB, CV, and future HOAs)

That is true, BUT!!!??? - that is because they are heavy with studios and 1Bd villas -  HOWEVER they do not account for the same relative occupancy (or space per VOI) - how is that fair or equitable?  How much are VGV MFs going up?  Compared to BV/CV/etc? Are we paying for more resort services that BV/CV/etc - and not even being at the Main resort. One example - we have our own pools which we pay for - and pay more disportionally for the Main pool? WTF?

Anyone feel like chiming in?
Can we temp ban on the Salty ban?


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## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> ok - I waited a reasonable time to discuss the Elephant... (wearing the $ sign hat)
> 
> So... if I understand correctly - as WSJ converts to Timeshares, the MF for VGV will be disportionally impacting (bigger relative increase) since VGV has a higher percentage of villas... (As compared to VB, CV, and future HOAs)
> 
> That is true, BUT!!!??? - that is because they are heavy with studios and 1Bd villas -  HOWEVER they do not account for the same relative occupancy (or space per VOI) - how is that fair or equitable?  How much are VGV MFs going up?  Compared to BV/CV/etc? Are we paying for more resort services that BV/CV/etc - and not even being at the Main resort. One example - we have our own pools which we pay for - and pay more disportionally for the Main pool? WTF?
> 
> Anyone feel like chiming in?
> Can we temp ban on the Salty ban?



One could argue that any increase in MF is mitigated by the increase in the number of SOs (and SPs) which were extended to Virgin Grand. It would've been easy for Starwood to exclude that phase from the bump.


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## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> http://www.on-stjohn.com/2014/11/26/new-westin-signs/
> 
> I miss the sea turtle...



boring......


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> One could argue that any increase in MF is mitigated by the increase in the number of SOs (and SPs) which were extended to Virgin Grand. It would've been easy for Starwood to exclude that phase from the bump.



These were already given - this is about future increases in MFs


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## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> These were already given - this is about future increases in MFs



They were given when the plans began to move forward on CV and presumably the 4th and final phase. No doubt Starwood had already considered HOA bylaws including impacts to VGV and BV in determining how they would implement the plan.


----------



## LisaRex

DavidnRobin said:


> That is true, BUT!!!??? - that is because they are heavy with studios and 1Bd villas -  HOWEVER they do not account for the same relative occupancy (or space per VOI) - how is that fair or equitable?



True, but this methodology favored you when there were a lot of hotel rooms.  Had they assessed it based on square footage back then, VG would have been hit really hard.  

I think that if/when the last hotel rooms are converted to TSs, the 4 phase HOAs can perhaps come together and come up with a more equitable calculation, if such a thing exists.  IMO, it'll always be difficult because the people who have private pools are going to argue that they don't use the main pool, so why should they be essentially charged twice?


----------



## okwiater

LisaRex said:


> True, but this methodology favored you when there were a lot of hotel rooms.  Had they assessed it based on square footage back then, VG would have been hit really hard.
> 
> I think that if/when the last hotel rooms are converted to TSs, the 4 phase HOAs can perhaps come together and come up with a more equitable calculation, if such a thing exists.  IMO, it'll always be difficult because the people who have private pools are going to argue that they don't use the main pool, so why should they be essentially charged twice?



I'm an owner at VGV, and I still think VGV should pay for its fair share of the main resort amenities, even though VGV is located further away and has its own pools. Whether or not they make use of them, VGV guests still have free access to the main resort pool and amenities. The additional VGV pools are a more private (albeit smaller) alternative that adds value to VGV.

It's worth also noting that VGV Pool Villa owners have been helping to maintain the VGV pools even though they have almost no use for them, yet studio and 2-bedroom VGV owners weren't complaining about having their pools subsidized, now were they?


----------



## LisaRex

okwiater said:


> It's worth also noting that VGV Pool Villa owners have been helping to maintain the VGV pools even though they have almost no use for them, yet studio and 2-bedroom VGV owners weren't complaining about having their pools subsidized, now were they?



They will now that you thought of it!  

My point is that it'll be hard to come up with a method that will satisfy everyone.


----------



## DavidnRobin

well - only 2 people care enough to respond… (sadly)

okwaiter - I guess we will have to disagree on this point - the SO increase for VGV was to bring it in-line with the BV and CV villas (this was stated as the reason by SVO/SVN/WSJ) - this MF increase being discussed extends beyond BV/CV and towards future expansion.

My comment wasn't purely about VGV paying for the Main Resort (which will now increase disproportionally). My issue was that it appears it was done on a per VOI basis - and that means that the numerous low occupancy VOIs in VGV are being weighed heavily - and not based on occupancy.  And that unfairly results in higher MFs for VGV- that does not represent in a real increase in usage by VGV.

Fine by me if you are happy with it and feel it is justified.  I am not happy about it because I think (IMO) that it is unfair for the reasons mentioned.

however, other VGV owners appear to be apathetic based on the silence.

Me? I want to know exactly what kind of increase we need to be prepared for in the future (will 2015 be our last stay at WSJ-VGV?). Plus we are about to get screwed (again) when it comes to Property Taxes as it appears the new Governor is looking at TSs are to gain even more revenue (btw, he is planning on recalling the last Prop tax bills…)


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaRex said:


> They will now that you thought of it!
> 
> My point is that it'll be hard to come up with a method that will satisfy everyone.



arg - are we creating new 'facts'?

At VGV - the non-pool villa owners do pay for the pool villas - and visa-versa (per CCRs).
It goes towards to same total upkeep for pools/patios/BBQs as a whole in our budget that is then divided per VOI type based on a percentage established by CCRs.
Pool villa owners and non-pool villa owners do not have separate charges here.  Meaning pool-villa owners do not pay for their pools separate, and then also pay for our pools. The MF bills always stay proportional.

What should be discussed in non-VGV owners (e.g. BV) are taking the shuttles up to use our pools which they do not pay for.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> okwaiter - I guess we will have to disagree on this point - the SO increase for VGV was to bring it in-line with the BV and CV villas - this MF increase being discussed extends beyond BV/CV and towards future expansion.



My point was that Starwood didn't have to bring VGV in line with BV/CV. There is precedent for similar units in different phases having different SO values -- see SBP Plantation vs. Palmetto. They certainly didn't stand to gain much by increasing SO values for a sold out phase. So, the increase is at least a decent consolation prize in my eyes. I of course respect your disagreement. 



DavidnRobin said:


> My comment wasn't purely about VGV paying for the Main Resort (which will now increase disproportionally). My issue was that it appears it was done on a per VOI basis - and that means that the numerous low occupancy VOIs in VGV are being weighed heavily - and not based on occupancy.  And that unfairly results in higher MFs for VGV- that does not represent in a real increase in usage by VGV.
> 
> Fine by me if you are happy with it and feel it is justified.  I am not happy about it because I think (IMO) that it is unfair for the reasons mentioned.
> 
> however, other VGV owners appear to be apathetic based on the silence.
> 
> Me? I want to know exactly what kind of increase we need to be prepared for in the future (will 2015 be our last stay at WSJ-VGV?). Plus we are about to get screwed (again) when it comes to Property Taxes as it appears the new Governor is looking at TSs are to gain even more revenue (btw, he is planning on recalling the last Prop tax bills…)



I agree that it may not be the fairest. But it's always going to be imperfect and until recently VGV may have even been the beneficiary of the imbalance. Also, it's the way the docs were written and I don't see it changing.


----------



## czar

LisaRex said:


> I think you're correct.  Acc to my calculations (based on the remaining 96 hotels rooms being converted into 66 TSs), VG owners will get hit pretty hard.



This chart seems like there already would have been a large, one-time increase in VG MF when BV came into fruition - for those of you who owned during that time, was that the case?

I have no doubt that Stareood will do whatever is to their advantage, and keeping the actual costs of MF low and their benefit from that as highs as possible seems to be in their best interest. And for CV, look at how high those MF are already for the amount of space you get. MF at WSJ seem to make no sense.


----------



## LisaRex

DavidnRobin said:


> arg - are we creating new 'facts'?



No one is making up "facts." We're saying that no matter what method you come up with, someone will complain.

BTW, I've done an analysis on how the common areas are billed.  To the left is the current configuration.  To the right is if the hotel rooms were converted to TSs.  (I had to make an educated guess as to the number and type of villas at CV because I can't seem to find accurate information.) If my numbers are correct, based on today's setup, VG owners' share wouldn't change appreciably (31.08% v 31.50%) no matter what method they used. 

However, if they changed to the "max number of occupants" method, BV and CV's MFs would increase dramatically because they are being heavily subsidized by the hotel side. (The hotel side is paying 32.43% of the common area using the "number of units" method.  Using the occupant method, it'd be reduced to just 12%.  

(Note that Starwood's max occupancy for all their hotel rooms is 2, according to their website.)


----------



## czar

Isn't changing the docs extremely difficult?  I'm thinking about what it would take (still) to get that permanent wall installed in VG, so changing the actual legal docs would seem like an impossibility even if the boards agreed in the change, right?  So are they using a distribution of common area charges based on a per unit charge or per occupant?  Do BV and CV have the same wording in their docs too?


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaRex said:


> No one is making up "facts." We're saying that no matter what method you come up with, someone will complain.



My comment was to the comment (not by you)…
"It's worth also noting that VGV Pool Villa owners have been helping to maintain the VGV pools even though they have almost no use for them, yet studio and 2-bedroom VGV owners weren't complaining about having their pools subsidized, now were they? "

this is not true (aka not a fact) … both pay for each others pools.
btw - Pool villa owners can use the pools by B31-B34 (as they help pay for them), yet we cannot use theirs unless we get invited - so if anyone were to complain in this untrue scenario it is the non-pool villa owners…

Thanks for the number crunching… In B32-B34 there are 10 studios and 10 1Bd per building (and 4 2Bd TH) - B31 is configured a bit differently as they also have 2Bd Premium layouts.

Regardless… the letter from VGV BOD is stating that as the the resort fazes out hotel rooms - VGV Owners will see an increase in MFs at a higher percentage than BV/CV due to the overall representation of the number of VGV VOIs at WSJ.

I have been okay with paying our fair share up until now - but the future increase is unfair IMO as it is disproportionate to the usage (especially since we maintain - and use - our own pools).  I am not saying that we shouldn't pay for the Main Resort (we have and continue to do so) - but a large disproportional increase in MF for VGV owners because they are getting rid of hotel rooms - It is my opinion that VGV owners are getting screwed because of the calculus involved.

If VGV Owners are fine with it - so be it. (besides we have little choice) But, how much is this suppose to be? Will my MFs go up to $3000/yr ???
Will it be enough for me to walk away since I am paying more, but get zero increase in benefit?


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> This chart seems like there already would have been a large, one-time increase in VG MF when BV came into fruition - for those of you who owned during that time, was that the case?
> 
> I have no doubt that Stareood will do whatever is to their advantage, and keeping the actual costs of MF low and their benefit from that as highs as possible seems to be in their best interest. And for CV, look at how high those MF are already for the amount of space you get. MF at WSJ seem to make no sense.



It wan't a large one-time increase due to BV - it was due to the much needed refurbish (and delinquencies) - and only came down a bit when it was over to keep the RR up to expectations.

Our MFs went from $1600 to $2800 down to a steady $2400 (for last 3 years)…
btw - I am okay with $2400 for 2bd TH - but if it goes much higher because for some reason we have to compensate for SW decision to convert hotels to SVCO TSs (only benefits them…) - I am out.


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> It wan't a large one-time increase due to BV - it was due to the much needed refurbish (and delinquencies) - and only came down a bit when it was over to keep the RR up to expectations.
> 
> Our MFs went from $1600 to $2800 down to a steady $2400 (for last 3 years)…
> btw - I am okay with $2400 for 2bd TH - but if it goes much higher because for some reason we have to compensate for SW decision to convert hotels to SVCO TSs (only benefits them…) - I am out.



I recall reading about the large increase in MF from the refurb, but according to the chart, VG went from 25% to 29% of the units when BV was executed, so my reasoning was that if paying for a larger % of common property had that much impact, that 4% increase should have had a large impact on MF that people would have reported on. If it didn't, then I wouldn't expect a similar percentage increase (31% to 35%) to have a large impact either. Perhaps the increase in MF they were referencing was just that, an increase, without reference to size. 

I don't disagree with the points about equity regarding number of units, use of facilities, etc., I'm just saying that perhaps the overall effect will really be fairly negligible compared to where things stand now.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> My point was that Starwood didn't have to bring VGV in line with BV/CV. There is precedent for similar units in different phases having different SO values -- see SBP Plantation vs. Palmetto. They certainly didn't stand to gain much by increasing SO values for a sold out phase. So, the increase is at least a decent consolation prize in my eyes. I of course respect your disagreement.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree that it may not be the fairest. But it's always going to be imperfect and until recently VGV may have even been the beneficiary of the imbalance. Also, it's the way the docs were written and I don't see it changing.



I do not see it changing either - sadly - but when docs were written BV, CV and future expansions were not even on the horizon - so SVO/WSJ apparently has a way to push more costs onto VGV Owners because the docs were not updated with new info.

btw - SVO/SVN/WSJ gave clear reason for the SO increase - to bring in-line with BV and CV phases so 2Bd and 3Bd VOIs had same associated SO for their comparable seasons. This is documented...


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> I do not see it changing either - sadly - but when docs were written BV, CV and future expansions were not even on the horizon - so SVO/WSJ apparently has a way to push more costs onto VGV Owners because the docs were not updated with new info.


 
That's one of the risks inherent in owning a condo. We all had access to the HOA docs before purchasing and should have evaluated those risks.

The good news is, I re-read the letter and its explanation of which costs would be borne more heavily by VGV in the future, and then made a very pessimistic extrapolation based on the numbers from the 2015 budget. The worst case scenario I could come up with, assuming 100% TS conversion, was an approximately $150 increase for a 3-bedroom pool villa. Am I happy about it? No, but it's hardly life-altering. I will reiterate this was taking an extremely pessimistic view of which line items from the budget might be subject to this increase. In reality, we're probably looking at a number that is significantly smaller.



DavidnRobin said:


> btw - SVO/SVN/WSJ gave clear reason for the SO increase - to bring in-line with BV and CV phases so 2Bd and 3Bd VOIs had same associated SO for their comparable seasons. This is documented...


 
Wait, so this is the one time SVO was telling the truth?? 

I don't find this argument compelling because there is *no way *to bring the SOs/seasons in line, because the seasons themselves don't line up. For VGV, Platinum Plus is only through week #15. Platinum is shoulder season, with weeks #16-20 and #43-50. Gold Plus is weeks #21-42. At BV and CV it's completely different, with Platinum Plus extending through week #18, Platinum covering through mid-summer, and Gold Plus extending through fall. At CV it's even more complicated because they sell Diamond/Resort seasons as opposed to the ones on the SVN chart.

Starwood could have easily excluded Virgin Grand from the StarOptions allotment increases, and made it applicable only to phases in active sales (BV and CV). Why didn't they? Who knows -- but assuming their hand was in some way forced to do so doesn't seem realistic to me.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Inexpensive way to get to Coral Bay (Salt Pond)*

http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com...n-although-motion-sickness-challenge-for-some

$2pp RT (???!!!)

that affects the whole $ calculation for renting a car…


----------



## LisaRex

DavidnRobin said:


> http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com...n-although-motion-sickness-challenge-for-some
> 
> $2pp RT (???!!!)
> 
> that affects the whole $ calculation for renting a car…



Good find!  I wonder how much crap you can carry onto the bus?  When we head to Salt Pond, we have snorkeling gear, a cooler, beach chairs...


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaRex said:


> Good find!  I wonder how much crap you can carry onto the bus?  When we head to Salt Pond, we have snorkeling gear, a cooler, beach chairs...



As this is intended to get workers and those island folk that cannot drive around the island -I would tend towards paying for every seat that we are occupying and our stuff.
Hell, for $2pp - buy a bunch of seats - including locals in need...


----------



## okwiater

According to this article, AT&T lit up a new tower and cell service near the Westin is apparently much improved. Good news!

http://newsofstjohn.com/2014/12/18/cell-services-improves-island/


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Public Comments to Save Coral Bay for U.S. Army Corp of Engineers*

Sorry for the length - this was copied/paste from an email by the Save Coral Bay 
coalition that is opposing a proposed very large marina in Coral Bay.   I support this cause - YMMV, or you may not care.  I think this is important to those that love St John. If you care, do your own research. This is time-sensitive.
Here is the info:

*****
The US Army Corps of Engineers PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD for the Summers End Group marina in Coral Bay, St John, has begun and will remain open until JANUARY 31, 2015.  The complete Public Notice may be found by clicking on this link. {didn't copy}

The factors considered by the Army Corps are described below:

"All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including conservation, economics, esthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historical properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, considerations of property ownership, and in general, the needs and welfare of the people."

We STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you to a write a letter during this time.  The Army Corps is influenced by the volume of public comments it receives and these comments can cause a permit to be denied based on public sentiment. 

There is also an opportunity to request a public hearing about the application for the marina.  In your letter to the Army Corps please consider requesting a public hearing and your reason for requesting it.  Some reasons might be (a) to enable people who were unable to comment to be able to share their concerns, (b) to give people more time to understand the issues, (c) to enable people to share graphics and images and videos that cannot easily be sent by mail, or (d) to enable persons with disabilities, who may be unable to use written communication, to comment, or any other reason that seems appropriate.

How to Direct Your Letter

Your letter should either be sent by postal mail or by email to the addresses below.  It should include the permit application number in the subject line.

Permit Application Number:  SAJ-2004-12518 (SP-JMS)
Email Address:  Johann.M.Sasso@usace.army.mil
Postal Address:  Mr. Johann M. Sasso,  Antilles Permits Section, 400 Fernández Juncos Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901-3299

If you are submitting via email, you may send a copy to the Save Coral Bay email address so we can keep track of total responses.
email cc:  savecoralbay@gmail.com 

What You May Want to Include in Your Letter

The best letter is one that uses your own words to express your own concerns.  Whether you are a resident of Coral Bay, a resident of the Virgin Islands, a homeowner, a visitor, or someone with general concerns about protection of parks and natural resources, your comments will be most meaningful if they are your own.  Every letter will be read by the Army Corps, and any relevant concerns expressed will be summarized by the Corps and will require response from the applicant.

Here are some of the potential impacts and concerns you may want to discuss in your letter:

·         Environmental Concerns

1.    Impact on habitat for endangered species, including Green Sea Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, and Leatherback Turtles.

2.    Impact on endangered coral species found in Coral Bay.

3.    Impact on the healthy mangroves in close proximity to the project site.

4.    Impact on fish nurseries - Lemon shark, Black Tip shark, conch, whelk and numerous juvenile reef fish who use the mangroves and sea grass meadows

5.    Impact on the marine meadows that provide filtration and trap sediments.

6.    Mitigation for any of the above - how will the applicant restore any of the resources lost or damaged by this project?  How will the marine meadows be replaced?

·         Economic Concerns

1.    Is there proven demand for mega yachts to use a marina in Coral Bay, and if not how can it be economically successful?.

2.    How will the construction noise and disruption impact tourism in Coral Bay?  What are the risks that this will cause more economic harm than the benefit the marina claims to bring?

3.    What is the potential impact on real estate taxes?  Is there a risk that people will be forced from their land is taxes increase?

4.    What sort of jobs are created by a marina?  Are these year-round professional positions, or seasonal,  low paying jobs?

·         Infrastructural Needs

1.    Potable water - how many trucks per day? how will the roads be able to handle this added burden?

2.    Septic - how will the waste from mega yachts be handled ?

3.    Electric - how will the additional power required to operate the marina be supplied? What will happen during the frequent WAPA outages?

4.    Fuel - how will fuel be safely transported, stored, and pumped? How will spills be contained?

·         Cultural and Historic Impacts

1.    The view of Fortsberg, a site of great historic and cultural importance, would be obstructed by the marina.

2.    The shoreline, used by fishermen and boaters, would be inaccessible following the construction of the marina.

3.    The types of luxury shops and the mega yacht culture have no connection with the historic culture of the Virgin Islands, or the East End of St John.

·         Construction Impacts

1.    Noise, reverberating in the Coral Bay amphitheater, from pile driving on 1333 pilings. How long, what intensity, what impacts to people, animals, migratory whales, pelagic dolphins ?

2.    Siltation - the barge spuds and pile driving will release vast clouds of silt, how will this be contained to not result in killing acres of sea grass? A rainfall deposits silt, but it dissipates in a couple days.  The construction will create years of silt and may present risks to the sea bottom vegetation.

3.    Construction water, electricity - how will the utility needs of the construction be met? Will there be constant diesel engines, pile drivers, generators creating daytime noise?

·         Alternatives Available

1.    Large motor yachts can, and do, utilize the moorings maintained by the National Park Service. These moorings are safe to the seabed environment.

2.    The creek in Cruz Bay harbor, near the National Park gateway and headquarters, has all of the amenities and infrastructure required for a marina. Should this be considered as a far lower impact and more appropriate location.

·         Location of the Marina

1.    The proposed location is on the windward shore of Coral Bay harbor. It is subject to extreme wind and wave action during any tropical storm.

2.    The proposed location is subject to waves whenever there is a SE wind. The majority of the slips are situated broadside to the waves.

3.    The main pier needs to extend almost 1000' into the harbor in order to reach deep enough water for large yachts. At that length it would make it impossible to sail out of Coral Bay on most wind conditions.

4.    The north end of the harbor (behind Skinny Legs) is far more protected and appropriate for a marina.

·         Impact on Recreational Use

1.    The proposal includes a "mooring field" of 75 moorings, but the design of the mooring field has been described by local captains as unrealistic.  Are there concerns regarding the location, design, and operation of the mooring field?

2.     There are insufficient details on the mooring field to determine how it will function.

These are just some representative concerns.  You are encouraged to write about your personal concerns based on your knowledge of the Virgin Islands, of St John, of Coral Bay, and the probable impacts of the proposed marina.

Please keep in mind the deadline for submission - JANUARY 31, 2015.  And thank you for your time and attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

David Silverman, for Save Coral Bay


----------



## RJAYL

I am thinking about buying a Platinum Plus Floating week at Bay Vista how hard will it be to book prime holiday IE XMAS New Years / Presidents week 12 months out can they be booked sooner? Any and all input would be appreciated!


----------



## DavidnRobin

Are you buying this from SVO or resale?

Not sure about Xmas/NY, but Prez Day is sold at a premium and therefore harder to get at the 12 month mark.  Only fixed weeks can be booked earlier (>12mo).  Generally, if you want very popular weeks - it is best to buy these weeks and not expect to float into them (at 12-8months)


----------



## steve1000

RJAYL said:


> I am thinking about buying a Platinum Plus Floating week at Bay Vista how hard will it be to book prime holiday IE XMAS New Years / Presidents week 12 months out can they be booked sooner? Any and all input would be appreciated!



I believe it would be quite difficult although not impossible. Starwood was able to sell half the inventory for those weeks as fixed weeks so only half the inventory would likely be available for reservations by floating week owners. I own a BV floating platinum plus 2 BR loft unit but I have not attempted to reserve a holiday week. So I can't say for sure how difficult it would be but I am quite sure that to have any chance you would need to call right at the opening on the first day the inventory becomes available for booking.


----------



## DavidnRobin

iirc - they sold Ultra Premium weeks at BV for weeks like Prez weeks (highest demand). All of this info is in the original WSJ thread (long, but can be searched) linked in the 1st post of this thread.


----------



## okwiater

I own a week 7 BV but it's float. So they were not all sold as fixed premium weeks.


----------



## GrayFal

okwiater said:


> I own a week 7 BV but it's float. So they were not all sold as fixed premium weeks.



Can you reserve your deeded week at 12 months?


----------



## okwiater

GrayFal said:


> Can you reserve your deeded week at 12 months?


I haven't tried but I doubt it. I didn't think there were any fixed-to-float weeks in BV.


----------



## okwiater

Does anybody have a recent update on Coral Vista construction status, noise, debris, temporarily closed facilities, etc?

The last I saw was the lobby opening in December.


----------



## steve1000

okwiater said:


> Does anybody have a recent update on Coral Vista construction status, noise, debris, temporarily closed facilities, etc?
> 
> The last I saw was the lobby opening in December.



We just returned from WSJ. One of the Coral Vista buildings opened the first week of January. They seemed to be making good progress on a second CV building. We stayed in our Bay Vista unit and did not hear any construction noise. The lobby is open and looks great.


----------



## steve1000

I heard there was a fire a few days ago at the Tap Room at Mongoose Junction that resulted in significant fire damage and the closing of several stores. Anyone at WSJ have any information?


----------



## GrayFal

http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/01/23/mongoose-junction-fire/

http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/01/24/update-mongoose-junction/

http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/01/25/sunday-update-mongoose-junction/


----------



## steve1000

Pat - thank you for posting the links to the articles. Glad to see that the damage was contained and that all but a few of the shops will be back to normal operations very soon.


----------



## GrayFal

*1BR WSJ - are they a true one bedroom or a loft unit?*

I am in the process of closing on a 1BR unit at WSJ # 3326

I believe I read someplace that some of the units have a wall that makes the upstairs into a true one bedroom while other units are open, more like a loft. 

I tried doing a search on this board and elsewhere but could not come up with the information.
I also can't tell if the view is from the first floor only or does the bedroom also look out over the water. 
I have seem the floor plan on the Starwood site but just can't tell how the layout actually is.

Does anyone know about this specific unit or any of the 1BR units?


----------



## sjsharkie

GrayFal said:


> I am in the process of closing on a 1BR unit at WSJ # 3326
> 
> I believe I read someplace that some of the units have a wall that makes the upstairs into a true one bedroom while other units are open, more like a loft.
> 
> I tried doing a search on this board and elsewhere but could not come up with the information.
> I also can't tell if the view is from the first floor only or does the bedroom also look out over the water.
> I have seem the floor plan on the Starwood site but just can't tell how the layout actually is.
> 
> Does anyone know about this specific unit or any of the 1BR units?



Do you own there already?

Starwood has all of the governing docs online for owners.  I think your best bet is to look at the governing docs for a specific unit -- or find an owner that has stayed in that specific unit.  It will show an architectural diagram of the layout of the unit type for your unit.  (You can also look up on the recording site, but most charge fees and it seems easier to me to just get it from Starwood)

Then you can get opinions from people who actually have stayed in that unit type.  The challenge with going off of the Starwood SVN layouts is that it is a representative drawing and may not indicate the actual layout of your unit.

David seems to be one of the resident experts on WSJ.

Hope this helps.

-ryan


----------



## GrayFal

sjsharkie said:


> Do you own there already?
> 
> Starwood has all of the governing docs online for owners.  I think your best bet is to look at the governing docs for a specific unit -- or find an owner that has stayed in that specific unit.  It will show an architectural diagram of the layout of the unit type for your unit.  (You can also look up on the recording site, but most charge fees and it seems easier to me to just get it from Starwood)
> 
> Then you can get opinions from people who actually have stayed in that unit type.  The challenge with going off of the Starwood SVN layouts is that it is a representative drawing and may not indicate the actual layout of your unit.
> 
> David seems to be one of the resident experts on WSJ.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> -ryan



I am in the process of closing on this week 7 1BR and a summer studio so can't access the website. 
And yes, this was helpful. 
I am pretty sure I read here on TUG about the differing unit types but for the life of me can not find the info using a search. I am traveling so can't easily call the resort directly. 
I am hoping an owner will chime in our someone who has stayed in that unit


----------



## LisaH

Pat, I know at least some of the units, the master bedroom is loft-style.
For example 3425, according to the pictures on this website. What's your unit #?


----------



## Beaglemom3

Pat,
  I'm looking for you.

  Does this help ?


http://omvillasstjohn.com/images/hillside_villas.jpg

If not, I'll continue to look. I know it's somewhere. 

J


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Pat, I know at least some of the units, the master bedroom is loft-style.
> For example 3425, according to the pictures on this website. What's your unit #?



3326. There are just 2 pictures on that site from this unit. 



Beaglemom3 said:


> Pat,
> I'm looking for you.
> 
> Does this help ?
> 
> 
> http://omvillasstjohn.com/images/hillside_villas.jpg
> 
> If not, I'll continue to look. I know it's somewhere.
> 
> J


Thank you ladies. Maybe I am confusing this with the 3BR pool villas, some have a wall and some don't between the two upstairs bedrooms???


----------



## LisaRex

I think they were speaking about the sliding wall in the 3 bdrm pool villas:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1573135&postcount=1544


----------



## GrayFal

LisaRex said:


> I think they were speaking about the sliding wall in the 3 bdrm pool villas:
> 
> http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1573135&postcount=1544



Thanks Lisa. I do know about that. Again just wondering why I had the other recollection. Either way I am REALLY excited about this new ownership. Never thought I would get a Platinum Plus week


----------



## LisaRex

GrayFal said:


> Thanks Lisa. I do know about that. Again just wondering why I had the other recollection. Either way I am REALLY excited about this new ownership. Never thought I would get a Platinum Plus week



There's nothing quite like getting away to a tropical destination in the middle of winter, is there?

I see you own at BlueBeard.  Is that on STT?


----------



## GrayFal

LisaRex said:


> There's nothing quite like getting away to a tropical destination in the middle of winter, is there?
> 
> I see you own at BlueBeard.  Is that on STT?



Yes it is. Management by Wyndham but an owner controlled HOA. Recently renovated. Clean nice units steps from the beach. Only 72 units that sleep 4 so never crowded. We love it there. Planning to go to BBC before and after the WSJ stay. Ahhhhhhhhnn


----------



## DavidnRobin

Pat - do you still need a response? can't tell...


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Pat - do you still need a response? can't tell...



I would love a response from you.  Thanks 

Do you know if there are different bedroom situations in different units?
If it is an open loft, there is really not too much privacy. That is really want I was curious about.


----------



## DavidnRobin

It is open from what I know about them (seen one, and from photos), but just on the side where the stairs come up - as the bedroom seemed not to have a window - probably did it to make it more open and have light. It is still somewhat private as you can only see into the bedroom at the top of the stairs.  Sound between upstairs and downstairs would be an issue.  We have doors on our bedrooms in the 2Bd TH.  The 1Bd are likely all that way.  No sliding wall from what I know - some of the 3Bd pool villas have a sliding wall - and I think the studio has a slider to separate the bed from the room (iirc).
I would call and ask the Front Desk if they seem knowledgeable.

The balcony is on 1st level of the villa which is on the 2nd level of the building - nothing to obscure the view.  We have some tree/bush action on the 1st (lower) level - but really only blocks looking at B31 and B32 - except for a palm in front of our balcony which I cut every time I visit.

These balconies have full sun with little protection (read HOT)


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> It is open from what I know about them (seen one, and from photos), but just on the side where the stairs come up - as they seemed to have oat a window - probably did it to make it more open and have light. They are likely all that way.  No sliding wall from what I know - some of the 3Bd pool villas have a sliding wall - and I think the studio has a slider to separate the bed from the room (iirc)
> 
> The balcony is on 1st level of the villa which is on the 2nd level of the building - nothing to obscure the view.  We have some tree/bush action on the 1st (lower) level - but really only blocks looking at B31 and B32 - except for a palm in front of our balcony which I cut every time I visit.
> 
> These balconies have full sun with little protection (read HOT)


Thanks,

Hot in February is okay!


----------



## canesfan

We own a 2br loft. There are not many of them from what we were told. It has a master bedroom a sitting room next to the master with a sliding door. It could be used as another sleeping space because it has a sleeper sofa. Then another 2 bedroom with 2 doubles. There's a huge open space upstairs that's wasted space aka the loft.
Downstairs is the living area. Technically it can sleep 10.

I don't think any 1 BR are set up this way though with that loft area. 

It really should be distinguished in the description. I know I'd make sure to let someone know that it was a Loft unit that I was selling or renting.


----------



## GrayFal

canesfan said:


> We own a 2br loft. There are not many of them from what we were told. It has a master bedroom a sitting room next to the master with a sliding door. It could be used as another sleeping space because it has a sleeper sofa. Then another 2 bedroom with 2 doubles. There's a huge open space upstairs that's wasted space aka the loft.
> Downstairs is the living area. Technically it can sleep 10.
> 
> I don't think any 1 BR are set up this way though with that loft area.
> 
> It really should be distinguished in the description. I know I'd make sure to let someone know that it was a Loft unit that I was selling or renting.



Thanks...yes, it is important to know what you are getting.


----------



## DavidnRobin

canesfan owns BV and not VGV from their description.
There are no 1Bd BV villas.


----------



## Carolyn

We own a 1 BR (3424). The bedroom is in a "loft" but there is a half wall where you look downstairs and there is a nice wood partition that can be pulled across the half wall to close it off except for the stairs that lead up, so no door you can lock. Upstairs is a full 1BR with closet, BR furniture, flat screen TV, King bed with 2 night stands, window and bathroom with shower and 1 sink vanity. Of course this has  a door. There is a full bath downstairs. It would be OK for 2 adults and 2 children because the only other bedding is a sofa bed. Hope this helps.

Carolyn


----------



## GrayFal

Carolyn said:


> We own a 1 BR (3424). The bedroom is in a "loft" but there is a half wall where you look downstairs and there is a nice wood partition that can be pulled across the half wall to close it off except for the stairs that lead up, so no door you can lock. Upstairs is a full 1BR with closet, BR furniture, flat screen TV, King bed with 2 night stands, window and bathroom with shower and 1 sink vanity. Of course this has  a door. There is a full bath downstairs. It would be OK for 2 adults and 2 children because the only other bedding is a sofa bed. Hope this helps.
> 
> Carolyn



Thanks Carolyn, I was hoping to hear from a 1 BR owner.  And I also think the 33 and 34 buildings are the same layouts. I know 32 and 31 have some different configurations. Thank again for posting about the wood partition. 

One more question. Can you see the water from the loft? Or is the view restricted to the first floor? It seems there are windows in the  loft but they look at the parking area/hillside.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I am curious as well.  Where does the window in the 1Bd look out upon?  I thought the 1Bd was situated above the Entry, and that the space above the LR/DR was open where the 2nd BD in the 2Bd TH is located.  Is there also a window the space above the LR area - or just a wall?


----------



## GrayFal

I found this image.  Trying to see if the third floor or loft area has windows.


----------



## DavidnRobin

from the photo - only the sliding glass door to balcony (1st level of villa) has a window on the water-side.  The 1Bd window must face the parking area. You can see the balconies (lower and upper) across each building with no window above.
You can see the 2 TH villas on each side of the building (lower and upper) - with windows for the Bd on that side.  We have picturesque views from our Bd - I have posted photos. The other Bd window in our TH faces over the parking area.  You can also see the windows on the side of each building that are above the stairs for the 2Bd villa.  We enjoy how light and open our TH feels with these windows on the side.


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> from the photo - only the sliding glass door to balcony (1st level of villa) has a window on the water-side.  The 1Bd window must face the parking area. You can see the balconies (lower and upper) across each building with no window above.
> You can see the 2 TH villas on each side of the building (lower and upper) - with windows for the Bd on that side.  We have picturesque views from our Bd - I have posted photos. The other Bd window in our TH faces over the parking area.  You can also see the windows on the side of each building that are above the stairs for the 2Bd villa.  We enjoy how light and open our TH feels with these windows on the side.



I. Ant really make out the windows on my iPad so thanks for checking this out.....

I have stayed in the end first floor townhouse closest to the pool thanks to the generosity of Beaglemom3.   Fun GRLz trip!   And I have stayed in a studio that I exchanged thru an II trade when I used to own at SBP. Very happy to be owning this 1 BR. It offers a bit more privacy when traveling with friends and family and a second full bath is great. I will just have to suffer and sit on the second floor balcony, not a bad thing at all.  
I have a snoring Son-I-L so being able to pull the wooden screen across is a plus :ignore:

Also the Starwood website indicates it can sleep 5 which is also a plus in my mind.


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## DavidnRobin

We own a 1st floor 2Bd TH villa - closest to the pool (only 4 of them…)
25 steps from the villa to the Pool/BBQ - that and ability to park outside our villa are great features. 

Being able to get in our 4WD and drive to the Trunk Bay Parking Lot in 17 mins (for example) - is a benefit that we take advantage of constantly.  Getting to a store and back quickly (<10min even to StarFish) is also a big plus.
It seems that many folks do not get this benefit we find so important - to each their own…
Hill-People Rule!


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## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> We own a 1st floor 2Bd TH villa - closest to the pool (only 4 of them…)
> 25 steps from the villa to the Pool/BBQ - that and ability to park outside our villa are great features.
> 
> Being able to get in our 4WD and drive to the Trunk Bay Parking Lot in 17 mins (for example) - is a benefit that we take advantage of constantly.  Getting to a store and back quickly (<10min even to StarFish) is also a big plus.
> It seems that many folks do not get this benefit we find so important - to each their own…
> Hill-People Rule!



I am happy to join the Hill Folk 

Do you rent on STT or STJ?


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## DavidnRobin

Rent? as in 4WD rental?
We rent on StT (Amalie) and take the car-barge over. $60RT - no other fees…
We get a pick-up and drop-off right outside the baggage carousel at STT - with documents all ready to do after a quick signature. Takes about 30 mins (no traffic) to drive to RedHook and take the car-barge. About a 5min drive from the car barge to WSJ.  We arrive and depart on a Friday - so no cruise line traffic, and easy lines at STT.

We rarely even get down to the main resort (and we have consecutive week) - except to checkin/out - and sometimes to get to the beach nest to the dock for boat charter pickup (WSJ won't allow the dock to be used for charters except for their charters)

What is the checkin day for your week (Fri/Sat/Sun)?


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## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Rent? as in 4WD rental?
> We rent on StT (Amalie) and take the car-barge over. $60RT - no other fees…
> We get a pick-up and drop-off right outside the baggage carousel at STT - with documents all ready to do after a quick signature. Takes about 30 mins (no traffic) to drive to RedHook and take the car-barge. About a 5min drive from the car barge to WSJ.  We arrive and depart on a Friday - so no cruise line traffic, and easy lines at STT.
> 
> We rarely even get down to the main resort (and we have consecutive week) - except to checkin/out - and sometimes to get to the beach nest to the dock for boat charter pickup (WSJ won't allow the dock to be used for charters except for their charters)
> 
> What is the checkin day for your week (Fri/Sat/Sun)?


For the 1 BR it is Saturday but we would most likely stay on STT prior to check in. Own at Bluebeard's BeachClub x 10 years plus have Wyndham Points. We have a Friday checkin for our studio but it is summer so not so concerned about the traffic/rental situation.  Who do use for jeep rental?  And thanks for your help.


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## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> For the 1 BR it is Saturday but we would most likely stay on STT prior to check in. Own at Bluebeard's BeachClub x 10 years plus have Wyndham Points. We have a Friday checkin for our studio but it is summer so not so concerned about the traffic/rental situation.  Who do use for jeep rental?  And thanks for your help.



Amalie Jeep Rental - their vehicles are rented at a premium compared to others, but they are brand new - and they pickup drop off at STT.
I used Dependable Jeep Rentals on StT once - never again…

I have also rented on StJ (O'Connor a few times, and one in Cruz Bay), but find the additional cost of getting over to StJ (either by public ferry or the WSJ ferry) not worth it compared to just renting on StT. Plus, Amalie's vehicles are in pristine condition. YMMV
We use our 4WD daily on StJ.


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## lpmem

*Looking to buy a WSJ-BV resale, need some help*

Hi, my husband and I are looking to buy a Bay Vista resale property and have a few questions.  Wanted to come here to get the best answers directly from the owners, hope you can help.  First, the offer contract we received shows a particular unit.  Is this the exact unit we will occupy every visit?  Or are you assigned any matching unit upon arrival? Second, how difficult is it to book a week at the property (I would assume it would be more difficult if you are vying for a particular unit)?  We would have floating weeks 19-33 to choose from.  Lastly, tripadvisor has many varying options on the property, have you been happy with your purchase overall?  Thanks for any help you can provide.


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## czar

lpmem said:


> Hi, my husband and I are looking to buy a Bay Vista resale property and have a few questions.  Wanted to come here to get the best answers directly from the owners, hope you can help.  First, the offer contract we received shows a particular unit.  Is this the exact unit we will occupy every visit?  Or are you assigned any matching unit upon arrival? Second, how difficult is it to book a week at the property (I would assume it would be more difficult if you are vying for a particular unit)?  We would have floating weeks 19-33 to choose from.  Lastly, tripadvisor has many varying options on the property, have you been happy with your purchase overall?  Thanks for any help you can provide.



We own a 19-33 purchase and are very happy. We love the float capability and this section of the resort. We had a hard time finding a resale unit so hopefully you're hacing better luck than we did a year and a half ago. 

Yes you will get a deeded unit and week for recording purposes. That's normal. 

As for the varied reviews, the units in the non-TS part of the resort were dated for awhile, and I think what they were charging compared to what people were renting was skewed significantly; however, they've converted some of hose buildings to TS units (Coral Vista) and are updating other sections.

Separately, I think people need to have more realistic expectations when traveling in the Caribbean. The sooner "you" get on island time, the better the service will be


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## DavidnRobin

If it is a float villa, then the villa number (and week) is just for deeding purchase.
I would not trust reviews on TripAdvisor - each person has different expectations for their vacations.  I always look at what people are complaining about (like not getting their daily newspaper, or that it is a photocopy...)
StJ can be very low-key and things move slowly. It is not for everyone.
'Adapt' is a good word to remind yourself.  We look for very little interaction with WSJ staff, and request very little.


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## LisaRex

lpmem said:


> Hi, my husband and I are looking to buy a Bay Vista resale property and have a few questions.  Wanted to come here to get the best answers directly from the owners, hope you can help.  First, the offer contract we received shows a particular unit.  Is this the exact unit we will occupy every visit?  Or are you assigned any matching unit upon arrival? Second, how difficult is it to book a week at the property (I would assume it would be more difficult if you are vying for a particular unit)?  We would have floating weeks 19-33 to choose from.



In your case, the unit number on the deed is just for accounting purposes.  

If you were buying a fixed unit, it would have to also be a fixed week.  Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense. As a float owner, you are guaranteed to get the size unit you bought in the season you bought.  However, you have to call during the Home Resort Reservation period, 8-12 months out, in order to secure that reservation. 

If you want a particular week in the season you bought, be prepared to reserve it online at 12 months out, especially if it's a high demand week.


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## lpmem

Wow, thanks for the speedy responses! I've been to several islands and understand island time, but when making a large purchase always good to verify. St. John was my first and has always been my favorite! Appreciate all your help.


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## DavidnRobin

It is fixed week first, then fixed villa - each has a 10% premium when it can be done.
This only be done via SVO unless someone is selling their fixed week/villa.

Tugger jerseygirl (seems to have dropped off TUG) once posted that she was having a hard time reserving her float week because didn't reserve soon enough.

What ever happened to the VGV Owner's Coalition and their lawsuit?


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## Carolyn

DavidnRobin said:


> I am curious as well.  Where does the window in the 1Bd look out upon?  I thought the 1Bd was situated above the Entry, and that the space above the LR/DR was open where the 2nd BD in the 2Bd TH is located.  Is there also a window the space above the LR area - or just a wall?



The window in the Bedroom loft area looks at the side of the cliff, hence looking down you see the parallel parking area. You get natural light in the downstairs area from the frosted glass front door and the large sliders that lead out to the small balcony. I don't think we can see the water from the loft. It is up pretty high to see through the sliders. Bldgs. 33 and 34 are the best!

Carolyn


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## GrayFal

Carolyn said:


> The window in the Bedroom loft area looks at the side of the cliff, hence looking down you see the parallel parking area. You get natural light in the downstairs area from the frosted glass front door and the large sliders that lead out to the small balcony. I don't think we can see the water from the loft. It is up pretty high to see through the sliders. Bldgs. 33 and 34 are the best!
> 
> Carolyn



This is all such great information. Thanks so much!


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## YYJMSP

YYJMSP said:


> So for 2 adults + 1 kid would be $120x2 + $90 = $330 for the Westin ferry?



Was asking the Concierge about various things and collecting info, and they said the following about the ferry:

"The cost of the ferry is $120 for an adult and $90 for youth ages 4-17 round trip. If you are an owner staying on your owners times then it is $110 for yourself and a guest."

So that is only $200 for 2 adults + 1 kid according to them.  We asked twice to verify.  Asking a third time whether that applies to StarOptions bookings or only Home Resort bookings.

Is this "2-for-1" for owners new?  Has anyone else actually been charged in this way?


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## NNerland

We just got back - we took ferry - we had a party of 4 adults 1 kid age 5 and 2 3 and under 

We paid $240 for my parents and $310 for us - so 2 x $110 and $90 for kid 
So that statement of 2 for $110 is not correct rather they offer a $20 discount total for up to 2

We had lots of luggage and kids so we love the service 
Also never rent car for entire week


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## DavidnRobin

Think you are reading that wrong - it is $110 plus $110 for owners.  I have not heard of any recent changes.  I believe the WSJ ferry cost is on their website.

Did you hear one of the new passenger ferries crashed?

It is very convenient certainly - and we used to take it (at $65pp), but now we have found a better way... Especially at $110pp... For us...

If they truly offered a 2:1 - I may change my perspective.


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## YYJMSP

NNerland said:


> We just got back - we took ferry - we had a party of 4 adults 1 kid age 5 and 2 3 and under
> 
> We paid $240 for my parents and $310 for us - so 2 x $110 and $90 for kid
> So that statement of 2 for $110 is not correct rather they offer a $20 discount total for up to 2
> 
> We had lots of luggage and kids so we love the service
> Also never rent car for entire week



Thanks for the first-hand info!

My wife talked to the concierge twice, and she said both times it was $200 total for the 3 of us.  I told her to get it in writing, but your experience contradicts what they're saying, and I'm more willing to believe your story than hers...


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## LisaRex

"Once confirmed, the ferry transportation charge will be reflected on your guest room folio upon check-out. Transfer costs: *$120 for adults, $90 for children 4-17, no charge for children 3 years old and under.*

Charge includes round trip transfers to airport, tips and luggage handling and also includes unlimited shopping trips to St Thomas Crown Bay Marina.  One of our representatives will greet you and your party at the airport. For further arrival and departure information e-mail 01098.guestrelations@westin.com."

http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/transportation-into-st-john


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## DavidnRobin

$240 for 2 adults
$330 for 2 adults and 1 child
$420 for 2 adults and 2 children
$480 for 4 adults
… expensive regardless of some Owner discount

I will stick with my alternate mode of transport…

btw  re: Public Ferries - now the claim is a that a big wave caused the new ferry boat to crash into the dock at Cruz Bay (and not a stuck throttle) - yet the bay was calm, and 1st hand accounts saw the ferry coming in too fast…
Bet that no one is held accountable?
'Only in the Islands, Mon'


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## NNerland

It is expensive but all depends on what you need and what you do.   Renting on St John and not renting everyday saves you $75-$100/day.  If you go for one week and don't rent a few days, there is $150-$200

Luggage - if you have a party of 4 and have kids for example, no way much fits into a rental car to drive across St Thomas, take the Ferry and arrive at St John.

When traveling and having lots with you, it is nice to literally take your bags of the luggage carousal and have it delivered to your room.   We really do appreciate that and take the Westin at their word that the high fee includes proper tips for the people bring us our bags.  I know many say they doubt that they get enough....but we assume when paying a premium and that is stated that everyone is taken care of.

It has gone up a lot in the past few years and does add a large chunk to the journey...especially with multiple adults and our kids getting over Age 3.

I am glad they have something and you also have a very organized experience...even if it comes at a price.


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## DavidnRobin

I have done it almost every way possible over the last 9 years of WSJ-VGV ownership (Public transport, WSJ ferry, Rent on StJ in Cruz Bay, Rent at WSJ, and rent on StT and take car barge).

As VGV owners - having quick vehicle access becomes very important for those (us) that consider it important, and raises the value of having a vehicle handy.  Of course cars have capacity limits (that is always the case), and not all folks have same needs. If you have too many (or too few) - then renting a vehicle does not make sense - as often discussed here.

Base case (for example): 4 adults w/ 4 pieces of checked luggage fits a 4Dr 4WD WranglerXL. Even a kid or 2 could fit depending on their ages and how many bags one brings (usually 2x the amount needed…)

$580/week for rental + $60RT on car barge = $640/week
with $480RT for WSJ ferry - it therefore costs an additional ~$160/week to have full (quick) access to transport => ~$23/day extra. Let's round up to $25...

For a villa that runs at ~$2500/week, and airfare for 4 adults at ~$3000 ($5500 and growing) - add in costs for food, charters, restaurants, and drinks (another couple grand for a week…) and I am fine with and extra $25/day for the convenience and the freedom.  YMMV


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## YYJMSP

NNerland said:


> It is expensive but all depends on what you need and what you do.   Renting on St John and not renting everyday saves you $75-$100/day.  If you go for one week and don't rent a few days, there is $150-$200



But don't cabs cost quite a bit there?  Looking at the various web sites, it sounds like it's around $15 one-way for 3 to go between the Westin and Cruz Bay, so $30 for the three of us to go out to dinner each night?


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## czar

YYJMSP said:


> But don't cabs cost quite a bit there?  Looking at the various web sites, it sounds like it's around $15 one-way for 3 to go between the Westin and Cruz Bay, so $30 for the three of us to go out to dinner each night?



Yes it adds up quickly. We chose not to rent a car for car seat reasons but would have rented one otherwise. Although next time we go they'll be 6 of us so not sure what we'll fit in!

Also if you want to explore having a car is so useful and you'll end up
paying quite a bit to rent on site.


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## LisaRex

YYJMSP said:


> But don't cabs cost quite a bit there?  Looking at the various web sites, it sounds like it's around $15 one-way for 3 to go between the Westin and Cruz Bay, so $30 for the three of us to go out to dinner each night?



Yes, it's $5 to get to Cruz Bay + gratuity.  We pay a pretty penny to rent a car for the week and still hail a taxi whenever we venture into town.  Parking is a hassle in Cruz Bay and we like to enjoy a cocktail or two with dinner, so a taxi is worth it to us. 

Other options: Lemongrass Restaurant (on-site) is surprisingly good.  Service could be improved, but we ate there once (and our friends ate there twice). The bar/poolside restaurant is pricey ($18 for a cheeseburger and fries) but good as well.  They also sell sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, entrees and cooked pizzas at the on-site Market place, as well as the little market right outside the Westin grounds.  

And, of course, there's always grilling...


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## czar

I agree, certainly worth the small price to take a cab if you're going to be drinking. I also agree that the new bar at that restaurant – is it lemongrass – is really nice. So we found ourselves coming back for a drink after dinner. Huge improvement over last year. So sad to be missing the summer, but with a newborn and a wedding in California, St. John is just not in the cards.


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## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> But don't cabs cost quite a bit there?  Looking at the various web sites, it sounds like it's around $15 one-way for 3 to go between the Westin and Cruz Bay, so $30 for the three of us to go out to dinner each night?



Correct - except at night it is $6pp OW - and that is w/o tip if you are so inclined.
They even charge per large luggage bag.  for example - if you take public taxis/ferries. except the car barge does not charge per bag. Of course, bags are free for the WSJ ferry.

No one is saying it is a black/white choice. For us, I look at the overall costs vs. the vacation value.  For us… we have tried the public ferry/taxi method (too hot/humid and too much of a hassle after flying SFO-xxx-STT).
We also used the WSJ ferry back when it was a reasonable cost for Owners (IMO - it is way too costly now).

We have rented a vehicle on StJ on-site at O'Connor a couple of time (arg… this has been discussed in trip reports) and in CB (ability to park a plus, but watch out who you use) - neither are inexpensive and generally vehicles are trashed. Then, talked to someone that told me about renting on StT and taking the car barge over (plus their 4WD was in great condition).

So… next year I (we) decided to take the car barge.  It was a great way to go, but decided to go cheap (Dependable) and ended up with a trashed car with no back window (hello mosquitoes!), and had to pick-up/drop-off the vehicle a few miles from STT (drag). Then, someone told me about Amalie Car Rental - 4WD in great condition - and with an AUX mini-RCA plug (important to me), and they pick you up at STT and meet you there for drop-off (and stay in contact).  Their vehicles come at a premium because of their condition and customer service (often lacking in the USVI).  I now use Amalie and recommend for those that have similar vacation priorities to use them as well (and I get no kick-back…)

That is my experience that I am sharing. This is not a 1-size fits all experience.

For StJ vehicle experience…
Drop off passenger at Woody's after a long day on the beach - have them pick-up Bushwackers at the Take-Out window during Happy Hour - and enjoy them back in your VGV villa still frozen (5 mins to front door). Open containers are allowed on StJ.   Of course - be careful not to end up being the 1st DUI in StJ in the last 10 years (advice from Angel's Rest…)

Movie Star Alert!





Angel's Rest





Or… drive over to Trunk Bay Parking lot and be set-up on the beach at 4pm for sunset (NPS booth is closed) about 20min from WSJ-VGV.  But, be aware that there are no lifeguards and watch out for noseeums at sunset (stand on blanket not sand… bring protection)

Trunk Bay!





Or… drive to Salt Pond and hike out to Ram Head during a full moon (bring a flashlight), and then to Miss Lucy's on the way back for their full-moon party.

Last of of the sunset from Ram Head





And… of course - drive all the way to where the roads end…


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## rog2867

Here is some info we just got.  Let me know what you think...  We were just at WKV last week and went for our owners update.  I had recently found out that our week we own in Bay Vista a 2 bdrm loft is a fixed week.   We were also told that Bay Vista was only sold as fixed weeks.  The deed says float as do all but they are not.   The  new units being built now are all float, but we were also told that we cannot give up our week and try to get into those.  I think I remember sales person telling us its just like the other starwood resorts you can just float it and try to get into a different phase.  That's not what we were just told.  So basically I had a 2 bdrm loft with week 3 fixed week in January, which I can't go to for ten years until the kids are in college.    So I just keep turning it into star options, at least I get 179000 of those now and go some place else.  I will still try to turn Kaanapali or Cancun into options and try to go to SJ if possible.


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## DavidnRobin

Hey rog - the salesman is incorrect (aka lying).  WSJ-BV was sold as both fixed and float.  It is WSJ-VGV (Hillside) that are actually fixed, but they can float within season during 8-10 months out if openings are available (not common). The rest is misinformation following a lie.

Your deed says float - it is float (if you own Bay Vista) - a float WSJ-BV 2Bd loft week 3 allows it to float in a Plat+ season and that has tremendous value (plus your StarOptions have just increased)
Their lie is so atrocious - you should report them.

I hope you did not make a rash and misinformed decision based on this incorrect info.
If you did - rescind!

Info on the new WSJ-CV phase has been discussed here and in its own thread.


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## WizardOz

*WSJ Unit 4314*

Hello - I am currently in the process of purchasing a week in paradise!! We will be in Unit 4314 for Week 4 and wondering if there are any current owners of this villa with any feedback or comments about this particular unit. #STJ #homeawayfromhome


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## patsfan

*STT Car Rental*



DavidnRobin said:


> Rent? as in 4WD rental?
> We rent on StT (Amalie) and take the car-barge over. $60RT - no other fees…
> We get a pick-up and drop-off right outside the baggage carousel at STT - with documents all ready to do after a quick signature. Takes about 30 mins (no traffic) to drive to RedHook and take the car-barge. About a 5min drive from the car barge to WSJ.  We arrive and depart on a Friday - so no cruise line traffic, and easy lines at STT.
> 
> We rarely even get down to the main resort (and we have consecutive week) - except to checkin/out - and sometimes to get to the beach nest to the dock for boat charter pickup (WSJ won't allow the dock to be used for charters except for their charters)
> 
> What is the checkin day for your week (Fri/Sat/Sun)?




Is this the right web site for the jeep rental you've used (www.amaliecar.com).  

And do we need reservations for the car barge, or is that just first come first served?

Thanks


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## okwiater

patsfan said:


> And do we need reservations for the car barge, or is that just first come first served?


 
No reservations needed for the barge. Just take whichever one is there, and most would recommend purchasing a one-way instead of a round-trip so that you aren't stuck waiting for a specific barge on the return trip.


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## DavidnRobin

patsfan said:


> Is this the right web site for the jeep rental you've used (www.amaliecar.com).
> 
> And do we need reservations for the car barge, or is that just first come first served?
> 
> Thanks



Correct - Amalie.  You can find less expensive, but Amalie has best vehicles.
Amy (Owner) is great to work with.

No reservation needed for car barge - buy 1-way only.


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## DavidnRobin

WizardOz said:


> Hello - I am currently in the process of purchasing a week in paradise!! We will be in Unit 4314 for Week 4 and wondering if there are any current owners of this villa with any feedback or comments about this particular unit. #STJ #homeawayfromhome



I hope it is a resale purchase - especially for WSJ-VGV phase since it is SVN Mandatory (StarOptions transfer with sale).  A 3Bd pool villa from SVO in Plat+ season would be very expensive.

Two of the 3Bd pool villa buildings (do not recall which ones) have a sliding wall between the 2 upstair bedrooms (and can't seem to get a 100% of Owners to vote to get it changed to a solid wall).  The sliding wall would be deal breaker for me.  YMMV.


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## rog2867

My deed does say fixed and it says float but it is a fixed week, starwood pre-books it for me every year.  I bought this 2 years ago so there is no rescind option.  I would have never bought it as its week 3 and can never go that week with the kids being young.  I do enjoy the extra options though.  I also just released the unit into the pool so anyone who wants to go week 3 for 2 bdrm loft its out there right now.  I will try to get in 8 months out now and see.   It still makes it harder for anyone who does not own platinum season to get in so that's good maybe a chance this year.  If not Ill just go some place else.


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## czar

Rog,

If you own in Bay Vista, it's a float week, and you probably paid a premium to have it set as a fixed week.  It's a little strange though, because from recalling the price sheets, the fixed week options were Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and around the holidays if I recall.  But I'm sure they would let you pay a premium to fix any week, especially when outside those in demand. The hillside units, as David has already pointed out, are all fixed weeks that have a less flexible float option.



rog2867 said:


> My deed does say float but it is a fixed week, starwood pre-books it for me every year.  I bought this 2 years ago so there is no rescind option.  I would have never bought it as its week 3 and can never go that week with the kids being young.  I do enjoy the extra options though.  I also just released the unit into the pool so anyone who wants to go week 3 for 2 bdrm loft its out there right now.  I will try to get in 8 months out now and see.   It still makes it harder for anyone who does not own platinum season to get in so that's good maybe a chance this year.  If not Ill just go some place else.


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## Helios

*4314*

This villa has 2 bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs.  One of the two bedrooms has two double beds and the other has a king.  Master downstairs has a king.  This villa also has a hot tub outside.


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## tomandrobin

czar said:


> If you own in Bay Vista, it's a float week, and you probably paid a premium to have it set as a fixed week.  It's a little strange though, because from recalling the price sheets, the fixed week options were Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and around the holidays if I recall.  But I'm sure they would let you pay a premium to fix any week, especially when outside those in demand. The hillside units, as David has already pointed out, are all fixed weeks that have a less flexible float option.



Any week in Bay Vista section can be "fixed" for an upcharge. We fixed two of our WSJ Bay Vista weeks, the third floats. But Starwood can not exceed a certain percentage of weeks as fixed.


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## DavidnRobin

What confuses me - is how does one not know they bought a fixed week?  It comes with a 10% premium AND it goes against the rog's vacations needs (a fixed week that doesn't fit)
So - is it really fixed? Sounds like it since it get prebooked - but careful there as I think UltraPremium can be pre-booked as well.  But, it all comes at a cost.


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## rog2867

I guess we did not see on the contract it said fixed.  Is says fixed in two places and float in another.  We have just been turning the unit into options since we bought it and going other places as we can never go week three until the kids are older, but the good thing is that is premium week and we get 179kk options so I will just put it into the pool like I did today and try to get into another place there feb or april or just go some place else.  I don't know if we did not listen to them or they just did not specify as we are elite status and all our weeks are float and we assumed this was also.


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## tomandrobin

Our fixed week also floats.....we have the option to float the unit within the season.


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## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Our fixed week also floats.....we have the option to float the unit within the season.



That did come at a premium on top of basic float - right?


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## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> That did come at a premium on top of basic float - right?



Yes.....The price I pay to make a happier wife.


----------



## LisaRex

rog2867 said:


> I guess we did not see on the contract it said fixed.  Is says fixed in two places and float in another.  We have just been turning the unit into options since we bought it and going other places as we can never go week three until the kids are older, but the good thing is that is premium week and we get 179kk options so I will just put it into the pool like I did today and try to get into another place there feb or april or just go some place else.  I don't know if we did not listen to them or they just did not specify as we are elite status and all our weeks are float and we assumed this was also.



If you own a fixed week in Platinum Plus season, you can call to reserve another week 8-10 months out, which is still in Home Resort Reservation window. IOW, you technically aren't using SOs, but you will be limited to the season you own.  If you want to change to a different season, you do have to wait until the 8 month Exchange window opens, and compete with everyone else. 

From the UserGuide on MSC:



> *FIXED WEEK VOI OWNERS*
> Your Fixed Week VOI is tentatively reserved for you, pending confirmation during your Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, which is 12 to 10* months prior to the check-in date of your Fixed Week VOI. At 10 months prior to your check-in date, if you have not confirmed the reservation with Owner Services, it will be automatically cancelled. If the reservation is cancelled, you can still request reservations for an available Floating Week within your Season and Villa type at your Home Resort 10 to 8 months in advance of your requested arrival date, as available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you purchased a specific villa number, it will also be tentatively reserved with your Fixed Week VOI.



Now, if you own an event week, and you very well might (3rd week of January is MLK week) if you never have to call in and confirm, then you can call 8-12 months out and try to get a float week in platinum plus season before the exchange window opens.



> *EVENT WEEK VOI OWNERS*
> If you are an Event Week VOI Owner, you have a specific week which includes the event date automatically reserved for you each Use Year. Some Owners have also purchased a specific villa number. If you purchased a specific villa number, it will also be automatically reserved with your Event Week VOI.
> 
> If you plan to return to your Home Resort for your Event Week VOI, you never have to call Owner Services to confirm your reservation. Simply arrive at your Home Resort on your Event Week’s check-in date and enjoy the privileges of this exclusive ownership. Please note, your Event Week purchased is associated with a particular annual event at your Home Resort and therefore the event may not occur the same week number each Use Year. It is recommended that you contact Owner Services to verify the arrival date of your Event Week and let us know you will be using your Event Week.
> 
> _Fixed, Ultra Premium, and Event VOI Owners, you have the option to float your VOI within your season and villa type 12 to 8 months in advance of any week within your purchased season at your Home Resort, or float your week to any Starwood Vacation Network villa resort within 8 months of the vacation period. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis, based on availability. If you have purchased a fixed villa and choose to float your week at your Home Resort, you release your use of your fixed villa as well_


----------



## DavidnRobin

*VGV BOD - March 2015 Letter to Owners*

March 4, 2015	

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner: 

As your elected representatives on the Board of Directors we participated by conference telephone call on February 12 in a quarterly meeting of the Board. This is our report to you.

THE RESORT 

Mike Ryan, the General Manager of The Westin St. John Resort & Villas, reported on the state of the resort. Other than the waterfront area, most of the planned renovations to the resort have been completed. The Army Corps of Engineers has approved the planned repair to the dock area from the damage caused by previous years’ storms. Repair work will commence in April and will take approximately four months to complete. During that time, the Westin boats that customarily shuttle between the resort and Crown Bay, St. Thomas will instead dock in downtown Cruz Bay, with taxi service to the resort.

The refurbishment of the lobby was completed in June and keyed security gates to the resort and up the road to the Virgin Grand units are now operational. A sidewalk from the entrance to the resort area in front of the lobby has been constructed; Starwood Vacation Ownership (SVO) has absorbed the cost of construction. SVO is also installing, at their cost, a concrete sidewalk on the villa side of the road from Virgin Grand to the St. John market area, as well as a retaining wall to improve the flow of storm water down the mountainside and through our property. The retaining wall will be about 3 feet high and will be textured and painted to match the exterior of our villas.

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP

Denny Seiber, the Director of Finance, presented the Treasurer’s Report which was as of December 31, 2014, stating that collection of the 2014 maintenance fees was 95.2%, reflecting a continuing recovery in the economy. There were 102 delinquent accounts of which 81 were in varying stages of the USVI foreclosure process. Last April’s resale of 63 foreclosed unit weeks resulted in 28 closed sales with $96,000 of sales proceeds to our Owners Association and, more importantly, a source of ongoing revenue from maintenance fees. 

REPLACEMENT OF VIRGIN GRAND FURNISHINGS

A presentation was made by representatives of L2 Studios, Inc., the interior design firm that has done work for both Bay Vista and Coral Vista. “Soft goods” (i.e., upholstered items) are scheduled to be replaced in all units in 2015/16 and “case goods” (i.e., wood items) are scheduled to be replaced in buildings 31, 43 and 44 in 2016 and in the remaining buildings in 2021. The presentation included a color board showcasing both wood and fabric samples selected by L2 Studios, Inc. for durability and intended to capture a St. John “feel”. The Board approved the design scheme and color board, as well as the construction of a model unit for the 2016 case goods to be reviewed by the Board later this year. Bids for the soft goods renovation will be reviewed and approved during the April meeting of the Board. The anticipated costs of these replacements were previously provided for in our reserve plan.

STARWOOD MATTERS

Bruce McNish, Vice President of Board Relations, elaborated on Starwood“s announcement, made several days before our meeting, of its intention to spin-off its vacation ownership division, SVO, into a separate publicly traded entity. Click here to view the press release. Starwood contemplates that this will enable the new entity to add additional resorts to its network. The relationship between our condominium association and The Westin St. John Resort & Villas, and between The Westin St. John Resort & Villas and SVO, is not expected to change. We will continue to be branded as a Westin resort. SPG points will continue to be earned and honored as before, and owners will continue to have the privileged status in SPG that they enjoy as a result of their timeshare ownership. Starwood and the new public entity will enter into long-term affiliation agreements for the Westin brand experience and access to SPG. We inquired about the duration of the long-term agreements, but management was not able to give us that information; it is possible that they have not yet been entered into.

OWNER WEB BULLETIN BOARD 

The Association’s President reported that our owner bulletin board has been well received. To date 613 owners have signed on as members and there are currently 193 listings (to exchange, sell, buy, etc.). The more owners use this web posting service the more valuable it will be, so we encourage owners to log on and use the system. For the convenience of owners, we again repeat the instructions for using it:
	Secure access to the site is provided to Owners registered with MyStarCentral. Please follow the steps below. 

I have a MyStarCentral account:
Visit starwoodvactionnetwork.com and click on 'Owner Login' in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Enter your Username or Email and your Password and click 'LOG IN'.
Hover your mouse over 'Owner Quick Links' in the upper-right corner of your screen and select 'MyStarCentral' from the drop down list.
Click on 'Your Owners Association' in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select a 'Westin St. John Resort & Villas - Virgin Grand' unit and click 'View the Details of this Ownership Week'.
Click on 'VGV Owner Posting Board' in the right-hand section of your screen.
I do not have a MyStarCentral account:
Visit starwoodvactionnetwork.com and click on 'Owner Login' in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Click 'REGISTER NOW'.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the online form.
Click 'Go directly to the StarCentral homepage'.
Click on 'Your Owners Association' in the left-hand navigation menu.
Select a 'Westin St. John Resort & Villas - Virgin Grand' unit and click 'View the Details of this Ownership Week'.
Click on 'VGV Owner Posting Board' in the right-hand section of your screen.
This will take you to the Association's website where you must read and accept the terms and conditions of the disclosure statement. You will then be taken to the homepage where you can sign up and create your member profile. 

Please be aware that you must create a member profile and be logged in to create or view current listings. Just beneath the boxed message on the homepage, there is a link you may click on to view detailed instructions for use of the website. This detailed instruction document and the FAQ page can be accessed without logging in to the website.	

There is one tricky part about logging in for the very first time. When you have followed the instructions above and get to the main page for our posting website, you will see this box:

User Login	If you are registering for the first time on our bulletin board, DO NOT enter your email or password where it says to enter them. Instead, click on the words "New members click here to sign up." After you have signed up as directed, on return visits to the site you will enter your email and the password that you selected.

Also, a few Mac users have had difficulty signing in with Safari. If you use a Mac and have difficulty, try using Google Chrome.

PROPERTY TAX BILLS

The Association’s President informed the Board that the USVI Tax Office expects to provide the 2014 property tax bills very soon. March 2, 2015 update - the USVI tax office is in the process of printing the bills and SVO anticipates their receipt within a week or so. owners should begin receiving their property tax bills shortly thereafter. A 5% early payment discount will apply toward payments received by April 9, 2015. Payment must be made by August 31, 2015 to avoid late payment charges. Owners should monitor their email for more information on this matter from SVO.

ENERGY MATTERS

As we reported in prior letters, we continue to monitor the local public utilitys announcements concerning its intention to convert its generating equipment from diesel fuel to LPG. Such a conversion by the utility could affect our own consideration, as previously reported, to purchase co-generation equipment that, by utilizing LPG, would provide all of our remaining electrical needs (over and above that provided by the solar panels on the roofs of some of the Virgin Grand buildings).

REMINDER ABOUT MOSQUITOS

Both dengue fever and chikungunya have infected some humans on nearly every Caribbean island, including St. John, although the number of reported cases on St. John in recent years has been very low. Both diseases, which are spread by the day-biting Aedes mosquito, are serious ailments. While the resort sprays its foliage, treats its standing water, and has mosquito traps throughout the property to suppress the mosquito population, we nevertheless want to remind owners and their guests to use effective repellant, especially when they travel off the resort property.

ANNUAL OWNERS’ MEETING

The next annual owners’ meeting will take place at the resort on April 20, 2015. We encourage those of you who will be in St. John at that time to attend, when there will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the meeting.

Sincerely,

Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com

Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## czar

> SVO is also installing, at their cost, a concrete sidewalk on the villa side of the road from Virgin Grand to the St. John market area



That's awesome. The walk was treacherous sometimes. This will be a welcome addition when we visit next year


----------



## DavidnRobin

I found interesting that there appears to be a ~5% default rate, and only 28 of 63 VOIs at recent HOA sale have closed. 

2021 (!!!) to wait for our building (and others) to get case-goods, yet others are getting them in 2016?

Westin Ferry going to CruzBay w/ taxi to WSJ for a while (that sucks - more reason to take car barge… )

No mention of lawsuit since original announcement?

IMO - the Owner website is seriously flawed. Oh well… nice intent.

I saw them laying concrete last year for the walkway - boy, they need some skilled labor…


----------



## okwiater

What's the best way to take a trip to BVI and the Baths from STJ or STT?


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> What's the best way to take a trip to BVI and the Baths from STJ or STT?



From either (StT or StJ) - the best way is to take a charter.


----------



## czar

What's it like to get from st croix to STJ?  Turns out I have a conference next summer in St.C and thinking I might head from there over to the Westin for vacation.


----------



## DavidnRobin

czar said:


> What's it like to get from st croix to STJ?  Turns out I have a conference next summer in St.C and thinking I might head from there over to the Westin for vacation.



Never done it, but you will need to fly (to STT, or to Puerto Rico then to STT) as StC is quite a distance from StJ/StT, and currently there is no ferry to StC.


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> Never done it, but you will need to fly (to STT, or to Puerto Rico then to STT) as StC is quite a distance from StJ/StT, and currently there is no ferry to StC.



Ok thanks that's what I was wondering. I thought there was a ferry at one point but remembered it being cancelled or something.


----------



## GrayFal

czar said:


> What's it like to get from st croix to STJ?  Turns out I have a conference next summer in St.C and thinking I might head from there over to the Westin for vacation.



http://www.seaborneairlines.com/destinations/st-croix-usvi/

You can take the seaplane from St Croix. To Charlotte Amalie Harbor.  25 minute flight.


----------



## czar

GrayFal said:


> http://www.seaborneairlines.com/destinations/st-croix-usvi/
> 
> You can take the seaplane from St Croix. To Charlotte Amalie Harbor.  25 minute flight.



Thanks - that's a great idea. Lols like flights in June are as low as $60. The kids would love this!!


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> http://www.seaborneairlines.com/destinations/st-croix-usvi/
> 
> You can take the seaplane from St Croix. To Charlotte Amalie Harbor.  25 minute flight.



That looks really cool - got to try that someday.


----------



## GrayFal

czar said:


> Thanks - that's a great idea. Lols like flights in June are as low as $60. The kids would love this!!





DavidnRobin said:


> That looks really cool - got to try that someday.



You can do a same day visit or stay overnight at the really nice Marriott/renaissance hotel. 
On my list as well....when you stay at the Marriott Frenchmens Cove, you see these planes take off and land.  Very cool!


----------



## DavidnRobin

not sure where czar is seeing $60 flights - I only see ~$110-$130pp one-way for seaplane flights
Added - I see those $60pp prices for regular (non-seaplane) flights


----------



## Negma

okwiater said:


> What's the best way to take a trip to BVI and the Baths from STJ or STT?



This has been a great thread. We just booked 8 days end of April at the resort using banked options, right place right time I guess. My wife saw a ferry schedule that showed round trip to baths $90 leaving at 8am and returning 3 pm.

A good option?


----------



## DavidnRobin

depends… but you can get a charter for a few dollars more, and see more - w/less hassle.
I took the ferry over to JVD and back… fond memories of standing in the sweltering heat while waiting for the locals to get checked-in 1st, then hoofing it to a taxi just to get over to White Bay - and then worried about not getting back in time when taxi driver was late…

but other than that… 

if you are staying at WSJ and looking to see the Baths - I would recommend Island Time (The Westin's boat). Never done it, but know people who have and were fine with it.
We generally charter or hire a private captain that takes us where we want to go, or places they know of off the beaten path.

The Baths are cool - I first saw them in 1991 while sailing the BVI.  Since WSJ (2006) - we have been there 2 times. Each time by Charter.  It really depends on what Spend you are comfortable with, and how you want to travel.  We took Bad Kitty and had a great time, but had to share boat with a bunch of folks.  Also took NH2, but no more V-bottom boats for us.  The rules have just changed in the USVI in how many passengers can be in a boat (more loose now…) - so the ^-PAC rule has changed. I do not pretend to know the implications - but it will have effect.  
Perhaps someone reading can better explain?


----------



## DavidnRobin

*2014 WSJ-VGV Property Taxes*

Virgin Grand Villas - 2014 USVI Property Tax 

Dear Virgin Grand Villas Owner,

The Office of the Tax Assessor of the United States Virgin Islands has announced that the 2014 property tax bills are being issued to all property owners of record as of January 1, 2014. Payments received by April 9, 2015 receive a 5% discount. Property owners are encouraged to pay the 2014 tax bill by August 31, 2015 in order to avoid late payment charges.

SVO Management, Inc. (SVOM) has not yet received the 2014 tax bills, however, the Office of the Tax Assessor is expected to posted the 2014 tax bills online within the next week. Please follow the steps below to submit your payment by April 9, 2015 for the 5% discount. To locate your information online, you must have an established Parcel Number or your loan must have been paid in full as of January 1, 2014. Please be aware that payment of taxes online is not available.
Click here {link to USVI Property Tax site} to search the Property Tax database using your name and Parcel Number.
Select the 2014 Tax Year to view the amount of tax due and print the detail page.
Choose one of the following payment methods: 

Payment by Check:
Make your check payable to the Government of the United States Virgin Islands.
Write the Parcel Number on your check.
Payment by Credit Card:
Print and complete the USVI Credit Card Authorization Form in its entirety.
Write the Parcel Number in the “Apply Amount to” section of the form.
Provide a copy of the cardholder’s passport or driver’s license.

Include a copy of the detail page for the Parcel that shows the tax amount due.
Request a paid receipt and include a stamped self-addressed return envelope. Please be sure to retain your paid receipt for future reference.
Send your check or credit card authorization form, via certified or registered mail with return receipt requested, to: 

Office of the Lieutenant Governor 
Property Tax Collection Division
P.O. Box 447 
Cruz Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00831
We anticipate receipt of the tax bills this week and will begin mailing to Owners shortly thereafter. If you choose to pay your tax bill using one of the methods described above, please retain the tax bill you receive from SVOM for your records. 

SVOM is happy to assist you with any questions you may have on this matter, however, please understand that SVOM does not have the ability to adjust your tax bill. Furthermore, contacting SVOM will not preserve your protest rights with the Office of the Tax Assessor. The deadline for filing appeals with the Board of Tax Review regarding tax assessments is September 15, 2015. Please click here to access appeal forms and information regarding the tax appeal process.


----------



## suzannesimon

I received my tax bills from Frenchman's Cove on Friday.  I don't know if they send them all at once or in batches.


----------



## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> <snip>
> Please follow the steps below to submit your payment by April 9, 2015 for the 5% discount.
> <snip>



They sure don't allow much time for this, do they? We are in Spain at the moment and not returning home until 9 April. I guess that means we lose the discount.

Will they accept a grumpy note with our payment?


----------



## Henry M.

*WSJ Bay Vista Taxes - Paid by HOA*

Only VG owners pay their own taxes. This is what I got from the BV HOA: 



> Bay Vista - 2014 USVI Property Tax
> 
> Dear Bay Vista Owner,
> 
> The Office of the Tax Assessor of the United States Virgin Islands (Tax Assessor’s Office) recently issued the 2014 property tax bills. The Tax Assessor’s Office is to send all Bay Vista property tax bills to SVO Management, Inc. (SVOM). Should you receive a property tax bill for your Bay Vista Vacation Ownership Interest (VOI) directly from the Tax Assessor’s Office, please disregard it and do not make a payment.  No further action is required of you.
> 
> All payments for Bay Vista are handled by the Bay Vista Owners Association, Inc. (Association). Please do not make any payments directly to the Tax Collector’s Office for payment of property taxes for your VOI.
> 
> As a Bay Vista Owner, you are billed for property taxes as part of your annual assessment statement from the Association. The Association then remits payment to the Government of the United States Virgin Islands, Property Tax Collection Division (Tax Collector’s Office) when the property tax bills for the respective tax year are issued. Payment of all 2014 property tax bills will be made by the Association.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> SVO Management, Inc.


----------



## carpie99

emuyshondt said:


> Only VG owners pay their own taxes. This is what I got from the BV HOA:



Why can't the VG Association do the same ... the tax process is annoying with return envelopes, etc etc.

I am just going to go to the office in Cruz Bay in July and take care of all of the bills ... but still.


----------



## Henry M.

Get with your HOA and ask them to handle taxes the same as the other HOA's at the resort.

One thing that is useful about paying your own taxes is that they are more obvious when it comes time to file your tax return. You don't have to dig through HOA financial reports to find them.


----------



## DavidnRobin

emuyshondt said:


> Get with your HOA and ask them to handle taxes the same as the other HOA's at the resort.
> 
> One thing that is useful about paying your own taxes is that they are more obvious when it comes time to file your tax return. You don't have to dig through HOA financial reports to find them.



Unfortunately - not that straight-forward.  The Property taxes are not consistent between similar VOIs.  Crazy, but my week 23 and week 24 have slightly different tax rates because it is somewhat based on purchase price.


----------



## Henry M.

How do they handle it at BV? People have paid different purchase prices for the same unit size over time, as Starwood has raised its sales prices.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Don't really know -have to ask a BV Owner in the know. I can only assume that the valuation (non-Land) is equivalent for all.  Probably the only way to know is to get a detailed view of the Budget, and perhaps look at the CCRs.  VGV property taxes are more aligned as valuations were reset - mine our closer now, than before (1999 rate).  VGV owners pay their own taxes (Land/Building) - already high - and the potential to go higher if USVI Gov't gets their way.  They already tried to double them a few years back with a StJ premium on top of a TS premium w/o success… so far...

Regardless - the VGV HOA is not set-up to pay them and then to put towards MFs - either in logistics, and perhaps by CCRs - which are quite convoluted as SVO TS's go.  E.g. 100% vote with 100% turnout to change the sliding walls in pool villas to a fixed wall - at no cost… and couldn't even find all the owners - and 1 person voted no for one of the buildings (see HOA letter from a few quarters back).  Their database is not aligned with the Property Tax database - and this would be a logistic issue.
{btw - I know this because of searching the USVI database back in the days we were trying to contact VGV owners outside of SVO-WSJ's system - see beginning of WSJ Thread #1}

Their address database is not aligned with).


----------



## bobpark56

*....and how does Coral Vista get thrown into this taxation mix?*

....and how does Coral Vista get thrown into this taxation mix?


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Great St John video*

bump...

Why St John?
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10100680893964862

FaceBook account likely needed...
Enjoy...


----------



## LisaH

Heaven! 4 and half month...looking forward to it!


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Heaven! 4 and half month...looking forward to it!



Like


----------



## czar

So sad we can't go this summer


----------



## mpizza

DavidnRobin said:


> bump...
> 
> Why St John?
> https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10100680893964862
> 
> FaceBook account likely needed...
> Enjoy...



Thanks for posting!  

Maria


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> bump...
> 
> Why St John?
> https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10100680893964862
> 
> FaceBook account likely needed...
> Enjoy...



No FB account needed.

Only 105 more sleeps to go!


----------



## DavidnRobin

*New Water Toys at WSJ*

New water toys at WSJ - about time...

CB WaterSports says trampoline, slide, and jungle gym are all in and ready for fun in the sun!


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Unfortunately - not that straight-forward.  The Property taxes are not consistent between similar VOIs.  Crazy, but my week 23 and week 24 have slightly different tax rates because it is somewhat based on purchase price.



2014 VGV Property Tax Bills arrived in time to make April 9th deadline for 5% discount.  August 31 is deadline w/o penalty.
Tax Rate on assessed value is 1.4070%

The assessed value for our 2 weeks (23 and 24) are now the same.


----------



## YYJMSP

*Coral Vista*

Anyone manage to get a stay in one of the new units?


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> Anyone manage to get a stay in one of the new units?



I will get to see them in a couple of months - will take photos (and post) as I usually do the Owners Update at WSJ.  They should be about finished.
I like the Update there (mostly) as I get info on the island - looking to live there for 6-8 months someday.
June soon come.


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> I like the Update there (mostly) as I get info on the island - looking to live there for 6-8 months someday.
> June soon come.



Hey we could buy a little house together and split the usage!


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> I will get to see them in a couple of months - will take photos (and post) as I usually do the Owners Update at WSJ.  They should be about finished.
> I like the Update there (mostly) as I get info on the island - looking to live there for 6-8 months someday.
> June soon come.



Thanks, we're there in July...


----------



## bobpark56

*SPG available for week 39*

I just signed us up for a 5-night SPG stay in a WSJ studio during week 39 for 2016...to fit with our week 40 pool villa week. Studios are currently available on SPG for 48,000 starpoints (5th night free, + $40/day resort fees). Virgin Grand and Coral Vista are both available.

FWIW, the last time we did this, we got upgraded (as owners at WLR) to a 1BR Virgin Grand villa and were charged the $40/day fee for only 2 days.

The time before that, we got upgraded to a 3BR pool villa (no $40 fees)...which lured us into buying a repossessed unit EOY for $11,000. This has been our splurge (the maintenance fees), but we enjoy it, as members of our family can come with us, without cramping our style or theirs.

Hope to see you there.

  --bp


----------



## czar

*Family gets sick from pesticides on StJ*

A family staying at Sirenusa got sick from non-EPA approved pesticide 

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/04/us/virgin-islands-resort-pesticide/


----------



## DavidnRobin

And typical of USVI - likely no one will get prosecuted. But now that the DOJ is getting involved - perhaps...
Island life... be careful out there.
Our travel companions had a medical issue last June - luckily we were on Tortola (BVI) at the time as there have a small ER/Hospital in Road Town.  If it were on St John they would have had to make it to St Thomas - which would have been a problem.  Even bigger medical issues - mean an airlift to Puerto Rico, or Miami.
Carry proper insurance - and be aware you are no longer in the States.


----------



## suzannesimon

This story made the national news on TV this morning.


----------



## DavidnRobin

suzannesimon said:


> This story made the national news on TV this morning.



Good - visibility will make it easier to get something done about this, and potential to prevent future instances.  Otherwise… 
There is an upside of having at least the protection of the Westin Brand. (IMO)

This happened weeks ago (~Mar20). I follow various StJ FaceBook pages - best source of island info.


----------



## DavidnRobin

on a happier note…

StJ Beach Bar Owners (new) on Caribbean Life (HGTV) last night.
http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/04/06/beach-bar-owners-featured-on-hgtv/

They only show The Beach Bar at the end - but 3 nice properties.
Locals are saying that there was a Terminex commercial during the showing - irony, purposeful?
(we TiVo all shows so we skip commercials)


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> on a happier note…
> 
> StJ Beach Bar Owners (new) on Caribbean Life (HGTV) last night.
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/04/06/beach-bar-owners-featured-on-hgtv/
> 
> They only show The Beach Bar at the end - but 3 nice properties.
> Locals are saying that there was a Terminex commercial during the showing - irony, purposeful?
> (we TiVo all shows so we skip commercials)



Caught this episode last night. I always wonder when I see these shows how all these people have $1M+ to be buying beautiful Caribbean houses while quitting their jobs!


----------



## YYJMSP

*how long to WSJ?*

From arrival at the STT airport, how long does it typically take to get to WSJ using the Westin ferry service, etc?

We're booking our last inbound flight and trying to figure out our options.

We arrive in SJU just after 2PM, and could theoretically try to catch a just before 4PM flight to STT that same day (not sure if 90mins is a safe enough amount of time to get our bags from United and go check in with Seaborne, as I don't think they have an interline agreement, assuming we arrive on time of course) arriving in STT around 4:30PM.  

Is that "late" for heading to WSJ?  if so, we could stay the night on STT and continue onwards the next day.

Or we could stay the night in SJU, recover a bit on the overnight flights, and come across at lunchtime the next day on Seaborne, or late afternoon on JetBlue.

I've got a single day booked in SJU and one at WSJ (nothing at STT yet, suggestions?) to cover the various options.


----------



## carpie99

YYJMSP said:


> From arrival at the STT airport, how long does it typically take to get to WSJ using the Westin ferry service, etc?
> 
> We're booking our last inbound flight and trying to figure out our options.
> 
> We arrive in SJU just after 2PM, and could theoretically try to catch a just before 4PM flight to STT that same day (not sure if 90mins is a safe enough amount of time to get our bags from United and go check in with Seaborne, as I don't think they have an interline agreement, assuming we arrive on time of course) arriving in STT around 4:30PM.
> 
> Is that "late" for heading to WSJ?  if so, we could stay the night on STT and continue onwards the next day.
> 
> Or we could stay the night in SJU, recover a bit on the overnight flights, and come across at lunchtime the next day on Seaborne, or late afternoon on JetBlue.
> 
> I've got a single day booked in SJU and one at WSJ (nothing at STT yet, suggestions?) to cover the various options.



There is a 5:30 and 7:30 Westin Ferry ... plus they will arrange later if required


----------



## DavidnRobin

Or… you can take the Public Ferry and Taxis from STT to WSJ.  Public ferry from StT to StJ runs until midnite.

Easy…
Take Taxi from STT to RedHook Ferry Terminal (~30-40min)
Ferry to Cruz Bay StJ (~20 mins) - they leave every 60mins (good restaurant/bar right next to RH Ferry Terminal)
Taxi from CB Ferry dock to WSJ (~5-10 min)

Cost is per person, and each piece of large luggage. See VINOW.com for Ferry and Taxi info, but much cheaper than WSJ Ferry - plus at this time the WSJ ferry goes close to RedHook anyway - so you are not saving time going to Crown Bay (~5-10min from STT) as normal.

http://www.vinow.com/general_usvi/interisland_ferry/#st-john-passenger-ferry-red-hook-to-cruz-bay
http://www.vinow.com/stthomas/getting_around_stt/taxi_stt/
http://www.vinow.com/stjohn/getting_around_stj/taxi.php

btw - if you can get to Charlotte Amalie ferry doc (~10min from STT) - there is a ferry that leaves at 5:30pm for StJ
45min ferry ride, but beautiful - call ahead and see if running


Then if you want to use WSJ ferry for WSJ-STT trip, get 1-way ticket.
IMO


----------



## YYJMSP

Thanks, looks like I'm waiting another 30 days to book that last flight.

Still have two wait lists in play to fiddle with our arrival date/length of stay at WSJ.  I thought they expired at 90 days out, was told today when I inquired that they will keep checking to 60 days out, so no point in locking in our arrival in the USVI until I know for sure our WSJ booking dates.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*St John/USVI Kenny Chesney Video*

not a Country Fan, but cool KC video...
Lot's of local bars and scenery

http://youtu.be/CWZe6YoHYIg


----------



## jschmeling

*First time poster, longtime listener *

First time posting here, but I've been to the WSJ once last year and going again this year. So far I've gone using Starwood points both times. Last year I booked a studio (thought it was Coral Vista) but they put us in a hillside village studio all the way at the top. Beautiful view and we liked it, but didn't spend much time down below but rather at beaches around the island and on excursions. 

Just booked again, looks like Coral Vista (says 481 square feet studio villa, but not a name) so I can't tell where we're staying or where we might be upgraded or moved to. The system here just doesn't intuitively make sense I guess. Even reading all of this thread I can't figure out what happens when or why.

FWIW, I'm a 100 night platinum and I did ask my ambassador to help, which seemed to have resulted in a booking update today that doesn't seem to have changed anything. How can I tell where I'll be staying? Or is not knowing just part of the charm?

The real reason I ask is that I'm kind of in love with the island, and actually considering ownership, but I can't figure out where I should be looking to buy to maximize value. Do I do the tours and get the pitches there? Buy on a secondary market site? Something else? This year we go the last week of April, last year it was end of June if I recall correctly. 

Thanks for any help in advance!!! 
James


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hey James - Welcome to TUG. 
Do you mean you used SVO StarOptions (sometimes called points) via SVN, or SPG points via Starwood for your reservation?
I will assume SPG points.
It couldn't be CV last year at that time - it hadn't been built.
We go every June (wk23-24).

CV is likely still being built with other villas being occupied - so they are likely trying to be flexible.  You know how STJ goes ('adapt').  If this is SPG reservation - at that time of year - you should get your pick (IF) CV Owners are not occupying them already (you will not get ahead of them).  E.g. If there are 10 CV Studios and 10 CV Owners Using them as a HomeResort reservation - you are not going to get a CV studio because they cannot put them in VGV.

Buying?  Too many factors to consider in giving reasonable advice... depends?
They will be more than happy to sell you something - you will get an offer while you are there.
My advice... Research. Buying from SVO is quite expensive.


----------



## czar

jschmeling said:


> First time posting here, but I've been to the WSJ once last year and going again this year. So far I've gone using Starwood points both times. Last year I booked a studio (thought it was Coral Vista) but they put us in a hillside village studio all the way at the top. Beautiful view and we liked it, but didn't spend much time down below but rather at beaches around the island and on excursions.
> 
> Just booked again, looks like Coral Vista (says 481 square feet studio villa, but not a name) so I can't tell where we're staying or where we might be upgraded or moved to. The system here just doesn't intuitively make sense I guess. Even reading all of this thread I can't figure out what happens when or why.
> 
> FWIW, I'm a 100 night platinum and I did ask my ambassador to help, which seemed to have resulted in a booking update today that doesn't seem to have changed anything. How can I tell where I'll be staying? Or is not knowing just part of the charm?
> 
> The real reason I ask is that I'm kind of in love with the island, and actually considering ownership, but I can't figure out where I should be looking to buy to maximize value. Do I do the tours and get the pitches there? Buy on a secondary market site? Something else? This year we go the last week of April, last year it was end of June if I recall correctly.
> 
> Thanks for any help in advance!!!
> James



Be aware that the three SVO sections are different and have their benefits and quirks. For example, touring CV, we were impressed with the fit and finish of the units, and like that they're so close to the water; however, they have the highest MF, smaller footprints, and very small (and really efficiency) kitchens. My wife and I liked them but agreed that it wasn't worth giving up the space and some of the kitchen amenities as compared to BV. Likewise, there are going to be differences between BV and Hillside.

Also, each section has different types of views. Hillside views are incredibly
expansive. In BV we've had both good and semi-blocked views. I imagine hat views in CV will be more limited given their lower placement. 

One final thing to consider is if you plan to use the resort. We have little kids and for the next decade or so need to be within walking distance of the large pool. We also like walking down to grab things from the store, coffee, etc. we knew we couldn't do that from hillside (easily!). 

If you don't care about views and want an amazing unit, check out the Pool Villas!


----------



## DavidnRobin

The Pool villas are sweet - wish i knew 4 others committed to join us, but too far for most west-coasters. This is why we bought the 2nd week in our villa - 2 weeks is much more valuable than 1 week in many ways.

It is only 25 steps from our villa's kitchen to the pool/BBQ between B33-34. It may be a small pool (with incredible views, and sometimes explosive BBQs ) - but much less activity.


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> The Pool villas are sweet - wish i knew 4 others committed to join us, but too far for most west-coasters. This is why we bought the 2nd week in our villa - 2 weeks is much more valuable than 1 week in many ways.
> 
> It is only 25 steps from our villa's kitchen to the pool/BBQ between B33-34. It may be a small pool (with incredible views, and sometimes explosive BBQs ) - but much less activity.



I see two big advantages to Hillside as the privacy with resort amenities fairly close and that its mandatory. The latter was an initial driver until we visited and realized that the proximity BV has was best for our kids - and with one on the way in 4 weeks, we have a bit to go in that department!!


----------



## LisaH

czar said:


> I see two big advantages to Hillside as the privacy with resort amenities fairly close and that its mandatory. The latter was an initial driver until we visited and realized that the proximity BV has was best for our kids - and with one on the way in 4 weeks, we have a bit to go in that department!!



So now I know why you can't go this summer... Congrats on the pending addition to your family!


----------



## czar

LisaH said:


> So now I know why you can't go this summer... Congrats on the pending addition to your family!



Well, I'd still go  

Seriously though, between taking such a young infant and a family wedding in San Diego in August it's not in the cards. Can't wait until next summer (is that madness?!). I'm hoping to get my girls snorkeling next year.


----------



## LisaRex

FYI, if you buy on the resale market, only the Virgin Grand (Hillside) villas come with StarOptions.  If you want to exchange throughout the network, you have to target VG or buy from the developer.

I've stayed in both the VG (but not a pool villa) and BV phases, and personally, prefer the BV phase.  The thing I love most about Starwood timeshares (as opposed to renting a private home or villa) is that they combine the great features of a condo community with the amenities of a hotel resort.  IOW, the villas provide a lot of space to hang out so that you can bring friends/family and not feel like you're on top of each other, plus a working kitchen, poolside grills, washer/dryer.... along with the resort features such as tennis courts, a gorgeous pool, hot tub, on-site restaurants, and poolside/room service.  

Simply put, when we stayed in the VG phase, we felt too removed from the main resort.  We ended up hiking down (and back up) to the main resort most days, sometimes several times a day.  The iguanas (expanded golf carts) that drive around and offer complimentary rides dried up significantly by the end of the week.  So while that didn't spoil the trip by any means, it made it less special. 

The biggest downside of the BV phase is that it's up a steep hill and there is no close parking.  That is a real hassle when you're hauling snorkeling gear and groceries every day. 

The CV phase is intriguing, but as czar indicated, higher MFs and smaller space wouldn't sit well with me.

If I were to buy, I'd probably target BV resale only if I planned to go every single year.  The lack of SOs is a real downer.  Second choice would be VG resale, even though it meant remoteness from the main campus, just because the price differential is so great.  

Or, I might buy another resort with SOs and take my chances exchanging in.  With the CV phase built, inventory might be there for the taking for those who plan ahead. 
The other thing to consider is convenience.


----------



## czar

LisaRex said:


> FYI, if you buy on the resale market, only the Virgin Grand (Hillside) villas come with StarOptions...If I were to buy, I'd probably target BV resale only if I planned to go every single year.  The lack of SOs is a real downer.  Second choice would be VG resale, even though it meant remoteness from the main campus, just because the price differential is so great.
> 
> Or, I might buy another resort with SOs and take my chances exchanging in.  With the CV phase built, inventory might be there for the taking for those who plan ahead.
> The other thing to consider is convenience.



This was exactly my conundrum, and exactly two summers later I unexpectedly can't visit StJ because of a family wedding. If you own summer season you need to be prepared to have a tough time renting your week; I think winter owners have much better luck and stand to make money in excess of MF. This is why I decided to structure a developer purchase. I paid almost twice as much as I would have on the resale market but BV was the best fit for us and I wanted SO flexibility. Now that resale prices have (likely) dropped a little more, not sure I would do the same, but I'm glad I did it based on the time I purchased. The flip side to consider is that summer weeks are likely easily rentable and not at a premium, so assuming you can find the dates you want to rent you're likely to pay within a reasonable range of what you'd pay for MF (in summer - and likely less in fall). Just a note that CV will certainly add more units and flexibility but also more confusion as the MF structure is more complicated since it's based on Home Options so MF adjust with season.


----------



## jschmeling

DavidnRobin said:


> Hey James - Welcome to TUG.
> Do you mean you used SVO StarOptions (sometimes called points) via SVN, or SPG points via Starwood for your reservation?
> I will assume SPG points.
> It couldn't be CV last year at that time - it hadn't been built.
> We go every June (wk23-24).
> 
> CV is likely still being built with other villas being occupied - so they are likely trying to be flexible.  You know how STJ goes ('adapt').  If this is SPG reservation - at that time of year - you should get your pick (IF) CV Owners are not occupying them already (you will not get ahead of them).  E.g. If there are 10 CV Studios and 10 CV Owners Using them as a HomeResort reservation - you are not going to get a CV studio because they cannot put them in VGV.
> 
> Buying?  Too many factors to consider in giving reasonable advice... depends?
> They will be more than happy to sell you something - you will get an offer while you are there.
> My advice... Research. Buying from SVO is quite expensive.



I meant SPG points, and just for the vacation this time. We're still trying to decide if we should buy or not, but we REALLY loved St. John and the Westin area. Renting a jeep there let us explore the whole island.

What I hadn't figured out is how to specify where we wanted to stay (or if there is even a choice). Last time we checked in at the airport and ended up in the hillside studios, bottom floor, all the way at the top but two or three doors down from the community pool. No idea what other options really exist as the websites seem very un-intuitive. Where should I be looking to understand what's available for vacation or to buy? And should I spend time with sales folks there while we are on the island? Or is there a better way to see what's available?

I saw that there are villas with private pools - very cool. I don't mind the shared pool on the hillside even if it is small or the large pool at the hotel. Both are great. But when thinking about a week or two buying I want a great deal and a great location - of course who doesn't? I tend to come when I have sufficient Delta points, and I travel so much that I could manage twice a year, but likely not more than a week at a time. I also (with my wife) accumulate enough points through SPG to stay essentially at no cost once or twice a year. So maybe no need to buy? 

Thanks all!


----------



## DavidnRobin

Not sure if you can request VGV or CV studios.  As you have SPG status and using SPs - just request.  Are you looking for a CV or VGV studio for this SP stay? I'm would imagine that a VGV studio would have more availability.  The CV studios are les in numbers.  The VGV studios are all the lower center villas in B32-34.  Many are empty during our weeks (mid-June).  CV has just been opened, and likely still in construction.  Like BV, they occupied buildings as they were building others.

An issue with VGV is that they are fixed villas, and fixed week (incl check-in day).  So lacks flexibility.  The Plat season had a huge increase in SOs over the last few year - so makes SVN usage a little easier and get reasonable value.  

A big upside to VGV is the ability to park outside of villa.  We rarely get down to Main Resort during our 2-weeks, but spend tons of time at our building's pool.  We also rent our 4WD on STT and take car barge.

You haven't said what size villa you would consider buying - or what season - those are key decisions before anything.  If you want flexibility, then VGV won't work.  BV only has 2Bd and 3Bd villas.  For us - the pool is too far from BV - I love being able to go for quick dip. Or getting back quickly to grab cocktails and munchies, etc.  BV offers float within a season.

CV is going to have to be bought from SVO - that is a very costly purchase.  Good flexibility and closer to pool.  Also have studios, 2Bd and 3Bd, but no 1Bd.

The 1Bd are only at VGV - those are the upstairs center villas in B31-34.
We have a 2Bd TH that are at ends of B31-34 up and down.  There are some 2Bd single floor plans in B31 (stay away from these - the MFs are same as pool villas!)

Then there are the 3Bd pool villas... best villas in SVO next to WKORV OFD and OFC.  IMO


----------



## NNerland

When I went to book 2 Villa's for January, got lucky and 2 popped up, there was a difference in square footage.  I checked out the Westin site and it appeared the CV units were in the 450 sq ft area and the VG units were in the 550-650 sq ft.   The agent on the Plat desk also told me he thought this was the case.  I will confirm, as I need the CV to have our units closer to our 3Bedroom Bay Vista.   So take it for what it is worth, but that is one difference I saw when choosing, using StarPoints.

I have no idea how to tell when booking with Options -- it will say Bay Vista, but then other times say Villa and not sure what you get when not booking your home resort.  For me, with kids I need/want BV or CV


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## LisaRex

jschmeling said:


> I meant SPG points, and just for the vacation this time. We're still trying to decide if we should buy or not, but we REALLY loved St. John and the Westin area. Renting a jeep there let us explore the whole island.



Owning at WSJ can work out very well for folks who plan ahead, not just months ahead, but years ahead.  As David said, the first phase of the resort (Virgin Grand aka Hillside), which is probably the only phase where you're going to find a "deal" (on the resale market), only sold fixed weeks/fixed units.  

Now, VG does come with StarOptions if you buy on the resale market, so that gives you the option of exchanging back in.  However, if you buy gold or silver season, you won't have enough SOs to exchange into a higher season, so you should target a platinum week...which will cost more. Also, if you book outside of the 8-12 month home resort priority period, you'll be treated as any other exchanger.  You'll be placed in any phase where there's availability...IF there's availability. 

If you happen to find a deal at the BV phase, which would probably work better for you because these units were sold as floating weeks, resale purchases do NOT come with SOs.  So you cannot use SVN to exchange back in, or to another Starwood resort, which is a serious drawback. You can book at your home resort any time that there's availability, even outside of the 8-12 month window, but you'll be restricted to the season you bought and the size unit you bought.    



			
				jschmeling said:
			
		

> What I hadn't figured out is how to specify where we wanted to stay (or if there is even a choice). Last time we checked in at the airport and ended up in the hillside studios, bottom floor, all the way at the top but two or three doors down from the community pool.



If you exchange in via SVN or book with Starwood, you won't have a choice.  They tell you right on your confirmation that villas/phases are assigned at check-in. There's no way of knowing ahead of time what phase you'll be put in. 

The only way to know in advance what unit you'll be assigned is to either buy or rent (from an owner) a fixed week/fixed unit.  If you buy or rent from a BV/CV floating week owner, you'll know what phase you'll be in, but not what unit.  If you use SOs, it says right on the confirmation that they cannot guarantee phase, and they have, in fact, switched units on owners who were expecting one phase because of the description when they booked. (Two years ago, I was switched from a regular 2 bdrm at VG to a 2 bdrm loft at BV.)



> No idea what other options really exist as the websites seem very un-intuitive. Where should I be looking to understand what's available for vacation or to buy? And should I spend time with sales folks there while we are on the island? Or is there a better way to see what's available?



You can certainly chat with the sales staff, but keep in mind that they are salesman.  They will try to convince you that their system will work great for you, even if it won't.  Just realize ahead of time that WSJ is a very in-demand resort and booking is always subject to availability.  If you can't book by 8 months out in low season, or 12 months out in high season, I wouldn't own there.  



> I saw that there are villas with private pools - very cool. I don't mind the shared pool on the hillside even if it is small or the large pool at the hotel. Both are great. But when thinking about a week or two buying I want a great deal and a great location - of course who doesn't? I tend to come when I have sufficient Delta points, and I travel so much that I could manage twice a year, but likely not more than a week at a time. I also (with my wife) accumulate enough points through SPG to stay essentially at no cost once or twice a year. So maybe no need to buy?



Given your circumstances and travel style, I'd say that booking with SPG is probably still the best fit for you.  Or you should target a mandatory resort and exchange in, knowing that it'll be a crap shoot where you're placed.


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaRex said:


> If you exchange in via SVN or book with Starwood, you won't have a choice.  They tell you right on your confirmation that villas/phases are assigned at check-in. There's no way of knowing ahead of time what phase you'll be put in.



If you book through SVN you are not supposed to be placed in a unit that had a lower SO redemption rate (there are differences for same sized units in different phases during certain weeks) or in a unit that sleeps less than what you booked (if you booked a 2BR sleeps 10 unit, you are not supposed to be put in a 2BR sleeps 8 unit).

Depending what you book, there may be only one phase that matches.

But of course, you could get "upgraded" to a unit that costs more or sleeps more, throwing everything up in the air.


----------



## LisaRex

YYJMSP said:


> If you book through SVN you are not supposed to be placed in a unit that had a lower SO redemption rate (there are differences for same sized units in different phases during certain weeks) or in a unit that sleeps less than what you booked (if you booked a 2BR sleeps 10 unit, you are not supposed to be put in a 2BR sleeps 8 unit).
> 
> Depending what you book, there may be only one phase that matches.
> 
> But of course, you could get "upgraded" to a unit that costs more or sleeps more, throwing everything up in the air.



Exactly. I got upgraded to a 2 bdrm loft in BV after being confirmed in a 2 bdrm sleeping 6 (presumably in the VG phase because of the square footage).  Had I had my heart set on the VG phase, I'd have been disappointed. 

Honestly, though I prefer the BV phase, I'd be happy no matter where I was placed.


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## jschmeling

Super helpful, thanks everyone. I now have a much better understanding of the situation and how the resort places SPG folks. I enjoyed being all the way at the top last time with great views, but we didn't use the pool much. So, no matter where we end up it will still be St. John! 

Interestingly I also got a private message from a person selling a villa. Didn't expect that. Scam? I saw that her advertisement posts were deleted. But, that week wouldn't work for me ever anyway, so not going to pursue it. Nicely priced though...


----------



## LisaRex

jschmeling said:


> Interestingly I also got a private message from a person selling a villa. Didn't expect that. Scam? I saw that her advertisement posts were deleted. But, that week wouldn't work for me ever anyway, so not going to pursue it. Nicely priced though...



Not necessarily.  We're not allowed to post ads in the discussion forums, which many newbies don't realize, so it's not surprising or suspicious that it was removed. 

When I asked questions re Hilton Hawaiian Village on the Hilton forum, I received a few IMs from owners who wanted me to rent from them. It didn't end up working out (I found a much better rate for OF on Redweek), but them contacting me didn't bother me.  In fact, I'd trust a Tugger who's been on the forums for awhile over a Redweek stranger, all other things being equal.  

Of course, no matter who you buy (or rent) from (if you do decide to buy), you need to do your due diligence because, as you are well aware, Scammers are everywhere.


----------



## jschmeling

LisaRex said:


> Not necessarily.  We're not allowed to post ads in the discussion forums, which many newbies don't realize, so it's not surprising or suspicious that it was removed.
> 
> When I asked questions re Hilton Hawaiian Village on the Hilton forum, I received a few IMs from owners who wanted me to rent from them. It didn't end up working out (I found a much better rate for OF on Redweek), but them contacting me didn't bother me.  In fact, I'd trust a Tugger who's been on the forums for awhile over a Redweek stranger, all other things being equal.
> 
> Of course, no matter who you buy (or rent) from (if you do decide to buy), you need to do your due diligence because, as you are well aware, Scammers are everywhere.


Definitely would discuss and consider, and know TUG has a great reputation. (And w/ a law degree and a wife who practices, we're good at the due diligence!) But I think the more I read the more I think I should just stick with redeeming SPG points for the moment. On the other hand, some of the $2,500 studio weeks seem like pretty great deals...


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## LisaRex

jschmeling said:


> But I think the more I read the more I think I should just stick with redeeming SPG points for the moment.



I think so, too.  I'm sure you've already gotten the SPG AMEX, but I'll mention it in case you don't.  It's a great way to earn SPs.  And, of course, you should both get one if there's a good signing bonus floating around.  Starwood lets you combine points with another member of your household without a fee.


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## OCsun

We have found that our three bedroom pool villa has been perfect for families with children.  We will be leaving tomorrow for our annual vacation which
includes four kids.  We bought our unit in 2003 and have experienced so many great family gatherings there with our daughter, son-in-law and grandkids.  

A normal day for us is morning walks with kids to the Resort Playground while waiting for late sleep in's.  After breakfast we pack a lunch, load the cars and head to a different beach everyday.  When we return to the villa the kids hop in the pool, while we clean up and fire up the grill while kicking back with some drinks!  It's a relaxing vacation for everyone.  If the kids want to hop over to the big resort pool, it's just a short walk and open late to swim.   

Occasionally, we will rent our Villa and have St. John withdrawal for a year.


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## AriMorgan

How much do they rent out for?  My client has a pool villa that they are no longer using so  just wanted to know so I could put in my ad.

Thanks


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## okwiater

AngelaNoel said:


> How much do they rent out for?  My client has a pool villa...



Depends on the week. Some high season weeks would certainly rent for more than MFs, but summer/fall would be a challenge to break even.


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## Negma

We finally made it here to St.John. Our first time here. Made the reservation using Staroptions seven weeks ago for 8 days, ( not to brag but to show it is possible).

We came from staying in St thomas with family for a week so we came straight from red hook on the ferry to Cruz bay. Took a taxi and was at the resort by 12:30. Easy.

Our room was ready which was very cool, we booked a two bedroom because that is all that was available but we are in a 3 bedroom. It is big.

Early impressions,,nice lobby, nice staff, room is fine, no real view, bldg. 24. We saw the dock work being done, overall noise not bad, and of course an iguana roaming the pool. Today is our pool day and there are some pool chair hogs, dinner somewhere tonight as we wander through town. Taxi to beach tomorrow and car rental Thursday, renting dingy Friday. That's enough planning for today. We walked to the grocery store though much of the sidewalk in front is being redone. Prices consistent with Carribean islands.

That's it for now and will check back in a few days. Let me know if you have any questions, as this is our first time here we will do,our best to get answers ( we will not do an update since we did one in Hawaii ).


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## DavidnRobin

Envious - I am ~45 days away.
Enjoy.

On car day:
Little Lameshur Beach (all the way to end of road)
Shipwreck Landing for food/drinks.
and for true StJ drinking experience - Angels' Rest (bar boat on Coral Bay) if you can find it.


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## Negma

A few thoughts from our first trip:
Bring bug spray. I have been bitten like summer camp
Driving on the left side of the road was much easier than I thought
Renting a day car takes some preparation. O'Connor,onsite, had nothing. Concierge made 6 calls to get a car, worked well $79/ day
Concierge also has cruise ship schedule so you can avoid the day trip groups
Lemongrass for dinner last night was ok. Zozos is very good
Road to lamesur was a good tip, but I now can also say I have driven on the moon.
Snorkeling is amazing and it is absolutely beautiful here

Off to Trunk bay


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## YYJMSP

Negma said:


> A few thoughts from our first trip:
> Bring bug spray. I have been bitten like summer camp
> Driving on the left side of the road was much easier than I thought
> Renting a day car takes some preparation. O'Connor,onsite, had nothing. Concierge made 6 calls to get a car, worked well $79/ day
> Concierge also has cruise ship schedule so you can avoid the day trip groups
> Lemongrass for dinner last night was ok. Zozos is very good
> Road to lamesur was a good tip, but I now can also say I have driven on the moon.
> Snorkeling is amazing and it is absolutely beautiful here
> 
> Off to Trunk bay



Very nice -- appreciate the first timer point of view.  We're 2mos away from our first visit...

Getting a car for a single day is possible then?  for some reason I thought it was a 3day min rental (at least from the onsite place) from the info we got from the concierge.

How do you find the acceptance of credit cards?  we're trying to figure out how much cash to bring (usually we bring an extremely small amount)


----------



## DavidnRobin

Negma - did you rent 4WD or car?  Except for one short part - Road to Lameshur is not so bad. (Try the back side of Maui sometime - now that is like a moon scape)

Added - Road to Lameshur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sviOZLCqdcA
I am going to see the artist in the background sone (Amos Lee) this summer (w/ david Gray) at the Mountail Winery in Saratoga CA - great venue (but costly)

Yes to 1Day car rentals, but may need agency in Cruz Bay.
VISA is excepted - AMEX no so much.
Cash helps for some charters, or at small bars/restaurants  (I doubt if CCs are taken at Angels Rest in CB, or One Love on JVD, etc)


----------



## Negma

We did rent a 4 wheel drive, but we did not expect the road like that.

We did rent in Cruz bay from Denzil jeep. They picked us up at the Westin. We picked the car up at 9:30am and dropped it off at 9 the next day and went to trunk bay from there.

The only thing I can add to David's answer on cash is if you are taking taxi's you need cash.   Figure 6-8 dollars per person each way on the island. Also figure in airport transportation on St Thomas. These taxis are not cars BTW. They are open air (yes they have roofs) trucks with 4 rows of bench seating. Think Kilimanjaro Safari in Disney .

Trunk bay is nice beautiful water, but more people, still not cramped. We rented beach chairs for $6 each, they have everything there showers, food, etc ( we brought a cooler). Taxi was easy.

We used the grills at the Westin which appear to be brand new. No problem there. And it looks like they are getting ready to replace all the light standards at the resort over the walkways. We hear some power saws at the pool but nothing terrible.

Last story, we rented a dinghy at the resort. My wife did a great job driving it around to the different beaches. Our goal was to snorkel off the dinghy since there are many places to tie the dinghy to. But we thought we would practice getting in from the water first. Good thing because it was very difficult and would have made for a great video. Yes we could have beached and let one person out but that is not fun. When we returned it the rental guys acknowledged that it is hard and they used to have ladders but they were generally destroyed by the boaters.

Having fun and you will too. Today is a laid back pool day then off to cinnamon beach tomorrow.


----------



## LisaRex

We also rented a dinghy in January. It had been on our bucket list for awhile.  I found the whole experience to be "meh."  Local ordinances allow boaters to beach the dinghy only to load/unload, then you have to move it to a mooring out in the water. This meant a lot of swimming back and forth, and hoisting yourself into the boat from the water -- not an easy feat if you're not in excellent shape and especially if you didn't think to wear your fins.  

My husband is in great shape, but it really deterred us from exploring different places because he ran out of energy after the third stop.  I'd have helped, but there was no way I was going to be able to hoist my butt into the dinghy without a ladder.  I have a hard enough time accomplishing this in a kayak, which is low to the water. 

Anyway, I'm glad we did it because we did find a few excellent snorkeling spots that are only available via the water, but it's not an activity that I'd highly recommend.


----------



## canesfan

We come with several couples and rent a private charter to explore snorkel sites in the morning then hit BVI in the afternoon. Our next visit we're thinking of doing 2 charter days we love it so much.


----------



## Negma

With one day left a few random thoughts:
There was no welcome note from the GM. This is the only resort where that has ever happened. No big deal but we noticed.

Staff quality is very inconsistent. We have been at 5 westins over the last 6 months and overall they would be last. Some very good, some very bad.

There are pay per view movies in the room. I like it even though they were $20 each. There are adult titles too so make sure you censor to your tastes

We actually ordered room service for the first time ever, I know I know, but there was no energy to do anything, too much rum. Service was very good. 

 Cinnamon bay was very nice and overall we have had a great time. One more day to goooooooooooo.


----------



## YYJMSP

Negma said:


> room is fine, no real view, bldg. 24.



I thought everything faced towards the water and it's all on a slope so you're not facing directly in to the backside of another building?


----------



## Negma

We are on the first floor. All you see is vegetation and sky


----------



## applekor

Negma said:


> With one day left a few random thoughts:
> There was no welcome note from the GM. This is the only resort where that has ever happened. No big deal but we noticed.
> 
> 
> 
> We usually receive a bucket of beers from St John Brewers with a note from GM


----------



## okwiater

applekor said:


> We usually receive a bucket of beers from St John Brewers with a note from GM


That's exactly what we received last month when we walked into our pool villa. It was our first stay as Elite and I thought it was a nice touch.


----------



## DavidnRobin

A welcome note is expected from GM based on a HomeResort or SVN exchange…? seriously? because you are 5* or PFL?
I don't know what to say… :ignore:


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> A welcome note is expected from GM based on a HomeResort or SVN exchange…? seriously? because you are 5* or PFL?
> I don't know what to say… :ignore:


Nobody said it was expected. I commented that we thought it was "a nice touch" and Negma stated that its absence was "no big deal but we noticed." It's amazing how that $20 bucket of beer takes the sting out of the timeshare purchase, isn't it?


----------



## Henry M.

We got a bottle of rum (Cruzan?) to go with the letter. It was actually pretty decent.


----------



## Negma

Now I am upset, RUM!!!!

Kidding kidding kidding

As I said before no biggie


----------



## bobpark56

*What to expect?*

So...who do you have to be to get the bucket of beer/rum? We have been to WSJ 3 times and have never received anything.

We were silver elite on our last stay, undocumented aliens (apparently) on our first 2 stays, though owners. Going back again in oct 2016. What should we expect?


----------



## jschmeling

I have usually received a note from GM's wherever I check in (100+ night platinum) but here no note or welcome amenity. We're on our third day, in the lower Villa Grande apartments, but moved into a one bedroom, 2 bath second floor instead of the studio, 1 bath we reserved. No view but trees, but no worries. We don't stay in the room anyway. The trip to Jost Van Dyke was great except for getting stung like crazy at the snorkeling stop. And, the sunscreen gave out way too early - burned, burned, burned. 

Awesome people on the trips, in the pool, in the hot tub, and love the interactions with everyone.


----------



## DavidnRobin

9 visits
0 gifts
(rum is cheap - go for the beer)

Didn't know 5* had that perk - only GM/gifts for SPG Plats.
Damn - need to buy more...


----------



## DavidnRobin

jschmeling said:


> I have usually received a note from GM's wherever I check in (100+ night platinum) but here no note or welcome amenity. We're on our third day, in the lower Villa Grande apartments, but moved into a one bedroom, 2 bath second floor instead of the studio, 1 bath we reserved. No view but trees, but no worries. We don't stay in the room anyway. The trip to Jost Van Dyke was great except for getting stung like crazy at the snorkeling stop. And, the sunscreen gave out way too early - burned, burned, burned.
> 
> Awesome people on the trips, in the pool, in the hot tub, and love the interactions with everyone.



I hear that USVI waters are having a 'sea lice' outbreak (plankton bugs) which cause minor stings.  Not going to mention this to Robin.  Hopefully will be gone in 39 days…

I don'y understand your villa location - how can you only have a view of trees? What building number is this 'Villa Grande'?


----------



## Negma

We have been stung by the sea lice, we thought maybe little jelly fish, shows what I know. Usually happens when you stop moving. Annoying more than anything. I'll try and post a picture when we get back with the room number too. I prefer not to post it while we are still here, we leave tomorrow . Our neighbors are having quite a party tonight.

We had a great time and will come back. Thank you to everyone on this board, we made many decisions based on your advice. Hard to believe we have been on TUG almost 10 years.


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> 9 visits
> 0 gifts
> (rum is cheap - go for the beer)
> 
> Didn't know 5* had that perk - only GM/gifts for SPG Plats.
> Damn - need to buy more...



We've always gotten the note and some kind of gift -- chocolates, basket of nuts and cookies, champagne flutes, bottle of wine, fruit baskets, etc


----------



## Negma

We left this morning, sadness. We decided to do it ourselves and took the Charlotte Amalie ferry. We left the hotel at 10:15 and were through security by 12:30. Our costs for 2 were as follows
15 taxi to dock in at john.
37 boat ride with 2 bags
22 taxi to airport

74 total in cash

Westin wanted 65 pp for one way ( we went to the Westin differently since we were on st Thomas for a week first)

Now the plane ride back to the west coast.


----------



## Cornhusker

It is true about the sea lice.  We were on Cinnamon yesterday and got into them.  My wife got some stings even way out by the Cay.  They bothered her more than I.  They were just little pin pricks to me and I hardly noticed them.  We talked to a lady as we were leaving the beach and she said the sea lice were at every beach she had visited.  We did not notice them at Salt Pond or Lamesur but the wind was out of the south that day and the bays were very choppy.

In other news Morgans Mango in Mongoose Junction had a kitchen fire last Sunday so is closed.  No one knew how bad or how long they might be closed.  I also missed the news that the Tap Room had a fire last January which started in the adjoining hair salon.  That place burned to a crisp.  They are now operating out of temporary space near their old location.  Somebody better check the wiring in Mongoose Junction!!

We are currently staying in a private rental overlooking the north shore, with a week at the Westin upcoming.  Two weeks here is wonderful.  While I love the Westin Resort life, it is also nice to spend some time alone away from a resort.


----------



## LisaRex

My husband was stung by sea lice. He complained of getting stung and he came out of the water several times with a rash, but we had no idea what it was until now.


----------



## NNerland

Are Sea Lice an environmental issue - meaning a potentially long term issue or is it a seasonal hatching issue?  Anyone know from past years of experience.

We visit every winter in January or February.  Never been an issue or heard of the issue, but wondering if this could be a potentially long term issue in the carribean waters?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Not only sea lice (stinging plankton), 
http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/04/27/what-the-heck-is-in-the-water/

But also sargassum seaweed has been present for quite sometime (it does appear in the USVI - blown by winds/currents, but generally does not persist).
http://mission-blue.org/2014/10/sargassum-inundates-the-beaches-of-the-caribbean/

There is also the invasion by Lion Fish,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLBK8QxcOW8iUDl7nqydSx7MU39KZgyyPw&v=enYnd7356yQ#t=188 

and importantly the destruction of coral - especially deep water coral - due to warm waters for an extensive time (aka global warming…)

Also - Great Cruz Bay was just deemed unsafe (again) for swimming and fishing.
http://viconsortium.com/featured/dp...o-in-st-john-unsafe-for-swimming-and-fishing/
_"On St. John, the public is urged to avoid swimming or fishing in Johnson’s Bay and Great Cruz Bay"_

Fortunately, the proposed mega-harbor in Coral Bay looks defeated.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Great Cruz Bay deemed unsafe for swimming*

perhaps this should be better noted on this thread...

Great Cruz Bay was just deemed unsafe (again) for swimming and fishing - doesn't meet minimum water quality standards.

http://viconsortium.com/featured/dp...o-in-st-john-unsafe-for-swimming-and-fishing/
_"On St. John, the public is urged to avoid swimming or fishing in Johnson’s Bay and Great Cruz Bay"_

'urged to avoid swimming' - I am sure WSJ staff won't bring this up…

I once spoke with a long-term resident of StJ - and she said that she would not allow her kids to swim in GCB due to the sailboats moored in GCB not using the boat's holding tanks.  There is no active enforcement of this.  Perhaps WSJ Management and SVO could apply some pressure (aka as $$$ in the USVI) to have enforcement of the violations by these boat owners?

I posted the link to WSJ FB page - wonder how long it will last?


----------



## NNerland

Thanks for information - but not sure the SeaLice issue.  I read on some sites it is more seasonal with Jelly Fish Spawning.  I don't see any commentary about that in this information.

Glad about Coral Bay - didn't want more traffic and competition.

PS Stinks about Cruz Bay


----------



## DavidnRobin

NNerland said:


> Thanks for information - but not sure the SeaLice issue.  I read on some sites it is more seasonal with Jelly Fish Spawning.  I don't see any commentary about that in this information.



here you go…

http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/04/27/what-the-heck-is-in-the-water/

According to Gerald Singer, author of SeeStJohn.com and one of the most knowledgeable island residents when it comes to sea life and such, I most likely had the fortune of running into some stinging plankton. Here’s what Gerald wrote about it on his website Saturday:

_“I took two nice long swims; one yesterday at Hawksnest and another, the day before at Trunk. I kept feeling these little stings, but didn’t see anything and the pain only lasted for a second or two, so I just kept on swimming. But now I have all these little bumps and they ITCH!!!

The probable culprit, a stinging plankton with the disgusting name “sea lice.” These tiny plankton, some so small that you can’t even see them, have a microscopic little barb called a nematocyst that activates when the plankton makes contact with something, like another plankton or small fish or you, and releases an irritating protein, that can develop into a itchy, itchy, itch later on.

I can attest to their presence at Hawknest and Trunk Bays and I’ve heard reports from Caneel Bay and even out on the East End, so it looks like they’ll be around for a while, until that evil tide or current that brought then this way takes them somewhere else. The sooner the better!

Treatment is a really hot shower, like as hot as you can stand it and then vinegar or a meat tenderizer paste to break down the protein. Helps a bit, but you can count on the itch coming back after a while. The itching usually lasts a few days to as much as a week.

I’ve found that this stuff you can get a Chelsea, Benadryl Itch Stopping Gel, is effective, at least for a time.

These plankton, along with other possible itchy-stingy organisms like jellyfish, for example, exist in the sea at all times, but usually in such small concentrations that that they won’t ever be a nuisance. Now apparently, there are enough of them around our bays to virtually guarantee an encounter.”_


----------



## okwiater

From the latest owners newsletter -- very very disappointing.

Wall Between bBedrooms in Buildings 41 and 42

Owners who have read our reports for a long time know that for five years we have addressed the desire of certain owners to have permanent walls and doors installed to divide the single large upstairs bedrooms in these buildings. As you know, under the bylaws this conversion would require, for any particular unit, the concurrence of each owner of that unit. Shawn O’Brien, Director of Board Relations for SVO, made numerous phone calls to “holdout” owners who did not affirmatively consent to convert the sliding panels to walls. For each unit, there has been at least one owner (in some cases, only one) who either did not want the conversion or at least declined to consent. Regrettably, and despite these efforts, our attempt to have walls installed has reached a dead end.


----------



## Cornhusker

Here is some more information on the sea lice.  I can attest to the fact that the things stay in the clothing.  I was dumb enough to re-wear the same shirt I wore at Cinnamon and jumped in the pool at our rental house.  It did not take long and my chest and shoulders were burning pretty bad.  I developed the prototypical "seabathers rash" on my chest.  It is not terrible but certainly annoying.  And I probably look a little scary at the pool now that I am at the Westin. 

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/Debunking_the_Sea_Lice_Myth

Ran into the things again while snorkeling on Trunk near the Cay.  Apparently the whole north shore is affected.  Thinking of heading out to Haulover today or tomorrow.  Hopefuly they have left that bay alone although it too faces north.  I would head back to the south shore where we did not encounter the little buggers, but there is a pretty strong southeast wind again today.


----------



## bubfn

okwiater said:


> From the latest owners newsletter -- very very disappointing.
> 
> Wall Between bBedrooms in Buildings 41 and 42
> 
> Owners who have read our reports for a long time know that for five years we have addressed the desire of certain owners to have permanent walls and doors installed to divide the single large upstairs bedrooms in these buildings. As you know, under the bylaws this conversion would require, for any particular unit, the concurrence of each owner of that unit. Shawn O’Brien, Director of Board Relations for SVO, made numerous phone calls to “holdout” owners who did not affirmatively consent to convert the sliding panels to walls. For each unit, there has been at least one owner (in some cases, only one) who either did not want the conversion or at least declined to consent. Regrettably, and despite these efforts, our attempt to have walls installed has reached a dead end.


We own unit 4213 and I have not been contacted. I would support the wall


----------



## alexadeparis

bubfn said:


> We own unit 4213 and I have not been contacted. I would support the wall



This is what makes me dubious of their "efforts" to contact EVERYONE. I almost bought a unit in the 42 building, but at the last minute decided against it, because of the no wall thing. I think this is bringing down resale in those buildings. I am still on the hunt for the perfect EOY week in one of the the 43 or 44 buildings.


----------



## DavidnRobin

bubfn said:


> We own unit 4213 and I have not been contacted. I would support the wall



I would strongly suggest to email Phil and/or Bob with this info. Posting it here will get little action. I do not think either Phil or Bob read this forum (unfortunately).

The bylaws for VGV were not well written (leading to an attempted lawsuit by some Owners) - and indeed it takes 100% cooperation and accounting.  A very (very) high-bar in today's world of being a PIA for the sake of being a PIA.

Based on what I have seen in the past with regards to contact info for VGV Owners (very poor database keeping by SVO/WSJ) - it doesn't surprise me that not all Owners' were contacted.

What ever happened to that 'VGV Owners Coalition' and their lawsuit?


----------



## DavidnRobin

alexadeparis said:


> This is what makes me dubious of their "efforts" to contact EVERYONE. I almost bought a unit in the 42 building, but at the last minute decided against it, because of the no wall thing. I think this is bringing down resale in those buildings. I am still on the hunt for the perfect EOY week in one of the the 43 or 44 buildings.



I agree - I would never own one of the 3Bd pool villas that had the movable wall (I have state in both types).  It was to be replaced at no cost to the HOA - must be frustrating for B41-B42 Owners.

I do not think it is 'dubious' at all - they have been very transparent about this process for quite a while.  Their database sucks.


----------



## bobpark56

*Why not make a listing of approving owners available?*



bubfn said:


> We own unit 4213 and I have not been contacted. I would support the wall



We own in 4215, and we were never contacted about this either. I had to act myself to tell the folks there we were voting in favor of building the wall. I have no idea whether they counted our vote or not.

Perhaps our Virgin Grand reps should post a listing of all owners who have voted for the wall...or at least make such a listing available to us.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I suggest to contact Phil and/or Bob - and voice your concerns. If B41/B42 people were not contacted, and SVO/WSJ Rep says they made attempts, then I would make them aware.
It could be that they had already found one dissenter for that particular villa, and stopped.  They need 100% Owner compliance - if one Owner dissents - then no reason to continue as it is a futile effort.

I would not jump to conclusions here - they initiated making the change, the Owners did not. My reasoning is that the 3Bd pool villas [w/ wall] has more value for the ones they own - otherwise… why would they care?  They were even willing to cover the cost outside of the HOA.

btw - no way are they going to make a listing of Owners publicly available, unless the Owners agree.
btw2 - the voluntary site they created is a big Fail (IMO). Basically useless (unfortunately) - typical old-school corporate design that effectively was (is) a waste of time/energy.


----------



## ferndale

DavidnRobin said:


> I agree - I would never own one of the 3Bd pool villas that had the movable wall (I have state in both types).  It was to be replaced at no cost to the HOA - must be frustrating for B41-B42 Owners.
> 
> I do not think it is 'dubious' at all - they have been very transparent about this process for quite a while.  Their database sucks.




It took me nearly 9 months to find the perfect summer week in building 44.  Totally worth it for the much nicer upstairs, and 3.5 baths.  Shockingly, I also use the hot tub by the pool nearly every day.  I was surprised by that.


----------



## YYJMSP

YYJMSP said:


> Thanks, looks like I'm waiting another 30 days to book that last flight.
> 
> Still have two wait lists in play to fiddle with our arrival date/length of stay at WSJ.  I thought they expired at 90 days out, was told today when I inquired that they will keep checking to 60 days out, so no point in locking in our arrival in the USVI until I know for sure our WSJ booking dates.



For the first time in years our waitlists didn't come through, which is definitely some kind of an indication of how hard it is to book in to WSJ with SO's.

I guess we're officially doing a 1nt in a studio followed by 9nts in a 2BR.  Will have to keep checking if a single 2BR night shows up that I can book and plead to have the two bookings joined together so we don't have to move...


----------



## okwiater

YYJMSP said:


> For the first time in years our waitlists didn't come through, which is definitely some kind of an indication of how hard it is to book in to WSJ with SO's.
> 
> I guess we're officially doing a 1nt in a studio followed by 9nts in a 2BR.  Will have to keep checking if a single 2BR night shows up that I can book and plead to have the two bookings joined together so we don't have to move...



Take a look at this thread. I'm not so sure your waitlist works the way you think it should.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> 9 visits
> 0 gifts
> (rum is cheap - go for the beer)
> 
> Didn't know 5* had that perk - only GM/gifts for SPG Plats.
> Damn - need to buy more...




We always receive a welcome gift.....

Last year. I loved the gift basket made up from St John Brewing company....Actually I got 2 of them, cause we went twice.


----------



## Transit

*East end*

We are taking our 4th trip to St John and we have not really explored the east end of the island. Any advice on points of interest there would be appreciated. 

I can't believe how huge this thread has become it needs it's own search engine.lol.


----------



## DavidnRobin

and this is Part 2 of the thread. 

East side - some of it...
Lameshur Bay
Kiddle Bay (Left, left, left, left...)
Salt Pond Bay
Blue Cobblestone beach
Ram Head hike
Tourist Trap - food
Miss Lucy's - food
Shipwreck Landing - food
Skinny Legs - food
Vies - food
and... Angel's Rest - drink (extra points for finding it...)

Off top of my head...


----------



## bobpark56

*For snokelers...*

For snorkelers, i"ll add:

Little Lameshur Bay

Haulover North...on a day when the wind is light and from the south. Entry is a bit awkward, but it's like snorkeling in a coral garden.

Leinster Bay, to the right side of Waterlemon Key...but check the tides before you go. The beach is narrow, and high tides can flood it. It's a bit of a swim, but go along the right shore and there will be good bit to see along the way. Last Oct, we ran into a school of a dozen or so 4- to 6-foot tarpons that were there feeding on a very large massing of small fish. Also some jacks. This in addition to the usual culprits.


----------



## Transit

Thanks, 
This gives me a starting point.


----------



## YYJMSP

canesfan said:


> We come with several couples and rent a private charter to explore snorkel sites in the morning then hit BVI in the afternoon. Our next visit we're thinking of doing 2 charter days we love it so much.



If you don't mind my asking, what company did you use for the private charter?  We're wading through the various options and they seem to be all over the place.

You can PM me if you'd prefer...


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> if you are staying at WSJ and looking to see the Baths - I would recommend Island Time (The Westin's boat). Never done it, but know people who have and were fine with it.



The Westin ferry boat goes to the BVI's?


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> The Westin ferry boat goes to the BVI's?



I believe it does (or another boat they have does) - make sure this comment is taken in context (for someone who wants to leave from WSJ dock vs.NPS dock). I have never used CruzBay - Island Time (WSJ) for a charter. I am sure there is a BVI schedule.
We have been using Island Roots as of late - but many to choose from.


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> I believe it does (or another boat they have does) - make sure this comment is taken in context (for someone who wants to leave from WSJ dock vs.NPS dock). I have never used CruzBay - Island Time (WSJ) for a charter. I am sure there is a BVI schedule.
> We have been using Island Roots as of late - but many to choose from.



Ah, it's actually Cruz Bay Watersports on-site.  Now I understand.  I thought you meant that WSJ had their own boat and operated their own excursions.

I think we found Island Roots when we were searching. Thanks.


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> Ah, it's actually Cruz Bay Watersports on-site.  Now I understand.  I thought you meant that WSJ had their own boat and operated their own excursions.
> 
> I think we found Island Roots when we were searching. Thanks.



Correct. Island Time and other charters leaving the WSJ dock are operated by Cruz Bay Watersports (I assume under contract with WSJ). Due to 'Homeland Security' reasons - only CBW and the WSJ ferry can use WSJ dock - others could be fined - this almost happened to us when they started enforcing this security measure.  (Security from what?  not making more money?  Really... I do not see StJ as a terrorist threat...)  All other charters must pick-up/drop-off at the NPS dock. Or, off the beach to the left of the WSJ dock.

That was my comment to a hassle free excursion from the WSJ dock as the NPS dock can be a real PIA at times (parking and otherwise...).

Island Roots has one a the few permits to moor in Hurricane Hole when it is not being used as a hurricane shelter for boats. Capt Jason (Siska) took over Island Roots a couple of years ago after the previous charter captain passed-away. His family is from StJ and he grew-up there.  He is professional, passionate and conscientious - a rare quality in his generation.
(for those reading this - please tread gently around the mangroves if you visit)


----------



## vmoreno5

*Which buildings are the Bay Vista units in?*

Just made a reservation w/ Star Options for 3 nights in a "3 bdrm villa" and wondering if we'll have an oven or not. Our reservation does not say Pool Villa or Virgin Grand, just "3 bdrm villa" and sleeps 10...so probably not the VGV   Most likely BV, correct?

BUT, I'm sure they will be fine, just wondering which building might be best for views. We will have my 75 yo mother, so will be nice not to have a huge hike to pool/festivities (bingo  but we will have a car.

Any suggestions on which building we should request would be much appreciated! Will be there Jun 28-30 in a 2bdrm, then 30-July 3 in 3 bdrm (will have to change rooms bc I couldn't find a 5 day stretch in one unit...kinda last min plans - just made the reservation yesterday).

Thanks!!

Vicki


----------



## DavidnRobin

The VGV 3Bd villas have no view, but have private pool and BBQ area.
The BV 3Bd villas do have a view. There is an slight uphill hike to BV, and the 3Bd villas are on upper floors of BV (but there is an elevator - plus there are shuttles.
You will unlikely be given a choice of villa. You could also end up in the new CV phase which are closer to the main pool.

There should be a convection oven in BV, VGV will have oven.

Hard to know which phase you will be placed in.
Personally - I would prefer the 3Bd VGV villas.

It is very hot/humid at this time of year - be careful if you are not used to it.  It takes us a couple of days to acclimate.


----------



## YYJMSP

vmoreno5 said:


> Just made a reservation w/ Star Options for 3 nights in a "3 bdrm villa" and wondering if we'll have an oven or not. Our reservation does not say Pool Villa or Virgin Grand, just "3 bdrm villa" and sleeps 10...so probably not the VGV   Most likely BV, correct?



I'm thinking the only 3BR sleeps 10 config is BV.  The 3BR/pool in VG is sleeps 8.  There isn't any other 3BR config, right?

In theory, you're not supposed to be "downgraded" to something that sleeps less, or costs less SO's, than the unit you booked.

You can check the SO's you needed for the booking.  The phases have slightly different rates at different times, so you might be able to figure it out that way,  but of course, everything is subject to change up to check-in...


----------



## vmoreno5

DavidnRobin said:


> You will unlikely be given a choice of villa. You could also end up in the new CV phase which are closer to the main pool.



Thank you for the info. Actually, I see from the Villa descriptions that the only 10-person unit that is called "Three Bedroom Villa" is the Bay Vista. Interestingly, they don't show any "3-bdrms" in Coral Vista, but there were reservations for a "3 bdrm lock off" which I think is probably the 2 bdrm & studio combined in CV...bc in the StarOptions chart, it lists the CV units as 3-bdrm lock off, 2 bdrm & studio. Boy, this property sure has a lot of choices in unit type, but those VGV seem to be rarely avbl. Didn't see any for the entire summer when I was looking at openings. 

In any case, are you saying we are unlikely to have any request honored, as far as location within the BV 3-bdrms? I know there is never a guarantee, but I usually request general location/building and they often honor it or come close. But I've never been to WSJ, so maybe things are different. 

Thx for the tip about the weather. My mom will probably do a lot of relaxing and reading . If it's too hot outside, she may be inside more than usual, which is why i was thinking it would be nice if we had a view, so she can enjoy it. We might be able to get her in the water with a snorkel though...


----------



## okwiater

VGV was sold as fixed weeks, and those Owners typically use their own weeks. It's much more common to find availability in the phases with floating ownership, i.e. BV and CV. BV has dedicated 3-bedroom villas (which sleep 10), while CV has 3-bedroom lockoffs (which sleep 12), but only 6 lockoff units are available.


----------



## canesfan

YYJMSP said:


> If you don't mind my asking, what company did you use for the private charter?  We're wading through the various options and they seem to be all over the place.
> 
> 
> 
> You can PM me if you'd prefer...




We rented it from Cruz Bay out of the resort. It was quite reasonable. We had 2 other couples with us, so we divided the cost by 3.  We just told our captain what we wanted to do that day.


----------



## LisaH

canesfan said:


> We rented it from Cruz Bay out of the resort. It was quite reasonable. We had 2 other couples with us, so we divided the cost by 3.  We just told our captain what we wanted to do that day.



Could you provide the contact info for the charter please?


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Could you provide the contact info for the charter please?



They are talking about Cruz Bay Watersports - as discussed above. There are no other charters off of the WSJ dock (also discussed above).  They can be contacted thru WSJ as they are the charter company for WSJ.


----------



## svntug

*Accomodations advice, and other questions*

We're headed to WSJ in early July.  It'll be our first time to St John.  We've stayed at many other starwood villa props, so we think we know what to expect.

A couple quick questions for the cognoscenti:

1) There will be 8 of us - 2 families.  We booked at the 8 month mark with SO's, and were only able to get a 2 bedroom flat.  Will it be comfortable?  Anyone have any advice on how to beg the resort to upgrade us?

2) Sea Lice - we've read a few posts that mention Sea lice in the waters around the island.  It sounds like it might be a temporary situation based on the current, etc.  Is this still an issue?  Should we be concerned - we'll have several little ones with us.

3) No one has mentioned the Gym - is it open to everyone?  Is it a decent Gym?

4) hot tubs/spas - are there any on the property?

5) Does the Westin Ferry still include unlimited trips back to St Thomas during our stay?

Thanks for any info/advice!

svntug


----------



## DavidnRobin

Occupancy of a 2Bd villa is 6 persons.  enough said...


----------



## canesfan

svntug said:


> We're headed to WSJ in early July.  It'll be our first time to St John.  We've stayed at many other starwood villa props, so we think we know what to expect.
> 
> A couple quick questions for the cognoscenti:
> 
> 1) There will be 8 of us - 2 families.  We booked at the 8 month mark with SO's, and were only able to get a 2 bedroom flat.  Will it be comfortable?  Anyone have any advice on how to beg the resort to upgrade us?
> 
> 2) Sea Lice - we've read a few posts that mention Sea lice in the waters around the island.  It sounds like it might be a temporary situation based on the current, etc.  Is this still an issue?  Should we be concerned - we'll have several little ones with us.
> 
> 3) No one has mentioned the Gym - is it open to everyone?  Is it a decent Gym?
> 
> 4) hot tubs/spas - are there any on the property?
> 
> 5) Does the Westin Ferry still include unlimited trips back to St Thomas during our stay?
> 
> Thanks for any info/advice!
> 
> svntug




Whatever your 2 bedroom describes it max, is its max. Unless you have little kids it will be a challenge. We own a 2 bedroom LOFT. It sleeps 10. Those are few though. 

Ferry is all you can travel. There is enough on St. John that you won't see the need to leave. But it's there if you want it.

Gym & Spa are one of the worst I've seen in our system. Although I haven't been since they renovated. It was disappointing, especially the spa area.


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> They are talking about Cruz Bay Watersports - as discussed above. There are no other charters off of the WSJ dock (also discussed above).  They can be contacted thru WSJ as they are the charter company for WSJ.



Thanks! Anyone going Aug 8-15 and would like to share a boat?


----------



## DavidnRobin

speaking of a Bucket List finding you... where Angels go the rest.

http://oldtowncrier.com/2015/06/01/...s-and-the-little-floating-cottage-that-could/


----------



## YYJMSP

*Which section have SO bookings been going lately?*

Anyone who has stayed at WSJ recently (since CV opened?) and booked with SO's, where have you been placed?

I'm curious if there's been more SO bookings pushed in to CV in the last little bit vs. other sections, or if non-Home Resort bookings are being spread all over the place.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I don't think you are going to find Tuggers here who can answer that question - too few, too soon. We haven't been to the Main Resort since checkin.

I am at WSJ now. One thing I have learned...  I was born to drive left.


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> I am at WSJ now. One thing I have learned...  I was born to drive left.



We have 4 weeks left  until we start our 17.5hr 4-segment flight plan (coming back is worse...)

And I think I'll leave driving on the wrong side of the road  to the professionals.


----------



## Henry M.

The first time I went to St. John on Staroptions, a couple of years ago a and when the CV buildings still had hotel guests, I had booked a 1BR and was supposed to stay in VGV. At check-in, we were given a 2BR in BV. If I had known, I would have brought some friends along!

We were given the choice to stay in what we had reserved, and even went to check out the room, but we liked BV better. The VGV room was a bit musty and rather dark. I can't remeber which building it was. 

The staff was friendly and accommodating. You can always request something different than what you are assigned (within reason), and if here is room, they'll try to work with you to try to make you happy.


----------



## ksqdomer

Any "sea lice" updates? heading down on the 19th.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Very bad - and no one seems to be discussing it here.  Very few people in water in Maho Bay - millions of these buggers. No way they are going to go away anytime soon unfortunately. Really sucks.  Glad we have a car to go to other side of island. None at Lameshur and very crowded for a Monday in June - others apparently have figured it out. I have video that I will post on YouTube

adjust for high-resolution
https://youtu.be/HXor0dpV1BM


----------



## Carolyn

DavidnRobin said:


> Very bad - and no one seems to be discussing it here.  Very few people in water in Maho Bay - millions of these buggers. No way they are going to go away anytime soon unfortunately. Really sucks.  Glad we have a car to go to other side of island. None at Lameshur and very crowded for a Monday in June - others apparently have figured it out. I have video that I will post on YouTube
> 
> adjust for high-resolution
> https://youtu.be/HXor0dpV1BM



Any other areas besides Maho? Thanks David for the update.

Carolyn


----------



## carpie99

DavidnRobin said:


> Very bad - and no one seems to be discussing it here.  Very few people in water in Maho Bay - millions of these buggers. No way they are going to go away anytime soon unfortunately. Really sucks.  Glad we have a car to go to other side of island. None at Lameshur and very crowded for a Monday in June - others apparently have figured it out. I have video that I will post on YouTube
> 
> adjust for high-resolution
> https://youtu.be/HXor0dpV1BM



Well this is not good ... I was hoping by the time we got there July 8th these guys would be gone ...


----------



## okwiater

Has anyone used Safe Sea lotion and does it actually work to reduce the impacts of sea lice?

http://www.getsafesea.com/index.php


----------



## YYJMSP

carpie99 said:


> Well this is not good ... I was hoping by the time we got there July 8th these guys would be gone ...



We arrive a day earlier...

Sounds like yacht poop and sea lice in our future, doesn't sound like fun.


----------



## ksqdomer

how about on JVD? hey David, is the "sharing" storage pod still  worthless?


----------



## DavidnRobin

On charter yesterday - excellent btw - Whistling Cay was bad, Haulover north medium, Flanahans low - and nothing in Hurricane Hole or Booby/Ram Head.

It is not the Acorn jellies - it is whatever those tubules are - those have a sting and can feel over the body (on video). A friend had an outline on her leg, but went away in a couple of hours.  Sucks to get stuck in a swarm of them... I try and not pay attention, but hard.  Robin was 'no way!'

Nobody here has a definitive answer - sea lice?  Spawning acorns, string plankton ???

Head for the Southshore - maybe they will leave soon. Glad I have a car.


----------



## polly0014

Thanks for the update David!  I've been reading about the sea lice problem.  YUCK!  Monitoring this closely!  Maho was our favorite 2 years ago. =(  

Has anyone done the charter on Bad Kitty lately?  Contemplating a BVI full day with them.  We have 2 boys (age 12 & 8) who love to snorkle.  

Per advice on TUG (I think David), this time we're renting the jeep on STT with Amalie!  Excited for the ease of renting with them!  

Sounds like we'll be there around the same time as a few tuggers!  We go July 11 for 8 nights!  So excited for some r&r!

-Polly


----------



## vmoreno5

David or others - advice please.

Amalie car is completely booked through mid August for all cars. I spoke with them and they recommended I try Avis for a Ford Explorer. Avis doesn't show that car specifically, but other small SUV's avbl w/ no 4WD (says Hyundai Tucson "or similar") and I doubt I can request/reserve a specific make/model.

Dependable Car has Jeep Liberty or Jeep Wrangler Unlimited w/ 4WD. Their email said Liberty may be a more comfortable ride. Both have plenty of luggage space. We will have 6 normal sized suitcases.

There are 5 of us, incl my 77 yo mother. 

What do you think? We'd like to rent/return the car on STT. Dates 6/28-7/4. We'd be more comfy in the SUV or minivan (also avbl w/ Avis), but:

1) do we need 4WD, staying at the Westin and exploring other island beaches? 
2) Dependable or Avis?

Thank you!


----------



## LisaRex

I've heard bad things about both.  Personally, I'd haul over to STJ and rent from O'Connors.  We usually rent from Sunday to Friday and save the $85/day rental costs.  The first day we arrive too late to get any snorkeling in and the last day is always a resort day.


----------



## Henry M.

I have not needed 4-wheel drive to drive on St. John the two times I've been there, and I drove all the way out to East End. The first time I rented from O'Connor's on the property of Westin St. John, and the second time from Amalie. I agree with Lisa, that if you don't need the car the whole time, O'Connors can be cheaper since I believe they have a 3 day minimum. 

However, with 5 people it is probably easier to get a car for the whole time than to pay a lot in cab fare. There really isn't anything to do at the resort, so you'll probably want to go at least to the nearby beaches that cost $6-$8 per person in each direction. If there's just one or two people, then you might save a small amount each day taking a taxi to the beach.

There are a couple of hairpin curves that are hairy, but it is more about having some good tires and ground clearance than needing 4-wheel drive. The beaches you usually see in pictures are all accessible in a regular car. They are only a few minutes from Cruz Bay, right beside the road. No problem even in a normal car.

Going past the first set is a hairpin curve, but it can also be negotiated with a normal car if it has reasonably good tires. The road is steep, and bald tires would likely slip if the road were wet, as it often is. However, you don't need to engage all 4 tires to go up. I've seen local sub-compact cars drive up the road with no issues. I'd be comfortable in a minivan to get to just about all the beaches. There might be one or two where a 4-wheel drive could save you some walking, but I haven't gone to any of them.

Either the Liberty or the Wrangler should work, with the Liberty having perhaps a softer ride. With the Wrangler, make sure it is the model with four doors (Wrangler Unlimited). The standard Wrangler only has two doors and  and I think it would be uncomfortable for 5 people. It is much smaller than the Unlimited. You'd be awfully tight with bags and people in the back:

http://www.jeep.com/en/wrangler/#model=rubicon&color=billet-silver&top=no-top&category=standard

The Wrangler Unlimited has two rows of seats so 5 can sit comfortably while the luggage goes in the back:

http://www.jeep.com/en/wrangler-unl...or=billet-silver&top=no-top&category=standard


----------



## vmoreno5

Thank you, THANK YOU, for your input! I've gone over and over the pros/cons of renting the car on STT vs STJ. It really comes down to there being 5 of us, convenience, $$, and the fact I've dragged my hubby to the far corners of the earth and put him behind the wheel of a car. He's driven on the left in Australia and even a jeep on the largest sand island in the world: Frasier Island, which is another entire post...(!) He's more comfortable than I, or this "choice" wouldn't be a choice at all. 

I called Dependable and spoke with June. She spent at least 15 minutes with me, maybe more, offering advice and answers. Their cars are also '14, '15 (like Amalie) though their Jeep Liberty model is 2012. I asked about car break downs (they cover) flat tire (we change, using spare, and if tire needs replacing, we pay), car pick up (we call and they'll come pick us up to get the car - we'll be at BestWst near airport night before), insurance (our Amex ok). I don't know how the rental will go, all I can say is so far, they've been professional and helpful. Not so much w/ Avis when I called. I'm trying to prepare for things to go less-than-perfect based on yelp/TA/blog reviews. We reserved the Wrangler Unlimited. June said there is a step-up for my mom (she offered that input, too...I was impressed).

I have learned with this vacation destination that advance preparation (and I mean like, months in advance) is helpful. I am a flight attendant; we fly on passes. Last minute plans are the most accurate for flights, but we try to plan when we can. I will say though, that my family knows better than to ask what time we're leaving, much less what airport we're flying to. We can change itineraries on our way to the airport. This flexibility is what keeps us batting about .900 in making flights, so it's all good. Def not for everyone, but worth it for us.

Bc we started planning late, I could not reserve a day charter with tuggers-renowned Capt. Jason & Island Roots; he was completely booked for the 6 days I gave him to choose, one mo. in advance. Likewise, the #1 TA-ranked Palm Tree Charters was also booked. Both referred me to others, but I found availability with Lion in da Sun, Capt Rick. He seems wonderful from our phone convo and TA reviews (#2) are very good, so looking fwd to that but realized it's helpful to book things like cars and charters a couple months if not more in advance.

I have planned ahead, however, for the sea lice, ordering the Safe Sea that may not even work, but y'know, since I have planned for them, we won't see any. But...at least we'll have something to do at night while we try to rub this thick, clingy substance off our stungfree bodies.

I did reserve a cabana for 1/2 day at the Westin, too. They gave me the owners discount, even though our ownership is at WMH & WLR I think it's $80 for 1p-6p. This is where my 15 yr old will be with his iPad, iPhone and cabana-tv, while some of the most inviting ocean waters in the world lie right in front of him. 

*sigh*


----------



## Henry M.

The first time I rented on the island and was fine, but there were only two of us, and we planned a hike, a cruise and other activities on the carless days. We saved a little with a 3 day rental, but then we paid a lot for the Westin ferry. 

The second time we were 3 people and rented at the airport (from Amalie) and drove. It was super easy. It is what I will continue to do. It is much more convenient having a car than relying on taxis, and it makes it easy to go different places at different times of the day. 

The reason I'd rent in STT is that I don't want to pay the exorbitant Westin Ferry prices, and a people ferry is too much hassle.


----------



## LisaRex

Sounds like you're comfortable with Dependable.  I'm sure it will all work out. 

BTW, if all the rental cars are sold out, plan on getting to the car ferry dock plenty early.  They are capacity controlled, of course, and it takes much longer than it should to get through TSA and customs in STT.  I usually leave the villa 4 hours in advance of my flight. 

You won't regret the private charter. Lion is very highly rated.  If you love to snorkel, it's awesome to have water accessibility to places you can't get to easily on your own.  It's also a great way way to pick up tips on where to eat, visit and snorkel on your own.  Jason showed us a couple of non-touristy spots that were outstanding.  Also, if you're not much into snorkeling, definitely consider paying for the gas to get to the Baths, if you haven't booked a larger charter already.  It is a must-see. 

(BTW, Palm Tree is #1 rated, but the captain (John) who earned such rave reviews retired in December, so the 5* rating is inherited rather than earned.  Granted, the new captain is also getting rave reviews, but it's a tad misleading to read that Palm Tree is #1 based on x number of reviews when the captain and ownership changed hands a few months ago.  On a private charter, the personality and knowledge of the captain is as essential as the condition of the boat.)


----------



## vmoreno5

LisaRex said:


> On a private charter, the personality and knowledge of the captain is as essential as the condition of the boat.)



Completely agree! That's why I was hesitant to go with the other suggestions; I couldn't find info about the captains ...or their boat (enough shade was a prerequisite).

Thanks for tip re: busy ferries. We will take your advice!


----------



## vistana101

I was looking on StarCentral and under the check-in-days section it noted that Coral Vista check-ins only take place on Fridays (not Saturday or Sunday). But does anyone know how this works when you check in on a weekday?


----------



## okwiater

vistana101 said:


> I was looking on StarCentral and under the check-in-days section it noted that Coral Vista check-ins only take place on Fridays (not Saturday or Sunday). But does anyone know how this works when you check in on a weekday?



I noticed that some time ago and pointed it out, but according to those who own at CV they haven't been restricted to Friday check-ins.


----------



## vistana101

okwiater said:


> I noticed that some time ago and pointed it out, but according to those who own at CV they haven't been restricted to Friday check-ins.



Great, thanks!


----------



## polly0014

Has anyone does the "owners update" lately?  I'm curious what the incentive is currently?  I think 2 years ago it was $125 in Starfish dollars I think they called them.  

Thanks!


----------



## takieshasmith

*Westin St JOhn*

Anybody ever taken a water taxi to st John form St Thomas??? if so how much?


----------



## LisaH

Welcome to TUG, takieshasmith. Usually people take ferry between St Thomas and St John. See here...


----------



## DavidnRobin

We saw a water taxi on are way back to RedHook (car barge).
Not sure why anyone would use a water taxi to go to St John considering all the options.

Our recommendations:
Amalie Car Rental on StT (a slight premium, but worth it) - of course depends on number of people and length of trip, and how much time spent at WSJ vs. StJ.
Car barge from RedHook (~$30-35 one way - do not buy RT - no other fees except $3 for lot usage)
Island Roots Charter with Capt Jason (and we have done Palm Tree, Bad Kitty, Copeland, New Horizons...)
Oceans 362 dinner at upstairs bar.
Happy Hour snacks at Longboard


----------



## DavidnRobin

polly0014 said:


> Has anyone does the "owners update" lately?  I'm curious what the incentive is currently?  I think 2 years ago it was $125 in Starfish dollars I think they called them.
> 
> Thanks!



Still $125.
They have other incentives but do not know what they are.

Really did not like CV villas layouts - location is nice, but not for us.  Plus, way too costly (of course).  The money guy totally blew us off when he recognized me from last year - don't blame him - why bother?

They offered 148.1K HomeResort Options (Resort Season) for $38.1K (supposedly going to increase) with initial MFs of ~$2600 (verbal).  Also willing to buyback WPORV, WKV and WSJ VOIs, but not our OFD WKORV (?).

They are gearing up to start selling non-WSJ weeks.

btw - pick up discount card from Concierge before grocery shopping at StJ Market ($50 min spend) or StarFish ($100 min spend).  The StarFish discount is not mentioned, but StarFish will accept.


----------



## DavidnRobin

The stinging jellies started too dissipate somewhat on north-side beach (calm coves mostly an issue).  Disappointed that we could spend water time at Frances and Maho.
We spent time at south-side beaches with no jellies.  Little Lameshur and SaltPond were crowded (relatively) as compared to last year.  Not sure if that was due to north-side jellies.

btw - it is not the little Acorn jellies that are stinging - I believe it is their (or other) larvae - that has some type nematode with small barbs.  I decided to just deal with them - their slight stings are annoying, but no other issues (rash etc).  I would have worn my DiveSkin if I had it.  Something skin tight, but loose clothing is not good as they can get stuck between skin and clothing - snorkeling naked would be another good option... 

They sort of come in swarms (blooms?) - do not panic and calming snorkel away - usually too somewhere with more water flow.  They are very hard to see (look like tubules with small specks of pepper), but mask and right light you can see them.  Then there are the phantom stings...


----------



## DavidnRobin

The FreeCycle had stuff on checkin/out (but not during week) - we got a couple of beach chairs, and there were about 4 others there on our Friday checkin.
We left our chairs and other stuff - and a beach umbrella I bought at Cost-U-Less on StT (worthwhile purchase for $30).

I wish the Front Desk, and Concierge would tell folks staying at VGV phase about the FreeCycle - many do not seem to be aware.


----------



## vmoreno5

David/Robin or anyone...the tv's in the units (BV particularly since I think that's where we'll be)...can you hook up a Roku to it? Would like to be able to stream amazon video on the tv screen, not our laptop. Roku is small to bring, but tv must have a hook up, or be "smart." 

Any idea? 

Thank you!


----------



## okwiater

vmoreno5 said:


> David/Robin or anyone...the tv's in the units (BV particularly since I think that's where we'll be)...can you hook up a Roku to it? Would like to be able to stream amazon video on the tv screen, not our laptop. Roku is small to bring, but tv must have a hook up, or be "smart."



If memory serves, most/all of the SVO resorts require you to authenticate with your room number and last name in order to access the internet. I don't believe Roku can support that. However, you can work around that limitation by setting up your own Wi-Fi network and bridging it to the resort's internet connection. We have used the D-Link AC750 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HGLOQ24/ref=pe_385040_121528360_TE_dp_1) to do just that.

 An alternative would be to purchase an Amazon Fire TV stick which now supports most browser-based authentication. It's inexpensive and works extremely well, better than the Roku or Chromecast in my opinion.

 However, you should temper your expectations regarding either of these options. In my experience, the internet connections available at these resorts are not really intended to support streaming video to a large number of rooms. As such, our experience has ranged from nearly flawless (SVV) to marginal (WSJ), especially in the evenings, when presumably streaming video usage would increase.


----------



## DavidnRobin

correct - room and last name must be authenticated.

do not know about the TVs - we rarely watch TV while on StJ. we did watch the NBA Finals - but reception on ABC (analog only) was awful (snowy)

our internet speed (B34) was quite reasonable (when it was working) - ~5 Mbps for both download and upload.


----------



## vmoreno5

Thank you both, esp okwiater for the very detailed explanation. We'll figure something out. Or not...it'll be fine. I just watched McFarland USA and loved it; thought it'd be a perfect movie for our group of 77yrs to 15yrs, so wondered if we could see it there.

Again, really appreciate the help! We'll be there in 5 days!


----------



## polly0014

Thanks David for your replies!  Much appreciated!

BTW--exactly where is the freecycle location?  We never stumbled upon it 2 years ago.  Thank you!


----------



## carpie99

14 days until our St. John/JVD trip ... very excited.

So Wednesday we'll stay with our parents for one night at the Westin ... then Sandcastles on JVD for 2 nights ... then back to the Westin for 7 nights.

:whoopie::whoopie::whoopie::whoopie::whoopie:

This will be the view from our door 

http://www.soggydollar.com/webcam.aspx


----------



## svntug

*RE: Info request*



canesfan said:


> Whatever your 2 bedroom describes it max, is its max. Unless you have little kids it will be a challenge. We own a 2 bedroom LOFT. It sleeps 10. Those are few though.
> 
> Ferry is all you can travel. There is enough on St. John that you won't see the need to leave. But it's there if you want it.
> 
> Gym & Spa are one of the worst I've seen in our system. Although I haven't been since they renovated. It was disappointing, especially the spa area.



First - thanks very much to those who responded!

I wanted to follow up with some info to share with others who might read this thread in the future:

1) Maximum guests for a 2 bedroom unit:  I think there are 5 or 6 different 2 bedroom unit configurations, each has it's own maximum occupancy:  You can look at the layouts here:  https://www.starwoodvacationnetwork.com/villa-collection/the-westin-st-john-resort-villas/villas

2) I've been reading about the sea-lice issue on this and other forums (trip advisor, etc).  Sounds like it's abating, but should still be on our radar before choosing a destination beach each day.


I'd like to pose a couple more questions:

1) Coffee - we're planning to bring our own ground coffee.  What type of coffee filters will we need? (Cone, flat, keurig, etc)  Does the resort supply them or are they available at the convenience store?

2) Inexpensive way to get to the Baths?  I searched and found some roundtrip excursions for ~$140/each.  Is there a less expensive way to get there?  I guess chartering a boat might be less expensive since there's a bunch of us?

3) Arrivals in STT - we're getting in around 1:45pm, and hope to catch the 3pm ferry and not have to wait for the 5pm.  We'll have some checked luggage.  Any chance we'll make it, or should we plan to hangout at the airport, or perhaps consider the public ferry?

4) Is it reasonable to skip renting a car and depend on the open air taxi's to get to/from beaches?  Will they come back and pick us up if we arrange a time?

Thanks again for any advice!


----------



## DavidnRobin

We bring our own coffee (Peets) -and flat-bottom filters (#4 iirc).  'Mr Coffee' grind.

No inexpensive way to The Baths (just some our cheaper than others) - plus there is a $45pp BVI fee. Outside public ferry - Bad Kitty is probably cheapest (fast and smooth), but holds up to 30 souls.

You should be able to make the Westin Ferry - be aware for the next couples of months they will be dropping off in Cruz Bay (then taxi) while WSJ dock is being repaired.  Also, sometimes they are going to RedHook instead of Crown Bay (close to STT) - while we were there - Crown Bay was not accessible due to seaweed (which seems to have come with the jelly larvae (which is what is stinging - not the acorn jellies)

Depending on your situation - consider renting on STT and taking car barge. Public Ferries (and taxis) charge per person and per luggage.

The taxis will drop-off and pick-up from north-side beaches.  You can even get adventurous and take VITRAN to Salt Pond (out of Cruz Bay - I hear it is cheap). We rent a car - 15 mins to Truck from our villa. Heck, that is probably the wait time for taxi alone. Time is $...  IMO

The taxis can get quite expensive since they charge per person.  Fares are on VINOW.com


----------



## LisaRex

svntug said:


> 2) Inexpensive way to get to the Baths?  I searched and found some roundtrip excursions for ~$140/each.  Is there a less expensive way to get there?  I guess chartering a boat might be less expensive since there's a bunch of us?



How many is a "bunch"? Most of the smaller boats max out at 6 people (because of licensing requirements?), but private charters are definitely the way to go. If I had 12 people, I wouldn't hesitate to book 2 private charters and have the captains coordinate an itinerary for the group.  (If you find a captain you like, just ask him for recommendations for the 2nd charter.  They all know each other.)  Also, check to make sure that they go to the Baths, and that they can get you there in a reasonable amount of time.  You'll want a boat that has engines with enough HP to get you there as quickly as possible. 

You can definitely book private charters with larger vessels (e.g. Bad Kitty and its sister boat), as they advertise that they do private charters, but I'd imagine you'll have to book well in advance.  If you have a dozen or 15 people or so who are willing to chip in, then I'd definitely check into the feasibility of chartering a larger vessel. 



> 3) Arrivals in STT - we're getting in around 1:45pm, and hope to catch the 3pm ferry and not have to wait for the 5pm.  We'll have some checked luggage.  Any chance we'll make it, or should we plan to hangout at the airport, or perhaps consider the public ferry?



FYI, the Westin ferry leaves at 3pm and 5:30pm, not 5pm, unless they've deviated from their published schedule.  If you really don't want to wait, the public ferry does leave every hour on the hour, and is very reasonably priced. 

http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/transportation-into-st-john

However, keep in mind that arriving early usually means that you have to sit around and wait for your room to be ready.  So don't kill yourself. 

Catching the 3pm ferry is moderately aggressive timing, especially if it's on a Saturday (heaviest arrival day) during high season.  Even if the timing works, folks arriving before you may have taken up all the space on the 3pm ferry.  If you really want to take the 3pm ferry, your best bet is to skip the rum punch line and head straight to the Westin desk to check in. Grabbing checked luggage is a breeze because the carrousel is within a few yards of the Westin desk.  

BTW, if you miss the 3pm ferry, don't fret.  Yes, there's the public ferry that leaves every hour on the hour.  But if you head to  Crown Bay, there is a bar/restaurant right there at the dock called Tickles that serves very moderately priced food and drinks.  We usually arrive at an awkward time, too, and have twice eaten a relaxed early dinner/late lunch at Tickles before taking the last ferry over to St. John.  If you still have time afterwards, you can head to the little General Store next door and stock up on snacks and drinks for later that evening.  But be prepared for island sticker shock. 

Another bonus if you're way early for the 5:30pm ferry:  You can get in line early and snag one of the open air seats up top.  It's an awesome way to start your vacation. 

At 5:30pm, you'll miss the big rush and have a really good chance that your room will be ready for you when you arrive.   



> 4) Is it reasonable to skip renting a car and depend on the open air taxi's to get to/from beaches?  Will they come back and pick us up if we arrange a time?



It is certainly reasonable to do this with the more popular beaches (mainly the Northern beaches).  However, it's a half hour to 45 minutes to some of the beaches on the Coral Bay side (e.g Salt Pond), so figure out which makes the most sense.  

While I agree that it's great to have a vehicle to putz around wherever and whenever you want, I can see how it'd be nice not having to worry about driving on the left, and who has to be the designated driver that night.  (We always rent cars, but usually take taxis into Cruz Bay anyway because we all  want to drink.) 

If you stick to the popular beaches, you won't have to arrange a time for pick-up because there are taxis constantly milling around, even at Salt Pond Bay.  (Hint: You don't have to take a "Westin" taxi.  All of them will take you to the Westin for the same fee.)  On the other hand, if you want to go off the beaten path, it's less convenient to rely on taxis.


----------



## DavidnRobin

in case you USVI/BVI lovers out there missed the post...
Here is a photo (panorama iPhone) of Sandy Spit (JVD) from the bow of Island Roots (w/ Capt Jason) that I took last week.
Came out well considering we were bobbing up/down.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Apparently I was born to drive Left...

In my many trips over to Salt Pond area (especially this year due to jellyfish larvae at north-side beaches) - I have rarely seen a taxi over there, but did see the VITRAN bus a few times. Maybe it is seasonal? Sure would be costly taxi ride per person (added: $18pp one-way with 2+ from WSJ to SaltPond) as it takes about 40 minutes to drive from WSJ.  If I were w/o vehicle - I would consider the VITRAN bus to SaltPond.  I would not depend on a taxi - too stressful to depend upon (IMO...)


----------



## DavidnRobin

polly0014 said:


> Thanks David for your replies!  Much appreciated!
> 
> BTW--exactly where is the freecycle location?  We never stumbled upon it 2 years ago.  Thank you!



It is on corner where you turn into the 3Bd pool villas area.


----------



## svntug

Thanks again everyone for the great advice!

Now, if only the plankton would take a hike in the next few days...

Looking forward to our first WSJ visit!


----------



## DavidnRobin

svntug said:


> Thanks again everyone for the great advice!
> 
> Now, if only the plankton would take a hike in the next few days...
> 
> Looking forward to our first WSJ visit!



Enjoy your visit - let us know your impressions.  Remember... 'Adapt'

Hopefully you will have blue skies - if gray skies, that is from Saharan Dust which is quite bad right now (only had about 4 clear days out of 14).  Locals like the dust because of the reduced risk of tropical storms - but as a visitor - it is so nice when the sun is out.  Plus, makes a big difference underwater. 

Boom!





At least Great Cruz Bay was finally deemed 'safe' to enter last week (it had been advised by WSJ to avoid GCB).  btw - it is not sailboat poop (although it does not help...). Turns out it is from Chocolate Hole watershed runoff - changes nitrogen levels in the water leading to high bacterial levels.


----------



## YYJMSP

*"shuttle" in to town?*

Saw a reference on TripAdvisor about a free shuttle from WSJ to (from?) town.

Anyone know more info?

Or are they just talking about the free transport (taxi?) that runs back/forth for the WSJ ferry in Cruz Bay (while the on-site dock is being refurbished) for those who are using it for trips to St Thomas?

11 more sleeps!


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> Saw a reference on TripAdvisor about a free shuttle from WSJ to (from?) town.
> 
> Anyone know more info?
> 
> Or are they just talking about the free transport (taxi?) that runs back/forth for the WSJ ferry in Cruz Bay (while the on-site dock is being refurbished) for those who are using it for trips to St Thomas?
> 
> 11 more sleeps!



Not that I heard of, or saw - but wasn't paying attention. Certainly not well-communicated.  Lots of Westin guest were taking taxis like normal. Probably like you said - free to get back/forth for Westin Ferry as that taxi service is being provided while dock is out of commission. 

Parking in CB has become brutal. We parked in the car-ferry lot a few times and walked. Not really that far, but a hassle. Walking around the Fire Station, where the road narrows, is unsafe - yet no alternative.  Costs $3/hr to park in CB at the lots - $50/week at lot by the Police station.


----------



## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> Parking in CB has become brutal. We parked in the car-ferry lot a few times and walked. Not really that far, but a hassle. Walking around the Fire Station, where the road narrows, is unsafe - yet no alternative.  Costs $3/hr to park in CB at the lots - $50/week at lot by the Police station.



If you rent your vehicle on St J, you get to park it in their lot for free...that is what we did last year and plan to do again next year.


----------



## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> If you rent your vehicle on St J, you get to park it in their lot for free...that is what we did last year and plan to do again next year.



Correct - but not all places, and not all are in center of CB.  However, it is an upside.  Worth it?  depends... It really didn't impact us much - the walk is short.  iirc, 3 mins from lot to Woody's.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Sad News... Capt John Brandi (Palm Tree Charters) passed away yesterday (cancer).
Quite a character and he epitomized St John life. We chartered with Capt John last year - was wondering why Palm Tree had been taken over.
RIP Capt John


----------



## DavidnRobin

Cool video of snorkeling Hurricane Hole by Tugger (and great WSJ neighbor) Eric during our recent trip (w/ Island Roots Charter)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRKAMyQz4hs


----------



## YYJMSP

*Car rental availbility if not prebooked*

How busy are the car rental places on St John?  if we don't prebook a "3 day minimum" rental, will we have a problem just walking up and getting such a rental starting that day or the next?

Right now, I really don't see us needing a vehicle for more than a couple of days, but aren't planned out enough yet to figure out what days during our stay we will want to explore the island...


----------



## DavidnRobin

I haven't done this, but our neighbor rented from OConnor (onsite) for 1-day with no prior reservation. I see a lot of cars in the rental lots during our weeks (23-24) - so do not see it as an issue.

btw - for reference for those trying to figure out renting options - our 4WD Jeep Wrangler Sport from Amalie was $550/week, plus $68 RT for ferry.  Pickup and drop off at STT was seamless.  ~30 mins STT-RedHook - light traffic.  We did a lot of driving this year (going to Coral Bay Area) - so spent a higher amount than usual for gas.

You can get a regular car cheaper from Avis-Budget, but that would eliminate Little Lameshur - and driving steep/wet roads safely.  You will only find 4WDs on STJ for the most part.

My advice - explore island/water 90%...


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> I haven't done this, but our neighbor rented from OConnor (onsite) for 1-day with no prior reservation. I see a lot of cars in the rental lots during our weeks (23-24) - so do not see it as an issue.



Thanks!

If they do one day rentals, that's even more flexibility...

Ps: took a while to figure our your new sig is a rainbow, my brain must be getting slower in anticipation of island time, less than 10 sleeps left!


----------



## ksqdomer

just got back from the Rock. June 19-28. A few stings at Maho on June 20-21 but really nothing the rest of the week. Granted we hit Gibney most of the time and there were no issues there. Trunk seemed way more crowded than other years. FreeCycle was crap, even Friday and Saturday. It was the first time we didn't use the resort pool at all, can't say we missed it! Funniest moment? A donkey ate my wife's magazine at Honeymoon Beach. I thought he would spit the pages out, not a chance.


----------



## svntug

*Towel service?*

Another quick question.  (I searched on "towels" in this thread and surprisingly, got no results!)

Is the towel policy the same as other westin's? (Harborside/maui/princeville) - pool towels are signed out and returned to huts near the pool?  Can we plan to use them when we go to the beaches, or, should we bring our own?

Thanks again!


----------



## LisaRex

svntug said:


> Is the towel policy the same as other westin's? (Harborside/maui/princeville) - pool towels are signed out and returned to huts near the pool?  Can we plan to use them when we go to the beaches, or, should we bring our own?



They provide them and you exchange them at the pool hut.  The hut closes around 5pm IIRC.  You can take them to the beaches.  Everywhere we went we saw Westin towels.


----------



## svntug

*RE: Towels*



LisaRex said:


> They provide them and you exchange them at the pool hut.  The hut closes around 5pm IIRC.  You can take them to the beaches.  Everywhere we went we saw Westin towels.



Great - thanks!


----------



## YYJMSP

*No way i'm renting a car here!*

Day two and I'm still surprised not to see tons of vehicles run off the road.

No chance I'm renting a car here -- figure i'd have a heart attack in the first 15mins of driving on the wrong side of the steep windy barely wide enough roads.


----------



## KACTravels

YYJMSP said:


> Day two and I'm still surprised not to see tons of vehicles run off the road.
> 
> No chance I'm renting a car here -- figure i'd have a heart attack in the first 15mins of driving on the wrong side of the steep windy barely wide enough roads.



YYJM..  We are arriving in 3 weeks and can't wait. How are the sea lice?  Which way did you decide to go to get to the Westin from the airport? How is it so far?


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> Day two and I'm still surprised not to see tons of vehicles run off the road.
> 
> No chance I'm renting a car here -- figure i'd have a heart attack in the first 15mins of driving on the wrong side of the steep windy barely wide enough roads.



I guess I was born to drive left...
Too bad it doesn't work for you.


----------



## YYJMSP

KACTravels said:


> YYJM..  We are arriving in 3 weeks and can't wait. How are the sea lice?  Which way did you decide to go to get to the Westin from the airport? How is it so far?



There are people in the water, so I don't think it can be that bad.  Not that many in the water at the property, but the first three beaches (Trunk? Maho? forget the other name...) had quite a few people frolicking, but not packed.

Staying in CV, very Westin-feeling.  Never been in the others, but they looked much more island-feeling from the pictures.  Had a 2nd floor studio the first night, nice view, small bathroom, no deck, kitchenette.  Now in a 3rd floor 2BR for the rest of the stay, very nice view, 2 decks with lots of furniture, both bathrooms are a bit on the small side (master has shower only, other has tub with shower head, neither has any real counter space), only a kitchenette again (2 burner cooktop, microwave, small fridge, no oven, weirdest coffee machine ever) with no counter space at all.  It all looks nice, but if you start looking at the details, you see what I would call cheap/quick workmanship -- lots of crooked things, paint not well edged, grout missing between lots of tiles, etc)

Did a 2hr tour of the island yesterday to see the highlights and get a feel for the island and where things are.

Ate a dinner and a breakfast at Lemongrass, pretty good food, price on par with dinner at Ocean Grill last night (their food was really good).  So far, we're finding things are maybe 50% more expensive than other places we've been (after taking in to consideration we're paying 30% on the currency exchange right now )

Hopefully last of the jet lag recovery today...


----------



## KACTravels

Thanks for the update. Did you enjoy the island tour?  I hope you have time to post more. As you would say "only 21 more sleeps"!


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> I guess I was born to drive left...
> Too bad it doesn't work for you.



I think I'm not relaxed enough yet (still working unfortunately)

There were 6 beers in a bucket on ice when we arrived, which would probably have helped get into the right mindset; unfortunately, I don't like beer...


----------



## YYJMSP

KACTravels said:


> Thanks for the update. Did you enjoy the island tour?  I hope you have time to post more. As you would say "only 21 more sleeps"!



The tour was quite nice -- we got a "local legend" (James Penn) as our driver, and he definitely made the trip very worthwhile.  $25/adult, half price for kids under 12.

Five of us in a taxi truck that holds up to 27, so very comfortable and felt more personal.  We picked up a couple at the first beach who wanted to go to the second beach.

It was about 2hrs long, stopped at all of the "Kodak Moment" spots (including all the north beaches, each one more beautiful than the last), gave us a running commentary at each stop, and we read his life story in the copy of St John Magazine he had with him.

He's traveled a bit, and he had actually stopped in our home town on an Alaskan cruise.

I'll definitely post more of our experiences/opinions over the next week or so.

Lunch at the pool was extremely overpriced.  

Walked the 2mins across/down the street to St John Market (a bit of a limited selection, but you get 15% off with your owner discount card), walked back as far as the entrance to the property where, perfect timing, an iguana shuttle stopped and asked us if we wanted a ride (we were told to walk to the guard gate and they would call us an iguana to our building).


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> I think I'm not relaxed enough yet (still working unfortunately)
> 
> There were 6 beers in a bucket on ice when we arrived, which would probably have helped get into the right mindset; unfortunately, I don't like beer...



Rum is cheap.  However, as they say. (To me leaving Angel's Rest over in Hanson Bay) - 'there has been only 1 DUI on STJ in 10 years - don't be the 2nd' 

My biggest problem is when I get home, and driving a 2 lane winding road (like last week in Napa) - and having to remind myself to keep right.

While on STJ last month - I almost had a tourist turn into me at that left by Chesters BBQ going towards the car ferry parking lot.  At 1st, I flashed on me being on wrong side - made us laugh - especially the look of panic on his face.  Of course, a low speed limit on the island (max 20mph) helps alleviate fear of driving left.  From that aspect STT is tougher.


----------



## tomandrobin

We are officially 1 year out from two weeks at Westin St John. 

We locked in all three of our units and are counting down the days.....365!


----------



## Sicnarf

Has anyone used the carge barge from RedHook to Cruz Bay?  Do you have to stay in your car during the trip or can you get out and walk around the barge?  Thanks.


----------



## tomandrobin

Sicnarf said:


> Has anyone used the carge barge from RedHook to Cruz Bay?  Do you have to stay in your car during the trip or can you get out and walk around the barge?  Thanks.



Your choice....

We get out, but some people sit in their cars.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Sicnarf said:


> Has anyone used the carge barge from RedHook to Cruz Bay?  Do you have to stay in your car during the trip or can you get out and walk around the barge?  Thanks.



We use the car barge every year - best way to go - for us - YMMV
Always funny to hear opinions about this from people who have never done it...

Locals tend to stay in cars - visitors get out.  We get out, and go up top to enjoy the view (hold onto hats and handrails...)
The cars are tightly packed - so be careful if you are wearing white clothing as you may have to squeeze between cars/trucks (Robin has fallen prey to this before...)

The only challenge is backing onto the car barge - and not panicking when they yell at you.  We saw a women in a family van drive off the side of the ramp this year (about 2 feet onto a metal spike - with everyone screaming to stop!) - luckily the tires did not burst and no car damage.

Also - only buy a 1-way ticket as there are a couple of car barge companies and you do not want to be waiting for next barge to depart an hour later (not worth the $5 saved)






backing onto car barge...


----------



## LisaH

Anyone knows that, other than Hillside section, where else 1BR premium villa can be located? Also, is there window in the bedroom to look out if it's in the Hillside? Can't tell from the 1BR unit layout...
As it turns out, kids are not able to make it for our Aug trip so I downsized from 2BR to 1BR today.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Anyone knows that, other than Hillside section, where else 1BR premium villa can be located? Also, is there window in the bedroom to look out if it's in the Hillside? Can't tell from the 1BR unit layout...
> As it turns out, kids are not able to make it for our Aug trip so I downsized from 2BR to 1BR today.



Only the VGV section has 1Bd villas.
There is not a window from the Bd that looks out towards GCB, the upstairs Bd is located in back of villa (over kitchen area). Look at the 2Bd TH versus 1Bd villa layout. Also, the bedroom in the 1Bd villas are open to villa below (no door... but some with moving wall- from discussions - never have seen one inside).


----------



## LisaH

Thanks David! Hmm, no door on the 2nd floor...good that it's just DH and I. 
BTW, just booked the Reef Bay Hike on the phone. So look forward to it as this will be our 1st.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Thanks David! Hmm, no door on the 2nd floor...good that it's just DH and I.
> BTW, just booked the Reef Bay Hike on the phone. So look forward to it as this will be our 1st.



The Reef Bay Hike is great (and one of the few island bargains) - but bring plenty of water, and wear clothing that wicks away moisture.  It is very hot/humid in in the sub-tropical forest away from water with no wind.


----------



## LisaH

Will do. Thanks!


----------



## LisaRex

YYJMSP said:


> Staying in CV, very Westin-feeling.



How is the walk from the parking lot to CV.  A poster on the Westin weather thread is trying to avoid climbing up hills.  I know that BV is up a hill, but not sure about CV.  I remember it being lower, but I was in island mode (aka tipsy) and perhaps not remembering well.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaRex said:


> How is the walk from the parking lot to CV.  A poster on the Westin weather thread is trying to avoid climbing up hills.  I know that BV is up a hill, but not sure about CV.  I remember it being lower, but I was in island mode (aka tipsy) and perhaps not remembering well.



Minor elevation as CV is one level lower than BV.
I have photos from June - I was not impressed with CV. Not because of location - - better than BV - I didn't like how they were set-up.


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaRex said:


> How is the walk from the parking lot to CV.  A poster on the Westin weather thread is trying to avoid climbing up hills.  I know that BV is up a hill, but not sure about CV.  I remember it being lower, but I was in island mode (aka tipsy) and perhaps not remembering well.



If I remember where the parking lot is (past the tennis courts?), you have to go down from the buildings and then a long way around between the back of the reception building and past the pool, etch, but all flat I think.

The CV's are on little hills (we're in the middle one just above Lemongrass), so you have at least the one down to go.  There are steps at one end (nearest the reception building) or an iguana road between the buildings.

Of course, every down is an up on the way back from the lot...


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> Not because of location - - better than BV - I didn't like how they were set-up.



I don't know about the other phases, but we keep comparing the unit to WKORV/N, WMH and WDW, and they are definitely not the same for space or layout/use of what space there is.

Kitchen complaints (we tried using it at lunch today) -- the cooktop is a joke (two burners but you can't actually fit two things on at once, and it takes forever to get hot), the microwave hood fan appears to just vent back in to the room, there is NO counter space at all, etc.


----------



## Sicnarf

Thanks for the info and pix.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Has anyone posted CV photos? I have a bunch on my iPhone - I will try and upload to PhotoBucket and post? Photos didn't come out well - seems to be darker than BV.

It would drive me crazy to have to go from CV/BV to parking, or Taxi... walking or by shuttle.  But, can see appeal.  On resort, CV is nicer location wise, but I did not like the layouts compared to BV.  Both can be assessed via Iguana shuttles - the walk is pretty, but can take a while - especially for all the stops to look at iguanas, etc. 

There are certainly Resort people and Hill people - location can really impact the vacation experience if you are mismatched.
Adapt...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Photos of CV.

CV Studio Kitchenette





CV Studio Bathroom





CV Studio Bedroom






CV Building Map: B21 - Level 1


----------



## LisaH

So, only kitchenette in CV even for 2BR?


----------



## DavidnRobin

CV 2Bd - B21, 1st floor

Bath2a





Bath2b





Bedroom-2





Kitchenette





Bath1a





Bath1b





Bedroom-1


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> So, only kitchenette in CV even for 2BR?



These are in reverse. Studio then 2Bd.
separated by room map


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaH said:


> So, only kitchenette in CV even for 2BR?



Looking at the fire map it appears David had the same room layout in the building next to us but on the first floor.

Our third floor 2BR unit in 22 is the same. I haven't taken any pictures off the camera yet, but will post them when I do...

I'm wondering if the much larger 2BR loft layout has the full kitchen with a better layout and more counters, etc?


----------



## okwiater

Those showers look like similar low flow units to the ones used in Element hotels... I can't stand them. I'll stick to the units equipped with "Heavenly Showers", thank you


----------



## okwiater

LisaH said:


> So, only kitchenette in CV even for 2BR?



Yes. CV only has kitchenettes.


----------



## LisaH

okwiater said:


> Yes. CV only has kitchenettes.



That will be a no for me...


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Anyone knows that, other than Hillside section, where else 1BR premium villa can be located? Also, is there window in the bedroom to look out if it's in the Hillside? Can't tell from the 1BR unit layout...
> As it turns out, kids are not able to make it for our Aug trip so I downsized from 2BR to 1BR today.



Lisa. Please take some pictures of the unit for me. I have not been in mine yet and am curious to see the set up.


----------



## okwiater

LisaH said:


> That will be a no for me...



Us too -- the full kitchen is the main reason we love staying in timeshares. I'm sure at some point we'll end up in a CV unit using StarOptions, but the CV floorplans are the #1 reason we bought BV instead.


----------



## LisaH

GrayFal said:


> Lisa. Please take some pictures of the unit for me. I have not been in mine yet and am curious to see the set up.



For CV? Ok. I'll see what I can do!


----------



## DavidnRobin

View from space...


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> For CV? Ok. I'll see what I can do!



Nope, I have a 1BR and a studio up on the Hill. Since you will be staying in the 1BR soon, I was hoping you could get photos for me. I have been in the 2BR townhouse and the studio up there but not the one bedroom.

I know I confused you with my email.   I will follow up later this evening.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> That will be a no for me...



I was surprised as well to see only kitchenette in 2Bd CV villa (bad design, IMO)


----------



## LisaH

Hi Pat, will do!


----------



## YYJMSP

DavidnRobin said:


> I was surprised as well to see only kitchenette in 2Bd CV villa (bad design, IMO)



Looked online at the floor plan for the loft, which is 30% larger than the standard 2BR, and it looks like it has a kitchenette only as well, but the counter seems to be bigger due to a 2-person breakfast bar...

I almost would be ok with the kitchenette if there was some actual counter space, but what they did just doesn't make any sense...


----------



## bobpark56

*Studios, Virgin Grand vs. Coral Vista*

Has anyone stayed yet in both the Virgin Grand studios and the Coral Vista studios? If so, which did you enjoy the most, and why?


----------



## polly0014

We are here now in a hillside studio, building 33.  It's awesome!  Love being hillside!  I was shocked to get a full kitchen! 4 burner stovetop AND oven!!!  Full size fridge and dishwasher too.  We went to cinnamon and maho today. Absolutely no sea lice jellyfish problems!  Perfect day although very cloudy. 

Rented the jeep from Amalie on st Thomas.  Piece of cake!  Thank you David for that advice! Found free cycle last night too and got a small beach chair.

Second time here and still find this to be the jem of our SVN!  

-Polly


----------



## lizap

Where do you park if you are staying in CV or BV, and how far is that from the units?



DavidnRobin said:


> CV buildings are closer than BV - with pool as point.
> Neither have parking.


----------



## LisaRex

lizap said:


> Where do you park if you are staying in CV or BV, and how far is that from the units?



http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/site-map

St. John is a volcanic island, so there are lots of elevation changes.  If you're looking at the map, imagine that it's perfectly flat at sea level (the sea is on right on the map), and then raises in elevation as you move left.  

In the bottom center of this map, you'll see where the parking lot is. It's to the left of the Car Rental shack, as the rental place shares the lot with parking guests.  This is the only parking lot for the entire lower campus.  

Looking again at the map, both Coral and Bay Vista phases are at the very top, so a hike.  Building 28 and 23 are on the complete opposite end of the resort.  Buildings 21 and 24 and the closest to the parking lot, but 24 is up a hill.  Building 21 is as good as it gets if you're disabled. 

I, personally, prefer the Bay Vista layout and its proximity to the main resort best of all three phases.  But I'll admit that it's a minor PITA to haul up the hill to the Bay Vista units, especially if you're carrying groceries, coolers, and/or snorkeling equipment.  There is an iguana stop in the front of the parking lot, but service is spotty.  We hoofed it most days, but if you don't have that option, you'll have no choice but to use an iguana to get to the BV phase. 

The CV phase is still a walk, but it's much flatter as it's closer to the sea. 

The Virgin Grand phase, across the street, Buildings 31-34 and 41-44, have much more convenient parking, however you'll have to either catch an iguana (stops are at all the resorts) or drive to the main resort parking lot if you want to enjoy the main facility.  Buildings 31 and 32 are up quite a steep hill (that's where we stayed in January) and buildings 33 and 34 are even further up.

To give you an indication of how far it is, I'd estimate it took us 7-10 minutes to hike up to Building 24 from the parking lot.  From LemonGrass restaurant to Building 31, I'd say it was a 15-20 minute walk, depending on how motivated we were.


----------



## lizap

Thanks Lisa.  



LisaRex said:


> http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/site-map
> 
> St. John is a volcanic island, so there are lots of elevation changes.  If you're looking at the map, imagine that it's perfectly flat at sea level (the sea is on right on the map), and then raises in elevation as you move left.
> 
> In the bottom center of this map, you'll see where the parking lot is. It's to the left of the Car Rental shack, as the rental place shares the lot with parking guests.  This is the only parking lot for the entire lower campus.
> 
> Looking again at the map, both Coral and Bay Vista phases are at the very top, so a hike.  Building 28 and 23 are on the complete opposite end of the resort.  Buildings 21 and 24 and the closest to the parking lot, but 24 is up a hill.  Building 21 is as good as it gets if you're disabled.
> 
> I, personally, prefer the Bay Vista layout and its proximity to the main resort best of all three phases.  But I'll admit that it's a minor PITA to haul up the hill to the Bay Vista units, especially if you're carrying groceries, coolers, and/or snorkeling equipment.  There is an iguana stop in the front of the parking lot, but service is spotty.  We hoofed it most days, but if you don't have that option, you'll have no choice but to use an iguana to get to the BV phase.
> 
> The CV phase is still a walk, but it's much flatter as it's closer to the sea.
> 
> The Virgin Grand phase, across the street, Buildings 31-34 and 41-44, have much more convenient parking, however you'll have to either catch an iguana (stops are at all the resorts) or drive to the main resort parking lot if you want to enjoy the main facility.  Buildings 31 and 32 are up quite a steep hill (that's where we stayed in January) and buildings 33 and 34 are even further up.
> 
> To give you an indication of how far it is, I'd estimate it took us 7-10 minutes to hike up to Building 24 from the parking lot.  From LemonGrass restaurant to Building 31, I'd say it was a 15-20 minute walk, depending on how motivated we were.


----------



## DavidnRobin

7 min walk from Westin Workout Room to B34 (uphill at a relatively brisk pace for 57-58yo)...
5 min downhill direction


----------



## ksqdomer

polly0014 said:


> We are here now in a hillside studio, building 33.  It's awesome!  Love being hillside!  I was shocked to get a full kitchen! 4 burner stovetop AND oven!!!  Full size fridge and dishwasher too.  We went to cinnamon and maho today. Absolutely no sea lice jellyfish problems!  Perfect day although very cloudy.
> 
> Rented the jeep from Amalie on st Thomas.  Piece of cake!  Thank you David for that advice! Found free cycle last night too and got a small beach chair.
> 
> Second time here and still find this to be the jem of our SVN!
> 
> -Polly



Hey Polly, if you are in 17 don't break anything!


----------



## polly0014

Haha!! We are in 3312, so no worries!!!  We absolutely LOVE hillside!!!! We did our owners update today and they totally gathered our appreciation for hillside...so much they offered us a 2br hillside (summer) EOY for around 13k...95700 SO. gosh that was hard to walk away from....if they would have swapped our SVV, hmmm. Anyways, having a blast!  

Polly


----------



## DavidnRobin

polly0014 said:


> Haha!! We are in 3312, so no worries!!!  We absolutely LOVE hillside!!!! We did our owners update today and they totally gathered our appreciation for hillside...so much they offered us a 2br hillside (summer) EOY for around 13k...95700 SO. gosh that was hard to walk away from....if they would have swapped our SVV, hmmm. Anyways, having a blast!
> 
> Polly



Run away from that 'deal' - you can buy resale weeks for much less that come with StarOptions since VGV is SVN Mandatory (no StarPoint conversion, but that conversion is really bad for VGV - especially w/ MF = $2400).

We are 'Hill People' as well - I cannot emphasize enough the value of being able to park outside the villa, and be able to drive to northside beaches quickly - or freedom to drive to Coral Bay.  btw - drive to Little Lameshur beach...

glad to hear the stinging things are gone - or dissipated enough not to be noticeable.  When at Frances beach (Maho Bay) - they were so bad you could feel them between the fingers when swimming around. That really put a damper on our vacation - luckily we could drive to Coral Bay area - but doing that every day was a drag.

enjoy


----------



## YYJMSP

polly0014 said:


> Haha!! We are in 3312, so no worries!!!  We absolutely LOVE hillside!!!! We did our owners update today and they totally gathered our appreciation for hillside...so much they offered us a 2br hillside (summer) EOY for around 13k...95700 SO. gosh that was hard to walk away from....if they would have swapped our SVV, hmmm. Anyways, having a blast!
> 
> Polly



We got offered a BV 2BR 176K for just under $40K (all numbers based on my now fuzzy recollection) and they were looking at taking one of our EOY properties in trade which would have dropped our out of pocket to well under half of the price.  If we also took and exercised an Explorer, the bonus would have been around 275K SPG points.


----------



## YYJMSP

*restaurants for dinner*

Ocean Grill -- very nice, $8 off any one drink for each owner card, Visa/MasterCard/American Express.  Also accepts Westin SandDollars.

Waterfront Bistro -- REALLY good food, drink, and view, glass of sparkling wine for each owner card.  V/MC/AX/WSD

Zozo's -- REALLY good food and view, but we got eaten by itsy bitsy bugs and the flies are crazy until the sun went down.  No owner freebies.  V/MC/WSD

Rumblines -- food is quite spicy.  No owner freebies. V/MC/WSD.

Da Livio -- avoid.  Bad interpretation of Italian food (YMMV?).  No owner freebies.  V/MC/AX.

Lemongrass -- have done the breakfast buffet twice, dinner twice, and dessert once.  We think it's rather nice, the people are very friendly, and the food is surprisingly good...

Will post quickies of the rest in a few days.


----------



## DavidnRobin

upstairs bar at Oceans364 (former Zozo's) in Gallows Point before sunset... 
we had dinner up there (instead of downstairs) - wonderful...


----------



## LisaH

Haven't been to Zozo's new location yet. Does it have sunset view? If so, would like to make a reservation.


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaH said:


> Haven't been to Zozo's new location yet. Does it have sunset view? If so, would like to make a reservation.



Ate there tonight...


----------



## LisaH

YYJMSP said:


> Ate there tonight...


Nice! Did you make advanced reservation?


----------



## GrayFal

YYJMSP said:


> Ate there tonight...



Nice.  Will have to try it in a few weeks.


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaH said:


> Nice! Did you make advanced reservation?



Yup, we were told book 2 or 3 days in advance.

No prob getting in anywhere else same/next day.


----------



## DavidnRobin

YYJMSP said:


> Ate there tonight...



Very nice - we need to go next year.


----------



## LisaH

Something funny just for giggles... I emailed Zozo's to make a reservation for the week of Aug 9. I mentioned that we desire a table with sunset view at 7:30 pm since, according to this website, sunset in St John is around 8:20 pm that week. It was a bit later than I seemed to recall but I assumed  I just remembered wrong. Zozo's emailed back and said we would have to be at 6:00 pm for a sunset view. I went back to double-check the website and realized the sunset time was for St John, Canada! 
Yes we did get a reservation at 6 pm, presumably for the best seats of sunset view


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Something funny just for giggles... I emailed Zozo's to make a reservation for the week of Aug 9. I mentioned that we desire a table with sunset view at 7:30 pm since, according to this website, sunset in St John is around 8:20 pm that week. It was a bit later than I seemed to recall but I assumed  I just remembered wrong. Zozo's emailed back and said we would have to be at 6:00 pm for a sunset view. I went back to double-check the website and realized the sunset time was for St John, Canada!
> Yes we did get a reservation at 6 pm, presumably for the best seats of sunset view



Funny - it gets dark early in USVI.
Go for 1st seating at any of the sunset dinners - Zozo, Asolare, and Oceans364


----------



## polly0014

DavidnRobin said:


> Run away from that 'deal' - you can buy resale weeks for much less that come with StarOptions since VGV is SVN Mandatory (no StarPoint conversion, but that conversion is really bad for VGV - especially w/ MF = $2400).
> 
> We are 'Hill People' as well - I cannot emphasize enough the value of being able to park outside the villa, and be able to drive to northside beaches quickly - or freedom to drive to Coral Bay.  btw - drive to Little Lameshur beach...
> 
> glad to hear the stinging things are gone - or dissipated enough not to be noticeable.  When at Frances beach (Maho Bay) - they were so bad you could feel them between the fingers when swimming around. That really put a damper on our vacation - luckily we could drive to Coral Bay area - but doing that every day was a drag.
> 
> 
> 
> enjoy



Thanks David!! I'm may pm you after our trip. It's funny you brought up "mandatory"... I asked that very question and he couldn't tell me if this was voluntary or mandatory.  He later asked me where I have learned so much about SVN and I said TUGS! Lol!

We went to salt pond today and skinnylegs (enjoyed a nice raspberry colada) for lunch!  Great to see that side of the island!!  It was a hike, but saw donkeys and goats and a random cow. Our kids liked that!  

We have certainly become "hillside" people on this trip!!  Just perfect!  Can't beat the convenience! 

Which resale sites do yall recommend beginning to look?  I will start at Redweek I supposed. Thank you!

Polly


----------



## YYJMSP

polly0014 said:


> He later asked me where I have learned so much about SVN and I said TUGS! Lol!



Our guy (hi Christopher ) said 5mins in "you must be on TUG"...


----------



## svntug

*Followup and Thanks!*



svntug said:


> First - thanks very much to those who responded!
> 
> I wanted to follow up with some info to share with others who might read this thread in the future:
> 
> 1) Maximum guests for a 2 bedroom unit:  I think there are 5 or 6 different 2 bedroom unit configurations, each has it's own maximum occupancy:  You can look at the layouts here:  https://www.starwoodvacationnetwork.com/villa-collection/the-westin-st-john-resort-villas/villas
> 
> 2) I've been reading about the sea-lice issue on this and other forums (trip advisor, etc).  Sounds like it's abating, but should still be on our radar before choosing a destination beach each day.
> 
> 
> I'd like to pose a couple more questions:
> 
> 1) Coffee - we're planning to bring our own ground coffee.  What type of coffee filters will we need? (Cone, flat, keurig, etc)  Does the resort supply them or are they available at the convenience store?
> 
> 2) Inexpensive way to get to the Baths?  I searched and found some roundtrip excursions for ~$140/each.  Is there a less expensive way to get there?  I guess chartering a boat might be less expensive since there's a bunch of us?
> 
> 3) Arrivals in STT - we're getting in around 1:45pm, and hope to catch the 3pm ferry and not have to wait for the 5pm.  We'll have some checked luggage.  Any chance we'll make it, or should we plan to hangout at the airport, or perhaps consider the public ferry?
> 
> 4) Is it reasonable to skip renting a car and depend on the open air taxi's to get to/from beaches?  Will they come back and pick us up if we arrange a time?
> 
> Thanks again for any advice!




We're back from a great vacation at WSJ, and I wanted to followup on a bunch of my questions that ya'll answered, and share some of our experiences:

1) Max occupancy in a 2 bdrm.  They put us in building 22, which I think (based on reading posts here) is a rebuilt hotel room.  It was definitely smaller than any other 2 bdrm we've ever had at any of the westin villa's. (Maui, Princeville, Orlando, SBP, or Colorado.)  The kitchenette wasn't really acceptable as a kitchen - almost no counter space, only a 2 burner stove, etc.  We made the best of it, but, it was definitely disappointing.  On the positive side, we had a nice view, the balconies were nice,and we were only in the unit a few waking hours per day.  We used the grills to cook a few evenings.  They were clean, and well maintained, but often had to call services to get them to ignite.  It was a nice way to meet other residents as we'd all share the details of beaches and excursions while cooking.

2) Sea lice - stinging plankton:  We encountered a few on the very first day - we went to trunk bay, and were snorkeling out by trunk cay, and all of a sudden there were swarms of them.  Headed back to the beach, and no more issues the rest of the time.  We did see some small jellyfish - I'd guess 1-2 inches across, and one even bounced off me, but I never felt any kind of sting from it.  We visited Trunk, Honeymoon, cinnamon and Salomon.  All were amazing - white sand, clear blue water, just wonderful.

3) Hiking to Salomon - We hiked to Salomon a couple times from the visitors center.  Definitely a nice hike, with a great prize at the end. (a swim at Salomon)  Highly recommend it!

4)Coffee - we brought our own Peets ground coffee and used the coffee makers provided.  They were drip coffee makers that had a reservoir built in so you could dispense one cup at a time.  Was a great way to have an iced coffee later in the day.

5) Going to the Baths:  We went on "Bad Kitty".  It was a smaller boat than we expected for 26 people, however, the crew was really great, and we had an excellent time.  We had a great day, the highlight was snorkeling at "The Indians" - which was some of the best snorkeling we'd ever done anywhere.    While I still wish it was a larger catamaran, I'd recommend it to anyone.

6) Arriving in STT - it went quickly - we split up, half went straight to the westin desk to check in, and the other half grabbed our luggage.  We easily made the 3pm ferry.   I question whether it was worth the $$.  4 adults and 4 kids was $840 roundtrip.  I'm guessing a van would have been around $80 from STT to the ferry, $56 ($7 each) for the ferry, and then $40 from the port to the WSJ, each way, so roughly $350 total roundtrip.  Is it really worth the extra $500?  I'm not sure...

7) Using the taxi's vs renting.  We decided to use the taxi's to get around the island.  On average we took one rd trip each day, which I'd guess averaged a little over $100 per day.  I guess convenience wise, it would have been nice to have a vehicle, however, some of the days we went to the beaches, there weren't any parking spots, and in Cruz bay parking spots looked like they were hard to find, so it would have been frustrating.  Not sure I can say either way is better.

8) Restaurants:  We went to the FishTrap and Rhumb Lines. Both were good, but not great.  At the FishTrap, the service was really great, but the food was just OK.  At RhumbLines, the food was good, but service was terrible.  We also went to the ice cream place in Mongoose Junction. A little on the expensive side, but very, very good - highly recommended!

9) The market just outside the Westin grounds - we found this to be very convenient - it was a 5 minute walk from our villa, and had pretty much everything we looked for.  Definitely made our stay better to have this so close by.  (And the staff there was very helpful and friendly)

Thanks again to everyone that answered my questions.


----------



## LisaH

svntug, thanks for the summary of your trip. Really interesting to read...Some comments/questions:

3) Hiking to Salomon: how long did it take to get to Saloman? Did you make it to Honeymoon Beach which has equipment rental?

6) Arriving in STT/Westin Ferry: Not sure if the ferry still offers unlimited trips back to St Thomas. If so and if you plan to go there a couple times during the week, I guess it would be worth it. We stick with a rental car and public ferry to St John.

8) Restaurants: this is where I think having a car would really enhance your dining experience. For example, Zozo's in Caneel Bay, Skinny Legs and Sweet Plantains in Coral Bay, and a few food truck type of places...it's just going to be difficult to get to without a car.


----------



## DavidnRobin

svntug.
always great to get different perspectives (than mine... ) - thanks for taking the time to post.  sounds like you had a great time.

looks like you were in the middle CV building - i did not like their layout - also did not like studio. but, great location for on-resort.  lighting our B33/34 BBQs can be dangerous as well - they take a beating outside.

glad to hear the 'stingthings' dissipated from a month ago.  those acrorn jellies do not sting - it was those small tubule jellies w/ specks of pepper - although they can travel together (pushed by wind and current).  they really disrupted our trip and we drove across the island 5 of our 13 full days (w/ 2 charter days), but nice over there. i sure hope the mega-marina fails to go through - that would spoil Coral Bay.

we are vehicle people (rent on STT...  yada, yada, yada...) - like the freedom too much. Harder w/ 8 people - 4 people in a 4dr Wrangler XL is optimal (IMO).  parking in CB can be a pain. the walk from the ferry lot isn't that far, but seems it when it is hot/humid. we didn't spend too much time during busy hours in CB, but if you rent on StJ, then best to use a rental company that allows you to park in their lot.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> 3) Hiking to Salomon: how long did it take to get to Saloman?



hey Lisa - the walk back-up can be a hassle, especially when sunny.  the hike isn't too long (~15 min 1way), but we prefer the hike into Honeymoon from Caneel (flatter) and just buy something on way out. it is about 5 mins around the Park Ranger's house to Salomon from the end of Honeymoon, but we usually snorkel it from Honeymoon.

going to Salomon/Honeymoon when it is calmer (low seas) on northside (since it is exposed) and no Cruise ships (they drop-off at Honeymoon - not fun or safe...).


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> hey Lisa - the walk back-up can be a hassle, especially when sunny.  the hike isn't too long (~15 min 1way), but we prefer the hike into Honeymoon from Caneel (flatter) and just buy something on way out. it is about 5 mins around the Park Ranger's house to Salomon from the end of Honeymoon, but we usually snorkel it from Honeymoon.
> 
> going to Salomon/Honeymoon when it is calmer (low seas) on northside (since it is exposed) and no Cruise ships (they drop-off at Honeymoon - not fun or safe...).



Thanks David! We hiked from Caneel Bay to Honeymoon Beach a few times in the past, never tried hiking from the NP headquarter. Now that I've been using a fitbit for a little over a year and walk on average 10K steps daily, 15 min hike is definitely doable so I might check it out


----------



## svntug

LisaH said:


> svntug, thanks for the summary of your trip. Really interesting to read...Some comments/questions:
> 
> 3) Hiking to Salomon: how long did it take to get to Saloman? Did you make it to Honeymoon Beach which has equipment rental?
> 
> 6) Arriving in STT/Westin Ferry: Not sure if the ferry still offers unlimited trips back to St Thomas. If so and if you plan to go there a couple times during the week, I guess it would be worth it. We stick with a rental car and public ferry to St John.
> 
> 8) Restaurants: this is where I think having a car would really enhance your dining experience. For example, Zozo's in Caneel Bay, Skinny Legs and Sweet Plantains in Coral Bay, and a few food truck type of places...it's just going to be difficult to get to without a car.



The hike to Salomon was about 20-30 minutes.  We went on both the upper trail and the lower trail. (The upper trail just takes you to a nice vista of cruz bay.) Each time we hiked it, we stopped at Salomon for an hour or so, and then hiked over to Honeymoon, and then when we were done, we'd walk to the Caneel Bay resort, and take a taxi back to the WSJ.

The WSJ Ferry does offer unlimited trips back to St Thomas. That might make the price of the Westin Ferry worthwhile, however, we didn't take advantage of it.

Car vs taxi's.  Yea, you're right, having the freedom to go back and forth to beaches, town, and restaurants would definitely tip the scale, perhaps next time we'll go that route.

One other "nit" that I had wanted to share about the WSJ (at least in the lower buildings where we were), was the gas powered iguana shuttles.  They started at 6AM, and we'd hear them all day/night long.  Perhaps the WSJ should consider replacing them with quieter battery powered golf carts - maybe Tesla will make golf cart batteries in the future?


----------



## DavidnRobin

svntug said:


> One other "nit" that I had wanted to share about the WSJ (at least in the lower buildings where we were), was the gas powered iguana shuttles.  They started at 6AM, and we'd hear them all day/night long.  Perhaps the WSJ should consider replacing them with quieter battery powered golf carts - maybe Tesla will make golf cart batteries in the future?



That is a problem with the CV location as it is next to a main path and therefore not only shuttles, but other carts as well (maintenance, housekeeper, engineering, sales...).  Plus, how the CV villas are set-up (facing those cart paths) and their construction that may not be so solid as to dampen the noise.

Did you get this noise with the windows/doors closed?


----------



## LisaRex

svntug said:


> The WSJ Ferry does offer unlimited trips back to St Thomas. That might make the price of the Westin Ferry worthwhile, however, we didn't take advantage of it.



FYI, it's not unlimited trips but unlimited "shopping" trips, as we found out when we showed up to take the 7am ferry for an all-day fishing trip on St. Thomas. While the staff wasn't exactly unpleasant, after the third time being asked if we were going SHOPPING, we learned to answer "Yes."   

As I've said before, if it was just couples traveling to St. John for the first time, I'd still opt to take the Westin ferry the first time we went.  Why? Aside from the wow factor, which cannot be underestimated if you're a couple going on a romantic vacation, the Westin ferry takes all the stress away. Once you learn your way around the island, and perfect the art of driving on the left, then I think your options come down to personal preference and budget. 

That being said, I do have three gripes about the Westin ferry:  

The price.  $25 for children and $75 per adult seems more than fair to me.  $125pp seems way too high, especially with a family, and especially since there are other viable options for a fraction of the price.
The 2nd time we went, they'd replaced the Westin Breeze with some rust bucket of a ferry, which definitely detracted from the white glove service they were charging for.   
Inconvenient ferry schedule on departure day.  The ferries leave at 6am, 7am, 9am, 11am and 1:45pm. Since many flights to the mainland leave in the early afternoon, having two 2-hour gaps during crunch time is very inconvenient. This means that if you have a 1 or 2pm flight home, you have to take the 9am shuttle because 11am is too tight.  With check-out being 10am, wouldn't it make so much more sense to have 10:30am and 11:30am ferries? It's possible that they can't get dock space at Red Hook during those times, and it's possible that they want people to leave on the 9am so that the cleaning staff has more time to clean the villas, but the inconvenient times really detract from otherwise stellar service.
If I was traveling with a family of 4, and budget was an issue, then I'd probably opt to take taxis and the public ferry the first time so that we could get acclimated to the island before having to navigate it on our own. Once you've been there and can see how things are laid out, it's not very intimidating.  But the first time? Not ideal, but it is doable. The downside is that you'll be paying a premium for that rental car. 

One nice advantage of taking a ferry vs renting a car on St. Thomas is that you can cut out some unnecessary rental costs.  You can either do one-day rentals (book them ahead of time so that they're not sold out) for the days you plan on traveling to Coral Bay or Salt Pond, and take taxis the rest of the time, or at least cut out arrival day, if not departure day.  

For instance, with a Sat/Sat check-in, we'd book the rental car from noon on Sunday to noon on Friday and plan a "resort day" on Friday.  Or we might even return the car on Thursday, and put that $170 car rental savings toward an all-day private charter on Thursday instead.


----------



## svntug

*RE: Shuttle Noise*



DavidnRobin said:


> That is a problem with the CV location as it is next to a main path and therefore not only shuttles, but other carts as well (maintenance, housekeeper, engineering, sales...).  Plus, how the CV villas are set-up (facing those cart paths) and their construction that may not be so solid as to dampen the noise.
> 
> Did you get this noise with the windows/doors closed?




We were mostly bothered by the golf cart noise while we were out on the balconies, which for us, was quite often. We had a lot of people in our villa, the balconies added a bit of shared living space.  Additionally, while walking from the villa to the pool, beach, or lobby,  it felt like there was always some kind of golf cart zipping by.


----------



## SMHarman

So what's the latest you can arrive at STT to get over to StJohn?


----------



## DavidnRobin

SMHarman said:


> So what's the latest you can arrive at STT to get over to StJohn?



passenger ferry (from vinow.com) - leaves RedHook at midnight
on tarmac - 15 minutes
shots of flavored rum - 2 min
bags - 15 minutes
taxi - 45 mins

so... 10:43pm


----------



## LisaH

For car ferry, the latest leaving Red Hook is 7 pm.


----------



## LisaRex

SMHarman said:


> So what's the latest you can arrive at STT to get over to StJohn?



If you signed up for the Westin ferry, and your plane is delayed, they'll pay for a water taxi to get you over, no matter what time of the night. 

If you're on STT doing your own thang, then midnight is the last public ferry from Red Hook, though you're welcome to arrange private water ferries anytime of the day or night.  It ain't cheap, though!

https://www.seeski.com/water-taxis/
http://www.stthomaswatertaxi.com/  <-- after hours is their specialty, acc to their website


----------



## SMHarman

LisaRex said:


> If you signed up for the Westin ferry, and your plane is delayed, they'll pay for a water taxi to get you over, no matter what time of the night.
> 
> If you're on STT doing your own thang, then midnight is the last public ferry from Red Hook, though you're welcome to arrange private water ferries anytime of the day or night.  It ain't cheap, though!
> 
> https://www.seeski.com/water-taxis/
> http://www.stthomaswatertaxi.com/  <-- after hours is their specialty, acc to their website


Thanks. I'm thinking we won't need a car for the full 12 nights so may be better off with the ferry and some blocks of rental on St John. 

We also have friends coming for some of the day's. Maybe they bring a car over. That said. I don't see many 7 seat cars. 

And these jeeps can all be remotely hijacked now!


----------



## DavidnRobin

*July 2015 WSJ-VGV Owners Update from HOA*

July 2015	

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner:

We recently participated in a meeting of the Board of Directors of our Association. This meeting, like most of the quarterly meetings, was held by conference call; only the meeting that takes place immediately after the annual meeting of the association is a face-to-face meeting. This is a relatively short report, reflecting the fact that things are going very well at our resort and there were not a lot of issues to discuss this time.

SVO Changing Its Name 

As you may have read in the news, and as we reported in April, Starwood is spinning off Starwood Vacation Ownership (SVO) as a new, publicly-traded company. It will be called Vistana Signature Experiences. According to the public records, Starwood and Vistana have agreed that the Westin brand name for our resort will be maintained for at least 80 years. In addition, several resorts in Colorado, Mexico and Hawaii are being added to the Vistana system, providing more opportunities for internal exchange (but who would ever want to exchange out of the Westin St. John?)

Resort Renovation

Our General Manager, Mike Ryan, reported that the recent renovations are now nearly complete. The sidewalk along the main road has been completed and the new dock should be in place by the end of August. Unfortunately, no restaurant has yet agreed to move into the space vacated by Cruz Bay Prime, but Mr. Ryan continues to try to find a suitable tenant.

Financial Report

As you know, since the recession hit in 2008, we have had a problem with delinquent accounts. Owners who pay their maintenance fees on time have had to pay more to meet our fixed costs as a result. We have been foreclosing on unit weeks for which owners were not paying their fees and as we recover unit weeks, we offer them for sale at bargain prices to existing owners in order for our Association to then receive the maintenance fee revenues going forward. As a result, the rate of collection of current year maintenance fees is 93.2 percent as of May 31, better than in the last two years. We are continuing to foreclose on unit weeks of delinquent owners, so we hope that this trend will continue.

Next Bargain Sale

Watch your email for the next bargain sale of unit weeks, probably by the end of August. At least 60 unit weeks will go on sale at eye-popping prices, some as low as $500. Proceeds go to the Association, not to Starwood.

Morning Coffee Service

Some owners expressed dismay that the Mango Deli moved to the area near the dock, making it more difficult to sit outside and enjoy morning coffee and pastry. It seems prohibitively expensive, however, to build and operate a coffee kiosk closer to the lobby, now that there is no longer a banquet kitchen near the meeting rooms. However, the Marketplace (the replacement for the Mango Deli) is only a four minute walk from the lobby, and we have been assured that owners and guests are welcome to take their coffee and pastry in the morning to the tables at Snorkels and enjoy a much better view than they used to have at the Mango Deli. (Also, copies of the island version of the New York Times, including the crossword puzzle, are available at the towel kiosk as well as at the lobby).

Freecycle Shed

Stocking of the freecycle shed (on the left side of the road leading to the hillside villas) remains sporadic. At the time of the annual meeting in April, there were about ten beach chairs in the shed, along with a lot of play equipment. When Phil was vacationing at the resort in June, there were only two, and very few children’s sand toys. We want to remind owners to enjoy the equipment in the shed, but please do not leave it in your villas or at a beach–return it to the shed at the end of your stay for others to use.

Upcoming Election
Next year marks another election year for the Association as Phil’s current term of service as a director will expire as of the Annual Meeting. SVO will soon be sending an email communication to owners inviting those who are interested in serving on the Board to submit their application for consideration. Please monitor your email accordingly.

All our best,

Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com

Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## tammymacb

I'm interested in the bargain sale. Do they ever offer EOY units? Will I just get an email with what's offered?


----------



## DavidnRobin

tammymacb said:


> I'm interested in the bargain sale. Do they ever offer EOY units? Will I just get an email with what's offered?



Yes, they have offered EOY in the past.
You will get an email - but available villas are not posted until request period opens. (iirc)


----------



## tammymacb

Thanks! I appreciate the info.


----------



## SMHarman

tammymacb said:


> I'm interested in the bargain sale. Do they ever offer EOY units? Will I just get an email with what's offered?


You need to be an owner already though.


----------



## tammymacb

I am. I own a two bedroom hillside villa.


----------



## LisaH

No mention of 2016 M/F...hope it stays the same.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> No mention of 2016 M/F...hope it stays the same.



See previous update - VGV MFs to increase because WSJ-CV decreases the number of 'doors' resulting in an increase of what VGV contributes to the Main Resort.


----------



## YYJMSP

*CV pricing*

We were offered the following during our recent Owner's update:

Resort Season
- 148,100 point package (converts to 80K SPG) - $38,100, 50K SPG signup bonus

and variations of that offer at lower point packages, etc

We picked up a WSJ Explorer Package (100K SPG points, 5 nights or 70K SPG points if converted instead) for a return stay (May1-Dec15 in the next 2yrs) in a 2BR villa including ferry passes for two.  The $4K price can be used towards no more than 10% of a purchase from the developer.

This is our 3rd Explorer package, each one named differently ("West", "East", "St John"), which may correlate with the "limit" of how many you can buy...


----------



## YYJMSP

*More restaurants*

Vista Mare (upstairs from Water Front Bistro I think) -- good simple Italian food, WAY better than Da Livio.  No owner freebies.  V/MC/AX.

Virgin Fire -- good food, you either get an appetizer or a dessert with the owner card.  V/MC/AX.  Probably took WSD as well (can't remember).

The ice cream place at the far end of Mongoose Junction was pretty good.  Cash only.

And we did Lemongrass for another breakfast and a dinner.  Three times is enough that you've done the highlights of the small menu I think.

And finally, my opinion, the $3 fried chicken at the "deli" in St John Market across the road combined with the $4 potato salad at the "deli" at the on-site  Marketplace makes a pretty good flavourful lunch.


----------



## SLC

YYJMSP said:


> Vista Mare (upstairs from Water Front Bistro I think) -- good simple Italian food, WAY better than Da Livio.  No owner freebies.  V/MC/AX.
> 
> Virgin Fire -- good food, you either get an appetizer or a dessert with the owner card.  V/MC/AX.  Probably took WSD as well (can't remember).
> 
> The ice cream place at the far end of Mongoose Junction was pretty good.  Cash only.
> 
> And we did Lemongrass for another breakfast and a dinner.  Three times is enough that you've done the highlights of the small menu I think.
> 
> And finally, my opinion, the $3 fried chicken at the "deli" in St John Market across the road combined with the $4 potato salad at the "deli" at the on-site  Marketplace makes a pretty good flavourful lunch.



Just back from WSJ myself. My family's new favorite restaurant-Ocean 362. Priced about the same as ZoZo's but more intimate, better service and really good food. Oh yeah they have a pretty good sunset view.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SLC said:


> Just back from WSJ myself. My family's new favorite restaurant-Ocean 362. Priced about the same as ZoZo's but more intimate, better service and really good food. Oh yeah they have a pretty good sunset view.



We ate at the upstairs bar at Oceans362 for our anniversary - great!


----------



## YYJMSP

SLC said:


> Just back from WSJ myself. My family's new favorite restaurant-Ocean 362. Priced about the same as ZoZo's but more intimate, better service and really good food. Oh yeah they have a pretty good sunset view.



It was on our list, but only so many nights, and we were too tired a few nights that we just ended up at Lemongrass for the convenience.

In hindsight, I would have skipped Da Livio for sure and gone to Ocean 362 instead.  I think every other place we ate at was good.


----------



## SMHarman

Is 12 nights on St John too long?


----------



## okwiater

SMHarman said:


> Is 12 nights on St John too long?



:hysterical:

:rofl:


----------



## LisaRex

SMHarman said:


> Is 12 nights on St John too long?



Depends on what you like to do.   Most of what we like to do on St. John involves being outside.  Snorkeling is the primary activity, followed by tennis, hiking, kayaking, lounging by the pool, taking a charter, grilling out.  You could hop over to STT and/or other islands, such as Virgin Gorda, for day trips, too.  Does that sound like a great vacation? If so, then 12 days will be fine.  If you want more activity or don't want to be in the sun that much, then it might be too much.  

Because being 60% national park, there's honestly not a whole lot to do on St. John that doesn't involved nature.   The "downtown" area is just a few blocks, and nothing to write home about.  There are no movie theaters, for instance, and just a few great restaurants.  Folks who aren't into the beach, people who are disabled and not able to swim and climb and kayak, or teenagers who are used to Disney or HRA might be bored to death.  

To be honest, a week is perfect on St. John for me. If I had 12 days, I'd probably head to St. Maarten, just because being larger and more "urban" there's so much more to do on St. Maarten.


----------



## LisaH

If this is your first visit and you are into things LisaRex has described above, I think 12 days will go quickly. You might also explore St Thomas more during your stay.


----------



## YYJMSP

SMHarman said:


> Is 12 nights on St John too long?



We did 10 nights recently, and felt it might have been a little too long, probably 7 nights would have done it quite nicely for us.  Our gang needs constant commercial stimulation, which doesn't necessarily involve the outdoors.  The 5 nights we spent in Puerto Rico afterwards balanced the vacation out.

Bottom line, it all depends on what you want to do while you're at a particular destination.


----------



## ekinggill

*Babysitting in our Villa*

My wife and I are making our anniversary trip to the WSJ in 9 days.  

Our kids, now 7 and 10, have infiltrated what used to be our annual marital sanity getaway...but we want to have at least one nice night out at Zozo's or Asolare.

Does anyone have experience with babysitters on island?  

Anyone have experience with the folks at Kids Night In?  http://www.kidsnightin.com

Thanks in advance for any advice.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SMHarman said:


> Is 12 nights on St John too long?



We would put that at around 6 months...
of course, lack of commercial stimulation is what we are seeking.
We do 14 days and have gone annually since 2006 - and find it to be too soon to come home.
Feel the same way about HI, but for different reasons.


----------



## DavidnRobin

ekinggill said:


> My wife and I are making our anniversary trip to the WSJ in 9 days.
> 
> Our kids, now 7 and 10, have infiltrated what used to be our annual marital sanity getaway...but we want to have at least one nice night out at Zozo's or Asolare.
> 
> Does anyone have experience with babysitters on island?
> 
> Anyone have experience with the folks at Kids Night In?  http://www.kidsnightin.com
> 
> Thanks in advance for any advice.



Sorry - we are lucky to go sans kids.  But have heard good things about Leslie of KidsNightIn


----------



## bobpark56

*It's 19 nights for us next year*



SMHarman said:


> Is 12 nights on St John too long?



We like 19 nights. The four 20-some year olds who join us for our week in our pool villa think that 7 nights is not enough.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Oops - need better reading glasses.

It is Cafe Livin’ that recently closed.
I think they were Int House Hunter (HGTV) couple.


----------



## KACTravels

After a LONG travel day (18ish hours, red eye from Sacramento to Atlanta to St Thomas) we arrived yesterday to St. John. We decided to take a taxi to Red Hook and public ferry and Taxi to the Westin.  2 adults, 2 carry on size suitcases and 2 oversized dive bags = $90 total.  Special thanks to the yahoos from Portland who refused to pay for their 10 oversized duffel bags and cost us 45 minutes at the first dock stop before the taxi took us to Red Hook. We checked into the "Terrace Studio" on the top of the hill in the Virgin Grand Section.  We are here on SO's for 8 nights. It has a FULL kitchen (including an oven unlike our home resort of WKORN).  We did have to let them know that the ice maker was missing and they said it was "on order".   They are replacing it now while we are at the beach. When we got back from dinner we had a nice note from the GM, a bucket of beer and a bottle of wine. We are 4* Elite and the note mentioned our status. 
The island is very dry and brown and the waitress said it hasn't really rained since Feb, except for the occasional short shower. There is a lot of seaweed in the water on the beach at the resort, but I don't mind it so much. The kids are hilarious with their comments while trying to get through it.  There are plenty of available lounge chairs and umbrellas on the beach.  The barge and crane for the dock renewal are kind of an eyesore, but we don't care, it's gorgeous here.  We've been in the water several times and have not experienced any of the sea lice reported earlier in the thread. 
I agree that the food at Snorkels and Lemongrass is just ok and seem to be expensive so far.  The staff is very friendly.   We stopped by the free cycle and there are  kids books, some floaties, beach toys and a couple chairs.  DH says the gym was good. So far so good!
We ventured out to the blow up play structures in the water and managed to "play" on all of them. The slide was quite interesting for a 51 year old woman to climb up on, but I did it!!  LOL, I'm sure it was intertaining for all to watch.
We are going diving tomorrow with Cruz Bay and have the day trip to Virgin Gorda Monday. We are going to do the owners update because I want to hear the pitch on the Flex System.  They gave us 2 vouchers for the Snorkel/Picnic to do the Update. ($190 value).  
Has anyone rented a dinghy?  How was it?  We are thinking of doing that for 1/2 day. I read other posts earlier in this thread but thought I would ask the question again. 
Also, is anyone else here?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Always good to hear peoples' experiences of StJ and WSJ. Hope you enjoy yourselves - Great Cruz Bay is not a good representative of StJ bays/beaches - while we were there it was closed to swimming (yuck).  
Did you mean sea grass or seaweed?  The sea grass is common - in other bays (other than GCB) that is where the turtles hang out.  Check out Maho - right side looking out - turtles out by buoy.  Also, all over SaltPond Bay.  The Sargassum seaweed invaded a few months ago and was also dissipating. 

I have done that long trip - and then taken the public ferry/taxis - too often people do not realize that they charge for bags on taxis and ferries.  it is not cheap to take taxis - and sharing can be a PIA.  Good for folks to know full cost of STT-WSJ so they can factor in transportation choices.  The car barge is $30-35 per vehicle one-way (no charge for bags).

Glad to hear 'stinging jellies' have dissipated.

Enjoy. Adapt.


----------



## LisaH

Hi KACTravels, we will arrive next Sat. Guess we will miss each other. Anyone else will be there the week of Aug 8?
We rented a dinghy once at Cruz Bay many years ago and it was fun. Our dingy did not have seat cushion so after awhile, my butt hurted really bad . Make sure to put some towel underneath if yours did not have seat cushion. We took the boat to the beach near Caneel Resort and then to Waterlemon. It was fun. Be sure to apply sunscreen repeatedly. We didn't and got really bad sunburn. 
Have fun!


----------



## JessI

*Newbie's trip report*

Hi all,

We just arrived and I started my trip report here.  

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1786529#post1786529

Adding it to the list. Took pictures of most menus.  More coming soon.


----------



## LisaRex

We rented a dinghy.  The biggest downside is that you're not allowed to beach your dinghies for any longer than it takes to unload your stuff, so it's a lot of swimming back and forth and hoisting yourself in and out. 

However, we did get to visit some snorkeling spots we weren't able to access from land, including Henley Cay. The coral there was excellent compared to other more touristy places. However, the current was really strong here, so you had to keep an eye on where you were. 

It's also an easier way to get to Waterlemon Cay, another excellent snorkeling spot.  On foot, you have to hike from Annaburg Ruins to Leinster Bay, which is about a mile. Chartering a dinghy is much easier, as they have moorings out in the bay and it's a short swim to the island.  Keep an eye on ocean conditions.  The first time we went, it was easy to navigate.  This time, it was not. My husband, who is part dolphin, wouldn't even attempt to swim all the way around the day we went because the current was pushing him back.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*StJ Webcam Update*

various webcams on St John (and surrounds)
http://newsofstjohn.com/webcams/


----------



## ekinggill

*St. Thomas Shopping on the way to Red Hook*

Looking for:


High end liquor store (not the tourist stores, one a local would use to get good bourbon)
Place to buy beach chairs and sand toys

I know about Kmart and the grocery right across the street...just looking for other ideas.

Thanks


----------



## okwiater

ekinggill said:


> Looking for:
> 
> 
> High end liquor store (not the tourist stores, one a local would use to get good bourbon)
> Place to buy beach chairs and sand toys
> 
> I know about Kmart and the grocery right across the street...just looking for other ideas.
> 
> Thanks



Between the selection at the St. John Market (next to WSJ) and the Starfish gourmet shop (right across from Starfish Market), I have not experienced any difficulty finding some brown liquor worth drinking.


----------



## ekinggill

okwiater said:


> Between the selection at the St. John Market (next to WSJ) and the Starfish gourmet shop (right across from Starfish Market), I have not experienced any difficulty finding some brown liquor worth drinking.



Yes...that has gotten much better in our 7 years of going.  In particular I am looking for super premium bourbon, which can be tough to find in Miami, let alone the USVI.


----------



## okwiater

ekinggill said:


> Yes...that has gotten much better in our 7 years of going.  In particular I am looking for super premium bourbon, which can be tough to find in Miami, let alone the USVI.


Gotcha. Don't know the answer to that question, but will be interested if others can provide some pointers!

(Of course, you can always wrap a bottle in clothes and check it in your luggage...)


----------



## JessI

Does anyone know if WSJ plans on turning all of the rooms into TS, ie the remaining resort/hotel side of things into time shares.  Coming from the west coast, the minimum time that we'd like to stay here in St John is about 10 days.  Since we own in BV, we get to the additional 2 nights by using SPG points.  (I'm Plat and have about 900K) so points are not a problem.  

We are thinking about adding on with star options and CV flexibiity 'sounds' intrigueing. Any one have any opinions or advice?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Correct - supposedly they are going to convert the rest of the hotel to TS

Don't do it unless you have cash to burn, and if you make this (poor) decision - make sure you maximize the Options/MF ratio
Do the math (and not the fuzzy kind) - that is quite an outlay (both upfront and in long run). Plus, you cannot control the increase in MFs over time...

I agree that 1 weeks is too little - this is why we go for 2 weeks (also out of SFO)
Why not just buy another week (resale)?
Or, why do you think they will no longer accept SPs for reservations? because of the Hotel conversion? Sounds like "Sales' talk - you can already use SPs to stay in the TS villas at WSJ. Why would that change?

As a side note - you may be holding on to too many SPs.  I used a bunch for AA flights (SFO-MIA-STT) with the 20% AA bonus.  For the return I got 1st class tickets for 30Kpp (STT-MIA-CLT-SFO) - yes, another stop, but sitting in 1st class will help with the pain factor.

PS - re: high-end bourbon... if hard to find in MIA - why would it be found in the USVI (if at all)?  They have plenty of fine bourbon at StarFish.  However, there is a liquor store by RedHook that locals recommend. Can't call name because we drink Rum while in USVI...  Otherwise - wrap-up (protect) and bring in check-in luggage.


----------



## tomandrobin

LisaRex said:


> We rented a dinghy.  The biggest downside is that you're not allowed to beach your dinghies for any longer than it takes to unload your stuff, so it's a lot of swimming back and forth and hoisting yourself in and out.



We also rented a dingy for the day once....Had a blast.


----------



## GrayFal

*Need extra nights?*

http://www.travelzoo.com/hotels/car...pe-in-Fall-Save-60--2057767/?ptl=done&rating=



By Megan Crawford
White sandy beaches and crystal clear waters beckon vacationers at The Westin St. John Resort and Villas, the largest resort on the island. Discover Great Cruz Bay and save up to 60% compared to peak-season rates.

The Westin St. John Resort: This hotel sits along 1200 feet of crescent-shaped beach with guest rooms that feature patios or private balconies.

 $219-$228 in a Traditional Room … most dates Aug. 20 - Oct. 24
The Westin St. John Villas: With ocean views and apartment-style layouts, the villas are a unique home base in the Virgin Islands, offering comfort and privacy to families and groups.

 $244-$253 in a Studio Villa … most dates Aug. 20 - Oct. 24
Note: There is a $40 nightly resort charge, which includes free Wi-Fi, on-property transportation, self-parking, beach/pool amenities, tennis court access and yoga classes. This is a prepaid rate. There is a penalty for changes and/or cancellations.

Book by Aug. 13.


----------



## JessI

FYI, they just moved the loud and annoying crane barge by the dock.  Its not quite open yet, but its mostly done and they have moved the water sports non motorized back next to the dock area.  

You can enjoy breakfast at lemon grass with out the unsightly dock.  Yay!


----------



## ekinggill

*Sea Lice*

Francis Bay today...billions upon billions of sea lice.

The good news...SafeSea sunscreen appears to have worked...none of our party of four show any signs of being stung 8 hours after exposure.


----------



## DavidnRobin

ekinggill said:


> Francis Bay today...billions upon billions of sea lice.
> 
> The good news...SafeSea sunscreen appears to have worked...none of our party of four show any signs of being stung 8 hours after exposure.



Sorry to hear about Francis - weird that there reports that they were not at Maho.  When we were at Francis in June - it was insane - I could feel them going thru my fingers, but stings were not so bad (no Rx)


----------



## tomandrobin

ekinggill said:


> Francis Bay today...billions upon billions of sea lice.
> 
> The good news...SafeSea sunscreen appears to have worked...none of our party of four show any signs of being stung 8 hours after exposure.





DavidnRobin said:


> Sorry to hear about Francis - weird that there reports that they were not at Maho.  When we were at Francis in June - it was insane - I could feel them going thru my fingers, but stings were not so bad (no Rx)



They better clear up and out by next July!!!


----------



## LisaH

ekinggill said:


> Francis Bay today...billions upon billions of sea lice.
> 
> The good news...SafeSea sunscreen appears to have worked...none of our party of four show any signs of being stung 8 hours after exposure.



Any place to buy SafeSea on St John? Heading there tomorrow...


----------



## raygo123

Going to Wyndham stt end of February  arethey seasonal or year round

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


----------



## Ty1on

raygo123 said:


> Going to Wyndham stt end of February  arethey seasonal or year round
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk



Going to Margaritaville?


----------



## raygo123

Bluebeard's beach club

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## bobpark56

*What is the sea lice season?*



ekinggill said:


> Francis Bay today...billions upon billions of sea lice.
> 
> The good news...SafeSea sunscreen appears to have worked...none of our party of four show any signs of being stung 8 hours after exposure.



Does anyone know what the sea lice season(s) is(are)? We go in the first week of Oct and have never encountered sea lice.


----------



## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> Does anyone know what the sea lice season(s) is(are)? We go in the first week of Oct and have never encountered sea lice.



There is no sea lice season - we have never encountered them before until this last June.  Locals tend to be tight-lipped on this as it affects tourism - plus no one seems to know much about them. Apparently they are jelly fish larvae - I have an UW video that shows them because a few got stuck on lens - look like clear tubules with black pepper specks.

IMO - in may be a consequence of sea warming that has been going on for 25+ years (along w/ massive coral bleaching and death - especially for deep water coral) - we are seeing crazy things here on the west coast as well. (but let's not allow facts to get in the way...)


----------



## applekor

We were at maho yesterday and they were everywhere. You could feel them touch your skin and you could  even pick them up.  They look like jellyfish larvae.  None of us got stung by them and it didn't seem to be that big of an issue except for visibility while snorkeling.  

We hit all the Caneel beaches a few days before Maho and did not see any.


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Any place to buy SafeSea on St John? Heading there tomorrow...



Were you able to pick up in island?

I can get it from Amazon but am doing carry on and it is 4 ounce size.  Hate to pay $15 to have it confiscated.


----------



## happymum

And through Amazon.ca the same size bottle is $100 PLUS shipping!:rofl:


----------



## GrayFal

happymum said:


> And through Amazon.ca the same size bottle is $100 PLUS shipping!:rofl:



Well I purchased it and will try to smuggle it thru next week.  Unless Lisa tells us where we can buy it in STT or STJ.  I was only planning on charging you $75.  CAD that is!


----------



## LisaH

Pat, We checked at Starfish market and didn't see it. Went to waterlemon Cay, Francis, and Cinnamon Beach today. Although they are present at all three places, it was worst around Cinnamon Cay. I used Avon's Skin So Soft with insect Repellent & sunscreen and only had minor stings. DH didn't use at first and got stung more seriously at Cinnamon Cay. I can leave it at the front desk for you.


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Pat, We checked at Starfish market and didn't see it. Went to waterlemon Cay, Francis, and Cinnamon Beach today. Although they are present at all three places, it was worst around Cinnamon Cay. I used Avon's Skin So Soft with insect Repellent & sunscreen and only had minor stings. DH didn't use at first and got stung more seriously at Cinnamon Cay. I can leave it at the front desk for you.



Thanks....will forward my info to you.


----------



## ekinggill

*Maho*



applekor said:


> We were at maho yesterday and they were everywhere. You could feel them touch your skin and you could  even pick them up.  They look like jellyfish larvae.  None of us got stung by them and it didn't seem to be that big of an issue except for visibility while snorkeling.
> 
> We hit all the Caneel beaches a few days before Maho and did not see any.



Funny...I was at Maho yesterday and it was nothing like Francis two days earlier.  I wonder if where you are in the bay makes a difference because of the currents.  At Francis I was on the right side of the beach (facing the water) and the sea lice were dense.  At Maho I was on the far left and didn't see nearly as many.

This link has videos from Maho this year and last year same day.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEfT9icQSBAnI_HEZu4r1HA/videos?view_as=subscriber


----------



## DavidnRobin

Caribbean Travel Channel Video on YouTube
Broadcast is Aug 23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy-ND3IzNEI

Why on this thread other than just to bump?
1) Shots of StJ - flashes of Hurricane Hole, etc..
2) Some of voice over done by Jason Siska (Island Roots)


----------



## ekinggill

DavidnRobin said:


> Caribbean Travel Channel Video on YouTube
> Broadcast is Aug 23
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy-ND3IzNEI
> 
> Why on this thread other than just to bump?
> 1) Shots of StJ - flashes of Hurricane Hole, etc..
> 2) Some of voice over done by Jason Siska (Island Roots)



Thanks for sharing.  Jason took us to the Eastern BVI yesterday...awesome trip.  (BVI Imigration on Tortolla, a beautiful deserted beach stop on North Shore of Tortolla, Baths {where Jason was a great guide with the kids}, snorkeling on Fallen Jerusalem, lunch at Cooper Island Beach Club, a cool stop on Salt Island).

He is a great guy to go out with!


----------



## LisaH

ekinggill said:


> Thanks for sharing.  Jason took us to the Eastern BVI yesterday...awesome trip.  (BVI Imigration on Tortolla, a beautiful deserted beach stop on North Shore of Tortolla, Baths {where Jason was a great guide with the kids}, snorkeling on Fallen Jerusalem, lunch at Cooper Island Beach Club, a cool stop on Salt Island).
> 
> He is a great guy to go out with!



Fanny! We went out with Jason on Wed. Did "The Triangle" including the Caves, the Indian near Norman, lunch at Willy Ts, then a quick visit to Sandy Cay & Sandy Spit, and ended up at White Bay on JVD. Great fun. Next year, we will do the Hurricane Hole with Island Roots. 

Today we got day passes at Honeymoon Beach, the best time ever! We did SUP, kayak, floating pads, and snorkeled again and again. Saw multiple southern stingrays, turtles, squids, eels, and variety of fishes. last but not the least, we spotted our very first eagle ray!


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Fanny! We went out with Jason on Wed. Did "The Triangle" including the Caves, the Indian near Norman, lunch at Willy Ts, then a quick visit to Sandy Cay & Sandy Spit, and ended up at White Bay on JVD. Great fun. Next year, we will do the Hurricane Hole with Island Roots.
> 
> Today we got day passes at Honeymoon Beach, the best time ever! We did SUP, kayak, floating pads, and snorkeled again and again. Saw multiple southern stingrays, turtles, squids, eels, and variety of fishes. last but not the least, we spotted our very first eagle ray!


Wow!


----------



## LisaH

Here is the video for the Eagle Ray. Enjoy!


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Here is the video for the Eagle Ray. Enjoy!



OMG, wait untill Mary sees this!
I saw my first ever eagle day at waterlemon cay about 5 years ago.


----------



## okwiater

St. John is an amazing place. We saw an eagle ray in waist deep water at Hawksnest a few years back. Caught me by total surprise when I looked down and saw it swimming around my feet.


----------



## happymum

Wow! What a fabulous video! The clarity is amazing. I am so stoked!!


----------



## beachlynn

*Any grass area?*

We have a lightweight bocci ball set that we take to Maui and play endless games on the rolling grass area while consuming cold beverages . Do they have areas like that where we be able to play? If not we will leave the set at home.


----------



## YYJMSP

beachlynn said:


> We have a lightweight bocci ball set that we take to Maui and play endless games on the rolling grass area while consuming cold beverages . Do they have areas like that where we be able to play? If not we will leave the set at home.



Lots of large grassy areas below the CV units but they're all sloped...


----------



## beachlynn

YYJMSP said:


> Lots of large grassy areas below the CV units but they're all sloped...[/QUOTE


----------



## beachlynn

That's ok. It makes it interesting if there is a slope.  We also can play on the sand. It is a toss version as opposed to a rolling one My husband gets antsy just sitting on a lounge chair soaking up the sun so the bocci keeps him busy.


----------



## okwiater

beachlynn said:


> That's ok. It makes it interesting if there is a slope.  We also can play on the sand. It is a toss version as opposed to a rolling one�� My husband gets antsy just sitting on a lounge chair soaking up the sun so the bocci keeps him busy.



You think the slope makes it interesting -- wait til you see the iguanas!


----------



## beachlynn

Whatever your 2 bedroom describes it max, is its max. Unless you have little kids it will be a challenge. We own a 2 bedroom LOFT. It sleeps 10. Those are few though. 

Ferry is all you can travel. There is enough on St. John that you won't see the need to leave. But it's there if you want it.

Gym & Spa are one of the worst I've seen in our system. Although I haven't been since they renovated. It was disappointing, especially the spa area.

We just booked a 2 bedroom loft that sleeps 10 with SO for Oct. We had already booked a 2 bedroom but wanted to include another couple. I'm hoping a 3 bedroom opens up. Several were available on Thurs but by the time our friends accepted our offer they were gone. I scooped up this loft as there are 6 adults. I will keep checking the inventory. It was scary having the agent drop my 2 bedroom villa and grab the 2 bedroom loft. I tried to get her to borrow from my 2016 148,000 SO so I wouldn't lose what I had but she wouldn't do it. Anybody have any tips on not going through that nailbiting situation???  
How are the sofabeds in St John? Is the 2 bedroom loft likely in the BV section? I llie the idea being closer to the beach but I love a view also. Thanks for your help


----------



## okwiater

A 2br loft that sleeps 10 has to be in Bay Vista, because the Coral Vista lofts only sleep 8.


----------



## beachlynn

okwiater said:


> You think the slope makes it interesting -- wait til you see the iguanas!



Ha Ha. That will be quite a site. I can't wait to see them


----------



## MPERL

*Who buys the furniture? Should be fired!*

I hope the person who purchased the furniture in the last remodel got fired. He/she obviously did not lay in the sleeper sofa before purchasing. That sleeper was so uncomfortable from day one. Now that is is years old, it is completely unusable. Total POS. We stayed at Marriott Frenchman's Cove last week, and their sleeper sofa is a dream. I would think owners at WSJ would put your foot down. Much of the last remodel was substandard. We rented last year and the unit had just been redone. There were cracks in the new kitchen counter, the shower glass edge was never sealed so it leaked all over the bathroom. The dishwashers sounds like a jet airplane.


----------



## GrayFal

Government House - US Virgin Islands
5 hrs · 
GOVERNOR MAPP DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY
AND PLACES THE VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL GUARD 
INTO TERRITORIAL MILITARY SERVICE
IN THE WAKE OF TROPICAL STORM ERIKA

(August 27, 2015, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands) At 11:00pm tonight, Governor Kenneth E Mapp declared a State of Emergency in the Virgin Islands. In addition, the Governor, in order to protect the lives and property of the residents and visitors, imposed a curfew across the territory, froze consumer prices at their current levels, deputized all territorial peace officers and placed each of them under the direct supervision of the Police Commissioner and activated the Virgin Islands national Guard, placing the Guard into Territorial Military Service.
The Governor determined that these actions were necessary after being briefed by the Commissioner of the Department of Public Works and the Executive Director of the VI Water and Power Authority that trees, poles and electrical lines were down across the Virgin Islands. In addition, the Police Commissioner reported that under the cover of darkness, two drive by shootings have occurred.

The Governor’s order imposes an immediate curfew across the territory until 5:00 pm Friday August 28th, 2015 or until such time the safety of residents are secure. The Governor noted that more rain and wind gusts are expected through 4:00am August 28th, accordingly, conditions in the territory will only worsen, said the Governor.

The State of Emergency also freezes prices throughout the Territory. The Commissioner of the Department of licensing and Consumer has been directed to enforce this provision of the declaration of emergency.
“All peace officers are hereby deputized as law enforcement officers of the Virgin Islands specifically to perform public safety functions as required by the Governor during this stator of emergency and shall immediately report to the Commissioner of Police, or his or her designated representative on each island to perform as the Police Commissioner shall direct”, ordered the Governor.
“As Commander in Chief, I have ordered the Virgin Islands National Guard into Territorial Active Military Service, said the Governor. The Adjutant General shall mobilize such units of the Guard as are necessary to maintain public order and guarantee the safety of life and property of our residents and visitors alike,” said the Governor.

At mid-morning on August 28th, Governor Mapp will lead a team, making an aerial assessment of the conditions of all of the Virgin Islands. “I am asking our residents and visitors to remain indoors and off the public roadways while we clear, repair and restore safe conditions in the territory.
I thank all of our dedicated employees for their hard work and sacrifice away from home during this difficult period. In the end, we will be fine, the Governor said. In the meantime, stay home, stay dry and stay safe,” the Governor concluded.

#################

Don't think we are going anywhere too soon


----------



## GrayFal

*Oh great, airport open but noooooo ferries yet!*

VIRGIN ISLANDS PORT AUTHORITY
8 mins · 
Virgin Islands Port Authority Executive Director Carlton Dowe advises the public that the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas and the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport on St. Croix are both open as Tropical Storm Erika passes the US Virgin Islands.
Governor Kenneth E. Mapp has imposed a curfew; however, all airport employees (including federal agencies required to process flights) are asked to report to work. Airport employees may use their airport ID badges as a curfew pass.

During a storm, the US Coast Guard has jurisdiction over the opening and closure of the seaports. The seaports were closed effective midnight Aug. 26 and remain closed until further notice. The US Coast Guard plans to perform an assessment of the seaports and will determine their status by 9:30 a.m. today.

Dowe encourages the public to listen to radio news broadcasts for updates and reminds travelers to contact their airlines directly for flight schedules.


----------



## LisaRex

Sorry that you're stuck, but I'm glad you're safe.  You certainly don't want to be on a ferry during a tropical storm!


----------



## GrayFal

LisaRex said:


> Sorry that you're stuck, but I'm glad you're safe.  You certainly don't want to be on a ferry during a tropical storm!



Was to.d by front desk to check back at 9:30.  We ended up booking the Westin ferry on Wednesdsay in hopes it would make for an easier transition to the airport. 

Fingers crossed!!!


----------



## LisaH

Pat, good luck today!


----------



## melissy123

Waiting at Red Hook now. First in line when the car ferry reopens. Port personnel said it's just a matter of time for the Coast Guard to give clearance. The car ferry is in St John now so we have at least a 30 minute wait after the port reopens.


----------



## GrayFal

melissy123 said:


> Waiting at Red Hook now. First in line when the car ferry reopens. Port personnel said it's just a matter of time for the Coast Guard to give clearance. The car ferry is in St John now so we have at least a 30 minute wait after the port reopens.



You already know the good news!



VIRGIN ISLANDS PORT AUTHORITY
31 mins · Edited · 
The US Coast Guard has officially re-opened all seaports in the US Virgin Islands. Airports on St. Thomas and St. Croix were opened early this morning. Contact your airlines or ferry/barge service providers for schedule information!
We thank everyone for their patience!


We were able to change our flights and get the Marriott using an AC......
Enjoy your stay at the Westin.


----------



## melissy123

Agh. Port personnel came over and said don't move from the line. (We're first in line.). There will be one and only one car ferry crossing today at 3:30 pm.  But at least we will get to St. John.


----------



## melissy123

At the Westin now. They ran an unscheduled early car ferry to get people to the airport. Of course our room isn't ready. And they can't give us wifi access until we are "completely" checked in. Really? I'm in a grumpy mood I guess after sitting at Red Hook for almost four hours. And my grumpy self isn't too impressed with the grounds so far.


----------



## KACTravels

melissy123 said:


> At the Westin now. They ran an unscheduled early car ferry to get people to the airport. Of course our room isn't ready. And they can't give us wifi access until we are "completely" checked in. Really? I'm in a grumpy mood I guess after sitting at Red Hook for almost four hours. And my grumpy self isn't too impressed with the grounds so far.



Is the bar open?


----------



## melissy123

No bar open. Went to the pool to check.


----------



## GrayFal

melissy123 said:


> No bar open. Went to the pool to check.



The bar at Lemongrass is open and the restaurant is serving breakfast lunch and dinner buffet style.  

Considering the amount of personnel that did not make it to work today and the fact that the departing guest did not leave u til after 1PM, I feel the resort and staff did a great job.  
We got the 2 PM ferry to STT and are now at the Marriott Frenchmans Cove using an AC.  We consider ourselves lucky and will enjoy an extra few days. 

I think revisiting the front desk for the internet code would be in order.  There is (I believe?) free internet access in the lobby.  Others will chime in. 

My first stay as an owner at the WSJ was fantastic and I can not wait to go back.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Yes, many workers (if not most) - live on StT and have to ferry over - plus have their own families and homes to deal with after storms like these.

Good adage for StJ... Adapt


----------



## melissy123

Thanks guys. I had asked about an access code for the lobby. Said I had to have room number and they didn't have that for me. But all's well. Did finally get our room and it's very nice for a studio with a great view to boot. 

Let me add, it's the most fabulous studio I've stayed in. Especially compared to a Marriott or Hyatt studio in terms of size, patio size and what's included. We're not going to make much use of the kitchen besides coffee, for the three days here, but wow. 

We are planning to go to Trunk Bay tomorrow to snorkel.  Water looked really choppy on the. way over. Had a near panic attack snorkeling in  Sapphire Bay two days ago when a wave knocked my snorkel out as I was turning to check where hubby was and ingested large amounts of sea water. Will also check if any  snorkel sailboats will be back to operating this weekend.

Dinner buffet at Lemongrass was very nice and probably the cheapest meal I've eaten on this trip. $24 per person.


----------



## bobpark56

*bobpark56*

We are thinking of renting out our 2017 Coral Vista studio. Are their any special hoops we would have to jump through with WSJ when doing this? Fees, restrictions, etc. Do we need a guest certificate from WSJ? If so, what does that cost. Would folks who rent our unit face any added fees?

Advice appreciated.


----------



## lizap

Which section are you in - Coral Vista or Hillside?




melissy123 said:


> Thanks guys. I had asked about an access code for the lobby. Said I had to have room number and they didn't have that for me. But all's well. Did finally get our room and it's very nice for a studio with a great view to boot.
> 
> Let me add, it's the most fabulous studio I've stayed in. Especially compared to a Marriott or Hyatt studio in terms of size, patio size and what's included. We're not going to make much use of the kitchen besides coffee, for the three days here, but wow.
> 
> We are planning to go to Trunk Bay tomorrow to snorkel.  Water looked really choppy on the. way over. Had a near panic attack snorkeling in  Sapphire Bay two days ago when a wave knocked my snorkel out as I was turning to check where hubby was and ingested large amounts of sea water. Will also check if any  snorkel sailboats will be back to operating this weekend.
> 
> Dinner buffet at Lemongrass was very nice and probably the cheapest meal I've eaten on this trip. $24 per person.


----------



## GrayFal

bobpark56 said:


> We are thinking of renting out our 2017 Coral Vista studio. Are their any special hoops we would have to jump through with WSJ when doing this? Fees, restrictions, etc. Do we need a guest certificate from WSJ? If so, what does that cost. Would folks who rent our unit face any added fees?
> 
> Advice appreciated.



Your guests are treated just like an owner. You can log into mystarcentral and add your guests name and then email your updated confirmation. There is no cost. 
I toured CV with a friend and would definitely request a first floor studio when I made my yearly reservation....only first floor studios have a terrace/outdoor seating area. No balconies on studios on other floors and that is something I would really want. I would not rent a studio without outdoor space.


----------



## melissy123

To Lizap: we are in Hillside Villas.  I love the convenience of parking next to our front door. Hubby wishes he was lower down the hill.


----------



## czar

Our kids are really missing WSJ this summer. We had to go to CA for a wedding instead. My daughter keeps taking about missing her "little steps", i.e., the short, meandering steps up to Bay Vista. I miss the beautiful, clear blue waters, the pool, and the rice balls at Rhumb Lines.


----------



## okwiater

czar said:


> Our kids are really missing WSJ this summer. We had to go to CA for a wedding instead. My daughter keeps taking about missing her "little steps", i.e., the short, meandering steps up to Bay Vista. I miss the beautiful, clear blue waters, the pool, and the rice balls at Rhumb Lines.



I know the feeling. We're going to be missing WSJ next summer, due to a couple of family weddings... unless we can work out something last minute.


----------



## jschmeling

20 days to go! My wife and I and two friends are coming in September, looking forward to the trip and getting back to WSJ. We love it, two trips on Starwood points, and we bought on our last trip in CV. (Flexibility plus the Starpoints was the key for us.) But, I am sorely tempted to buy into the other phases on the secondary market. We love the island (and the resort pools plus on site Cruz Bay Watersports) and would come once or twice annually for the forseeable future. (As CV owners we aren't eligible for any of the newsletters or offers from the other phases, is that right?)

Last trip in April (May?) was a bit offputting with the sea lice stings, but stocked up on SafeSea for this trip - guess we'll check a bag since they are 4 oz packages. Any changes with the recent wind/rain? Or is that just wishful thinking?

We're trying something new this time, jeep rental on STT and car ferry instead of WSJ ferry since there are 4 of us and the WSJ ferry seems a little pricey. Will be our first time on STT other than the quick taxi from airport to ferry. I guess we'll see Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook this time. 

One of our party is vegan this time (except cheese) so any recommendations for restaurants? 

Excited and anxious to get back in the water - last question - we love Cruz Bay's catamaran trip to Jost, the snorkeling on the way, and enjoyed the Virgin Gorda, Cooper Island, Norman Island trip - part of the fun is all the new people we meet. But, I wonder if it would be worth doing a private charter once? 

James


----------



## GrayFal

jschmeling said:


> 20 days to go! My wife and I and two friends are coming in September, looking forward to the trip and getting back to WSJ. We love it, two trips on Starwood points, and we bought on our last trip in CV. (Flexibility plus the Starpoints was the key for us.) But, I am sorely tempted to buy into the other phases on the secondary market. We love the island (and the resort pools plus on site Cruz Bay Watersports) and would come once or twice annually for the forseeable future. (As CV owners we aren't eligible for any of the newsletters or offers from the other phases, is that right?)
> 
> Last trip in April (May?) was a bit offputting with the sea lice stings, but stocked up on SafeSea for this trip - guess we'll check a bag since they are 4 oz packages. Any changes with the recent wind/rain? Or is that just wishful thinking?
> 
> We're trying something new this time, jeep rental on STT and car ferry instead of WSJ ferry since there are 4 of us and the WSJ ferry seems a little pricey. Will be our first time on STT other than the quick taxi from airport to ferry. I guess we'll see Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook this time.
> 
> One of our party is vegan this time (except cheese) so any recommendations for restaurants?
> 
> Excited and anxious to get back in the water - last question - we love Cruz Bay's catamaran trip to Jost, the snorkeling on the way, and enjoyed the Virgin Gorda, Cooper Island, Norman Island trip - part of the fun is all the new people we meet. But, I wonder if it would be worth doing a private charter once?
> 
> James



Did not have any sea lice problems 8/21-28. We went to Trunk, cinnamon, Leinster, Hurricane Hole, Honeymoon, Lovingo, Ditleff Point and Flanigan Island


----------



## jschmeling

Awesome to hear that!


----------



## czar

*Suggestions for extra nights*

We're planning to travel during the busy season for the first time, and we will be staying 5 nights from an explorer package. 

Any suggestions on what to do if we want to extend our trip?  5 nights is a little short, so thinking of trying to add 2 nights somehow either on StJ or STT (we've not stayed on StT before). There are 2 adults and 4 children so a hotel-sized room won't cut it. I looked at WSJ prices and Frenchmen's Cove on StT, but the rates are about $700/night. 

Dreams on StT is available during the time we need on RCI but it doesn't look like a great place to bring kids. Any suggestions?


----------



## LisaRex

czar said:


> Dreams on StT is available during the time we need on RCI but it doesn't look like a great place to bring kids. Any suggestions?



Lots of options on VRBO.  If you want to stay on St. John, I'd pick a villa near Coral Bay since you'll be closer to Cruz Bay when stay at WSJ.   Lots of more affordable options on STT.  Personally, if I stayed on STT, I'd opt to stay there at the beginning of my trip so that I ended the trip on STJ.  STT has beautiful bays but the island itself is more crowded and dirtier.   

Another option if y'all have valid passports is to venture over to one of the British Virgin Islands, such as Virgin Gorda.  Villas in the BVI tend to be pricier, but they are just gorgeous.  Definitely hit The Baths if you can, whether you stay here or not.

Another option might be to fly to San Juan or Miami and take a 4 or 5 night Caribbean cruise, then fly to STT when you return.  Or look into chartering a sailboat yacht for a few nights.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Trying to verify no lien on a resale*

I tried to call Sheraton Vacation Ownership to verify there isn't a lien on a resale I am considering.  I was told they could not give out any information on an ownership that wasn't mine.  Can someone tell me how to verify this information.  The seller appears open and honest, but I don't want to make a big mistake.  The property is the Westin St. John.  

Sorry if this is in the wrong spot, first time I have tried posting.


----------



## czar

LisaRex said:


> Lots of options on VRBO.  If you want to stay on St. John, I'd pick a villa near Coral Bay since you'll be closer to Cruz Bay when stay at WSJ.   Lots of more affordable options on STT.  Personally, if I stayed on STT, I'd opt to stay there at the beginning of my trip so that I ended the trip on STJ.  STT has beautiful bays but the island itself is more crowded and dirtier.
> 
> Another option if y'all have valid passports is to venture over to one of the British Virgin Islands, such as Virgin Gorda.  Villas in the BVI tend to be pricier, but they are just gorgeous.  Definitely hit The Baths if you can, whether you stay here or not.
> 
> Another option might be to fly to San Juan or Miami and take a 4 or 5 night Caribbean cruise, then fly to STT when you return.  Or look into chartering a sailboat yacht for a few nights.



Thanks those are great suggestions.  I'd be up for the sailboat if the kids were a little oder, but they range from 0-7, so it limited us somewhat.

I'm debating between two options - booking fights through SJU and staying 2-3 days on PR; or, booking flights +2 days out of STT, booking a cancellable res on STT and keep looking each day for the improbable sighting of 2 nights we need in April at WSJ!


----------



## jschmeling

15 days to go! Cannot wait to be back on the island. Still hoping for any vegetarian/vegan restaurant recommendations if there are any! 

Have to finalize the reservations for the car and the excursions, amused by the fact I can't do it all online. lol. 

6 days 5 nights again this time, which has been OK for us so far each time. Hoping no bad weather.

James


----------



## LisaH

SandyPGravel said:


> I tried to call Sheraton Vacation Ownership to verify there isn't a lien on a resale I am considering.  I was told they could not give out any information on an ownership that wasn't mine.  Can someone tell me how to verify this information.  The seller appears open and honest, but I don't want to make a big mistake.  The property is the Westin St. John.
> 
> Sorry if this is in the wrong spot, first time I have tried posting.



Welcome! Yes that's correct. For privacy reason, Starwood would not give out any info related to an owner to a third party unless the owner is present.  You can make a three way call and let the owner ask for info and you verify that way. Another way is to request an Estopel letter from SVO. Again, OWNER has to make the request.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Nervous about first time resale purchase*



LisaH said:


> Welcome! Yes that's correct. For privacy reason, Starwood would not give out any info related to an owner to a third party unless the owner is present.  You can make a three way call and let the owner ask for info and you verify that way. Another way is to request an Estopel letter from SVO. Again, OWNER has to make the request.




Thanx for the reply.  Do you know if it is customary to not involve an attorney in a resale?  Seller mentioned just using a title company.  I am nervous about this process since I've never done this before.(Not new to timeshares, just buying on resale market.)  Seller is a first time seller too.  So, two newbies to the process.  If this was through EBay I would have some protection by using PayPal, but I'm not even sure how the money transfer works.  I had seen some discussion about an Estopel letter in other posts, asked the seller about that, but he didn't seem to be aware of what one was.  I appreciate any info you can provide.


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel, I'd use a reputable closing firm that offers an escrow service.  Wouldn't do a transaction without escrow. Title protection is up to the buyer.


----------



## czar

215 days, 19 hours and 13 minutes. Not that I'm counting or anything


----------



## kathyg

*Problems printing newest WSJ tax bill?*

Hi Everyone,

I went to print the 2015 tax bill so I could get the discount and have been unsuccessful getting it to print. The website has changed so now it's popping up a window with the tax bill. When I go to print it, I'm getting that window with the other windows behind it. It also doesn't have my name/address or any important info that I think would be necessary to credit my account. 

Have you been able to get it to work? I guess I can wait for WSJ to mail it to me, but I really like getting the discount. 

Thanks!
Kathy
4215 week 50


----------



## tlpnet

kathyg said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I went to print the 2015 tax bill so I could get the discount and have been unsuccessful getting it to print. The website has changed so now it's popping up a window with the tax bill. When I go to print it, I'm getting that window with the other windows behind it. It also doesn't have my name/address or any important info that I think would be necessary to credit my account.
> 
> Have you been able to get it to work? I guess I can wait for WSJ to mail it to me, but I really like getting the discount.
> 
> Thanks!
> Kathy
> 4215 week 50



Hi Kathy,

I couldn't get it to print the way I wanted either.  But the "pay online" feature pulled in both of my units and calculated the discount for me.  It worked surprisingly well and was easy to use.

-tim


----------



## DeniseM

SandyPGravel said:


> I had seen some discussion about an Estopel letter in other posts, asked the seller about that, but he didn't seem to be aware of what one was.  I appreciate any info you can provide.



Tell the timeshare title company that you want an estoppel from Starwood - don't make the final payment until you receive it.  I don't think Starwood provides estoppels to owners or buyers - only to the title company.


----------



## kathyg

*control #*

Thanks Tim, I don't have the control number, but once I get the invoice I'll give the online payment a try. It beats a few months of wondering if the check hasn't been cashed because they didn't get it or if they just haven't opened the envelope yet. My town charges us a surcharge if we pay our tax bills online so I am in the habit of writing checks for taxes.

Kathy


----------



## tlpnet

kathyg said:


> Thanks Tim, I don't have the control number, but once I get the invoice I'll give the online payment a try. It beats a few months of wondering if the check hasn't been cashed because they didn't get it or if they just haven't opened the envelope yet. My town charges us a surcharge if we pay our tax bills online so I am in the habit of writing checks for taxes.
> 
> Kathy



The control number is the same control number that is on your last tax bill, so if you have your 2014 bill (from a few months ago), you can use it to login.  I've always filled out the credit card form and faxed it to them, and they don't even process those quickly.  At least this way, you see the immediate application of the payment online and know that the taxes are paid.

-tim


----------



## bobpark56

*No control number, no invoice number on 2014 tax bill*

Our 2014 tax bill shows neither a control number nor an invoice number....only a parcel number. How are you folks handling this?


----------



## tlpnet

bobpark56 said:


> Our 2014 tax bill shows neither a control number nor an invoice number....only a parcel number. How are you folks handling this?



Hi Bob,

The control number is on the payment coupon on the bottom of the back side of the two-sided 2014 tax bill.  Does that help?  If not, PM me and I can scan you a copy of what mine looks like.

-tim


----------



## SandyPGravel

DeniseM said:


> Tell the timeshare title company that you want an estoppel from Starwood - don't make the final payment until you receive it.  I don't think Starwood provides estoppels to owners or buyers - only to the title company.



Thanx DeniseM.  I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable with the process of buying this way!!


----------



## bobpark56

*Payment coupon was sent with 2014 payamnt*



tlpnet said:


> Hi Bob,
> 
> The control number is on the payment coupon on the bottom of the back side of the two-sided 2014 tax bill.  Does that help?  If not, PM me and I can scan you a copy of what mine looks like.
> 
> -tim



Thanks. Unfortunately, I sent that payment coupon in with my 2014 payment.


----------



## czar

I'm looking on one of the sites that offers TS rentals, and I am seeing exorbitant pricing for WSJ 2 and 3 br units - and all the avail rentals are almost the same or more than the cost of renting via spg.com. Am I missing something?  We were quoted a rate of $675/night to add on via SVN, and the cost on spg is $757. 

Some of the winter weeks are $9k-$10k. Wow.


----------



## Helios

tlpnet said:


> Hi Bob,
> 
> The control number is on the payment coupon on the bottom of the back side of the two-sided 2014 tax bill.  Does that help?  If not, PM me and I can scan you a copy of what mine looks like.
> 
> -tim



Just paid mine.  I used the info in the 2014 tax bill and it pulled the correct 2015 amounts.  The balance shows zero now.


----------



## LisaRex

czar said:


> I'm looking on one of the sites that offers TS rentals, and I am seeing exorbitant pricing for WSJ 2 and 3 br units - and all the avail rentals are almost the same or more than the cost of renting via spg.com. Am I missing something?  We were quoted a rate of $675/night to add on via SVN, and the cost on spg is $757.
> 
> Some of the winter weeks are $9k-$10k. Wow.



No, you're not missing anything.   St. John is a really expensive island and private villa rentals are all sky high.  I noticed that when I was planning a couples trip to the Caribbean.  Because other rentals are so expensive, I think folks think that they should inflate their price to match.  

It appears to me that WSJ draws a lot of very wealthy East Coast professionals who have a skewed sense of reality because they live in NYC and Boston.  I also think that they ask those prices and if they don't get a buyer, they're content to let it sit empty.  They're not going to just cover their MFs. 

BTW, there are only two reasons that I'm holding on to my sole SVV timeshare.  First is because they're adding a few destinations that intrigue me (e.g. San Diego) and secondly because it's by far the cheapest way to get into WSJ because rental prices are so high.  As more and more typical TS owners buy in St. John, I think we'll see rental prices come down.


----------



## carpie99

My tax payment process is to go into the tax office when I am there and pay my bill in person.

It is so easy ... they are located right off the rotary in Cruz Bay.  Took 10 mins when I was on my way back from the beach to the Westin.


----------



## okwiater

carpie99 said:


> My tax payment process is to go into the tax office when I am there and pay my bill in person.
> 
> It is so easy ... they are located right off the rotary in Cruz Bay.  Took 10 mins when I was on my way back from the beach to the Westin.



:rofl: talk about things I _don't_ want to think about doing on vacation!


----------



## GrayFal

https://propertytax.vi.gov/Lookup/TaxBillLookup.aspx

You can look up your tax bill here.


----------



## czar

It looks like we may try to move our WSJ BV week into Plat Plus season as my wife no longer wants to visit in the summer (too bad, because that's when I prefer to go!), so I inquired about an upgrade and trading in our unit since I think the cost would be about the same as purchasing resale given the cost for units in that season.

Anyway, they only have a couple of Gold Plus BV weeks, nothing in Plat Plus season, so they offered CV points equivalent for 2br in Diamond season is $3,610 MF and 3br is $5330 - YIKES.  I just can't believe these new MF's for CV and Nanea.  They're so high.  I thought $2300/week was high for a 3br, and now it looks like a bargain at less than half the price.


----------



## alexadeparis

czar said:


> It looks like we may try to move our WSJ BV week into Plat Plus season as my wife no longer wants to visit in the summer (too bad, because that's when I prefer to go!), so I inquired about an upgrade and trading in our unit since I think the cost would be about the same as purchasing resale given the cost for units in that season.
> 
> Anyway, they only have a couple of Gold Plus BV weeks, nothing in Plat Plus season, so they offered CV points equivalent for 2br in Diamond season is $3,610 MF and 3br is $5330 - YIKES.  I just can't believe these new MF's for CV and Nanea.  They're so high.  I thought $2300/week was high for a 3br, and now it looks like a bargain at less than half the price.



That is because they have "equalized" the MF by points. More points= more MF so platinum owners pay more than someone that can only book silver


----------



## okwiater

alexadeparis said:


> That is because they have "equalized" the MF by points. More points= more MF so platinum owners pay more than someone that can only book silver



Yeah, but high-season travelers now pay more to purchase AND more to maintain. It actually makes the new system very attractive for people who like to travel in low seasons, because high-season travelers are essentially subsidizing the operations and maintenance of their unit.


----------



## czar

alexadeparis said:


> That is because they have "equalized" the MF by points. More points= more MF so platinum owners pay more than someone that can only book silver



I agree with this concept, but I cannot see how the MF are so high.  If my BV MF is $2300 for a 3 br, and they are charging $6,000 for high season in CV for a similarly (actually, smaller) sized unit with similar amenities, I would expect that low season MF would be much lower than $2300, but I do not believe that to be the case.  

As OKI pointed out, it's a higher buy-in and higher MF, but we are also seeing *wood set the new MF's higher, overall, for these new units, and it seems like they're being artificially inflated from the beginning, especially when you compare them to the carrying costs of similar resorts in the same area.  I forget what Nanea is, but I think I recall a 2br being around $4k/year in MF?  Or, nearly $1200 more per unit with smaller kitchen, etc.  These new amounts just seem off compared to what is already out there (and being maintained well, I might add!).


----------



## okwiater

czar said:


> I agree with this concept, but I cannot see how the MF are so high.  If my BV MF is $2300 for a 3 br, and they are charging $6,000 for high season in CV for a similarly (actually, smaller) sized unit with similar amenities, I would expect that low season MF would be much lower than $2300, but I do not believe that to be the case.
> 
> As OKI pointed out, it's a higher buy-in and higher MF, but we are also seeing *wood set the new MF's higher, overall, for these new units, and it seems like they're being artificially inflated from the beginning, especially when you compare them to the carrying costs of similar resorts in the same area.  I forget what Nanea is, but I think I recall a 2br being around $4k/year in MF?  Or, nearly $1200 more per unit with smaller kitchen, etc.  These new amounts just seem off compared to what is already out there (and being maintained well, I might add!).



You're right. If a 3-bedroom at WSJ-BV is $2300, then even in the extreme hypothetical example of a 3-bedroom at WSJ-CV being $0 during low season, $2300 during mid season, and $4600 during high season, it is STILL less than the actual MF. I wonder why?


----------



## GrayFal

czar said:


> I agree with this concept, but I cannot see how the MF are so high.  If my BV MF is $2300 for a 3 br, and they are charging $6,000 for high season in CV for a similarly (actually, smaller) sized unit with similar amenities, I would expect that low season MF would be much lower than $2300, but I do not believe that to be the case.  ).


MF for 2BR Resort (low) season is $1889 + SVN fee = 2BR 34-50

Currently the fee is as follows for 95,700 Resort Season (May-December) cost approx 26K
"2015 base fee" $787.52 
"2015 points assessment" $1,102.02 



> Originally Posted by carpie99
> STJ Coral Vista
> 
> 148,100 Trust Options (1 Week 2 Bedroom May - Dec) wk 18/19-33
> 
> $38,100 ... $2450 MF




So there is two seasons sold, Resort and Diamond, but three sets of point requirements.


----------



## czar

So if I am reading this correctly, there are really two Resort seasons, which align with the weeks for Platinum and Gold Plus in BV. So the equivalent MF for a 2br Gold Plus week is about $1900 for a 2br, which is what I believe a 2br BV unit MF is, and then an equivalent Platinum MF would be $2450. 

Is that correct?



GrayFal said:


> MF for 2BR Resort (low) season is $1889 + SVN fee = 2BR 34-50
> 
> Currently the fee is as follows for 95,700 Resort Season (May-December) cost approx 26K
> "2015 base fee" $787.52
> "2015 points assessment" $1,102.02
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So there is two seasons sold, Resort and Diamond, but three sets of point requirements.


----------



## GrayFal

czar said:


> So if I am reading this correctly, there are really two Resort seasons, which align with the weeks for Platinum and Gold Plus in BV. So the equivalent MF for a 2br Gold Plus week is about $1900 for a 2br, which is what I believe a 2br BV unit MF is, and then an equivalent Platinum MF would be $2450.
> 
> Is that correct?



Yes, that is correct

BV and CV follow the same calendar
51,52,1-18
19-33
34-50

Only in CV, 51,52,1-18 is called Diamond Season and 19-50 is Resort Season.
Using HOs, at 12-8 months owners in Resort season can reserve any size unit, length of stay they want as long as they have the HOs. At 8 months using HOs, you can reserve in any season regardless of season owned. 


And I believe the 3BR units are so costly to buy because you are actually not buying a three bedroom unit. You have to buy a 2BR and a studio VOI and since each VOI has a base fee (see breakdown above) this makes it super expensive.

From the StarOption Chart
"Three bedroom lock off villas are only available for reservations and may not be purchased as part of a VOI"
And there are only 6 3BR L/O in this phase.


----------



## czar

GrayFal said:


> Yes, that is correct
> 
> From the StarOption Chart
> "Three bedroom lock off villas are only available for reservations and may not be purchased as part of a VOI"
> And there are only 6 3BR L/O in this phase.



Wow that's a bit tricky then. I guess best option for me is to wait and see if a BV resale 3br pops up at some point. Or if sales has a unit that I can trade in for. 

Thanks.


----------



## okwiater

GrayFal said:


> "Three bedroom lock off villas are only available for reservations and may not be purchased as part of a VOI"



 Isn't that technically the same as any other unit in Coral Vista? You buy Home Options in a particular season, but no VOI specifies a right to use any certain unit type.


----------



## bobpark56

*WSJ Tax Payment Problem Solved*



tlpnet said:


> Hi Bob,
> 
> The control number is on the payment coupon on the bottom of the back side of the two-sided 2014 tax bill.  Does that help?  If not, PM me and I can scan you a copy of what mine looks like.
> 
> -tim



Thanks. Our problem is now solved. I sent a brief email note to Ira Mills, Tax Assessor (ira.mills@lgo.vi.gov) requesting our control number. He replied promptly with the information we needed to pay our taxes online. We got to the tax payment page by starting with the tax lookup address supplied by Grayfal (https://propertytax.vi.gov/Lookup/TaxBillLookup.aspx). 
  --bp


----------



## GrayFal

okwiater said:


> Isn't that technically the same as any other unit in Coral Vista? You buy Home Options in a particular season, but no VOI specifies a right to use any certain unit type.



Not really, you buy a certain number of HOs in a particular season for a particular unit size.
But you can't buy the number of HOs needed for a 3bedroom in a season as one contract. 
You have to buy a 2BR 95.7K and a studio 44K to get enough SOs for a 3BR in that season.  

You can't buy 66K HOs or 125 HOs. 

In other words, unlike Marriott DC Points which can be bought in any amount in 250 increments, such as 1500 or 2750.  And the MFs are based on points owned.....everyone pays the same MF per point.

Edit- I asked the person I am buying my CV ownership from to ask SVN if I purchased a 44K studio ownership if I would have to pay the base fee twice or just the additional points fee...we have not heard back yet.


----------



## GrayFal

bobpark56 said:


> Thanks. Our problem is now solved. I sent a brief email note to Ira Mills, Tax Assessor (ira.mills@lgo.vi.gov) requesting our control number. He replied promptly with the information we needed to pay our taxes online. We got to the tax payment page by starting with the tax lookup address supplied by Grayfal (https://propertytax.vi.gov/Lookup/TaxBillLookup.aspx).
> --bp



Thanks for the update. I hope next year they correct this on the website look up screen.


----------



## okwiater

GrayFal said:


> Not really, you buy a certain number of HOs in a particular season for a particular unit size.
> But you can't buy the number of HOs needed for a 3bedroom in a season as one contract.
> You have to buy a 2BR 95.7K and a studio 44K to get enough SOs for a 3BR in that season.
> 
> You can't buy 66K HOs or 125 HOs.
> 
> In other words, unlike Marriott DC Points which can be bought in any amount in 250 increments, such as 1500 or 2750. And the MFs are based on points owned.....everyone pays the same MF per point.



OK, I see what you're saying. Simply stated, there is no points package offered that provides enough points to stay in a 3-bedroom lockoff for a week.

 However, I would still argue that there is no real difference from a reservations standpoint. After all, you can book any number of nights starting at 12 months out, so a single points package will still let you stay for, say, 3 or 4 nights.


----------



## okwiater

GrayFal said:


> Edit- I asked the person I am buying my CV ownership from to ask SVN if I purchased a 44K studio ownership if I would have to pay the base fee twice or just the additional points fee...we have not heard back yet.



 Based on everything I've been told by multiple sales people, you pay more than one base fee if you own more than one ownership. It simply doesn't make sense from an accounting standpoint otherwise.


----------



## czar

okwiater said:


> Based on everything I've been told by multiple sales people, you pay more than one base fee if you own more than one ownership. It simply doesn't make sense from an accounting standpoint otherwise.



This is how it was explained to me, too, when I wanted to buy a specific amount of points for a 2br unit, and because it was unavailable at that time, they offered to sell me two point packages together to make a 2br in the season I wanted, but the MF was much higher than the "sold-out" 2br points package.


----------



## GrayFal

okwiater said:


> Based on everything I've been told by multiple sales people, you pay more than one base fee if you own more than one ownership. It simply doesn't make sense from an accounting standpoint otherwise.


Yes, but bad for owners. 


czar said:


> This is how it was explained to me, too, when I wanted to buy a specific amount of points for a 2br unit, and because it was unavailable at that time, they offered to sell me two point packages together to make a 2br in the season I wanted, but the MF was much higher than the "sold-out" 2br points package.


Yes, but bad for owners.  


I also own with Blugreen Vacation Club (La Cabana Aruba) 
You pay one base fee of $335 plus club dues of $129 and then a per point fee of $0.0504. 

Hoping Starwood would rethink their policy.


----------



## LisaRex

I think that this illustrates what a smart move it was for SVO to replace MFs with HOs.  Here's why:

1) Legally, MFs have to be charged equally to owners based on unit size, not season or view.   

2) MFs realistically cannot exceed current rental rates or they risk owners walking way. 

3) Because of #1 and #2, Starwood is (economically) prevented from charging any owner more in MFs than the rental rate of the lowest season/worst view unit in the place.   

If you think about it, #1 makes perfect sense.  A housekeeper takes just as long to clean in the winter than in the summer.  OF owners don't use the pool and lounge chairs more than IV owners.  A family of 4 doesn't cause more wear and tear on a villa if they stay in July vs. May.  Legislators either realized this, or were pressured by consumer groups to acknowledge this.

But even though it makes sense to charge owners based on unit SIZE and nothing else, and despite the fact that Starwood charged a HUGE premium to owners to buy higher season and/or upgraded views, they weren't content. No, they want the people who paid more upfront to also pay more ongoing. 

How do they do that when both the government and economics are getting in their way? By dispensing with the "maintenance fee" model.  With "points," there is no barrier to charging OF owners more to use a villa of the exact same size as an owner who doesn't get a glimpse of the ocean.  

With points, instead of the lowest season, worst view being the MAXIMUM they can charge, it'll be the MINIMUM that they'll charge.   

No thank you.


----------



## czar

LisaRex said:


> If you think about it, #1 makes perfect sense.  A housekeeper takes just as long to clean in the winter than in the summer.  OF owners don't use the pool and lounge chairs more than IV owners.  A family of 4 doesn't cause more wear and tear on a villa if they stay in July vs. May.  Legislators either realized this, or were pressured by consumer groups to acknowledge this.



It does make perfect sense; one issue is that TS salespeople prey on those who can least afford these things.  So, in essence, you had people who might or could afford high-season buy-ins and then some people who wanted those seasons but could not afford them and instead ere offered off-peak seasons.  Those people cannot afford the mortgage payments or MF, and they bail, leaving the higher-season people, typically, footing the bill even more.

I agree that with the current implementation of HO and the related MF, this new policy does not make sense; however, I also think that the "value" of the resort is less in the late summer and fall, and I'd rather have someone paying something for the unit during that time, even if it's somewhat "inequitable."  

My biggest gripe is the starting MF.  If a BV 3br total MF for the year is 52*$2300, I would expect a 3br CV to have a similar MF, but it doesn't.  I wonder why?

If we broke BV into MF-based seasons, it might look something like this:

Plat Plus: $3450 (20 weeks = $69k)
Plat: $2100 (14 weeks = $29.4k)
Gold Plus: $1200 (18 weeks = $21.6k)

But I believe therein lies the problem - "valuing" a WSJ 3br week for $1200. My suspicion is that they feel the need to level-set the Gold Plus weeks to what BV pays, thereby artificially increasing the MF.  For those of you who are familiar with the Aulani issue, they artificially _deflated_ the initial MF projections to drive sales.  Perhaps the opposite is true in this case, and it can be justified given the rates we see charged for weekly rentals at resorts in WSJ in peak seasons.

It will be interesting to see the yearly budget and expenses for CV if people have not dissected them already.

I agree - the higher buy-in for that season coupled with the significantly higher MF is not in my playbook.  At the same time, perhaps they've offset that a bit by changing a "less" outrageous initial buy-in cost.


----------



## GrayFal

bobpark56 said:


> Our 2014 tax bill shows neither a control number nor an invoice number....only a parcel number. How are you folks handling this?





tlpnet said:


> Hi Bob,
> 
> The control number is on the payment coupon on the bottom of the back side of the two-sided 2014 tax bill.  Does that help?  If not, PM me and I can scan you a copy of what mine looks like.
> 
> -tim





bobpark56 said:


> Thanks. Unfortunately, I sent that payment coupon in with my 2014 payment.





kathyg said:


> Thanks Tim, I don't have the control number, but once I get the invoice I'll give the online payment a try. It beats a few months of wondering if the check hasn't been cashed because they didn't get it or if they just haven't opened the envelope yet. My town charges us a surcharge if we pay our tax bills online so I am in the habit of writing checks for taxes.
> 
> Kathy


Has anyone gotten their paper tax bill in the mail from SVO?
The email was dated 9/1/15.


----------



## ekinggill

*Tortola Car Rental*

Howdy all.  Planning our 2016 trip...going a few days early and contemplating staying on Tortola.  

Does anyone have any experience on staying on Tortola?  What about renting cars.  I see there is both Hertz and Avis along with a ton of small companies.

Thanks in advance for any insight.


----------



## GrayFal

ekinggill said:


> Howdy all.  Planning our 2016 trip...going a few days early and contemplating staying on Tortola.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience on staying on Tortola?  What about renting cars.  I see there is both Hertz and Avis along with a ton of small companies.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any insight.



I stayed last year at Long Bay Resort and loved it.  It is small but every unit is directly on the water. 

That being said, it is really helpful to have a car.  If you can drive on STJ, you can drive here but if you can't, you can't !!!

I have also stayed at the Marriott Autograph Scrub Island Resort which is very very very nice but isolated. Because it is on its own island  you would have to ferry back and forth to do anything.  But for three days of relaxation, it would be great.  Again, all units directly on the water. They are two bedroom lock off units. The one bedroom side is spectacular. It has a large marina and many people bare boating stop here overnight. We met many fascinating boaters from all over the world. Restaurant was first rate but I understand there is a new chef now.


----------



## GrayFal

*Good news and bad....*

http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/09/09/airport-change-may-lead-to-quicker-departure-times/

We’ve got some good news for those of you who are traveling off island via the airport … the hassle of filling out customs forms is gone!

We’ve had several friends travel off island over the past few days, and all have stated that the airport is no longer requiring US citizens to fill out a customs form prior to entering security. That means no more scurrying to get a form, no more waiting in long lines to actually obtain a form, and no more holdups due to the form being filled out incorrectly. Sounds like a win all around!

Passengers will still have to pass through customs, but rather than filling out the form, passengers are being verbally questioned instead. You will still have to show your boarding pass and identification.

We’re not sure how long this will last, but in the meantime, it’s a pretty nice change. 

In the event that the rule reverts back to where we need to fill out the paper forms again, you can do so in advance using an editable form online. Here is a link to that form:

http://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CBP Form 6059B English (Fillable)_0.pdf





http://newsofstjohn.com/2015/09/22/more-time-at-the-airport-may-be-in-your-future/

For those of you traveling from the Cyril E. King Airport in the near future, we may have some bad news for you.

We received an email from a News of St. John reader last week alerting us of much longer “recommended” check in times at the airport. The email stated that American Airlines was now suggesting travelers arrive three hours prior to their flight … three hours?! That’s a long time at the airport.

We did a little research, and unfortunately, it is true. According to American Airlines’ website, travelers should arrive 180 minutes in advance when traveling from the St. Thomas airport. In addition, the check in counter will close 90 minutes prior to flight time. That means that if you need to check a bag or have a carry on but have not checked in prior to arriving at the airport, you will not be able to check in or check a bag.


----------



## LisaRex

GrayFal said:


> We received an email from a News of St. John reader last week alerting us of much longer “recommended” check in times at the airport. The email stated that American Airlines was now suggesting travelers arrive three hours prior to their flight … three hours?! That’s a long time at the airport.



Yup. It seems that a great majority of flights back to the mainland all leave in the early afternoon, so a 15 minute span can mean the difference between a little wait and a 2 hour wait.  We always travel with a deck of cards for passing the time in the holding pen.  

The good news is that the airport restaurant, which seems like a conflated cafeteria, actually has pretty good local food at relatively decent prices.


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaRex said:


> Yup. It seems that a great majority of flights back to the mainland all leave in the early afternoon, so a 15 minute span can mean the difference between a little wait and a 2 hour wait.  We always travel with a deck of cards for passing the time in the holding pen.
> 
> The good news is that the airport restaurant, which seems like a conflated cafeteria, actually has pretty good local food at relatively decent prices.



Wow!!! 2 pm flight means leaving the Westin at 10 am at the latest???  Last year we almost missed our Seaborne flight to San Juan because "they" decided to move us to a different flight (up more than an hour) because we were the only two booked on our flight.  Had to "fly" through customs that day.


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> Wow!!! 2 pm flight means leaving the Westin at 10 am at the latest???  Last year we almost missed our Seaborne flight to San Juan because "they" decided to move us to a different flight (up more than an hour) because we were the only two booked on our flight.  Had to "fly" through customs that day.



Yes. This is where renting the car on STT actually comes in handy because the car ferry leaves every half hour, where the Westin ferry has very limited times and trips.


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaRex said:


> Yes. This is where renting the car on STT actually comes in handy because the car ferry leaves every half hour, where the Westin ferry has very limited times and trips.



Totally agree.    I will take the lower cost of the car ferry over the "convenience" of the Westin ferry any day!  Even if you do have to back onto the ferry. (That was interesting the first time.)


----------



## LisaH

When we left STT in mid Aug, the wait was a lot longer than usual. On top of that, the air conditioning was broken. The whole process was almost unbearable. We will try to stay one extra day next time to avoid Sat madness...


----------



## sachia007

*WSJ tax ?*

We bought a timeshare resale, were paid 2015 taxes at our closing from the seller,  and would like to pay. Starwood said they can't send us a bill as it was mailed to the previous owner. How can I get the control and invoice number to pay the bill online?

I have contacted the previous owner and asked for him to send it to us if he received it - he hasn't responded.

I can find the previous owners parcel and account # online under "search for a tax bill", but am not seeing the other numbers.

Also, I am an official member of TUG (paid my membership fee a few months ago), but I'm still listed as guest... any way to change that (not a biggie, but I thought I'd ask).


----------



## SandyPGravel

sachia007 said:


> We bought a timeshare resale, were paid 2015 taxes at our closing from the seller,  and would like to pay. Starwood said they can't send us a bill as it was mailed to the previous owner. How can I get the control and invoice number to pay the bill online?
> 
> I have contacted the previous owner and asked for him to send it to us if he received it - he hasn't responded.
> 
> I can find the previous owners parcel and account # online under "search for a tax bill", but am not seeing the other numbers.
> 
> Also, I am an official member of TUG (paid my membership fee a few months ago), but I'm still listed as guest... any way to change that (not a biggie, but I thought I'd ask).



Have you tried https://propertytax.vi.gov/ put in either your name or sellers name?  I found my sellers information by their last name.

I am in the process of purchasing a resale.  So I am curious, did you send Starwood a copy of the newly recorded deed?  If yes, how long ago did you notify them?  Because if my resale goes through soon, in the next month or so, and I notify Starwood right away, I am curious who will get the MF bill in December?  Me or the seller?


----------



## sachia007

SandyPC,

The closing lawyer sent the deed to SVO in June.


----------



## Helios

My closing agent told me, at the beginning of the year, that USVI takes about a year to transfer the taxes into the new owner's name.  I have paid the 2014 and 2015 under the old owner's name.


----------



## GrayFal

GrayFal said:


> Has anyone gotten their paper tax bill in the mail from SVO?
> The email was dated 9/1/15.


FYI
I received my two paper tax bills.
As a resale owner from 2015, the bills were still in the other owners name.
Starwood had a sticky note on each bill with my name and address.

Letter was postmarked 9/21/15


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Resale reservations*

Hi-

If the seller has next years reservation for a fixed week at WSJ already reserved in my name, will the reservation remain when the deed is transferred to me? (Maybe I'm being paranoid, this being my first resale purchase.)  "They" don't like us buyers of resale, so I was wondering if "they" pull anything sneaky like cancelling the reservation? 

I already have my airfare purchased, don't want to lose ours or anyone else's that might plan to come with us.  I don't want to find out what camping on the beach is like!:hysterical:

Thanx!


----------



## DavidnRobin

Gina - 'They' do not care.  Do not overthink this (or be too paranoid).
'They' care about MFs being paid.
After transfer just go onto MSC and see if reservation is still in your name - or just call Owner Services and inquire (after transfer).  Do not over complicate it for the OS Rep as not too confuse them. Good luck and enjoy STJ.


----------



## GrayFal

SandyPGravel said:


> I am in the process of purchasing a resale.  So I am curious, did you send Starwood a copy of the newly recorded deed?  If yes, how long ago did you notify them?  Because if my resale goes through soon, in the next month or so, and I notify Starwood right away, I am curious who will get the MF bill in December?  Me or the seller?



When my closing agent Darla received the deed, she scanned it and emailed it to me (and put the hard copy in snail mail) I then emailed it to the Title Department (email addy in Starwood Owner sickie) and within two weeks I had a MyStarCentral account. 


SandyPGravel said:


> Hi-
> 
> If the seller has next years reservation for a fixed week at WSJ already reserved in my name, will the reservation remain when the deed is transferred to me? (Maybe I'm being paranoid, this being my first resale purchase.)  "They" don't like us buyers of resale, so I was wondering if "they" pull anything sneaky like cancelling the reservation?
> 
> I already have my airfare purchased, don't want to lose ours or anyone else's that might plan to come with us.  I don't want to find out what camping on the beach is like!:hysterical:
> 
> Thanx!


Make sure your seller has notified Starwood the reservation is transferring with the ownership and that your first year of use is noted as 2016. When I got MyStarCentral account for my first resale, the first day the Resie was not there.  I called and they said they would verify with the seller which they did and the next day I could see it in my account. 

No paranoia required


----------



## Henry M.

Double check on the reservation after the deed transfers. When I checked in at WKORV this past August, there was a young couple on their honeymoon ahead of us. One of the spouses sisters had given them a week at WKORV as their wedding present. They were trying to call around to get on with their trip. 

It turns out the sister sold the unit a couple of days before they arrived, and somehow they didn't have a reservation anymore. They were supposed to have the room, but something went wrong in the process. The front desk was offering them a room to rent for $600+/day. I don't know what the final outcome was, but the bottom line is that you need to check every step of the way. Don't assume things are taken care of, even if the prior owner truthfully thinks the reservation will be maintained.


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> When my closing agent Darla received the deed, she scanned it and emailed it to me (and put the hard copy in snail mail) I then emailed it to the Title Department (email addy in Starwood Owner sickie) and within two weeks I had a MyStarCentral account.
> 
> Make sure your seller has notified Starwood the reservation is transferring with the ownership and that your first year of use is noted as 2016. When I got MyStarCentral account for my first resale, the first day the Resie was not there.  I called and they said they would verify with the seller which they did and the next day I could see it in my account.
> 
> No paranoia required



Thanks, I just sent an email off to the seller asking if he would do this for me.  (BTW, Darla is processing our transaction too!!)


----------



## SandyPGravel

emuyshondt said:


> Double check on the reservation after the deed transfers. When I checked in at WKORV this past August, there was a young couple on their honeymoon ahead of us. One of the spouses sisters had given them a week at WKORV as their wedding present. They were trying to call around to get on with their trip.
> 
> It turns out the sister sold the unit a couple of days before they arrived, and somehow they didn't have a reservation anymore. They were supposed to have the room, but something went wrong in the process. The front desk was offering them a room to rent for $600+/day. I don't know what the final outcome was, but the bottom line is that you need to check every step of the way. Don't assume things are taken care of, even if the prior owner truthfully thinks the reservation will be maintained.



Thanks for the affirmation that I am not being totally paranoid!!  I thought it was possible that something like that could happen.


----------



## LisaRex

It's important that the contract itself is clear on usage rights. "Seller retains right to 2015 usage.  Buyer's first use year will begin in 2016, including Reservation xxxxxx, which was reserved in the buyer's name on mm/dd/yyyy."

I would certainly follow up with Reservations to have them put a note in the file to this effect, but it also should be in the contract itself. 

Timeshare agents will do this as a matter of course, but many people DIY.


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaRex said:


> It's important that the contract itself is clear on usage rights. "Seller retains right to 2015 usage.  Buyer's first use year will begin in 2016, including Reservation xxxxxx, which was reserved in the buyer's name on mm/dd/yyyy."
> 
> I would certainly follow up with Reservations to have them put a note in the file to this effect, but it also should be in the contract itself.
> 
> Timeshare agents will do this as a matter of course, but many people DIY.




Thanks, I did put it in the sales contract that usage year starts in 2016, but I didn't include the reservation number or the date.  The person doing our deed transfer didn't want to be involved in that part(sales contract) of the transaction.  She said the sales contract was between the seller and myself.  The seller has been very cooperative throughout the entire process.  I just hope that with this being his first sale and this being my first resale purchase we don't mess it up.  

Do you think I could call MSC and get anywhere?  The reservation is in my name, but he still is the registered owner.  I have the reservation number, I'll call and see what they say.  I already own at SVV so at least I can talk to someone at OS.


----------



## GrayFal

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanks, I did put it in the sales contract that usage year starts in 2016, but I didn't include the reservation number or the date.  The person doing our deed transfer didn't want to be involved in that part(sales contract) of the transaction.  She said the sales contract was between the seller and myself.  The seller has been very cooperative throughout the entire process.  I just hope that with this being his first sale and this being my first resale purchase we don't mess it up.
> 
> Do you think I could call MSC and get anywhere?  The reservation is in my name, but he still is the registered owner.  I have the reservation number, I'll call and see what they say.  I already own at SVV so at least I can talk to someone at OS.


I would ask your seller to call and confirm with Starwood that the Resie is transferring to you. I just sold my Marriott Aruba Surf Club with the 2016 Resie going to the buyer.  I called Marriott and They noted this in my account. The day the new owner could see the ownership in their online account, I again called and reconfirmed the Resie was going to the new owner.  They could see it in their account the next day.  So I have been three for three this year with Resies going to the right person at the end of the day. I imagine your experience will be the same. 

Now someone can post another negative experience


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanks, I did put it in the sales contract that usage year starts in 2016, but I didn't include the reservation number or the date.



It's completely different to say "Usage starts in 2016" and "Usage starts in 2016 and Reservation xxxx will transfer to buyer upon resale."  So I really hope that MSC can help out here. 

FYI, when a sale takes place, one should assume that Starwood will wipe the slate clean unless you include stipulations to the contrary. That includes not only reservations for future use years, but also reservations that will take place for this usage year but after the contract is executed.  Don't assume anything. 

I also learned the hard way that you should also put in the contract if you want to retain banked SOs attached to a deed you are selling.  There was a time when I owned an EOY SVV Bella and wanted to replace it with an annual unit.  When I inquired about what would happen to the banked SOs associated with the EOY VOI, a CSR told me that I would retain banked SOs only if I was still a member of SVN (because I owned another mandatory/developer VOI) when the transfer was executed.  So I deliberately delayed the sale of my EOY unit until after my newly purchased annual unit was in my name. What I WASN'T told was that this isn't done automatically.  It should still have been stipulated in the contract and I should have still called Starwood and had them add a note to my file to this effect.  

So live and learn!

(FYI, Starwood did eventually relent and return those banked SOs after I showed them emails where I was informed that as long as I was an SVN member, I would keep any banked SOs.)


----------



## sachia007

GrayFal said:


> FYI
> I received my two paper tax bills.
> As a resale owner from 2015, the bills were still in the other owners name.
> Starwood had a sticky note on each bill with my name and address.
> 
> Letter was postmarked 9/21/15



GrayFal,

I just got the bill as well - sent directly from Starwood.


----------



## sachia007

*Any Tuggers in STJ week 8?*

Would love to meet up with any/all Tuggers. Perhaps go on a boat trip together?

If anyone is interested, please let me know.


----------



## ekinggill

LisaH said:


> When we left STT in mid Aug, the wait was a lot longer than usual. On top of that, the air conditioning was broken. The whole process was almost unbearable.



Our week 32 experience was the same.  We paid a porter to help with the bags and that got us into a shorter line...but that shorter line still might have been an hour long.


----------



## SandyPGravel

sachia007 said:


> Would love to meet up with any/all Tuggers. Perhaps go on a boat trip together?
> 
> If anyone is interested, please let me know.



Oh man we will be there Week 9. (Fingers crossed, see above!)


----------



## GrayFal

LisaRex said:


> It's completely different to say "Usage starts in 2016" and "Usage starts in 2016 and Reservation xxxx will transfer to buyer upon resale."  So I really hope that MSC can help out here.
> 
> FYI, when a sale takes place, one should assume that Starwood will wipe the slate clean unless you include stipulations to the contrary. That includes not only reservations for future use years, but also reservations that will take place for this usage year but after the contract is executed.  Don't assume anything.
> 
> I also learned the hard way that you should also put in the contract if you want to retain banked SOs attached to a deed you are selling.  There was a time when I owned an EOY SVV Bella and wanted to replace it with an annual unit.  When I inquired about what would happen to the banked SOs associated with the EOY VOI, a CSR told me that I would retain banked SOs only if I was still a member of SVN (because I owned another mandatory/developer VOI) when the transfer was executed.  So I deliberately delayed the sale of my EOY unit until after my newly purchased annual unit was in my name. What I WASN'T told was that this isn't done automatically.  It should still have been stipulated in the contract and I should have still called Starwood and had them add a note to my file to this effect.
> 
> So live and learn!
> 
> (FYI, Starwood did eventually relent and return those banked SOs after I showed them emails where I was informed that as long as I was an SVN member, I would keep any banked SOs.)


Why would Starwood have a copy of your contract?

I am not trying to be contrary, but of the 8 sales/purchases I have been involved with this year alone, the management companies (Starwood, Marriott, Wyndham)have not had my sales contracts.  In fact, most of the closing companies (JRA, LTT, etc) do not even require you have a contract to do a closing thru them. You fill out their online forms and they take it from there. 
I in fact do always do a contract for my personal records and to make sure all parties agree on what is to transpire in terms of usage and maint fees but I have never in 15 years sent my sales agreement to a management company. They have always done what I or the other seller has requested.


----------



## LisaRex

GrayFal said:


> ...In fact, most of the closing companies (JRA, LTT, etc) do not even require you have a contract to do a closing thru them. You fill out their online forms and they take it from there.



GrayFal, those closing companies do so many contracts that they've streamlined the process by creating contract aka Purchase Agreements (or whatever name they choose to call them) templates.  Those online forms are used to populate the few areas where there is variation, such as purchase price, MF responsibilities, and transfer date.  Even though it may not look like a traditional contract doesn't mean that it isn't one.  There's no way they could legally transfer a deed from one person to another without a contract, which in its simplest form is just a meeting of minds.


----------



## SMHarman

sachia007 said:


> Would love to meet up with any/all Tuggers. Perhaps go on a boat trip together?
> 
> If anyone is interested, please let me know.


End of week 5, week 6 and part of week 7. Gotta love those SO reservations. 


SandyPGravel said:


> Oh man we will be there Week 9. (Fingers crossed, see above!)




Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


----------



## GrayFal

LisaRex said:


> GrayFal, those closing companies do so many contracts that they've streamlined the process by creating contract aka Purchase Agreements (or whatever name they choose to call them) templates.  Those online forms are used to populate the few areas where there is variation, such as purchase price, MF responsibilities, and transfer date.  Even though it may not look like a traditional contract doesn't mean that it isn't one.  There's no way they could legally transfer a deed from one person to another without a contract, which in its simplest form is just a meeting of minds.



Yes, I agree that the form you fill out online is a contract between you and the closing company. And since both parties fill it out it should be valid and enforceable. So if it says you get use of 2016 and the reservation in place transfers with the sale, it should be honored. 

I think your example of banked StarOptions is a bit more complicated then usual. I am glad they reinstated them for you.


----------



## Helios

sachia007 said:


> GrayFal,
> 
> I just got the bill as well - sent directly from Starwood.



Just got mine today.


----------



## GrayFal

SMHarman said:


> End of week 5, week 6 and part of week 7. Gotta love those SO reservations.
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk



I have 3 friends that are using my week 7 this coming year. Are you interested in booking Island Roots Charter? How many people are you? They only take 6.


----------



## SandyPGravel

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanks, I did put it in the sales contract that usage year starts in 2016, but I didn't include the reservation number or the date.  The person doing our deed transfer didn't want to be involved in that part(sales contract) of the transaction.  She said the sales contract was between the seller and myself.  The seller has been very cooperative throughout the entire process.  I just hope that with this being his first sale and this being my first resale purchase we don't mess it up.
> 
> Do you think I could call MSC and get anywhere?  The reservation is in my name, but he still is the registered owner.  I have the reservation number, I'll call and see what they say.  I already own at SVV so at least I can talk to someone at OS.



I received an answer today from MSC, so I thought I would share:

Starwood Vacation Network
a better way to see the world®
Rule
Dear GINA XXXXXXXX, 

I would be more than happy to assist you with your inquiry about the Westin St John reservation, 

The current owner of this deed has already changed reservation ****** at The Westin St John for February 26, 2016 into your name (Gina XXXXXXXX). After the transfer of ownership the reservation will remain the same and nothing will be changed. 

If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely, 

Noah G.
E-Communications Specialist


----------



## GrayFal

SandyPGravel said:


> I received an answer today from MSC, so I thought I would share:
> 
> Starwood Vacation Network
> a better way to see the world®
> Rule
> Dear GINA XXXXXXXX,
> 
> I would be more than happy to assist you with your inquiry about the Westin St John reservation,
> 
> The current owner of this deed has already changed reservation ****** at The Westin St John for February 26, 2016 into your name (Gina XXXXXXXX). After the transfer of ownership the reservation will remain the same and nothing will be changed.
> 
> If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to let me know.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Noah G.
> E-Communications Specialist


You can now leave your tent home and sleep in the room :whoopie:


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> You can now leave your tent home and sleep in the room :whoopie:




YEAH!!


----------



## Helios

*VGV HOA Sale*

Has anyone heard anything about when the VGV HOA sale will take place?


----------



## DavidnRobin

sachia007 said:


> GrayFal,
> 
> I just got the bill as well - sent directly from Starwood.



Also received my paper bills with instructions to pay online. Like the new way to pay USVI PropTax bills. 
Last year sent by mail both in at same time, 1st week went thru fast, 2nd week not for 6 weeks later.  Got early pay discount for one but not other (arg... USVI)


----------



## WizardOz

12345678910


----------



## lizap

David, we decided to rent a car in St.Thomas with Amalie for our trip to WSJ in Feb. These people are very nice and easy to deal with. I love that they are going to meet us at the airport and we can drop the car off at the airport on our return. Thanks for the recommendation..


----------



## sachia007

moto x said:


> Has anyone heard anything about when the VGV HOA sale will take place?



I believe last year the info. came out in August. Perhaps there won't be any this year?


----------



## Helios

sachia007 said:


> I believe last year the info. came out in August. Perhaps there won't be any this year?



The last update they provided said it would be at the end of August.  But nothing happened.


----------



## DavidnRobin

lizap said:


> David, we decided to rent a car in St.Thomas with Amalie for our trip to WSJ in Feb. These people are very nice and easy to deal with. I love that they are going to meet us at the airport and we can drop the car off at the airport on our return. Thanks for the recommendation..



Glad it worked out - it may be a slight premium, but worth it in my experience.
I find taking the car barge over to be easy and fun.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Vegetarian In-laws*

My In-laws are basically "vegetarians" and will be traveling with us in February.  Now I quote vegetarians because they do chose a vegetarian meal if given an option, but have at least on weak point. Brats.  (I know, of all the things to actually eat when you live a vegetarian lifestyle, not fish, brats!  What can I say we're from Wisconsin.)  So that will take care of one meal while we are there.  My question is how is the vegetarian selection at the grocery store within walking distance of the resort.  We have been to the resort twice already, but I wasn't scoping out meals in case my in-laws came along on a future trip to a TS I didn't think I would ever get to own!! :hysterical:

I remember buying potatoes and onions when we were there, but not much else veggie wise.  I plan out our meals and take as much as I can so we can spend our discretionary income on diving or other excursions.  Hopefully if we end up going to the Baths the restaurant has something they'll eat too.

We usually grill out most days.  Eat out once, maybe twice.  Last time we stayed 12 nights, this time only 7 so not as much planning involved.

Thanx, Gina


----------



## LisaH

Question about the check-in days for VG owners: is the check-in day (Fri, Sat, Sun) building specific or interspersed? If anyone knows the specifics, please post here 
Just to add that I have a Sat check-in, and I'm in Blg 34.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I am also in B34 - Friday checkin


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> I am also in B34 - Friday checkin



Wow. That's really messed up


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Question about the check-in days for VG owners: is the check-in day (Fri, Sat, Sun) building specific or interspersed? If anyone knows the specifics, please post here
> Just to add that I have a Sat check-in, and I'm in Blg 34.





DavidnRobin said:


> I am also in B34 - Friday checkin



Blg 34 studio Friday check in, Blg 33 1BR Saturday check in.


----------



## Helios

Pool villas have check ins on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  The day depends on the specific villa.  Most pool villas have Saturday check in.  That accounts for buildings 41-44.


----------



## beachlynn

I initially made a reservation for a 2 bedroom loft that sleeps 10. There are 3 couples going so I kept trying for a 3 bedroom. Like literally, I tried every day. Luckily, 3 weeks before our trip my perseverance paid off and I got a 3 bedroom. There were 3 open. I have to say it is scary as heck when the agent said she has to drop my reservation first before she books the new one. I think that is a crummy option that they can't do a quick 3 minute hold while they drop the existing reservation. What if some other agent was making a reservation for the same 3 bedroom and then I could have lost my 2 bedroom  and the 3 bedroom. The message that initially appears says you may have to borrow from next years options. I am cool with that. Anyway, after a few white knuckled moments I was locked in for the 3 bedroom. Woo hoo!!!!
So my understanding is the 3 bedroom is in the Bay Vista section. Is there any chance that if a 3 bedroom pool villa was open when we went they would upgrade us? We are checking in on Sat. I was shocked that the 3  3 bedrooms opened up but I was thrilled.


----------



## czar

SandyPGravel said:


> My In-laws are basically "vegetarians" and will be traveling with us in February.  Now I quote vegetarians because they do chose a vegetarian meal if given an option, but have at least on weak point. Brats.  (I know, of all the things to actually eat when you live a vegetarian lifestyle, not fish, brats!  What can I say we're from Wisconsin.)  So that will take care of one meal while we are there.  My question is how is the vegetarian selection at the grocery store within walking distance of the resort.  We have been to the resort twice already, but I wasn't scoping out meals in case my in-laws came along on a future trip to a TS I didn't think I would ever get to own!! :hysterical:
> 
> I remember buying potatoes and onions when we were there, but not much else veggie wise.  I plan out our meals and take as much as I can so we can spend our discretionary income on diving or other excursions.  Hopefully if we end up going to the Baths the restaurant has something they'll eat too.
> 
> We usually grill out most days.  Eat out once, maybe twice.  Last time we stayed 12 nights, this time only 7 so not as much planning involved.
> 
> Thanx, Gina



 I recall from my last visit to years ago that they had quite a bit of produce in that store.


----------



## Helios

beachlynn said:


> Is there any chance that if a 3 bedroom pool villa was open when we went they would upgrade us?



From what I've heard, this is possible.  However, this is very unlikely to happen.  Pool villas (actually all VG villas) were sold as fixed units/weeks.  Pool villas are very rarely released into SVN by their owners.


----------



## beachlynn

Well, that is ok. I do like that the the BV villas are closest to the beach and big pool. The only thing I don't like about BV is that they don't have a standard oven. Is that true? I have a question for all of you experts. We didn't book a rental car because we aren't 100% sure what we want to do. Being that it is Oct. and  apparently the off season, would it be easy to rent from the agency on site for those days that we might need. Also, we like to have some adult beverages so are there beaches that we could go to on the bus that are good? I have read that you can take a taxi to some but you would have to arrange for a pick up which could be a bit sketchy.


----------



## Helios

Renting at the Westin car rental place shouldn't be a problem.

I am not sure about the BV oven situation.


----------



## Helios

Something else to keep in mind, I am not sure exactly when you are going, but the seasonal point vale for VGVs increase starting on week 43 (last week in October from 125,000 to 196,900 SOs).  BV stays at 125,000 through week 50.  For that reason, the front desk may not give you the Pool Villa even if it is available at check in.  

I would ask, worst thing that can happen is they say no.


----------



## Helios

Out of curiosity, I just checked availability.  There is a pool villa with check in on 10/24.

How many SOs did you use for your resie?


----------



## czar

BV does NOT have full ovens - just a large microwave thing that's supposed to cook (we only used for popcorn) and a range on the counter. 

We rented at the resort and there was less availability than we thought so just make sure you do plan ahead just in case. We were at the start of off-season at the time; not sure who was renting all their cars!



moto x said:


> Renting at the Westin car rental place shouldn't be a problem.
> 
> I am not sure about the BV oven situation.


----------



## SandyPGravel

czar said:


> I recall from my last visit to years ago that they had quite a bit of produce in that store.



Thanx, I was hoping so!


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Something else to keep in mind, I am not sure exactly when you are going, but the seasonal point vale for VGVs increase starting on week 43 (last week in October from 125,000 to 196,900 SOs).  BV stays at 125,000 through week 50.  For that reason, the front desk may not give you the Pool Villa even if it is available at check in.
> 
> I would ask, worst thing that can happen is they say no.



^^^^ This ^^^^

I would assume that getting a villa worth more SOs that used for the reservation is highly unlikely (but you never know...)


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanx, I was hoping so!



There are 2 markets close by (StJ Market and StarFish) that have produce sections - of course it can be hit/miss (and expensive). Also, some restaurants (and food trucks) are moving toward more veggie dishes.  A food truck called 'Little Olive' is worth checking out for veggie dishes (to go).


----------



## DavidnRobin

beachlynn said:


> Well, that is ok. I do like that the the BV villas are closest to the beach and big pool. The only thing I don't like about BV is that they don't have a standard oven. Is that true? I have a question for all of you experts. We didn't book a rental car because we aren't 100% sure what we want to do. Being that it is Oct. and  apparently the off season, would it be easy to rent from the agency on site for those days that we might need. Also, we like to have some adult beverages so are there beaches that we could go to on the bus that are good? I have read that you can take a taxi to some but you would have to arrange for a pick up which could be a bit sketchy.



Plenty of places to rent cars from - not just on-site at WSJ (O'Connor). Also, STJ had an increase in the number of car rentals allowed on island.  You may want to consider a car rental place that is in Cruz Bay that allows parking on their site. Parking in CB can be a hassle unless willing to walk from public parking area next to car-barge drop-off.

On north-shore beaches (Hawknest to Maho) - no problem getting taxis during normal hours - there are plenty. For other beaches (Francis or Leinster on northside - or anywhere in Coral Bay area) - best to arrange a taxi-bus. Note: Taxis are open-air buses that can pickup and drop-off others along the way.  Taxi costs and details are on vinow.com

Note: No glass on beaches - you can get ticketed.
Also - no smoking on beaches


----------



## beachlynn

We used 125,000 I believe. It is so interesting to me that a 3 bedroom at St John, a very desirable location,is less star options than my 2 bedroom in Maui.


----------



## DavidnRobin

beachlynn said:


> We used 125,000 I believe. It is so interesting to me that a 3 bedroom at St John, a very desirable location,is less star options than my 2 bedroom in Maui.



Maui is more desirable than StJ - plus Maui only has 1 season, whereas WSJ has 3 seasons (Plat+, Plat, Gold+). So it depends on the season - our 2Bd TH at WSJ-VGV (Hillside) in June (Gold+) is worth only 95.7K SOs.

You didn't say what week/year you are going - it will likely matter on villa type since VGV and BV/CV have different weeks in a particular season, and they have been recently adjusted.


----------



## LisaRex

beachlynn said:


> We used 125,000 I believe. It is so interesting to me that a 3 bedroom at St John, a very desirable location,is less star options than my 2 bedroom in Maui.



Two words: hurricane season. Scares away a lot of people who may only have one big vacation a year.  Crowds thin out considerably in the fall, to the point where many restaurants would just shutter up during hurricane season.


----------



## Helios

beachlynn said:


> We used 125,000 I believe. It is so interesting to me that a 3 bedroom at St John, a very desirable location,is less star options than my 2 bedroom in Maui.



Then, it is definitely a 3BR at BV or CV.  You can tell which one because BV sleeps 10 and CV 12.  Your resie should mention max occupancy.


----------



## beachlynn

We check in this sat. We are in a 3 bedroom, so has to be in BV.


----------



## beachlynn

I meant to add that it sleeps 10.


----------



## zdarskyjim

*Tips for first time to WSJ*

Looking forward to our first exchange into WSJ next month.

This thread is providing a wealth of information and tips but am looking for some "can't miss" spots for a first visit to St John

*Snorkeling *- We are beginner snorkelers, one of us does not swim well so we are looking for good snorkeling that does not require long swims to get to the reef.

*Beaches* - With a six night stay (only 5 full days) we will not have time to hit all of the beaches. Which are the "can't miss" spots.

*Hiking* - We are moderately fit in early 60's looking for a couple great hikes in the 1-3 mile range. Would appreciate your favorites.

*Restaurants* - Looking to splurge on a couple nice dinners where price is no object and also hit a few places with "local charm" 

With the expansion of the TS throughout the entire hotel section we hope to be able to visit again - but with exchanges being so tough we want to make sure we hit the highlights to make this visit memorable.

Thanks in advance for your advice


----------



## DavidnRobin

zdarskyjim said:


> Looking forward to our first exchange into WSJ next month.
> 
> This thread is providing a wealth of information and tips but am looking for some "can't miss" spots for a first visit to St John
> 
> *Snorkeling *- We are beginner snorkelers, one of us does not swim well so we are looking for good snorkeling that does not require long swims to get to the reef.
> 
> *Beaches* - With a six night stay (only 5 full days) we will not have time to hit all of the beaches. Which are the "can't miss" spots.
> 
> *Hiking* - We are moderately fit in early 60's looking for a couple great hikes in the 1-3 mile range. Would appreciate your favorites.
> 
> *Restaurants* - Looking to splurge on a couple nice dinners where price is no object and also hit a few places with "local charm"
> 
> With the expansion of the TS throughout the entire hotel section we hope to be able to visit again - but with exchanges being so tough we want to make sure we hit the highlights to make this visit memorable.
> 
> Thanks in advance for your advice



much depends on whether you have a vehicle or not.. lots of opinions on this topic (mine... 4WD)

Snorkeling... Maho Bay for beginners - right side (if no vehicle)
Francis (left side), Salt Pond, Little Lameshur (w/ vehicle... 4WD for Lameshur...)

Beaches - so so many... Honeymoon, Hawksnest/Gibney, Trunk (most famous...), Cinnamon, Maho, Francis, Salt Pond, Little Lameshur

Hikes - Blue Cobblestone beach/Ram Head (especially if full moon). 
Reef Bay Trail - NPS hike (one of best bargains on StJ)
be aware that it can be very hot/humid in the subtropical forest - be prepared... (water/water/water...) you can find trail maps on-line with a bit of smart searching

Restaurants... too many to choose from (and they change often)
Oceans 364 (or what ever it is called) - eat upstairs at bar during sunset
Zozo's at Caneel
Rhumblines
Private dinner at villa with Ted's Supper Club
Asolare - also at sunset - but can be hit/miss
Lime Inn
Longboard
Jakes for breakfast
Uncle Joes BBQ (some like the other BBQ place by StarFish Market - but location is poor)

Drinks... try a PainKiller and Bushwacker - they tend to be different at different places (so try them all )

the list goes on and on, but be aware that there is great turnover in chefs and restaurants

lots of stuff on line... and lots of opinions

Island Roots for charter trip (try the 'Around St John' and go to Hurricane Hole). Capt  Jason is great with 1st timers (reserve asap)

^^^^ all of top of my head and I am not even a 'TUG Review Crew Rookie' {jab...} ^^^^

enjoy (and adapt)

PS - get a snorkel vest - the kind that lies flat w/ blow-up tube (~$30 on Amazon)


----------



## Helios

*VGV transition from Hyatt to Starwood - how was it handled?*

Does someone know how the transition was handled?  

Were the seasons (week within the season) maintained? 

How were the SOs assigned?

Was joining SVN optional?

How were the MF affected by the transition?


----------



## zdarskyjim

*Tips for first time to WSJ*

David

Thanks so much for the input

I will reread your trip reports in detail as well as those of other Tuggers but now I have a concise one page "cheat sheet" to help me plan

I have rented a 4WD jeep so we will be able to explore the island easily.

Thanks again

Jim


----------



## LisaH

David gave you great info. Just to add that on our last trip, we discovered two really good deli: Sam and Jacks above Starfish Market and North Shore at Mongoose Junction. Both were excellent! We bought quite a few sandwiches for the beaches and hiking when we were there...


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Does someone know how the transition was handled?
> 
> Were the seasons (week within the season) maintained?
> 
> How were the SOs assigned?
> 
> Was joining SVN optional?
> 
> How were the MF affected by the transition?



Sorry, I can't help. I have heard some about this from Owners at that time (while at resort), but don't really recall as this was >15 years ago and perhaps interesting, but not useful (and there is history before the Hyatt to Starwood transition...). Lots of island folks like to discuss the 'old' days of the resort going back to somewhere in the 1980s.

Curious... why do you want to know?
I would assume they were converted to SVO VOIs with the associated CCRs and had associated SOs (at the time), and likely joined SVN as WSJ-VGV is SVN Mandatory - but unsure if it was optional (unlikely optional since the HOA at some point voted on joining SVO).  Also, MFs would be calculated based on the annual balance sheet (like with all SVN resorts). I have the MFs going back to ~2003 (iirc) - these were added to the MF database.

One thing is that I have heard from Owners at that time is that they still have RCI accounts for their weeks.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Curious... why do you want to know?



I started wondering what happens when you own a VOI that gets purchased by another program with a working system in place.  

There has been speculation about SVN being sold in the recent past.

A rumor just started with Hilton this week...


----------



## Helios

And, I am pretty vested with Starwood and have started diversifying with Hilton and Marriott.  I guess it would be interesting if all hotel chains were managed by a singe company and worked seamlessly under a unified program.  But, I think that would leave unhappy people...

I recently heard that if the cure of cancer were to be found, there would be people who would complain...:ignore:


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Just received an email from WSJ*

Hi,


I hope that all is well.
Sorry for the impersonal nature of this email, but I wanted to let all of my owners know that Starwood just recently announced the final phase of villa development here at the Westin St john – it’s called Sunset Bay, and the final 96 hotel rooms are now being converted into 52 poolside and beachfront villas – 8 studios and 44 two-bedrooms.
The hotel rooms will begin to be rebuilt starting in January, and the new villas will reopen in January of 2017.
There will be two floors, with patios on the first level, and balconies on the second floor.
The ownership and usage will be just like Coral Vista, with 2 seasons, Diamond and Resort – and like Coral Vista, owners will buy shares of the Trust, and book one of more nights in any size accommodation.

The development will be 75% float, and 25% fixed weeks, and we will begin selling the fixed weeks in January.

For now, if certain margins are met, we are allowing equity transfers into Sunset Bay.

Floor plans are available on the SVN website.

If you have any particular questions about this, please let me know,  and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Happy holidays in advance, and I look forward to seeing you back here!


All my best,

Earle
EARLE
BROOKS
Sales Executive
THE WESTIN ST. JOHN RESORT & VILLAS
Box 8339, St. John, VI 00831


----------



## GrayFal

*Well there ya go!*

My friend and I toured with Earle this summer. Interesting!


----------



## dsmrp

SandyPGravel said:


> Hi,
> 
> ... it’s called Sunset Bay, and the final 96 hotel rooms are now being converted into 52 poolside and beachfront villas – 8 studios and 44 two-bedrooms.
> The hotel rooms will begin to be rebuilt starting in January, and the new villas will reopen in January of 2017.
> There will be two floors, with patios on the first level, and balconies on the second floor.
> The ownership and usage will be just like Coral Vista, with 2 seasons, Diamond and Resort – and like Coral Vista, owners will buy shares of the Trust, and book one of more nights in any size accommodation.
> 
> The development will be 75% float, and 25% fixed weeks, and we will begin selling the fixed weeks in January.
> 
> For now, if certain margins are met, we are allowing equity transfers into Sunset Bay.
> 
> Floor plans are available on the SVN website.
> ...



Sounds intriguing, and I haven't even been there yet LOL
Well will keep the sales force engaged handling inquiries 
Maybe Coral Vista or Hillside owners will do trade ins to get closer to the water?? In for a penny, in for a pound??


----------



## NNerland

I am not seeing where the floor plans are showing on the SVN website.

I heard construction has started and it is much simpler than the construction of the Coral Vista (not down to the concrete supports).

Curious to see more about this.

I do laugh at the "exchanges" can be made -- yes if you come to the table with $20k+ and "upgrade" your ownership.   We were offered this with our Summer Coral Vista - to Diamond Coral Vista -- basically lots of cash to get a winter reservation.   Not only that but a 2 bedroom was about 15% more expensive i MF dues that our 3 bedroom.


----------



## RichW

I am not seeing the floor plans in the SVN website???


----------



## DavidnRobin

RichW said:


> I am not seeing the floor plans in the SVN website???



Are you talking about Summer Bay? It is going to be awhile. I would imagine he drawings are still being developed. Those buildings are still standing and occupied, and still selling CV, and it is StJ after all. The construction is going to be a mess.  Hopefully will not affect mid-June, but there has been no Resort notice that I an aware of.  (Yet)

Those $$$$ Bay Front SB villas are going to be sweet - especially B16 (IMO) if you have the desposible income.

The rest of WSJ have floorplans available.

I personally do not like the studio setup at CV after seeing it last June.  Plus the kitchenettes... Personally, I enjoy having a full kitchen and having in-villa meals with BBQs steps away -plus making breakfasts and beach lunches.
IMO YMMV


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Are you talking about Summer Bay? It is going to be awhile. I would imagine he drawings are still being developed. Those buildings are still standing and occupied, and still selling CV, and it is StJ after all. The construction is going to be a mess.  Hopefully will not affect mid-June, but there has been no Resort notice that I an aware of.  (Yet)
> 
> Those $$$$ Bay Front SB villas are going to be sweet - especially B16 (IMO) if you have the desposible income.



I don't think it will be too long now before Sunset Bay drawings are available. CV inventory is low and Sunset Bay is beginning to be sold already at a higher price point than CV. First occupancy is scheduled to be January 2017.

What dates will you be at WSJ in June? We will be there in June next year as well, and are also a little bit nervous about construction...


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> I don't think it will be too long now before Sunset Bay drawings are available. CV inventory is low and Sunset Bay is beginning to be sold already at a higher price point than CV. First occupancy is scheduled to be January 2017.
> 
> What dates will you be at WSJ in June? We will be there in June next year as well, and are also a little bit nervous about construction...



If Jan 2017 is 1st occupancy (still find that tough to believe) - then certainly going to have construction in June.  
We are there weeks 23-24.
Doesn't really impact us as we don't hang out at the resort.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*2016 MFs for WSJ-VGV*

Studio - $1,399.39
1Bd - $1,865.92
2Bd Th - $2,332.45
2Bd Prem - $2,798.79
3Bd - $2,798.98

1.5% decrease (-1.5%) in 2016 VGV MF - compared to 2015


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> I don't think it will be too long now before Sunset Bay drawings are available. CV inventory is low and Sunset Bay is beginning to be sold already at a higher price point than CV. First occupancy is scheduled to be January 2017.
> 
> What dates will you be at WSJ in June? We will be there in June next year as well, and are also a little bit nervous about construction...



What's the price point?


----------



## okwiater

moto x said:


> What's the price point?



$72,400 for 176,700 HomeOptions in Diamond season, which is enough for a 2-bedroom or 2-bedroom loft. Resort season will be about 45K for 148,100 SOs, 55K for 176,700 SOs.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Studio - $1,399.39
> 1Bd - $1,865.92
> 2Bd Th - $2,332.45
> 2Bd Prem - $2,798.79
> 3Bd - $2,798.98



This is great. That's a slight decrease from last year.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Studio - $1,399.39
> 1Bd - $1,865.92
> 2Bd Th - $2,332.45
> 2Bd Prem - $2,798.79
> 3Bd - $2,798.98



Do you know why the 2BR Premium is almost the same as the pool villas?  It doesn't seem right, but I know the number is correct.  I would think the pool and extra square footage would make a difference.  Perhaps there are more delinquent accounts in 2 BR units...


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Do you know why the 2BR Premium is almost the same as the pool villas?  It doesn't seem right, but I know the number is correct.  I would think the pool and extra square footage would make a difference.  Perhaps there are more delinquent accounts in 2 BR units...



The MF for the 2Bd Premium comes from 2x the studio MF.
Delinquencies affect all VOIs, not just the villa type.  The 2Bd Prem MF has always been the ~same as the 3Bd. Part of CCRs.  The SO difference between the 2 is also very large.  The 2Bd Prem has to be one of the worst VOIs in SVO.  IMO

The BOD notice - proposed budget sheet has a 3Bd Premium unit with same MF as 3Bd Pool villa - always found that odd.  Never seen or heard of someone owning these - probably the same villa as 3Bd pool - likely some terminology carryover.

There was a Tugger that was having hard time in getting rid of their 2Bd Prem villa (Gold+?) - mainly due to those MF.  Compared to 3Bd pool villa size - that is a high MF/sqft for the 2Bd Prem.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> This is great. That's a slight decrease from last year.



Yes! I think that makes 3 in a row (or maybe 4?) - however, not hard considering how high they got.  But, at least the HOA is keeping reasonable reserves, and continued improvements.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> The MF for the 2Bd Premium comes from 2x the studio MF.
> Delinquencies affect all VOIs, not just that type.  The 2Bd Prem MF has always been the ~same as the 3Bd. Part of CCRs.  The SO difference between the 2 is also very large.  The 2Bd Prem has to be one of the worst VOIs in SVO.  IMO
> 
> The BOD notice - proposed budget sheet has a 3Bd Premium unit with same MF as 3Bd Pool villa - always found that odd.  Never seen or heard of someone owning these - probably the same villa as 3Bd pool - likely some terminology carryover.
> 
> There was a Tugger that was having hard time in getting rid of their 2Bd Prem villa (Gold+?) - mainly due to those MF.  Compared to 3Bd pool villa size - that is a high MF/sqft for the 2Bd Prem.



Interesting, I was actually wondering what the 3 BR Premium was.

I can see why the Tugger with the 2 BR Premium had a hard time getting rid of the unit.  I would not take it.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> The SO difference between the 2 is also very large.  The 2Bd Prem has to be one of the worst VOIs in SVO.  IMO



Funny how the 2Bd Premium at WSJ is one of the worst, and the 3Bd Premium at WSJ is now one of the best.


----------



## okwiater

*2016 MFs for WSJ-BV*

Here are the 2016 MFs for Bay Vista (exclusive of property tax):

2Bd - $1,853.78
2Bd Loft - $2,107.53
3Bd - $2,234.43

Not bad, only 1.7% increase from last year. And easily one of the best MF/SO-SP values in the system, with 257K SOs or 153K SPs.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> Here are the 2016 MFs for Bay Vista (exclusive of property tax):
> 
> 2Bd - $1,853.78
> 2Bd Loft - $2,107.53
> 3Bd - $2,234.43
> 
> Not bad, only 1.7% increase from last year. And easily one of the best MF/SO-SP values in the system, with 257K SOs or 153K SPs.



Property Tax is part of MF for BV iirc. Only VGV is billed separately.
Are you subtracting the Prop Tax for these figures?
Too bad SOs do not transfer upon resale with BV.


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Yes! I think that makes 3 in a row (or maybe 4?) - however, not hard considering how high they got.  But, at least the HOA is keeping reasonable reserves, and continued improvements.



Decrease in 2016 VGV MF is 1.5% (-1.5%)

The 2010 MF (peak) was $2,866.05 for 2Bd TH (~18% decrease compared to 2016)

2008 MFs for same...? $1,521.17
2005...? $1,052.87

2016 = $2,332.45


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> Here are the 2016 MFs for Bay Vista (exclusive of property tax):
> 
> 2Bd - $1,853.78
> 2Bd Loft - $2,107.53
> 3Bd - $2,234.43
> 
> Not bad, only 1.7% increase from last year. And easily one of the best MF/SO-SP values in the system, with 257K SOs or 153K SPs.



Do you have these MF for 2015? I thought I had seen them before.
Nobody posted in SVO MF database (or they are MIA)


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Property Tax is part of MF for BV iirc. Only VGV is billed separately.
> Are you subtracting the Prop Tax for these figures?
> Too bad SOs do not transfer upon resale with BV.



Yes, that's true, but I'm getting my figures from the Bay Vista proposed operating budget which doesn't appear to include property taxes (at least, I didn't see a line item for it). I did not add or subtract anything from the operating budget figures. I haven't received an MF bill yet.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Do you have these MF for 2015? I thought I had seen them before.
> Nobody posted in SVO MF database (or they are MIA)



I don't have the 2 bed figures, but the 3 bed was $2,197.88 + $235.17 in taxes.


----------



## GrayFal

okwiater said:


> $72,400 for 176,700 HomeOptions in Diamond season, which is enough for a 2-bedroom or 2-bedroom loft. Resort season will be about 45K for 148,100 SOs, 55K for 176,700 SOs.



Is there a Resort Season 97.5K option for a 2BR/2BR Loft wk34-50 as there is in CV?
Resort Season 148K am 19-33 is 148K in CV.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> I don't have the 2 bed figures, but the 3 bed was $2,197.88 + $235.17 in taxes.



For clarity - WSJ BV Prop Taxes are paid as part of annual MF (like many SVO properties - often call Ad Valorem Tax).  At least that is what I thought from BV Owners.  When you go to MSC - does it show tax as a separate line item?

WKORV/N and WPORV have Ad Valorem tax (and budget line item) - while WKV has tax added as line item and payment covers both.  WSJ-VGV has a bill directly from the USVI to the owner, and owners is responsible for paying separately (and buyers need a Tax certificate to transfer).

With all the BV Owners here - surprised there is not more transparency on these numbers - esp since it is sold out and reaching steady-state.


----------



## Bob808

This answer is probably contained within this thread so with apologies I want to ask for favorite snorkel sites on ST JOHN.  Thx.


----------



## DavidnRobin

In no particular order (w/o crowds and depending on conditions...):
Honeymoon/Salomon
Hawksnest
Jumbie
Trunk
Maho/Francis
Waterlemon
SaltPond (Blue Cobblestone)
Little Lameshur 
Hurricane Hole


----------



## Helios

*Consecutive weeks resie in VGV*

David - I know you own two consecutive weeks in VGV.  Logistically, how is the week to week (weekend) cleaning handled?  I am guessing the cleaning in between weeks is treated like an indepth mid week cleaning and you don't have to pack, leave for a couple of hours, and unpack.


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> David - I know you own two consecutive weeks in VGV.  Logistically, how is the week to week (weekend) cleaning handled?  I am guessing the cleaning in between weeks is treated like an indepth mid week cleaning and you don't have to pack, leave for a couple of hours, and unpack.



Like an indepth midweek.  No need to pack/unpack, but we do leave for those couple hours. Sometime we just decline, and just get new towels and supplies. We bring our own fitted bedsheet. The villa has a vacuum and broom.


----------



## bobpark56

*Try Haulover North*



DavidnRobin said:


> In no particular order (w/o crowds and depending on conditions...):
> Honeymoon/Salomon
> Hawksnest
> Jumbie
> Trunk
> Maho/Francis
> Waterlemon
> SaltPond (Blue Cobblestone)
> Little Lameshur
> Hurricane Hole



If beach sand and ease of entry into the water are not priorities, you might try Haulover North. In my view, it has the best snorkeling on the island...it's like swimming in a coral garden. But go there only when the wind is from the south, as it can be choppy otherwise...and have dead seaweed at the shoreline to wade through. It's best to take a buddy, as there may be no one else there.

For more info, see:  http://onislandtimes.com/st-johns-top-snorkeling-spots-spotlight-on-haulover-bay/

or:  http://stjohn-beachguide.com/haulover-bay/


----------



## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> If beach sand and ease of entry into the water are not priorities, you might try Haulover North. In my view, it has the best snorkeling on the island...it's like swimming in a coral garden. But go there only when the wind is from the south, as it can be choppy otherwise...and have dead seaweed at the shoreline to wade through. It's best to take a buddy, as there may be no one else there.
> 
> For more info, see:  http://onislandtimes.com/st-johns-top-snorkeling-spots-spotlight-on-haulover-bay/
> 
> or:  http://stjohn-beachguide.com/haulover-bay/



We have been there - sure... add to list. There are others as well... some that can only be accessed by boat.
And while at Haulover - seek Angel's Rest


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Like an indepth midweek.  No need to pack/unpack, but we do leave for those couple hours. Sometime we just decline, and just get new towels and supplies. We bring our own fitted bedsheet. The villa has a vacuum and broom.



Thanks.  That's good news.  Do you get two Manager's check in gifts (or whatever they are called)?  I'm used to getting the wonderful bubbly at check in :hysterical: Getting a second bubbly bottle at the beginning of the second week will be just out of this world.:rofl:

I think you are actually a beer advocate...


----------



## DavidnRobin

I do no have the status to get a welcome gift.  Bought mine resale.

I am a beer guy - so much so I contacted StarFish Market to get Sierra Nevada cans and Torpedo IPA in bottles a few months before arrival (because their distributor carries these) - which they carry now.  Lagunitis IPA would be asking too much.
I also wrote to Cheech (StJ Brewers) and suggested that they do cans instead of bottles.  But, really not a fan of their beers - but love to go to their place in Mongoose Junction (hopefully rebuilt now after the fire)
Canned IPAs are the wave of future beer-wise (and snob wise) - big movement here in CA


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> I do no have the status to get a welcome gift.  Bought mine resale.
> 
> I am a beer guy - so much so I contacted StarFish Market to get Sierra Nevada cans and Torpedo IPA in bottles a few months before arrival (because their distributor carries these) - which they carry now.  Lagunitis IPA would be asking too much.
> I also wrote to Cheech (StJ Brewers) and suggested that they do cans instead of bottles.  But, really not a fan of their beers - but love to go to their place in Mongoose Junction (hopefully rebuilt now after the fire)
> Canned IPAs are the wave of future beer-wise (and snob wise) - big movement here in CA



Interesting, I thought the gift was for all guests.  In any case, I got bubbly when I was a 3* exchanger.  I thought you were 3* as well?

Thanks for the WSJ beer advice, I like good brews also.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hmmm... I am 3* - no love I guess.


----------



## Helios

Now I wonder why I got the bubbly?  Perhaps it was a mistake.  

I'll ask the next time I go...


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Now I wonder why I got the bubbly?  Perhaps it was a mistake.
> 
> I'll ask the next time I go...



 I do not really care for such perks (unless it is something worth drinking like Cruzan Rum... ) Our friends - Tugger Ferndale - get welcome gifts as well.  For all the info I give for WSJ/STJ - you'd think they would send me something... hint  
...but I do it for the love

I did get a couple of nice gifts while at WKORV once - but that had to do with something I did for WKORV-SVN way back when (dealing with location preferences iirc)


----------



## canesfan

We get things at different resorts. It's not consistent. For us, it's usually not memorable to be honest. We never get anything at Maui. We will get something small at WKV and don't even own there. The only reason I remember that because we were only staying 2 nights this time and I thought it was especially odd.


----------



## okwiater

*Renovation Updates for The Westin St. John Resort & Villas*

As a valued Owner, it’s our priority to keep you updated on all the  latest happenings taking place at The Westin St. John Resort &  Villas during your upcoming stay.  

              Beginning January 2016, we will start the transformation of the poolside buildings (14, 15 and 16) into the first 26 of 54 Sunset Bay Villas.    

              The majority of this work will take place in the interior  of these buildings. While the buildings will be fully surrounded by  safety fencing, it is important that we make you aware of the  intermittent construction noises that will be occurring daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sounds will be heard from the main pool, parts of the beach, Snorkels Bar & Grill, and Lemongrass Restaurant & Bar.    

              We anticipate completion of the structural concrete work and underground utilities by June 2016.  The project will then be primarily focused on finishing the interior of  the villas, which will feature stylish designs and signature Westin  touches. For a sneak peak at what these beautiful villas will look like,  please visit the Concierge Desk to arrange a tour of a model unit. 

              We sincerely appreciate your patience during this time as  we enhance our resort. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to  create a relaxing vacation experience for you. 

              Please be sure to visit the resort information page to check the resort Special Conditions  and review other important information related to your St. John  reservation. Should you have any questions, please contact Owner  Services at 888-986-9637 or direct at 407-903-4635.

Be well, 

Mike Ryan, General Manager 
The Westin St. John Resort & Villas


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Renovation updates*

deleted - repeat of above


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> As a valued Owner, it’s our priority to keep you updated on all the latest happenings taking place at The Westin St. John Resort & Villas during your upcoming stay.
> 
> Beginning January 2016, we will start the transformation of the poolside buildings (14, 15 and 16) into the first 26 of 54 Sunset Bay Villas.
> 
> The majority of this work will take place in the interior of these buildings. While the buildings will be fully surrounded by safety fencing, it is important that we make you aware of the intermittent construction noises that will be occurring daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sounds will be heard from the main pool, parts of the beach, Snorkels Bar & Grill, and Lemongrass Restaurant & Bar.
> 
> We anticipate completion of the structural concrete work and underground utilities by June 2016. The project will then be primarily focused on finishing the interior of the villas, which will feature stylish designs and signature Westin touches. For a sneak peak at what these beautiful villas will look like, please visit the Concierge Desk to arrange a tour of a model unit.
> 
> We sincerely appreciate your patience during this time as we enhance our resort. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to create a relaxing vacation experience for you.
> 
> Please be sure to visit the resort information page to check the resort Special Conditions and review other important information related to your St. John reservation. Should you have any questions, please contact Owner Services at 888-986-9637 or direct at 407-903-4635.
> 
> Be well,
> Mike Ryan, General Manager
> The Westin St. John Resort & Villas



Wonder why I didn't get this email...


----------



## canesfan

I got the email as well. We will be there February 20-27th. We spend a good deal of time at the pool and bar. It will be interesting to see how it affects that area. If it is too noisy we will find somewhere else. It will be Westin's $ loss. This trip is a couples trip and everyone likes to be social.


----------



## Helios

Anyone knows what's the deal with the 3 remaining buildings?


----------



## GrayFal

moto x said:


> Anyone knows what's the deal with the 3 remaining buildings?




Beginning January 2016, we will start the transformation of the poolside buildings (14, 15 and 16) into the first 26 of 54 Sunset Bay Villas. 


They are doing three buildings now and will do the second three after the first three are complete.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Beginning January 2016, we will start the transformation of the poolside buildings (14, 15 and 16) into the first 26 of 54 Sunset Bay Villas.
> 
> 
> They are doing three buildings now and will do the second three after the first three are complete.



Sure, I was looking for more specifics, such as Begining 1/2017 the remaining buildings will start construction.  

This would come from people who talked to SVN, not the email above.


----------



## GrayFal

moto x said:


> Sure, I was looking for more specifics, such as Begining 1/2017 the remaining buildings will start construction.
> 
> This would come from people who talked to SVN, not the email above.



Remember we are on island time.  Nothing moves quickly. No matter what they say, this really does factor in.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Remember we are on island time.  Nothing moves quickly. No matter what they say, this really does factor in.



I guess.  Hopefully the finishes are better that what has been reported about CV.


----------



## Helios

Does anybody know about any special assessments that may have been applied in the past to VGV?  I haven't been able to find info on this?


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Does anybody know about any special assessments that may have been applied in the past to VGV?  I haven't been able to find info on this?



This is a complex story... which starts at Post #1 in the original WSJ thread.

But here is a summary (my version at least from 2006 - others have different opinions on these events... some unfortunately dropping from this thread - although I suspect still lurk, lawsuit against HOA by Owners, etc... that type of fun stuff) with that...

The WSJ-VGV HOA had been lacking in keeping sufficient Replacement Reserves, which kept the MFs quite low.
Things had gotten bad (worn down - it is the tropics after all...) - and the HOA tried to get a Special Assessment to improve interiors.
Owners overwhelmingly voted in support, but did not get a quorum (problem with WSJ Owner Database and Owner Apathy - IMO)
Things were so bad that me and Owner of adjacent week offered to buy a couch for our villa - it was unusable (to give a picture of how bad interiors - and exteriors - had gotten)

So... The HOA pulled an end-around (in some peoples' opinion) and forced an increase in RR (therefore MFs) without owner vote to get much needed refresh.
Recession came and helped boast MFs even higher.

Owners Revolt!!!

At around this time there was an Owner Coalition formed which I got involved with, but dropped out when I realized that they wanted to sue SVO, WSJ, and the VGV HOA (us). The Owner Coalition wanted status quo (disrepair and low MFs). They rightly complained that refresh cost too much (gee... in the USVI?). But my goal (and others) was 1) Refurbish VGV-WSJ and 2) HOA Transparency

SVO allowed VGV Owners to elect 2 HOA Board w/o their vote (still has 3 of 5 SVO pawns...) - Phil and Bob (current HOA members) get elected.  Phil still kiddingly blames me because I had gotten him involved in the election.
Transparency goal somewhat fulfilled - at least for SVO.  Now we get Quarterly updates from Phil and Bob keeping those concerned abreast of issues and activities.

The new HOA did a few things - they were 1st to get foreclosed VOIs back into Owners hands with a sale to Owners (getting MFs paid and up to date - lowering our MFs since we were covering delinquent Owners) - they have done this owner sale twice.  They also increased the MFs to take care of needed repairs, and increase the Replacement Reserves to adequate levels.  Along the way - the villas got a total refurbished - and the exterior of buildings had siding and roofs replaced.  Refurbish VGV-WSJ goal fulfilled.

In the meantime the Owner Coalition started a lawsuit against WSJ, SVO, VGV HOA...  This had something to do with a claim that CCRs were not legal, VGV HOA had overstepped their authority with refurbish, and probably a few other things (sorry - I wasn't involved and no one posted here...).  Unfortunately, the USVI attorney handling the Coalition lawsuit passed away.  I have not heard anything of the lawsuit since, but perhaps after this time someone can share (?)

But, to answer your question, there was a Special a Assessment in the form of increased MFs to refurbish WSJ-VGV, and now (last 3-4 years) MFs have stabilized, balance sheet looks good, RR are where they probably should be, villas are insured against Hurricanes, Solar projects have offset energy costs, FreeCycle exists, and MFs are probably aligned to where they should be (IMO), and importantly - villas have been remodeled (for most part), BBQ/Pool areas updated, and building sidings and roofs have been replaced...
VGV is only SVO that has true Owner-voted HOA reps.

Was it too costly? Probably.  Did HOA overstep their authority? Probably.
Did something get done? Yes

At least that is my version...
Maybe others will chime in?


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> This is a complex story... which starts at Post #1 in the original WSJ thread.
> 
> But here is a summary (my version at least from 2006 - others have different opinions on these events... some unfortunately dropping from this thread - although I suspect still lurk, lawsuit against HOA by Owners, etc... that type of fun stuff) with that...
> 
> The WSJ-VGV HOA had been lacking in keeping sufficient Replacement Reserves, which kept the MFs quite low.
> Things had gotten bad (worn down - it is the tropics after all...) - and the HOA tried to get a Special Assessment to improve interiors.
> Owners overwhelmingly voted in support, but did not get a quorum (problem with WSJ Owner Database and Owner Apathy - IMO)
> Things were so bad that me and Owner of adjacent week offered to buy a couch for our villa - it was unusable (to give a picture of how bad interiors - and exteriors - had gotten)
> 
> So... The HOA pulled an end-around (in some peoples' opinion) and forced an increase in RR (therefore MFs) without owner vote to get much needed refresh.
> Recession came and helped boast MFs even higher.
> 
> Owners Revolt!!!
> 
> At around this time there was an Owner Coalition formed which I got involved with, but dropped out when I realized that they wanted to sue SVO, WSJ, and the VGV HOA (us). The Owner Coalition wanted status quo (disrepair and low MFs). They rightly complained that refresh cost too much (gee... in the USVI?). But my goal (and others) was 1) Refurbish VGV-WSJ and 2) HOA Transparency
> 
> SVO allowed VGV Owners to elect 2 HOA Board w/o their vote (still has 3 of 5 SVO pawns...) - Phil and Bob (current HOA members) get elected.  Phil still kiddingly blames me because I had gotten him involved in the election.
> Transparency goal somewhat fulfilled - at least for SVO.  Now we get Quarterly updates from Phil and Bob keeping those concerned abreast of issues and activities.
> 
> The new HOA did a few things - they were 1st to get foreclosed VOIs back into Owners hands with a sale to Owners (getting MFs paid and up to date - lowering our MFs since we were covering delinquent Owners) - they have done this owner sale twice.  They also increased the MFs to take care of needed repairs, and increase the Replacement Reserves to adequate levels.  Along the way - the villas got a total refurbished - and the exterior of buildings had siding and roofs replaced.  Refurbish VGV-WSJ goal fulfilled.
> 
> In the meantime the Owner Coalition started a lawsuit against WSJ, SVO, VGV HOA...  This had something to do with a claim that CCRs were not legal, VGV HOA had overstepped their authority with refurbish, and probably a few other things (sorry - I wasn't involved and no one posted here...).  Unfortunately, the USVI attorney handling the Coalition lawsuit passed away.  I have not heard anything of the lawsuit since, but perhaps after this time someone can share (?)
> 
> But, to answer your question, there was a Special a Assessment in the form of increased MFs to refurbish WSJ-VGV, and now (last 3-4 years) MFs have stabilized, balance sheet looks good, RR are where they probably should be, villas are insured against Hurricanes, Solar projects have offset energy costs, FreeCycle exists, and MFs are probably aligned to where they should be (IMO), and importantly - villas have been remodeled (for most part), BBQ/Pool areas updated, and building sidings and roofs have been replaced...
> VGV is only SVO that has true Owner-voted HOA reps.
> 
> Was it too costly? Probably.  Did HOA overstep their authority? Probably.
> Did something get done? Yes
> 
> At least that is my version...
> Maybe others will chime in?



Thanks David.  This is great info.


----------



## Crasherino

DavidnRobin said:


> For clarity - WSJ BV Prop Taxes are paid as part of annual MF (like many SVO properties - often call Ad Valorem Tax).  At least that is what I thought from BV Owners.  When you go to MSC - does it show tax as a separate line item?
> 
> WKORV/N and WPORV have Ad Valorem tax (and budget line item) - while WKV has tax added as line item and payment covers both.  WSJ-VGV has a bill directly from the USVI to the owner, and owners is responsible for paying separately (and buyers need a Tax certificate to transfer).
> 
> With all the BV Owners here - surprised there is not more transparency on these numbers - esp since it is sold out and reaching steady-state.



I have an EOY 2 bdrm BV and my annual MF are $911.73 + $94.21 tax for a total of $1,005.94.  Double that and its $2,011.88.  

They do break out MFs and taxes and then give you the total.  Sounds like our MFs went up from $911 to $926/yr based on Oki's numbers.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Thanks. I was speaking to the lack of BV MF/Tax info in the MF database history - I think there was only 1 entry when I last looked.


----------



## ferndale

*long time since i've logged on!!*

wow, I have tons of reading to do to make sure I haven't missed anything important!!  I love your synopses of the renovations David,  and drama that happened, and mostly I love that however it happened, the renovations happened, and everything stays at Westin quality (on island time)!  
I also saw the discussions on welcome gifts, and I have to say the welcome gift in St. John is our favorite.  It is usually a cute bucket of beers and root beers from the local brewery along with coozies and bottle openers.  Already on ice and cold when we arrive, so it makes my husband and son walk in with a smile on their faces after a very long day of travel!!   Hope everyone is well, and wishing I was in St. John right now!


----------



## Helios

*Fixed Week/Unit Reservation Problems*

Has anyone experienced problems not getting you VGV reservations auto booked 365 days before check in.

Mine did not get booked this year and I had to call.  Owner's resolutions is looking into into. Last year it was booked 18 months before.


----------



## GrayFal

moto x said:


> Has anyone experienced problems not getting you VGV reservations auto booked 365 days before check in.
> 
> Mine did not get booked this year and I had to call.  Owner's resolutions is looking into into. Last year it was booked 18 months before.



I notice that my week 7 2017 is not showing. 
Last year week 34 was there at 18 months. 
Keep us posted.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Mine has never auto-booked, but it has been booked by me at 16-18 months out a few times when I have called OS for other things.

In the future (2017...), I am not going to book until 10 months out (last day) - because... as I understand it - once officially reserved and then unreserved (for whatever reason...), it cannot be gotten back - even if that occurs prior to the 10-month mark.
As example - If I reserve our weeks (wk23-24) at 14 months, then plans my change at 12 months and I want to try and use SOs for a SVN exchange, but change my mind (SO reservation cannot be made), then try and get my weeks (wk23-24) back - I cannot because they were effectively surrendered.  If I wait for 10 months, then I retain my flexibility to reserve or use SOs.
YMMV
At least that is how I understand it.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> I notice that my week 7 2017 is not showing.
> Last year week 34 was there at 18 months.
> Keep us posted.



I'll post the outcome.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Mine has never auto-booked, but it has been booked by me at 16-18 months out a few times when I have called OS for other things.
> 
> In the future (2017...), I am not going to book until 10 months out (last day) - because... as I understand it - once officially reserved and then unreserved (for whatever reason...), it cannot be gotten back - even if that occurs prior to the 10-month mark.
> As example - If I reserve our weeks (wk23-24) at 14 months, then plans my change at 12 months and I want to try and use SOs for a SVN exchange, but change my mind (SO reservation cannot be made), then try and get my weeks (wk23-24) back - I cannot because they were effectively surrendered.  If I wait for 10 months, then I retain my flexibility to reserve or use SOs.
> YMMV
> At least that is how I understand it.



Interesting.  The rep told me that they will not allow bookings before 12 months.  And, she said it is supposed to autobook.  After that, I had to call before 10 months to confirm.  Calling before 10 months has always been SOP I believe.

Your approach about waiting to book (or confirm booking right before 10 months) seems like a good idea.  I will give that a try.  

Did you ever ask if the unit is suppose to autobook?  I know you cannot trust the reps because you can get different answers from each of them.


----------



## Helios

On a related note, has anyone tried to drop a night from their fixed week/unit resie.  I was told that if you do this, you could end up in a different unit.


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Interesting.  The rep told me that they will not allow bookings before 12 months.  And, she said it is supposed to autobook.  After that, I had to call before 10 months to confirm.  Calling before 10 months has always been SOP I believe.
> 
> Your approach about waiting to book (or confirm booking right before 10 months) seems like a good idea.  I will give that a try.
> 
> Did you ever ask if the unit is suppose to autobook?  I know you cannot trust the reps because you can get different answers from each of them.



As said - They have booked my week 16-18 months out, but only when they asked if I wanted to book.
10 months is the last chance to call (supposedly 14 months is soonest)


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> On a related note, has anyone tried to drop a night from their fixed week/unit resie.  I was told that if you do this, you could end up in a different unit.



What does this mean - drop a night and get SOs back?
That would become a SVN exchange... dropping your week and getting 6 days.

Otherwise - just come in day late or leave day late...


----------



## GrayFal

moto x said:


> Has anyone experienced problems not getting you VGV reservations auto booked 365 days before check in.
> 
> Mine did not get booked this year and I had to call.  Owner's resolutions is looking into into. Last year it was booked 18 months before.





DavidnRobin said:


> Mine has never auto-booked, but it has been booked by me at 16-18 months out a few times when I have called OS for other things.
> 
> In the future (2017...), I am not going to book until 10 months out (last day) - because... as I understand it - once officially reserved and then unreserved (for whatever reason...), it cannot be gotten back - even if that occurs prior to the 10-month mark.
> As example - If I reserve our weeks (wk23-24) at 14 months, then plans my change at 12 months and I want to try and use SOs for a SVN exchange, but change my mind (SO reservation cannot be made), then try and get my weeks (wk23-24) back - I cannot because they were effectively surrendered.  If I wait for 10 months, then I retain my flexibility to reserve or use SOs.
> YMMV
> At least that is how I understand it.


It does not "auto-book" but it is/was there at 18 months out and you had to click on a link to confirm it. You did not need to call in, it was just there waiting for you to confirm the Resie. 

When I look at "Your Upcoming Stays" my February 2017 is not listed as it was last year by this time. This is definitely a change since the switch away from My Star Central to Starwood Vacatiin Network/Dashboard website. 

Agree about not needing to confirm until right before the 10 month mark -keeps all options open. However, once I have my airfare, I would confirm.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> What does this mean - drop a night and get SOs back?
> That would become a SVN exchange... dropping your week and getting 6 days.
> 
> Otherwise - just come in day late or leave day late...



If you have a 7 night resie, and call to make it a 6 night resie.  So your interpretation is correct.  It would be and SVN exchange.  But, how about if you do this when the whole place is fully booked.  Shouldn't they just leave you in your unit.  Of course, this is hypothetical, why would you reduce your stay there?


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> It does not "auto-book" but it is/was there at 18 months out and you had to click on a link to confirm it. You did not need to call in, it was just there waiting for you to confirm the Resie.
> 
> When I look at "Your Upcoming Stays" my February 2017 is not listed as it was last year by this time. This is definitely a change since the switch away from My Star Central to Starwood Vacatiin Network/Dashboard website.
> 
> Agree about not needing to confirm until right before the 10 month mark -keeps all options open. However, once I have my airfare, I would confirm.



The link, or the ability to reserve my unit, was not there for me this year.  In fact, it is still not there and I am within the 1 year window now.  If I look for my unit check in, I get no availability.


----------



## GrayFal

moto x said:


> The link, or the ability to reserve my unit, was not there for me this year.  In fact, it is still not there and I am within the 1 year window now.  If I look for my unit check in, I get no availability.



Well that is NOT good. Thanks for the heads up, I will look for your update.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Well that is NOT good. Thanks for the heads up, I will look for your update.



Rep said I would hear from them by tomorrow.  We'll see...


----------



## Markus

*Confirmation button*

Mine were all there about 13 months before check in.

Mark


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> It does not "auto-book" but it is/was there at 18 months out and you had to click on a link to confirm it. You did not need to call in, it was just there waiting for you to confirm the Resie.



Sorry - confused - what link are you talking about?
On the online booking?  That has not really existed that long - especially when you add the 18 month lead time.
Or is there some other link?

Regardless - I have previously made mine far in advance, and the recent ones have shown up on MSC as upcoming.  In the future, I will be calling to confirm at 10 months (+1 day) so in case plans change - I will not inadvertently lose my weeks - even when I have my airline tix which I get 331 days in advance when using FF miles).

Not sure why there is a concern that 2017 reservations haven't shown - it is still 2015.  Officially, it is only suppose to be 10-14 months for fixed weeks (according to OM). The 16-18 months prior so were just done because they can.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Well that is NOT good. Thanks for the heads up, I will look for your update.



Here is the update.  

This AM I got a resie for a 3BD for 10 people (196,900 SOs) without a reference of my unit number.  I called to ask about missing villa in resie.  Was told that my building is going through renovations during the fall and that's why the villa was not show.  After pushing agent, I was assured that I would get a pool villa for 10 people, which means I would get a villa with two bedrooms upstairs (because other pool villas accommodate 8 people).  Based on the SOs, I knew I was supposed to be in VG (as opposed to CV or BV).  So I dropped the issue.

Fast forward to this afternoon.  I call for another issue with a HRA resie.  Issue was fixed after 3 calls, even though I am anoyed I will call it a victory.  I asked about the Pool Villa resie, rep called his supervisor who confirmed resie should indicate my villa number.  They will follow up on this and revise resie.

Rep confirmed that resies for VGV are supposed to autobook at 12 months (not before 12 months as in the old days).  Owners need to confirm between 12 months and 10 months.


----------



## Helios

Markus said:


> Mine were all there about 13 months before check in.
> 
> Mark



Apparently things have changed, autobook will happen at 12 months now.


----------



## DavidnRobin

CCRs => 14-10 months to reserve villa, and then Owners period at 8-10 months.
I guess I will see what happens in June - I will be surprised if 'auto booked' at 12 months, but I do not plan to confirm June 2017 until Aug 2016 (10 months +1 day).
I do not think auto booking is part of CCRs - and not sure if OS has this correct (wouldn't surprise me...)


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> CCRs => 14-10 months to reserve villa, and then Owners period at 8-10 months.
> I guess I will see what happens in June - I will be surprised if 'auto booked' at 12 months, but I do not plan to confirm June 2017 until Aug 2016 (10 months +1 day).
> I do not think auto booking is part of CCRs - and not sure if OS has this correct (wouldn't surprise me...)



Wouldn't surprise me either, I just got two different answers for the same question today.

About CCRs, they indicate you have to reserve it 14-10 months.  So, now I am really upset because they did not let me reserve it two times between the 14-12 months.  That is a legal right I have to that, isn't that right?

First world problems, I guess...St John is in the future.

Let's see what happens with my week 48, I will follow your approach and will wait to confirm at 10 months plus 1 day.


----------



## Helios

BTW, David, are the CCR in mystarcentral under the WSJ VOI?  I guess I should get more familiar with them.


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> BTW, David, are the CCR in mystarcentral under the WSJ VOI?  I guess I should get more familiar with them.



Yes - at least they use to be there.
OS certainly can make changes (like booking earlier as a service), but be careful with OS making mistakes because they are treating VGV like fixed VOIs at other resorts (e.g. auto booking), while VGV is fixed - itcan also float. That differs VGV from other SVO VOIs, and can lead to OS to give bad info for VGV (and WSJ).

Also... I can be wrong... but the last time I visited this topic - 14-10 months (no auto book) - but that doesn't mean there are not auto booking - perhaps they do as a perceived service (like booking earlier) - in their minds - 'of course, VGV want their weeks reserved....' so they consider helpful.

My caution is that once reserved, and then explore using those SOs and decide to wait until later (before 10 months) - my understanding is that the week now becomes a SVN exchange.

Regardless - it is of little importance - I am going to wait to 10 months now (why not?) - as I may be inclined to use my VGV SOs now that they are at 95.7K per week.  Probably not, but...


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Wouldn't surprise me either, I just got two different answers for the same question today.
> 
> About CCRs, they indicate you have to reserve it 14-10 months.  So, now I am really upset because they did not let me reserve it two times between the 14-12 months.  That is a legal right I have to that, isn't that right?
> 
> First world problems, I guess...St John is in the future.
> 
> Let's see what happens with my week 48, I will follow your approach and will wait to confirm at 10 months plus 1 day.



If you have never used your WSJ week before (1st time as owner) - I would not assume anything and wait to last day.  I have been using mine for 9 years - and aligned between databases (WSJ, SVO, SVN, USVI) - it was not always that way...


----------



## Markus

*Owners Period*



DavidnRobin said:


> CCRs => 14-10 months to reserve villa, and then Owners period at 8-10 months.
> I guess I will see what happens in June - I will be surprised if 'auto booked' at 12 months, but I do not plan to confirm June 2017 until Aug 2016 (10 months +1 day).
> I do not think auto booking is part of CCRs - and not sure if OS has this correct (wouldn't surprise me...)



David,

Can you explain the owners period, 8-10 months. Is this when we can actually float, before the week is open to network?

Thanks

Mark


----------



## Helios

Markus said:


> David,
> 
> Can you explain the owners period, 8-10 months. Is this when we can actually float, before the week is open to network?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Mark



I'll jump in, and I am sure David will expand.  Between 10 to 8 months other owners in your season can reserve your unit if you did not confirm before 10 months.


----------



## Helios

I think it would still be considered a home resort resie.


----------



## DavidnRobin

VGV can float within season at 8-10 months based on availability.  
Not many reports of this happening, but possible.
Let's say you reserve your week by 10 months - then at 8-10 months out you can try and get another week.  This has to be within season (in my understanding), but that can create logistical issues as most seasons are more that 2 month long...
Plus, someone has to give up a like villa. I assume this has to be full week, but who knows? When this was started - there were no partial weeks.  I don't think OS knows - nor do I think you will get same answer from different calls.

Regardless - may be one report here of someone doing this - I assume low season.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> If you have never used your WSJ week before (1st time as owner) - I would not assume anything and wait to last day.  I have been using mine for 9 years - and aligned between databases (WSJ, SVO, SVN, USVI) - it was not always that way...



Last year was my first and I rented it to another owner (via a VGV website add ), sadly I already had plans.  This year will be my first with week 48.  Looking forward to 2 weeks back to back...


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> CCRs => 14-10 months to reserve villa, and then Owners period at 8-10 months.
> I guess I will see what happens in June - I will be surprised if 'auto booked' at 12 months, but I do not plan to confirm June 2017 until Aug 2016 (10 months +1 day).
> I do not think auto booking is part of CCRs - and not sure if OS has this correct (wouldn't surprise me...)



David - Is it possible the CCRs have changed?  At quick glance, I saw a reference to resies been made at 12 months around page 20 or so.  The section looks like a computer print out.  I did not look at the old looking typewriter type scanned pages.  I'll check them later.


----------



## DavidnRobin

lots of places discuss 12-10 month period... lots of repeats...

From 2010 CCRs:

Home Resort Preference Period means the four (4)-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending eight (8)
months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is comprised of the
Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period.
Home Resort Fixed Priority Period means the two (2)-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending ten
(10) months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period, during which each SVN Member owning a Fixed
VOI has the exclusive right to reserve the SVN Member's Fixed Vacation Period without competition from other
SVN Members, while each SVN Member owning a Floating VOI competes exclusively with other Owners of VOIs
at the SVN Member's Home Resort to reserve Floating Vacation Periods within such Member’s Season and Unit
type at the Member’s Home Resort, each subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents and the SVN Rules.

b. Home Resort Preference Period. The Home Resort Preference Period begins twelve (12) months and ends
eight (8) months prior to the Check-in Day of a given Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is
comprised of the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period. During the
Home Resort Preference Period, only 7-day Vacation Periods beginning on an established Check-In Day may be
reserved, and no SVN Member may reserve a Vacation Period in a Season or Unit type different from the Season
and Unit type of the SVN Member’s VOI.

Home Resort Preference Period means the four-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending eight
(8) months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is
comprised of the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period.

Home Resort Fixed Priority Period means the two (2)-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending
ten (10) months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period, during which each SVN Member owning a
Fixed VOI has the exclusive right to reserve the SVN Member's Fixed Vacation Period without competition
from other SVN Members, while each SVN Member owning a Floating VOI competes exclusively with other
Owners of VOIs at the SVN Member's Home Resort to reserve Floating Vacation Periods within such
Member’s Season and Unit type at the Member’s Home Resort, each subject to any limitations in the Resort
Documents and the SVN Rules.



b. Home Resort Preference Period. The Home Resort Preference Period begins twelve (12) months and ends eight (8) months prior to the Check-in Day of a given Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is comprised of the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period. During the Home Resort Preference Period, only 7-day Vacation Periods beginning on an established Check-In Day may be reserved, and no SVN Member may reserve a Vacation Period in a
Season or Unit type different from the Season and Unit type of the SVN Member’s VOI.
(1) Home Resort Fixed Priority Period. During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period,
SVN Members owning Fixed VOIs have the exclusive right to reserve their Fixed Vacation Periods without competition from other SVN Members, subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents and the SVN Rules.
During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, an SVN Member owning a Fixed VOI in a Lock-Off Unit may exercise a priority right to reserve the use of either portion of the Lock-Off Unit during the SVN Member's Fixed Vacation Period. Reservation requests for the remaining unreserved portion of the Lock-Off Unit will continue to be subject to the Reservation Window priorities. During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period,
SVN Members owning Floating VOIs have the exclusive right to compete with other SVN Members to reserve Floating Vacation Periods within their Season and Unit type at their Home Resorts, subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents and the SVN Rules. During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, an SVN Member owning a Floating VOI in a Lock-Off Unit may exercise a priority right to reserve the use of either portion of the Lock-Off Unit during a Floating Vacation Period. Reservation requests for the remaining
unreserved portion of the Lock-Off Unit will continue to be subject to the Reservation Window priorities.
During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, SVN Members owning Ultra Premium VOIs or Event VOIs may voluntarily give up their rights to use their Vacation Periods and compete with other SVN Members at their Home Resort to reserve Vacation Periods within their Season and Unit type at their Home Resort.
(2) Home Resort Float Period. During the Home Resort Float Period, SVN Members
have the exclusive right to reserve a Vacation Period in their Home Resorts without competition from SVN Members in other SVN Resorts, subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents. During the Home Resort Float Period, SVN Members must compete with other SVN Members owning VOIs in the SVN Members’ Home Resorts for reservations on a first-come, first-served basis for a reservation for any available Vacation
Period that the SVN Member has the right to reserve within the Member’s Season and Unit type at the Member’s Home Resorts. During the Home Resort Float Period, an SVN Member owning a VOI in a Lock-Off Unit may exercise a priority right to reserve the use of either portion of a Lock-Off Unit in the SVN Member's Home Resort during any available Vacation Period that the SVN Member has the right to reserve.
Reservation requests for the remaining unreserved portion of the Lock-Off Unit will continue to be subject to the Reservation Window priorities. During the Home Resort Float Period, SVN Members owning Ultra Premium VOIs or Event VOIs may voluntarily give up their rights to use their Vacation Periods and compete with SVN Members owning VOIs at their Home Resort to reserve Vacation Periods within their Season and Unit type at their Home Resort.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> lots of places discuss 12-10 month period... lots of repeats...
> 
> From 2010 CCRs:
> 
> Home Resort Preference Period means the four (4)-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending eight (8)
> months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is comprised of the
> Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period.
> Home Resort Fixed Priority Period means the two (2)-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending ten
> (10) months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period, during which each SVN Member owning a Fixed
> VOI has the exclusive right to reserve the SVN Member's Fixed Vacation Period without competition from other
> SVN Members, while each SVN Member owning a Floating VOI competes exclusively with other Owners of VOIs
> at the SVN Member's Home Resort to reserve Floating Vacation Periods within such Member’s Season and Unit
> type at the Member’s Home Resort, each subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents and the SVN Rules.
> 
> b. Home Resort Preference Period. The Home Resort Preference Period begins twelve (12) months and ends
> eight (8) months prior to the Check-in Day of a given Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is
> comprised of the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period. During the
> Home Resort Preference Period, only 7-day Vacation Periods beginning on an established Check-In Day may be
> reserved, and no SVN Member may reserve a Vacation Period in a Season or Unit type different from the Season
> and Unit type of the SVN Member’s VOI.
> 
> Home Resort Preference Period means the four-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending eight
> (8) months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is
> comprised of the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period.
> 
> Home Resort Fixed Priority Period means the two (2)-month period beginning twelve (12) months and ending
> ten (10) months prior to the Check-in Day of the Vacation Period, during which each SVN Member owning a
> Fixed VOI has the exclusive right to reserve the SVN Member's Fixed Vacation Period without competition
> from other SVN Members, while each SVN Member owning a Floating VOI competes exclusively with other
> Owners of VOIs at the SVN Member's Home Resort to reserve Floating Vacation Periods within such
> Member’s Season and Unit type at the Member’s Home Resort, each subject to any limitations in the Resort
> Documents and the SVN Rules.
> 
> 
> 
> b. Home Resort Preference Period. The Home Resort Preference Period begins twelve (12) months and ends eight (8) months prior to the Check-in Day of a given Vacation Period. The Home Resort Preference Period is comprised of the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period (12-10 months) and the Home Resort Float Period. During the Home Resort Preference Period, only 7-day Vacation Periods beginning on an established Check-In Day may be reserved, and no SVN Member may reserve a Vacation Period in a
> Season or Unit type different from the Season and Unit type of the SVN Member’s VOI.
> (1) Home Resort Fixed Priority Period. During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period,
> SVN Members owning Fixed VOIs have the exclusive right to reserve their Fixed Vacation Periods without competition from other SVN Members, subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents and the SVN Rules.
> During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, an SVN Member owning a Fixed VOI in a Lock-Off Unit may exercise a priority right to reserve the use of either portion of the Lock-Off Unit during the SVN Member's Fixed Vacation Period. Reservation requests for the remaining unreserved portion of the Lock-Off Unit will continue to be subject to the Reservation Window priorities. During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period,
> SVN Members owning Floating VOIs have the exclusive right to compete with other SVN Members to reserve Floating Vacation Periods within their Season and Unit type at their Home Resorts, subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents and the SVN Rules. During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, an SVN Member owning a Floating VOI in a Lock-Off Unit may exercise a priority right to reserve the use of either portion of the Lock-Off Unit during a Floating Vacation Period. Reservation requests for the remaining
> unreserved portion of the Lock-Off Unit will continue to be subject to the Reservation Window priorities.
> During the Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, SVN Members owning Ultra Premium VOIs or Event VOIs may voluntarily give up their rights to use their Vacation Periods and compete with other SVN Members at their Home Resort to reserve Vacation Periods within their Season and Unit type at their Home Resort.
> (2) Home Resort Float Period. During the Home Resort Float Period, SVN Members
> have the exclusive right to reserve a Vacation Period in their Home Resorts without competition from SVN Members in other SVN Resorts, subject to any limitations in the Resort Documents. During the Home Resort Float Period, SVN Members must compete with other SVN Members owning VOIs in the SVN Members’ Home Resorts for reservations on a first-come, first-served basis for a reservation for any available Vacation
> Period that the SVN Member has the right to reserve within the Member’s Season and Unit type at the Member’s Home Resorts. During the Home Resort Float Period, an SVN Member owning a VOI in a Lock-Off Unit may exercise a priority right to reserve the use of either portion of a Lock-Off Unit in the SVN Member's Home Resort during any available Vacation Period that the SVN Member has the right to reserve.
> Reservation requests for the remaining unreserved portion of the Lock-Off Unit will continue to be subject to the Reservation Window priorities. During the Home Resort Float Period, SVN Members owning Ultra Premium VOIs or Event VOIs may voluntarily give up their rights to use their Vacation Periods and compete with SVN Members owning VOIs at their Home Resort to reserve Vacation Periods within their Season and Unit type at their Home Resort.



Thanks for posting


----------



## DavidnRobin

looks like there is nothing about autobooking - or reserving at 14 months
that may have been set by SVN as a service to owners


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> looks like there is nothing about autobooking - or reserving at 14 months
> that may have been set by SVN as a service to owners



So, the rep may be right this time and the 14 months reservation period may have really gone away, and the auto booking who knows.  I guess VG owners will have to wait and see what happens.  Hopefully VGV owners report what their experiences are moving forward.


----------



## LisaH

moto x said:


> Has anyone heard anything about when the VGV HOA sale will take place?





sachia007 said:


> I believe last year the info. came out in August. Perhaps there won't be any this year?





moto x said:


> The last update they provided said it would be at the end of August.  But nothing happened.



I guess now we know why there is no HOA sale this year:
From *Virgin Grand Villas - November 2015 Report to Owners

DEVELOPER PURCHASE OF FORECLOSED UNIT WEEKS THAT WE OWN*

Another development is that the Virgin Grand developer has agreed to purchase all 112 unit weeks that the Association owns as a result of foreclosures on delinquent owners. These are unit weeks on which the owners were not paying maintenance fees and, as a result, the rest of us had to pay their share of operating costs. So, commencing in 2016, the developer will pay the maintenance fees for these unit weeks until new fee-paying owners purchase them.

This sale is of significant benefit to all of us as owners. In the past two years, we have held "bargain sales" to enable existing owners to purchase this inventory. Despite very low prices, we were able to sell to owners only a fraction of the unit weeks that we owned, and therefore the sales (and the annual fees paid by the new owners) resulted in a smaller impact on maintenance fees than we had hoped. The sale of these 112 unit weeks will result in an annual benefit to the Association in excess of $200,000 (far more than we could anticipate as a result of a third "bargain sale" where far less than all of the unit weeks would be sold). We will also realize a one-time benefit of $242,480 from the proceeds of the sale. While it is of course helpful for the Association to receive this cash payment, we consider it to be less important than the ongoing receipts of increased maintenance fees, attributable to these 112 unit weeks. Next year, the Board will decide how to allocate those funds. Some of the proceeds from this payment could be applied to accelerate, during the next one to three years, the full funding of the special reserve that we created four years ago to pay for the $2.3 million deductible on the insurance policy that protects us in the event of a hurricane. Currently, that fund has about $1.5 million. Some of the funds can also offset what would otherwise be an increase in maintenance costs attributable to the Association resulting from the conversion, by 2017, of 96 hotel rooms to 48 timeshare units, which will cause an increase of about 5 percentage points in our proportionate share of the costs associated with the operation of the common areas such as the big pool and the tennis courts. We currently pay $186,662 each year to maintain those common areas, or about $39.78 (on average) per unit week.


----------



## dsmrp

LisaH said:


> I guess now we know why there is no HOA sale this year:
> From *Virgin Grand Villas - November 2015 Report to Owners
> 
> DEVELOPER PURCHASE OF FORECLOSED UNIT WEEKS THAT WE OWN*
> 
> Another development is that the Virgin Grand developer has agreed to purchase all 112 unit weeks that the Association owns ...



Hmm, who exactly is the "Virgin Grand developer" ??
Is this a side effect to the ILG purchase?


----------



## okwiater

dsmrp said:


> Hmm, who exactly is the "Virgin Grand developer" ??
> Is this a side effect to the ILG purchase?



My guess is that since SVO now has a newly reinvigorated sales operation there (for Sunset Bay), it's going to be pretty easy for them to sell those units for a nice profit. Also, yes since SVO is spinning off, they need a way to acquire inventory besides just building new resorts, and this deal gives them a ROFR deal at WSJ. Seems like a win-win.


----------



## DavidnRobin

This purchase by SVO is a huge announcement - really makes one wonder what is going on behind the scene.  This is also another first for SVO.
Glad they didn't pick and choose which ones they picked up.


----------



## Helios

LisaH said:


> I guess now we know why there is no HOA sale this year:
> From *Virgin Grand Villas - November 2015 Report to Owners
> 
> DEVELOPER PURCHASE OF FORECLOSED UNIT WEEKS THAT WE OWN*
> 
> Another development is that the Virgin Grand developer has agreed to purchase all 112 unit weeks that the Association owns as a result of foreclosures on delinquent owners. These are unit weeks on which the owners were not paying maintenance fees and, as a result, the rest of us had to pay their share of operating costs. So, commencing in 2016, the developer will pay the maintenance fees for these unit weeks until new fee-paying owners purchase them.
> 
> This sale is of significant benefit to all of us as owners. In the past two years, we have held "bargain sales" to enable existing owners to purchase this inventory. Despite very low prices, we were able to sell to owners only a fraction of the unit weeks that we owned, and therefore the sales (and the annual fees paid by the new owners) resulted in a smaller impact on maintenance fees than we had hoped. The sale of these 112 unit weeks will result in an annual benefit to the Association in excess of $200,000 (far more than we could anticipate as a result of a third "bargain sale" where far less than all of the unit weeks would be sold). We will also realize a one-time benefit of $242,480 from the proceeds of the sale. While it is of course helpful for the Association to receive this cash payment, we consider it to be less important than the ongoing receipts of increased maintenance fees, attributable to these 112 unit weeks. Next year, the Board will decide how to allocate those funds. Some of the proceeds from this payment could be applied to accelerate, during the next one to three years, the full funding of the special reserve that we created four years ago to pay for the $2.3 million deductible on the insurance policy that protects us in the event of a hurricane. Currently, that fund has about $1.5 million. Some of the funds can also offset what would otherwise be an increase in maintenance costs attributable to the Association resulting from the conversion, by 2017, of 96 hotel rooms to 48 timeshare units, which will cause an increase of about 5 percentage points in our proportionate share of the costs associated with the operation of the common areas such as the big pool and the tennis courts. We currently pay $186,662 each year to maintain those common areas, or about $39.78 (on average) per unit week.



I got this today too.  

How convenient that the HOA (controlled by Starwood people) decided to sell the units to the developer which means buy low so you can churn the units and make a lot more money.  But, I guess it's good for owners because we get the benefit of getting MFs from all units and that helps our own MFs.

I am very glad I just found a contiguous week to my existing week in the resale market for a price that was pretty low (I bet lower than the closed action price that I would have paid in the HOA sale for a less convenient week/unit).  I am looking to having access to the storage cosets in the second floor.  It will make travel so much easier by leaving the bulky things there.  Perhaps even non perishable items like booze.


----------



## Helios

moto x said:


> Rep said I would hear from them by tomorrow.  We'll see...



I got my updated resie showing all info correctly, including my fixed villa.  So all is good.  We'll see what happens with the subsequent week resie.


----------



## Helios

moto x said:


> I got this today too.
> 
> How convenient that the HOA (controlled by Starwood people) decided to sell the units to the developer which means buy low so you can churn the units and make a lot more money.  But, I guess it's good for owners because we get the benefit of getting MFs from all units and that helps our own MFs.
> 
> I am very glad I just found a contiguous week to my existing week in the resale market for a price that was pretty low (I bet lower than the closed action price that I would have paid in the HOA sale for a less convenient week/unit).  I am looking to having access to the storage cosets in the second floor.  It will make travel so much easier by leaving the bulky things there.  Perhaps even non perishable items like booze.



Actually, I'll correct myself, the Starwood HOA members were not part of the decision.  Two paragraphs below it mentioned:

"You should be aware that the three developer-appointed directors to the Association Board did not participate in the negotiations resulting in this arrangement and recused themselves from voting when it was presented to the Board; it was negotiated and approved by the two of us and unanimously approved by us as, in our considered judgment, being in the best interests of the Association and its owners, taken as a whole."


----------



## SMHarman

moto x said:


> Actually, I'll correct myself, the Starwood HOA members were not part of the decision.  Two paragraphs below it mentioned:
> 
> "You should be aware that the three developer-appointed directors to the Association Board did not participate in the negotiations resulting in this arrangement and recused themselves from voting when it was presented to the Board; it was negotiated and approved by the two of us and unanimously approved by us as, in our considered judgment, being in the best interests of the Association and its owners, taken as a whole."


From what any Starwood owner saw of maintainance fees post financial crisis they skyrocketed due to the unrecoverable from delinquent owners. 

That and the statement that owners only want the platinum plus weeks indicate best business judgement was used here.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Phil and Bob decided w/o other 3 SVO HOA Board members voting.
You could write them and request to know which VOIs were sold, but likely not the high demand villas.
'taken as a whole'


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> 'taken as a whole'



That's the key! From my calculation, each week averaged more than $2000 in sales. Under the assumption that majority (if not all) weeks are non-prime season weeks, I think Phil and Bob did a fantastic job. 
I just hope that, going forward, Westin would take the week back rather than letting them go into foreclosure. This will not only help to maintain the timeshare value, but also save HOA a lot of money to take legal action in foreclosing. I guess I'm dreaming.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*WSJ-VGV - Nov. 2015 Report to Owners*

For this interested - here's a copy of the full email sent from the VGV HOA
*****

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner: 

As your owner-elected members of the Board of Directors of Virgin Grand, we recently participated in two board meetings. The first meeting was held in early October to participate in preparing the 2016 budget. The second meeting was held on November 20 to approve the proposed 2016 budget, which was included with the Notice of the November meeting that was sent to all owners. 

MAINTENANCE FEES GOING DOWN AGAIN 
The good news is that there will be no maintenance fee increase next year! In fact, there will be another small maintenance fee decrease (1.5%). This reduction in our fees will occur despite having increases in the cost of insurance, employee wages, benefits, other contractual costs, and adding to reserves for improved communication services.

This is the fifth consecutive year in which maintenance fees have gone down. Although a significant part of the reduction resulted from circumstances beyond management's control (a reduction in the cost of electricity from 51 cents to 38 cents per KWH), we can also appreciate management's continuing efforts to control costs and to increase efficiency.

MORE IMPROVEMENTS COMING
Notwithstanding the decrease in maintenance fees, the resort is still improving. Buildings 33, 34, 41 and 42 were renovated in 2015, and buildings 31, 32, 43 and 44 will have renovations in 2016. (Despite several attempts, we could not obtain the required unanimous consent from the owners of unit weeks in any of the units in buildings 41 and 42, so the renovations in those buildings will not include a fixed wall in the upstairs bedroom area as many owners of those units had requested). 

The Board also approved our suggestion that ADA-compliant chilled water dispensers be installed at both of the hillside pools, and that towel drying racks be provided for the patios in all of the pool villas. And on a more mundane note of interest to those of us who cook in our units, expect more sturdy garbage bags in your kitchens. (This is something that both owners and the cleaning staff have desired).

DEVELOPER PURCHASE OF FORECLOSED UNIT WEEKS THAT WE OWN
Another development is that the Virgin Grand developer has agreed to purchase all 112 unit weeks that the Association owns as a result of foreclosures on delinquent owners. These are unit weeks on which the owners were not paying maintenance fees and, as a result, the rest of us had to pay their share of operating costs. So, commencing in 2016, the developer will pay the maintenance fees for these unit weeks until new fee-paying owners purchase them.

This sale is of significant benefit to all of us as owners. In the past two years, we have held "bargain sales" to enable existing owners to purchase this inventory. Despite very low prices, we were able to sell to owners only a fraction of the unit weeks that we owned, and therefore the sales (and the annual fees paid by the new owners) resulted in a smaller impact on maintenance fees than we had hoped. The sale of these 112 unit weeks will result in an annual benefit to the Association in excess of $200,000 (far more than we could anticipate as a result of a third "bargain sale" where far less than all of the unit weeks would be sold). We will also realize a one-time benefit of $242,480 from the proceeds of the sale. While it is of course helpful for the Association to receive this cash payment, we consider it to be less important than the ongoing receipts of increased maintenance fees, attributable to these 112 unit weeks. Next year, the Board will decide how to allocate those funds. Some of the proceeds from this payment could be applied to accelerate, during the next one to three years, the full funding of the special reserve that we created four years ago to pay for the $2.3 million deductible on the insurance policy that protects us in the event of a hurricane. Currently, that fund has about $1.5 million. Some of the funds can also offset what would otherwise be an increase in maintenance costs attributable to the Association resulting from the conversion, by 2017, of 96 hotel rooms to 48 timeshare units, which will cause an increase of about 5 percentage points in our proportionate share of the costs associated with the operation of the common areas such as the big pool and the tennis courts. We currently pay $186,662 each year to maintain those common areas, or about $39.78 (on average) per unit week.

Earlier this year, we anticipated, and announced in a report to you, that we would have a third "bargain sale" this year. Because of the fortuitous development of the sale of our entire inventory of foreclosed unit weeks, there will not be such a sale. In future years, under our agreement, the developer has a right of first refusal to buy such unit weeks as we acquire by foreclosure at a scheduled price. If the developer does not exercise this right, we could at some point hold another sale to owners. And if for any reason we become dissatisfied with this arrangement in future years, the Association has the right to cancel the agreement.

You should be aware that the three developer-appointed directors to the Association Board did not participate in the negotiations resulting in this arrangement and recused themselves from voting when it was presented to the Board; it was negotiated and approved by the two of us and unanimously approved by us as, in our considered judgment, being in the best interests of the Association and its owners, taken as a whole.

FREECYCLE SHED UPDATE
The freecycle shed seems to be working very well. General Manager Mike Ryan reports that at checkout time on Fridays and Saturdays, between 10 and 12, there are typically 25 to 30 beach chairs in the shed, available for use during the week by Virgin Grand owners and their guests. And by 4 pm, they have all been taken by incoming unit owners and their guests. As a result, the Board has authorized a small expenditure ($500 per year, or about ten cents per unit week) to purchase additional beach chairs or other equipment to be housed in the shed. Reminder: if you take something from the shed, please return it there at the end of your stay, and don't leave it in a locker or at the beach. And if you happen to buy equipment while you are in St. John that you don't want to take back with you, please contribute it for freecycling. 

NEW DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 
When you next visit the resort, please welcome the new Director of Operations, Sam Hugli, who brings his many years of experience in the hospitality industry to our resort. We encourage all owners to attend the owners' cocktail party, held in the late afternoon on nearly every Monday, weather permitting. Mr. Hugli will often be present, along with Mike Ryan.

VISTANA SIGNATURE EXPERIENCES 
As had previously been announced, Starwood Vacation Ownership ("SVO") is being spun off by Starwood to become a stand-alone public company, Vistana Signature Experiences ("Vistana"), which will manage the timeshare resorts previously managed by SVO. This development was anticipated to be completed during 2015, but we have been advised to expect it to occur during the second quarter of 2016. And just a few weeks ago Starwood announced that upon completion of the spin-off Vistana will merge with Interval Leisure Group ("ILG"), a "provider of non-traditional lodging…that currently operates more than 200 resort properties around the world". In that announcement Starwood stated that timeshare owners will continue to have access to the Starwood Preferred Guest ("SPG") program and, as well, exchange privileges, including through the Starwood Vacation Network and Interval International, which is part of ILG.

Recently, it was announced that Starwood and Marriott International will merge to create the world's largest hotel company. This is expected to occur mid-year of 2016, following the spin-off of SVO to Vistana and its immediate merger with ILG. SVO will remain part of Starwood until its merger with ILG is complete. As of now, no changes have been announced to owners' SPG program status, Starpoints or existing reservations.

NOTICES FROM US AND FROM THE RESORT
If you received this newsletter from a friend or relative rather than directly from an SVO email, you probably have not given SVO the email address that you most often check. In that case, you might want to update your email listing online at starwoodvacationnetwork.com so that you receive all emailed notices from the resort and from us, your elected representatives. 

ANNUAL MEETING
The 2016 annual meeting of the Association will be held on February 22 at the resort. If you will be at the resort that week, we encourage you to attend and ask questions. Information will be sent out in advance of the meeting.

Sincerely,
Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com

Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## bobpark56

*WSJ Resort Fee for WSJ Owner staying in an SPG Unit*

Have any WSJ owners had experience with the resort fee when staying in a WSJ unit on SPG points (starpoints)? 

We did this once and were charged the $40 fee for 2 nights, but not for the other 3. We have a 5-night stay scheduled again in 2016, but are not sure what to expect.


----------



## zdarskyjim

bobpark56 said:


> Have any WSJ owners had experience with the resort fee when staying in a WSJ unit on SPG points (starpoints)?
> 
> We did this once and were charged the $40 fee for 2 nights, but not for the other 3. We have a 5-night stay scheduled again in 2016, but are not sure what to expect.



Just stayed for 6 nights the week before last. First night with SPG points and a 5 night star options exchange. I did get charged a 40.00 resort fee for the one SPG night


----------



## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> Have any WSJ owners had experience with the resort fee when staying in a WSJ unit on SPG points (starpoints)?
> 
> We did this once and were charged the $40 fee for 2 nights, but not for the other 3. We have a 5-night stay scheduled again in 2016, but are not sure what to expect.



If your stay was on SPs - then you should have have been charge the $40 resort charge for the other 3 nites.  But... this is WSJ after all - maybe they waived, maybe they forgot.

The $40/day charge should be stated on your reservation, AND reminded upon checkin.


----------



## GrayFal

*Question about Maint Fee*

I just checked my online account to see when my maintenance fee payment was due.
 I first checked my SVV and it gave the amount due and the balance and that it was due by 1/5/16.
Went to my WSJ week and the maintenance fee info was there but said "Due date n/a" and balance of zero. 

Has anyone else had this experience?


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> I just checked my online account to see when my maintenance fee payment was due.
> I first checked my SVV and it gave the amount due and the balance and that it was due by 1/5/16.
> Went to my WSJ week and the maintenance fee info was there but said "Due date n/a" and balance of zero.
> 
> Has anyone else had this experience?



I have, my HRA units show the same also.


----------



## GrayFal

moto x said:


> I have, my HRA units show the same also.



Wierd? 
But will keep checking back for the due date. 

David?


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> I just checked my online account to see when my maintenance fee payment was due.
> I first checked my SVV and it gave the amount due and the balance and that it was due by 1/5/16.
> Went to my WSJ week and the maintenance fee info was there but said "Due date n/a" and balance of zero.
> 
> Has anyone else had this experience?



Mine is the same; thought maybe it was just me because I recently adopted this unit in October.


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> Wierd?
> But will keep checking back for the due date.
> 
> David?



not weird - MFs have not been posted yet for WSJ-VGV


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> not weird - MFs have not been posted yet for WSJ-VGV



Okay thanks. 
Seems late to me, but will check back in a week. Do you know when the bills are usually due?


----------



## sachia007

bobpark56 said:


> Have any WSJ owners had experience with the resort fee when staying in a WSJ unit on SPG points (starpoints)?
> 
> We did this once and were charged the $40 fee for 2 nights, but not for the other 3. We have a 5-night stay scheduled again in 2016, but are not sure what to expect.


We have stayed twice on SPG points, both times $40/night was charged.


----------



## okwiater

moto x said:


> So, the rep may be right this time and the 14 months reservation period may have really gone away, and the auto booking who knows.  I guess VG owners will have to wait and see what happens.  Hopefully VGV owners report what their experiences are moving forward.



My reservation for 2017 showed up automatically today, with a message indicating that the status is unconfirmed.


----------



## sachia007

okwiater said:


> My guess is that since SVO now has a newly reinvigorated sales operation there (for Sunset Bay), it's going to be pretty easy for them to sell those units for a nice profit. Also, yes since SVO is spinning off, they need a way to acquire inventory besides just building new resorts, and this deal gives them a ROFR deal at WSJ. Seems like a win-win.



First refusal for these MF-delinquent units only, correct? Not every year, unless it's negotiated?

Just being nosey here, but I would love to know what weeks were available?

Why couldn't we have put them up for sale through real-estate companies that handle re-sales? Even if we sold them through MLS for a reasonable amount? 

So with turning these over, back to I assume Starwood, should our MF decrease dramatically next year (or for 2018) since we are no longer covering delinquent units?


----------



## LisaH

2016 M/F has been posted now:






Mine is 2BR Hillside


----------



## DavidnRobin

sachia007 said:


> First refusal for these MF-delinquent units only, correct? Not every year, unless it's negotiated?
> 
> Just being nosey here, but I would love to know what weeks were available?
> 
> Why couldn't we have put them up for sale through real-estate companies that handle re-sales? Even if we sold them through MLS for a reasonable amount?
> 
> So with turning these over, back to I assume Starwood, should our MF decrease dramatically next year (or for 2018) since we are no longer covering delinquent units?



There is no ROFR for WSJ-VGV - anyway,  these were not put on open market.

Did you read section of Phil/Bob email on this?
They decided that this was best approach to get these weeks back into hands of someone to cover the MFs (vs. delinquent or foreclosed upon)
They bought them all. Sales of these weeks prevent our MFs from increasing due to delinquencies. Proceeds of sale going to HOA budget.

IMO - It is highly unlikely these were Plat+ villas as these VOIs have substantial value (as shown in resale prices - and prices for those ones being sold on-site at WSJ). A person that had their Plat+ VOIs foreclosed on them had to be really trying. Plat+ 3Bd weeks are selling for $20K+ - especially now that they get 257K SOs - making the MF/SO some of lowest in the resale system as a SVN Mandatory resort.  I suspect most of these VOIs were Gold+ (low) season.

If you want to know which were sold - there are 2 ways I can think of that may get that info 1) write Phil/Bob and request that info, 2) look at USVI site that deals with deed transfers.

me...? I do not care - I am happy that our HOA has been diligent at trying to keep our MFs down (decrease over 5 years from highest), adequate Reserves (increasing), and conditions at VGV appropriate for the MFs and location (for the most part).
IMO

Added - I recall the SVO-WSJ already owned ~10% of VGV VOIs. Not sure of the % increase with these additional 112 purchased (can't recall total VOIs for VGV) - but significant.


----------



## GrayFal

okwiater said:


> My reservation for 2017 showed up automatically today, with a message indicating that the status is unconfirmed.


Me, too


LisaH said:


> 2016 M/F has been posted now:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine is 2BR Hillside



The reservation this year seemed to coincide with the maintenance fee posting. Interesting.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> There is no ROFR for WSJ-VGV - anyway,  these were not put on open market.
> 
> Did you read section of Phil/Bob email on this?
> They decided that this was best approach to get these weeks back into hands of someone to cover the MFs (vs. delinquent or foreclosed upon)
> They bought them all. Sales of these weeks prevent our MFs from increasing due to delinquencies. Proceeds of sale going to HOA budget.
> 
> IMO - It is highly unlikely these were Plat+ villas as these VOIs have substantial value (as shown in resale prices - and prices for those ones being sold on-site at WSJ). A person that had their Plat+ VOIs foreclosed on them had to be really trying. Plat+ 3Bd weeks are selling for $20K+ - especially now that they get 257K SOs - making the MF/SO some of lowest in the resale system as a SVN Mandatory resort.  I suspect most of these VOIs were Gold+ (low) season.
> 
> If you want to know which were sold - there are 2 ways I can think of that may get that info 1) write Phil/Bob and request that info, 2) look at USVI site that deals with deed transfers.
> 
> me...? I do not care - I am happy that our HOA has been diligent at trying to keep our MFs down (decrease over 5 years from highest), adequate Reserves (increasing), and conditions at VGV appropriate for the MFs and location (for the most part).
> IMO
> 
> Added - I recall the SVO-WSJ already owned ~10% of VGV VOIs. Not sure of the % increase with these additional 112 purchased (can't recall total VOIs for VGV) - but significant.



I agree with David.  I seriously doubt they would have had Plat+ inventory in the HOA sale.  And, if they did, the prices would not have been better than what you can get in the resale market.  Wondering what the Starwood price will be on premium weeks.  My guess a pool villa week 52 will be above $100,000.


----------



## Helios

I got my MF as well.  I had prepaid the projected MF about a month ago and my balance is now negative.  Anyone has experience with this situation?  Should I follow up with Starwood or just let the negative balance stay there.  I don't really care about getting it back now since it is only $42.


----------



## SMHarman

For the time to deal with it you are best to leave it with them and reduce your 2017 bill!


----------



## Helios

SMHarman said:


> For the time to deal with it you are best to leave it with them and reduce your 2017 bill!



I think that's what I'll do.


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> So, the rep may be right this time and the 14 months reservation period may have really gone away, and the auto booking who knows.  I guess VG owners will have to wait and see what happens.  Hopefully VGV owners report what their experiences are moving forward.



Re: Fix week reservations...

From SVO website:

FIXED WEEK VOI OWNERS
Your Fixed Week VOI is tentatively reserved for you, pending confirmation during your Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, which is 12 to 10* months prior to the check-in date of your Fixed Week VOI. At 10 months prior to your check- in date, if you have not confirmed the reservation with Owner Services, it will be automatically cancelled. If the reservation is cancelled, you can still request reservations for an available Floating Week within your Season and Villa type at your Home Resort 10 to 8 months in advance of your requested arrival date, as available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you purchased a specific villa number, it will also be tentatively reserved with your Fixed Week VOI.

* Sheraton Vistana Resort Courts, Falls, Springs, Palms and Spas Owners’ Fixed Week and Fixed Villa are automatically booked and must be confirmed by calling Owner Services 12 to 8 months in advance or the vacation period is automatically released to the floating pool. Sheraton Vistana Resort Falls and Springs Owners may float their week beginning 8 months or less.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Re: Fix week reservations...
> 
> From SVO website:
> 
> FIXED WEEK VOI OWNERS
> Your Fixed Week VOI is tentatively reserved for you, pending confirmation during your Home Resort Fixed Priority Period, which is 12 to 10* months prior to the check-in date of your Fixed Week VOI. At 10 months prior to your check- in date, if you have not confirmed the reservation with Owner Services, it will be automatically cancelled. If the reservation is cancelled, you can still request reservations for an available Floating Week within your Season and Villa type at your Home Resort 10 to 8 months in advance of your requested arrival date, as available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you purchased a specific villa number, it will also be tentatively reserved with your Fixed Week VOI.
> 
> * Sheraton Vistana Resort Courts, Falls, Springs, Palms and Spas Owners’ Fixed Week and Fixed Villa are automatically booked and must be confirmed by calling Owner Services 12 to 8 months in advance or the vacation period is automatically released to the floating pool. Sheraton Vistana Resort Falls and Springs Owners may float their week beginning 8 months or less.



That's what the rules say, but that is not what happened with my resie.  Not sure if it was a glitch. My resie was not tentatively reserved for me.

Earlier in the year Starwood made a different resie and took partial SOs from my WSJ Pool Villa.  I called and asked to reassign the SOs.  Also, I specifically asked them to make sure the Pool Villa SOs were back as a single unit SOs (because I had seen problems when the SOs were not reassigned to form an "intact'" week).  Hopefully that caused the glitch in my case.  I am not happy they did put back the WSJ SOs but it all worked at the end.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Perhaps... just saying...

I have never had it reserved for me unless I requested (but they brought it up 18 months in advance) I have never called to reserve or reserved WSJ online. Now, I want flexibility and not reserving anymore until the 10th month mark.

I have never split SOs, and have only used SVN once (WKV for WKORV).  We use our weeks - or rent.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Booking airfare to St. John*

A question to those of you that have been traveling to St. John for a number of years.  When is the best time to book your flight?  I have noticed some mentioning they book 300+ days out.   I just read an article on MSN travel that said:

_How early you buy is the biggest factor in whether you get a good price. The sweet spot is about two months before departure. The study found the lowest-priced economy tickets for a flight within North America were sold, on average, 57 days before departure.

*For trips from North America to the Caribbean, the cheapest day to buy was 77 days in advance, on average.* Trips within Europe showed their lowest price at 140 days before departure. And from North America to Europe, the lowest prices were available, on average, a whopping 176 days before takeoff. That means that right now would be best time to book early summer trips to Europe._

In the past I have booked my airfare as soon as I could, but has anyone consistently booked a better fare by waiting?  The flights to STT are so limited that I thought booking ASAP was better.  I wish Southwest would fly into STT, instead of just to SJU.  Trying to coordinate the flight from SJU to STT seems like more of a hassle than it's worth just to get the free bags from flying Southwest.

Thanx-


----------



## DavidnRobin

using FF miles - which we use on AA for SFO-STT - 331 days ahead is when seats open.
(same for SFO-OGG using UA miles). So best seat choices and sometime better rates.
We got return 1st class tickets on AA STT-MIA-CLT-SFO for 30K AA miles each (converted SPs)

of course - airline change conditions all the time - plus competition... e.g. more flights to STT

IMO - it depends on your pain threshold. If I can fly Economy for $900 RT SFO-MIA(ATL)-STT - I know that is the approx median cost.

It is a risk to wait - good to know what is median cost from your area for your dates, and shoot for that amount.

btw - I take what is published with a grain of salt.  One factor is getting the flights you want versus one that is cheaper, but (for example) arrives or departs from STT too late/early - especially if going to StJ/WSJ

go with the least hassle

I have tracked in past - and found my flights SFO-STT (cash) for June usually best around 4-5 months out. I no longer go thru SJU (hassle factor).


----------



## Bill4728

We just bought tix for a June flight  $250 one way from seattle to STT  and $500 for the return


----------



## NNerland

I always look the first day I can -- as I book 12 months out for my trip.  We have planned 6 trips and if I see what I like for airfare 331 days out I book it.

From Minneapolis if I can get for $650 or less I lock in -- and have been successful.  If their first shot is $900 plus I wait it out a bit as that is typically on the high end for January and usually they go down.

My experience is on American as Delta never gets down below $900 from MSP - but American rarely is above $800-900

I don't get greedy at $650 either....can too easily go up many more dollars than down.


----------



## okwiater

Agree that it is helpful to know the median, high, and low costs for flights from your area so you know what you stand to gain or lose by waiting. I managed to snag flights for $387 round trip around 8 months out. The same flights quickly jumped to over $600. You definitely want to shop schedule, though, since many cheap flights depart STT around 8am which is way too early to make it across the car ferry from St. John.


----------



## dsmrp

What a coincidence, about this recent discussion on airfares. I was going to post about the recent hike in airfares I saw this week from Seattle to STT.
I occasionally looked up airfares eod, even before I knew I could get a TS stay, just to get an idea of price range...guess I have just too much free time to kill on my work transit commutes   Anyway prices were looking good early last week and we bought for about $680. This is the earliest (7+ months) ahead that I've ever bought plane tickets. 
(We're doing a stop-over for a few days in San Juan PR on the way back, so my fare is probably lower due to mid-week return flight.)

But this week on Tuesday, the prices just shot up for the same itinerary by $200!   I've been tracking 4  similar itineraries, including a RT SEA-STT, and highest increase has been $250.  Have no idea why, they were really steady for  7 days after Thanksgiving.   Tons of seats on the flights segments to/from Seattle; much fewer open seats on segment to STT or from SJU.

On another note, I've been reading the book "St John., Feet, Fins & Four-wheel Drive" by Pam Griffin.  I think it's been mentioned in the WSJ Part 1 thread.  Been a bit of a kick reading...especially about short comments on VI government. I know it's a few years old, but it matches my conceptions of island life, e.g. water conservation, bureaucracy and local practicality.


----------



## SMHarman

This is where I heart the sky scanner app and it's android widget. 

Set up your dates and it does the search for you daily and pops it onto a screen on your phone.


----------



## SandyPGravel

NNerland said:


> I always look the first day I can -- as I book 12 months out for my trip.  We have planned 6 trips and if I see what I like for airfare 331 days out I book it.
> 
> From Minneapolis if I can get for $650 or less I lock in -- and have been successful.  If their first shot is $900 plus I wait it out a bit as that is typically on the high end for January and usually they go down.
> 
> My experience is on American as Delta never gets down below $900 from MSP - but American rarely is above $800-900
> 
> I don't get greedy at $650 either....can too easily go up many more dollars than down.



Just curious if you have ever checked the cost of taking Amtrak to O'hare instead of flying out of MSP?  We live just outside of Madison, WI and we usually fly out of O'hare for the trips we can't use Southwest.  For our 2016 trip I got round trip to STT from ORD for $457 with one pit stop each way.  Decent times fly out of O'hare at 7:30 arrive at 4:15, leave STT at 2:00 PM arrive around 7 pm.  Last year I managed to snag a non-stop from O'hare to STT.  I don't remember the exact price, but it was around $500R/T.

I try to book through Orbitz because I have actually gotten a check back when someone else booked the same flight for less.  (HRA Bahamas trip in 2009)  This time I booked through Capital One travel, prices were better on Capital One than they were direct through the airline.


----------



## LisaRex

IME, the Caribbean is much easier to score an award ticket at the "low" mileage rate than other places.  AA and USAir both offer great sign-up bonuses on their affiliate credit cards that can immediately score a RT ticket. 

Also, in very sad news, our guests' (we're currently at WKORV) nephew died off St. Thomas on Monday of this week while scuba diving.  They theorize he had a heart attack, but the autopsy hasn't been completed yet.  It's been a real nightmare to get him home because the accident happened on a dive boat.  They need the coroner to make an official ruling on cause of death, to rule out negligence on behalf of the dive boat (e.g. fault regulators), but the coroner is currently on medical leave following a stroke.  There is no back-up. 

After that, they may hold his body another 3-4 days pending an official death certificate. The widow has said that she'd sign a paper waiving her right to sue the dive boat operator, but they still won't budge. So sadly, his widow is in an awful holding pattern until he's finally brought home. 

All the more reason to take time out to enjoy your vacations, folks! You never know when your number will be up. (He was 49.)


----------



## suzannesimon

That is terrible news.  I recently read a report that the #1 regret at the end of life was that we didn't travel more - not that we saved more money or worked longer.

I always book to STT asap.  My kids wait longer and usually get a better fare.  I would like to know if there is any rule-of-thumb for booking holidays since we go to St Thomas for Christmas and Nassau for Thanksguving,  I think I'd be a nervous wreck waiting 60-90 days out for those dates.


----------



## jillandboy

*Any Cruz Bay promo codes?*

We are due to check in Jan 8th. Our first visit (and we're getting sooo excited).  

I'm about to book an excursion.  I see the  space for a promo code but did not find one on line.  does anybody know of one?
thanks tuggers


----------



## jillandboy

As to airfare- I don't travel the holidays often but I generally find the best airfare is between 30-60 days out.  I once booked a kid who decided to go with us 2 weeks out and got a better deal to Nassau for him than we had gotten;  but I couldn't handle waiting until 2 weeks out.  I definitely can wait until 30 days, though. 

has anyone here posted about skyscanner.com yet?   It's an awesome site (As a caution:I'm not sure southwest results appear there)
You can look by specific dates, the month, the year, and you can search from a specific airport or from the whole country.    It's TONS of fun.


----------



## jillandboy

*Condolences LisaRex*

Condolences LisaRex- I just saw that post.  How awful.  our friend just got certified and is planning to scuba when we get to Westin St. John.  Whew, that's scary.


----------



## Crasherino

DavidnRobin said:


> using FF miles - which we use on AA for SFO-STT - 331 days ahead is when seats open.
> (same for SFO-OGG using UA miles). So best seat choices and sometime better rates.
> We got return 1st class tickets on AA STT-MIA-CLT-SFO for 30K AA miles each (converted SPs)



David - question on your booking of FF on AA.  Do you wait until your whole trip is within the 331 day period or do you book the first segment as soon as it becomes available and then book your return when that segment falls within the 331 days?  

I'm getting ready to a) reserve our floating week for winter 2017 and then b) book our AA FF tickets and want to try and get the cheapest mileage ticket possible.  I don't think there is any downside to having two separate one-way reservations but perhaps I'm missing something.  

TIA


----------



## DavidnRobin

Crasherino said:


> David - question on your booking of FF on AA.  Do you wait until your whole trip is within the 331 day period or do you book the first segment as soon as it becomes available and then book your return when that segment falls within the 331 days?
> 
> I'm getting ready to a) reserve our floating week for winter 2017 and then b) book our AA FF tickets and want to try and get the cheapest mileage ticket possible.  I don't think there is any downside to having two separate one-way reservations but perhaps I'm missing something.
> 
> TIA



Correct - I buy 2 one-way tickets each at 331 days out.  There was some weirdness at 331 days (where I got the 1st class tix cheaper than economy tix) - that changed at 330 days out.  So, track tickets as the 331 day mark arrives. As you can fly direct from JFK to STT - this may be different for these flights.


----------



## Crasherino

DavidnRobin said:


> Correct - I buy 2 one-way tickets each at 331 days out.  There was some weirdness at 331 days (where I got the 1st class tix cheaper than economy tix) - that changed at 330 days out.  So, track tickets as the 331 day mark arrives. As you can fly direct from JFK to STT - this may be different for these flights.



Appreciate it - Thanks!


----------



## Henry M.

The only downside to ticketing separate reservations for the outbound and return tickets is if you have to cancel. Unless you are at certain elite levels, there's a charge of about $150 to reinstate the miles if your plans change. If you had a round-trip ticket, there's only one charge. You get to pay the fee twice if you have separate reservations. I don't remember if the fees are per person or per record locator.

I've also noticed that while the reservation window opens 331 days out, they don't always have award seats at that time. The seats are sometimes released later, at times much later.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Correct - lots of caveats here.
IME - I have successfully found award seats on UA and AA at 331-330 days out on the flights at the times (and seats) I wanted for SFO-OGG/LIH, and SFO-MIA-STT. As I target exit rows for economy seats - I am online when window opens as well as before and after to get idea of the changes that occur when seats are released. I have certainly seen seats on other flights that were less than optimal (and non-exit).  There is dependency on flexibity and status as well (I can reserved exit rows because of AA status). FF awards and conditions can (and do) change.
YMMV and likely does.


----------



## Helios

Crasherino said:


> David - question on your booking of FF on AA.  Do you wait until your whole trip is within the 331 day period or do you book the first segment as soon as it becomes available and then book your return when that segment falls within the 331 days?
> 
> I'm getting ready to a) reserve our floating week for winter 2017 and then b) book our AA FF tickets and want to try and get the cheapest mileage ticket possible.  I don't think there is any downside to having two separate one-way reservations but perhaps I'm missing something.
> 
> TIA



Look for the AA direct from JFK to STT, not all days/dates are available.  They fly a 757 with international configuration.


----------



## Helios

Crasherino said:


> David - question on your booking of FF on AA.  Do you wait until your whole trip is within the 331 day period or do you book the first segment as soon as it becomes available and then book your return when that segment falls within the 331 days?
> 
> I'm getting ready to a) reserve our floating week for winter 2017 and then b) book our AA FF tickets and want to try and get the cheapest mileage ticket possible.  I don't think there is any downside to having two separate one-way reservations but perhaps I'm missing something.
> 
> TIA



Look for the AA direct from JFK to STT, not all days/dates are available.  The fly a 757 with international configuration.  If you have the miles, try the front of the bus. They offer AVOD.


----------



## LisaH

Just booked our flights on American Airlines using miles for our Aug trip. Questions:
1. For First/Business Class: is the baggage fee waived?
2. Do we have access to the airport lounge at SFO and connection airports as First/Business Class passengers?

When I fly United, we have access to its lounges even though STT is considered domestic and not international. Not sure what the policy is with AA...


----------



## DavidnRobin

StJ is currently looking beautiful - hopefully no drought like 2015 (or stinging plankton or seaweed).
The baggage fee is waived.
Not sure about access - I was denied once to Biz class (UA iirc) because I had a FF mileage tix with a Biz seat upgrade. I think it was a domestic flight.
This info is probably on-line - besides rules can/do change.

I should check this out - because we have a 1st class return flight STT-SFO (2-stops) using FF miles (only 30K pp).


----------



## lizap

You will not have access to the AC as this is not considered INTL F or J.   Only F or J passengers traveling to or from Europe, Asia, South America, Central America and Mexico City have lounge access. However, you can purchase a 1 or 30 day pass.



LisaH said:


> Just booked our flights on American Airlines using miles for our Aug trip. Questions:
> 1. For First/Business Class: is the baggage fee waived?
> 2. Do we have access to the airport lounge at SFO and connection airports as First/Business Class passengers?
> 
> When I fly United, we have access to its lounges even though STT is considered domestic and not international. Not sure what the policy is with AA...


----------



## LisaH

Thank you both!
Yes United is supposed to have the same policy but we are let in its club every time we fly to STT...


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> Just booked our flights on American Airlines using miles for our Aug trip. Questions:
> 1. For First/Business Class: is the baggage fee waived?
> 2. Do we have access to the airport lounge at SFO and connection airports as First/Business Class passengers?
> 
> When I fly United, we have access to its lounges even though STT is considered domestic and not international. Not sure what the policy is with AA...



If you have business class seats you should have access to the lounge. 
The info is definitely on the website but that is my understanding.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> If you have business class seats you should have access to the lounge.
> The info is definitely on the website but that is my understanding.



AA will not let you in.  United used to but I believe this has changed.  Same for Hawaii.


----------



## Helios

moto x said:


> AA will not let you in.  United used to but I believe this has changed.  Same for Hawaii.



BTW - Delta's policy is the same as AA.


----------



## YYJMSP

LisaH said:


> Thank you both!
> Yes United is supposed to have the same policy but we are let in its club every time we fly to STT...



We flew UA in to San Juan Puerto Rico (and made our way on JetBlue and someone else to/from St Thomas) and UA treated the flight as international.  I remember seeing something on their site than Puerto Rico was considered not domestic, so I would think St Thomas would be the same..


----------



## jillandboy

*Got an answer from a local about the "Sea Lice"*



GrayFal said:


> Did not have any sea lice problems 8/21-28. We went to Trunk, cinnamon, Leinster, Hurricane Hole, Honeymoon, Lovingo, Ditleff Point and Flanigan Island



We had a local server at dinner last night so I asked her what the sea lice are.  She replied that it is actually a rash one can get when the coral blooms.  She shook it off like it is no big deal.  (She shrugged and said 'it's just a rash').  We then asked when does this usually occur to which she said 'whenever it feels like it.'  

So there's apparently no way to tell if and when it will be a problem.  I hope this is new information for you all.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Like many - the server is ill-informed. It is neither from coral bloom or a rash. When we inquired with locals - seemed like everyone had a different opinion. They are jelly fish larvae.
They are small clear jelly tubules with black specks (like pepper inside) - I have video of one stuck on my GoPro lense.  Until June 2015, we had never encountered them in previous years (since 2006). They were so bad on the north shore last year - people were not in water (at least not for long). Having been thru the Carribean, and encountered many types of  jelly fishes - never came across these buggers.


----------



## canesfan

unclewilly said:


> We had a local server at dinner last night so I asked her what the sea lice are.  She replied that it is actually a rash one can get when the coral blooms.  She shook it off like it is no big deal.  (She shrugged and said 'it's just a rash').  We then asked when does this usually occur to which she said 'whenever it feels like it.'
> 
> 
> 
> So there's apparently no way to tell if and when it will be a problem.  I hope this is new information for you all.




Are you experiencing them now? We are headed there the end of February and hoping to avoid them.


----------



## Helios

*Cap Jason Siska*

David - Any idea how likely it is to get Jason Siska when booking a tour with his company?  Kids are big survivor fans and would like to do a tour with him.  They would be disappointed if they get one of the other two captains.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I would contact him and ask.  I know he was training Captains because he was too much in demand.  Tell him your kids are fans, and when he is planning on going out.


----------



## lizap

*WSJ Reservation using SOs*

Planning to make a reservation using SOs at WSJ. Is it possible to reserve a 3BR with pool?  I see (on the WSJ page) that there are 3 BRs in VG and BV.  The reservation page shows VG 3BR accomodates 8 while BV accomodates 10.  Since the pools are at VG, I assume if I book the 3 BR that will accomodate 8, I am reserving a VG pool villa? Also, the 2 BRs show that BV and CV acommodate 8 while a VG 2 BR accomodates 6.  If I reserve a 2 BR that will accomodate 6, am I reserving a 2BR VG?  Thanks.


----------



## YYJMSP

lizap said:


> Planning to make a reservation using SOs at WSJ. Is it possible to reserve a 3BR with pool?  I see (on the WSJ page) that there are 3 BRs in VG and BV.  The reservation page shows VG 3BR accomodates 8 while BV accomodates 10.  Since the pools are at VG, I assume if I book the 3 BR that will accomodate 8, I am reserving a VG pool villa? Also, the 2 BRs show that BV and CV acommodate 8 while a VG 2 BR accomodates 6.  If I reserve a 2 BR that will accomodate 6, am I reserving a 2BR VG?  Thanks.



My understanding of the answer to this question (I asked pretty much the same thing via MSC before we went last summer) is the only thing you can "count on" is that your unit will hold at least the number of people it says on your booking (i.e. you won't end up in a unit that sleeps less than what you booked), and the unit you get will cost at least as many SO's as you redeemed (i.e. you won't end up in a unit that costs less SO's to book than what you booked).

If you book a 3BR sleeps 8 (i.e. VG), you could end up in a 3BR sleeps 10 unit (i.e. BV), as long as the BV unit doesn't cost less SO's than the VG unit.

If you book a 2BR sleeps 6 (i.e. VG), you could end up in a 2BR sleeps 8 (i.e. BV or CV), as long as the BV/CV unit doesn't cost less SO's than the VG unit.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> I would contact him and ask.  I know he was training Captains because he was too much in demand.  Tell him your kids are fans, and when he is planning on going out.



I sent him an email last night.  Hopefully it works out.  He has two captains plus him now.


----------



## Helios

lizap said:


> Planning to make a reservation using SOs at WSJ. Is it possible to reserve a 3BR with pool?  I see (on the WSJ page) that there are 3 BRs in VG and BV.  The reservation page shows VG 3BR accomodates 8 while BV accomodates 10.  Since the pools are at VG, I assume if I book the 3 BR that will accomodate 8, I am reserving a VG pool villa? Also, the 2 BRs show that BV and CV acommodate 8 while a VG 2 BR accomodates 6.  If I reserve a 2 BR that will accomodate 6, am I reserving a 2BR VG?  Thanks.



You should not get a villa that sleeps less or costs less SOs than what you reserved.  However, there is the possibility of unforeseen things happening...

Regarding 3 BRs:

- CV has villas rated for 12 people
- BV has villas rated for 10 people
- VG has villas rated for 8 people but it also has villas rated for 10 people.  Don't bother calling Starwood to ask about them, they will not be able to help you because their website only shows the 8 people villas.  Obviously, their configurations and number of beds are different.
- During some months of the year, you can tell if you are booking a BV or VG 3 BR villa rated for 10 people because the seasons are not aligned.

If you manage to exchange into a 10 people 3 BR villa, most likely it will be a BV.


----------



## NNerland

moto x said:


> I sent him an email last night.  Hopefully it works out.  He has two captains plus him now.



I have a reservation with him next week on the 21st of January.  I booked with him after hearing the good reviews.   I got this back.  We are going on the 33' because we have 8 people so we have Joe.  If you have a group that would fit on the 20' powerboat (4-6?) you will get Jason.  You can see below he has expanded his fleet - we are doing the Eastern BVI with him.  We are using another boat on Monday (SeaMore) to see Jost.

Unfortunately, I won't have the pleasure of driving you guys around that day... I've added a new 20' powerboat to the fleet and am solely operating it.... sort of getting it started from the roots and pushing it as a new affordable options for couples... On the three boats, We're now able to offer trips for two passengers at $395, up to six passengers at $595, and up to eight passengers at $795.  Hoping to provide the most versatile range of boats at some of the most affordable pricing. 

The 33' World Cat operated by Captain Joe, who has worked in the US and British Virgin islands on various charter boats for the better part of the past decade.


----------



## NNerland

DavidnRobin said:


> I would contact him and ask.  I know he was training Captains because he was too much in demand.  Tell him your kids are fans, and when he is planning on going out.



David -- can you tell me if it is normal procedure for them to ask for all of our passport information to save document time at the dock and get on the water faster.  We had a few people nervous about that.    I am fine with it, as they seem like they really go out of your way to make sure you maximize your day on the water.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*WSJ Home Resort Resie*



lizap said:


> Planning to make a reservation using SOs at WSJ. Is it possible to reserve a 3BR with pool?  I see (on the WSJ page) that there are 3 BRs in VG and BV.  The reservation page shows VG 3BR accomodates 8 while BV accomodates 10.  Since the pools are at VG, I assume if I book the 3 BR that will accomodate 8, I am reserving a VG pool villa? Also, the 2 BRs show that BV and CV acommodate 8 while a VG 2 BR accomodates 6.  If I reserve a 2 BR that will accomodate 6, am I reserving a 2BR VG?  Thanks.



Ok, I have a question to sort of play off of this question.  If I own at WSJ (first year) fixed week/unit, and I look at what's available, everything shows availability at the 8 month mark.  Will I only see availability at the 12 month mark if it is the exact type villa I have?  Meaning I have a 2BR VGV unit, I see numerous 2BR units available, but none are open to me to reserve now at the 12 month mark.  Will the other 2BR units open at the 10 month mark?  Next year I have a wedding to attend that is the day after I would return from my fixed week.  Do-able, but maybe cutting a little to close for comfort if weather would hamper our return.


----------



## LisaH

NNerland said:


> David -- can you tell me if it is normal procedure for them to ask for all of our passport information to save document time at the dock and get on the water faster.  We had a few people nervous about that.    I am fine with it, as they seem like they really go out of your way to make sure you maximize your day on the water.



Yes. That's how Jason handled it last summer. It did save a significant amount of time. We met at the dock and off we went. Then at the BVI custom/Immigration office, he went in and out in less than 5 min.


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> Ok, I have a question to sort of play off of this question.  If I own at WSJ (first year) fixed week/unit, and I look at what's available, everything shows availability at the 8 month mark.  Will I only see availability at the 12 month mark if it is the exact type villa I have?  Meaning I have a 2BR VGV unit, I see numerous 2BR units available, but none are open to me to reserve now at the 12 month mark.  Will the other 2BR units open at the 10 month mark?  Next year I have a wedding to attend that is the day after I would return from my fixed week.  Do-able, but maybe cutting a little to close for comfort if weather would hamper our return.



The Online tool is very basic.  It simply shows availability at that particular moment in time.  And note that it's quite buggy because often times you will see availability on the calendar, but nothing when you filter for that week. It's certainly not sophisticated enough to differentiate the results based on what you own and when you're allowed to reserve.

I warn you that often times, you'll see plenty of availability before a reservation window opens up, only to see nothing when you go to reserve it. Because WSJ is so popular as an exchanger, I'd be reticent to drop my fixed week to try and get an exchange, especially in platinum plus season.  However, if I did it, I'd try to exchange for a week PRIOR to my fixed week, so that if I failed to get an exchange, I could still lock in my fixed week before the 10 month deadline.  

Sidebar: This is where owning a unit earlier or later in the season has its unique advantageous:

Let's say you have 2 platinum plus fixed/float owners and both want to move to a new week:

Scenario 1.  Alan owns the first week of January.  In 2017, he decides he'd rather exchange to the first week of April, also a platinum plus week.  He has until the first week of March 2016 to decide whether to lock in his fixed week reservation.  If he doesn't lock it in, he risks not getting the exchange of his choice and he cannot even attempt to exchange until the 10 month window opens, which is the first week of June.  That's a long time to wait and hope for an exchange. 

Yes, he can simply wait until the first week of June, check to make sure there is availability, then cancel his January '17 reservation, but that's a 2- step process.  By the time he cancels his reservation, that inventory may be gone. 

The alternative is to wait until the Owner Services window is open and ask a CSR to handle, which seems to offer some protection against losing your original week, but that gives 9 hours where online exchangers can sweep up all the availability. 

Contrast this to "Bill" who also owns a 2 bdrm fixed week for the 2nd week of April.  He has until mid-February to decide whether to lock in his unit, which gives him 6 weeks to try and lock in another reservation with no risk to his fixed week.


----------



## DavidnRobin

NNerland said:


> David -- can you tell me if it is normal procedure for them to ask for all of our passport information to save document time at the dock and get on the water faster.  We had a few people nervous about that.    I am fine with it, as they seem like they really go out of your way to make sure you maximize your day on the water.



This is normal for all charters going to BVI.  I had no problem supplying this info upfront as it saves time.  Last thing you will want is them filling out these forms in the morning while loading at Cruz Bay (hectic), or while at Customs/Immigration - waste of precious time.

Interesting that he has expanded to 3 boats - I like the 'couple' option since just the 2 of us traveling to StJ now.


----------



## NNerland

DavidnRobin said:


> This is normal for all charters going to BVI.  I had no problem supplying this info upfront as it saves time.  Last thing you will want is them filling out these forms in the morning while loading at Cruz Bay (hectic), or while at Customs/Immigration - waste of precious time.
> 
> Interesting that he has expanded to 3 boats - I like the 'couple' option since just the 2 of us traveling to StJ now.




Yes - very interesting.  I love it, as my wife and I never did these trips as we didn't want a big group and couldn't justify the amount for private.

Thanks for the insight --  I am perfectly fine with it as they are reputable and truly seem like they are looking out for our interests.  T-3 days for us!!


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaRex said:


> Because WSJ is so popular as an exchanger, I'd be reticent to drop my fixed week to try and get an exchange, especially in platinum plus season.  However, if I did it, I'd try to exchange for a week PRIOR to my fixed week, so that if I failed to get an exchange, I could still lock in my fixed week before the 10 month deadline.
> 
> This is what I am hoping to do, my week is 9, that is first week of March next year.  I think I have until early May to confirm.  My question is *ANY* 2 BR available to me or only the two BR townhouse VGV?
> 
> Contrast this to "Bill" who also owns a 2 bdrm fixed week for the 2nd week of April.  He has until mid-February to decide whether to lock in his unit, which gives him 6 weeks to try and lock in another reservation with no risk to his fixed week.


Wouldn't he(Bill) have until mid June to confirm?  I assume I have to be 12 months out to be able to see the "OPEN", so I wouldn't see any availability until late February?


----------



## lizap

Thanks for the info.  




YYJMSP said:


> My understanding of the answer to this question (I asked pretty much the same thing via MSC before we went last summer) is the only thing you can "count on" is that your unit will hold at least the number of people it says on your booking (i.e. you won't end up in a unit that sleeps less than what you booked), and the unit you get will cost at least as many SO's as you redeemed (i.e. you won't end up in a unit that costs less SO's to book than what you booked).
> 
> If you book a 3BR sleeps 8 (i.e. VG), you could end up in a 3BR sleeps 10 unit (i.e. BV), as long as the BV unit doesn't cost less SO's than the VG unit.
> 
> If you book a 2BR sleeps 6 (i.e. VG), you could end up in a 2BR sleeps 8 (i.e. BV or CV), as long as the BV/CV unit doesn't cost less SO's than the VG unit.


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> Wouldn't he(Bill) have until mid June to confirm?  I assume I have to be 12 months out to be able to see the "OPEN", so I wouldn't see any availability until late February?



Yes he would. Sorry, I went the wrong direction on the calendar. 

Even better for Bill cause he has almost the entire platinum season open to him to try and exchange before he loses his fixed week.  Compare that to poor Alan.


----------



## lizap

When I called SVN, I was told by the representative (after checking with someone), that all the 3 BR units were VG, which I knew wasn't true.  Maybe he meant all the 3 BRs with pools.  The only way to guarantee that you get a 3BR with a pool is to buy a VG unit there?  My guess is that using SOs, your chance of getting a 3BR with a pool are not great.




moto x said:


> You should not get a villa that sleeps less or costs less SOs than what you reserved.  However, there is the possibility of unforeseen things happening...
> 
> Regarding 3 BRs:
> 
> - CV has villas rated for 12 people
> - BV has villas rated for 10 people
> - VG has villas rated for 8 people but it also has villas rated for 10 people.  Don't bother calling Starwood to ask about them, they will not be able to help you because their website only shows the 8 people villas.  Obviously, their configurations and number of beds are different.
> - During some months of the year, you can tell if you are booking a BV or VG 3 BR villa rated for 10 people because the seasons are not aligned.
> 
> If you manage to exchange into a 10 people 3 BR villa, most likely it will be a BV.


----------



## vistana101

Interesting article regarding WSJ timeshare conversions and expansions: http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/westin-shifts-model-but-ownership-remains-same-1.1993137



> There also is space for the resort to expand in the future, possibly in 2018-2019


----------



## Helios

lizap said:


> When I called SVN, I was told by the representative (after checking with someone), that all the 3 BR units were VG, which I knew wasn't true.  Maybe he meant all the 3 BRs with pools.  The only way to guarantee that you get a 3BR with a pool is to buy a VG unit there?  My guess is that using SOs, your chance of getting a 3BR with a pool are not great.



This is correct.  If you want to stay in a pool villa you would need to rent from an owner (or buy one).  But it could happen.  It happened to me once before buying my two consecutive weeks pool villa interval.


----------



## okwiater

vistana101 said:


> Interesting article regarding WSJ timeshare conversions and expansions: http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/westin-shifts-model-but-ownership-remains-same-1.1993137



The article is a bit confusing and/or misleading when it states that 48 of the rooms will remain hotel rooms. They will only remain that way temporarily during the conversion of the other buildings and are ultimately slated to become timeshares. I also LOL'd when the guy stated that they're not "timeshares," they're "vacation ownerships."


----------



## jillandboy

*take your bug repellant to St. John*



canesfan said:


> Are you experiencing them now? We are headed there the end of February and hoping to av,oid them.



I don't think we did experience them, (sea lice) canesfan, but two of our group of 5 (me and my spouse)  got tore up by something.   These bumps lasted all week and beyond.  ->Scratching in between sentences right now.

We're home now.   Pictures cannot do the place justice.  It's beyond spectacularly beautiful.    

You definitely want to have a vehicle for the full week.   There's just too many good beaches to go to and restaurants to eat at.   It was one of our best vacations ever.  We definitely want to go back.  

And gotcha DavenRobin about the jellyfish larve.  Since this was a St. Thomas girl born and bred we thought she'd probably know what the 'sea lice' thing is.  I had been concerned after reading the forums.  As it turns out something else got us (sand fleas? avoid the beach early morning and dusk, we were told, to avoid them.  blister bugs? these bites are bad. Seems many locals have opinions about that as well.  Most people seemed to believe some folks are more susceptible than others. )  We had even checked our bed....twice....for evidence of bedbugs.  We don't believe that was it. 

Preview/owner update:   They'll give back whatever you purchased in the system already, (meaning you turn in your current Starwood TS ) and take that amount off of the purchase price ($$$$$) of one of their units.   The Coral-Vista units are compact- two previous hotel rooms make up a 2br unit, but nice.  We do have a couple concerns,  that will be forth-coming in the review.  The model unit for the hotel rooms they are converting around the pool (Bay-Vista) was, as you would expect, gorgeous.  

They say that there's an 80 year agreement w/ Marriott to preserve the spg points system. I hope that's true.   We have really enjoyed our SPG rewards.

My favorite day was when we went to Salt Pond/Salt Pond Bay and later had dinner at Miss Lucy's (overall a very good meal-with a couple minor complaints- and the location was awesome). We went home via 108 and got to experience true dirt road off-roading at 1100/1200 feet.  In the dark.  And the rain.  It's all a fond memory now.


----------



## YYJMSP

unclewilly said:


> They say that there's an 80 year agreement w/ Marriott to preserve the spg points system. I hope that's true.   We have really enjoyed our SPG rewards.



I don't see how that can be true as 1) the sale of the Starwood timeshare division to Interval hasn't gone through yet, and 2) the sale of the Starwood hotel group to Marriott hasn't gone through yet, so 3) how can there be a deal between Interval and Marriott about points yet...


----------



## jillandboy

YYJMSP said:


> I don't see how that can be true as 1) the sale of the Starwood timeshare division to Interval hasn't gone through yet, and 2) the sale of the Starwood hotel group to Marriott hasn't gone through yet, so 3) how can there be a deal between Interval and Marriott about points yet...



I can't say it's true.  That's what they said.  And you know you would never hear anything inaccurate in a TS presentation, lol. 

RESTAURANTS
Extra Virgin Bistro may be our new favorite place.  Its... wow. 

We had excellent Pad Thai and amazing drinks at Rhumb Lines.  Some of the items we got we would not get again but the Pad Thai and that Fillipino pork roll were very good. 

The sliders at the Beach Bar were surprisingly good. 

Morgan's Mango is excellent. 

Indigo Grill is very, very good. 

Miss Lucy's has the benefit of being the only restaurant around for a long stretch on the east side.  We had a good meal and an amazing view there. I dined barefoot.   They don't put any alcohol in the frozen drinks.  However they only charge a dollar difference between virgin and high octane.  I also doubt they would care if you brought your own. That would not be a good idea if you are the DD.  There's 'miles to go before' you sleep.  

The Longboard is solid. 

Ocean Grill does some things better than others.  Their apple pie was one of my favorite desserts. 

The Tap Room had great beer and horrid food. Don't eat there!

Is this the bar that's supposed to be hard to find? hmmm.  had a great pic.  can't seem to up load it right now.  I'll try again later 

Oh, and the fried chicken at the Marketplace across the street is the absolute bomb!  that was our picnic food one day.


----------



## YYJMSP

unclewilly said:


> Oh, and the fried chicken at the Marketplace across the street is the absolute bomb!



MMMMMM! 

That just brought back a very good memory of our trip to WSJ last summer...

Kinda funny, as we have (had?) a buffet restaurant chain in Canada called Uncle Willy's, and I could live off the fried chicken they had.


----------



## jillandboy

*Thank you*

Okay.  Is this the elusive establishment that was referred to in forums?
I believe I've uploaded it now. 

I also wanted to thank everyone who posts useful info here.   It made a huge difference for us,  and we are quite appreciative.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Thanks for the update and reviews.

That photo is Angels' Rest.

Sand fleas can be brutal - they are actually gnats. (They call them noseesums for a reason) Like mosquitoes - they affect people differently.  They are small red bumps that itch/hurt like crazy below the knees (unless you unfortunately laid on sand at sunset).  Noseesums only jump up about a foot over the sand surface.  Many people suspect bedbugs as same areas get bit.  If on beach at sunset - make sure you are standing/sitting on blanket - and use bug protection. Also, be careful up against the foliage, as it cools down the noseesums come to life looking for blood.

In 1991, I was on backside of Tortola watching the sunset from the beach the evening before we left - a long/brutal and itchy flight home - had no idea what it was at the time.


----------



## happymum

My daughter had similar bites on St. Thomas when we were there in August . Since we had not been on sand at all we also suspected bedbugs. A thorough inspection by an exterminator  assured us that was not the case. I had used the same bed and was totally untouched.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Gas Prices on St. John*

Has anyone been on island lately?  I am just curious what the gas prices are looking like.  I saw on the news yesterday that gas was $.54/gallon somewhere in Michigan yesterday.   (Best I have seen in WI is $1.71)  Last time we were on island it was over $4/gallon.  I am not expecting Michigan prices, but under $3 would be nice.:whoopie:


----------



## sachia007

*availability of studios*

I was going to list my week 8 VG studio timeshare for rent through a company on island that just rents out Westin timeshares. 

They suggested that perhaps I should wait and try to swap within Starwood. They believe that since there are more studio villas available, now with CV, that a studio villa will be readily available. Thoughts?


----------



## LisaRex

sachia007 said:


> I was going to list my week 8 VG studio timeshare for rent through a company on island that just rents out Westin timeshares.
> 
> They suggested that perhaps I should wait and try to swap within Starwood. They believe that since there are more studio villas available, now with CV, that a studio villa will be readily available. Thoughts?



Why not give it a test run for this year on the Online tool?


----------



## DavidnRobin

sachia007 said:


> I was going to list my week 8 VG studio timeshare for rent through a company on island that just rents out Westin timeshares.
> 
> They suggested that perhaps I should wait and try to swap within Starwood. They believe that since there are more studio villas available, now with CV, that a studio villa will be readily available. Thoughts?



Is this for 2016 or 2017?
If 2016, you are within 60 day window.

What do they mean by 'swap within SW'? What does this have to do with renting your W8?

SO/MF value is good for your Plat+ studio - so you do have SVN exchange availability.

True - they added studios to CV (and SB as well?), BUT they took away hotel rooms that small groups of 4 or less (couples) that used to be able to readily book via SPG (etc).  So... if anything, they reduced the number of 'small' units as they added larger units.  Plus, there are not as many places to stay on STJ for couples (compared to larger places. IMO

Surprised they didn't want to try and rent - is there a glut of studios at week 8 on RedWeek (or their site?).


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Has anyone been on island lately?  I am just curious what the gas prices are looking like.  I saw on the news yesterday that gas was $.54/gallon somewhere in Michigan yesterday.   (Best I have seen in WI is $1.71)  Last time we were on island it was over $4/gallon.  I am not expecting Michigan prices, but under $3 would be nice.:whoopie:



Around $3.30 per gallon on StJ


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Around $3.30 per gallon on StJ



Remember, a huge portion of the price for gas on a small island is transportation costs. So, it's not realistic to expect equivalent % drops.


----------



## sachia007

DavidnRobin said:


> Is this for 2016 or 2017?
> If 2016, you are within 60 day window.
> 
> What do they mean by 'swap within SW'? What does this have to do with renting your W8?
> 
> SO/MF value is good for your Plat+ studio - so you do have SVN exchange availability.
> 
> True - they added studios to CV (and SB as well?), BUT they took away hotel rooms that small groups of 4 or less (couples) that used to be able to readily book via SPG (etc).  So... if anything, they reduced the number of 'small' units as they added larger units.  Plus, there are not as many places to stay on STJ for couples (compared to larger places. IMO
> 
> Surprised they didn't want to try and rent - is there a glut of studios at week 8 on RedWeek (or their site?).



Hi,

It's for 2017 reservation. I means exchanging with SVN when I said swap. 

They will rent for us if we want to, but they thought perhaps with the re-working of the hotel rooms, there may be SVN opportunities to exchange a P+ studio for a P+ studio.

There is not a glut of studios for week 8. However, for 2017, week 8 Sunday start is President's Week.


----------



## DavidnRobin

sachia007 said:


> Hi,
> 
> It's for 2017 reservation. I means exchanging with SVN when I said swap.
> 
> They will rent for us if we want to, but they thought perhaps with the re-working of the hotel rooms, there may be SVN opportunities to exchange a P+ studio for a P+ studio.
> 
> There is not a glut of studios for week 8. However, for 2017, week 8 Sunday start is President's Week.



Sorry - I still do not follow. How does an exchange a P+ studio for a P+ studio impact a decision to whether to rent your week 8 VGV studio?
What am is missing? Is your intent to try and go another week, and not rent your week 8?


----------



## DavidnRobin

*US Marshall seize Mr B's car barge*

For those that take the car barge this may affect you...

http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/01/25/u-s-marshals-seize-mister-b-barge/


----------



## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> Sorry - I still do not follow. How does an exchange a P+ studio for a P+ studio impact a decision to whether to rent your week 8 VGV studio?
> What am is missing? Is your intent to try and go another week, and not rent your week 8?



I think they are saying they decided to rent week 8 in 2017, instead of 2016.

This would be a good strategy, because it is really late to start advertising a Feb. 2016 rental.

EXCEPT, at this point, they are past the cancellation deadline (61 days before check-in) for their week 8 in 2016 - so hopefully, they can use it themselves, or they already cancelled the reservation, before the 61 day mark.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I could be confused, but I think they stated that this was for 2017 (and not 2016). 
If it is for renting their 2017 usage - not sure how SVN exchanging plays a role.
Perhaps they will post to clarify.

Regardless, it should be relatively easy to rent a week 8 at WSJ (even at this late date for 2016).


----------



## DeniseM

DavidnRobin said:


> I could be confused, but I think they stated that this was for 2017 (and not 2016).
> If it is for renting their 2017 usage - not sure how SVN exchanging plays a role.
> Perhaps they will post to clarify.
> 
> Regardless, it should be relatively easy to rent a week 8 at WSJ (even at this late date for 2016).



Maybe the rental agency they are working with discouraged a late listing - it sounds like it was their advice to rent in 2017, instead.  

In general, fly-to destinations are less likely to be last minute vacations.


----------



## alexadeparis

sachia007 said:


> I was going to list my week 8 VG studio timeshare for rent through a company on island that just rents out Westin timeshares.
> 
> They suggested that perhaps I should wait and try to swap within Starwood. They believe that since there are more studio villas available, now with CV, that a studio villa will be readily available. Thoughts?



I read this to mean that the rental company anticipates a glut of studios with the on boarding of the. CV and SB phases, which IMO would also be less likely to rent than larger units, and therefore declined to take on the responsibility of finding a renter for them, and advised them to exchange within SVN and enjoy their vacation somewhere else, OR possibly at a different time but using SO to exchange back to WSJ.


----------



## DavidnRobin

alexadeparis said:


> I read this to mean that the rental company anticipates a glut of studios with the on boarding of the. CV and SB phases, which IMO would also be less likely to rent than larger units, and therefore declined to take on the responsibility of finding a renter for them, and advised them to exchange within SVN and enjoy their vacation somewhere else, OR possibly at a different time but using SO to exchange back to WSJ.



Perhaps - it was not clear. Maybe they will come back and better explain. 

Those CV and SB will have studios, but remember - effectively they were all studios (hotel rooms) in the same building space - so they are overall removing small units and replacing with larger ones. Based on supply - they will be less 'studios' on the resort property in the future when you consider they removed hotel rooms.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> For those that take the car barge this may affect you...
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/01/25/u-s-marshals-seize-mister-b-barge/



Another reason not to buy a round trip ticket!


----------



## sachia007

DavidnRobin said:


> Sorry - I still do not follow. How does an exchange a P+ studio for a P+ studio impact a decision to whether to rent your week 8 VGV studio?
> What am is missing? Is your intent to try and go another week, and not rent your week 8?



Yes David, ideally we would like to go another week.

I would like to either rent out the week 8 (by myself or paying for a company to do it), or I would like to swap in network WSJ P+ for WSJ P+.

The rental co. said plenty of studio villas, just wait to see if anything comes up in the P+ week we want and exchange. 

They are willing to rent for us though, and we will plan on listing with them, but really love STJ and prefer travel there.


----------



## DavidnRobin

sachia007 said:


> Yes David, ideally we would like to go another week.
> 
> I would like to either rent out the week 8 (by myself or paying for a company to do it), or I would like to swap in network WSJ P+ for WSJ P+.
> 
> The rental co. said plenty of studio villas, just wait to see if anything comes up in the P+ week we want and exchange.
> 
> They are willing to rent for us though, and we will plan on listing with them, but really love STJ and prefer travel there.



Got it.  I have met the woman who runs the rental company that rents WSJ villas a couple of times - they rent out the studio next to us.

Look at RedWeek - week 8 rents relatively well compared to other weeks. I do not see any 0/1 VGV rentals for week 8 2016.

Hard to know if you will be able to SVN exchange to another week in 2017, but remember because these are fixed weeks/villas you can look to exchange at 8-10 months out - before SVN exchangers at 8 months.  That should give you flexibility and time to help decide.
Good luck.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*2 BR Lockoff??*

When I fill in the online rez form to check availability specifically for a 2BR unit the results come back with a 2 BR LO and a lot of other units I can't reserve, but when I check the StarOptions chart link at the top of the screen, WSJ doesn't have a 2 BR LO. ( I am trying to find a different week for my 2 BR VGV week 9 next year, but so far nothing is available in my 6 person townhouse restricted home resort.  A wedding is interfering with my vacation plans...how inconsiderate of them :rofl 

I am just curious where the 2 BR LO's are and how come they are not listed on the chart?  Is this something new, CB section maybe?


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> When I fill in the online rez form to check availability specifically for a 2BR unit the results come back with a 2 BR LO and a lot of other units I can't reserve, but when I check the StarOptions chart link at the top of the screen, WSJ doesn't have a 2 BR LO. ( I am trying to find a different week for my 2 BR VGV week 9 next year, but so far nothing is available in my 6 person townhouse restricted home resort.
> 
> I am just curious where the 2 BR LO's are and how come they are not listed on the chart?  Is this something new, CB section maybe?



VGV, BV and CV phases have no 2Bd LOs. For CV, there are 6 potential 3Bd LOs that can only be reserved and not purchased (combines studio and 2Bd). I do not know for SB - suggest to read the specific threads for WSJ-SB.

However, if you want to exchange out of your week 9 VGV you can only change within your season and only within same villa type at VGV at 8-10 months out.  If you are trying to get into BV, CV, or SB - this can only be done as an SVN exchange at 8 months out and involves cancellation of your week 9 (unless you can waitlist as 4-5*, or have extra SOs). The week 9 must have reservation confirmed before 10 months or lose it.

you cannot trust all info in online booking tool.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> VGV, BV and CV phases have no 2Bd LOs. For CV, there are 6 potential 3Bd LOs that can only be reserved and not purchased (combines studio and 2Bd). I do not know for SB - suggest to read the specific threads for WSJ-SB.
> 
> However, if you want to exchange out of your week 9 VGV you can only change within your season and only within same villa type at VGV at 8-10 months out.  If you are trying to get into BV, CV, or SB - this can only be done as an SVN exchange at 8 months out and involves cancellation of your week 9 (unless you can waitlist as 4-5*, or have extra SOs). The week 9 must have reservation confirmed before 10 months or lose it.
> 
> you cannot trust all info in online booking tool.



Thanks David.  I keep hoping to book another 2 BR townhouse within the Plat+ season, before I have to confirm my fixed week.  I was just curious as to what the 2 BR Lockoffs for  257.700 options were, that keep coming up when I do a search.  Must be  three bedrooms that somehow keep showing up as 2 BR LO.  I'm definitely not any * elite! :rofl:  I have extra SO, but would still be in the 8 month shark pool trying to get a rez.  I will probably end up confirming my week and either rolling the dice when the window opens or rushing to make the wedding...


----------



## DavidnRobin

I agree - that is likely the 3Bd LO at CV (or SB) since it has 257.7K SOs associated with it.

They should get married on St John, and make it easy on you (plenty of romantic settings). Back in 2006 I tried to set-up a surprise wedding with Robin, but had logistic problems in pulling it off. We got engaged instead.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> I agree - that is likely the 3Bd LO at CV (or SB) since it has 257.7K SOs associated with it.
> 
> They should get married on St John, and make it easy on you (plenty of romantic settings). Back in 2006 I tried to set-up a surprise wedding with Robin, but had logistic problems in pulling it off. We got engaged instead.



What a romantic...and brave.  Just for thinking of trying to set that up.  My hubby couldn't even pull off a surprise birthday party.  He tried though, bless his heart!!  The ones getting married would probably love it, two 21 year olds.  But, even though I love my best friend, I'm not planning a destination wedding for her daughter!!  HUGE family it would never work!  :rofl:


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Zika virus in USVI*

In case you were not aware - sorry to be bearer of bad news.
USVI included on CDC travel warning list due to Zika virus.

http://viconsortium.com/featured/fi...s-confirmed-on-st-croix-health-officials-say/

http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/s0126-zika-travel-guidance.html

As this is spreading fast (quick vector jumping) - so expect warnings in places where these mosquito carriers exist - this could be devastating for those places depending on tourists like STJ.

Some contend that it was spread to Brazil from Africa (where people tend to have immunity) following the World Cup - now with Rio having the Olympics - how many are going to feel safe?  Not good...

stay protected my friends...


----------



## SandyPGravel

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanks David.  I keep hoping to book another 2 BR townhouse within the Plat+ season, before I have to confirm my fixed week.  I was just curious as to what the 2 BR Lockoffs for  257.700 options were, that keep coming up when I do a search.  Must be  three bedrooms that somehow keep showing up as 2 BR LO.  I'm definitely not any * elite! :rofl:  I have extra SO, but would still be in the 8 month shark pool trying to get a rez.  I will probably end up confirming my week and either rolling the dice when the window opens or rushing to make the wedding...



Do you think Starwood reads this blog?  I have been checking for a two BR for a while now and until I wrote this post above, a 257,700 two BR LO would appear in the online rez section.  Now it doesn't!!  Coincidence???


----------



## GrayFal

SandyPGravel said:


> Has anyone been on island lately?  I am just curious what the gas prices are looking like.  I saw on the news yesterday that gas was $.54/gallon somewhere in Michigan yesterday.   (Best I have seen in WI is $1.71)  Last time we were on island it was over $4/gallon.  I am not expecting Michigan prices, but under $3 would be nice.:whoopie:



At the gas station near the St John Market this week 1/24ish it was posted as

3.10
3.34
3.22

Maybe regular, premium, diesel ????


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> At the gas station near the St John Market this week 1/24ish it was posted as
> 
> 3.10
> 3.34
> 3.22
> 
> Maybe regular, premium, diesel ????



Thanx for the info...4 weeks from today


----------



## SMHarman

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanks David.  I keep hoping to book another 2 BR townhouse within the Plat+ season, before I have to confirm my fixed week.  I was just curious as to what the 2 BR Lockoffs for  257.700 options were, that keep coming up when I do a search.  Must be  three bedrooms that somehow keep showing up as 2 BR LO.  I'm definitely not any * elite! :rofl:  I have extra SO, but would still be in the 8 month shark pool trying to get a rez.  I will probably end up confirming my week and either rolling the dice when the window opens or rushing to make the wedding...


I booked in the 8 mo shark pool last year and found that this year anyway a lot of availability opened up in the last 90 days. 

So much so that I cancelled the existing booking and a hotel room booking and replaced with a studio on SO And a shorter 2 bed booking to perfectly align to our flight and use needs. 

The tool is a lot better now at availability. It booked Something that phone reps swore did not exist until they could see my booking. 

Me and a phone rep tag teamed the rebook I did the studio, she fixed the 2 bed. 

Off tomorrow at early o clock. Arrive on the breeze at ~4pm so I anticipate a ready room and cocktail   travelling in minivans / plane / taxi / boat with a 2yo And 5yo. I'll need that cocktail.


----------



## SandyPGravel

SMHarman said:


> I booked in the 8 mo shark pool last year and found that this year anyway a lot of availability opened up in the last 90 days.
> 
> So much so that I cancelled the existing booking and a hotel room booking and replaced with a studio on SO And a shorter 2 bed booking to perfectly align to our flight and use needs.
> 
> The tool is a lot better now at availability. It booked Something that phone reps swore did not exist until they could see my booking.
> 
> Me and a phone rep tag teamed the rebook I did the studio, she fixed the 2 bed.
> 
> Off tomorrow at early o clock. Arrive on the breeze at ~4pm so I anticipate a ready room and cocktail   travelling in minivans / plane / taxi / boat with a 2yo And 5yo. I'll need that cocktail.



I think I will confirm my rez, then jump in shark pool and hope for the best...Have fun...So jealous...9 degrees here this morning possible huge snow storm early next week


----------



## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> In case you were not aware - sorry to be bearer of bad news.
> USVI included on CDC travel warning list due to Zika virus.
> 
> http://viconsortium.com/featured/fi...s-confirmed-on-st-croix-health-officials-say/
> 
> http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/s0126-zika-travel-guidance.html
> 
> As this is spreading fast (quick vector jumping) - so expect warnings in places where these mosquito carriers exist - this could be devastating for those places depending on tourists like STJ.
> 
> Some contend that it was spread to Brazil from Africa (where people tend to have immunity) following the World Cup - now with Rio having the Olympics - how many are going to feel safe?  Not good...
> 
> stay protected my friends...



There are of course two other hypothesis out there. 
1.  Bill Gates GM mosquito site is at the epicenter of this outbreak. They are not dying due to levels of animal / prophylactic related antibiotics in the soil in brazil
2.  Brazil mandated a new version of TdaP at 21 week's gestation. This version is a FDA category C drug. 

One case is not an outbreak, these guys can only fly 400 meters.


----------



## SLC

*Maintance fee due in March?*

I purchased a EOY 2 bedroom in August and received a maintance fee bill due in March. Is this typical? I thought MF's for St. John were normally due in January? I haven't even gotten the deed yet. Although it does appear on My Star Central.


----------



## SMHarman

SLC said:


> I purchased a EOY 2 bedroom in August and received a maintance fee bill due in March. Is this typical? I thought MF's for St. John were normally due in January? I haven't even gotten the deed yet. Although it does appear on My Star Central.


Island time


----------



## melissy123

Need to add two people for a private charter with Captain Jason (to make it more cost effective) Between 3/3 and 3/10. Should I just book it first and then just hope to find a party of 2 at the Westin?


----------



## WI GAL

Husband and I are going to be on our first trip to St. John March 4-11.  We are looking for a snorkeling day trip and are considering Island Roots if we found a group, otherwise Cruz Bay Watersports.  Do you have plans for where you would all go for the day trip and what the cost for 2 would be?


----------



## SandyPGravel

SandyPGravel said:


> Do you think Starwood reads this blog?  I have been checking for a two BR for a while now and until I wrote this post above, a 257,700 two BR LO would appear in the online rez section.  Now it doesn't!!  Coincidence???



I spoke too soon, the 257,700 2 BR LO units are showing up again.


----------



## NNerland

WI GAL said:


> Husband and I are going to be on our first trip to St. John March 4-11.  We are looking for a snorkeling day trip and are considering Island Roots if we found a group, otherwise Cruz Bay Watersports.  Do you have plans for where you would all go for the day trip and what the cost for 2 would be?



I would recommend Island Roots -- they have a new option for a couple.  They offer a 2 passenger boat starting at $395 for day plus gas.   We used Island Roots who referred us to Catzilla - Love City Excursions, due to our party size.

The Cruz Bay watersports will line up others, but a bit more spendy I believe and in my opinion the extra $100-$200 to be completely ON YOUR OWN is totally worth the experience versus the big boats or larger parties.  Be in control, we were on both of our water days and it was AMAZING!!!


----------



## melissy123

WI GAL said:


> Husband and I are going to be on our first trip to St. John March 4-11.  We are looking for a snorkeling day trip and are considering Island Roots if we found a group, otherwise Cruz Bay Watersports.  Do you have plans for where you would all go for the day trip and what the cost for 2 would be?



I sent you a PM and we can chat off-line to try and coordinate a trip. We are a group of four. Island Roots has boats for six and if we can form a group of six, it's pretty cost effective comparable even to the large group companies.


----------



## SMHarman

ah. The relaxing sound of Jack hammers by the beach. 

It's like Manhattan by the sea. I'll get the same experience in 6 months without leaving my apartment.


----------



## NNerland

SMHarman said:


> View attachment 2493ah. The relaxing sound of Jack hammers by the beach.
> 
> It's like Manhattan by the sea. I'll get the same experience in 6 months without leaving my apartment.



We got so lucky -- we were at the resort Jan 16-23.  They had just started demo on the hotel rooms of that building.  We sat at the pool on Wednesday and Friday.   The noise was very tolerable.    We are due to go back in January and they will be done with 3 buildings, the current phase.    We missed out on every single stage of this makeover - from pool, to Coral Vista, to this.    The nice part about this remodel is it should be short, and with St John it is always nice to visit the area beaches.


----------



## happymum

I would appreciate some advice. If you were choosing to go out for only one "special" meal, where would you go? I visited Zozo's a few years ago and enjoyed the food and atmosphere, but wonder if it would still hold up based on Trip Advisor reviews.
TIA


----------



## NNerland

happymum said:


> I would appreciate some advice. If you were choosing to go out for only one "special" meal, where would you go? I visited Zozo's a few years ago and enjoyed the food and atmosphere, but wonder if it would still hold up based on Trip Advisor reviews.
> TIA



Asolare - For the view and food is very very good

Zozo's - Moved to Cannel Bay Resort and is in an old Sugar Mill.  Amazing atmostphere and sunset isn't bad either.  They also have this pairing dinner and sunset cruise if you have a larger party and want to spend $$.  Food is amazing and atmosphere is incredible and so unique.

We ate at both on our recent visit.   We sent our friends to both as well and it was their first time and they all raved about how good it all was.

My wife and I also ate at Ocean362 (Old Zozo's location) at Gallows Bay...food was very good.

A new restaurant Extra Virgin (in old Fatty Crab) was amazing food.   Either of these have great food, but our Top 2 would be for a "special" meal.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Best food - having Ted (from Teds Supper Club) come to your villa and cook for you. Always great - and some of the freshest food on StJ.

Last June we had our anniversary meal upstairs at the bar (call ahead and request corner) of Oceans 362.  Else - Asolare for the view and atmosphere - food can be hit/miss which is true for all St John restaurants because so dependent on head chefs that change frequently.

For me - special dinner our requires a view.  Many good restaurants (e.g. Zozos) that lack view.

Most memorable was our anniversary dinner at the old Chateau Bordeaux restaurant - previous owners - but like many places on StJ they wax and wane.

IMO YMMV


----------



## SMHarman

SMHarman said:


> View attachment 2493ah. The relaxing sound of Jack hammers by the beach.
> 
> It's like Manhattan by the sea. I'll get the same experience in 6 months without leaving my apartment.


How many of you have seen one of these roaming the grounds of WSJ. 

Ah the joys of vacationing in a building site. 

They have removed all the concrete / brick of the balconies to create a more open ocean view. I'll take a photo when I wander by later.











And pre Jack hammer


----------



## DavidnRobin

Seems like the construction there has gone on for years.

Any talk of Zika or stinging plankton (jelly fish larvae...)? How are the mosquito levels? How is the Sargassum seaweed?


----------



## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> Seems like the construction there has gone on for years.
> 
> Any talk of Zika or stinging plankton (jelly fish larvae...)? How are the mosquito levels? How is the Sargassum seaweed?



They say on the signs this will be done by 2017. 3 more buildings to Jack hammer. 

Zika. Not much talk. More talk of chickenguilla (or how you spell it) employees kids in the hospital for weeks etc. 

Mosquito bites on all of us. 

We have had a few stings from something in the water. Not enough to keep us out though. 

Not seen a lot of seaweed so not sure what that is.


----------



## Helios

*Pool Villa -10 guests*

David - This was discussed a while ago so I thought about sharing.


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> David - This was discussed a while ago so I thought about sharing.



still trying to figure out were those extra 2 people are going to sleep for the 3Bd pool villas that do not have 2 Queen beds in one room (villas with sliding wall) -and only have 1 King bed per bedroom (n=6) and Queen sleeper sofa (n=2)


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> still trying to figure out were those extra 2 people are going to sleep for the 3Bd pool villas that do not have 2 Queen beds in one room (villas with sliding wall) -and only have 1 King bed per bedroom (n=6) and Queen sleeper sofa (n=2)



Those are shown in reservation system and WSJ villa layout as Virgin Grand 8 people.  I think your math assumptions are what Starwoord uses also.


----------



## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> still trying to figure out were those extra 2 people are going to sleep for the 3Bd pool villas that do not have 2 Queen beds in one room (villas with sliding wall) -and only have 1 King bed per bedroom (n=6) and Queen sleeper sofa (n=2)


I would guess that if you have 10 listed on the reservation then you would not be put on one of the sleeps 8 units. 

That works until all families turn up with > 8 at the same time.


----------



## Helios

SMHarman said:


> I would guess that if you have 10 listed on the reservation then you would not be put on one of the sleeps 8 units.
> 
> That works until all families turn up with > 8 at the same time.



First sentence is correct.

I follow what you are saying in the second sentence and I think WSJ would say sorry, no room for 10 people.  For VGV, one can make 8 or 10 people reservations.  I don't think the hotel is obligated to give you a villa rated for 10 people if you have an 8 people reservation just because you showed up with 10.  Also, they may not have the 10 people villa because the villas are fixed and WSJ cannot take a 10 people villa to give it to somebody else who is supposed to stay in an 8 people villa.

Having said that, there could be a last minute cancellation of a VGV 10 people villa, they could give you a BV rated for 10 or a CV rated for 12. I assume that would be at WSJ discretion.

In my case, we own two weeks in a 10 people villa but usually there is only 4 of us (2 adults and two kids).  I would be furious if they take my fixed 10 people villa to give it to another group because they showed up with extra people.  There would be fireworks...:hysterical:

A villa with an accordeon wall upstairs and no hot tub outside is not good.  Smaller villas in the main resort resort with limited kitchen space and long walk to the parking lot are not good either...:rofl:


----------



## SMHarman

moto x said:


> Smaller villas in the main resort resort with limited kitchen space and long walk to the parking lot are not good either...:rofl:



Oh yes. 

To build a kitchen this size in a unit that sleeps 8.  






When there is unused space galore. And only 963 sqft in the first place. 











Can't even get two pans that feed 8 on the stove. 






And an illegal second bedroom. See the other thread I have on that. 

I have nothing positive to say about this Coral Vista 1 bed plus Den. Aka 2 bed in Starwood double speak room.


----------



## okwiater

SMHarman -- how much longer will you be at WSJ? I want to send you a new camera with an image stabilizer.


----------



## happymum

Thanks for the meal suggestions. Much appreciated.


----------



## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> SMHarman -- how much longer will you be at WSJ? I want to send you a new camera with an image stabilizer.


I have a very nice camera with a 50mm f1.8 lens for low light. 

I get lazy with shots about irritations in paradise. Or illegal bedrooms in paradise.


----------



## okwiater

SMHarman said:


> I have a very nice camera with a 50mm f1.8 lens for low light.
> 
> I get lazy with shots about irritations in paradise. Or illegal bedrooms in paradise.



Irritations? In St. John?? 

Your rum levels must be running low...


----------



## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> Irritations? In St. John??
> 
> Your rum levels must be running low...


Yes the joys of being designated driver. 

And yes I am irritated the second bedroom does not have a window or second egress. That's a fire and life safety issue and should be taken seriously.  The fact Mike Ryan is not responding to my calls indicates to me there is not a good answer. The silence is telling.


----------



## LisaH

okwiater said:


> SMHarman -- how much longer will you be at WSJ? I want to send you a new camera with an image stabilizer.



Haha, I was thinking about the same thing...


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Fun with Maps (WSJ/St John)*

Grab your iPhone or iPad and open the Maps application. Then find Westin St. John on the map. Once you have WSJ on your screen, hit the little “i” icon on the bottom right. Then choose Satellite and click 3D Map. You’ll immediately see a change on your screen.

Allows you to explore the resort, and see the different vantage points. Also, can explore the island.


http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/02/09/a-whole-new-way-of-viewing-st-john/


----------



## DavidnRobin

*WSJ VGV Vote (due Feb 21) - 2016 Annual Meeting*

Hey fellow VGV Owners...

An important VGV vote is coming up and proxies have been sent out (received mine by email with password access) - *so make sure you vote by Feb 21, 2016*.

For myself - I am happy with how our 2 Owner-elected HOA BOD members (Robert Werbel and Phillip Schrag) have been handling their duties and well-represented the HOA.

So... I choose Robert Werbel for General and Limited Powers to vote in my behalf.

Also, there is a HOA BOD position open which I voted for Phillip Schrag as he is a great representative to protect our (VGV HOA) interests.  I know Phil personally, and I am partly to blame (his words) for him getting on the VGV HOA BOD in the 1st place (refer to original WSJ thread).

*So... make sure you vote! No complaining about the VGV HOA if you do not vote. Not voting is akin to allowing SVO call the shots for our HOA.*

*Philip Schrag*
Philip G. Schrag is a law professor at Georgetown University. He has been an owner-elected member of the Virgin Grand Board of Directors for the last 5 1⁄2 years. He has a deep background in consumer protection. He served as the first official Consumer Advocate of the City of New York, and two of his fifteen books are on consumer protection. He has been an owner since 2001. He owns four unit-weeks at the resort and has never rented them. He seeks re- election to the Board based on his having looked out for the interests of owners by working for improvements to the property while reducing maintenance fees. His initiatives have included the freecycle shed, the earmarked fund to pay the insurance policy deductible in the event of a destructive hurricane, the online owner exchange bulletin board, the sail shades at the hillside pools, the water coolers that will be installed at those pools next year, and many others. He has attended every Board meeting and budget workshop during his service as a director, and he and fellow elected director Robert Werbel have written reports to owners after each Board meeting.
￼￼
He wants to serve on the Board for another term because Virgin Grand is on the verge of three transitions: Starwood’s spinoff of Starwood Vacation Ownership as a new, separate corporation, and the acquisition of that corporation by another time share management company; the acquisition of Starwood by Marriott; and the closing of the Westin hotel and the conversion of its rooms into time share units. Without the hotel’s leadership, some new institutional mechanism will be needed for owners to have any voice in financial and programmatic decisions affecting common areas such as the pool, fitness center, and tennis courts. In the past, Starwood has made decisions regarding those areas without consulting the Virgin Grand Board, with the needs of hotel guests paramount. Mr. Schrag aspires to help to design an appropriate process or institutional mechanism for consultation about common concerns among the boards of what will soon be four different time share associations on the property. He will continue to propose low- cost improvements and to resist increases in maintenance fees.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Hey fellow VGV Owners...
> 
> An important VGV vote is coming up and proxies have been sent out (received mine by email with password access) - *so make sure you vote by Feb 21, 2016*.
> 
> For myself - I am happy with how our 2 Owner-elected HOA BOD members (Robert Werbel and Phillip Schrag) have been handling their duties and well-represented the HOA.
> 
> So... I choose Robert Werbel for General and Limited Powers to vote in my behalf.
> 
> Also, there is a HOA BOD position open which I voted for Phillip Schrag as he is a great representative to protect our (VGV HOA) interests.  I know Phil personally, and I am partly to blame (his words) for him getting on the VGV HOA BOD in the 1st place (refer to original WSJ thread).
> 
> *So... make sure you vote! No complaining about the VGV HOA if you do not vote. Not voting is akin to allowing SVO call the shots for our HOA.*
> 
> *Philip Schrag*
> Philip G. Schrag is a law professor at Georgetown University. He has been an owner-elected member of the Virgin Grand Board of Directors for the last 5 1⁄2 years. He has a deep background in consumer protection. He served as the first official Consumer Advocate of the City of New York, and two of his fifteen books are on consumer protection. He has been an owner since 2001. He owns four unit-weeks at the resort and has never rented them. He seeks re- election to the Board based on his having looked out for the interests of owners by working for improvements to the property while reducing maintenance fees. His initiatives have included the freecycle shed, the earmarked fund to pay the insurance policy deductible in the event of a destructive hurricane, the online owner exchange bulletin board, the sail shades at the hillside pools, the water coolers that will be installed at those pools next year, and many others. He has attended every Board meeting and budget workshop during his service as a director, and he and fellow elected director Robert Werbel have written reports to owners after each Board meeting.
> ￼￼
> He wants to serve on the Board for another term because Virgin Grand is on the verge of three transitions: Starwood’s spinoff of Starwood Vacation Ownership as a new, separate corporation, and the acquisition of that corporation by another time share management company; the acquisition of Starwood by Marriott; and the closing of the Westin hotel and the conversion of its rooms into time share units. Without the hotel’s leadership, some new institutional mechanism will be needed for owners to have any voice in financial and programmatic decisions affecting common areas such as the pool, fitness center, and tennis courts. In the past, Starwood has made decisions regarding those areas without consulting the Virgin Grand Board, with the needs of hotel guests paramount. Mr. Schrag aspires to help to design an appropriate process or institutional mechanism for consultation about common concerns among the boards of what will soon be four different time share associations on the property. He will continue to propose low- cost improvements and to resist increases in maintenance fees.



I voted earlier today.  While I don't know Philip or Robert, I share your thoughts and their vision.  Coincidentally, my votes match yours.


----------



## DavidnRobin

People can vote anyway they want - for me, it is important to keep 2 people on the BOD voted for by the HOA, and not put on by SVO.  
Remember - SVO-WSJ controls the vote - more than the standard lack of quorum - they get 4:1 vote dominance, and they own quite a few VGV VOIs (~10%). So, effectively, they can put anyone they want on the VGV HOA BOD.  Robert/Phil were voted on when SVO-WSJ did not vote and allowed many to run.  This is in the 1st WSJ thread.

If there are a substantial amount of votes for Robert/Phil.  SVO-WSJ may consider the Owners happy (or at least satisfied) and keep status quo.  I do not know Robert, but do know Phil - and trust him to make the best decisions for all.

At least Mr SueSueSue is not running... actually only 4 candidates. I forgot to copy/paste the others' profiles. One persons' was way short - that was odd. 

Wonder if anyone other than Phil even knows about Starwood TUG?  Phil was a Tugger, but had to drop due to reasons he thought were important.  I met him when I was 1st researching buying WSJ (only VGV back then).

Anyway - hope Owners vote - and not leave it up to the Secretary due to lack of quorum.


----------



## LisaH

Thanks for posting and sharing your thoughts. I would vote accordingly.


----------



## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> SMHarman -- how much longer will you be at WSJ? I want to send you a new camera with an image stabilizer.





LisaH said:


> Haha, I was thinking about the same thing...


Image stabilized


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> People can vote anyway they want - for me, it is important to keep 2 people on the BOD voted for by the HOA, and not put on by SVO.



I have been very happy with the way the VGV HOA has been run since I picked up my pool villa 2 years ago.

Like you, I selected Robert Werbel for General AND Limited Powers, and selected Philip Schrag for the HOA BOD position.


----------



## happymum

Did a day trip with Island Roots on the new boat today. Jason was captain and we had an excellent day in and on the water. Thanks for the post that mentioned this new option. With only 2 of us, it was great to be able to completely choose our own itinerary.


----------



## DavidnRobin

happymum said:


> Did a day trip with Island Roots on the new boat today. Jason was captain and we had an excellent day in and on the water. Thanks for the post that mentioned this new option. With only 2 of us, it was great to be able to completely choose our own itinerary.



You went on Mini-me - Jason's new boat?  I saw it on FB.  Like the alternative when only 2 people.  Where did you go?  Hurricane Hole?


----------



## happymum

Yes, we were on the mini. And you know his preferences well - Hurrican Hole, Waterlemon Cay (at my request), Haulover North and an unnamed spot since it was too rough to go all the way round the island. Saw a few sharks, some turtles,a lion fish and a few huge puffer fish. Unfortunately no octopus or spotted eagle rays!


----------



## Crasherino

Got online at midnight last night and was able to book a year out President's Week, no problem with our floating Platinum Plus.  I was a little nervous as I figured it was the 2nd most popular week and we had a hard time booking Christmas week last time we tried.  But didn't have any issues as far as availability goes. 

I did, however, have a helluva time with the online booking tool.  I got in almost exactly at midnight, pulled up an available villa got to the point where I was about to confirm it and then there were "Technical Difficulties" and got bounced out.  I then tried about 10 more times and each time it told me I already had a reservation on hold despite nothing showing up.  Tried this for almost an hour and got through varying degrees of the process before getting stymied.  Finally, I checked on "future reservations" and it seems that one of them went through (no idea which time) and I received the email and everything so I think I'm finally good.  

We didn't take our usual STJ vacation this year and I'm developing the yips from withdrawal.  But I always feel better when I have something on the books to look forward to, even if its 364 days away.  

Next up - the FF booking.  Have about a month for that saga.


----------



## SandyPGravel

happymum said:


> Yes, we were on the mini. And you know his preferences well - Hurrican Hole, Waterlemon Cay (at my request), Haulover North and an unnamed spot since it was too rough to go all the way round the island. Saw a few sharks, some turtles,a lion fish and a few huge puffer fish. Unfortunately no octopus or spotted eagle rays!



Sorry to jump in the middle of this, but did you only have two people?  I have seen a flat rate for up to 6 people.  Can you share how much the two person day trip was?  This would be an awesome option for DH and I.  Probably too late to book it though, we are there starting the 26th.


----------



## LisaH

okwiater said:


> I have been very happy with the way the VGV HOA has been run since I picked up my pool villa 2 years ago.
> 
> Like you, I selected Robert Werbel for General AND Limited Powers, and selected Philip Schrag for the HOA BOD position.



Did the same. Not sure if Phil will be present for the vote so I gave my proxy to Robert. Otherwise, I would have given it to Phil.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Sorry to jump in the middle of this, but did you only have two people?  I have seen a flat rate for up to 6 people.  Can you share how much the two person day trip was?  This would be an awesome option for DH and I.  Probably too late to book it though, we are there starting the 26th.



Jason added a smaller boat - I would also be interested in cost for smaller boat for 2 people.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Jason added a smaller boat - I would also be interested in cost for smaller boat for 2 people.




I did a little sleuthing around after I posted my question.  It looks like it is $400 for two people plus fuel.  Kinda pricey for privacy IMHO.   But I guess that is for all day, it would cost that much for two two-tank dives for a couple, so I guess it isn't that bad.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> I did a little sleuthing around after I posted my question.  It looks like it is $400 for two people plus fuel.  Kinda pricey for privacy IMHO.   But I guess that is for all day, it would cost that much for two two-tank dives for a couple, so I guess it isn't that bad.



Yes - that is a premium over the ~$150pp we normally pay.


----------



## happymum

Our total came to $470 plus tip. Definitely pricey, but we really enjoyed it.


----------



## GrayFal

happymum said:


> Our total came to $470 plus tip. Definitely pricey, but we really enjoyed it.



And your worth it!  But realistically you could have done 4 people for that price, correct????

Do you go to that fabulous island off the east end???? dAvid??   I forgot the name. Where you saw the little shark and I saw the BIG shark????


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> And your worth it!  But realistically you could have done 4 people for that price, correct????
> 
> Do you go to that fabulous island off the east end???? dAvid??   I forgot the name. Where you saw the little shark and I saw the BIG shark????



Flanagan Island? Great spot when the weather/seas cooperate.


----------



## happymum

Nope, no Flanagans this time. But sharks anyway!


----------



## GrayFal

happymum said:


> Nope, no Flanagans this time. But sharks anyway!


I hate those freakin sharks.  But not as much as the barracuda ....do we have a fish


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> I hate those freakin sharks.  But not as much as the barracuda ....do we have a fish ����������������



Hello!!!






and Goodbye...


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Hello!!!



You are mean.  Last month I swam under the dock at Marriott's Frenchman's Cove and looked up to see that sucker 2 feet from me. Thank goodness I went the other way and swam with a big turtle for 15 minutes. 

Happymum also LOVES moray eels ... We share a love of octopus.






Saw this guy at Christmas Cove at Great St James Island...hmmmm can't get him to load


----------



## happymum

David, I love your twofer shot. I have one of a stingray and a turtle, but nowhere near as clear as yours.
Pat, 3- 4 on that boat would be  pushing it. There is only seating for 2 at the rear of the boat. If you had 2 more people upfront it would really limit the speed as the spray could be pretty unpleasant if the waves were up.


----------



## DavidnRobin

happymum said:


> David, I love your twofer shot. I have one of a stingray and a turtle, but nowhere near as clear as yours.
> Pat, 3- 4 on that boat would be  pushing it. There is only seating for 2 at the rear of the boat. If you had 2 more people upfront it would really limit the speed as the spray could be pretty unpleasant if the waves were up.



I cheated - that was in Maui - but plenty of barracuda in USVI. I like them - but never corner them. Hard to get good photo of them - sneaky suckers.

This guy was probably close to 5ft - and came up on me FAST, then slowed to a crawl - freaky. I was goofing with quick photo shots with the turtle, and got frame-by-frame of this bugger coming up on me (scared the crap out of me at 1st - thought it was a shark... and I was alone very far off beach...). the turtle was coming up for air, and then decided better to head down - I guess they risk getting their limbs chomped upon.

Good to know about the smaller boat for Island Roots - normally there are 4 of us, but 2 is good option (albeit at a premium).


----------



## vistana101

Did they ever get a replacement for Cruz Bay Prime?


----------



## SMHarman

vistana101 said:


> Did they ever get a replacement for Cruz Bay Prime?


Lemongrass?  Having only been their once (recently), that is the restaurant in the Beach / dockside building.


----------



## GrayFal

GrayFal said:


> And your worth it!  But realistically you could have done 4 people for that price, correct????
> 
> Do you go to that fabulous island off the east end???? dAvid??   I forgot the name. Where you saw the little shark and I saw the BIG shark????



So it is actually for two, and the next size up can do 6 (the one we did in August?)

Found it. Prices plus additional fuel cost. 

FULL DAY CHARTERS: (8:30am-4:00pm)

20′ Angler Cat “Island Surfari” $400 (capacity for two passengers)

25′ World Cat “Island Roots” $600 (up to six passengers)

33′ World Cat “Catzilla” $750 (up to eight passengers)

$50 per additional passenger up to twelve
EXTENDED DAY CHARTER: + $100  (8:30am-5:30pm)


----------



## czar

GrayFal said:


> So it is actually for two, and the next size up can do 6 (the one we did in August?)
> 
> Found it. Prices plus additional fuel cost.
> 
> FULL DAY CHARTERS: (8:30am-4:00pm)
> 
> 20′ Angler Cat “Island Surfari” $400 (capacity for two passengers)
> 
> 25′ World Cat “Island Roots” $600 (up to six passengers)
> 
> 33′ World Cat “Catzilla” $750 (up to eight passengers)
> 
> $50 per additional passenger up to twelve
> EXTENDED DAY CHARTER: + $100  (8:30am-5:30pm)



We splurged on this two years ago and it remains  not only one of my best memories of St. John, but also one of my best memories with my young family.  Jason is top notch, very flexible and easy to get along with, and knows the area super well. Also interesting to hear his experiences about being a kid growing up in the area and what it was like.


----------



## EricAndCarol

DavidnRobin said:


> Good to know about the smaller boat for Island Roots - normally there are 4 of us, but 2 is good option (albeit at a premium).



It looks like there is an 8 pax 33' option this year too.  We have another couple joining us so that might come in handy.  We definitely had a great time with Island Roots last year and look forward to going out again.


----------



## DavidnRobin

EricAndCarol said:


> It looks like there is an 8 pax 33' option this year too.  We have another couple joining us so that might come in handy.  We definitely had a great time with Island Roots last year and look forward to going out again.



We look forward to seeing you guys in June (soon come).  At this point, most likely just going to be the 2 of us. We are up for a couple of water days as always.  I am sure Joy (Ferndale) will be doing a lot of scuba trips - she will probably check-in here soon.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> For those that take the car barge this may affect you...
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/01/25/u-s-marshals-seize-mister-b-barge/



Has anyone heard an update on this situation?  Has the car barge schedule changed since there is one less boat?  I checked the VI ferry website, it looks the same as it always has to me, but if one less barge is available....

I can't find any update by googling it either.

Since the airlines websites states we have to be there 3 hours before departure we need to plan accordingly.

TIA


----------



## SMHarman

SandyPGravel said:


> Has anyone heard an update on this situation?  Has the car barge schedule changed since there is one less boat?  I checked the VI ferry website, it looks the same as it always has to me, but if one less barge is available....
> 
> I can't find any update by googling it either.
> 
> Since the airlines websites states we have to be there 3 hours before departure we need to plan accordingly.
> 
> TIA


STT check-in at least on the United desks is a complete shambles so the 3 hours is fairly necessary.


----------



## LisaRex

Acc to VINOW.com travel forums: 

"Problem solved for now. Love City Ferries has repositioned their barge from SubBase to ply the Red Hook/Cruz Bay passage so there will now be three barges running to compensate for the loss of the Mister B."

Another poster reported a 2 hour delay (4:30 departure delayed to 6:30pm), so I would definitely take caution and plan to depart 60 minutes earlier.  YMMV.


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaRex said:


> Acc to VINOW.com travel forums:
> 
> "Problem solved for now. Love City Ferries has repositioned their barge from SubBase to ply the Red Hook/Cruz Bay passage so there will now be three barges running to compensate for the loss of the Mister B."
> 
> *Another poster reported a 2 hour delay (4:30 departure delayed to 6:30pm)*, so I would definitely take caution and plan to depart 60 minutes earlier.  YMMV.



Yikes!  Scary thought.  Not sure what we will do if the car barge runs out of room and we can't get to St. John.  If the 4:30 cars end up on the 6:30 barge what happens to the 6:30 cars??  Has anyone ever experienced too many cars to make to boat and being SOL?  I know this is where the Westin Ferry proponents will prevail, but I like Amalie picking us up at the airport.  Going back I was planning on the 9:30 ferry to Red Hook, arrive at 10, 30 - 45 min to airport arrive by 11 for 2 pm flight.  Maybe we should plan on 9 am?


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> Yikes!  Scary thought.  Not sure what we will do if the car barge runs out of room and we can't get to St. John.  If the 4:30 cars end up on the 6:30 barge what happens to the 6:30 cars??  Has anyone ever experienced too many cars to make to boat and being SOL?  I know this is where the Westin Ferry proponents will prevail, but I like Amalie picking us up at the airport.  Going back I was planning on the 9:30 ferry to Red Hook, arrive at 10, 30 - 45 min to airport arrive by 11 for 2 pm flight.  Maybe we should plan on 9 am?



If you're talking about a Saturday flight, then I will warn you that there is a significant difference between arriving at 10:30 vs. 11am.  Seems everyone and their brother plan to arrive at 11am, because most airlines have early afternoon flights back to the States.  15 minutes can mean the difference between getting through check-in/TSA/Customs in 45 minutes and 2 hours.  

(Note: If you do arrive late, then by all means, accept the help of the people with the clipboard.  For a small tip, you'll get escorted to the front of the line to get your baggage checked in. But for TSA & Customs, you're on your own)

Now if you're talking about a Friday or Sunday, then I'd say you don't have to be quite so cautious. But Saturday is a buggah.


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaRex said:


> If you're talking about a Saturday flight, then I will warn you that there is a significant difference between arriving at 10:30 vs. 11am.  Seems everyone and their brother plan to arrive at 11am, because most airlines have early afternoon flights back to the States.  15 minutes can mean the difference between getting through check-in/TSA/Customs in 45 minutes and 2 hours.
> 
> (Note: If you do arrive late, then by all means, accept the help of the people with the clipboard.  For a small tip, you'll get escorted to the front of the line to get your baggage checked in. But for TSA & Customs, you're on your own)
> 
> Now if you're talking about a Friday or Sunday, then I'd say you don't have to be quite so cautious. But Saturday is a buggah.



Thanx, I should thank my lucky stars that my fixed is Fri to Fri.  Hate having to use the extra day off work, but if the airport is less congested...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Barge update.

http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/02/24/an-update-on-the-car-barge-situation/


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Barge update.
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/02/24/an-update-on-the-car-barge-situation/



How timely...Thanx, David!


----------



## LisaRex

Hmm, I see that they're upping the ante by charging $35 for one way and $50 for round trip.  I'd still buy two one-ways so that I wasn't committed to one company, but with only 2 companies in play, some might find it worthwhile.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaRex said:


> Hmm, I see that they're upping the ante by charging $35 for one way and $50 for round trip.  I'd still buy two one-ways so that I wasn't committed to one company, but with only 2 companies in play, some might find it worthwhile.



If you know their schedule - otherwise you may be sitting in hot parking lot for an hour waiting for correct car barge.


----------



## dsmrp

LisaRex said:


> If you're talking about a Saturday flight, then I will warn you that there is a significant difference between arriving at 10:30 vs. 11am.  Seems everyone and their brother plan to arrive at 11am, because most airlines have early afternoon flights back to the States.  15 minutes can mean the difference between getting through check-in/TSA/Customs in 45 minutes and 2 hours.
> 
> (Note: If you do arrive late, then by all means, accept the help of the people with the clipboard.  For a small tip, you'll get escorted to the front of the line to get your baggage checked in. But for TSA & Customs, you're on your own)
> 
> Now if you're talking about a Friday or Sunday, then I'd say you don't have to be quite so cautious. But Saturday is a buggah.



Does TSA Pre-check help at all? 
I looked on US Customs site, but no Global Entry at STT, too bad...


----------



## SMHarman

dsmrp said:


> Does TSA Pre-check help at all?
> I looked on US Customs site, but no Global Entry at STT, too bad...


Passports help. They can scan them. Else they type the driver licence data. That's what the tsa guy told me.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Car barge*

The situation isn't what the news of St John made it out to be.  We arrived at Red Hook at 6:07 pm so we obviously missed the 6 pm ferry.  The next one arrived at 7, took until 8 pm to get to Cruz bay.  (our flight arrived at 4:30).  Talking to a local he said the ferry at 6 was small, he was there, but ferry ran out of room.  They might be running later than the scheduled times though, the cars that didn't fit on our ferry were backed up waiting and we passed the smaller ferry heading back to Red Hook.  I also talked to the women at the Westin reception desk and they confirmed only two ferry barges running...and one is small.  Plan accordingly as best you can.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Gina -

Check out NPS dock in Cruz Bay today.  This is a unique StJ experience - try and catch it.
Hokulea (Tahitian/Polynesian Sailing vessel) is there today (now...) - wish I were.

http://www.hokulea.com/
http://www.hokulea.com/track-the-voyage/

Added - we had the opportunity to see 2 of the sailing ships in Hanalei, Kauai in September 2013 during our WPORV incarceration .  Interesting history - if you have ever seen the phrase "Eddie would go" {Hawaiian Hero and Legend} it is tied to creation and building of these ancient Polynesian sailing vessels, and unfortunate capsize in horrific seas in a HI channel with Eddie paddling towards land to save the souls aboard - never to be seen again.  Quite a story.

ESPN 30:30 did a segment on Eddie, and a large wave surfing competition in his name (Eddie Aikau) just happened a few days ago - supposed 60ft waves. Crazy photos/videos.
https://www.facebook.com/WSL/videos/10153468496877058/


----------



## ktmorgan

Hi everyone.  I just wanted to introduce myself.  I am a (fairly) new owner at the Westin St. John.  We vacationed there this past summer and purchased a Coral Vista annual float week.  Now that I have survived the holidays and paid my first maintenance fees I figured it was time to start looking into booking my next trip!!  Well, all I can say is please be prepared for all of the dumb newbie questions that will be coming your way.  Right now I feel thoroughly confused.

I wanted this mostly to be an introduction post but I do have one question.  I was told that I would be able to book 12 months out at my home resort.  When I look right now it only shows me available to book something that is 8 months out.  Can anyone figure out why that would be?

Thanks in advance and I look forward to reading many posts on here!


----------



## SMHarman

ktmorgan said:


> Hi everyone.  I just wanted to introduce myself.  I am a (fairly) new owner at the Westin St. John.  We vacationed there this past summer and purchased a Coral Vista annual float week.  Now that I have survived the holidays and paid my first maintenance fees I figured it was time to start looking into booking my next trip!!  Well, all I can say is please be prepared for all of the dumb newbie questions that will be coming your way.  Right now I feel thoroughly confused.
> 
> I wanted this mostly to be an introduction post but I do have one question.  I was told that I would be able to book 12 months out at my home resort.  When I look right now it only shows me available to book something that is 8 months out.  Can anyone figure out why that would be?
> 
> Thanks in advance and I look forward to reading many posts on here!


You can book at 12 months in the Coral Vista phase (your resort) in the time designation you own, e.g. Platinum Plus.


----------



## GrayFal

ktmorgan said:


> Hi everyone.  I just wanted to introduce myself.  I am a (fairly) new owner at the Westin St. John.  We vacationed there this past summer and purchased a Coral Vista annual float week.  Now that I have survived the holidays and paid my first maintenance fees I figured it was time to start looking into booking my next trip!!  Well, all I can say is please be prepared for all of the dumb newbie questions that will be coming your way.  Right now I feel thoroughly confused.
> 
> I wanted this mostly to be an introduction post but I do have one question.  I was told that I would be able to book 12 months out at my home resort.  When I look right now it only shows me available to book something that is 8 months out.  Can anyone figure out why that would be?
> 
> Thanks in advance and I look forward to reading many posts on here!



Hello and welcome. I also own Coral Vista. There are two seasons high (51-18ish) and low (19-50)  maybe called Diamond and Resort, I forget!

You can book 12 months out in your season so if you own high season, you should be able to see week 51, 2016 thru February 28?2017 based on availability. You would not be able to see low season November December until 8 months out using home options. 

If you own low season you should be able to see May 1,2016 thru week 50, 2016 subject to availability. You would not be able to see high season dates until 8 months out using your home options. 

If you purchased resale, there is always the possibility they have your ownership coded incorrectly especially if you own another mandatory SVN ownership. See this thread. http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237798

Or if you purchased directly, something is wrong. 
Give them a call...and what season do you own?


----------



## ktmorgan

GrayFal said:


> Hello and welcome. I also own Coral Vista. There are two seasons high (51-18ish) and low (19-50)  maybe called Diamond and Resort, I forget!
> 
> You can book 12 months out in your season so if you own high season, you should be able to see week 51, 2016 thru February 28?2017 based on availability. You would not be able to see low season November December until 8 months out using home options.
> 
> If you own low season you should be able to see May 1,2016 thru week 50, 2016 subject to availability. You would not be able to see high season dates until 8 months out using your home options.
> 
> If you purchased resale, there is always the possibility they have your ownership coded incorrectly especially if you own another mandatory SVN ownership. See this thread. http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237798
> 
> Or if you purchased directly, something is wrong.
> Give them a call...and what season do you own?



Thanks for the reply!  I own a floating week so I'm not sure exactly what "season" that would be associated with but I think I remember hearing it was a "Gold" membership?  We purchased it in July of 2015 and told them we would generally use it in July.

And this was purchased directly.


----------



## okwiater

ktmorgan said:


> Thanks for the reply!  I own a floating week so I'm not sure exactly what "season" that would be associated with but I think I remember hearing it was a "Gold" membership?  We purchased it in July of 2015 and told them we would generally use it in July.
> 
> And this was purchased directly.



If you told them you would generally use it in July, it's likely you have a Resort season ownership which can only book 12 months out within that season. The winter weeks are reserved for Diamond season owners until 8 months out, when anyone with HomeOptions or StarOptions can book the remaining inventory (first come, first served).


----------



## SMHarman

So, 12 months out from today is March 2017 = Platinum season. 

In June 2016 you will see availability for June 2017. 

In fact if you search on villa finder for your July week it should say home and available to book July 1 2016 for example. If you did the WSJ and say Canun WLR along side that the WLR week would be telling you it was available to book in November (8 months out)


----------



## DavidnRobin

ktmorgan said:


> Thanks for the reply!  I own a floating week so I'm not sure exactly what "season" that would be associated with but I think I remember hearing it was a "Gold" membership?  We purchased it in July of 2015 and told them we would generally use it in July.
> 
> And this was purchased directly.



Looks like you own Resort (low) season at CV since you intend to visit in July.  As mentioned - you can't see those days available to be reserved until 12 months in advance. You should know what you own - season and # of HomeResort Options.

That 'Gold' membership is for SPG.  Elite level (3*, 4* and 5*) are for SVO and depends on number of Options bought (or requalified) from SVO.


----------



## ktmorgan

Thanks so much everyone!  I can't say I'm feeling 100% comfortable of everything right now but this all makes sense. Thanks!


----------



## GrayFal

ktmorgan said:


> Thanks so much everyone!  I can't say I'm feeling 100% comfortable of everything right now but this all makes sense. Thanks!



Your Welcome. Enjoy your ownership.


----------



## DavidnRobin

ktmorgan said:


> Thanks so much everyone!  I can't say I'm feeling 100% comfortable of everything right now but this all makes sense. Thanks!



Good luck. There is a Coral Vista thread, but might need to search via google as TUG search on top of page does not work well (for me).

Sounds like you bought HomeResort Options in the Resort Season. Generally, Sales will sell enough HOs to get either a studio, 1Bd, 2Bd, or 3Bd. HO are for reserving during your season (Resort) for any checkin day in any villa type (during your season) up to 12 months in advance - limited by the number HOs you have. Only Owners of CV HOs can be used to reserve the CV phase at 8-12 months out.

At 8 months out - your HOs act as SOs for exchanging via SVN which includes other WSJ phases/seasons, or other SVO resorts.
These reservations are ALWAYS based on availability unless a fixed vacation period is owned.  This is critical if you vacation during high-demand times - keeping in mind that SVO also owns % of the TS weeks, and can easily reserve first for what they own.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Gina -
> 
> Check out NPS dock in Cruz Bay today.  This is a unique StJ experience - try and catch it.
> Hokulea (Tahitian/Polynesian Sailing vessel) is there today (now...) - wish I were.
> 
> http://www.hokulea.com/
> http://www.hokulea.com/track-the-voyage/
> 
> Added - we had the opportunity to see 2 of the sailing ships in Hanalei, Kauai in September 2013 during our WPORV incarceration .  Interesting history - if you have ever seen the phrase "Eddie would go" {Hawaiian Hero and Legend} it is tied to creation and building of these ancient Polynesian sailing vessels, and unfortunate capsize in horrific seas in a HI channel with Eddie paddling towards land to save the souls aboard - never to be seen again.  Quite a story.
> 
> ESPN 30:30 did a segment on Eddie, and a large wave surfing competition in his name (Eddie Aikau) just happened a few days ago - supposed 60ft waves. Crazy photos/videos.
> https://www.facebook.com/WSL/videos/10153468496877058/



Hey David-

We missed it.  We were heading out to go diving when your message came in.  Too bad, that would have been cool to see.  We did see a unique sail boat while we were out, but it didn't look like the one on the website you linked.  We were diving not too far from Cruz bay.

Thanx, Gina


----------



## DavidnRobin

Looks like they could still be there - how is your StJ/WSJ vacation going?


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Looks like they could still be there - how is your StJ/WSJ vacation going?



It's going good, thanks for asking.  We made it to the NPS dock on Tuesday evening and the Hokulea is still here.  The sails were put away so we couldn't see them, but the rudder paddle le was out and pretty impressive.  Monday we did the Hurricane Hole kayak/snorkel trip.  We saw lots of juvenile versions of the fish we normally see diving.  Also saw a younger green moray eel, which surprised the guide.  After that we stopped at Skinny's(again) for a snack and headed out to Ram's head for sunset.  Didn't make it though, didn't leave enough time, only made it to the rocky beach.  Still beautiful though.  Tuesday we drove out to mile marker 12.8, stopped at Skinny's again.  Tonight we are doing the sunset SUP tour in Cruz bay.  Tomorrow is the guided Reef Bay Trail.  We did the Reef Bay trail on our own last time, but I think I will enjoy the boat ride back much better.  Friday we head home.  Seems so short this time, only 7 days, 12 days last time.

Gas is $2.95 for unleaded if anyone is interested,

Gina


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Good luck. There is a Coral Vista thread, but might need to search via google as TUG search on top of page does not work well (for me).
> 
> Sounds like you bought HomeResort Options in the Resort Season. Generally, Sales will sell enough HOs to get either a studio, 1Bd, 2Bd, or 3Bd. HO are for reserving during your season (Resort) for any checkin day in any villa type (during your season) up to 12 months in advance - limited by the number HOs you have. Only Owners of CV HOs can be used to reserve the CV phase at 8-12 months out.
> 
> At 8 months out - your HOs act as SOs for exchanging via SVN which includes other WSJ phases/seasons, or other SVO resorts.
> These reservations are ALWAYS based on availability unless a fixed vacation period is owned.  This is critical if you vacation during high-demand times - keeping in mind that SVO also owns % of the TS weeks, and can easily reserve first for what they own.


Just wanted to add, that as a resale owner whose HomeOptions do not convert to StarOptions at 8 months, I can book Coral Vista outside my season at 8 months as well.
So a resale Diamond Season owner can book Resort Season at 8 months using HomeOptions and vice versa. 

 Yes, you are competing against all other StarOptions owners but it is possible to do this.


----------



## okwiater

GrayFal said:


> Just wanted to add, that as a resale owner whose  HomeOptions do not convert to StarOptions at 8 months, I can book Coral  Vista outside my season at 8 months as well.
> So a resale Diamond Season owner can book Resort Season at 8 months using HomeOptions and vice versa.
> 
> Yes, you are competing against all other StarOptions owners but it is possible to do this.



That's great to know. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## GrayFal

okwiater said:


> That's great to know. Thanks for sharing.



Your welcome. And I must say I was very pleased to find this out as well.


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> Just wanted to add, that as a resale owner whose HomeOptions do not convert to StarOptions at 8 months, I can book Coral Vista outside my season at 8 months as well.
> So a resale Diamond Season owner can book Resort Season at 8 months using HomeOptions and vice versa.
> 
> Yes, you are competing against all other StarOptions owners but it is possible to do this.



Of course this would be true - otherwise at 8 months the resale CV HOs would be extremely restricted if only can be used in season purchased (and then also compete with SVN).

However, is a resale buyer at CV really going to take a chance to switch seasons and then attempt to compete with SVN exchanges?  Especially if no reservation was 1st made within season purchased - resale CV owner could totally get locked out of usage. Also, would have to cancel original in-season CV reservation to have the SOs to make a SVN exchange into CV.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Whales!

https://www.facebook.com/LowKeyWate...01564727223/10153839396572224/?type=3&theater


----------



## RichW

*Explorer Package*

In March 2015 my wife and I did the STJ presentation we didn't buy, but we did purchase the explorer package which the sales rep said was good for 2 years.  if we decide to purchase we had 12 months from the presentation date and 90% of the price of the explorer package can be used for the timeshare purchase. March 2016 is here (12 month), does anyone know if we do not buy this month and decide to use the explorer package in July (16 months) when we go to the presentation will there be any incentives?  Is it worth waiting? :whoopie:


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Whales!
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/LowKeyWate...01564727223/10153839396572224/?type=3&theater



Nice, thanx for sharing.  Wish we would have seen somethng like that.


----------



## DavidnRobin

RichW said:


> In March 2015 my wife and I did the STJ presentation we didn't buy, but we did purchase the explorer package which the sales rep said was good for 2 years.  if we decide to purchase we had 12 months from the presentation date and 90% of the price of the explorer package can be used for the timeshare purchase. March 2016 is here (12 month), does anyone know if we do not buy this month and decide to use the explorer package in July (16 months) when we go to the presentation will there be any incentives?  Is it worth waiting?



Not clear - wait for what incentives?  You should read terms and conditions of your ExpPkg and not depend on what Sales tells you (cardinal rule).

If you are not going to buy and you are using the vacation the EP gives you - there are no extra incentives that I know about (read terms...) you paid in advance for that EP stay - right? If you buy this month - then 90% of EP goes to purchase and there are SP incentives included.  Otherwise - no SPs.

The only other incentive on your stay at 16 months is the standard (~$100 in incentives)


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Of course this would be true - otherwise at 8 months the resale CV HOs would be extremely restricted if only can be used in season purchased (and then also compete with SVN).
> 
> However, is a resale buyer at CV really going to take a chance to switch seasons and then attempt to compete with SVN exchanges?  Especially if no reservation was 1st made within season purchased - resale CV owner could totally get locked out of usage. Also, would have to cancel original in-season CV reservation to have the SOs to make a SVN exchange into CV.



Coral Vista is voluntary .... If I purchased at at LagunaMar Gold Plus or Steamboat Resort Platinum or Desert Willow Platinum Plus or WSJ Bay Vista Platinim or Gold Plus as a resale owner at a voluntary resort I can ONLY reserve a week during my season. (Correct me if my understanding is wrong, this is how it works with Marriott retail and resale weeks)

With Coral Vista HomeOptions I can reserve 3 days in Diamond Season and 7 days in Resort if I want making it more flexible then traditional voluntary week based resales.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hi Pat - this is a benefit for CV over weekly ownerships of WSJ-BV or WLR when attempting to reserve outside season.  Not sure how much of a real benefit considering there is no priority for CV Owners at 8 months (if they did - that would be a huge benefit). So... you would hold back usage to compete with SVN exchangers at 8 months?  After CV is sold out - that is a huge risk.  IMO

Question - resale WSJ-BV or WLR (etc) can use II.  How does resale CV work with II?


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Hi Pat - this is a benefit for CV over weekly ownerships of WSJ-BV or WLR when attempting to reserve outside season.  Not sure how much of a real benefit considering there is no priority for CV Owners at 8 months (if they did - that would be a huge benefit). So... you would hold back usage to compete with SVN exchangers at 8 months?  After CV is sold out - that is a huge risk.  IMO
> 
> Question - resale WSJ-BV or WLR (etc) can use II.  How does resale CV work with II?



In my case, I purchased resort season with current plans to travel late fall as I own a Hillside winter week. Sooooooo, Diamond season occurs 8 months out January-April) before I have to reserve my November time. Not saying I will do it because as you said, I would have no priority, would be lumped with the other no status SVN members. But it is a possibility.

Edit. Regarding II, yes I can join (add to my current personal account) but have not done this as I have no intention of exchanging and II charges a fee to add an ownership. 
I will send an email to SVN regarding this and see what they say. Not sure if it would be a week for week trade or if an II Points account is needed.  At the time of my purchase, I know I had the information as I had asked but do not recall what they told me ....hmmmmm
Will post when I find out.


----------



## sachia007

*Ferry - St. Thomas to STJ*

When we were waiting for the ferry to leave the dock and take us back to Red Hook, less than a week ago , I overheard the man who collects the money on board tell a customer that the car ferry companies are working together now. 

You can buy a round trip ticket and both companies will accept the return slip. Not sure if this is true or if he was teasing the customer, but I think he was telling the truth. He kept on saying, "we are now doing this, and you should have asked..you have to ask questions". Not that it's a lot of money saved on the trip buying round trip vs. one-way, but it's a savings.


----------



## melissy123

Saw the Hokulea while snorkeling at Trunk Bay today. She was under sail and on the way to Cuba, according to the lifeguard.


----------



## sachia007

*How to find out owner's name the week before or after we own*

I believe it was David who posted a while ago how to find out the person's name and/or mailing address that owns the same unit the week before and after our week.

Anyone know how to do this?

Thanks


----------



## DavidnRobin

Go into USVI property tax records, and search.
https://propertytax.vi.gov/Lookup/TaxBillLookup.aspx
https://propertytax.vi.gov/Lookup/ParcelLookup.aspx

Look at your parcel code (PropTax Bill? or search you name) - then change last letter to a letter before/after
e.g CM becomes CL or CN

they run in sequences


----------



## DavidnRobin

If anyone is on St John. Beach Bar tonight. Fri. Mar4


----------



## SandyPGravel

sachia007 said:


> When we were waiting for the ferry to leave the dock and take us back to Red Hook, less than a week ago , I overheard the man who collects the money on board tell a customer that the car ferry companies are working together now.
> 
> You can buy a round trip ticket and both companies will accept the return slip. Not sure if this is true or if he was teasing the customer, but I think he was telling the truth. He kept on saying, "we are now doing this, and you should have asked..you have to ask questions". Not that it's a lot of money saved on the trip buying round trip vs. one-way, but it's a savings.



One way is now $35 & I think round trip is still $50.  $20 bucks would be worth asking!  BTW, we left this morning got to the car barge a little before 9 am still didn't fit on 9:30 ferry took 10 am ferry got to red hook 1030.  Westin suggested getting to car barge 1/2 hour early, we might have made the barge if we were 45 minutes early & this was on a Friday morning.

Saw my first and only turtle  from the car barge!!


----------



## melissy123

sachia007 said:


> When we were waiting for the ferry to leave the dock and take us back to Red Hook, less than a week ago , I overheard the man who collects the money on board tell a customer that the car ferry companies are working together now.
> 
> You can buy a round trip ticket and both companies will accept the return slip. Not sure if this is true or if he was teasing the customer, but I think he was telling the truth. He kept on saying, "we are now doing this, and you should have asked..you have to ask questions". Not that it's a lot of money saved on the trip buying round trip vs. one-way, but it's a savings.



I was up topside when hubby bought the round trip tickets even though I had told him to buy only one-way. He said he was told about the same story, that the tickets are good on both companies. We'll find out for sure on the return but it sounds like that it's really true.  And boy, do I owe him an apology.


----------



## melissy123

At WSJ this week, in BV, on the first floor in a two bedroom, using a friend's staroptions. No deck, just a very small unusable patio.  Very noisy to sit at beach or the pool during construction hours. But hey, it's St. John and we're having a great week. And we've been snorkeling every morning. Finally got to Waterlemon Cay after swimming out from shore. I swear I saw a shark on the ocean floor in the channel. 

Looking at resale weeks now, and one for sale by a BV owner promises a fixed unit and a fixed week, and it's pointed out that the advantage for this unit is that it's unlike all the other BV weeks that were sold as floating weeks. Is this true or were all weeks at BV sold as floating weeks. (And yes, I know no staroptions on resale)


----------



## okwiater

melissy123 said:


> Looking at resale weeks now, and one for sale by a BV owner promises a fixed unit and a fixed week, and it's pointed out that the advantage for this unit is that it's unlike all the other BV weeks that were sold as floating weeks. Is this true or were all weeks at BV sold as floating weeks. (And yes, I know no staroptions on resale)



Yes, it was possible to pay an extra 20% to fix the unit and the week. I would assume the estoppel would confirm the details indicated by the seller.


----------



## LisaRex

melissy123 said:


> Looking at resale weeks now, and one for sale by a BV owner promises a fixed unit and a fixed week, and it's pointed out that the advantage for this unit is that it's unlike all the other BV weeks that were sold as floating weeks. Is this true or were all weeks at BV sold as floating weeks. (And yes, I know no staroptions on resale)



Most were sold as floating weeks.


----------



## DavidnRobin

melissy123 said:


> At WSJ this week, in BV, on the first floor in a two bedroom, using a friend's staroptions. No deck, just a very small unusable patio.  Very noisy to sit at beach or the pool during construction hours. But hey, it's St. John and we're having a great week. And we've been snorkeling every morning. Finally got to Waterlemon Cay after swimming out from shore. I swear I saw a shark on the ocean floor in the channel.
> 
> Looking at resale weeks now, and one for sale by a BV owner promises a fixed unit and a fixed week, and it's pointed out that the advantage for this unit is that it's unlike all the other BV weeks that were sold as floating weeks. Is this true or were all weeks at BV sold as floating weeks. (And yes, I know no staroptions on resale)



It was likely a Nurse shark (harmless) if it was stationary on the bottom.  Careful with full/no moon tides at Waterlemon (or any channel).  A friend almost drowned there a few years ago - luckily another Tugger came to rescue.

Up to 50% of BV were available to be fixed in any given season.  Likely that mark was never made since people prefer float weeks for flexibility.  So... there are fixed villas at BV.  All are fixed in VGV.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*WSJ-VGV - March 2016 Report to Owners*

March 2016		
Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner: 

As your owner-elected representatives, we recently participated in the annual meeting and the February Board of Directors meeting of our condominium association. We were pleased that quite a few owners were in attendance and they asked excellent well-informed questions.

There were no major issues for decision at this meeting, but we did make a couple of decisions, and we received an update on improvements and construction at the resort.

RESORT UPDATE 

Renovation of the interiors of the units has been underway since early 2015 and all of the interiors will have been renovated by the end of 2016. The new dock has been installed and is in use by the ferry and by the boat and dive trips that leave from the resort. The conversion of the final group of hotel rooms to ownership units has begun, with first occupancy of the new Sunset Bay portion of the resort expected next January. New barbecue grills have been installed in Virgin Grand and they include timers so that the flame is not kept on indefinitely if an owner forgets to turn off the gas. Of perhaps greatest interest, Mr. Ryan is close to completing an agreement with an upscale restaurant to replace the much-missed Cruz Bay Prime. The new restaurant may be open as soon as late November. Sam Hugli, the new Director of Operations, is working on the menu at Lemongrass to make it more family-friendly.

BALCONY CHAIRS

The very heavy wooden chairs on the hillside balconies will be replaced as soon as General Manager Mike Ryan is able to identify a good replacement product that will not deteriorate despite being rained on frequently. The new chairs will be smaller and easier to reposition. The two-bedroom loft units will be able to accommodate four such chairs, rather than three chairs as at present. 

OWNER QUESTIONS

We won't try to present all of the owner questions, but some of possibly more general interest are these.

One owner asked if the boards of the other associations at the property would get owner-elected representatives now that the hotel was being fully converted. Starwood Vacation Ownership's (SVO) response was that there would be such representatives, starting with Bay Vista, possibly next year. SVO recognizes that we need to find a mechanism through which all four condo boards can have input into decisions affecting the common resort areas.

One owner asked how the transition from SVO to Interval Leisure Group would affect owners or the resort. SVO's answer was that there is no indication that anything will change for the worse, and, as a benefit, there will be at least five more resorts in the system into which owners can exchange with StarOptions. We pointed out, however, that the acquisition of Starwood (the hotel company) by Marriott could be more problematic. Some owners have worried that Marriott will combine its point system with SPG points, making it harder for Starwood owners to use Starpoints to obtain hotel reservations. Thus far, there has been no indication that the programs will be combined. However, the merger does mean that there will be less competition in the hotel industry and we have seen one effect of this already: recently both Starwood and Marriott raised the category levels of many of their hotels, making it more difficult to use points for hotel stays. (As you know, the major airlines' loyalty programs are becoming less generous at the same time.)

One owner asked about the method for allocating the common area costs among the four condo associations, now that hotel rooms are being converted to a smaller number of timeshare units. Because some of the common area costs are allocated by the number of units rather than by the number of bedrooms, other things being equal this would increase our maintenance fees after the Sunset Bay development has been completed - and by more than if the costs were allocated by bedroom. We are working with management to understand the allocation formulas, the rationale for making allocations by units rather than bedrooms (given that conversion of the hotel was not contemplated when the allocation formulas were first applied), and most importantly, the dollar amount by which the maintenance fees will be impacted as a result of allocating some of the costs by units rather than bedrooms. We will return to these matters at the June Board meeting. Note: Maintenance of the commercial areas, such as the shops and restaurants, is paid for by SVO, not by the associations.

One owner questioned why the maintenance fee for a two bedroom premium villa (not a loft) was the same as for a three-bedroom pool villa. SVO responded that this allocation was established in the Declaration that created the condominium and thus was not subject to change.

One owner asked for full budget figures to be made available to owners. SVO responded that the audited financial statement for 2015 would be posted when completed (usually by the end of May) in the "Owners Association" section of the Dashboard on the Starwood Vacation Network website under the Association Information drop down menu. In the interim, SVO will be working to post the 2014 audited final statement.

One owner asked for reassurance that SVO was not using the toxic insecticide that caused serious harm to vacationers at the Sirenusa Resort on St. John. Mr. Ryan reported that our resort has never used Terminix (the exterminator at Sirenusa) or methyl bromide, the product that caused the illnesses.

One owner remarked about beach advisory signs that had been posted. Mr. Ryan reported that the Virgin Islands government tests all of the non-Park beaches for bacterial count every Tuesday and reports the results on Fridays. If the water is not safe for swimming because of high bacterial counts, the resort posts advisory notices during the weekend and removes them the following Tuesday. Typically, when our beach is affected, about thirty other beaches are also affected. The north shore beaches are not affected because currents wash away any pollution.

ELECTION RESULTS

Philip Schrag was elected to another term as an owner-elected representative. The next scheduled election will occur at the 2018 annual meeting, when Mr. Werbel's term expires.

Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com

Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## DavidnRobin

Great to see Phil re-elected to VGV HOA BOD.
Congrats Phil!  (if you are lurking... )


----------



## EricAndCarol

*Suggestions for Jost Van Dyke trip*

We are going to be on STJ in early June and have some friends joining us from a Wednesday to the following Wednesday.  We have gone over to Jost Van Dyke a couple of times on the Island Spirit and were hoping to take them on this trip.  The problem is that the Island Spirit goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we were hoping to take them closer to the middle of their stay.

I was wondering if anyone can recommend another operator that takes groups over to Jost.

Thanks


----------



## carpie99

EricAndCarol said:


> We are going to be on STJ in early June and have some friends joining us from a Wednesday to the following Wednesday.  We have gone over to Jost Van Dyke a couple of times on the Island Spirit and were hoping to take them on this trip.  The problem is that the Island Spirit goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we were hoping to take them closer to the middle of their stay.
> 
> I was wondering if anyone can recommend another operator that takes groups over to Jost.
> 
> Thanks



Captain Benny with Copeland Charters

He even stopped at the store previous to our charter and filled the coolers with our choice of beer and his wife made us some rum punch!

http://www.copelandboatcharters.com/rates.html


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hey E&C - I would think most Charters go to JVD, and would be fine with not spot-hopping (IslandRoots would...).  Doesn't WSJ (CruzBay) have a smaller boat that you can charter with a Captain.

The JVD ferry is an adventure...


----------



## applekor

EricAndCarol said:


> We are going to be on STJ in early June and have some friends joining us from a Wednesday to the following Wednesday.  We have gone over to Jost Van Dyke a couple of times on the Island Spirit and were hoping to take them on this trip.  The problem is that the Island Spirit goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we were hoping to take them closer to the middle of their stay.
> 
> I was wondering if anyone can recommend another operator that takes groups over to Jost.
> 
> Thanks



If you still want to do Island Spirit, they do have a low key trip on Sunday that takes you over to Jost for the whole day. Their trip is called Sunday Funday.

It leaves later in the morning and does not island hop. We usually take it when we are in between villas( homeless) halfway through our 2 week trip.


----------



## EricAndCarol

applekor said:


> If you still want to do Island Spirit, they do have a low key trip on Sunday that takes you over to Jost for the whole day. Their trip is called Sunday Funday.
> 
> It leaves later in the morning and does not island hop. We usually take it when we are in between villas( homeless) halfway through our 2 week trip.



We were thinking of the sail cat experience like on the Island Spirit.  I did not see the Sunday Funday when I first looked at their website so we may give that a try.  I seem to remember a black catamaran that has been going between STJ and JVD the last couple of years as well.  I remember that their office was over by Jake's but don't remember the name of the boat.


----------



## applekor

I believe your talking about KEKOA.

We've never taken that one but we have seen it many times.  It looks cool with the black sail.


----------



## melissy123

Just wanted to report back on Amalie Car Rental.  Those folks are awesome.  
And yes, totally worth it to have the car for a whole week, even though we didn't use it at all one day. We were in Bay Vista, and quite a ways away, especially for the one person in our group with knee issues.  We figured out that if one person got dropped off at the front desk on the way "home," then that person could grab an iguana to meet the rest of this in the parking lot and then go to Bay Vista.


----------



## EricAndCarol

applekor said:


> I believe your talking about KEKOA.
> 
> We've never taken that one but we have seen it many times.  It looks cool with the black sail.



Thanks!  Kekoa is the one we were trying to remember.


----------



## LisaRex

melissy123 said:


> We figured out that if one person got dropped off at the front desk on the way "home," then that person could grab an iguana to meet the rest of this in the parking lot and then go to Bay Vista.



Very smart.  Cause iguanas are hit and miss.  I really love the Bay Vista phase, but the distance from the parking lot to the villas is definitely a deterrent.


----------



## sachia007

LisaRex said:


> Very smart.  Cause iguanas are hit and miss.  I really love the Bay Vista phase, but the distance from the parking lot to the villas is definitely a deterrent.



In addition to what you mentioned above,  I find that with the distance to/front the parking lot and the lack of plentiful parking spaces at the main resort, it definitely is nicer to be in the hillside villas.


----------



## LisaRex

For those who recall the case on St. John where a family who was vacationing at Sirenusa Resort was poisoned after breathing fumes from a pest control company, it looks like the case was finally settled. The government fined Terminix $10 million for using the banned substance.  Terminix also agreed to use the civil court system to take care of the family's ongoing medical problems. 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/terminix-fined-10-million-pesticide-190250925.html

Sadly for the family, it appears as if their neurological damage may be permanent: 

"Six months after the family's exposure, their lawyer told CNN that the brothers were barely able to move and that Stephen Esmond was still suffering from severe tremors and struggling to speak."


----------



## DavidnRobin

St John (National Park) is featured on the April 9th broadcast of ABC's 'Rock The Park'
1st season of 'Rock The Park' is on Netflix...


----------



## hefleycatz

Hello everyone.    
Starting to do some homework on the SOs since we were there in 6/2014.  Everything has changed and for the weeks (23-25) that I am looking for our daughters honeymoon, she will only be able to get into a Studio or a 1bdrm VG (which prob wont happen)
Does the "term" Studio Premium Villa mean the VG section since on the Options chart it states :  VG - studio premium    CV - studio???
Below is what the reservation system has listed at 81,000 so for week 14-2017 (farthest out I can go so far)


THE WESTIN ST. JOHN RESORT & VILLAS
ST. JOHN, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
x

Villa
Studio Premium Villa
Max. Occupancy 4
Details

Thanks,

Lee


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hi Lee - not really following... Are you looking for weeks 23-35 (for a 1Bd or studio) in 2017 to get via SVN?

A Week 14 studio is 81K SO for both VGV and CV (but not sure why that is important...)


----------



## GrayFal

Catz.  This could indirectly help. Week 23-25 studio is low season in VG. So studio would be 44K. A CV studio would be between 44k and 81K. So if you see a non 44K studio it will be CV ....  I do not know the exact number without checking the SO chart. 
1BR is only in VG so what you see is what you get. 

Hope this helps. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## hefleycatz

DavidnRobin said:


> Hi Lee - not really following... Are you looking for weeks 23-35 (for a 1Bd or studio) in 2017 to get via SVN?
> 
> A Week 14 studio is 81K SO for both VGV and CV (but not sure why that is important...)



She will be getting married the first two weeks in Junes '17.  We are trying to get the honeymoon set first, if she wants something thru SVN.  When we went in 2014 we were in a BV Loft which was 95,700:whoopie: But now that is out of my points range, unless I borrow.  

I would prefer to get her a 1 bdrm, but I don't know if that would be possible for VG because its so limited in inventory,  but she might have to settle for a studio.  But after reading the Master Thread part 2, i dont think she would want a studio in CV because 2nd floor and up does not have a balcony.  

Shes doing a destination wedding in Florida, and I'm not sure that I want to wait until 8 months out to start planning and then maybe not get anything at WSJ.   

This is the downside to having taken kids on glorious timeshare trips, they are now room/view snobs.   :rofl:

Thanks 

Lee


----------



## hefleycatz

GrayFal said:


> Catz.  This could indirectly help. Week 23-25 studio is low season in VG. So studio would be 44K. A CV studio would be between 44k and 81K. So if you see a non 44K studio it will be CV ....  I do not know the exact number without checking the SO chart.
> 1BR is only in VG so what you see is what you get.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Thank you.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Tactics for reservation*

Ok, here's my dilemma, situation, quandary etc... I looked in the stickies regarding reservations but only saw the basic timeline structure.

I have a fixed week 9 unit.  I plan on confirming my reservation before the 10 month deadline so I will definitely have my time in paradise.  However, I would like to try to get a rez around week 21.  (A family member is interested in doing the beach to beach swim, Memorial day Sunday.  She has done a similar swim in Lake Superior, this would be a tad nicer!!  And, I have a friends wedding to attend that would be a tight squeeze around week 9.)

So, if my week 9 is reserved will I have to cancel the week 9 prior to trying to go on at midnight EST to grab  the week 21? Any idea how far in advance will I need to cancel the week so the options are available in my account? I plan on trying to get a 9 or 10 day reservation so at least I wouldn't be competing with the Sat to Sat 7 day reservations, that might help, right?

I guess what I am asking is will the system let me grab the week(9 - 10 day) I want and cancel the week I have in one transaction?  

I assume I can't, I remember reading something about Elite members being allowed to do something like that.  I am not elite.  

All of this is assuming a 2BR available around week 21.  I would prefer to stay in my beloved hillside section, but will take whatever happens to be available.  

Really counting my chickens before they hatch with the next question.  If I get a unit somewhere other than the hill and I rent a car for the duration of my stay, where do we park?

I don't know anyone keeps multiple TS systems straight in their head.  Sometimes navigating SVO is enough to make mine spin!


----------



## YYJMSP

SandyPGravel said:


> So, if my week 9 is reserved will I have to cancel the week 9 prior to trying to go on at midnight EST to grab  the week 21? Any idea how far in advance will I need to cancel the week so the options are available in my account? I plan on trying to get a 9 or 10 day reservation so at least I wouldn't be competing with the Sat to Sat 7 day reservations, that might help, right?
> 
> I guess what I am asking is will the system let me grab the week(9 - 10 day) I want and cancel the week I have in one transaction?



You'll have to cancel first, and then make the new reservation, if you plan on using the same ownership to make the new booking.

Whatever you release is usually back in your available balance in seconds.

The potential gotcha is that the new reservation you want is no longer available when you go to book it (i.e. someone else took it in the minute you were getting rid of the old one and going back to find the new one).



SandyPGravel said:


> I assume I can't, I remember reading something about Elite members being allowed to do something like that.  I am not elite.



I think the closest is the "Elite Wait-List" feature, where we can hold a reservation (i.e. week 9) and wait for a specific better one to come available (i.e. week 21) and take it instead.  They'll contact you to tell you that they are holding the better one for 24hrs and you have to confirm you want it, at which point you need to make sure you have an ownership you can use to book it (i.e. cancel the old one, and confirm the new one).  If you don't confirm within 24hrs, they will offer it to the next person on the wait-list, or put it back in inventory.

We just got an additional WKORV week for this summer that way yesterday actually.  I think we waited about 2weeks for the wait-list to pop up the unit we wanted (a 1BR), and then dropped off the one we didn't (a studio).  In our case, we still had enough SO's left we could have taken both, but cancelling the studio just frees up the SO's for a Christmas booking instead.


----------



## SandyPGravel

YYJMSP said:


> You'll have to cancel first, and then make the new reservation, if you plan on using the same ownership to make the new booking.
> 
> Whatever you release is usually back in your available balance in seconds.
> 
> The potential gotcha is that the new reservation you want is no longer available when you go to book it (i.e. someone else took it in the minute you were getting rid of the old one and going back to find the new one).
> 
> 
> 
> I think the closest is the "Elite Wait-List" feature, where we can hold a reservation (i.e. week 9) and wait for a specific better one to come available (i.e. week 21) and take it instead.  They'll contact you to tell you that they are holding the better one for 24hrs and you have to confirm you want it, at which point you need to make sure you have an ownership you can use to book it (i.e. cancel the old one, and confirm the new one).  If you don't confirm within 24hrs, they will offer it to the next person on the wait-list, or put it back in inventory.
> 
> We just got an additional WKORV week for this summer that way yesterday actually.  I think we waited about 2weeks for the wait-list to pop up the unit we wanted (a 1BR), and then dropped off the one we didn't (a studio).  In our case, we still had enough SO's left we could have taken both, but cancelling the studio just frees up the SO's for a Christmas booking instead.



Thank- you!  I can decide when the time rolls around if I want to take the chance!!  Hopefully everything doesn't say "low availability".


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hi Gina - don't forget - you will need to cancel your week 9 at 60 days in advance, so this will decrease your window for an SVN exchange to get into June (which starts at 8 months out in Oct'16).

At 4* - an owner can waitlist, which has benefit of holding you week 9 while trying for weeks 20-23.

IMO - getting 1Bd/studio VGV in June by using SO from your Week 9 has a low likelihood of being successful - not too mention the stress and hassle factor. You will be competing with many others looking to get into WSJ.  An upside is that it is no longer 'high' season.

It looks like you only want to get this as a SO exchange - using $$ will open your choices by far (at WSJ or on-island)


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Hi Gina - don't forget - you will need to cancel your week 9 at 60 days in advance, so this will decrease your window for an SVN exchange to get into June (which starts at 8 months out in Oct'16).
> 
> At 4* - an owner can waitlist, which has benefit of holding you week 9 while trying for weeks 20-23.
> 
> IMO - getting 1Bd/studio VGV in June by using SO from your Week 9 has a low likelihood of being successful - not too mention the stress and hassle factor. You will be competing with many others looking to get into WSJ.  An upside is that it is no longer 'high' season.
> 
> It looks like you only want to get this as a SO exchange - using $$ will open your choices by far (at WSJ or on-island)



Thanks, David, actually I was hoping to get a two bedroom, is that even less likely?  My 2BR week 9 is 176,700 SO, a 2BR week 20 is only 148, and week 21 is 95,700 I would have plenty of SO to be able to reserve 9 or 10 days over the span of those two weeks with my available SO (combining both I own gives me 257,700) 

I was also hoping with that being memorial day week many schools would still be in session (they are in Wisconsin) and I wouldn't be competing with families.  Sixty days out would be late December.  If I couldn't get one at the 8 month window in Sept, I wouldn't wait for anything to possibly open up.  I would just keep my March week.  I have noticed weeks opening up at the last minute, but I am way too much of a planner to attempt to be spontaneous!!:rofl:  Plus airfare prices at the last minute, no thanks!

If it doesn't work out this year I can bank my 81000 week in 2017 and then have 162,000 SO available to book in 2018 without canceling my March week.  

Heck if I could pre-pay my MF for 2018 on my 81000 SO week then borrow from that to make a 2017 reservation in September, but I don't think that is plausible.  Is it?     Then I wouldn't have to cancel my week 9 in advance.  I wouldn't be out anything if the time frame I want is not available.  Just pre paying a bill not due until Dec of 2017.  I have never borrowed from a future year.  Do you know if I pre-pay the MF will the SO show up in my account?  I'm guessing this would be something I would have to call and make the reservation and by 9 AM EST the availability would be gone.

Sorry I am thinking out loud and typing as I go...


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanks, David, actually I was hoping to get a two bedroom, is that even less likely?  My 2BR week 9 is 176,700 SO, a 2BR week 20 is only 148, and week 21 is 95,700 I would have plenty of SO to be able to reserve 9 or 10 days over the span of those two weeks with my available SO (combining both I own gives me 257,700)
> 
> I was also hoping with that being memorial day week many schools would still be in session (they are in Wisconsin) and I wouldn't be competing with families.  Sixty days out would be late December.  If I couldn't get one at the 8 month window in Sept, I wouldn't wait for anything to possibly open up.  I would just keep my March week.  I have noticed weeks opening up at the last minute, but I am way too much of a planner to attempt to be spontaneous!!:rofl:  Plus airfare prices at the last minute, no thanks!
> 
> If it doesn't work out this year I can bank my 81000 week in 2017 and then have 162,000 SO available to book in 2018 without canceling my March week.
> 
> Heck if I could pre-pay my MF for 2018 on my 81000 SO week then borrow from that to make a 2017 reservation in September, but I don't think that is plausible.  Is it?     Then I wouldn't have to cancel my week 9 in advance.  I wouldn't be out anything if the time frame I want is not available.  Just pre paying a bill not due until Dec of 2017.  I have never borrowed from a future year.  Do you know if I pre-pay the MF will the SO show up in my account?  I'm guessing this would be something I would have to call and make the reservation and by 9 AM EST the availability would be gone.
> 
> Sorry I am thinking out loud and typing as I go...



I believe you have to call to make a reservation when you borrow SOs.


----------



## Helios

YYJMSP said:


> We just got an additional WKORV week for this summer that way yesterday actually.  I think we waited about 2weeks for the wait-list to pop up the unit we wanted (a 1BR), and then dropped off the one we didn't (a studio).  In our case, we still had enough SO's left we could have taken both, but cancelling the studio just frees up the SO's for a Christmas booking instead.



Curious, are you usually successful at getting wait list matches?


----------



## YYJMSP

moto x said:


> Curious, are you usually successful at getting wait list matches?



Pretty much every one except WSJ last summer has come through...

I think the most i've needed was 4 units during the same week roughly at WKORV about 5yrs back.  I think one booking was off by a day.  They all cleared well before 4mos out if I remember right.

The request limit is two per lockoff or one per non-lockoff unit or something like that (they need to associate the request with a unit week for some reason), so we can have 10 waitlist requests for various arrival dates, unit sizes, etc going at once while holding as many bookings as we can make.  If they call you with a possible match, you need to either have enough SO's left to confirm the booking or drop off existing reservation(s) to free up the necessary SO's.


----------



## Helios

YYJMSP said:


> Pretty much every one except WSJ last summer has come through...
> 
> I think the most i've needed was 4 units during the same week roughly at WKORV about 5yrs back.  I think one booking was off by a day.  They all cleared well before 4mos out if I remember right.
> 
> The request limit is two per lockoff or one per non-lockoff unit or something like that (they need to associate the request with a unit week for some reason), so we can have 10 waitlist requests for various arrival dates, unit sizes, etc going at once while holding as many bookings as we can make.  If they call you with a possible match, you need to either have enough SO's left to confirm the booking or drop off existing reservation(s) to free up the necessary SO's.



Nice.  Good info on request limit, I didn't know.

I placed one last week (my first) for November.  Hopefully it works out.  Available SOs are not an option for me.


----------



## DavidnRobin

For those on StJ...

Hike to Ram Head under the splendor of a full moon tomorrow on a guided hike with Ranger Corinee Fenner. This will be the last full moon hike of the season put on by Friends of Virgin Islands National Park going out to St. John’s southern most point, a ecologically unique and culturally significant area. To sign up call 340-779-4940


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> For those on StJ...
> 
> Hike to Ram Head under the splendor of a full moon tomorrow on a guided hike with Ranger Corinee Fenner. This will be the last full moon hike of the season put on by Friends of Virgin Islands National Park going out to St. John’s southern most point, a ecologically unique and culturally significant area. To sign up call 340-779-4940



Hi David-

Any idea why the hikes aren't year round?  (Heat?)  Sounds like fun, and a good way to observe Earth day! 

Wish we were there.


----------



## GrayFal

News Alert: currently only Captain Vic is running the STT-STJ car barge route. The General failed inspections on Friday. Mr. B was previously seized by federal marshals leaving the STJ terminal full of inactive passenger barges. Please allow ample time if you are traveling between St John and St Thomas.

http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/category/news/


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hopefully this will get resolved soon - which for the USVI means sometime in the next few years.  arg


----------



## DavidnRobin

*New Ferry to St. Croix to Begin Mid-June*

http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/05/06/new-ferry-to-st-croix-to-begin-mid-june/

STT-STX
$50pp one-way


----------



## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/05/06/new-ferry-to-st-croix-to-begin-mid-june/
> 
> STT-STX
> $50pp one-way



This would be cool. It would be a good way to add some time in St Croix. Having been there once on a cruise stop, I would like to return. Though I would definitely stay on the east end toward Christensted instead of where the ship ported us in Frederiksted. Not sure if my wife would want to return though, we rented a car and dodges pot holes all day.

Given the length of the crossing, it would probably rule out a day trip.


----------



## DavidnRobin

More info on STT-STX ferry - cool looking vessel

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2016/05/07/stx-ferry-hits-sea-next-week


----------



## ferndale

Excited to try the St. Croix ferry next year - but will be much happier if I don't have to wait all day for the St. John car ferry THIS year!!!!


----------



## DavidnRobin

ferndale said:


> Excited to try the St. Croix ferry next year - but will be much happier if I don't have to wait all day for the St. John car ferry THIS year!!!!



Hi J - look forward to seeing you maniacs.

Amy from Amalie Car Rental said should not be issue in June - barring more issues... I plan to call in couple of weeks to follow-up - otherwise public ferry and rent on StJ.


----------



## ferndale

DavidnRobin said:


> Hi J - look forward to seeing you maniacs.
> 
> Amy from Amalie Car Rental said should not be issue in June - barring more issues... I plan to call in couple of weeks to follow-up - otherwise public ferry and rent on StJ.



awesome.  I will be checking tug more frequently before we go.  I'll touch base with her also!!  Love to make dinner/drinks plans


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Hi J - look forward to seeing you maniacs.
> 
> Amy from Amalie Car Rental said should not be issue in June - barring more issues... I plan to call in couple of weeks to follow-up - otherwise public ferry and rent on StJ.



I called and canceled my rental from Amalie last week. I have been following the ferry debacle and keep seeing that the service is hit and miss. Some days/times are smooth.....some are delays of 2-4 hours. 

I checked O'connor prices for the week and the same car is less, add in the ferry charges and its pretty close to wash for us. We almost missed our flights once when the ferry service was running good, I rather deal with easy then worrying if a ferry will be waiting to take us back.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Tom - when you going to WSJ?

I am keeping an eye on car barge service - I think we have 48 hours prior notice to cancel.
If so, we will go with public ferry and rent from an agency that allows parking in Cruz Bay.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Tom - when you going to WSJ?
> 
> I am keeping an eye on car barge service - I think we have 48 hours prior notice to cancel.
> If so, we will go with public ferry and rent from an agency that allows parking in Cruz Bay.


 
We are going for 15 days in July 9th-24th.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Sorry to miss you guys.  The 2 Robins' photo (from Jost) pops up on our TV screen saver from time to time.

Enjoy your trip.


----------



## Bill4728

So if we try for the rental car in St Thomas in mid-late June, we can count on the ferry to St johns?


----------



## DavidnRobin

There are 2 car barges running currently.
I actually made RT reservations (on-line) for the 1st time - Love City (Capt Vic) - for the departure times we need. 3pm (STT-STJ) and 10am (StJ-STT)
Likely unneccessary - but only $50 RT. ($20 discount)


----------



## Bill4728

DavidnRobin said:


> There are 2 car barges running currently.
> I actually made RT reservations (on-line) for the 1st time - Love City (Capt Vic) - for the departure times we need. 3pm (STT-STJ) and 10am (StJ-STT)
> Likely unneccessary - but only $50 RT. ($20 discount)



Thanks

I'll check with the other couple we're going with and see about the reservations.

Bill


----------



## DavidnRobin

Bill4728 said:


> Thanks
> 
> I'll check with the other couple we're going with and see about the reservations.
> 
> Bill



I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully, no hitches...


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> I will let you know how it goes. Hopefully, no hitches...



Good luck. How much time do you give yourself for the outbound reservation in case of flight delays?


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Good luck. How much time do you give yourself for the outbound reservation in case of flight delays?



We arrive at 12:30pm - car barge at 3:00pm (with next at 5pm unless we can use payment for 4pm ferry). I am more concerned for the return trip so as not to miss flight. (10am for 1:30pm flight)


----------



## DavidnRobin

Worked out fine. Got to lot about 25 min early.
Amalie was great as usual.
We did luckily bypassed some incident, and took 32 to RedHook instead.  Going to go this way from now on. Thank you Siri.
Home Depot has beach chairs - $25 each. $45 for TB. Couldn't find beach umbrellas.
Not much in Recycle Bin, but did score some 1800.
Beautiful here at Vistana St John...

End of trip report


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Worked out fine. Got to lot about 25 min early.
> Amalie was great as usual.
> We did luckily bypassed some incident, and took 32 to RedHook instead.  Going to go this way from now on. Thank you Siri.
> Home Depot has beach chairs - $25 each. $45 for TB. Couldn't find beach umbrellas.
> Not much in Recycle Bin, but did score some 1800.
> Beautiful here at Vistana St John...
> 
> End of trip report



Lucky you, glad to hear your car barge was uneventful!  

Are you going to test out the GPS coordinates for entry to hurricane hole?  Let me know if they are accurate.  I am only questioning what I reported because of the elevation my GPS stated.  Should have been a couple of feet, but it was recorded as several hundred feet.


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> Worked out fine. Got to lot about 25 min early.
> We did luckily bypassed some incident, and took 32 to RedHook instead.  Going to go this way from now on. Thank you Siri.
> End of trip report


Glad you made it without delay. Will try to reserve in Aug for our annual trip.
Hwy 32 is also what we did last year.



DavidnRobin said:


> Not much in Recycle Bin, but did score some 1800.
> Beautiful here at Vistana St John...


What's 1800?



DavidnRobin said:


> Beautiful here at *Vistana St John*...


A name that will take some getting used to...


----------



## Helios

LisaH said:


> A name that will take some getting used to...



I'm interested to see what David will say about this.  Perhaps they taped over "Westin" the new name "Vistana".  :hysterical:  TUG powers at be would be right there to help hold the new name while it is being taped.


----------



## dioxide45

Well, the resort is really still the Westin St John. They are stil marketing that name and the resort names are not changing. Why pay all that money to change it to the Vistana St John?


----------



## alexadeparis

LisaH said:


> What's 1800?



I am pretty sure it is a brand of tequila.


----------



## Helios

dioxide45 said:


> Well, the resort is really still the Westin St John. They are stil marketing that name and the resort names are not changing. Why pay all that money to change it to the Vistana St John?



Putting the money aside, because Vistana is the parent company.  Isn't that a good enough reason?  

Of course, I am being sarcastic.


----------



## Helios

alexadeparis said:


> I am pretty sure it is a brand of tequila.



Yes, it is a type of Cuervo Tequila.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Ok kids - the 'Vistana St John' comment was sarcasm...

VSE is clearly moving forward with Westin Vacation Club and Sheraton Vacation Club.

I did Owner Update yesterday and toured Summer Bay.
It is very quiet here.

I will follow up.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Ok kids - the 'Vistana St John' comment was sarcasm...



Of course it was, thankfully WSJ (not VSJ) is still it's name.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Dashboard Online Reservation Calendar*

Is it normal for absolutely no availability to show, in any size villa at WSJ even more than 12 months out?  Last week availability was there in May and June 2017, as of yesterday nothing is showing up.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Not sure why one would expect to see availability >12 months out.

Regardless, I would estimate B33-B34 occupancy is easily less than half.  No one is staying in the villas adjacent to ours. Yet, no one seems to be able to use SO to exchange in (or rented out...). Empty villas are not abnormal, but this lack of occupancy is a new low (over 10 years)
Zika fears?

It is very quiet - we have had the pool between B33-34 to ourselves throughout the day.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Not sure why one would expect to see availability >12 months out.
> 
> Regardless, I would estimate B33-B34 occupancy is easily less than half.  No one is staying in the villas adjacent to ours. Yet, no one seems to be able to use SO to exchange in (or rented out...). Empty villas are not abnormal, but this lack of occupancy is a new low (over 10 years)
> Zika fears?
> 
> It is very quiet - we have had the pool between B33-34 to ourselves throughout the day.



I have entered starting date of today, for example, 14 day stay, shows no availability.  It will then show a calendar with the next available time (March 2017) and you can forward to June 2017 and the entire calendar is white (no availability.)  If you follow this same process for another resort, the Maui resorts for example, (put in a date you know is booked) then forward to June 2017 the calendar is green.  

I love the view from 33-34, we stayed there the first two times on SO.  The unit we were able to purchase was 3210, nice, but nothing like the views from the top of the hill.  Although the walk is a lot easier to 32, than to 33-34!  Sure doesn't look like much difference, but that last part of the hill up the driveway thought I would die some days.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> It is very quiet - we have had the pool between B33-34 to ourselves throughout the day.



Very nice! We have friends staying in their 2-bedroom hillside unit during our second week. We have extensive plans of using the pool and grilling.


----------



## tomandrobin

The online booking tool is so bad. I find that the real availability doesn't quite match-up with the online engine.


----------



## ekinggill

*2 months out*

2 months away from our annual pilgrimage...this time with 10 friends in tow.

Any updates on the sea lice on the north shore beaches?

I have read that there are cases of the zika virus in the islands.  Can any recent travelers comment on the degree of infestation or paranoia?  

Thanks


----------



## tomandrobin

ekinggill said:


> 2 months away from our annual pilgrimage...this time with 10 friends in tow.
> 
> Any updates on the sea lice on the north shore beaches?
> 
> I have read that there are cases of the zika virus in the islands.  Can any recent travelers comment on the degree of infestation or paranoia?
> 
> Thanks


 
As of May 31st.....

_Today the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health reports three (3) new cases of Zika, with none of the new cases occurring among pregnant women. According to the weekly surveillance report, there were also 15 cases of dengue in the territory. There are now a total of 24 confirmed Zika cases in the USVI; with 15 cases in St. Croix, 8 cases in St. Thomas and 1 in St. John. To date, 647 pregnant women in the USVI have been tested for Zika, and three were confirmed positive. _

As far as Sea Lice, I thought I read that they go away or diminish after May.


----------



## dioxide45

SandyPGravel said:


> I have entered starting date of today, for example, 14 day stay, shows no availability.  It will then show a calendar with the next available time (March 2017) and you can forward to June 2017 and the entire calendar is white (no availability.)  If you follow this same process for another resort, the Maui resorts for example, (put in a date you know is booked) then forward to June 2017 the calendar is green.
> 
> I love the view from 33-34, we stayed there the first two times on SO.  The unit we were able to purchase was 3210, nice, but nothing like the views from the top of the hill.  Although the walk is a lot easier to 32, than to 33-34!  Sure doesn't look like much difference, but that last part of the hill up the driveway thought I would die some days.



I have seen the same thing. It seems that after April 6, 2017 there is zero availability in St John when searching through Villa Finder. While you can't technically book any inventory for these dates, they still show as available for other properties and you can see the date when you can book it. Nothing in St John. I didn't have access to the system to know if it was there earlier.


----------



## Henry M.

This is probably because St. John sold fixed weeks. U der that system, owners have between 12 and 10 months before arrival to decide to use their fixed week. Between 10 and 8 months, there's a sort of float between local owners, so an exchange is possible.


----------



## SandyPGravel

emuyshondt said:


> This is probably because St. John sold fixed weeks. U der that system, owners have between 12 and 10 months before arrival to decide to use their fixed week. Between 10 and 8 months, there's a sort of float between local owners, so an exchange is possible.



I agree, but the end of June is more than 12 months out and the calendar is white.  Also, not everything in St. John is fixed weeks, some availability should show.  I considered buying a float week from the developer a few years ago.  

The availability was there last week, but this week the entire calendar for May and June is white.  Prime weeks are available in March, spring break high season, but nothing in May?  Something is goofed up.  

This reminds me of what happened with Harborside last year for this summer.  Maybe it's rolling blackouts, next year it will be somewhere else!:hysterical:


----------



## SandyPGravel

SandyPGravel said:


> Is it normal for absolutely no availability to show, in any size villa at WSJ even more than 12 months out?  Last week availability was there in May and June 2017, as of yesterday nothing is showing up.



Calendar availability is back, April through June are green again.


----------



## vacationjoe1

*WSJ Beach Water Quality*

We went to the WSJ back in Dec. 2015.  There was a sign on the beach that from the DNR warning about the poor water quality and that you should swim at you own risk.  Is this a permanent issue?  Can someone direct me to the Thread that discussed this further?


----------



## cyntravel

*Does anyone know of events for Augus tfor St. John and or Westin*

Hi
I am looking for a calendar of events for St. John and or Westin for the month of August.

Thanks
Cyn


----------



## ekinggill

tomandrobin said:


> As far as Sea Lice, I thought I read that they go away or diminish after May.




Last August they were very thick in some parts of some bays, non-existent in others...but they definitely did not go away for the summer.


----------



## DavidnRobin

No sea lice/stinging jellies/plankton (or whatever they are called) in any of the bays we have been to.  Also, no reports from others.

Great Cruz Bay has not had any warning signs for contaminated water.

TripAdvisor has ruined the tranquility of Maho...

Had a great charter (again) with Island Roots (Capt Jason Siska) - went over to Santa Maria Bay (back side of STT) for some great snorkeling.

Did a Cruz Bay Watersports charter (Island Spirit Catamaran) for the Owners Update over to Buck Island and Christmas Cove with lunch (in lieu of $125 starfish dollars) - a bit crowded but a good bargain, and very well run.

Free Cycle had tons of beach chairs (Sat morning checkout) - if no beach chairs, the hardware store above Starfish Market had them for sale (not sure if price)


----------



## ekinggill

DavidnRobin said:


> No sea lice/stinging jellies/plankton (or whatever they are called) in any of the bay's we have been to.  Also, no reports from others.,,,
> 
> 
> Had a great charter (again) with Island Roots (Capt Jason Siska) - went over to Santa Maria Bay (back side of STT) for some great snorkeling.



Thanks for the update on the sea lice.  That is great to hear.

Captain Jason is a treasure!  We had such great trips with him in the past that we let him pick our itinerary last year.  We saw some amazing stuff...I doubt we ever would have seen Salt Island or the thousands of conch shells at Fallen Jerusalem with another skipper.


----------



## dsmrp

DavidnRobin said:


> No sea lice/stinging jellies/plankton (or whatever they are called) in any of the bay's we have been to.  Also, no reports from others.
> 
> Great Cruz Bay has not had any warning signs for contaminated water.
> 
> TripAdvisor has ruined the tranquility of Maho...
> 
> Had a great charter (again) with Island Roots (Capt Jason Siska) - went over to Santa Maria Bay (back side of STT) for some great snorkeling.
> 
> Did a Cruz Bay Watersports charter (Island Spirit Catamaran) for the Owners Update over to Buck Island and Christmas Cove with lunch (in lieu of $125 starfish dollars) - a bit crowded but a good bargain, and very well run.
> 
> Free Cycle had tons of beach chairs (Sat morning checkout) - if no beach chairs, the hardware store above Starfish Market had them for sale (not sure if price)



Thanks for the update!
We arrive on Saturday, for our first and probably last time to St John (unsure if I will be able to get a reservation again  )


----------



## DavidnRobin

Not much of a trip report - floating in pool as I type...

Sorry gals - Capt Jason is getting hitched in August 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Not much of a trip report - floating in pool as I type...



Glad to see you and Robin is having a great time!


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Free Cycle had tons of beach chairs (Sat morning checkout) - if no beach chairs, the hardware store above Starfish Market had them for sale (not sure if price)




Good to know....

We found some beach chairs at Dicks that can fold in half to fit on our luggage. They weigh a lot (9lbs) but do travel well. We will be bringing ours to St John in July. Its a good thing we get 4 pieces of checked luggage free.


----------



## jeff41060

Hi There. My Girlfriend and I will be arriving on Saturday. Is the maintenance and construction bad? I came across notes on the Westin website.
Jeff.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Good to know....
> 
> We found some beach chairs at Dicks that can fold in half to fit on our luggage. They weigh a lot (9lbs) but do travel well. We will be bringing ours to St John in July. Its a good thing we get 4 pieces of checked luggage free.



9# per chair is quite a lot.  Glad you get so much luggage.  Seems like plenty of beach chairs here...


----------



## DavidnRobin

jeff41060 said:


> Hi There. My Girlfriend and I will be arriving on Saturday. Is the maintenance and construction bad? I came across notes on the Westin website.
> Jeff.



The buildings by the main pool are undergoing construction (creating Sunset Bay villas) - we do not use main pool or resort (and are on hill), but have not heard complaints from others.
Adapt.


----------



## jeff41060

Thanks for the info David. We plan to be exploring anyway so no issue but wasn't sure how extensive it was. Really looking forward to this. First time at St. John.
Jeff


----------



## cyntravel

*Owners of Westin St. John Virgin Grand Villas*

Hi

I am looking for owners to help with the following questions. I am new to Westin..

If I own a premium studio unit will there be an issue with 2 adults and 3 children?

Does Westin have a fine line for counting children in your unit? Family stays outside doesn't stay in the room much at all.

If this was addressed previously can someone direct me to the thread?

If there is someone I need to speak to at Westin St. John could you please direct me there.

Thank you all for your help!
Cyn


----------



## SandyPGravel

cyntravel said:


> Hi
> 
> I am looking for owners to help with the following questions. I am new to Westin..
> 
> If I own a premium studio unit will there be an issue with 2 adults and 3 children?
> 
> Does Westin have a fine line for counting children in your unit? Family stays outside doesn't stay in the room much at all.
> 
> If this was addressed previously can someone direct me to the thread?
> 
> If there is someone I need to speak to at Westin St. John could you please direct me there.
> 
> Thank you all for your help!
> Cyn



I'm pretty sure if the room says occupancy 4, they will not allow 5.


----------



## cyntravel

*St. John*

Hi Gina

Thank you for the information.


Cyn


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hi Cyn -
Depends on age of children... There is one King Bed and one Queen sofa bed.  So... sleeping will be tight.  There are no roll out beds (at least that I have ever seen in 10 years).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## DavidnRobin

Trip report - part 2
Beaches this year
Francis
Hawksnest/Gibney
Little Lameshur
Maho
Salt Pond
Trunk (2x)
Waterlemon
Jumbie
Denis {added - almost forgot)

Like restaurants - the best choices depends on many factors
They are all great in their own ways...

TripAdvisor ruined Maho IMO



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> Trip report - part 2
> Beaches this year
> Francis
> Hawksnest/Gibney
> Little Lameshur
> Maho
> Salt Pond
> Trunk (2x)
> Waterlemon
> Jumbie
> 
> Like restaurants - the best choices depends on many factors
> They are all great in their own ways...
> 
> TripAdvisor ruined Maho IMO
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



So what is the problem with Maho? Is it too crowded or too commercialized now?


----------



## DavidnRobin

dioxide45 said:


> So what is the problem with Maho? Is it too crowded or too commercialized now?



Too popular... way too many people (and the type that apparently need to touch the turtles...  arg)

added Denis to list of beaches above that we went to.

We did pretty well in 2 weeks considering we hung out at pool for 2 days, and another great charter on Island Roots (Capt Jason), and Owner Update trip to Buck Island to swim with turtles.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Trip Report - part 3 
Restaurants that we went to (worth mention)
Asolare
Rhumbline
Longboard
Doghouse
Beach Bar
Cruz Bay Landing
Uncle Joes BBQ
Fish Trap
Jakes (breakfast)
Island Grill (Mongoose Jct)
Palm Tree Court (Moongoose Jct)
Shipwreck Landing (Coral Bay)


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Trip Report - part 3
> Restaurants that we went to (worth mention)
> 
> [...]



What was your impression of each of the restaurants? Any of them particularly notable this time?


----------



## cyntravel

Hi David

Thanks for your response. The children are all under 11yrs old. I was concerned about Westin's rules for accommodations. 

Cyn


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> What was your impression of each of the restaurants? Any of them particularly notable this time?



Much like Bill's question about beaches - too many variables - so depends...

We always go to Rhumblines for the Ultimate Pad Thai.
Good burgers (and sports TV for Warriors and Sharks games) and Good beer (actually had beer worth drinking - like Lagunitis Lil Sumptin) at Doghouse.
Frozen Painkillers and good appetizers at Longboard.

Hard to say what was best - especially when cost/covenience is considered.

I did leave Ronnies Pizza off list - it was not good...

Forgot to add Jakes (for breakfast...) - added
Palm Tree Court = Sun Dog Cafe - not sure where I got Palm Tree Court from (too much EtOH)


----------



## DavidnRobin

cyntravel said:


> Hi David
> 
> Thanks for your response. The children are all under 11yrs old. I was concerned about Westin's rules for accommodations.
> 
> Cyn



Not sure if there are 'rules' per se 
Rules and St John is sort of an oxymoron...

but, the studios are set up for 4 people - 3 kids sleeping on Queen sofa bed in same room is not my kind of vacation...


----------



## cyntravel

Hi 
I am new to Westin. Can someone share the number they use for banking staroptions. Or do you have a customer rep that is more helpful than others.

I appreciate your help.

Cyn


----------



## SandyPGravel

cyntravel said:


> Hi
> I am new to Westin. Can someone share the number they use for banking staroptions. Or do you have a customer rep that is more helpful than others.
> 
> I appreciate your help.
> 
> Cyn



From Vistana.com:

Westin Vacation Club

1.888.WV.OWNER (1-888-986-9637) or direct at 407-903-4635


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Not sure if there are 'rules' per se
> Rules and St John is sort of an oxymoron...
> 
> but, the studios are set up for 4 people - 3 kids sleeping on Queen sofa bed in same room is not my kind of vacation...



The studios are small and the sofa beds are not comfy...at all.  If Westin allows you to sleep the 3 kids in the room with you I would recommed an inflatable queen air mattress to use on the floor.  Much more comfy than the sofa sleeper is.  (DH and I opened one up a few years ago to see if we wanted to invite anyone along and it was awful)  Granted the soft goods are being replaced in the VGV rooms and the CB & SB sections are newer so maybe those sleepers are better.


----------



## DavidnRobin

interactive property map for USVI 

http://www.mapgeo.com/usvi/


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Sunset Bay Villas - Photos*

Link to PhotoBucket album for photos of Sunset Bay Villas 
http://s291.photobucket.com/user/blujahz/library/Sunset Bay Villas - WSJ

mixture of studio and 2Bd sides - did not come across in order


----------



## DavidnRobin

*WSJ-VGV Free Cycle*

FreeCycle before I straightened it up... (on Saturday morning)






after I straightened it up...






Some people are inconsiderate slobs...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Francis Bay (left) - Maho Bay (right) - Maho Point (center)


----------



## DavidnRobin

View from our bedroom (B34)


----------



## DavidnRobin

Westin St John beach at Great Cruz Bay






WSJ Resort beach from Island Spirit






Looking out from GCB


----------



## DavidnRobin

Watermelon Cay


----------



## DavidnRobin

Robin at Little Lameshur
(body courtesy of pilates... and effort by Robin)


----------



## DavidnRobin

#mahoturtle (in FreeCycle)


----------



## MPERL

*WSJ horrible sofas*

I tried to find out who purchased the sofas for the last renovation, so I could recommend they be fired. The sofas are an embarrassment to ask anyone to sleep on them.


----------



## DeniseM

cyntravel said:


> Hi
> I am new to Westin. Can someone share the number they use for banking staroptions. Or do you have a customer rep that is more helpful than others.
> 
> I appreciate your help.
> 
> Cyn



You just call the regular customer service number.  When you call, you generally cannot request a specific person, but whoever you get should be able to do a simple task like banking Staroptions.  

Please note that the deadline is the end of June, and unless you are an Elite Owner, the fee is $99, regardless of the number of Staroptions.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Link to PhotoBucket album for photos of Sunset Bay Villas
> http://s291.photobucket.com/user/blujahz/library/Sunset Bay Villas - WSJ



Looks nice for the most part. Disappointed to see the awful fluorescent lighting fixtures from Aloft/Element/W reused in this application. Also, those low pressure shower heads and wands. I prefer the double-headed "heavenly shower" at WKV and WPORV...


----------



## cyntravel

Hi Denise and David

Denise thanks for your info.

David thanks for sharing your great pics! I can't wait to visit!

Cyn


----------



## DavidnRobin

MPERL said:


> I tried to find out who purchased the sofas for the last renovation, so I could recommend they be fired. The sofas are an embarrassment to ask anyone to sleep on them.



And the sofa fabric is uncomfortable to sit upon (but probably better for wear&tear) - we use a bed sheet to cover the sofa.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Trunk Bay at sunset






Trunk Bay (Trunk Cay on left)


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hawksnest Bay






Maho Bay


----------



## DavidnRobin

Cruz Bay from Asolare


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> FreeCycle before I straightened it up... (on Saturday morning)
> 
> Some people are inconsiderate slobs...



Thanks for the pic!

Great job on organizing the storage. I will post an updated pic in 3 weeks to see if it remained clean.


----------



## tomandrobin

Great Pics....Thanks for posting (again)! 

18 Days can't get here soon enough!


----------



## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> FreeCycle before I straightened it up... (on Saturday morning)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> after I straightened it up...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some people are inconsiderate slobs...



I wonder how long it will last?

They could stand to lose a rack in there and just replace it with long hooks on the walls to hang the chairs.


----------



## Helios

Agree with the hooks, that's we have in our pool floats storage area at home and it works great.  

Do people take them out for the week?  It probably varies a lot.


----------



## dioxide45

moto x said:


> Agree with the hooks, that's we have in our pool floats storage area at home and it works great.
> 
> Do people take them out for the week?  It probably varies a lot.



Absent the hooks, the folding chairs would be better stacked under the wooden bench/shelf at the back. While I applaud the work of David, it won't take much for those chairs to end up falling and being spewed all over the floor again.


----------



## DavidnRobin

ahem - while it is somewhat AC'd - I would have to take everything outside (96F w humidity ) to get thru the various rafts etc. to rearrange. there was zero floor space inside - people were just throwing stuff in there.

Also found door cracked twice - be good to have sign to remind people to close the friggin door (!)


----------



## elleny76

Is there any activity of fun for kids in ST John beside ocean and pool?.. Thanks





DavidnRobin said:


> Trip report - part 2
> Beaches this year
> Francis
> Hawksnest/Gibney
> Little Lameshur
> Maho
> Salt Pond
> Trunk (2x)
> Waterlemon
> Jumbie
> Denis {added - almost forgot)
> 
> Like restaurants - the best choices depends on many factors
> They are all great in their own ways...
> 
> TripAdvisor ruined Maho IMO
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## SandyPGravel

elleny76 said:


> Is there any activity of fun for kids in ST John beside ocean and pool?.. Thanks



http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/kids-club


----------



## DavidnRobin

elleny76 said:


> Is there any activity of fun for kids in ST John beside ocean and pool?.. Thanks



Sorry - can't help. Don't really see many kid activities on StJ, but don't pay attention.

We go when school is about to let out (wks 23-24) and do not see a lot of kids there (and we do not travel with kids... thankfully, since it would be car camping trips to the Sierras, and not StJ or HI...). Wk 23 is quieter than Wk 24.

Of course - depends on kids ages and such (outdoorsy or not, comfort in ocean waters, need for guidance, etc.)

There is a woman who advertises on 'News of St John' for child watching (and highly recommended, but no direct experience) - she is a cool islander. I would call her and tell her the situation, and ask her for activities on the island for kids. 

Also, call the WSJ Concierge - they are quite helpful, and tend to have live there for years - they will be more than happy to help (call at ~3pm est to get them when they are not busy).

I would lock up their devices - give them a mask/snorkel/fins and some beach toys - lather them up, tell the oldest to watch out for the youngest, and tell them to come back for lunch/dinner...  ahhh - the good old days...

enjoy


----------



## okwiater

elleny76 said:


> Is there any activity of fun for kids in ST John beside ocean and pool?.. Thanks



Iguana spotting!


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> Iguana spotting!



My kids liked this activity.  They were amazed to see how close they get to people.


----------



## SMHarman

SandyPGravel said:


> http://www.westinresortstjohn.com/kids-club


The mermaid swim is fun. We did it off-site though.


----------



## DavidnRobin

If kids (girls) are correct ages - get a mermaid photo shoot with Steve Simonsen (noted StJ Photographer).  We saw him doing a mermaid photo shoot with 4 young girls at Hawksnest.  I thought it was funny, Robin thought it was great in that every little girl wants to be a mermaid.  I thought Princess, but was informed it was indeed a Mermaid. Go figure...
Anyway - I understand he does these on a regular basis.
I got an UW video of the girls swimming - unfortunately missed a great video of one of the girls that swam by - and she really looked like a mermaid with her technique.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Also - if kids don't snorkel or newbies - and you want to do a water charter - Capt. Jason Siska (Island Roots) is suppose to be great in teaching kids (and adults...) how to snorkel, and be comfortable in water. He is a really cool and a total 'island guy' - I can see him being a great teacher.
Also, he was on 'Survivor' - in case there are any fans (never watched myself).


----------



## czar

DavidnRobin said:


> Also - if kids don't snorkel or newbies - and you want to do a water charter - Capt. Jason Siska (Island Roots) is suppose to be great in teaching kids (and adults...) how to snorkel, and be comfortable in water. He is a really cool and a total 'island guy' - I can see him being a great teacher.
> Also, he was on 'Survivor' - in case there are any fans (never watched myself).



We took a charter with him and he was great with our kids 2, 4, and 6 at that time). 

We also took our kids on short hikes, couple different beaches, tour/drive around island, into town, etc.  Between that stuff, pool, and beaches/water, there was plenty for them to do and they continue to ask to go back!


----------



## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> ahem - while it is somewhat AC'd - I would have to take everything outside (96F w humidity ) to get thru the various rafts etc. to rearrange. there was zero floor space inside - people were just throwing stuff in there.
> 
> Also found door cracked twice - be good to have sign to remind people to close the friggin door (!)



I suspect the place will be a mess again within days of your return home. They need a better system in there for people to place things like the chairs. Of course the racks are there and people weren't using them either. I suspect they won't use wall hooks either, even if there were there.


----------



## Bill4728

> Originally Posted by DavidnRobin
> ahem - while it is somewhat AC'd - I would have to take everything outside (96F w humidity ) to get thru the various rafts etc. to rearrange. there was zero floor space inside - people were just throwing stuff in there.
> Also found door cracked twice - be good to have sign to remind people to close the friggin door (!)





dioxide45 said:


> I suspect the place will be a mess again within days of your return home. They need a better system in there for people to place things like the chairs. Of course the racks are there and people weren't using them either. I suspect they won't use wall hooks either, even if there were there.


I was disappointed that all visitors to WSJ could not use the re cycle stuff.  Only people with keys from the two upper phases opened the recycle door.


----------



## Helios

Bill4728 said:


> I was disappointed that all visitors to WSJ could not use the re cycle stuff.  Only people with keys from the two upper phases opened the recycle door.



I assume two upper phases = VGV Phase.

As a VGV owner (David please correct me if I am wrong), our MFs paid for the recycle shed.  

Why should other phases get to have access?  I bet other phases would not want to equalize MFs.


----------



## Bill4728

*The Coral Vista units*

Just back and disappointed in the Coral Vista units 

Earlier someone posted about the fact the first floor, 2nd bedroom rooms do not have a window. I wouldn't worry about that since the 2nd and 3rd floor units only have a small fixed window.  I'm more concerned about clear design failings of the units. The base 2 bed unit is designed OK BUT there are some really bad choices that the design team had to make variations of the base unit design. The resort doesn't want the end units to have a balcony so our 2 bd unit had only one balcony, which may have been OK BUT it was available only thru the master bedroom. So we, as adults staying in the 2nd bedroom, had no access to a balcony without going thru the master. This could have been easily fixed by flipping the unit design but NO they didn't do that.

Also the entry hall of the upper units is fine  BUT that hall serves no purpose on the ground floor units since the entry is from the patio. The design team should have figured a way to use that space not just leave the whole thing a dead space. ( we did see one family put a roll-a-way there).  It seems the design team just blindly built each unit to the exact same design not taking into account things like the entry hall wasn't needed or the unit would not have two balconies

More later


----------



## DavidnRobin

Bill4728 said:


> I was disappointed that all visitors to WSJ could not use the re cycle stuff.  Only people with keys from the two upper phases opened the recycle door.



That is because VGV created it and pays for it thru VGV MFs.  Maybe the BV, CV and SB HOAs could pull one together (good luck with that...). Besides, the Hill-People tend to be off-resort more than the Flat-Landers, IME

Also, VGV HOA pays more than their fair share of MFs for resort upkeep.  VGV is getting screwed with the new villas (CV and SB).  We pay for our area alone, plus a disportionate for main resort because of decrease in #doors with the new villas.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Bill4728 said:


> Just back and disappointed in the Coral Vista units
> 
> Earlier someone posted about the fact the first floor, 2nd bedroom rooms do not have a window. I wouldn't worry about that since the 2nd and 3rd floor units only have a small fixed window.  I'm more concerned about clear design failings of the units. The base 2 bed unit is designed OK BUT there are some really bad choices that the design team had to make variations of the base unit design. The resort doesn't want the end units to have a balcony so our 2 bd unit had only one balcony, which may have been OK BUT it was available only thru the master bedroom. So we, as adults staying in the 2nd bedroom, had no access to a balcony without going thru the master. This could have been easily fixed by flipping the unit design but NO they didn't do that.
> 
> Also the entry hall of the upper units is fine  BUT that hall serves no purpose on the ground floor units since the entry is from the patio. The design team should have figured a way to use that space not just leave the whole thing a dead space. ( we did see one family put a roll-a-way there).  It seems the design team just blindly built each unit to the exact same design not taking into account things like the entry hall wasn't needed or the unit would not have two balconies
> 
> More later



I agree - the SB villas have their own flaws, but somewhat improved over CV.
Overall, I find them way too dark, not enough natural light, and lack open feeling.
But - for us - not being able to park outside villa is the real breaker. 

But... what about St John? Did you get out and about? Make it to Coral Bay, LL beach? Angels Rest?


----------



## okwiater

Just did our Owners' Update at WSJ and toured Sunset Bay. The units are similar to Coral Vista but much more thoughtfully designed. The first floor units do not have the awkward wasted space along the back, and the only carpet in the units are throw rugs. Living space -- particularly in the kitchen area -- is lacking but the bedrooms felt more open and spacious.

 As others have mentioned, the main drawback is that the buildings are quite close to the pool area. It could be convenient for families with older children since it makes it easy for them to run between the units and the pool, but you really do lose a lot of privacy.

 The two oceanfront buildings consist only of 2-bedroom units, whereas the other buildings offer 2-bedrooms and studios in a 3-bedroom lockoff configuration. It is possible to guarantee a spot in the oceanfront buildings only if you purchase one of a limited number of 2-bedroom fixed weeks in the oceanfront buildings.

 We might've been interested in one of those fixed weeks in the oceanfront buildings, but they weren't allowing any equity trades into those specific units. Cash price was about $83K.


----------



## DavidnRobin

At least they put in a small counter in the SB studios - that is lacking in other studios (including WPORV).


----------



## DavidnRobin

*June 2016 Update from WSJ-VGV HOA BOD*

June 2016 

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner: 

We recently participated in a meeting of the Board of Directors of our Association. The meeting, like most of our quarterly meetings, was held by conference call; only the meeting that takes place immediately after the annual meeting of the association is a face-to-face meeting. This is a relatively short report, reflecting the fact that things are going very well at our resort and there were not many issues to discuss.

RESORT UPDATE

Mike Ryan, our General Manager, provided an update on some of the exciting things happening at our resort. The resort has received "Certificates of Excellence" on social media, including top ratings from TripAdvisor and Hotels.com. The resort has instituted specialty nights at Lemongrass and Snorkels featuring barbecue and Caribbean menus, cooking demonstrations, a twice weekly farmer’s market featuring local items, and a "grill basket" that may be purchased from the Marketplace. And, a new "fine dining" restaurant, named Knox and Ollie's, will soon be located at what had been the Cruz Bay Prime space.

Beginning in September the units in Buildings 31, 32, 43 and 44 will undergo their planned renovation, to be completed by Thanksgiving. The renovation of Buildings 31, 43 and 44 will include new soft goods (textiles and other non-durables having a useful life of less than six years) and case goods (mostly wooden furniture). The units in Building 32 will receive new soft goods at the same time.

Water fountains will be installed this year at the two upper pools, new drying racks have been installed in all pool villas and a decision is close to being made on the right replacements for the patio and balcony chairs in our units.

FINANCIAL REPORT

We reviewed the numbers reflecting the resort's operations through April 2016, which reflected no material variances from the approved budget. One favorable variance has been a reduction in the cost of electricity reflecting a 27% reduction in the rates charged by WAPA, the local utility. However, we were advised that the reduction could be short-lived in light of the utility's own capital needs.

At our budget meeting in September we will give special attention to the allocation of the resort's common expenses between our owners association and the other owner associations within the resort.

OWNER POSTING BOARD

Because we have received questions from some of our owners concerning access to the Owner posting board, we are reproducing those instructions here.

If you have a vistana.com online account, please follow the steps below.
From the vistana.com homepage, click Login.
1) Enter your Username or Email and your Password and click Log In.
2) Click Dashboard in the navigation bar.
3) Click the Owners Association widget.
4) Select a Westin St. John Resort & Villas (Virgin Grand) vacation ownership interest from the drop down and click "+" to expand the Association Information category.
5) Click the link VGV Owner Posting Board.

If you do not have a vistana.com online account, please follow the steps below.
From the vistana.com, click Register.
1) Complete the registration information and click Submit.
2) You will be redirected to the vistana.com homepage as a Guest. Click Dashboard in the navigation bar.
3) Click the Connect Ownership widget.
4) Complete the ownership account form and click Connect Account. You will be redirected to the Dashboard as an Owner.
5) Select a Westin St. John Resort & Villas (Virgin Grand) vacation ownership interest from the drop down and click "+" to expand the Association Information category.
6) Click the link VGV Owner Posting Board.

Our best wishes for a pleasant summer.
Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com

Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## bobpark56

*Instructions not working for me*

The instructions below are not working for me. 

3) there is no owners association widget that I can see. But if I click on "View Statement & Make Payment," I find on the next page an entry labeled "Association Information." Expanding that, I see that the last item in the list is "VGV Owner Posting Board." Clicking on that takes me to a disclaimer page, and the only link from that takes me back to the Owners Association page...and around in circles we go!

FWIW, a short while ago it was taking me to the Ownership Guide. So perhaps someone is woking on the link. But as of the moment, it's of no use.

  --bp




DavidnRobin said:


> June 2016
> 
> Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner:
> 
> We recently participated in a meeting of the Board of Directors of our Association. The meeting, like most of our quarterly meetings, was held by conference call; only the meeting that takes place immediately after the annual meeting of the association is a face-to-face meeting. This is a relatively short report, reflecting the fact that things are going very well at our resort and there were not many issues to discuss.
> 
> RESORT UPDATE
> 
> Mike Ryan, our General Manager, provided an update on some of the exciting things happening at our resort. The resort has received "Certificates of Excellence" on social media, including top ratings from TripAdvisor and Hotels.com. The resort has instituted specialty nights at Lemongrass and Snorkels featuring barbecue and Caribbean menus, cooking demonstrations, a twice weekly farmer’s market featuring local items, and a "grill basket" that may be purchased from the Marketplace. And, a new "fine dining" restaurant, named Knox and Ollie's, will soon be located at what had been the Cruz Bay Prime space.
> 
> Beginning in September the units in Buildings 31, 32, 43 and 44 will undergo their planned renovation, to be completed by Thanksgiving. The renovation of Buildings 31, 43 and 44 will include new soft goods (textiles and other non-durables having a useful life of less than six years) and case goods (mostly wooden furniture). The units in Building 32 will receive new soft goods at the same time.
> 
> Water fountains will be installed this year at the two upper pools, new drying racks have been installed in all pool villas and a decision is close to being made on the right replacements for the patio and balcony chairs in our units.
> 
> FINANCIAL REPORT
> 
> We reviewed the numbers reflecting the resort's operations through April 2016, which reflected no material variances from the approved budget. One favorable variance has been a reduction in the cost of electricity reflecting a 27% reduction in the rates charged by WAPA, the local utility. However, we were advised that the reduction could be short-lived in light of the utility's own capital needs.
> 
> At our budget meeting in September we will give special attention to the allocation of the resort's common expenses between our owners association and the other owner associations within the resort.
> 
> OWNER POSTING BOARD
> 
> Because we have received questions from some of our owners concerning access to the Owner posting board, we are reproducing those instructions here.
> 
> If you have a vistana.com online account, please follow the steps below.
> From the vistana.com homepage, click Login.
> 1) Enter your Username or Email and your Password and click Log In.
> 2) Click Dashboard in the navigation bar.
> 3) Click the Owners Association widget.
> 4) Select a Westin St. John Resort & Villas (Virgin Grand) vacation ownership interest from the drop down and click "+" to expand the Association Information category.
> 5) Click the link VGV Owner Posting Board.
> 
> If you do not have a vistana.com online account, please follow the steps below.
> From the vistana.com, click Register.
> 1) Complete the registration information and click Submit.
> 2) You will be redirected to the vistana.com homepage as a Guest. Click Dashboard in the navigation bar.
> 3) Click the Connect Ownership widget.
> 4) Complete the ownership account form and click Connect Account. You will be redirected to the Dashboard as an Owner.
> 5) Select a Westin St. John Resort & Villas (Virgin Grand) vacation ownership interest from the drop down and click "+" to expand the Association Information category.
> 6) Click the link VGV Owner Posting Board.
> 
> Our best wishes for a pleasant summer.
> Philip G. Schrag
> phil.schrag@gmail.com
> 
> Robert H. Werbel
> robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## SandyPGravel

bobpark56 said:


> The instructions below are not working for me.
> 
> 3) there is no owners association widget that I can see. But if I click on "View Statement & Make Payment," I find on the next page an entry labeled "Association Information." Expanding that, I see that the last item in the list is "VGV Owner Posting Board." Clicking on that takes me to a disclaimer page, and the only link from that takes me back to the Owners Association page...and around in circles we go!
> 
> FWIW, a short while ago it was taking me to the Ownership Guide. So perhaps someone is woking on the link. But as of the moment, it's of no use.
> 
> --bp



I did get it to work yesterday, but it took a couple times.   Maybe the site is overwhelmed with those of us who didn't know about this until yesterday.  You have to click on the statement above where the log in information is to create another log in for the VGV Condo site.  I found it interesting that the site uses different terminolgy when referencing the units.   Studios= terrace suite, one bedrooms=townhouse suite etc.


----------



## okwiater

Just got back from dinner at Zozo's and am not anxious to go back. Food was technically excellent but very heavy -- think French/Italian with lots of heavy cream and butter. Service was "forced upscale" with plenty of "are you finished enjoying" type of interactions. DW and I feel this is very scripted, fake, and off putting, but others may appreciate...? We have had multiple meals at Asolare -- all excellent -- and would easily choose that over Zozo's.


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> Just got back from dinner at Zozo's and am not anxious to go back. Food was technically excellent but very heavy -- think French/Italian with lots of heavy cream and butter. Service was "forced upscale" with plenty of "are you finished enjoying" type of interactions. DW and I feel this is very scripted, fake, and off putting, but others may appreciate...? We have had multiple meals at Asolare -- all excellent -- and would easily choose that over Zozo's.



Thanks for sharing.  I may skip zozo this Thanksgiving...


----------



## DavidnRobin

I hear there is another car barge snafu - make sure you check before using car barge.  This weekend may be especially bad.


----------



## LisaH

DavidnRobin said:


> I hear there is another car barge snafu - make sure you check before using car barge.  This weekend may be especially bad.


Oh dear... Hope the situation improves by Aug.


----------



## Helios

LisaH said:


> Oh dear... Hope the situation improves by Aug.



And November...


----------



## dsmrp

*1st visit impressions*

_Car rental, barge & parking:_
We rented from Amalie, great, very convenient. If we had brought fewer bags then maybe renting on St John would have worked as well, $-wise, but still would have been a lot of transitions from taxi to ferry to rental car.
The car barges were an experience   I must explain that we live in an area with  multiple car ferry routes and DH also grew up in Cape Cod with their ferries. So were comparing the car barges to the ferries we know. I had made an online reservation with Love City ferries (captain vic).  We arrived at the Red Hook loading area a little before the other company's barge was due to leave. There were several locals' cars already waiting in line for the next barge, but the barge crew had some cars moved around, to get our car on board, PERPENDICULAR to the other cars.  We think cause the guy on the dock didn't like us leaving our car to go look around the ferry terminal, and wanted to get us out of there!
On the return trip to St Thomas (last Sunday 6/26), the barge was less than half full. It had actually pulled away from the dock, and then returned to load 2 more cars.  It didn't matter that I had pre-paid online to Love City; each company took the other's receipts.

We went on the Reef Bay trail hike thru the National Park service, and they let us park our car all day in their lot.

_St John, roads and driving:_
The island is much drier than I expected, and the vegetation reminded me of Hawaii (Oahu) on the dry leeward side.
I had read the roads and turns were steep, but it still didn't quite prepare us for the first time on the curves. We got used to them pretty quick, and DH didn't have a problem driving. We drove down Gift Hill road, but only once.  The 2nd time DH wanted to go down this road, I suggested to go back thru Cruz Bay instead   We went to Little Lameshur too on our last day; those concrete paved sections are *steep*, can't imagine going down them when they're wet.

_Beaches_
Loved the beaches and easy snorkeling.  The white sand and sandy bottoms were amazing.  We ran out of time to go to Waterlemon; chose East End and Little Lameshur instead since the wind had picked up.  After Lameshur we headed out to Long Bay/Hansen Bay to look for turtles. We turned off too early at a place that said Hansen Beach, but in hindsight was probably a place called Vie's (we paid $5 to park).  We did see turtles tho' pretty close to shore, so was a good end to our visit.  Overall I think we liked the Coral Bay side and beaches (Salt Pond, Lameshur) a tiny bit better than the north side beaches. 

_Westin_
Nice enough; we didn't spend a lot of time at the resort. Long walks to/from the parking lot, but got used to it; at least the towels were in the same general direction. We met a couple who owned at SVV, and was assigned to a studio, I think, near the pool. They said their unit had no kitchenette, which was a surprise to them. I assumed they used star options, so it seemed odd to me that Westin assigned them to what sounded like a hotel room. 
We reluctantly signed up for an owner's update, and then canceled it. No pressure to attend.  The concierge was busy with other people, but wouldn't let his assistant go over the welcome packet with us.  He said Sales had something to discuss with Orlando owners, but I thought that was just to push the Flex program.

Thanks for all the advice & comments on this WSJ thread.


----------



## LisaH

For those visiting St John this summer, the 50% discount on Honeymoon Beach All-Day Watersports Package is available again. Simply enter "summer" as discount code to get the special. 
Here is the website. We did that last Aug and had a blast.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Thanks Sandra for your trip report - I have been waiting for others' impression of things, but only comments made were about villas.

The USVI is sub-tropical (as evidenced by the numerous cacti in the drier locations).
The car barge when full will squeeze every last vehicle if they need to - we were once last to board right at the ramp and perpendicular as well).  It may not appear so, but the loading people are quite aware of the cars in line (who is who).

Glad you made it out to LL. Now... no telling anyone else   Seems like the secluded beaches are now gone (TY HGTV and TripAdvisor).
There is a new beach access right down from Ms Vie's that opened recently. We swam out to Angel's Rest (yellow houseboat bar) from there last year, but now it's official.

I only use Gifft Hill road to get to Centerline - I enjoy those turns (nothing like that here) - and especially the drop-down towards the water.  I even made a youtube video (blujahz), but can't tell the steepness all that well. (also have one for LL).  This is why most have a 4WD - fine when dry, but a 2WD on the wet roads would be unsafe. I would not like to stay in those homes on the Gifft curves and listen to the tire screeches all the time...

Weird they would assign a SO exchange to the hotel rooms...  Who the heck knows what goes on behind the scenes? Maybe studios were booked (?), but it is the 1Bd that are limited. Maybe they used SPs?

The Owner's Update is not overly bad - if spare time. I spend more time talking about life on St John as most Sales folk are locals that have lived there a while. (and they know I am not buying anything - upfront). They never did start selling Flex since they are focusing on Sunset Bay - at least what they told me...

thanks again - for your perspectives - helps others
Go Slow - Stay Left


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Oh dear... Hope the situation improves by Aug.





moto x said:


> And November...



St John depends on these car barges - everything that supplies the island comes across on those barges.  Something will need to be done , eventually... (but on USVI-time - who knows?)


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> For those visiting St John this summer, the 50% discount on Honeymoon Beach All-Day Watersports Package is available again. Simply enter "summer" as discount code to get the special.
> Here is the website. We did that last Aug and had a blast.



We keep missing Honeymoon beach - odd since it is one of our favorites.
Check seas (wind direction... Caneel Bay overlook if not sure) before going as it is exposed - as there can be bumpy waters.  Cruise Ship, excursions also drop off there - so be aware of Cruise times (vinow.com). Also, $20 to park at Caneel - but path along water from Caneel is easiest (vs. hiking down from NPS station) - and just spend $20 at Caneel to cover parking (of course, we end up >$60 it seems - probably why we stopped going...)


----------



## LisaH

All very good points, David. We always check the cruise ship schedule to avoid crowds. 
BTW, the day pass can be used to validate parking, a further saving of $20.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> All very good points, David. We always check the cruise ship schedule to avoid crowds.
> BTW, the day pass can be used to validate parking, a further saving of $20.



Very good to know... thanks.
I almost had to save a Cruise Ship passenger a few years ago at Honeymoon - they just stick on yellow vest and send them into the water. Poor kid ended up on reef (ouch... those coral scars never heal) - luckily I had water shoes


----------



## bobpark56

*Bum info*



LisaH said:


> For those visiting St John this summer, the 50% discount on Honeymoon Beach All-Day Watersports Package is available again. Simply enter "summer" as discount code to get the special.
> Here is the website. We did that last Aug and had a blast.



This seems to be bum information. I tried it. The discount did not work for me.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> I hear there is another car barge snafu - make sure you check before using car barge.  This weekend may be especially bad.



Looks my decision to use the WSJ Ferry vs renting on St Thomas is pretty good right now.


----------



## tomandrobin

bobpark56 said:


> This seems to be bum information. I tried it. The discount did not work for me.



Me either....


----------



## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Looks my decision to use the WSJ Ferry vs renting on St Thomas is pretty good right now.



I worried about same thing (car barge was no issue and didn't need to be there so early), but I would take public taxi/ferry over the WSJ ferry at $120pp. (but that's me...) Then again, we travel on Fri (no Cruise Liners and airport is slow).

Hope you guys have a great time - let us know how it goes.


----------



## LisaH

bobpark56 said:


> This seems to be bum information. I tried it. The discount did not work for me.





tomandrobin said:


> Me either....




Hmm. Still working for me. Maybe it's date specific?


----------



## Crasherino

Our next trip is (finally) at our BV villa that we own EOY.  When we stay at VGV we always bring down meat to grill and it works out great.  While we've stayed at the BV villas before, we didn't have the occasion to grill so I never bothered to check out what (if any) grills are available.  

Does anyone know if there are grills to use at the BV villas?  If so, what condition are they in?  If anyone has a picture, even better!


----------



## applekor

Yes there is a very nice grilling station that was added recently between 25 and 26( actually sits in front of 26)There are about six grills there and good lighting in case it's dark.  We were there 2 weeks ago and they were in good shape. Enjoy!


----------



## ekinggill

*Car Barges---What to do?*

According to the News of St. John, there remains only 1 car ferry between St. Thomas and St. John due to Mister B being held captive by a court case and Captain Vic repeatedly failing USCG inspections, including again this week.  Car barge wait times are frequently 4 hours or more.

http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/07/07/current-car-barge-situation-horrible/

I arrive in 4 weeks and had planned to do my usual rental from Amelia on St. Thomas.  Now I am rethinking that strategy and am considering renting on St. John.

Can I get some advice on who to rent from?  I am looking for clean, reliable...free parking in Cruz Bay would be a plus.  I have a big group, so a bigger vehicle than a Wrangler would also be a plus.


----------



## SandyPGravel

ekinggill said:


> According to the News of St. John, there remains only 1 car ferry between St. Thomas and St. John due to Mister B being held captive by a court case and Captain Vic repeatedly failing USCG inspections, including again this week.  Car barge wait times are frequently 4 hours or more.
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/07/07/current-car-barge-situation-horrible/
> 
> I arrive in 4 weeks and had planned to do my usual rental from Amelia on St. Thomas.  Now I am rethinking that strategy and am considering renting on St. John.
> 
> Can I get some advice on who to rent from?  I am looking for clean, reliable...free parking in Cruz Bay would be a plus.  I have a big group, so a bigger vehicle than a Wrangler would also be a plus.



News of St. John updated the blog says Captain Vic is back up and running.  So, back to two barges for the time being.


----------



## DavidnRobin

ekinggill said:


> According to the News of St. John, there remains only 1 car ferry between St. Thomas and St. John due to Mister B being held captive by a court case and Captain Vic repeatedly failing USCG inspections, including again this week.  Car barge wait times are frequently 4 hours or more.
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/07/07/current-car-barge-situation-horrible/
> 
> I arrive in 4 weeks and had planned to do my usual rental from Amelia on St. Thomas.  Now I am rethinking that strategy and am considering renting on St. John.
> 
> Can I get some advice on who to rent from?  I am looking for clean, reliable...free parking in Cruz Bay would be a plus.  I have a big group, so a bigger vehicle than a Wrangler would also be a plus.



If you rent from agency in Cruz Bay - make sure you bring proof of insurance, or you will be forced to add insurance (from what I have heard from others).


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> News of St. John updated the blog says Captain Vic is back up and running.  So, back to two barges for the time being.



My NOSJ feed (dated today July 7) has only one car barge running (only Island Vic)

http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/07/07/current-car-barge-situation-horrible/


----------



## okwiater

SandyPGravel said:


> News of St. John updated the blog says Captain Vic is back up and running.  So, back to two barges for the time being.



Captain Vic was running as of July 2. We only waited for between 30-45 minutes to board a ferry, both directions.


----------



## ekinggill

DavidnRobin said:


> My NOSJ feed (dated today July 7) has only one car barge running (only Island Vic)
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/07/07/current-car-barge-situation-horrible/



They posted an update at the bottom of the story, "11am update: We hear the Captain Vic is running!! "


That is great news.  Let's hope the Coast Guard and the crew are now aligned and we can keep 2 ferries running.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> My NOSJ feed (dated today July 7) has only one car barge running (only Island Vic)
> 
> http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/07/07/current-car-barge-situation-horrible/



Read the last line at the end of the article says "11am update: We hear the Captain Vic is running!! "


----------



## tomandrobin

okwiater said:


> Captain Vic was running as of July 2. We only waited for between 30-45 minutes to board a ferry, both directions.



Good to know. 

The article mentioned waits of 4-6 hours. 

We have friends using the ferry on Saturday. They have a 3pm reservation. I will update their travels.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Good to know.
> 
> The article mentioned waits of 4-6 hours.
> 
> We have friends using the ferry on Saturday. They have a 3pm reservation. I will update their travels.



Note: those wait times were for trucks - cars/jeeps were getting on quicker - something about weight, pumps, and/or tide levels...

I stayed in contact with Amalie (Amy) regarding car barge in case I needed to cancel.  Certainly, Amy would understand a last minute cancellation due to car barge issues.  We got right-on/off with no issue on June 3&17- I pre-reserved on-line (Love City) for $50 RT - but didn't need to. Return barge wasn't even filled.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Read the last line at the end of the article says "11am update: We hear the Captain Vic is running!! "




Good to know - although I do not need to worry until next June (maybe resolved by then?)
Jenn from NOSJ would be happy that so many Tuggers read her news blog.


----------



## ekinggill

DavidnRobin said:


> Note: those wait times were for trucks - cars/jeeps were getting on quicker - something about weight, pumps, and/or tide levels...
> 
> I stayed in contact with Amalie (Amy) regarding car barge in case I needed to cancel.  Certainly, Amy would understand a last minute cancellation due to car barge issues.  We got right-on/off with no issue on June 3&17- I pre-reserved on-line (Love City) for $50 RT - but didn't need to. Return barge wasn't even filled.



If you buy a RT...are you limited to that one barge or do they accept each other's return tickets?

EDIT...I guess this doesn't matter right now as both operational ferries are Love City.


----------



## Helios

Does having a reservation guarantee a departure time, assuming you get there by the required time?


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> Does having a reservation guarantee a departure time, assuming you get there by the required time?



'guarantee'?  in the USVI?  I don't think I have ever seen that word used in USVI.  How would that sound in local dialect? 

I do not think that strong of word is used - especially for a ferry that requires multiple logistics and dependent on sea conditions.  But, it requires to be there 20 min ahead of time...


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> 'guarantee'?  in the USVI?  I don't think I have ever seen that word used in USVI.  How would that sound in local dialect?
> 
> I do not think that strong of word is used - especially for a ferry that requires multiple logistics and dependent on sea conditions.  But, it requires to be there 20 min ahead of time...



So, in plain mainland English, a ferry reservation is just a prepaid ferry ticket?  Why should one spend time reserving?

I am just being sarcastic, nothing against you...


----------



## DavidnRobin

moto x said:


> So, in plain mainland English, a ferry reservation is just a prepaid ferry ticket?  Why should one spend time reserving?
> 
> I am just being sarcastic, nothing against you...



Looks like I was wrong - I have found the word 'guaranteed' - on the Love City Car Ferries Website 
http://www.lovecitycarferries.com/faq.html

_*Do we need to make a reservation?*
No, there are 35 available spots on one ferry and 20 spots on the other. Individuals with tickets have *guaranteed* spots, those without are served on a first come first served basis._

35/20 spots? there are way more than that many spaces on the car barges - these must be those guaranteed spots 
Also, with a line going down street and into lot (like reported) - I'd like to see someone with pre-paid ticket 10 mins ahead of time try and get on-board... it would be very challenging to get into position if you could even get into lot.

Only $50RT {instead of $70 and used the $20 saved to get 3-4 happy hours cocktails?}

Figured if I have a pre-paid invoice with dates/times listed - that may give me a better chance than someone (non-local) who doesn't - since I have doubt of any guarantee during times of barge problems (that lately seem common)?

statement at end of invoice:
_Arrive at least *10 minutes before departure time*. M/V Capt. Vic is a black and white car ferry the name is on the vessel. Please be sure to board the correct vessel. Refunds are not given if you board the wrong one. The service is covered by the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (1992.)_*

_*...Consequently, an automobile which might have a volume of 400 cubic feet (15 m3), or 4 measurement tons, which would previously entitle the carrier to a limitation of $2000, was now freighted as "one automobile" thereby reducing the shipowner's liability from $2000 per automobile to $500_


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Looks like I was wrong - I have found the word 'guaranteed' - on the Love City Car Ferries Website
> http://www.lovecitycarferries.com/faq.html
> 
> _*Do we need to make a reservation?*
> No, there are 35 available spots on one ferry and 20 spots on the other. Individuals with tickets have *guaranteed* spots, those without are served on a first come first served basis._
> 
> 35/20 spots? there are way more than that many spaces on the car barges - these must be those guaranteed spots
> 
> Only $50RT {instead of $70 and used the $20 saved to get 3-4 happy hours cocktails?}
> 
> Figured if I have a pre-paid invoice with dates/times listed - that may give me a better chance than someone (non-local) who doesn't - since I have doubt of any guarantee during times of barge problems (that lately seem common)?
> 
> statement at end of invoice:
> _Arrive at least *10 minutes before departure time*. M/V Capt. Vic is a black and white car ferry the name is on the vessel. Please be sure to board the correct vessel. Refunds are not given if you board the wrong one. The service is covered by the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (1992.)_



OK, it does buy some peace of mind (whatever that means in the USVI).  Reserve and show up as required and you have a guaranteed spot (e.g., priority over cars without a resie)...


----------



## DavidnRobin

I was goofing around with GoPro video - and uploads to FB and YouTube.

Video of Scrawled Filefish at Hawksnest (increase to maximum video quality - should be 1080p HD). Video quality of FB upload is worse.

https://youtu.be/vq_Me1qnkvE


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> I was goofing around with GoPro video - and uploads to FB and YouTube.
> 
> Video of Scrawled Filefish at Hawksnest (increase to maximum video quality - should be 1080p HD). Video quality of FB upload is worse.
> 
> https://youtu.be/vq_Me1qnkvE



Nice video. What GoPro case are you using? Is it a mask/snorkel attachment or something handheld?


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> Nice video. What GoPro case are you using? Is it a mask/snorkel attachment or something handheld?



Interesting that the YouTube video shows up in Tapatalk directly.
It is Hero Black 3+ with standard UW case.
I have both a hand-held, and an extend-pole (that is about 3' long) - this was done with the extend-pole.

This video was just a test on which video extract and transfer type gives best result.  Work in process.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*VGV tax bills are now available*

In case you didn't receive the email, tax bills are available.  No more early payment discount .


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> In case you didn't receive the email, tax bills are available.  No more early payment discount .



I was just about to post...

_The Office of the Tax Assessor of the United States Virgin Islands has issued the 2016 property tax bills to all property owners of record as of January 1, 2016. Payment is due in full on August 1, 2016. Property owners are encouraged to pay the 2016 tax bill by September 30, 2016 in order to avoid late payment charges. Please be aware that the discount for early payment is not offered this year_


----------



## melissy123

OK, I don't remember this, even though we were just at the Westin St. John only four months ago.  One member of our group had bad knees so I didn't look into any of the fitness activities. 

Does the Westin have any kind of daily fitness/exercise/yoga/water aerobics classes?

Was there a fee for some classes?

An if anyone has a schedule, that would be fantastic.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Trumpetfish video - Trunk Bay, St John USVI
(use HD)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQG3oq0g-QE


----------



## DavidnRobin

melissy123 said:


> OK, I don't remember this, even though we were just at the Westin St. John only four months ago.  One member of our group had bad knees so I didn't look into any of the fitness activities.
> 
> Does the Westin have any kind of daily fitness/exercise/yoga/water aerobics classes?
> 
> Was there a fee for some classes?
> 
> An if anyone has a schedule, that would be fantastic.



As the activities and schedule likely change - I would suggest to call the Concierge (when they are not busy trying to get people to sign-up for Sales presentations)


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> In case you didn't receive the email, tax bills are available.  No more early payment discount .



Paying taxes is always a pain.  

I can't believe the process is not easier.  Why isn't there a link to pay taxes once you have the window with the tax bill displayed?  I had to find an old bill that showed the control number (which must be some sort of account/tax payer ID) and used the tax bill number (which must be the same as the invoice number).  Thankfully, both weeks (back to back weeks in same pool villa) got pulled and I was able to enter the payment info in a single transaction. 

First world problems...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Or you can wait until the bills are sent my mail.  Since there is no discount for paying early - I will wait for the property tax bill in the mail.

An easy process?  this is the USVI after all...
Heck - it took them almost a decade to catch-up on the property taxes.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Or you can wait until the bills are sent my mail.  Since there is no discount for paying early - I will wait for the property tax bill in the mail.
> 
> An easy process?  this is the USVI after all...
> Heck - it took them almost a decade to catch-up on the property taxes.



Has anyone received the paper bill in the mail yet?  Just curious because the email said the bill is due in full on August 1st.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Has anyone received the paper bill in the mail yet?  Just curious because the email said the bill is due in full on August 1st.



Not due until Sept 30.
In the past, the bills have shown up a few weeks after email notice by the HOA.


----------



## tomandrobin

Got back late last night from a wonderful 15 days in St John! 

Still only one ferry running (from I last heard). 

We did tour the Sunset Villas as part of our update.......tiny.

Any questions?


----------



## Bill4728

When we were there in June they had 2 car ferries running  but the third car ferry ( which was moored in St Johns) was not running

We also showed up about 45 minutes early, they asked if we wanted to go over on the other companies ferry which was just about to leave. So even though we pre-paid, the other company took us over and took our prepayment to the other ferry as payment.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Bill4728 said:


> When we were there in June they had 2 car ferries running  but the third car ferry was not running



They are back to 2 car barges (both Love City ferries) - for a few days only cars were being transported back/forth (with only one ferry running) and no trucks being transported due to ramp issues. That means no food, no supplies, no gas, no garbage removal, etc...

They (USVI) really needs to get these car barge transportation issues resolved.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Got back late last night from a wonderful 15 days in St John!
> 
> Still only one ferry running (from I last heard).
> 
> We did tour the Sunset Villas as part of our update.......tiny.
> 
> Any questions?



seems like the newer the WSJ resort phase - the smaller the villas are becoming.

Sunset Bay...  what sunset? the sun sets over the hill to the west of WSJ

How was you time off-resort?
Anything interesting?


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> They are back to 2 car barges (both Love City ferries) - for a few days only cars were being transported back/forth (with only one ferry running) and no trucks being transported due to ramp issues. That means no food, no supplies, no gas, no garbage removal, etc...
> 
> They (USVI) really needs to get these car barge transportation issues resolved.



Correct...Only 1 car barge is running, the other 3 are down. The last barge has been running 24 hours, after doing the last car run.....switching and taking garbage and small trucks back-n-forth.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> How was you time off-resort?
> Anything interesting?



Super great.....We could not visit the beaches with too steep of incline, like Salt Pond. 

We did see four nurse sharks on various visits to Maho and Francis.....2 small (18"), 1 around 36" and around 4'-5'. We have been visiting St John since 2003 and this was the first time seeing any type of shark. 

Spent a lot of time dedicated to snorkeling, which led to seeing a bunch of new stuff for us. 

We did the Westin 1/2 day snorkel, over to St Thomas. That might have been the best Reef to visit during the trip. 

As usual, am always amazed of the people we meet who have no clue or understanding of their timeshare ownership. 

We did utilize the Free Cycle.....when we arrived, it was semi-organized. When we dropped off our gear for others to use, the place was a mess. Still a great idea and glad the resort has this in place.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Super great.....We could not visit the beaches with too steep of incline, like Salt Pond.
> 
> We did see four nurse sharks on various visits to Maho and Francis.....2 small (18"), 1 around 36" and around 4'-5'. We have been visiting St John since 2003 and this was the first time seeing any type of shark.
> 
> Spent a lot of time dedicated to snorkeling, which led to seeing a bunch of new stuff for us.
> 
> We did the Westin 1/2 day snorkel, over to St Thomas. That might have been the best Reef to visit during the trip.
> 
> As usual, am always amazed of the people we meet who have no clue or understanding of their timeshare ownership.
> 
> We did utilize the Free Cycle.....when we arrived, it was semi-organized. When we dropped off our gear for others to use, the place was a mess. Still a great idea and glad the resort has this in place.



What reef on StT was the 1/2 day snorkel?
We did the Buck Island (StT) snorkel on Island Time as our Owner Update incentive - good fun, and well worth it.

Good that most snorkels have flat entrances.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> What reef on StT was the 1/2 day snorkel?
> We did the Buck Island (StT) snorkel on Island Time as our Owner Update incentive - good fun, and well worth it.
> 
> Good that most snorkels have flat entrances.



Little Saint James Island


----------



## ekinggill

*Car Rental Companies on St John*

Due to uncertainty of car barges, ditching the plans for a car on STT.

Can anyone recommend a jeep rental company on St John?  Some of them look pretty shady.

Thanks


----------



## DavidnRobin

O'Connor rents on-site at WSJ

If you want to be able to park while in Cruz Bay (can be a hassle) - then you will want to rent from one of the CB agencies.  I can't help here, you will need to check (search) for which ones allow to park on site. I think St John Car rentals does.  Also, need to bring proof of insurance from what I hear from others. Otherwise, will need to pay for daily insurance.

btw - the issue for car barges are bring trucks across.  also, you can pre-reserve a car barge space.


----------



## vistana101

ekinggill said:


> Due to uncertainty of car barges, ditching the plans for a car on STT.
> 
> Can anyone recommend a jeep rental company on St John?  Some of them look pretty shady.
> 
> Thanks



We used Oconnor when we went...all was well!


----------



## tomandrobin

We used O'Connor on our trip two weeks ago. No problems, hassles.....easy peasy. We rented a Durango and it was less then 1 year old, in really great shape.


----------



## SMHarman

tomandrobin said:


> We used O'Connor on our trip two weeks ago. No problems, hassles.....easy peasy. We rented a Durango and it was less then 1 year old, in really great shape.





vistana101 said:


> We used Oconnor when we went...all was well!


Better than my experience. Really old pathfinder.  One key. No central locking.  Lots of lose trim.

Finally I get hit with two problems. I return 'late'.  I say late in quotes as it was within the 6 days from pick up, but not from the original booking pick up time, so they bill me for an extra day.  

Secondly i returned it off hours and they lost it in their own car park at the Westin for 2 days. Which is why I think they late fee me. 

Key was in mail box as required,  I'm back home getting calls about a no return on their rental.  But it's in the parking lot.  

At least it was such an old vehicle that there was no panel I could dent or seat I could stain.


----------



## bobpark56

*Courtesy Car Rentals has worked for us*



ekinggill said:


> Due to uncertainty of car barges, ditching the plans for a car on STT.
> 
> Can anyone recommend a jeep rental company on St John?  Some of them look pretty shady.
> 
> Thanks



We have used Courtesy Car Rentals twice with good results. We have another 2-week rental scheduled for early Oct. Things we liked:
 - They will pick you up for your rental and drop you off at the ferry or back at WSJ when you return your vehicle. This works well when using either the WSJ ferry or the commercial one. (We pick up our vehicle a day or 2 after arriving and drop it off a day or 2 before departing, which more than pays for the Westin Ferry.)
 - You can park in their lot when in town.
 - They offer 10% discounts in the off season, which is when we visit WSJ.
 - They offer a 6% discount for paying in cash.

On both of our prior rentals, the vehicles were fairly new, very clean, and in good shape.


----------



## ekinggill

Thanks.  Booked with O'connor.  

I appreciate everyone's insight.  I have previously heard about variability in the quality of vehicles and about the late charges.  Going in with managed expectations.

Now I am left with a weeks work to get done before our Wednesday morning departure.  3 nights on Tortola on the front end then our week at the WSJ.  I will provide a trip report when we return.

Thanks again.


----------



## DavidnRobin

ekinggill said:


> Thanks.  Booked with O'connor.
> 
> I appreciate everyone's insight.  I have previously heard about variability in the quality of vehicles and about the late charges.  Going in with managed expectations.
> 
> Now I am left with a weeks work to get done before our Wednesday morning departure.  3 nights on Tortola on the front end then our week at the WSJ.  I will provide a trip report when we return.
> 
> Thanks again.



About a year ago - St John was allowed to have an increase in rental cars licenses by the USVI Govt. Since then, the quality of vehicles seems to have gotten better for some of the various agencies.  My 1st one from Conrad Sutton in 2006 was not safe.

Let us know how it goes - bring proof of insurance (I hear that is now needed, but not sure).


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> About a year ago - St John was allowed to have an increase in rental cars licenses by the USVI Govt. Since then, the quality of vehicles seems to have gotten better for some of the various agencies.  My 1st one from Conrad Sutton in 2006 was not safe.
> 
> Let us know how it goes - bring proof of insurance (I hear that is now needed, but not sure).



I have rented from O'Connor and I was not asked for insurance.  YMMV.


----------



## LisaH

Down to one barge again this week. Made a reservation for this Sat. Will report back...


----------



## SMHarman

Helios said:


> I have rented from O'Connor and I was not asked for insurance.  YMMV.


I may have been asked but I don't have any so that was my reply. 

Used the Signature Visa insurance.


----------



## Helios

SMHarman said:


> I may have been asked but I don't have any so that was my reply.
> 
> Used the Signature Visa insurance.



I use the AMEX insurance that costs $25 for 30 days.  That works pretty well for me.  I don't mind paying $25 for the piece of mind I get knowing I can walk away and AMEX will handle it.


----------



## tammymacb

Helios said:


> I use the AMEX insurance that costs $25 for 30 days.  That works pretty well for me.  I don't mind paying $25 for the piece of mind I get knowing I can walk away and AMEX will handle it.



What do you have to do to get the $25 insurance? Do I call the number on my card?


----------



## okwiater

tammymacb said:


> What do you have to do to get the $25 insurance? Do I call the number on my card?



https://www295.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do

I personally go for the cheaper $20/mo plan because the limits are only slightly reduced at $75K instead of $100K. I figure the odds are if I cause $75K worth of property damage, I'm already going to be making a personal auto claim since AMEX doesn't cover bodily injury.


----------



## tammymacb

Thank you!


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Renovation Update for WSJ*

*****
With certain parts of the resort currently undergoing renovations, it’s our priority to make sure you are aware of everything taking place. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to ensure a revitalizing experience. 

The first buildings in the new Sunset Bay Villas phase are nearing completion and will welcome its first owners in January 2017. The remaining poolside buildings (10, 11 and 12) will start their renovation, ahead of schedule, in late October. The project will continue through December 2017, but all construction activity will cease during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays. 

While the entire area being renovated will be fully surrounded by safety fencing, you should anticipate hearing intermittent construction demolition and removal as well as other construction-related activity while on the pool deck, in the vicinity of the beach and at Snorkels Bar & Grill. The resort’s villas will not be impacted during this refurbishment with the exception of neighboring buildings 14-16.

We anticipate that the majority of the structural and concrete work, and the new underground utilities, will be completed by the end of March 2017. By summer, we anticipate that the noise should dissipate as the project will be primarily focused on finishing the interior of the villas. In order to maintain our renovation schedule and complete the project by December 2017, the work will occur seven days a week between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

We understand the importance of the main pool to your overall vacation experience and regret any inconvenience this may cause. Please stay up-to-date on any special conditions at the resort by visiting vistana.com prior to your arrival. 

We sincerely appreciate your patience during this project. Should you have any questions, please contact Owner Services. 

Be well, 
Mike Ryan, General Manager 
The Westin St. John Resort & Villas


----------



## Helios

tammymacb said:


> What do you have to do to get the $25 insurance? Do I call the number on my card?



Yes.  You sign up via phone and the insurance kicks in every time you pay for the rental car with your Amex.  The $25 charge gets processed automatically by Amex and you are covered.


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> https://www295.americanexpress.com/premium/car-rental-insurance-coverage/home.do
> 
> I personally go for the cheaper $20/mo plan because the limits are only slightly reduced at $75K instead of $100K. I figure the odds are if I cause $75K worth of property damage, I'm already going to be making a personal auto claim since AMEX doesn't cover bodily injury.



Thanks for posting this.  I didn't know there was an option for $20.  I think your logic makes sense.  I will probably update my insurance.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> *****
> With certain parts of the resort currently undergoing renovations, it’s our priority to make sure you are aware of everything taking place. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to ensure a revitalizing experience.
> 
> The first buildings in the new Sunset Bay Villas phase are nearing completion and will welcome its first owners in January 2017. The remaining poolside buildings (10, 11 and 12) will start their renovation, ahead of schedule, in late October. The project will continue through December 2017, but all construction activity will cease during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
> 
> While the entire area being renovated will be fully surrounded by safety fencing, you should anticipate hearing intermittent construction demolition and removal as well as other construction-related activity while on the pool deck, in the vicinity of the beach and at Snorkels Bar & Grill. The resort’s villas will not be impacted during this refurbishment with the exception of neighboring buildings 14-16.
> 
> We anticipate that the majority of the structural and concrete work, and the new underground utilities, will be completed by the end of March 2017. By summer, we anticipate that the noise should dissipate as the project will be primarily focused on finishing the interior of the villas. In order to maintain our renovation schedule and complete the project by December 2017, the work will occur seven days a week between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
> 
> We understand the importance of the main pool to your overall vacation experience and regret any inconvenience this may cause. Please stay up-to-date on any special conditions at the resort by visiting vistana.com prior to your arrival.
> 
> We sincerely appreciate your patience during this project. Should you have any questions, please contact Owner Services.
> 
> Be well,
> Mike Ryan, General Manager
> The Westin St. John Resort & Villas



I like they will cease construction during holidays.


----------



## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> *****
> With certain parts of the resort currently undergoing renovations, it’s our priority to make sure you are aware of everything taking place. Rest assured, we will do everything we can to ensure a revitalizing experience.
> 
> The first buildings in the new Sunset Bay Villas phase are nearing completion and will welcome its first owners in January 2017. The remaining poolside buildings (10, 11 and 12) will start their renovation, ahead of schedule, in late October. The project will continue through December 2017, but all construction activity will cease during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
> 
> While the entire area being renovated will be fully surrounded by safety fencing, you should anticipate hearing intermittent construction demolition and removal as well as other construction-related activity while on the pool deck, in the vicinity of the beach and at Snorkels Bar & Grill. The resort’s villas will not be impacted during this refurbishment with the exception of neighboring buildings 14-16.
> 
> We anticipate that the majority of the structural and concrete work, and the new underground utilities, will be completed by the end of March 2017. By summer, we anticipate that the noise should dissipate as the project will be primarily focused on finishing the interior of the villas. In order to maintain our renovation schedule and complete the project by December 2017, the work will occur seven days a week between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
> 
> We understand the importance of the main pool to your overall vacation experience and regret any inconvenience this may cause. Please stay up-to-date on any special conditions at the resort by visiting vistana.com prior to your arrival.
> 
> We sincerely appreciate your patience during this project. Should you have any questions, please contact Owner Services.
> 
> Be well,
> Mike Ryan, General Manager
> The Westin St. John Resort & Villas


//cloud.tapatalk.com/s/57a31322c01b4/DSC_6151.jpg

//cloud.tapatalk.com/s/57a3135eddb4f/DSC_6150.jpg

The jackhammers reminded me of NYC


----------



## letsgomets

Helios said:


> I like they will cease construction during holidays.



I'm worried about this ambiguity and wrote to WSJ and Vistana to get clarification:

Are they saying that there will be no construction specifically on November 24, December 25 and January 1 (obviously!) or that they will not be doing construction during Thanksgiving weekend, Xmas week and NY week?  A few postings here have noted that they said they aren't doing construction during the holiday "weeks" but that's not exactly what they've said.  I am hoping they will clarify that that is the case.  I'm worried that it isn't given that they moved up the start of construction by 3 months (essentially sacrificing this Xmas season) to try to race toward an early opening by Xmas 2017.  We are coming for 12 days in late December and will be upset if it is one massive construction zone.

It also appears that there will no longer be any hotel rooms after October because buildings 10-12 were their last 3 that had not yet converted.  We have a 5-day hotel reservation tacked on after our BV week so I don't know what they are planning to do with us.


----------



## SandyPGravel

letsgomets said:


> It also appears that there will no longer be any hotel rooms after October because buildings 10-12 were their last 3 that had not yet converted.  We have a 5-day hotel reservation tacked on after our BV week so I don't know what they are planning to do with us.



I would be interested to hear what happens to resolve this.  Please post an update when you have one.


----------



## SMHarman

letsgomets said:


> It also appears that there will no longer be any hotel rooms after October because buildings 10-12 were their last 3 that had not yet converted.  We have a 5-day hotel reservation tacked on after our BV week so I don't know what they are planning to do with us.


There are no 'hotel room's at Lagunamar but they do fine with hotel bookings.


----------



## letsgomets

Got an update from Vistana -- no construction from December 17 to January 9.

Hotel also reached out to me today to suggest a 2BR villa in place of the two hotel rooms we have reserved.

So all good developments.


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Down to one barge again this week. Made a reservation for this Sat. Will report back...



Two barges are now running (both Vics).


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Two barges are now running (both Vics).



Two car ferries running - 3rd car ferry soon come
http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com...n-service-general-ii-faces-inspection-friday/


----------



## bobpark56

*Anyone else having problems paying taxes via USVI web page?*

Is anyone here having problems paying property taxes via the USVI web page? It does not seem to accept any credit card information I provide. 

Is there a secret touch? Or should I wait and pay in person after arriving on St John on 25 Sept? I did that once before. It's a bit out of the way, but I found that the nearby grocery store had better prices on some things (and an aged sipping rum I like) than did either Star Market or the grocery near our resort.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I am waiting to see the paper bill.
That would be Dolphin Market - make sure you check dates on perishable foods.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*VGV taxes*

I received my paper bill a couple weeks ago about two days before the "due date".  I know things are done differently on island, but you would think they would A) send all the bills out at once and B) more than two days before the bill is due.  I know late charges do not apply until after Sept 30, but the due date was still August 1st.

I have not tried to pay online yet, so can't comment on that.


----------



## LisaH

Our lovely week in St John is quickly ending...
Our flight was delayed and after we picked up our luggage and car, we realized we would not be able to make our 1 pm reserved barge time. Called Love City and was told we can take a later ferry but our reservation no longer had priority. Arrived at 2:15, about 20 cars in front of us. By 3 pm, more cars lined up but we all got on the barge. BTW, only one barge running last Sat.


----------



## LisaH

We did something really dumb this trip. With three people waiting for luggage and DH going to pick up car, we somehow forgot one bag which had our snorkeling gears. Didn't realize until 5 pm. Called American and confirmed its still at the airport. I called Westin looking for help. Ricky at the taxi stand was outstanding. He contacted Westin Lounge at the airport then AA's desk at STT, arranging AA to drop our bag at the Weatin office. Unfortunately by then the last ferry already left. Ricky called us at our unit to tell us our bag was in Westin's possession and would be delivered Sun around noon. Without our snorkeling gears, we decided to get day passes at Honeymoon Beach (50% off), and had a wonderful time. By the time we got back to our unit, our bag was waiting for us. We were very impressed by Westin's service. Thanks Westin and AA!


----------



## dioxide45

LisaH said:


> We did something really dumb this trip. With three people waiting for luggage and DH going to pick up car, we somehow forgot one bag which had our snorkeling gears. Didn't realize until 5 pm. Called American and confirmed its still at the airport. I called Westin looking for help. Ricky at the taxi stand was outstanding. He contacted Westin Lounge at the airport then AA's desk at STT, arranging AA to drop our bag at the Weatin office. Unfortunately by then the last ferry already left. Ricky called us at our unit to tell us our bag was in Westin's possession and would be delivered Sun around noon. Without our snorkeling gears, we decided to get day passes at Honeymoon Beach (50% off), and had a wonderful time. By the time we got back to our unit, our bag was waiting for us. We were very impressed by Westin's service. Thanks Westin and AA!



I thought it odd that they would quote two days for the luggage to make it from St Thomas to St John. It is like there no ferry on Saturdays? Glad they got it to you quick.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Important: How to make a PainKiller.

https://www.facebook.com/ritzcarltonstthomas/videos/1230754230302415/

Happy National Rum Day! Do you remember your first Painkiller?

1991 - at Pussers Bar in Road Town, Tortola, BVI


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Happy National Rum Day!
> 
> Do you remember your first Painkiller?



2011 on the Bad Kitty, trip to the Baths!!


----------



## SandyPGravel

*3 car barges running again!!!*



http://newsofstjohn.com/

Save $20 if you book three days in advance 

http://www.lovecitycarferries.com/book-now.html


----------



## ekinggill

*Trip Report*

Itinerary:  

8/3 - 8/6 Rental house on Tortola
8/6 - 8/13 WSJ

Arrived STT Wednesday August 3 around 1PM.  Taxied to the CA ferry terminal.  Check in was a complete cluster as multiple ferry companies are sharing a very small space.  Learned if you are not there 30 minutes prior to departure time, you may not get on the next ferry.  After an hour of drinks in snacks in the bar, we were on our way to West End Tortola.

Customs & immigration at West End was a piece of cake.  Rented a car through Jerry's Car Rental (jerrysrental.com)...Jerry was waiting for us at the ferry terminal.  Two minute drive to his office, five minutes of paperwork and we were on our way.  Good car & good service.

Rented Casa Flamboyant through VRBO.  (https://www.vrbo.com/3932079ha)   The 270' view from that house was breathtaking...even more breathtaking than the amazing pictures in the house's profile.  Price was amazingly low...about $400 a night for 4 people all in.  Great hosts...provided a local prepaid cell phone, beach towels, mats, chairs, noodles, grill, charcoal, bottled water...they really thought of everything.  A couple of little issues...like the TV has previous water damage and the dishwasher didn't work...but neither impacted us hardly at all.  We absolutely would recommend to others.

Saturday returned the car to Jerry who drove us to the ferry terminal.  Any ferry going from Tortola to Red Hook MUST stop in St. John for immigration, so we had plenty of options.  Fast trip over, cab to the WSJ, picked up a rental from O'connor on the resort.  My wife and I had 9 friends joins in St. John and all 4 villas were ready by 3 PM...the most efficient check in I've ever experienced in my 8 trips there.  (no lines, keys all ready, no hassle about adding multiple names to reservations)

Monday did a sail for 10 to Jost on the sailing yacht Survivan (/http://www.stjohnyachtcharters.com/).  Great day.  Snorkel stop at Lovango Cay, slow sail to Jost (only about 6 knt winds all day).  Lunch at Hendo's Hideout which was good but a bit slow.  Drinks at Soggy Dollar.  Slow beautiful sail back.  Highly recommended for groups larger than 6 but smaller than 13.

Wednesday did a power boat trip for 6 with Island Roots. (http://www.islandrootscharters.com/) Jason was off island on his honeymoon so his relief captain Tom is who took us out.  He looks like a young surfer boy but he was professional, knowledgeable and gave a great day.  Snorkeled The Indians, Wreck of the Rhone (Salt Island) and Mingo Cay.  Lunch at Cooper Island Beach Club, drinks at Willie T.  Great day.

Other stuff on island was its usual great.  Turtle populations at Maho and Francis look very strong.  Reef at Maho was not as teaming with life as I remembered it.  Construction was barely noticeable while at the resort pool.

Public ferry back to STT and subsequent taxi to the airport was very easy.  Airline counter lines, customs and immigration at the airport was all of 15 minutes, but in fairness we got there at 12:30 and about an hour later, from what I could tell, it was far worse.

Now counting the days until I can go back....


----------



## ekinggill

DavidnRobin said:


> Happy National Rum Day! Do you remember your first Painkiller?




Soggy Dollar Bar, 2009, bought with soggy money.


----------



## LisaRex

ekinggill, great trip report!  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I just received 1 (of 2) property tax bills in the mail.
Pay before Sept 30. (due Aug 1)
Tax rate = 0.014070 which I believe about the same tax rate as Maui 
Assessment of ~$11K (2Bd TH)
Tax = $156

btw - the USVI is once again trying to get new tax rates established - wonder how much more TS owners (and STJ owners) will take the brunt of new tax rates?


----------



## tammymacb

I got mine also. We moved last year and I noted the address change on the form. Apparently they ignored it because they sent the bill to the wring address again and it had to be forwarded.


----------



## czar

LisaRex said:


> ekinggill, great trip report!  Thanks for sharing.



Ditto!

We've not been able to go for the last two summers for family commitments but looking forward to returning summer 2017. In the meantime will have to live vicariously


----------



## DavidnRobin

ekinggill said:


> Soggy Dollar Bar, 2009, bought with soggy money.



Thanks for the trip report.  I prefer the PK at Soggy Dollar - the Pussers' PK was made with the British Navy Rum - rough.
Pussers also had nickel beer nite back in 91 - John Courage - insane...

We were out with Jason and Tom on Island Roots in 2014 - during Tom's training - great time (and the girls were happy...) - always professional. Was able to snorkel at Flanagans Is.


----------



## GrayFal

*Has anyone done an extra night in town?*

Due to Starwood changing my reservation  I will need an extra night in November and because of better airfare, an extra night in February. 

The cost to stay at the Westin is quite high. 
Has anyone booked a room for two people someplace in town?

Our plan in November would be to check out of WSJ but spend the day at the resort. We would go into town around 5, check into the room and then have dinner at say Rhum Lines before leaving in the morning for the airport. 

In February we are arriving on a Friday for a Saturday check-in. 

Looking for an option around $200. Does not need to be fancy, just clean with AC. 
 All help appreciated.


----------



## Bill4728

Since you have to fly in and out of St Thomas  Why not stay on St Thomas for the night?


----------



## GrayFal

Bill4728 said:


> Since you have to fly in and out of St Thomas  Why not stay on St Thomas for the night?



I might do that for the Friday arrival. 

The problem with st Thomas is there are few reasonable places with food options. Plus taxi costs. If I hVe to do multiple taxi trips with luggage and then back and forth for dinner it can easily add $60-80 to the cost. And I prefer to extend my time in paradise. I could go to the Marriott on STT but again, quite costly. I guess I could stay at the Westin until after dinner and then go to STT but prefer not to do that. 

I "have to " take a taxi from WSJ to the ferry so staying at a guest house in town seems like a reasonable option.


----------



## canesfan

It's not the Westin or Marriott but for one night it was reasonable and decent.  We stayed at Paradise Cove Cottages when we flew into STT.  Since we had a long travel day and wanted to take advantage of our time at WSJ, we decided that we would fly in a day early and stay on ST for the night before taking the ferry over the next day.  Paradise Cove served our purpose and we will do it again for our next trip.


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> Due to Starwood changing my reservation  I will need an extra night in November and because of better airfare, an extra night in February.
> 
> 
> 
> The cost to stay at the Westin is quite high.
> 
> Has anyone booked a room for two people someplace in town?
> 
> 
> 
> Our plan in November would be to check out of WSJ but spend the day at the resort. We would go into town around 5, check into the room and then have dinner at say Rhum Lines before leaving in the morning for the airport.
> 
> 
> 
> In February we are arriving on a Friday for a Saturday check-in.
> 
> 
> 
> Looking for an option around $200. Does not need to be fancy, just clean with AC.
> 
> All help appreciated.





There is a boutique hotel in Cruz Bay - St John Inn 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> There is a boutique hotel in Cruz Bay - St John Inn
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Looks nice and would have been perfect but it has a two night minimum.

Edit.  I think you might mean this one? http://hotelcruzbay.com Hotel Cruz Bay Boutigue Hotel. This one does have a two night minimum. Hmmmmmmmm....

St John Inn does not appear to have a minimum so will check it out. Thanks.

Double edit.  I now have a Resie at St John Inn for November  http://www.stjohninn.com Just what we were looking for. Double Thanks!  Free happy hour and breakfast. Can walk to restaurants.  Perfect!


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## GrayFal

canesfan said:


> It's not the Westin or Marriott but for one night it was reasonable and decent.  We stayed at Paradise Cove Cottages when we flew into STT.  Since we had a long travel day and wanted to take advantage of our time at WSJ, we decided that we would fly in a day early and stay on ST for the night before taking the ferry over the next day.  Paradise Cove served our purpose and we will do it again for our next trip.



Thanks for the recommendation but I just booked Bunker Hill near downtown. Fairly good reviews. Will see what else I can find. Was looking at Bluebeards Castle for the Friday arrival as they have beautiful views and two nice restaurants but the website stated I had to call for my dates.


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## GrayFal

*From Island Roots Facebook page*

Unpopular change in BVI immigration. 
Everyone has to do a face to face when entering BVI 
This will really cut into your day at sea. 

http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/hm-customs-makes-unpopular-move-to-protect-vi


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> Unpopular change in BVI immigration.
> Everyone has to do a face to face when entering BVI
> This will really cut into your day at sea.
> 
> http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/hm-customs-makes-unpopular-move-to-protect-vi



Typical of the VI gov't... 
Only solution - not go, or get there 1st. Amazing the effort the BVIs make in making it less attractive to tourists. Suggestion, put an Immigration dock by Norman Island during the day 

I am going to ask Island Roots for an earlier pick-up next June as we had planned a back-side of Tortola charter next year.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Unpopular change in BVI immigration.
> Everyone has to do a face to face when entering BVI
> This will really cut into your day at sea.
> 
> http://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/hm-customs-makes-unpopular-move-to-protect-vi



Any clue how long this would be?  Once you get to talk to the immigration person.


----------



## GrayFal

Helios said:


> Any clue how long this would be?  Once you get to talk to the immigration person.



All depends on "traffic". Usually at US Customs in STJ it is not too bad.  But we are a rather efficient country.


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> All depends on "traffic". Usually at US Customs in STJ it is not too bad.  But we are a rather efficient country.



This has to do with BVI (not USVI) - the issue is that the boat Captain will no longer be able checkin the 'souls' on their boat.  Now all passengers (and luggage/bags) will need to go thru BVI Immigration/Customs individually. If you have ever been to the BVI Customs/Immigration dock on West-End Tortola (Sopers Hole) or JVD or Virgin Gorda (The Baths) on a charter boat - this is totally ridiculous - on top of 'officers' moving at typical island time expediency.  Not to mention that criminals smuggling themselves/guns/drugs (etc.) into the BVI - which is the purpose of this change - are not going thru BVI Customs/Immigration in the first place.
Oh well...  typical of the BVI Gov't biting the hand that feeds them.  Other than money laundering (off-shore banking) - tourism is the only industry in the BVI.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*March 2018 unconfirmed reservation*

Anyone else seeing a 2018 unconfirmed fixed week reservation showing up in dashboard already?  Isn't this kinda early for it to show up?


----------



## SmithOp

SandyPGravel said:


> Anyone else seeing a 2018 unconfirmed fixed week reservation showing up in dashboard already?  Isn't this kinda early for it to show up?





My 2018 fixed week is showing for SVR, I've already deposited 2017 in II and traded it if that makes any difference.


Sent from my iPad Mini 4 using Tapatalk


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## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Anyone else seeing a 2018 unconfirmed fixed week reservation showing up in dashboard already?  Isn't this kinda early for it to show up?



This is common. Our WSJ-VGV weeks (fixed) shows up 18 months early, and they can be confirmed. It has been this way since before on-line access.


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## SandyPGravel

*Parking*

Could someone who has experience staying in the main resort tell me what to expect for parking? 

We own in VGV and the parking is right outside our building.  We booked outside our ownership to allow a family member to participate in the Beach to Beach power swim over Memorial day weekend and subsequently will be somewhere in the main resort.  (Probably with a kitchentte:annoyed

I am worried since we will be there during a holiday the parking availability will be even more challenging.  What happens if there isn't anywhere to park?  

The resort website isn't very helpful, suggests using the plentiful taxis.  I can't even imagine trying to use a taxi to go to Rams head for sunrise or sunset(one of the boat operators suggested sunrise).  All the way around the island in the back of a pickup??


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## DavidnRobin

Gina - I am confused by your post.  Did you really want to know how to park at WSJ when there is no parking?  and then surprised that the resort website doesn't mention what happens when there is no parking available?

Yes, there is parking - even overflow parking. WSJ acts as a conference center for large gathering on St John (e.g. graduations) with people from all over the island coming to WSJ - and parking of found in these cases (usually along the road heading towards VGV).  So, don't overthink this.

You do have a concern about getting to Salt Pond (Ram Head) by taxi-bus for sunrise/sunset - I would not recommend this. There is a VITRANS bus that runs to Salt Pond, but not pre-dawn or after sunset.  And a taxi would not only be hugely expensive, but logistics of getting one to go out to Salt Pond predawn (for sunrise) or after sunset is a problem because how would you expect to be picked-up by a taxi for the return back to WSJ? This is not a regular taxi route as there is not much more beyond SaltPond.

IMO - you will need a car to do this (at least w/o worry).  I would not attempt sunrise/sunset at Ram Head w/o a car.  You should be aware that it is a ~40 min hike from SaltPond to RamHead.  In the dark? make sure you have a flashlight (we used the flashlight on our iPhone)


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## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Gina - I am confused by your post.  Did you really want to know how to park at WSJ when there is no parking?  and then surprised that the resort website doesn't mention what happens when there is no parking available?
> 
> Yes, there is parking - even overflow parking. WSJ acts as a conference center for large gathering on St John (e.g. graduations) with people from all over the island coming to WSJ - and parking of found in these cases (usually along the road heading towards VGV).  So, don't overthink this.
> 
> You do have a concern about getting to Salt Pond (Ram Head) by taxi-bus for sunrise/sunset - I would not recommend this. There is a VITRANS bus that runs to Salt Pond, but not pre-dawn or after sunset.  And a taxi would not only be hugely expensive, but logistics of getting one to go out to Salt Pond predawn (for sunrise) or after sunset is a problem because how would you expect to be picked-up by a taxi for the return back to WSJ? This is not a regular taxi route as there is not much more beyond SaltPond.
> 
> IMO - you will need a car to do this (at least w/o worry).  I would not attempt sunrise/sunset at Ram Head w/o a car.  You should be aware that it is a ~40 min hike from SaltPond to RamHead.  In the dark? make sure you have a flashlight (we used the flashlight on our iPhone)



Why is my asking if someone else had the experience of no parking available at the resort and what did they do so confusing?  I asked a question through VSE dashboard, but that will be answered by someone in a cubicle in Orlando,  if they even bother to answer the question.  

The website says there is "limited parking" at the resort and suggests using taxis.  So I was asking what to do when I have a rental jeep and the "limited Parking" is gone.  Yes, I am asking if there is overflow parking and wanted to know where that is.  If the overflow parking is on the hill to VGV will the security gate let me through if I am staying at the main resort?  

I had no intention of going to Rams head trail in a taxi.  I was making a point as to the ludicrious suggestion by the resort to use taxi's to get everywhere, when getting to somwhere such as Rams head trail would be next to impossible in the early morning or evening hours.  

We have been to the rams head trail before, we use our dive lights.


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## DavidnRobin

I was just trying to help - I guess I did not. Sorry.
Good point about the new gate, though. I would expect to be kept open during this time.
I have only seen overflow (in the evening on a Sat nite) for the Gifft School graduation.
Then again, we travel in June and not high-season.

If you are really concerned - you should call the Front Desk (or Concierge) at WSJ and ask.  Most live on island and have worked at WSJ for some time (esp concierges). They can answer this - I would not expect some Orlando dweeb who likely has never been to WSJ to be able to answer this.  I expect it is a uncommon event, and why the website does not rise to this level of detail.
They do not mention many occurances that are more common than overflow parking (e.g. GCB deemed unsafe, power and water outages, ferry breakdown, etc)
Adapt.


----------



## Helios

Anyone knows the current Ferry situation?


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> Yes, I am asking if there is overflow parking and wanted to know where that is.  If the overflow parking is on the hill to VGV will the security gate let me through if I am staying at the main resort?



I think so. When we stayed in the VG section, our room key allowed us to enter through the main resort.


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## DavidnRobin

LisaRex said:


> I think so. When we stayed in the VG section, our room key allowed us to enter through the main resort.



I think Gina was talking other way around. Room key from non-VGV villa opening gate to VGV - as to park along road heading up the hill in the case of overflow.


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## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> Anyone knows the current Ferry situation?



There are 2 car barges (Love City) running - with a 3rd (Mr B) expected to be running based on island time - sometime between now and forever...

The passenger ferries (WSJ and public) have not changed.


----------



## dsmrp

SandyPGravel said:


> Could someone who has experience staying in the main resort tell me what to expect for parking?
> 
> We own in VGV and the parking is right outside our building.  We booked outside our ownership to allow a family member to participate in the Beach to Beach power swim over Memorial day weekend and subsequently will be somewhere in the main resort.  (Probably with a kitchentte:annoyed
> 
> I am worried since we will be there during a holiday the parking availability will be even more challenging.  What happens if there isn't anywhere to park?
> 
> The resort website isn't very helpful, suggests using the plentiful taxis.  I can't even imagine trying to use a taxi to go to Rams head for sunrise or sunset(one of the boat operators suggested sunrise).  All the way around the island in the back of a pickup??



The main parking lot is next to the tennis courts and I think holds about 60-75 cars (4 rows).  About a 1/4 to 1/3 of them were O'Connors cars.  We were there in June and never had a problem finding a parking spot no matter what time of day we returned (usually late afternoon).  Maybe if you rented from O'Connor they would hold a spot for you?  Otherwise there's a staff/maintenance parking area just north of the lot which could probably do in a pinch. It always looked pretty empty except for a few vehicles.



DavidnRobin said:


> I think Gina was talking other way around. Room key from non-VGV villa opening gate to VGV - as to park along road heading up the hill in the case of overflow.



We never tried to drive into the VGV area as our 'lowland' key cards would not open the freecycle bldg door. We assumed the key card wouldn't work either on the VGV gate.  It makes sense for VGV key cards to work on the main gate because guests would need to get to main reception to check-out or use other services.


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> There are 2 car barges (Love City) running - with a 3rd (Mr B) expected to be running based on island time - sometime between now and forever...
> 
> The passenger ferries (WSJ and public) have not changed.



Thanks for the info, for future reference, where do you get it?  Is it a simple online search?


----------



## Bill4728

SandyPGravel said:


> Could someone who has experience staying in the main resort tell me what to expect for parking?
> 
> We own in VGV and the parking is right outside our building.  We booked outside our ownership to allow a family member to participate in the Beach to Beach power swim over Memorial day weekend and subsequently will be somewhere in the main resort.  (Probably with a kitchentte:annoyed
> 
> I am worried since we will be there during a holiday the parking availability will be even more challenging.  What happens if there isn't anywhere to park?



When we were there in June, the main parking lot near the tennis courts always had parking  BUT there is a overflow lot just beyond it, that had no cars in it the whole time we were there. I assume that that is where you'd park


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## alexadeparis

Heading back to St John on 10/1. Any updates on what restaurants will be closed? The one website that lists the closures looks like it hasn't been updated.


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## farsighted99

Bill4728 said:


> When we were there in June, the main parking lot near the tennis courts always had parking  BUT there is a overflow lot just beyond it, that had no cars in it the whole time we were there. I assume that that is where you'd park



What's the weather like in June?  Or better yet, when is the best time to go there?  I've been, but was on a cruise ship. Been in St. Thomas too many times, so we took the ferry and a taxi to the beach in St. John (actually it was the Rock Resort Beach on St. John; I was a travel agent at the time and did a site inspection) ... but it was a long time ago.

I bought into Nanea in Maui but don't plan on going there until 2018. Considering trading my 81K options for St. Johns.  Can also go in the fall (but I sort of remember it's hurricane season).   

You don't have any 1 bedrooms, just studios?  Or they just don't come up online.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> Thanks for the info, for future reference, where do you get it?  Is it a simple online search?



FaceBook - multiple pages on St John. just put in St John in search field and will take you to top viewed sites.
Active St John
News of St John
Tradewinds


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## DavidnRobin

alexadeparis said:


> Heading back to St John on 10/1. Any updates on what restaurants will be closed? The one website that lists the closures looks like it hasn't been updated.



I saw an update about a month ago - Can't recall which site (linked from FaceBook) News of St John? Active St John?

St John Spice has one
http://www.stjohnspice.com/index.php/restaurants

once set - it's not like it will change much.  it is their cleanup travel time.


----------



## DavidnRobin

farsighted99 said:


> What's the weather like in June?  Or better yet, when is the best time to go there?  I've been, but was on a cruise ship. Been in St. Thomas too many times, so we took the ferry and a taxi to the beach in St. John (actually it was the Rock Resort Beach on St. John; I was a travel agent at the time and did a site inspection) ... but it was a long time ago.
> 
> I bought into Nanea in Maui but don't plan on going there until 2018. Considering trading my 81K options for St. Johns.  Can also go in the fall (but I sort of remember it's hurricane season).
> 
> You don't have any 1 bedrooms, just studios?  Or they just don't come up online.



Hot, humid, still has wind (hopefully) - lowest month for rain. Calm, warm seas.
When is best time? Depends on what you are looking for (and what are you escaping from?)
For us?  Late mid-May to mid-June (been going for >10 years in June)

The only 1Bd are in VGV phase.
Studios in VGV, CV, and SB phases.

It is St John.


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## SandyPGravel

*Parking*

Thanks for the responses.  

Since we have not stayed in the main resort I didn't know what to expect and the "limited Parking" on the resort website concerned me.  We rent from Amalie, love the convenience, even if renting from in-town has in-town parking benefits. 

The freecycle is another question.  Now I know the freecycle is supposed to be for VGV, because we, as owners, are the ones that paid for it.  (At least that is what I remember reading.)  As a VGV owner, staying in the main resort, will I have access to the freecycle?  I think probably not.  (To be honest I have never used it anyway.  I looked in there once, but only saw some laundry detergent )

Oh well, 13 nights in St. John, is it May yet?


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Thanks for the responses.
> 
> Since we have not stayed in the main resort I didn't know what to expect and the "limited Parking" on the resort website concerned me.  We rent from Amalie, love the convenience, even if renting from in-town has in-town parking benefits.
> 
> The freecycle is another question.  Now I know the freecycle is supposed to be for VGV, because we, as owners, are the ones that paid for it.  (At least that is what I remember reading.)  As a VGV owner, staying in the main resort, will I have access to the freecycle?  I think probably not.  (To be honest I have never used it anyway.  I looked in there once, but only saw some laundry detergent )
> 
> Oh well, 13 nights in St. John, is it May yet?



You must have missed my FC photos from last June - a bit more than laundry detergent...
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1898559&postcount=1228

It is the VGV villa key that gets you into the FC - there is no special key for VGV Owners that are staying at main resort.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> You must have missed my FC photos from last June - a bit more than laundry detergent...
> http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1898559&postcount=1228
> 
> It is the VGV villa key that gets you into the FC - there is no special key for VGV Owners that are staying at main resort.



I saw your post, it looked great after you cleaned it up.  I was just mentioning that when I looked(Feb/Mar) it was pretty empty.  I probably didn't look until mid week.  In fact when I looked the door wasn't shut/locked.    

I didn't expect a special key.  Like I mentioned I have not used the free cycle.  But I think the free-cycle idea is good, and the main resort should consider adding one as well.  Especially since the entire resort will soon be all villas.


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## DavidnRobin

I agree that all phases of WSJ should have Free Cycles.
We swing by as we drive up to our villa, and find more stuff around checkin/checkout days.
I also find the door open (meaning not closed all the way) which is likely the same Owners that just throw stuff in there.  Not sure why some people find it so difficult to make sure the door is shut when leaving - the shack has AC after all. 
I am not sure if many people staying in VGV are even aware of the FreeCycle.  It has never been mentioned to me upon checkin (for example), nor any info about it in the villa that I have seen.


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## MPERL

*81k starpoints wont get you much*

We were there in August, and it cost us 84k Starpoints for an efficiency.


----------



## DavidnRobin

MPERL said:


> We were there in August, and it cost us 84k Starpoints for an efficiency.



What is an efficiency?  Do you mean hotel studio, or did you stay in studio villa?
Do you mean that you used 84K SPG StarPoints?  Are you confusing StarPoints with StarOptions? They are different currencies. SP=Hotel, SO=TS

The hotel portion is being shut down and converted to FlexOptions for villa stays.

Our 2Bd TH in VGV section (Gold+ season) is worth 95.7 SO and gets 1 week stay.  It would take many more SPs for similar stay.


----------



## MPERL

*Studio Villa*

We stayed in a studio villa. There is no hotel portion at WSJ. We are not owners, so I guess we used StarPoints that we acquired by doing 2 Starwood timeshare get-a-ways.


----------



## tammymacb

Do you all pay your dues with a check or CC? I paid mine a couple weeks ago with a check and it hasn't cleared yet. Now I'm wishing I'd used a CC, but at the time didn't want to deal with the hassle of photocopies of my driver's license.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tammymacb said:


> Do you all pay your dues with a check or CC? I paid mine a couple weeks ago with a check and it hasn't cleared yet. Now I'm wishing I'd used a CC, but at the time didn't want to deal with the hassle of photocopies of my driver's license.



If you mean Maintenance Fees - I pay with CC (get 2x-3x points - and with CSR CC, a $300 credit) - never paid by check.

For Property Taxes - I pay by check - takes weeks to clear.


----------



## tammymacb

I totally meant taxes. Thanks! 

I will be paying my MFs with my cc.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tammymacb said:


> I totally meant taxes. Thanks!
> 
> I will be paying my MFs with my cc.



??? wait a minute.  This year I paid after receiving one VGV PropTax bill (and not the other) by going on line and paid both weeks by going into property tax.vi.gov 
Using the control and invoice number on back of paper bill.
I did not photocopy a drivers license... and pretty sure I paid w CC this year.


----------



## tammymacb

DavidnRobin said:


> ??? wait a minute.  This year I paid after receiving one VGV PropTax bill (and not the other) by going on line and paid both weeks by going into property tax.vi.gov
> Using the control and invoice number on back of paper bill.
> I did not photocopy a drivers license... and pretty sure I paid w CC this year.




Last year, I could not pay online ( I eve called the tax office ). Didn't even try this year. I know that if I sent in a CC # I had to send in a copy of my license. 

Now I sit back and see if they ever cash my check.


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## DavidnRobin

The tax bill for 2016 can be paid online w/o photo ID - I have done this, and directions to do so are listed on tax bill. I just went thru the process, and showed that I paid.  If you have you parcel number - go in usvi site - enter parcel number - it will show if payment paid and when it was received.


----------



## DavidnRobin

*Sept. 2016 - VGV Owners Letter from BOD*

September 2016 

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villa Owners: 

As your elected members of the Board of Directors of the Virgin Grand owners association, we recently participated in the fall meeting of the Board, held in Orlando Florida. Two of the four meetings each year are held by conference call, but the September meeting is an in-person meeting at which, among other business, members review and either accept or suggest changes to the budget that has been proposed by management. The budget is then circulated to owners before final review by the Board in November. Here is a photograph of the Board at work:

{insert photo}

2017 PROPOSED BUDGET

So let’s lead off with some good news:

For the sixth year in a row, the 2017 proposed budget, which you will receive shortly, and to which we expect to give final approval in November, contemplates a small decrease (one percent) in maintenance fees. We recognize that the decreases in each of the last six years have been small, but we regard small decreases as vastly preferable to increases.

The management company has managed to present a budget that again reduces maintenance fees as a result of seeking efficiencies wherever possible, and despite:
increases greater than inflation in the pool of funds available for staff salaries
an expected increase in the cost of electricity (about which we will say more below)
ongoing improvements in the facilities of the resort, many of which we have discussed in past reports and some of which are described below.
Our budget was also helped by the fact that during 2016, as we reported last year, the developer began paying annual maintenance fees on the 112 unit weeks that our association had obtained through foreclosure actions against owners who were delinquent in paying their maintenance fees. We continue to have an aggressive lien and foreclosure policy, so that owners do not have to absorb the maintenance costs that are not paid by the approximately five percent of owners who are delinquent. (If you become behind in your maintenance fee payments, we urge you to make those payments rather than being locked out of the use of your unit, having a lien imposed on your property, and being subjected to a lawsuit to foreclose on your unit week.)

RESORT UPDATE

We can expect these improvements, many of them responsive to requests we have received from owners, during the coming year:
Water fountains at the iguana pools, which the Board approved last year, will be installed and operational by the end of December. In addition, house phones are being installed at the iguana shuttle stops at the hillside pools and near the 3-bedroom villas.
Renovations will be completed soon in buildings 31, 32, 43 and 44. Additional artwork will go into the other buildings, where renovations were completed in the recent past.
Knox and Ollie’s, the new restaurant where Cruz Bay Prime used to be, will open on November 1. At about the same time, Lemongrass will move to being open five nights a week with a buffet and closed two nights a week (probably Tuesday and Wednesday which are the slowest nights of the week). Lemongrass Bar will remain open on those two nights. The space that used to be occupied by the Mango Deli will have a new tenant, featuring coffee service and health drinks in the morning and house-made ice cream in the afternoons and evenings. New awnings are being installed at Snorkels.
Privacy shades are being put in place for massages at the gazebo.
Beach chairs will be added periodically to the freecycle shed, to augment the beach chairs that owners buy and leave in the shed for others to use.
New chairs and tables will be supplied for the hillside balconies. The new chairs will be a bit smaller than those previously used, enabling owners to seat four people around the balcony table. The new chairs will be stackable, so that if an owner would prefer more balcony space, chairs can be moved to one corner.
The pool villas will receive new patio furniture with cushions.
The outdoor Jacuzzis in buildings 43 and 44 will be repaired so that they are all fully operational.
Many of the trees visible from the hillside buildings will be pruned, to improve the view of the bay. Not every tree can be pruned, however, because some of them are protected species and a few are not on our property.

BUDGET ISSUES

We had to budget for an expected increase in electricity costs during 2017, from the current rate of 28 cents per KWH to a possible rate of 35 cents per KWH. We have no control, of course, over the rate charged by the utility (which is based in St. Thomas), but we believe that the current rate (down from 51 cents per KWH a few years ago) will go up because the utility has not yet converted from diesel fuel to liquid propane gas and will need to spend money to replace outdated infrastructure before it can make the planned conversion. (If we are wrong and the rate does not go up, there will of course be a surplus compared to the amount that we have budgeted.)

Although we can’t control the utility’s rates, we do have some control over consumption. Please turn off the lights and televisions, and set the thermostat on your air conditioning to 70 whenever you are out of the villa.

As in the past several years, the maintenance fee for 2017 includes a contribution to the hurricane contingency fund we created several years ago that would pay for the 5% deductible ($1.3 million) in the event of a catastrophic major storm. (The deductible kicks in if our property is damaged by a tropical storm or hurricane that has been given a name by the weather service.) We hope to make a final reservation of funds for that contingency in the 2018 budget, so that if there is no major storm and no increase in the insurance company’s assessment of the value of Virgin Grand, owners will not have to fund this contingency as part of our maintenance fees starting in 2019. Of course if there is a damaging “named storm,” we will have to replenish funds that we spend on repairs. We have been lucky in recent years (the most damaging storm was not a “named storm” so it was covered without our having to pay a deductible), but St. John is in the path of potential hurricanes and many experts expect them to become more frequent and stronger as a result of global warming.

As you know from our previous reports, our share of the common area costs of the resort (shared also by the hotel and the three other condominium associations) has been going up ever since 2008 as a result of the conversion of hotel rooms to a smaller number of condominium units. Common costs are items such as security for the entire resort and activities such as providing the kayaks on the beach, as opposed to landscaping maintenance of the Virgin Grand property, which is entirely our responsibility. In 2007, our share of the common area costs was less than 25 percent. In 2017 it will be about 33.6 percent and by 2018, when all the hotel rooms will have been converted to condo units, our share will stabilize at a little more than 36 percent. Most of these costs are distributed in proportion to the number of units in each entity (that is, the hotel and each condominium association), rather than the number of bedrooms in each entity. We were concerned that the allocation by units rather than bedrooms was unfavorable to Virgin Grand, but a careful analysis revealed that the difference between these two methods of computing the allocation was only a fraction of one percent, and in fact the method that the management company uses is slightly favorable to Virgin Grand. In other words, under either method of computation, our portion of shared common area costs would have increased since 2007 from less than 25 percent to a little more than 36 percent in 2018.

OWNER BULLETIN BOARD

{insert hard to follow instructions to get to VGV Owner website - ridiculously hard to navigate no matter how they instruct - instructions shouldn't even have to be needed - IMO, sorry} 

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the association will be held at the resort on the morning of Monday, February 27, 2017. We hope to see many of you there. Bring your questions or, if you can’t be there in person, email questions to us and we will ask them for you. We will send out our next report after that meeting.

Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com
Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## DavidnRobin

So... VGV MFs are going to increase because we pay for both the resort AND our area.(25%, to 33%, to 36% for VGV share).
Fine. Then stop Main Resort folks for using our facilities!  Last year a BV owner thru a huge party at the pool between B33-34 with Iguna Drivers bringing up guests and food, and staying to have dinner with them (2 carts). All burners and tables were taken.  Party finally broke up after a drunken fight broke out (in that white trash way...) - embrassing...


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> So... VGV MFs are going to increase because we pay for both the resort AND our area.(25%, to 33%, to 36% for VGV share).
> Fine. Then stop Main Resort folks for using our facilities!  Last year a BV owner thru a huge party at the pool between B33-34 with Iguna Drivers bringing up guests and food, and staying to have dinner with them (2 carts). All burners and tables were taken.  Party finally broke up after a drunken fight broke out (in that white trash way...) - embrassing...



I agree.  Not as big of a deal with Pool villas but we still subsidize the rest of the resort.  I use the common areas at the main resort minimally, mainly just tennis courts.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> So... VGV MFs are going to increase because we pay for both the resort AND our area.(25%, to 33%, to 36% for VGV share).
> Fine. Then stop Main Resort folks for using our facilities!  Last year a BV owner thru a huge party at the pool between B33-34 with Iguna Drivers bringing up guests and food, and staying to have dinner with them (2 carts). All burners and tables were taken.  Party finally broke up after a drunken fight broke out (in that white trash way...) - embrassing...



WOW  Nice that VGV can subsidize a private party.  The audacity of some people.  So did this yahoo expect you to go to the main resort to grill your food, so he could have his party?


----------



## bizaro86

I haven't been to St John, but that letter makes me want to buy at VGV, that's amazing board representation for a hotel TS.

Does anyone know if they've considered adding solar? At 30 cents per kWh, both photovoltaic and hot water would almost certainly be economic.

(I'll make it some day, but at least 1 transfer and likely 10+ hours doesn't sound like a vacation with a toddler and a baby)


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> WOW  Nice that VGV can subsidize a private party.  The audacity of some people.  So did this yahoo expect you to go to the main resort to grill your food, so he could have his party?



The main yahoo lied to me and said he was a VGV Owner, but when they left - they all headed downhill. This was way out of control - we have been going for 10 years and never seen something this bad.  These folks are not the only ones coming up from the Main Resort and using our pool area B33-34, it is not common - but does go on.  I am sure it goes on for B31-32 as well (and perhaps more often since they are closer).

When they were doing main pool maintenance - people were being shuttled up as well.

A main point is that we pay for ours entirely, and then a relatively large proportion of the Main resort as well.
This rate is an increase of ~50% since 2007 based on letter to VGV Owners: <25% in 2007 to >36% in 2018.
*The letter attempted to justify this, but missing the larger and more important point - how does VGV usage fee for the Main resort increase ~50% over last 10 years?  * Our size has not changed, so their contribution (Main resort phases) has decreased by this amount? Is this a fact?  I doubt that the population using the Main resort has a relative decrease in occupancy (truly the best gauge to divide main resort usage fees) - I would love to see that FUZZY math.

We is not stated is how much of this amount is as a percentage of the VGV budget (10%, 30%, 60%???) as this percentage is important towards our MFs increase. Anyone know?


----------



## SMHarman

https://thepointsguy.com/2016/09/best-category-5-starwood-properties-free-nights/

Wsj at number 4


----------



## bobpark56

*SPG not showing any WSJ points availability after 23 Oct*



SMHarman said:


> https://thepointsguy.com/2016/09/best-category-5-starwood-properties-free-nights/
> 
> Wsj at number 4



Are you sure it's still Cat 5? The SPG web page shows no availability at any # of points after 23 Oct.


----------



## dioxide45

Why didn't they organize WSJ as a single HOA? Is there a back story to this?


----------



## DavidnRobin

SMHarman said:


> https://thepointsguy.com/2016/09/best-category-5-starwood-properties-free-nights/
> 
> Wsj at number 4



the pristine beach at WSJ (Great Cruz Bay) - :hysterical:


----------



## DavidnRobin

dioxide45 said:


> Why didn't they organize WSJ as a single HOA? Is there a back story to this?



So they could screw VGV Owners - paying us back for our revolt?
{sarcasm - I was channeling genenwendy} What ever happened to the VGV Owner Coalition? Last I heard their attorney passed away

Probably too complicated to make a single HOA - 1st issue they would probably need a majority vote across all phases. Probably easy to combine CV and SB as their system is the same (and not deeded weeks).  VGV and BV phases have different systems (and deeded weeks).
Heck, not being able to get a quorum is what led to the Owner Coalition (see WSJ thread part 1)


----------



## islandguy

*Another Reason why Developer wanted different HOA*



dioxide45 said:


> Why didn't they organize WSJ as a single HOA? Is there a back story to this?



Because they could keep the maint fees down and more attractive for sales.  This from the latest meeting of the oldest HOA at WSJ:

"In 2007, our share of the common area costs was less than 25 percent. In 2017 it will be about 33.6 percent and by 2018, when all the hotel rooms will have been converted to condo units, our share will stabilize at a little more than 36 percent."


----------



## DavidnRobin

*2017 MF for WSJ VGV*

Proposed MF for 2017:

Studio - $1386
1Bd - $1846
2Bd TH - $2310
2Bd Prem - $2772
3Bd Pool  $2772


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Proposed MF for 2017:
> 
> Studio - $1386
> 1Bd - $1846
> 2Bd TH - $2310
> 2Bd Prem - $2772
> 3Bd Pool  $2772



My 3BR pool villa was $2799 last year. This represents a 1% reduction as promised in the earlier letter. I'm very impressed with how they have managed to control costs despite the significant increase in common area expenses.


----------



## letsgomets

I'm wondering if anyone has any guidance on how II works and whether it's even an option in my circumstance.  I own a 2BR BV unit for week 51 and our plans changed so we're not coming this year unfortunately.  I bought it a number of years ago on secondary market and Bay Vista is not a mandatory resort so I know I don't have the ability to exchange through Starwood/Vistana.  If I'm not successful renting it out privately, am I able to deposit it into II or is that not an available option for me?  We've used it every year or given to family members so I've never explored exchanges.  I know the value would be dreadful compared to what a holiday week WSJ villa is worth, but just wondering what if any my options are if I can't rent it.  Any guidance on the process would be appreciated.  

Thanks!


----------



## tammymacb

What's the difference between the 2 bed TH and the 2 bed premium? Thanks!


----------



## SMHarman

tammymacb said:


> What's the difference between the 2 bed TH and the 2 bed premium? Thanks!


One is a townhouse, two stories. The other is a single floor condo style arrangement. 

Different phases. Townhouses are up the hill or in the bay vista top phase of the main resort. 

You can see the different floorplans on the website.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Proposed MF for 2017:
> 
> Studio - $1386
> 1Bd - $1846
> 2Bd TH - $2310
> 2Bd Prem - $2772
> 3Bd Pool  $2772



I've always found very interesting how the 2BD Prem and 3Bd Pool villas have the same MFs.  I'll take it, of course.


----------



## DavidnRobin

letsgomets said:


> I'm wondering if anyone has any guidance on how II works and whether it's even an option in my circumstance.  I own a 2BR BV unit for week 51 and our plans changed so we're not coming this year unfortunately.  I bought it a number of years ago on secondary market and Bay Vista is not a mandatory resort so I know I don't have the ability to exchange through Starwood/Vistana.  If I'm not successful renting it out privately, am I able to deposit it into II or is that not an available option for me?  We've used it every year or given to family members so I've never explored exchanges.  I know the value would be dreadful compared to what a holiday week WSJ villa is worth, but just wondering what if any my options are if I can't rent it.  Any guidance on the process would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks!



Not an II expert, but it can be deposited into II.  You have to have an II account.
It can be hard to rent unless during high-season - or priced to rent easily (less than MF which may be a better deal than II since it may be a trade downward and has associated fees)
Good luck.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tammymacb said:


> What's the difference between the 2 bed TH and the 2 bed premium? Thanks!



For the VGV phase - there isboth a 2Bd TH and 2Bd Premium.  The 2Bd premium is essentially 2 studies side-by-side and therefore 2Bd premium has twice the MF as a studio.  That is why the 2Bd premium has same MF as 3Bd pool villa.

BV phase also has 2Bd premium and TH villas, but totally different floor plans - and nothing to do with posted VGV MFs.


----------



## okwiater

letsgomets said:


> I'm wondering if anyone has any guidance on how II works and whether it's even an option in my circumstance.  I own a 2BR BV unit for week 51 and our plans changed so we're not coming this year unfortunately.  I bought it a number of years ago on secondary market and Bay Vista is not a mandatory resort so I know I don't have the ability to exchange through Starwood/Vistana.  If I'm not successful renting it out privately, am I able to deposit it into II or is that not an available option for me?  We've used it every year or given to family members so I've never explored exchanges.  I know the value would be dreadful compared to what a holiday week WSJ villa is worth, but just wondering what if any my options are if I can't rent it.  Any guidance on the process would be appreciated.



Since you bought resale, you would need to have an II membership before being able to deposit it. That said, you are correct that this would be an enormous waste of the ownership. I would think Week 51 would _easily _rent for more than MFs, even considering the short timeframe before arrival. My recommendation would be to post an ad on TUG and RedWeek, price it aggressively, and I'd be surprised if you don't have cash in hand within a few weeks.


----------



## tammymacb

SMHarman said:


> One is a townhouse, two stories. The other is a single floor condo style arrangement.
> 
> Different phases. Townhouses are up the hill or in the bay vista top phase of the main resort.
> 
> You can see the different floorplans on the website.



I have a two story in VG ( love it ). It's longer that she of the units because it's on the end but I didn't think it was a premium unit either. 

Thanks.


----------



## GrayFal

I never paid attention to this during my previous stays because I never had an interest in earning  StarPoints but now that Starwood has merged with Marriott, I am 

Do you earn StarPoints for the money you spend at the resort on restaurants and excursions?
I am SPG Gold and DH is SPG Platinum.....should I change the reservation to his name/number for a higher earn rate or does everyone earn the same (which I think is 2 SP per $1 spent?)

With Marriott, Platinum earns 50% more MRPs on the $ spent.

I am leaving Sunday for my first stay in my Coral Vista Loft unit.  Very very very excited!


----------



## YYJMSP

GrayFal said:


> Do you earn StarPoints for the money you spend at the resort on restaurants and excursions?
> 
> 
> I am SPG Gold and DH is SPG Platinum.....should I change the reservation to his name/number for a higher earn rate or does everyone earn the same (which I think is 2 SP per $1 spent?)





If the restaurant is owned by the property, you usually earn SPs.  Sometimes non-property restaurants don't give SPs.  Best case is to charge it all back to your room.



Parking, resort fees, external bookings (excursions) don't usually earn SPs.



All SPG members get 2/$1.  Gold/Platinum get 3/$1.  Platinum75/100 get 4/$1.


----------



## GrayFal

YYJMSP said:


> If the restaurant is owned by the property, you usually earn SPs.  Sometimes non-property restaurants don't give SPs.  Best case is to charge it all back to your room.
> 
> 
> 
> Parking, resort fees, external bookings (excursions) don't usually earn SPs.
> 
> 
> 
> All SPG members get 2/$1.  Gold/Platinum get 3/$1.  Platinum75/100 get 4/$1.



Thanks you.  
We will most likely eat at Lemongrass once or twice and buy drinks/snacks at the pool bar. 
So if I charge it to the room, I will earn 3 points per $1 as my husband is Platinum. I do not have a SPG Amex (which would earn me additional points) but will use our Marriott VISA. 

The points I earn are independent of what credit card I use, is that correct?


----------



## dioxide45

GrayFal said:


> Thanks you.
> We will most likely eat at Lemongrass once or twice and buy drinks/snacks at the pool bar.
> So if I charge it to the room, I will earn 3 points per $1 as my husband is Platinum. I do not have a SPG Amex (which would earn me additional points) but will use our Marriott VISA.
> 
> The points I earn are independent of what credit card I use, is that correct?



Correct, you earn points in SPG base on your incidental spending. If you put final charges on your MR credit card, you should get 5 points per dollar additional from Chase. If you put it on some other card, then no additional points. The two are completely separate other than in the end they end up in the same MR account.


----------



## GrayFal

dioxide45 said:


> Correct, you earn points in SPG base on your incidental spending. If you put final charges on your MR credit card, you should get 5 points per dollar additional from Chase. If you put it on some other card, then no additional points. The two are completely separate other than in the end they end up in the same MR account.



I also have Chase Sapphire Reserve which earns 3 UR points per dollar spent on travel but I am looking to build up my Marriott rewards for an upcoming trip. 
And a BIG THANKS as this is just the info I was looking for


----------



## SandyPGravel

*New restaurant*

http://newsofstjohn.com/2016/11/08/new-restaurant-opens-at-the-westin/


----------



## DavidnRobin

Flooding on STJ - outside StarFish towards Candies







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Flooding on STJ - outside StarFish towards Candies
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



We just made it thru this mess around 4 PM. We were stuck in the lobby for 1 hour before we said what the heck and took an iguana. Our driver was hilarious ad we went thru puddles up to the running board. Stopped after 90 minutes but now I will call the front desk to see if the road is open. Have 7 PM Resies at Ocean Grill

Beautiful sunset by the way.


----------



## sachia007

Any damage or flooding elsewhere on the island or WSJ property?


----------



## Markus

*New on site restaurant*

We ate at Knox and Ollies tonight. The food and presentation were excellent. It is a good alternative to the buffet, and if you do not want to go too far, or take a cab, its nice to have another quality restaurant on property.

Markus


----------



## GrayFal

sachia007 said:


> Any damage or flooding elsewhere on the island or WSJ property?



There was not as far as we could tell. The road was open by our 6:45 departure.


----------



## bobpark56

*November 2017 Availability?*

The Vistana dashboard shows Coral Vista studio availability through 30 Oct 2017. But from 1 November on, it shows zero availability. Is this usual? What's magic about a 1 Nov date?

To be more specific: the dashboard shows considerable availability for 2BR and 3BR WSJ units for check-in dates up through 15 Nov 2017, but zero availability for studio units of any type after 30 October.


----------



## LisaRex

bobpark56 said:


> The Vistana dashboard shows Coral Vista studio availability through 30 Oct 2017. But from 1 November on, it shows zero availability. Is this usual? What's magic about a 1 Nov date?



Possibly end of the wet season and high hurricane season? Many restaurants close late August to mid-October. 

http://www.world-weather-travellers-guide.com/caribbean-hurricane-season.html

http://newsofstjohn.com/seasonalclosings/


----------



## Helios

Resort looks in pretty good shape, no sign of the flooding shown in the pics above.

Only one ferry company is operating. The ramp of one of the ferries had a pretty big hole which was covered with an orange cone and they were directing drivers around it.

Keep the left shoulder in the left side of the road...


----------



## Helios

Sunset Bay Retrofit.  The only building open with hotel rooms is the OF Building - 10.


----------



## DavidnRobin

View from Sunset Bay preview villa towards pool


----------



## Helios

I'm doing the WSJ owners 8:30 AM update tomorrow.  I'll report what the sales guy says that sounds interesting and hasn't been covered recently.  Send me questions if you are wondering about specifics?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> I'm doing the WSJ owners 8:30 AM update tomorrow.  I'll report what the sales guy says that sounds interesting and hasn't been covered recently.  Send me questions if you are wondering about specifics?



When is Sunset Bay due to open for 1st HO reservations (opening date)? When is it due to be completed (completion date)?

Why did they call it Sunset Bay when the sun does not set in the south?


----------



## Helios

Pic is for David - Floating Bar moored at Coral Bay.

Painkillers were very good at skinny legs today.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> When is Sunset Bay due to open for 1st HO reservations (opening date)? When is it due to be completed (completion date)?
> 
> Why did they call it Sunset Bay when the sun does not set in the south?



I'll ask.  BTW - Sunset Bay (first 3 buildings) are occupied this week.  I think last week was the first week.  My current understanding, from shuttle driver input, is that it will be completed by December 2017.  Building 10 is the last Hotel Building.  It will start retro work in December (anytime I guess).


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> Pic is for David - Floating Bar moored at Coral Bay.



Angel's Rest... sometimes your bucket list finds you


----------



## DavidnRobin

Angel's Rest at beach next to Miss Vie's beach (June 2014) - Robin had her 1st moonshine there
It seemed to be a longer snorkel back to shore than snorkeling there.


----------



## GrayFal

Every bay needs one of these  (I attempted to quote the floating bar picture but it did not happen  )


----------



## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> View attachment 2946 View attachment 2944
> Angel's Rest at beach next to Miss Vie's beach (June 2014) - Robin had her 1st moonshine there
> It seemed to be a longer snorkel back to shore than snorkeling there.


FWIW, Vie's (the food shack and parking lot) seems to be permanently closed...at least that is what the sign we saw there last month said.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> When is Sunset Bay due to open for 1st HO reservations (opening date)? When is it due to be completed (completion date)?
> 
> Why did they call it Sunset Bay when the sun does not set in the south?



SB will be open for HO resies early next year, January 6 was mentioned.  The two north/back buildings started retrofits last week and the OF buildings will start as soon as hotel guest/renters leave their current units.  Guests currently occupying SB south buildings now (because retro work was completed ahead of schedule) are doing it via direct rental stays.

BTW - The two SB OF buildings will only have 2 BR units.

Supposedly, HELIOS (the sun) does set through the bay during a portion of the year.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> Supposedly, HELIOS (the sun) does set through the bay during a portion of the year.



On April 1st?
Happy TDay.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> On April 1st?
> Happy TDay.



Perhaps...

How is Maui?  I think you mentioned you were going this week on another thread.


----------



## Helios

I was under the impression paying for parking at Caneel Bay was not really enforced/or could be avoided by saying you were going to the restaurant.  Today, I got the ticket shown below.  So, min spending of $20 is required along with validation and proof of purchase.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> I was under the impression paying for parking at Caneel Bay was not really enforced/or could be avoided by saying you were going to the restaurant.  Today, I got the ticket shown below.  So, min spending of $20 is required along with validation and proof of purchase.



Caneel has been enforcing for a few years now - used to be $10. I hear that there is now a 'taxi-shuttle' that will take you to Honeymoon Beach from Caneel lot - something like $3 - probably pp


----------



## dioxide45

Helios said:


> I was under the impression paying for parking at Caneel Bay was not really enforced/or could be avoided by saying you were going to the restaurant.  Today, I got the ticket shown below.  So, min spending of $20 is required along with validation and proof of purchase.


May as well spend $20 on something than $20 on just a parking space.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Caneel has been enforcing for a few years now - used to be $10. I hear that there is now a 'taxi-shuttle' that will take you to Honeymoon Beach from Caneel lot - something like $3 - probably pp



Just took yesterday.  It's 5 pp.  It's run by the people who have the activity shed at Honeymoon.  It's somewhat of an off road golf cart with 3 front facing rows (including driver) and a back facing row.

The tires looked pretty legit, they reminded me of my Moto Cross and ATV riding days.


----------



## Helios

dioxide45 said:


> May as well spend $20 on something than $20 on just a parking space.



I agree, we had lunch on the water front (2 floor) terrace and the food was very good.  Of course it was way more than $20.  Went to Honeymoon beach were you can rent gear including Chaise Lounges.  And then went to the Coffee shop for gelato for the kids.  

I had heard their gelato was pretty good, which according to the Wife and Kids is decent, but their selection is pretty limited (about 10 flavors).  So, 3 medium gelatos can get you the min spending.  Perhaps 2 large ones once the tax is included.


----------



## islandguy

WSJ INVENTORY PROBLEM

Today tried to book a week exactly one year out.  November 26, 2017 at WSJ Coral Vista using my ownership.  Web site had nothing at 2AM and a phone call at 9AM got nothing.  Not a 3, 2 or studio.  Nada.

Something is wrong as this is not a high demand week.  Vistana is not putting inventory in place a year out or they are holding units for sale as hotel stays.   This is not demand driven.  Saw another poster who said they haven't seen a studio November 1st.

I'm a believer in Starwood/Vistana but with this experience I would have to tell any buyer to have second thought unless it is a fixed week.  

Island Guy


----------



## GrayFal

islandguy said:


> WSJ INVENTORY PROBLEM
> 
> Today tried to book a week exactly one year out.  November 26, 2017 at WSJ Coral Vista using my ownership.  Web site had nothing at 2AM and a phone call at 9AM got nothing.  Not a 3, 2 or studio.  Nada.
> 
> Something is wrong as this is not a high demand week.  Vistana is not putting inventory in place a year out or they are holding units for sale as hotel stays.   This is not demand driven.  Saw another poster who said they haven't seen a studio November 1st.
> 
> I'm a believer in Starwood/Vistana but with this experience I would have to tell any buyer to have second thought unless it is a fixed week.
> 
> Island Guy



Same thing happens to me. I tried for 11/25 and 11/26. 

Nothing available at exactly 11:59-12:15 am.  Calling now. 
I grabbed an 11/11 check in so as not to be locked out but there must be a glitch.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Room charges question

Does anyone know if my guests staying with me can have their CC attached to their room keys?  I have done this several times at Harborside, but haven't had the need to do it at WSJ before.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Room charges question
> 
> Does anyone know if my guests staying with me can have their CC attached to their room keys?  I have done this several times at Harborside, but haven't had the need to do it at WSJ before.



Do you mean the ability for guests to charge to the villa? Yes - as long as they are registered to the room.
If you mean that somehow the charges they made to the villa being differentiated from charges to the villa that you made?  Not that I am aware of.  
HRA does this?  How would they know which card keys are which when they open the same villa door?

When you charge to villa it has nothing to do with villa keys - you give name and villa number - no one asks for villa keys.  This is standard practice at our TSs and even hotel stays.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Yes, you can have separate credit cards linked to separate key cards at HRA for the same villa.  It is VERY handy.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Yes, you can have separate credit cards linked to separate key cards at HRA for the same villa.  It is VERY handy.



Perhaps it is possible - I have never asked. At check-in, they ask for number of keys and names of villa occupants. Generally, when you received the bill (e.g. food) they ask for villa number and last name (and name printed and signature) - and no villa keys are requested. This is standard practice for WSJ, WKV, WKORV/N, and WPORV. At WSJ, we just divvy up the bill with our guests accordingly.  To my knowledge, the keys just open the villa door (and free-cycle door for WSJ-VGV).

If WSJ allows for separate charges (based on villa key) - let me (us) know for future reference.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> If you mean that somehow the charges they made to the villa being differentiated from charges to the villa that you made?  Not that I am aware of.
> HRA does this?  How would they know which card keys are which when they open the same villa door?
> 
> When you charge to villa it has nothing to do with villa keys - you give name and villa number - no one asks for villa keys.  This is standard practice at our TSs and even hotel stays.





SandyPGravel said:


> Yes, you can have separate credit cards linked to separate key cards at HRA for the same villa.  It is VERY handy.



I think only HRA can support this, due to the fact that room keys are on the Atlantis system and act as payment cards. I agree, this has come in very handy when visiting HRA.

At other resorts, my experience has matched David's, and room charges are posted to a single account. I would imagine you could get a little more granular if you have a lockoff and ask to have each side associated with a different payment card.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Aha - this makes sense why you can do this at HRA

_There are no lockoffs at WSJ (in any phase)._
Not correct - there are 3Bd LO (2Bd and studio) for WSJ-CV and WSJ-SB phases.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> There are no lockoffs at WSJ (in any phase).



Yes there are. Coral Vista and Sunset Bay both have 3-bedroom lockoffs.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> Yes there are. Coral Vista and Sunset Bay both have 3-bedroom lockoffs.



Oops - forgot about the 3Bd LO at CV and SB (2Bd LO and studio combined)


----------



## DavidnRobin

WSJ VGV Maintenance Fees have been published on Vistana Dashboard
Due: Jan 9, 2017
No surprises


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> WSJ VGV Maintenance Fees have been published on Vistana Dashboard
> Due: Jan 9, 2017
> No surprises


My Pool Villas MF went down slightly.  I like the comment form the non Vistana board members about the reduction being small but that's always better than an increase.

I like how proactive they are (the non Vistana board members) at cost control and it seems it may get better next year if they move forward with allowing outsiders to the Bay Vista board...Hopefully all phases have representation soon...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> My Pool Villas MF went down slightly.  I like the comment form the non Vistana board members about the reduction being small but that's always better than an increase.



From 2012 to 2017 - WSJ-VGV MFs have stayed pretty much flat, and have actually dropped by ~6% since then, and SOs have been increased (in some cases substantially)


----------



## malibuboatmama

Hello there,
We are Vistana owners. Our home resort in Kauai.  We have never been to St. John.  We are going in a month! (yay!)  Me, DH, DD (15) and DS (13).  Advice for newcomers welcome please!!  Take the Westin ferry or not?  Rent a car in St. Thomas to bring to St. John?  Bear in mind we are taking a red eye from the west coast, so maybe not having to hassle with anything might be a plus.  We will be there for 4 full days.  Must sees?  Places to eat??  Best beaches?  My kids and DH love to snorkle, me, not so much....LOL.
Thanks in advance!!!


----------



## DavidnRobin

malibuboatmama said:


> Hello there,
> We are Vistana owners. Our home resort in Kauai.  We have never been to St. John.  We are going in a month! (yay!)  Me, DH, DD (15) and DS (13).  Advice for newcomers welcome please!!  Take the Westin ferry or not?  Rent a car in St. Thomas to bring to St. John?  Bear in mind we are taking a red eye from the west coast, so maybe not having to hassle with anything might be a plus.  We will be there for 4 full days.  Must sees?  Places to eat??  Best beaches?  My kids and DH love to snorkle, me, not so much....LOL.
> Thanks in advance!!!



Hi @malibuboatmama - answers to these questions are somewhat involved.  I would suggest perusing this thread - and check out trip reports at beginning (and throughout). It will help answer these questions as each vacation party usually has different needs (not a 1 size fits all).

My personal advice (YMMV):
Rent 4Dr 4WD on STT (Amalie Rentals) - especially with 2 Adults/2 Teens - and only 4 days (all the way from west coast? ouch)  UNLESS, you just plan to just hang out at resort, and cannot deal with driving on left side of road.  Amalie will pick you up at STT, and you're on your way - drive to RedHook (not that difficult...) and take car barge across (pre-reserve for discount - Love City Ferries). The WSJ ferry will cost ~$480RT and convenient, but cost is likely more than car rental price. You can rent on STJ as well - either onsite (OConnor) or in Cruz Bay.  If CB - at some agencies you can park on their lot (parking in CB is a hassle).

Added - be aware that WSJ has multiple phases, but can be broken down to being uphill from the Main resort (VGV phase), or on the resort (BV, CV, SB phases) - they all have three pluses/minuses - and also have different villa layouts.
If at VGV (Hillside) - a car is really nice as you can park right outside villa - and be on your way (Trunk Bay ~17 minutes). This is where we stay.  We go for 2 weeks - 4 days (assume 5 nites) is really short. Be aware that compared to CA (or west-coast) that it is very hot/humid - much more than HI - and can take a while to get used to.

Also, prepare for mosquitoes, and for no-seeums (on beach at sunset...). There are no no-seeums (biting gnats really...) on best-coast or in HI - thankfully. Make sure if you are on sand during sunrise/sunset - stand on a beach blanket - and use spray up to knees. (do not lay on sand during these times). You do not want to get bit by these little f-ers.

As to beaches... too many to see in 4 days (another reason not to hang at resort...) - get on-line info for these. Just along the north-side there are plenty of beaches to visit (Solon=man, Honeymoon, Caneel, Hawksnest, Jumbie, Trunk Cay, Cinnamon, Maho, Francis, Leister (Watermelon Cay) - and really depends on what activities you guys like to do. Definitely, Trunk bay.  Maho for turtles (please do not touch).  On other side of island (Coral Bay area) - need car - there is Salt Pond and Little Lameshur (need 4WD). If full-moon - walk from Salt Pond to Ram Head (bring water, and flashlight - we use iPhone).  Overall - StJ is not very exciting action-wise.

NPS tour of the Reef Bay Trail.

Consider a day charter - we use Island Roots (Capt Jason Sitka), but here are plenty of others.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Retail changes on St John (Part 1)

http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/changes-retail-scene-part-1/


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Retail changes on St John (Part 1)
> 
> http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/changes-retail-scene-part-1/



We tried the Beach Bar for Thanksgiving lunch, it was pretty good but nothing to rave about.  

The sushi at Caneel Bay was very good.  We also tried Da Livio and would recommend it if you want Italian food (also recommended by Mario Batali).


----------



## DavidnRobin

December 22, 2016 

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner: 

This is not our regular report, but a special announcement. Mike Ryan, the wonderful General Manager of our resort, is retiring; his last day is January 17. He has improved the property year after year as well as responded tirelessly and cheerfully to the special needs and requests of owners and guests. We will miss him. 

If you would like to send him a note of appreciation, his e-mail is mike.ryan@westinstjohnvillas.com.

Here’s the good news: his replacement as General Manager will be Sam Hugli, who has served as the Director of Operations (essentially Mike’s deputy) for about two years. Sam has had long professional experience in hotel and resort management. We have had many conversations with him and are certain that like Mike he will provide excellent service to the resort. 

We hope that you are having a good holiday season. You will hear from us again after the February 27 annual meeting of owners. 

Sincerely, your owner-elected members of the Board of Directors, 

Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com
Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Retail changes on St John (Part 1)
> 
> http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/changes-retail-scene-part-1/



Part 2 - Coral Bay
http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/changes-retail-scene-part-2/


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Part 2 - Coral Bay
> http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/changes-retail-scene-part-2/



Part 3:
http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/changes-retail-scene-part-3/

Part 4 (Coral Bay):
http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/changes-retail-scene-part-4/

Happy New Year!


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Sleeper Sofa
*
Can anyone attest to the comfort level of the sleeper sofas for an adult in BV, CV or SB sections? (Kids seem to be able to sleep anywhere! ) I might have an additional guest that would be using the sofa.  I know I tried out our VGV sleeper and it was horrible.  We are trading in to a different week so we won't be in VGV.   I have already suggested to the guest to bring along an air mattress/pool float to place on top of the sleeper.  Wondering if this will be sufficient?

TIA, Gina


----------



## OKPACIFIC

New subject...   I am little confused, are the Virgin Grand Pool Villas (buildings 41-44) considered mandatory?


----------



## DavidnRobin

OKPACIFIC said:


> New subject...   I am little confused, are the Virgin Grand Pool Villas (buildings 41-44) considered mandatory?



Yes. All VGV are Mandatory - and no ROFR.
VGV is called 'Hillside', but the pool villas are not on hillside.

The pool villas have a MF of ~$2900 (does not include PropTax) with an associated  257K SOs for Plat+ season.
(iirc)


----------



## OKPACIFIC

OK that makes it clear for me. Thank you!


----------



## tammymacb

I have yet to get my property tax bill! My friends who own Bay Vista only got theirs recently. I remembered paying in January last year and see that my dues are actually late! 

I went online and checked and my address is correct. I'll be calling tomorrow to pay and try to figure out why I didn't get the bill. When did other VG owners get their bill?


----------



## Markus

I think I received mine in August.

Markus


----------



## DavidnRobin

tammymacb said:


> I have yet to get my property tax bill! My friends who own Bay Vista only got theirs recently. I remembered paying in January last year and see that my dues are actually late!
> 
> I went online and checked and my address is correct. I'll be calling tomorrow to pay and try to figure out why I didn't get the bill. When did other VG owners get their bill?



Hi - I always post when VGV PropTax mailings go out and due dates - so look back in this thread around July (?).  There are links to the USVI Property Tax listed - this is where you pay your bill.  Really has nothing to do with WSJ - they just work as middleman.  They sent letter about this a while ago (also discussed here at some point).

I do not think it is correct that BV pays Property Tax separately - it is part of their MF. Pretty sure that only VGV that pays separately.  Therefore, that may be why they just paid - they paid their MFs.  btw - VGV MFs were due about 2 weeks ago.


----------



## SandyPGravel

I paid my VGV MF in December, but received a statement in January "due to a computer error the statements were not mailed out in December" and my MF were not actually due until sometime in February.  (Don't remember the exact date the MF was due, since I had already paid it.)


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> I paid my VGV MF in December, but received a statement in January "due to a computer error the statements were not mailed out in December" and my MF were not actually due until sometime in February.  (Don't remember the exact date the MF was due, since I had already paid it.)



I pay MF online (and I pat PropTax online directly to USVI). I thought you were talking about PropTax Bill?
BV (and CV and SB) - pay their PropTax thru their MFs. btw, VGV Owners get screwed on Property Taxes (meaning: pay an unfair proportion as compared to other WSJ phases).


----------



## tammymacb

All paid. I'm glad I came here to check!


----------



## SandyPGravel

From the News of St John blog:

"We received an email from a friend yesterday morning, which included a link to the Governor’s proposed “Virgin Islands Revenue Enhancement and Economic Recovery Act of 2017.” The proposal includes a pretty hefty increase on beer, wine and other alcohol among other things.

Currently, domestic beers are taxed at $1.55 a case. They Governor wants that to jump to $11.55 a case. Foreign beers are currently taxed at $2.08 a case. The Governor wants that to jump to a whopping $14.08 a case.

*Another huge item in this Act pertains to timeshares, which we know many of you own here on St. John. The Governor is proposing a $30 per day tax on every timeshare unit for each day of occupancy in the Territory."*
*
So another $210/week to stay in our timeshares.
*
I didn't copy the entire article, here's a link:

http://newsofstjohn.com/2017/01/27/is-the-future-of-happy-hour-in-jeopardy/


----------



## DavidnRobin

I was just going to post this !!!

I suggest everyone that owns a TS in the USVI - write to the Governor.

This is ridiculous - we already pay high Property Tax.

Pass this on...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> I was just going to post this !!!
> 
> I suggest everyone that owns a TS in the USVI - write to the Governor.
> 
> This is ridiculous - we already pay high Property Tax.
> 
> Pass this on...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


If you have a good email, can you please share?  Want to make sure it makes it to an account that is monitored.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> If you have a good email, can you please share?  Want to make sure it makes it to an account that is monitored.



I could only find email for Mapp's underling.  I will post once I get more info, or hopefully someone will.
All WSJ Owners (and Management) need to ban together and fight this.
Seriously, if this happens - we will consider walking away - I have always considered our TSs as lost money anyway.
We already spend a lot of $ in the USVI.  $210/week plus they have been trying raise PropTax on Timeshares and STJ Property Owners for quite a while.


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> I could only find email for Mapp's underling.  I will post once I get more info, or hopefully someone will.
> All WSJ Owners (and Management) need to ban together and fight this.
> Seriously, if this happens - we will consider walking away - I have always considered our TSs as lost money anyway.
> We already spend a lot of $ in the USVI.  $210/week plus they have been trying raise PropTax on Timeshares and STJ Property Owners for quite a while.


Thanks.  I'll post it if I find it.


----------



## sachia007

SandyPGravel said:


> *Sleeper Sofa
> *
> Can anyone attest to the comfort level of the sleeper sofas for an adult in BV, CV or SB sections? (Kids seem to be able to sleep anywhere! ) I might have an additional guest that would be using the sofa.  I know I tried out our VGV sleeper and it was horrible.  We are trading in to a different week so we won't be in VGV.   I have already suggested to the guest to bring along an air mattress/pool float to place on top of the sleeper.  Wondering if this will be sufficient?
> 
> TIA, Gina



In 2016 we stayed in an updated VG villa (Bldg. 33) and the sleeper sofa pullout was so nice. The year before they updated, we used the sleeper sofa and it was horrible... we ended up putting the mattress from the sleeper on the floor - that was a great option as the sleeper sofa frame was the thing making it uncomfortable. So, depending on if the "soft goods" have been updated in BV, you might chose to put mattress on floor too. SB and CV should, I would think, still be in good shape. I guess the only problems with putting it on the floor is if someone has mobility issues and also the hassle of putting it back on the couch every day, but it is an option.


----------



## SandyPGravel

sachia007 said:


> In 2016 we stayed in an updated VG villa (Bldg. 33) and the sleeper sofa pullout was so nice. The year before they updated, we used the sleeper sofa and it was horrible... we ended up putting the mattress from the sleeper on the floor - that was a great option as the sleeper sofa frame was the thing making it uncomfortable. So, depending on if the "soft goods" have been updated in BV, you might chose to put mattress on floor too. SB and CV should, I would think, still be in good shape. I guess the only problems with putting it on the floor is if someone has mobility issues and also the hassle of putting it back on the couch every day, but it is an option.


Thanks for the reply.  It's great to hear the new sofa sleepers are an improvement.  As of now, the extra guest is not joining us, but in case they change their mind again, I will have some info to share.


----------



## DavidnRobin

The original WSJ thread started in part over the sofa couch. 

We do not use as bed, but they are uncomfortable to sit upon due to the material - pretty true across all of our resorts. Likely also due that in tropical resorts - more exposed skin.  We use a flat bed sheet to cover the sofas - cleaner too.


----------



## rubbernyc

Here is a noobie question since I am still confused about this: I  am looking at a Bay Vista 2BR, gold season (34-50 hurricane season) 95,700 staroptions. Can we only book the resort during those weeks or could we deposit the options towards another period? Also, being a mandatory resort, do we get the options and can therefore bank them? Thank you in advance.


----------



## DavidnRobin

rubbernyc said:


> Here is a noobie question since I am still confused about this: I  am looking at a Bay Vista 2BR, gold season (34-50 hurricane season) 95,700 staroptions. Can we only book the resort during those weeks or could we deposit the options towards another period? Also, being a mandatory resort, do we get the options and can therefore bank them? Thank you in advance.



Hi - WSJ-BV is not VSN Mandatory (only VGV phase) - the SOs do not transfer upon resale. So you are using them to only stay at BV - unless plan to use via II (ill advised based on MFs) or rent out.

I do not own BV (we have 2 weeks in VGV phase - resale) - but the topic of staying at a resale Voluntary resort outside of season owned has been discussed here.  Perhaps a BV Owner will chime in, but based on my recall of this issue is that you can use to stay in another season based on your SO allotment.  Note: I am not 100% sure if this applies to BV, but have been told that it does apply to WSJ-CV and WSJ-SB (recall those phases use HomeResort options that are more flexible than BV SOs).

You will want to confirm this if changing seasons is important to you.


----------



## rubbernyc

Thank you David,

I called Westin to confirm and you are correct, only the VGV phase is mandatory. As far as seasons, it can only be used during the allotted weeks, so something else to keep in mind. Thanks again for the quick reply.

We own outright from the developer, so I've never looked at resale before. I need to keep up to date with the boards more!


----------



## DavidnRobin

You may want to triple check - I recall discussions that it can be used outside of deeded season.
For example - you have to reserve at >8 months or lose it?  I do not think so. Often people at WSJ/Vistana do not know rules.

If you are to buy something like resale BV - and you are planning on buying from VSE anyway.  Best to buy resale first and then requalify the resale into the system.  Not saying this is a good idea or not - just that some (like me...) have done this.  Of course, best to bring in as many resale SO as possible.  Generally this is mostly done to get to 5* (not me, but I am a special kind of idiot...)


----------



## GrayFal

rubbernyc said:


> Thank you David,
> 
> I called Westin to confirm and you are correct, only the VGV phase is mandatory. As far as seasons, it can only be used during the allotted weeks, so something else to keep in mind. Thanks again for the quick reply.
> 
> We own outright from the developer, so I've never looked at resale before. I need to keep up to date with the boards more!


In Coral Vista (Voluntary), owners can book outside their season at the 8 months mark AS IF it was a StarOption reservation but even resale owners can do this. So I can use my 95.7K HomeOptions to book in Resort Season (19-50) at 12 months or in Diamond Season (51-52, 1-18) at 8 months.

Edit: I had looked into buying in Bay Vista and the unit would only float in the season it is deeded (51,52 1-18....19-33.....34-50) And you need to remember that 50% of that phase was sold as fixed week/unit but I suspect this would be mainly in high season (51,52 1-18)


----------



## SMHarman

GrayFal said:


> In Coral Vista (Voluntary), owners can book outside their season at the 8 months mark AS IF it was a StarOption reservation but even resale owners can do this. So I can use my 95.7K HomeOptions to book in Resort Season (19-50) at 12 months or in Diamond Season (51-52, 1-18) at 8 months.
> 
> Edit: I had looked into buying in Bay Vista and the unit would only float in the season it is deeded (51,52 1-18....19-33.....34-50) And you need to remember that 50% of that phase was sold as fixed week/unit but I suspect this would be mainly in high season (51,52 1-18)


But in that scenario you are using home options not star options


----------



## DavidnRobin

Up to 50% was the limit imposed by SVO - I think most were sold as float (at least in my experience), except perhaps those during event weeks.

Increase in Property taxes and proposed TS tax, and increase in alcohol taxes coming to USVI - keep in mind before buying.


----------



## DavidnRobin

So... to answer @rubbernyc - when buying resale BV - you have to use during deeded season?
What happens at <8 months - 'best of luck'?


----------



## GrayFal

SMHarman said:


> But in that scenario you are using home options not star options


Yes, they are HomeOptions. You do not get StarOptions with Coral Vista resale


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> So... to answer @rubbernyc - when buying resale BV - you have to use during deeded season?
> What happens at <8 months - 'best of luck'?


Yes, use is in one of three deeded seasons reserved at 12 months out. At 8 months, it opens up to everyone else via StarOptions. 

In the same way, VGV reservations can be confirmed to your deeded week/unit 18-10 months out. At 10 months to 8 months it is open to other VGV owners with the same season and unit type.  And at 8 months it opens up to everyone with StarOptions. 

Don't know about Sunset Phase; but will ask in 2 weeks when I go for my "update" to get my free snorkel trip.


----------



## rubbernyc

Thank you all again for your valuable input. I wish that Vistana would be more forthcoming in answering all of these questions. I've called twice and pretty much gotten the same answer each time. The BV resale unit would be locked in to the Gold Season (weeks 34-50) and cannot be booked any other time, even at 8 months out in other seasons.

That contradicts what the owner says, but  I forgot to ask him if he is the original owner or purchased from resale as well. Quick note, he says that the MF for 2017 were only $1067, is that correct?

I wish I had looked into buying a resale before we bought in Nanea so that we could have it re-qualified, but we were not really thinking of buying until we saw the price. As the years go by, more and more family members want to go to Hawaii with us and we figured more SO's would help.

On a separate note, I will input our numbers into the Nanea sales discussion as well.


----------



## GrayFal

rubbernyc said:


> Thank you all again for your valuable input. I wish that Vistana would be more forthcoming in answering all of these questions. I've called twice and pretty much gotten the same answer each time. The BV resale unit would be locked in to the Gold Season (weeks 34-50) and cannot be booked any other time, even at 8 months out in other seasons.



That is correct


> That contradicts what the owner says, but  I forgot to ask him if he is the original owner or purchased from resale as well.


He must be an original owner if he thinks the StarOptions transfer with resale.
If he purchased resale, he would not have StarOptions.
Reminder, many people do not understand what they own. 


> quick note, he says that the MF for 2017 were only $1067, is that correct?



seems low to me, check the maint fee data base.


> I wish I had looked into buying a resale before we bought in Nanea so that we could have it re-qualified, but we were not really thinking of buying until we saw the price. As the years go by, more and more family members want to go to Hawaii with us and we figured more SO's would help.
> 
> On a separate note, I will input our numbers into the Nanea sales discussion as well.


----------



## rubbernyc

If I can further pick everyone's minds, what are your thoughts on an Annual Hillside / Grand villa 3BR, 125k SO at $6800 with MF $2900. High MF, but much lower price than retail.


----------



## Helios

rubbernyc said:


> If I can further pick everyone's minds, what are your thoughts on an Annual Hillside / Grand villa 3BR, 125k SO at $6800 with MF $2900. High MF, but much lower price than retail.


Price is reasonable, if it works for your schedule.  The Hillside units are fixed weeks and it is not very likely you will be able to exchange to another Pool villa.  They will give SOs but at a low SO/MF ratio.


----------



## GrayFal

Helios said:


> Price is reasonable, if it works for your schedule.  The Hillside units are fixed weeks and it is not very likely you will be able to exchange to another Pool villa.  They will give SOs but at a low SO/MF ratio.


Rubbernyc
The high season gets 257K (ish) SO for same MF.  Might be worth the higher buy in.  Don't rush into anything. Do your home work and you will decide what is best for you.


----------



## rubbernyc

Thank you again, Helios and GrayFal. I do need to study this more, as I thought it was floating all season. I see it now as fixed week 33; floats 21-42.

Thank goodness for this site and all of the help.


----------



## DavidnRobin

rubbernyc said:


> Quick note, he says that the MF for 2017 were only $1067, is that correct?



That is not an EY MF - more like EOY - look at MF database in stickies at top of forum.
http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/svn-mf-historical-database-is-now-live.200364/


----------



## DavidnRobin

rubbernyc said:


> If I can further pick everyone's minds, what are your thoughts on an Annual Hillside / Grand villa 3BR, 125k SO at $6800 with MF $2900. High MF, but much lower price than retail.



Do not focus on 'retail' price - that is inconsequential. Same issue came-up in WKV thread - value is what it is worth now and in future to you (and not others) - what SVO/VSE sold them for (or previous resale price...) makes no matter.

Be aware that VGV weeks are fixed. IMO, if you buy BV (resale), buy to use it.

If you are looking for resale SOs (vs. MF) - then WSJ-VGV, WKV, WKORV/N, or SVV (in 2 phases) {also, HRA, but that is another beast...}.
Also, shoot for highest season (Plat+/Plat), but that can come at a cost.  Location is also important, whether you plan to use and how often.  Also, ability to rent - some do not think this is important, but it is when it comes to a value evaluation.

As to the above 3Bd pool villa value - reasonable price I guess, but remember that these weeks are fixed and this is a low season villa - careful there - especially if mid-Aug to Nov. As mentioned above - try for a better season (of course more costly).  Also two of the pool buildings (B41-B42?) have a movable wall between upper bedrooms.  Otherwise, the 3Bd pool villas are great - no view though.  Also - property taxes are paid separate for VGV (make sure taxes are current), and current discussion about $30/day for USVI TS owners.

take your time - research


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Also two of the pool buildings (B41-B42?) have a movable wall between upper bedrooms.  Otherwise, the 3Bd pool villas are great


B41, B42, and 4515 have collapsible walls that divide one large bedroom into two bedrooms.  They only have one bathroom upstairs instead of two.  They also don't have a spa in the enclosed patio.  They are rated for 8 people instead of 10 (per Vistana).

Some question B43 and 4410-4414 can accommodate 10...YMMV...This is a Vistana number not mine...In my case, it fits two parents and two kids very comfortably...


----------



## sachia007

New topic - VGV - St. John Condo. Owners Association Annual Meeting - 2/27 at 9am at WJS. Anyone going? With the technology today, I wonder why they can't/don't have a webinar or some other type of video recording of it for people who can't attend. 

Thoughts?


----------



## jschmeling

Quick question - anyone know the manufacturer and/or model and/or measurements of the teak patio chairs on the balconies for the villas up on the hillside? We own in Coral Vista, but last time we were there we were up on the hill. We now have room for some patio furniture, and at one time I took a photo of the manufacturer tag, but now can't find it. 

Second question, as a Coral Vista owner I love the floating weeks, but I can't figure out how to book to make sure we are in the Coral Vista section where we bought. It was fine last time to be above in a bigger unit, but I'm not clear how to have certainty to the area we bought? (September visit planned FWIW.)


----------



## OKPACIFIC

We own coral vista too. If all you own is coral vista and you bought from the developer, when you go on line and request available rooms in St John at 12-8 months out, all that will show are coral vista rooms in your season. After 8 months you will also see bay vista and virgin grand villas as options too


----------



## okwiater

For those who don't read the Caribbean general forum, the Finance Committee reduced the daily fee/tax to $25 per night (from $30). Now it's off to the Rules Committee.

My expectation is that it will pass. Get ready to add another $175 for your week of vacation.


----------



## SandyPGravel

okwiater said:


> For those who don't read the Caribbean general forum, the Finance Committee reduced the daily fee/tax to $25 per night (from $30). Now it's off to the Rules Committee.
> 
> My expectation is that it will pass. Get ready to add another $175 for your week of vacation.



Just wonderful.  A page from the Hawaii playbook, tax the TS owners who have no way to fight back.    Can't vote out the ones that imposed the tax, we have no rights.  All we can do is email to complain which has zero impact or stop going which will have the exact opposite effect on what "they" are trying to fix.


----------



## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> For those who don't read the Caribbean general forum, the Finance Committee reduced the daily fee/tax to $25 per night (from $30). Now it's off to the Rules Committee.
> 
> My expectation is that it will pass. Get ready to add another $175 for your week of vacation.


Cancel / Q Roo hit you up for $20 a day.


----------



## SMHarman

http://viconsortium.com/business/ma...art-of-five-year-sin-tax-plan-sent-to-senate/

Interesting post. 

Infers that you need the occupancy tax to fund the costs of collecting the 52x a unit tax bills. 

So why not pass a law that allows you to bill the HOA for timeshare property tax bills. 

The HOA has tools and enforcement for getting that from the unit owners. You send out say 100 bills (WAG of the total timeshare hoa in USVI) instead of the many thousands that are creating significant strain on the assessors office and join cashflow improves immeasurably. 

Didn't the timeshare management companies suggest that.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Has anyone used the car barge recently?  I just noticed this message on the WSJ website:

Car Barge Service Between St. Thomas and St. John – through March 2017

Car rentals are available on both St. John and St. Thomas. However, if you rent a car on St. Thomas, please note that there is currently only one car barge service operating between the two islands. Please anticipate waiting at least three hours to load in either direction.

I haven't seen anyone mention issues with the car barge lately.  Wondering if this is accurate?


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Has anyone used the car barge recently?  I just noticed this message on the WSJ website:
> 
> Car Barge Service Between St. Thomas and St. John – through March 2017
> 
> Car rentals are available on both St. John and St. Thomas. However, if you rent a car on St. Thomas, please note that there is currently only one car barge service operating between the two islands. Please anticipate waiting at least three hours to load in either direction.
> 
> I haven't seen anyone mention issues with the car barge lately.  Wondering if this is accurate?


I took it in late November and there was only one company running.  I did not have to wait.  I traveled on Sunday both ways...


----------



## DavidnRobin

There is a STT-STJ car barge FaceBook page...
iirc, currently 2 car barges are running

On Facebook - search St John Car Barge Schedule

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1300284193364752/


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## lizap

Excited to be going back to WSJ in Oct!


----------



## Helios

I'll be missing St John this year, too many kid activities (conflicts) around then.


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## DavidnRobin

Good news for STT-STJ car barge (Mister B coming back... eventually)

http://newsofstjohn.com/2017/02/18/boyson-inc-gets-mister-b-back/


----------



## DavidnRobin

*WSJ-VGV Owners - Don't forget to vote!*
I gave Phil my proxy vote.  YMMV

******
VIRGIN GRAND VILLAS - ST. JOHN CONDOMINIUM OWNERS ASSOCIATION*
Online Voting

Dear Owner,

We are pleased to invite you to the Annual Meeting of the Members of Virgin Grand Villas - St. John Condominium Owners Association (the "Association") that will be held on February 27, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. AT at The Westin St. John Resort and Villas, 300A Chocolate Hole, St. John, United States Virgin Islands. *Please take a brief moment to respond to this important matter regarding your Association's upcoming Annual Meeting.*

We welcome your attendance in person, but for those who are unable to attend we urge you to please submit your proxy electronically. Through this website you will be able to electronically sign and vote your proxy.

To proceed, please enter your Member ID and Password which were included on the meeting notice previously mailed to you. Then click 'Login' to view your proxy and submit your vote for the 2017 Annual Meeting – *must be submitted no later than 6:00 p.m. ET on February 26, 2017.*


----------



## GrayFal

I voted. Gave Phil my proxies. 
Someone wanted to know this .,,,,,

Virgin Grand Patio Furniture

Kingsley-Bates
Genuine Teak Furniture
Manassas Virginia

Having intermittent rain but still fabulous sitting on the balcony of Building 33


----------



## okwiater

Looks like the Sin Tax / Timeshare Tax passed the Rules Committee and is now headed to the full Senate for a final vote. It is expected to pass. Get ready to pay $175/week for your timeshare stays on St. John. Also, anyone who has rented their unit for a date after March 1 may want to give their renters a heads-up.


----------



## alexadeparis

GrayFal said:


> I voted. Gave Phil my proxies.
> Someone wanted to know this .,,,,,
> 
> Virgin Grand Patio Furniture
> 
> Kingsley-Bates
> Genuine Teak Furniture
> Manassas Virginia
> 
> Having intermittent rain but still fabulous sitting on the balcony of Building 33



I think it is with no S  = Kingsley Bate


----------



## SandyPGravel

March 2017 

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner: 

As your elected members of the Board of Directors, we have recently returned from the Annual Meeting and the February Board of Directors meeting of our condominium association.

*NEW GENERAL MANAGER*

As you may know, Mike Ryan recently retired; his last day as General Manager of the resort was January 17. We are very pleased that the new General Manager is Sam Hugli, who has spent his career in the hospitality industry and has served as Mike’s Director of Operations for a year and a half before Mike left. We have gotten to know Sam well, and we are certain that he will maintain the high standards that we have gotten used to under Mike’s leadership. If you see Sam during your next visit to the resort (perhaps at the owner’s cocktail reception), please introduce yourself and wish him well.

*NEW RESTAURANT ABOVE THE LOBBY*

Knox and Ollie’s has opened in the space above the lobby where Cruz Bay Prime used to be. The owner-managers have come to St. John from Vieques, Puerto Rico, where they ran a successful restaurant. We have eaten at the new restaurant and can report that the food and service is excellent, on a par with Cruz Bay Prime. In fact, it may well be the best restaurant on the island right now, certainly worth your giving it a try when you visit the resort.

*NEW VIRGIN ISLANDS TIMESHARE “ENVIRONMENTAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACT FEE” (OCCUPANCY FEE)*

One of the most important pieces of news that we have to share with you is that, unfortunately, the legislature of the Virgin Islands has just adopted a new fee of $25 per day on the occupancy of timeshare units, effective on May 1, 2017. The owners association is legally responsible for collecting this new fee. While the details have not been worked out, we expect that this fee will probably be collected when you check out of your unit, rather than being added to your annual maintenance fee. However, it is important to pay the fee, as the Virgin Islands government will have the ability to place a lien on your timeshare unit if the fee is not paid. (Bad as this news is, it could have been worse: the original proposal from the governor’s office was to levy a fee of $35 per day, but advocacy by the trade association of timeshare developers was instrumental in lowering the rate.)

The Board authorized the expenditure of a relatively small amount of money, provided that each of the other condominium associations at the resort matched this expenditure, to obtain an opinion from an experienced Virgin Islands attorney as to whether there were grounds for a legal challenge to this new fee. Two of the other Boards have agreed to match our contribution. The third Board has yet to meet, but will likely agree to match the contribution as well.

*NEW 3RD PARTY GUEST FEE*

On January 26, 2017, Vistana Management, Inc. announced a new administration fee will be applied when adding third-party guests to Vistana Signature Network (VSN) reservations.

For weekly owners who are Vistana Signature Network members, a charge of up to $59 will apply to VSN reservations when changing a reservation to a 3rd party. Please note that this charge applies only to VSN reservations made eight months or less in advance of the arrival date. The fee does NOT apply to:

reservations made during your Home Resort Reservation Period 12 to 8 months prior to your arrival, to stay in your own unit;
reservations made during your Home Resort Reservation Period 12 to 8 months prior to the first day of the week that you own, to stay at your own resort in a unit that is of the same type as your unit, but is for a different week in the same season;
you when you are coming to use your own unit and want to _add_, to your previously confirmed reservation, the names of guests staying with you (so that your guests will be allowed to check in even if they arrive before you do – see below for the procedure);
a fractional rather than a weekly owner; or
a four-star or five-star elite owner if that owner has not used the one complimentary guest fee waiver for each qualified vacation ownership interest that the owner owns.
*PROCEDURE FOR ADDING A GUEST TO YOUR RESERVATION*

You and your guests may be arriving on different flights, and you might arrive a few hours or even days after they do. Or you may have reserved your unit originally but decided later to provide use of the unit to a family member or guest. Only individuals who are listed on your reservation are allowed to check in at the airport or the lobby. Guests will not be allowed to check in without you unless you call Owner Services, in advance, to place their name on your reservation.

In an effort to provide pre-arrival assistance, the resort will offer Diamond Lane service beginning in spring 2017. A Diamond Lane form will be available online (accessible from a link on your reservation confirmation, Vistana Owner Dashboard, or 30-day pre-arrival reservation confirmation) so that an owner may convey preferences and guest names to the resort. However, this form does not eliminate the requirement to contact Owner Services to add a 3rd party guest to a reservation if the guest happens to arrive before you or instead of you.

So if your 3rd party guest might arrive before you do, or if you assign your unit to someone else and are not planning to occupy it yourself, please ensure that the reservation has been changed through Owner Services. If you arrive before or together with your guests, however, you can provide their names at the airport office or the lobby desk. Having your guest names registered at the Front Desk will allow the resort to locate them in an emergency or allow them to replace any lost keys.

*TWO NEW RESORTS OPENING IN APRIL*

The Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas & Spa in Mexico is scheduled to open on April 1st, and the new resort in Maui, The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas is set to open April 15th.

*RECENT RESORT IMPROVEMENTS*

Our resort has implemented a number of improvements, described below.

There are now water fountains at the hillside pools. (Please use them only for drinking and not for rinsing sandals!)

Soft goods such as sofas, chairs and carpeting have been replaced in all of the units within the last two years. The pool villas now have new floor tiles in the living rooms. Some new artwork, featuring marine life, will be arriving this year.

The resort is now adding to the inventory of the freecycle shed by purchasing a few beach chairs each year for the use of owners. This will supplement the inventory that is purchased by owners and left to recycle for other Virgin Grand users. Please return all beach chairs and other freecycle equipment to the shed when you check out of your villa; do not leave the chairs on the beach, in your villas or any other place – the use of these items belongs to all of us. The hinges on the shed have been repaired so that the door closes securely when you leave the shed, and Security checks every night to be sure that the shed is locked.

Leaks in the pools at the pool villas have been repaired, so the water level should now be fairly constant. The equipment providing air to the Jacuzzis in buildings 43 and 44 has been repaired, so those Jacuzzis should be fully operational.

There is new water sports equipment for use without a fee on the beach, located to the left of the boat dock. Three new exercise machines are in the fitness center. The lobby has a new printer, and the resort has a spare for use when, as in the recent past, the printer suffers a breakdown. The resort also has a good reserve supply of grill starters. Those starters have a short life span in the tropics, so if you notice that a grill starter has failed, please call Engineering, which will plug in a new grill starter. The staff cleans the hillside grills every night.

There are screens at the gazebo, which is available for private massages. The resort has invited local vendors to run a Farmers Market on Mondays, so you will be able to purchase local produce and fresh fish. A new online grocery order form for the St. John Market & Deli has been created, so that your villa can easily be stocked for your arrival.

Coming soon: the trees will be trimmed to improve the views from the hillside units, although to some extent what the resort can do is limited because it does not own all of the trees between the units and the bay. In addition, this year the hillside balcony tables and chairs will be replaced, probably by the end of June, so that four people will be able to enjoy breakfast or drinks on the balconies. By then, all of the chaises at the pool villas should have cushions like those at the big pool.

Also, at the request of many owners, television screens are being installed in one corner of Snorkels. They will not be turned on all of the time, and rarely during the lunch period. Instead, they will be turned on only for events of general interest such as Super Bowl and the World Series.

The hillside pools are due for resurfacing. We expect that work to be done late this year.

*WI-FI*

There have been several wi-fi outages lately, as a result of power problems and partial brownouts on St. Thomas. The problem results from aging generators at the power company and is beyond the control of the resort. But the good news is that, once again, when you sign into the internet for the first time on any particular device, you can choose to have the internet system recognize that device for your entire stay. The Board has budgeted funds to run fiber-optic cable to all Virgin Grand units, which will double the available bandwidth.

*CANOPIES FOR THE BALCONY END-UNITS*

Rain often drenches the patios of these units. The management company is looking into the feasibility of installing soft canopies for these units that can withstand the island’s winds. The issue will be considered next fall in connection with the next budget.

*FORCLOSURES*

In our continuing effort to keep maintenance fees down by providing ownership of unit weeks only to those who contribute to our fixed costs, the Board authorized the commencement of foreclosure action against the owners of 88 more unit-weeks as to which maintenance fees are seriously delinquent.

*WEEK 53*

In our March 2012 periodic report to owners we addressed the "Week 53" issue that occurs every few years because a year extends longer than 52 weeks. We wrote to you at the time: "At present, owners who own both week 52 and week 1 are offered the option of exchanging their week 52 for week 53 when it occurs, and in any event [management plans] to continue to offer the exchange so that their weeks are not interrupted by a hiatus in which they have no housing." Upon discussion with Vistana Management, they confirmed that this option will be available for owners who own both week 52 and week 1.

*MANAGEMENT – BOARD CONSULTATION*

The owner-elected representatives noted that the Board had not been consulted in advance regarding a few reductions in amenities and services, particularly a beta-test of eliminating the linen change during the mid-week tidy up (the linen change has been restored); a cessation in late 2016 of distribution of the Times Digest (this distribution has now been restored), and the imposition of the 3rd party guest fee for certain alterations to reservations (described above). We clearly expressed to management that we were not happy when we heard about diminutions in services or additional charges, from owners or even directly from management, after those events had already occurred. The management company heard our concerns and we think this issue has been resolved. We also noted that although we are thrilled by the selection of Sam Hugli as General Manager, and he would have been our first choice if we had been consulted, we were not told about his selection until after he had been appointed. We proposed a resolution asking management to give the Boards at the resort an advisory role in the selection of future general managers. Management explained that the industry standard is that the management company has absolute control over all personnel matters, that it would not be practical to give the Boards an advisory role, and that the management company would not agree to modify its existing practice. Our proposed resolution was defeated, 3-2. We do expect, however, that the management company will continue to select general managers for this resort who are as competent and attentive to owners as Mike Ryan and Sam Hugli have been.

*REMINDER REGARDING THE OWNERS DIRECTORY*

If you want to remain listed in the owners online directory, you need to re-list your name and e-mail address annually. Those who register will receive an automatic email when the current listing has expired. This procedure insures that the directory does not include listings for owners who have sold their units. The owners website can be accessed through the dashboard at vistana.com. Once you have logged in and clicked on “dashboard”, click on “governing documents” in the Owners Association section, then select one of your Virgin Grand units, scroll down to “Association Information” and click on the “+” sign to the right of those words to expand that information, and then click on “VGV Owner Posting Board.” You must then register (or have previously registered) on the posting board with a username and password to list yourself in the owners directory.

Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hey!  You're taking my job!  
Thanks for posting.

It could be worse inn that they are only charging $25/day and not $35/day...
Boy... this pisses me off.  This fee is more than our Property Taxes.

Yep - really fair...
Studios get charged same as 3-Bd villas - even though this is an environmental/infrastructure fee and the occupancy difference is more than double?
Only TSs get this fee (aka tax) even though all visitors impact environment/infrastructure AND we already pay individual Property Taxes to the USVI that should already cover impact?

And, as a bonus, we will be charged more for drinks and alcohol?

How can this be legal? How do the HOAs treat this so lightly.  Going to wait until they meet? They should immediately file against this unfair and biased taxation.

The HOA is going to request payment at checkout?
For those that rent out - or let friends/families use - if fee is collected at checkout, then you better warn them as $175 is not unsubstantial - but it could be worse? LOL good idea - let's normalize this...

Mark this - 1st the studio Owners are going to walk (Gold 1st), causing MFs to increase, then 1Bd, repeat with MF increase, etc. etc.


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## bobpark56

So...timeshare vistors to the USVI pay, but those who stay in B&Bs or Hotels do not? Or in rental properties (other than in rented timeshares)? 
This does sound rather inequitable. It looks like the politicians are trying to split the opposition...or is this just a case of taxing the man behind Hughey Long's famous tree?


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## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Only TSs get this fee (aka tax) even though all visitors impact environment/infrastructure AND we already pay individual Property Taxes to the USVI that should already cover impact?





bobpark56 said:


> So...timeshare vistors to the USVI pay, but those who stay in B&Bs or Hotels do not? Or in rental properties (other than in rented timeshares)?
> This does sound rather inequitable. It looks like the politicians are trying to split the opposition...or is this just a case of taxing the man behind Hughey Long's famous tree?



Don't get me wrong, I am not happy about this tax either. And there may even be legal problems with it. But what you're saying isn't quite accurate.

Visitors to hotels and other rental properties DO pay an occupancy tax, and in fact, the law had previously stated that timeshare occupancy was ALSO subject to the occupancy tax. The reason we all paid $0 is because there was no legal clarity regarding the amount on which to calculate the tax. This new law "resolved" the situation by simultaneously REPEALING the occupancy tax for timeshares and instituting this new environmental/infrastructure impact fee in its place.

Yes, I understand that timeshares are already subject to exorbitantly higher property taxes than any other class of property, and probably agree with most or all of the arguments you may want to make about that. But we need to be accurate in our description of the situation.


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## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Hey!  You're taking my job!
> Thanks for posting.
> 
> *To poorly paraphrase *_*Fried Green Tomatoes *_*"I'm younger and faster"*_* Just Kidding!! *_*Please don't accidentally run into my car 6 times!!  I just happened to be online when the email came through.  *
> 
> It could be worse in  that they are only charging $25/day and not $35/day...
> Boy... this pisses me off.  This fee is more than our Property Taxes.
> 
> Yep - really fair...
> Studios get charged same as 3-Bd villas - even though this is an environmental/infrastructure fee and the occupancy difference is more than double? *Good Point*
> Only TSs get this fee (aka tax) even though all visitors impact environment/infrastructure AND we already pay individual Property Taxes to the USVI that should already cover impact?
> 
> And, as a bonus, we will be charged more for drinks and alcohol?
> 
> How can this be legal? How do the HOAs treat this so lightly.  Going to wait until they meet? They should immediately file against this unfair and biased taxation.
> 
> The HOA is going to request payment at checkout?
> For those that rent out - or let friends/families use - if fee is collected at checkout, then you better warn them as $175 is not unsubstantial - but it could be worse? LOL good idea - let's normalize this...
> 
> Mark this - 1st the studio Owners are going to walk (Gold 1st), causing MFs to increase, then 1Bd, repeat with MF increase, etc. etc.



*"The Board authorized the expenditure of a relatively small amount of money"...Well, don't make too much effort*


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## SandyPGravel

Can't wait for my 13 night stay at the end of May $25 x 13 = $325.  That will take care of some of my excursion money.  Nice way to impact the small business owners on St. John.  At least the poor "gov'nor" can still live at the Ritz and ride around in his limo (or so I have read.)  

So they start collecting the money, it goes to court, court says it's unfair, I can expect my money to be returned around 2025 or so?  That will be plus interest right???   Oh dear I think I forgot to take my medication, I am becoming delusional


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## okwiater

SandyPGravel said:


> Can't wait for my 13 night stay at the end of May $25 x 13 = $325.  That will take care of some of my excursion money.  Nice way to impact the small business owners on St. John.  At least the poor "gov'nor" can still live at the Ritz and ride around in his limo (or so I have read.)



Just pretend it's a resort fee and then make a frozen rum drink. It won't hurt anymore, I promise


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## NNerland

In addition to the "TimeShare Tax" this is an update of the "Sin Tax" -- the author anticpated it won't be quite as bad as initially proposed.
But you know one small tax hike, opens the door to others perhaps in the future.  Here is a good summary


http://newsofstjohn.com/2017/03/24/the-sin-tax-the-details-its-not-as-awful-as-first-proposed/


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## okwiater

NNerland said:


> In addition to the "TimeShare Tax" this is an update of the "Sin Tax" -- the author anticpated it won't be quite as bad as initially proposed.



You'll see a lot of this now that the law passed. People with a vested interest in tourism lobbied hard against the tax, but now that it's the law of the land, they'll downplay its effects so as to keep visitors coming.


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## NNerland

okwiater said:


> You'll see a lot of this now that the law passed. People with a vested interest in tourism lobbied hard against the tax, but now that it's the law of the land, they'll downplay its effects so as to keep visitors coming.



Don't get me wrong, it stinks and the articles about the "Governor" are disturbing.  But no "sin tax" is going to slow visitors.   I, at least, have never "googled" local taxes when deciding my vacation locales.    I hate the greed of areas going after "easy absentee taxes" as it is taxation without representation.


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## okwiater

NNerland said:


> Don't get me wrong, it stinks and the articles about the "Governor" are disturbing.  But no "sin tax" is going to slow visitors.   I, at least, have never "googled" local taxes when deciding my vacation locales.



I don't think it's a matter of vacationers looking up tax rates as part of selecting a destination, but more a matter of making it less attractive over time. Even though $175 is for many people a rounding error on their vacation spending, seeing it itemized as a timeshare impact fee will leave many with a bad taste and may give them pause about visiting as soon or at all. The sin taxes will also have an effect with a long tail, in that higher prices will over time depress voluntary spending from visitors, cruise ships, etc. You may not consciously think about tax rates, but unless you're a very rare person, you certainly think about prices before deciding to buy things, and that will impact your decision making when you visit the island whether you know it or not.


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## DavidnRobin

For a VGV studio owner - it is ~10% increase in their MFs, and about 6% increase in MF for 3Bd pool villas.  For us, it is more than our property tax - which btw is also under threat of being unfairly increased. Saying this is a blip in total vacation budget means that Owners would be okay with their MFs being increased because that increase is also just a blip (?) - yet that is one of the main focuses when buying a TS interval.

We will certainly being spending less while in StJ (sadly, one less charter) - just like Maui.

Again... this 'fee' (aka tax) is stated as an infrastructure/environmental fee.  However, this fee unfairly charges more (%-wise) to studio owners than owners of larger size villas (which have higher occupancy) - this alone should be basis to legally challenged this fee (IMO).  This fee unfairly punishes those villas with lower occupancy that impacts infrastructure and environment less than higher occupancy villas - contrary to the stated claim of the fee.

We already pay Property Taxes that already go to infrastructure/environment impact on the USVI.

I hope WSJ doesn't collect this fee at check-out and that we are billed - because if we are billed - I have the ability not to pay it.  What are they going to do? Put a lien on my TS? I can walk and leave it to the HOA. Apparently they already have 88 owner weeks in foreclosure - not hard to figure out what the majority of these villa types are.  I suspect this will start causing more defaults which will begat more defaults.

Check back in 2020...

YMMV


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## SMHarman

Slowing Down, Finding Hidden Paradise on St. John https://nyti.ms/2nHaB6o


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> I agree with the post reasoning, but
> 
> ...What are they going to do? Put a lien on my TS? I can walk and leave it to the HOA...
> 
> Don't give it to the HOA, give it to me...
> 
> I'm guessing you are being sarcastic...


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## melissy123

Ferry question, headed to WSJ tomorrow. Last year when we took the car ferry, they had just instituted the policy of letting you use your return ticket on any of the ferry companies.  On the ferry schedule page of the St. Thomas magazine, under the ferry schedules, it says you can only use the round trip return ticket on the ferry company you bought it from.  
Does anyone know what the actual policy is right now? Thank you.


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## sachia007

If you don't get an answer from anyone on TUG before you leave you should ask the person when you pay that nominal $3.00 (or so) fee at the little toll booth on STT. Then I would ask again when you are on board and buying your ticket. 

The gentleman selling me my car ticket said it was both ways, but I wasn't sure he was correct, and I didn't want to get stuck, so I bought one way tixs. When I was waiting to boarded in STJ to go back to STT, the person who lines you up to get you ready to board the barge confirmed any ticket will get you back on any boat.

Just ask a few people and as long as their answers match, you'll be all set.


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## DavidnRobin

Call Love City Ferries.
With all ferries running - they may no longer except the other's ticket.


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## steve1000

We were there in January and both companies were operating the ferries and accepted each others return tickets. Also, we were able to buy the round-trip ticket at the reduced price without making an advance reservation.




DavidnRobin said:


> Call Love City Ferries.
> With all ferries running - they may no longer except the other's ticket.


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## melissy123

Thanks everyone. Will take a chance on a round trip ticket and will report back next week


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## DavidnRobin

melissy123 said:


> Thanks everyone. Will take a chance on a round trip ticket and will report back next week



Let us know if WSJ charges you an occupancy fee.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## melissy123

Here at WSJ now. Love City ferry said the round trip ticket was only good on their ferry for the return. No mention of occupancy tax at WSJ but then on the other hand we're not completely checked in, still waiting for room to get ready.
New restaurant on second floor of lobby area, Knox and Ollie's. Looks nice. Happy Hour from 5-6. And look what time it is right now.


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## dioxide45

melissy123 said:


> Here at WSJ now. Love City ferry said the round trip ticket was only good on their ferry for the return. No mention of occupancy tax at WSJ but then on the other hand we're not completely checked in, still waiting for room to get ready.
> New restaurant on second floor of lobby area, Knox and Ollie's. Looks nice. Happy Hour from 5-6. And look what time it is right now.


Occupancy tax doesn't go in to effect until May 1, 2017. So you won't have any issues with that yet.


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## SandyPGravel

*BVI Customs procedure*

Has anyone been through the new BVI customs procedure that was enacted last summer(I think)  where everyone has to pass through customs individually, instead of one person from the boat taking all the passports into the office?  Did it run smooth?  Take forever?  We haven't been to the BVI since this went into effect and I'm just wondering how it is impacting day trips?

On a side note, what is the fee for entering the BVI?  I can't find it anywhere.  Our excursion website only states that it must be paid in cash, not how much it is!


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## sachia007

Hi Gina,

The passport/customs review did take a long time, but I just chatted with my neighbor in line (as well as my family members) and we got through it. It ran smoothly though. 

If you really want to get off the boat quickly, I guess as you approach the dock, you can get out of your seats and stand near the exit ramp.... and be the first off.

Not sure what the current fee is. Have fun though!!!!


----------



## melissy123

We just went to BVI on a ferry a few days ago. The entry fee was $28 and we were able to put it on a charge card with the ferry admission. We were among the first people off and it still took a while as we had to wait until another group got done.


----------



## DavidnRobin

The BVI fee can vary depending if you take the ferry or charter - and whether you are going to 'special' areas where there is an additional fee.  It can reach $45pp if I recall correctly - like a Charter doing a Dock custom checkin - like at Sopers Hole and going to 'The Indians' (for example) - and cash. The BVI Custom buildings (coming off the BVI ferries) are cheaper as mentioned above.


----------



## Helios

Has anyone seen postings for Sunset Bay. I just saw one for a 2 BR fixed Unit/Week (7), $85K...


----------



## SandyPGravel

Received this today.  I assume as another reminder because of my upcoming stay.






Dear Owner,

Earlier this year, the U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature passed The Virgin Islands Revenue Enhancement and Economic Recovery Act of 2017 (Bill 32-0005), which was signed into law by the governor on March 22, 2017. The Bill contains revenue-enhancing amendments to the U.S. Virgin Islands Code designed to provide financial stability for the territory, as the current tax structure does not generate an adequate revenue stream to keep pace with growth in the economy. This is part of a broader tax reform intended to return public finances to a sustainable and prudent state. 

Included in the Bill is the establishment of a USVI “Environmental/Infrastructure Impact Fee (Fee)” on timeshare occupancy. The Fee will impose a $25-per-night charge for each night a timeshare unit is occupied by an Owner, Exchanger or third-party guest occupying an Owner’s villa. All rental guests will continue to pay an occupancy tax at the current 12.5% rate. The rental rate will usually be higher than the owner fee given the higher nightly rates for this in-demand location.

Effective May 1, 2017, Vistana Signature Experiences, Inc. will be required by law to collect and remit this fee for The Westin St. John Resort Villas as the resort manager. 

The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) continues to communicate with the USVI government on this matter, and we will keep you updated on any additional information related to this new law. You may also sign up for alerts regarding this topic on arda.org. 

Regards, 




Thorp Thomas 
Senior Vice President


----------



## DavidnRobin

This “Environmental/Infrastructure Impact Fee (Fee)” ($175/week) is more than our USVI Property Tax (~$150/week).  The Property Tax system is the correct system to collect money for Environmental/Infrastructure - not this unfair fee.  This fee is not balanced in the impact to Owners (e.g. owners of studio are charged the same as a 3Bd villa - even though a 3Bd has a larger environmental/infrastructure impact) - and not sure why USVI TS resort groups (e.g. Vistana) are not themselves legally challenging this fee in court based on the unequal sharing of burden - versus depending on ARDA.

This pisses me off...

Watch... this will cause more low-season studio Owners to walk - causes our overall MFs to increase - causing more Owners to walk away - repeat.
You would think that Vistana/WSJ HOAs would be worried enough to take true action (in court and political persuasion) vs. being idle.

btw - USVI is also in the process of increasing Property Taxes for TS Owners and St John property owners.


----------



## sachia007

Speaking of people walking away from their timeshares... a few years ago the Westin bought back at a cheap cost Plat +, gold and whatever other level of WSJ timeshares. Not sure if it happened this year, does anyone know?


----------



## DavidnRobin

sachia007 said:


> Speaking of people walking away from their timeshares... a few years ago the Westin bought back at a cheap cost Plat +, gold and whatever other level of WSJ timeshares. Not sure if it happened this year, does anyone know?



The WSJ-VGV HOA took delinquent villas and resold to HOA - they did not purchase them.  This has happened 2-3x (WSJ Thread #1 has these details). The last time SVO/VSE (WSJ) bought them all (see prices in next post). The WSJ-VGV BOD decided it was worth it to the HOA.

The WSJ-VGV HOA was innovative in recovering MFs with these types of sales - and MFs have been relatively flat for years.  But IMO this is going to change due to this unfair (and unjustifiable) tax/fee by the USVI and MFs going up due to opening of CV and SB phases (also unfair) - especially as low season owners drop out.

The 3Bd Plat+ sold early on were a bargain in the offer - especially now with the SO increase(s).


----------



## Markus

Here were the prices for the most recent purchase made by the developper from the HOA.


----------



## DavidnRobin

From the above price list - you can see the pressure on low season owners. This was also shown in previous sales. This will not improve and likely to get worse with new fee and increase in MF - and will impact upward to higher seasons.


----------



## Helios

Just saw this new red note on my 2017 resies "A $25.00 per night occupancy fee applies to this reservation.", it wasn't there yesterday...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Is there an 'I am unhappy as f*ck' emoji?


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Is there an 'I am unhappy as f*ck' emoji?


There should certainly be one.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Progress???  *ARDA is filing a lawsuit* over the "occupancy tax" 

http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/usvi-proposing-30-day-tax-on-timeshares.250705/page-3

Now if they would just impose an injunction(?) so we won't have to pay the fees while this is being litigated.


----------



## tytto

We just checked out this morning, and I can confirm the $25 occupancy fee per night. Oh and they're selling Sunset Bay basically with points. They're gorgeous... and I'd love to trade my studio up on the hill but... $$$$


----------



## SandyPGravel

Can anyone tell me where the island is, at about the 3:30 mark, in this video of St. John?  Would love to check it out.






(I cannot recognize most of the areas in this video from the air or shot from a boat.  I am not good at recognizing topography!  I think I recognized some of the beaches, the stairs from the Reef bay trail, the petroglyphs.)

On pins and needles 13 days and counting...


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Can anyone tell me where the island is, at about the 3:30 mark, in this video of St. John?  Would love to check it out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (I cannot recognize most of the areas in this video from the air or shot from a boat.  I am not good at recognizing topography!  I think I recognized some of the beaches, the stairs from the Reef bay trail, the petroglyphs.)
> 
> On pins and needles 13 days and counting...



Sandy Spit - on way to Jost Van Dyke. Not StJ


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## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Sandy Spit - on way to Jost Van Dyke. Not StJ
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Well that was false advertising now wasn't it!!    Thanx!!


----------



## SandyPGravel

HELP.  Any suggestions PLEASE!
I know I tend to flip out, but I just called the WSJ about my upcoming rez (May 21)  

I booked with star options at the 8 month mark a 2 BR unit sleeps 8.  I asked what building we are scheduled to be in and I was told a Virgin Grand unit.  The two bedroom units in VGV only sleep 6.  My guests are expecting to have their own beds.  The resort is putting us in a unit with only two beds, not the three we are supposed to have.  I was told because I only have 4 people in the villa they are putting us in a unit that sleeps 6.  I have my rez that shows :

Guest Name Gina Xxxxxxxx
Confirmation Date 09/21/2016
Arrival Sunday, 05/21/2017 at 4:00 p.m., local time
Departure Saturday, 06/03/2017 at 10:00 a.m., local time




StarOptions® used for this reservation: 266,575




Villa Type 2 Bedroom Villa
Villa Number Floating - assigned at check-in
Occupancy 8 Maximum 
Accessibility Features Does Not Apply
Housekeeping Fees Does Not Apply

What can I do??

Don't get me wrong I LOVE VGV, but my guests shouldn't have to share a bed because I didn't bring 8 people.


----------



## SandyPGravel

I called OS and they agreed I should have a 8 person unit.  They changed my rez to show my party is 8 people so they have to give me a 8 person unit.   So I guess the lesson here is you need to lie and state you are bringing the maximum number of guests to get what you "paid" for.  OS told me to lie and when I check in and say the other 6  guests were arriving later.  Ridiculous that I have to go to these lengths to get what I was expecting.  Very disappointed with WSJ.


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## DavidnRobin

How else would they know that you need 8 for a 2Bd unless you put that info in during registration? Otherwise you would have to call and have file updated (vs just entering 8)
6 is normal - most likely this 8 occupancy is 2 Q beds in one of the bedrooms. That is specific and limited. Our travel mates prefer one bed - I thought this was normal.
Glad it worked out - our WSJ vacation is <1 month away.


----------



## SandyPGravel

It wouldn't have been a problem if it was a couple, but the guests are DH's daughter and her friend.  Maybe it wouldn't have mattered to them, I didn't ask.  

The 6 person units(only VGV) are way less common than the 8 person units(BV, CV, & SB).  I was shocked that a VGV unit was even available for a 13 day rez, aren't most VGV fixed weeks?  So that would mean two consecutive weeks in the same unit were available.  

WSJ didn't tell me if it was a VGV-TH which at least has a king in 2nd bedroom or the VGV premier that only has a queen.  King might have been ok, but expecting them to share a queen when they expected their own beds?  I guess I expected to receive what was on my rez, a 2BR that sleeps 8.  From now on I will max out the people on my rez.  Come up with some exciting guests, Hugh Jackman & family etc. 

No longer flipping out  Looking forward to my next pain killer...paddling out to waterlemon, hiking Reef Bay and to Ram's head, volunteering at the beach to beach power swim, Bad Kitty to the Bath's & Jost, 3-tank dive ...


----------



## DavidnRobin

I hadn't seen the 2Bd occupancies (since I already own) - so many of the non-VGV 2Bd have two beds in one of the rooms?
That works to maximize occupancy (but not for us) - but one of our requirements are K beds. The Q is just too small since we are so use to a K.  The premier 2Bd VGV has Q size (and MF = 3Bd pool)? That is a deal breaker - for me. YMMV

WSJ/VSE owns a high % of the VGV villas - at one point they owned 10%, and that was before they bought all of the last HOA auction.
When we are there - quite a few villas are unoccupied (esp week 23) - always surprises me, but good for us.  The studio next to us usually only has people for a few nights on/off during our 2 week stay.

We can't wait - I just retired and ready to go now. We have friends coming this year that are 1st time visitors.
Enjoy.  Too bad you weren't there a few weeks later.
Watch out for those PainKillers!


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> I hadn't seen the 2Bd occupancies (since I already own) - so many of the non-VGV 2Bd have two beds in one of the rooms? *Yeah and the beds are doubles, not even queens!!*
> That works to maximize occupancy (but not for us) - but one of our requirements are K beds. *Us Too!!* The Q is just too small since we are so use to a K.
> The premier 2Bd VGV has Q size (and MF = 3Bd pool)? *<--Didn't realize, that sux.* That is a deal breaker - for me. YMMV
> 
> WSJ/VSE owns a high % of the VGV villas - at one point they owned 10%, and that was before they bought all of the last HOA auction.  *I didn't know that, wow.  I thought that since WSJ was so hard to trade into, that it was owned by someone other than the developer.*
> When we are there - quite a few villas are unoccupied (esp week 23) - always surprises me, but good for us.  The studio next to us usually only has people for a few nights on/off during our 2 week stay.
> 
> We can't wait - I just retired and ready to go now. We have friends coming this year that are 1st time visitors.
> Enjoy.  Too bad you weren't there a few weeks later.  *Yeah I remembered reading you are there in June, I was hoping the beginning of your stay would overlap the end of ours.* *Have fun!*
> Watch out for those PainKillers!


----------



## LisaRex

DavidnRobin said:


> We can't wait - I just retired and ready to go now. We have friends coming this year that are 1st time visitors.



Excellent news! Enjoy your retirement.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> We can't wait - I just retired and ready to go now....Watch out for those PainKillers!



Congrats...enjoy retirement...


----------



## SandyPGravel

If our flight out of STT is at 1pm, is the 9 am car barge going to give us enough time to make the airport(check in, TSA, Customs etc)?  Car rented from Amalie so that is not an issue.  I remember reading about how much of a zoo the airport is on Sat mornings, I assume trying to catch a spot on the barge is going to be the same.  Can I pre-purchase a ticket for a specific time for the return trip on the car barge?  If I can pre-purchase how do you communicate that when you get to the car barge lot since a line has usually formed already.  (This will happen on June 3 the Saturday after Memorial day weekend, busy busy busy)  
If we end up with an abundance of time that is ok too, we can find someplace to purchase more rum to take home.


----------



## melissy123

When we flew in to STT, we were warned for the return trip to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours ahead of departure.  We arrived 2 hours early, and sailed through, but then again, it wasn't a Saturday.  So I would say the 9 a.m. car barge is not going to be enough time.

And we were already in St. Thomas on the day of departure.  I don't know if I would have made the same decision if arriving from St. John.


----------



## SandyPGravel

SandyPGravel said:


> HELP.  Any suggestions PLEASE!
> I know I tend to flip out, but I just called the WSJ about my upcoming rez (May 21)
> 
> I booked with star options at the 8 month mark a 2 BR unit sleeps 8.  I asked what building we are scheduled to be in and I was told a Virgin Grand unit.  The two bedroom units in VGV only sleep 6.  My guests are expecting to have their own beds.  The resort is putting us in a unit with only two beds, not the three we are supposed to have.  I was told because I only have 4 people in the villa they are putting us in a unit that sleeps 6.  I have my rez that shows :
> 
> Guest Name Gina Xxxxxxxx
> Confirmation Date 09/21/2016
> Arrival Sunday, 05/21/2017 at 4:00 p.m., local time
> Departure Saturday, 06/03/2017 at 10:00 a.m., local time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> StarOptions® used for this reservation: 266,575
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Villa Type 2 Bedroom Villa
> Villa Number Floating - assigned at check-in
> Occupancy 8 Maximum
> Accessibility Features Does Not Apply
> Housekeeping Fees Does Not Apply
> 
> What can I do??
> 
> Don't get me wrong I LOVE VGV, but my guests shouldn't have to share a bed because I didn't bring 8 people.




So I did what OS suggested and called 48 hours prior to arrival.  Last night they still had me in VGV I said no that is not right I am supposed to be in a 8 person unit.  Then he told me the rooms aren't assigned until later last night or this morning.  So I called this morning and asked again.  The woman who answered the phone refused to give me any information.  I said look I am just trying to determine what section I am in, not the specific unit.  She said "Jesus"  and still wouldn't answer my question.  So I called OS again and was told that unit assignment is up to the resort and there is absolutely nothing they can do for me.  I said what am I supposed to do if I am assigned a 6 person unit, instead of the 8 person unit.  She informed me that an 8 person SO reservation is the same number of options as a 6 person.  What good is OS except for coming up with new fees?  So my guests could still end up sharing a double bed.  A lot of money spent to have to share a bed, plus the lovely new occupancy tax. (I know this is a VI fee, not OS.) Hope this turns out better than it looks to be at this point.  Because I called the resort will probably put us in the only underground unit they have for problem guests.


----------



## vistana101

SandyPGravel said:


> So I did what OS suggested and called 48 hours prior to arrival.  Last night they still had me in VGV I said no that is not right I am supposed to be in a 8 person unit.  Then he told me the rooms aren't assigned until later last night or this morning.  So I called this morning and asked again.  The woman who answered the phone refused to give me any information.  I said look I am just trying to determine what section I am in, not the specific unit.  She said "Jesus"  and still wouldn't answer my question.  So I called OS again and was told that unit assignment is up to the resort and there is absolutely nothing they can do for me.  I said what am I supposed to do if I am assigned a 6 person unit, instead of the 8 person unit.  She informed me that an 8 person SO reservation is the same number of options as a 6 person.  What good is OS except for coming up with new fees?  So my guests could still end up sharing a double bed.  A lot of money spent to have to share a bed, plus the lovely new occupancy tax. (I know this is a VI fee, not OS.) Hope this turns out better than it looks to be at this point.  Because I called the resort will probably put us in the only underground unit they have for problem guests.



Sorry you had to deal with all of that! How did things turn out at check-in?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Gina - I am confused.  You say you called OS.  Does this mean Owner Services in Orlando?  They are not the ones to call as they do not assign rooms.  You should be talking to the Front Desk at WSJ.

If calling OS - then I can understand your frustration, and theirs...  This is not their fault or responsibility.


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## canesfan

Can't you alter your reservation to reflect 8 people in the room? That way it will be for the maximum amount of people for the villa size that you made a reservation for? 


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----------



## SandyPGravel

vistana101 said:


> Sorry you had to deal with all of that! How did things turn out at check-in?


A very nice young woman in reception found us a 2 bedroom with two double beds in second BR.  She spent about 20 minutes figuring where she could put us for 13 nights.  We actually have a 2 BR loft that sleeps 10(2734).  Way more than we need, but a very nice unit.  I do miss parking outside our unit on the hill.  

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## SandyPGravel

FYI to anyone heading to WSJ the mosquitos are pretty intense.  Remember the anti-itch gel too!


----------



## SandyPGravel

canesfan said:


> Can't you alter your reservation to reflect 8 people in the room? That way it will be for the maximum amount of people for the villa size that you made a reservation for?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


We did do this, but it didn't help.  (Actually this is what OS did when we called the first time.)


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Gina - I am confused.  You say you called OS.  Does this mean Owner Services in Orlando?  They are not the ones to call as they do not assign rooms.  You should be talking to the Front Desk at WSJ.
> 
> If calling OS - then I can understand your frustration, and theirs...  This is not their fault or responsibility.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I called OS after the reception desk confirmed we were still on the hill and wouldn't change to reflect an 8 person rez.


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## bobpark56

Is part of the problem that there are at least 4 homeowner associations at WSJ and that they can't easily move you from one to another?


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## Helios

Just got my pre-reservation for my Pool Villa.  I should get my second week pre-resie (back to back weeks in a couple of days).

Hopefully I don't get switched...to a another non Pool 3BR Villa.  That would be a very significant downgrade for the kids


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## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> Just got my pre-reservation for my Pool Villa.  I should get my second week pre-resie (back to back weeks in a couple of days).
> 
> Hopefully I don't get switched...to a another non Pool 3BR Villa.  That would be a very significant downgrade for the kids



The pool villas are fixed weeks/fixed villas - you should get what you own (and not what someone else owns)... why would you get moved?


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----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> I called OS after the reception desk confirmed we were still on the hill and wouldn't change to reflect an 8 person rez.



Got it - hopefully it works out.
Added - it appears it did - as said...
The Front Desk does have ability to move villas - even between phases. 

Hopefully the mosquitoes will let up.
Rain = Mosquitoes 
It has been a wet Spring.
I prefer mosquitoes to the stinging plankton...

Enjoy.


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## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Got it - hopefully it works out.
> Added - it appears it did - as said...
> The Front Desk does have ability to move villas - even between phases.
> 
> Hopefully the mosquitoes will let up.
> Rain = Mosquitoes
> It has been a wet Spring.
> I prefer mosquitoes to the stinging plankton...
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


No stinging plankton , so far.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> The pool villas are fixed weeks/fixed villas - you should get what you own (and not what someone else owns)... why would you get moved?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I was piggy backing on Gina's story and imagining a maintenance issue.  Like you said, the Pool Villas are fixed weeks and fixed units, so, if something were to happen and my unit had issues then I would be out of luck.  

In a worst case scenario, guess the entire resort may be booked and I may need to be sent to another hotel, hopefully caneel Bay, but likely to St Thomas.  I guess this is getting too far fetched now...

IIRC, my Villa gets its maintenance covered the third week of June.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> I was piggy backing on Gina's story and imagining a maintenance issue.  Like you said, the Pool Villas are fixed weeks and fixed units, so, if something were to happen and my unit had issues then I would be out of luck.
> 
> In a worst case scenario, guess the entire resort may be booked and I may need to be sent to another hotel, hopefully caneel Bay, but likely to St Thomas.  I guess this is getting too far fetched now...
> 
> IIRC, my Villa gets its maintenance covered the third week of June.



You should check out my trip report from years ago - think it was called 'Out of Order' - where our villa was closed because of bees. 
A classic... 


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## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> The pool villas are fixed weeks/fixed villas - you should get what you own (and not what someone else owns)... why would you get moved?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Not always true. They tried to move us out of Virgin Grand a few years ago. Said that our week 40 pool villa was scheduled for maintenance that week. We protested strongly, and they found us another week 40 pool villa...available perhaps because it was a bit off-season.


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## Helios

bobpark56 said:


> Not always true. They tried to move us out of Virgin Grand a few years ago. Said that our week 40 pool villa was scheduled for maintenance that week. We protested strongly, and they found us another week 40 pool villa...available perhaps because it was a bit off-season.


Really?  I was under the impression they sold 51 weeks so they would have 1 week that could be dedicated to maintenance.  I suppose this only takes care of preventive maintenance and does not include unforeseen maintenance.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> You should check out my trip report from years ago - think it was called 'Out of Order' - where our villa was closed because of bees.
> A classic...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Will look for it.  Bee infestation, that's something I would not think about.


----------



## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> Not always true. They tried to move us out of Virgin Grand a few years ago. Said that our week 40 pool villa was scheduled for maintenance that week. We protested strongly, and they found us another week 40 pool villa...available perhaps because it was a bit off-season.



As I mentioned - I wrote a trip report about our maintenance issue (bees) that caused us to be moved.
So... of course it is not always the case.  But, worrying about it before arrival when it is not common? There is a lot more to worry about - especially if occupying the 1st week, so the issue would have to crop up during the stay (like the people that had to move out of our villa the prior week due to bees in the wall).


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> You should check out my trip report from years ago - think it was called 'Out of Order' - where our villa was closed because of bees.
> A classic...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


BTW, is retirement as sweet as advertised? I am 20+ years and can't wait.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Here it is... back when I wrote trip reports - June 2009.
Page 1 of this thread lists the various trip reports.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/here-5-mins-late-westin-st-john.99223/


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> BTW, is retirement as sweet as advertised? I am 20+ years and can't wait.



It is great.  Highly recommend it, but need to afford it... hopefully that is the case.
Although - I would take youth...

We are heading to STJ in <2 weeks.  We hope to start traveling more - maybe get around to visiting @Westin5Star in Roatan some day.


----------



## Helios

Nice, enjoy ST John.  Please send updates and pics about Sunset Bay and new things you discover.


----------



## vistana101

SandyPGravel said:


> A very nice young woman in reception found us a 2 bedroom with two double beds in second BR.  She spent about 20 minutes figuring where she could put us for 13 nights.  We actually have a 2 BR loft that sleeps 10(2734).  Way more than we need, but a very nice unit.  I do miss parking outside our unit on the hill.



Great! Those are wonderful units. I believe we were actually in 2733, right nextdoor, when we went a few years ago! Have a wonderful trip!


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## Helios

If someone is staying at the main resort, are they allowed to use the pools in the Hill phase?  I assume they can if they walk.  But, how about if they want to drive.  Would they be able to do it since there is a gate?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> If someone is staying at the main resort, are they allowed to use the pools in the Hill phase?  I assume they can if they walk.  But, how about if they want to drive.  Would they be able to do it since there is a gate?



No. No. And No.
VGV Owners pay for their pool areas - as well as Main Resort pool.  BV, CV, and SB Owners do not pay for VGV pool areas.


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## bobpark56

Helios said:


> Really?  I was under the impression they sold 51 weeks so they would have 1 week that could be dedicated to maintenance.  I suppose this only takes care of preventive maintenance and does not include unforeseen maintenance.


Really.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> No. No. And No.
> VGV Owners pay for their pool areas - as well as Main Resort pool.  BV, CV, and SB Owners do not pay for VGV pool areas.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Glad to know, is this enforced?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> Glad to know, is this enforced?



Yes, by the WSJ police... they are converting the Free-Cycle into a jail.


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Yes, by the WSJ police... they are converting the Free-Cycle into a jail.


 Nice one.  Last time I was at WSJ, staying in BV , the front desk did not give me a key to open the jail (I mean Free-Cycle).  I told them I owned 2 pool villa weeks and that did not matter.  In a way, I liked the way it was handled and in a way I did not.  The front desk rep said you can use the free cycle when you are staying at your villa and I thought it was fair.


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## Helios

Has any Pool Villa owner ever been asked to allow another fellow Pool Villa owner access their storage closet?

Last time I was there at a presentation, I was told this was possible.  The owner wishing to access his/her storage closet would do it accompanied by a security guard.  A convenient time to access the storage closet, that would minimize inconvenience for the group occupying the villa, would be arranged.


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## DavidnRobin

Correct - VGV Owners also pay for the Free-Cycle, and the free-loading flatlanders (BV, CV, SB) do not. 

You only pay for usage during your weeks via MFs, and not for weeks you do not own.
It would be great if people could behave themselves - but apparently not. Not even VGV Owners.
I posted photos of my cleanup last year of the FreeCycle shack.
VGV HOA is planning on supplying beach chairs - I wonder how long it will take for our HOA to supply the entire island with chairs (like WSJ towels).  I hope the chairs are still around in 10 days, but I am prepared to buy my own as in previous years.

Last year (or maybe year before) the WhiteTrash Clan came up from the Main Resort to throw a party in our pool area (took it over) - a fight broke out - and they trashed the area. I called Security.  These were adults- not kids.

I informed our BOD about Main Resorts folks coming to use our area, as well as the shambles the FreeCycle shed had become (and door was unlocked and opened - the shed has AC...).  Unfortunately, these things slowly erode (like Chair Hogs). Apparently, I cannot state the obvious 'you can't fix stupid' because it will be redacted, so I won't... 

I think they probably allow access to your storage locker in the Pool villa - as long as people staying there are cool with it.  I would just explain to people staying in the villa.  I wish we had a storage locker - but flying 1st class this year - so I can bring more stuff like in the old days.


----------



## ferndale

See you there next week!! perhaps you can get the Freecycle cleaned and neat before I arrive?


----------



## DavidnRobin

ferndale said:


> See you there next week!! perhaps you can get the Freecycle cleaned and neat before I arrive?



Look forward to seeing you guys.  Looks like y'all have been having some great adventures and successes.


----------



## SandyPGravel

i would like to state that I have behaved and not crossed the gate for VGV while here!    Wanted to show our guests the building 32 area but haven't ventured up there.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> i would like to state that I have behaved and not crossed the gate for VGV while here!    Wanted to show our guests the building 32 area but haven't ventured up there.



Watch out for that ever-vigilant WSJ Security Force. 
Hope your visit is pleasant - the 2Bd BV TH villas are nice.


----------



## SandyPGravel

I thought I would add a few random thoughts about our trip.

The week before and after Memorial Day are both good if you like minimal crowds.  We enjoyed the relatively uncrowded beaches and establishments.  The only time we had difficulty finding parking was at the B2B power swim meeting at Cinnamon Bay.  The B2B power swim was a great experience.  DH and I were part of the kayak safety team and paddled along with the swimmers to make sure they didn't end up in the rocks or on their way to Jost.

I agree with another poster from a while back the walk to building 27 gets old, but the view doesn't!!

I was surprised at how hot the temps were already, I can't imagine what July and August are like.  The amount of flowers in bloom was amazing.

Went to our "update", told the nice salesperson Sophie that the only thing I would consider buying from the developer would be the week before or after our week 9 *in our unit*.  She said that was like a needle in a haystack.  I said I know, but that would be the only thing I would consider.  (I didn't end up purchasing anything.) Received $125 sand dollars which we exchanged for two tickets on the turtle trip to Buck Island.  (Value $250)  so that was worth it.  I got a couple of pictures when a turtle surfaced just inches from me!  I was so excited, almost screwed up getting any pix!  They tried to talk us into a 1 BR EOY on the hill I said no, the MF are almost what my 2 BR is.  They had no comment for that.  Then tried to get us to buy a 2 BR EOY in BV plus they would requal our 2 BR VGV I said no.  Tried to convince me that it was such a deal if I averaged out what I had paid for my resale.  Sorry that's fuzzy math.  I can just buy another resale! My VGV doesn't need to be requal'd.  Then tried to talk us into an explorer package.  I said no.  The dude looked at my DH and asked if he was interested, to come back without me.  I assume he was trying to be funny...it wasn't.

Went to two owners receptions.  Met a woman who lives on island and has a business renting out weeks for owners at the Westin.  (Both fractional and TS week owners.)  Got her card for future reference.  Met a nice couple at the next reception who bought from the developer a while ago, but now the unit doesn't fit their needs.  I told them about the woman and about TUG.  He was disappointed at what his unit would be worth on the resale market.  Someone else told him to just hold onto the unit because once the conversion of the hotel was done then his unit would be worth more since no more units would be available.  I didn't comment on that.  He has a VGV studio so I told him it is worth something, but he didn't like what it was worth.

Made the trip down (and back up, no boat ride this year) Reef Bay.  Made the hike to Ram's head.  Really enjoyed the view from Ram's head and the hike wasn't too bad.  Saw a big land crab at the salt pond bay beach on the way back.  First time to see one of those.  He was BIG.

Hiked to Honeymoon and Salomon for the first time.  Saw two things at Honeymoon I have never seen before.  A squad (looked that one up) of Squid, and my first Mongoose.  I caught movement out of the corner of my eye as the critter was trying to steal the lunch remnants from the couple about 30 feet from us.  We scared him away, he didn't get what he wanted!

We kayaked out to Waterlemon.  (We brought our own kayak along that fits in a checked bag, worth it since we were there for two weeks.)  I agree with others, Waterlemon has the best snorkeling on the island.

We took the Bad Kitty on the 4 island trip to the BVI.  My DH and I behaved, the two 20 somethings with us, not so much.  One couldn't understand why she could not stay awake for dinner and fell asleep at the Barefoot Cowboy??  That's called passin' out my dear! 

Overall a great trip, but I think we will stick to February/March a little cooler and fewer skeeters.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hi Gina -

Thanks for the update.  It is hot this time of year - June is hottest, but with less rain.  The skeeters are relative to the amount of rain. It rained a lot before you arrived. Worst part of StJ as compared to HI is the skeeters and noseeums - IMO.

Kayak that fits in checked bag? - that sounds great! Can you post the brand you are using? If I could get one in the next day or 2, I would bring it.  We are flying 1st class this year - so we can bring more luggage.

We like having 2 weeks back-2-back in the same villa - glad I was able to buy adjacent week from original owners.  If you could find out who they are (info may be in tax records using clever searches) - you could contact and ask.  This is what I did, but paid a premium.

Love the comment to your husband about coming back w/o you - LOL.
We enjoyed the Buck Island trip last year - and would do it again.


----------



## SandyPGravel

No problem, https://www.seaeagle.com/SportKayaks/SE370.

I put it in a

https://smile.amazon.com/Eagle-Cree...k+No+Matter+What+Rolling+Duffel+-+extra+Large

because the bag is large enough and weighs very little.  The entire kayak, including break down paddles and two seats, with this bag are under 50 lbs.  We had to put the foot pump in a separate bag with the PFD's.  (You can rent PFD's from Beach Bum.)

My only issue with the kayak is the skegs are very tiny, but it is a solid boat.  Inflating it takes about 10 minutes with the foot pump. 

It rained almost every night while we were there too, but only some sprinkles during the day a couple times.

Yeah I think they didn't like that I kept saying no and Cliff wasn't commenting.  Cliff just looked at the guy and said she is the one that knows how all of this works, so he defers to me. 

Have fun!


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> We like having 2 weeks back-2-back in the same villa - glad I was able to buy adjacent week from original owners.  If you could find out who they are (info may be in tax records using clever searches) - you could contact and ask.  This is what I did, but paid a premium.



B2B weeks is the best.  I agree with the tax record searches, they can be very useful to get owner info.


----------



## SandyPGravel

One more thing I forgot to mention.  When we did our trip on the Bad Kitty we did NOT have to individually go through BVI customs like they announced was changing last year.  A member of the boat crew took all of the passports into the Customs office in Tortolla.


----------



## SandyPGravel

*VGV tax bill arrived today.
*
Good news, taxes didn't go up.  Bad news, due earlier.  Last year due Aug 1, late after Sep 30.  This year due June 30 late after Aug 30.


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> *VGV tax bill arrived today.
> *
> Good news, taxes didn't go up.  Bad news, due earlier.  Last year due Aug 1, late after Sep 30.  This year due June 30 late after Aug 30.


Just got mine too.


----------



## okwiater

Uh, did anyone else get a Bay Vista tax bill claiming that 2016 taxes hadn't been paid and are now past due? I thought the HOA aka Vistana was supposed to pay this.


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> Uh, did anyone else get a Bay Vista tax bill claiming that 2016 taxes hadn't been paid and are now past due? I thought the HOA aka Vistana was supposed to pay this.


I thought so too, although I don't own BV.


----------



## SandyPGravel

okwiater said:


> Uh, did anyone else get a Bay Vista tax bill claiming that 2016 taxes hadn't been paid and are now past due? I thought the HOA aka Vistana was supposed to pay this.



Have you called OS yet?  What did they say?  I skimmed through this document when it was first published http://newsofstjohn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Outstanding-Property-Tax-in-USVI.pdf and don't remember seeing Vistana, Starwood, or Westin mentioned.  Hopefully this letter was an error.


----------



## bobpark56

okwiater said:


> Uh, did anyone else get a Bay Vista tax bill claiming that 2016 taxes hadn't been paid and are now past due? I thought the HOA aka Vistana was supposed to pay this.


I don't know about Bay Vista, but at Virgin Grand we have to pay our own tax bills. The HOA does not pay them for us.


----------



## applekor

bobpark56 said:


> I don't know about Bay Vista, but at Virgin Grand we have to pay our own tax bills. The HOA does not pay them for us.


We own at both and bay vista taxes are included in your maintenance fees.  This must have been sent in error.  Don't worry about it


----------



## dioxide45

May want to contact the Vistana HOA department to confirm 800-729-8246.


----------



## sachia007

okwiater said:


> Uh, did anyone else get a Bay Vista tax bill claiming that 2016 taxes hadn't been paid and are now past due? I thought the HOA aka Vistana was supposed to pay this.



Hi,

Just wondering/being nosey.... what does it list the property taxes for your Bay Vista unit? What is the size of your unit (I'm in the hillside group and wondering how those lower units compare to us)?


----------



## ekinggill

Disregard.


----------



## Dawnwrey

Question moved to new thread


----------



## okwiater

sachia007 said:


> Just wondering/being nosey.... what does it list the property taxes for your Bay Vista unit? What is the size of your unit (I'm in the hillside group and wondering how those lower units compare to us)?



My 3BR Bay Vista is being taxed at about $400, whereas my 3BR Pool Villa is being taxed at about $300.


----------



## okwiater

okwiater said:


> Uh, did anyone else get a Bay Vista tax bill claiming that 2016 taxes hadn't been paid and are now past due? I thought the HOA aka Vistana was supposed to pay this.



FWIW, I just called Vistana and spoke with HOA services. The rep informed me that the bill was "safe to disregard" because they take care of paying the taxes for Bay Vista.

Hopefully this is just due to the USVI finally catching up on the property tax billings and won't be an issue in future years. It's a bit scary to ignore a delinquent property tax bill.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Photos of Sunset Bay (B14, 2Bd)












































Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SandyPGravel

I loved the finishes in the Sunset Bay model(really like the flooring), still can't get over the two burner cook top though-deal breaker!!


----------



## DavidnRobin

Never seen this...
Maho Bay 







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SMHarman

SandyPGravel said:


> I loved the finishes in the Sunset Bay model(really like the flooring), still can't get over the two burner cook top though-deal breaker!!


And windowless second bedroom.

Come relax in the Caribbean,  wake up and look out of the window at the lush plantings, the golden Sands, the blue waters, oh nevermind.


----------



## SandyPGravel

SMHarman said:


> And windowless second bedroom.
> 
> Come relax in the Caribbean,  wake up and look out of the window at the lush plantings, the golden Sands, the blue waters, oh nevermind.



I also disliked the lack of a screen door on the patio door.  I like opening the sliding door to listen to the tropical orchestra, but not when you can't keep the bugs out.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Turtle/Sharksucker


----------



## bobpark56

okwiater said:


> My 3BR Bay Vista is being taxed at about $400, whereas my 3BR Pool Villa is being taxed at about $300.


Strange. I just paid our 3BR pool villa tax: $73.16...same as last year. We are EOY owners.


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## SandyPGravel

bobpark56 said:


> Strange. I just paid our 3BR pool villa tax: $73.16...same as last year. We are EOY owners.



Wow, my EY 2BR townhouse taxes are $280.  USVI not exactly consistent in their taxing formulas.


----------



## bizaro86

Thanks for posting the room pics David!

I love the 2 beds in the second bedroom (travel with 2 little kids, everyone gets a bed, no kicking each other), but can't believe that kitchen facility is a 2 bedroom unit. Very similar to the kitchen in the studio side in Hawaii/Lagunamar.


----------



## okwiater

bobpark56 said:


> Strange. I just paid our 3BR pool villa tax: $73.16...same as last year. We are EOY owners.



What season do you own?


----------



## SandyPGravel

okwiater said:


> What season do you own?



Just curious, do you think the property tax is determined by what season is owned?


----------



## Markus

SandyPGravel said:


> Just curious, do you think the property tax is determined by what season is owned?


It certainly is, becaused it is based on the assessed value. The Platinum Plus weeks have a higher assessed value. I had an annual 3 bed pool villa in Platinum season and the taxes were $177 a year. The taxes on my annual Platinum Plus 3 bed pool villa are close to $300 a year.

Markus


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## DavidnRobin

Beautiful Francis Bay


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## PamMo

Very helpful photos, David!

Maybe off topic from St John, but how's retirement going? I hope you haven't looked back!


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## DavidnRobin

PamMo said:


> Very helpful photos, David!
> 
> Maybe off topic from St John, but how's retirement going? I hope you haven't looked back!



Retirement is fantastic - thanks for asking.
I will post more WSJ/STJ stuff now that we are home.  I was trying to stay as unconnected as possible this trip.

We really love St John - we need to extend our time there.  It is so beautiful and relaxing.

Is it still called 'vacation' when you are retired? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DavidnRobin

Hawksnest Beach (Pano) - that is Gibney (Oppenheimer) beach on right.
I am reading the biography on Oppenheimer (American Prometheus) right now - fascinating story.
















Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DavidnRobin

I have a thing for time-lapse.
Goes with the view from balconies thread. Will link.

View from #3410 - June 16.  Wish I had done it the following evening.  Need to bring more micro-SD cards.






Sorry - my YouTube account settings were changed - will try and fix.

Works on TapaTalk, but not on website (meaning having to be redirected to YouTube on website, but shows in real time on TapaTalk). Hmmm... YouTube issue or website/browser? @TUGBrian


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## bobpark56

okwiater said:


> What season do you own?


Week 40.


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## Tia

New question there are recent reports some owners at Bluebeards Castle didn't get their 2016 property tax bill, so now the 2017 is showing up and there is a late fee of 25+% on it. Is this happened to other VI timeshare resort owners at that anyone knows??


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## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Just curious, do you think the property tax is determined by what season is owned?



Yes it is . It is based on the valuation on the villa/week. High season weeks have a higher valuation than low season weeks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SandyPGravel

July 2017

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Villas Owner:

As your owner-elected representatives on our condominium association’s Board of Directors, we recently participated in a conference call meeting of the Board. This is our report from that meeting.

*TWENTY YEAR ANNIVERSARY*

It has been 20 years since the property became a Westin resort. Management recently recognized 35 employees who have been working at the resort for that entire period of time. We think the fact that so many employees have remained reflects well on the state of employer-employee relations at the resort.

*RESORT UPDATE*

Sam Hugli, who has replaced Mike Ryan as General Manager of the resort, provided the following update: construction of the final timeshare units (in Sunset Bay) will be completed during October. Trees have been trimmed to provide better views from the hillside balconies. New chaises for the beach will be arriving soon, and new furniture for the hillside balconies is expected to arrive by the end of July. Soft goods and some hard goods have been renovated in all of the pool villas (either this year or last year, depending on the building), all A/C units have been upgraded, and new pool and patio furniture is expected in July. Management continues to seek sufficiently sturdy towel racks to be placed on the decks of the pool villas. The television at Snorkels has been installed; it is turned on only for afternoon sports events. There is now a once-a-week (Tuesday) farmer’s market at the resort.

*ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FEE*

As you know from our last report, the Virgin Islands legislature recently imposed a $25 per night “environmental impact fee” on residence in a timeshare property. The fee is collected upon checkout and then remitted to the government. American Resort Development Association - Resort Owners’ Coalition (“ARDA-ROC”), the timeshare owners’ representative arm of ARDA which is a trade association for timeshare developers, recently filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the legality of this fee, and a local association has filed a similar suit in the territorial court. Unfortunately, while the case winds through the courts there is no alternative but to pay the fee at this time.

Click here to view the ARDA-ROC complaint as filed in federal court.

*RESORT COMMITTEE*

Three of the four condominium associations at the Westin St. John now have owner representatives on their Boards with the fourth expected to have owner representatives in 2018. Each association Board will appoint one owner representative to a resort committee to discuss with management any budgetary or owner-use issues involving the common areas such as the recreational facilities and roadways or other matters of concern to all of the associations. Bob Werbel, one of your undersigned owner-elected directors, has agreed to represent our association on this committee until the next annual meeting, and Philip Schrag, your other owner-elected director, will represent our association for the year following.

*DIAMOND LANE*

In new reservation confirmations as of May 1, 2017 and all pre-arrival confirmations sent 30 days prior to travel, you will find a link to the Diamond Lane which you can use to notify the resort of your arrival plans, the names of your guests, and whether you are going to use the Westin ferry or the public ferry. This will speed check-in and allow the resort to prepare accordingly. It will not allow your guests to check in or use the Westin ferry before you arrive, however. See below for the procedure if your guests may arrive before you do.

To access Diamond Lane log into vistana.com and from your owner dashboard, place your cursor over the Destinations tab at the top to access the pull-down menu and click on The Westin St. John Resort Villas, then click on the Diamond Lane link in the upper-left section of the page. You can then fill out the Diamond Lane Pre-Arrival Form and submit it online. The Diamond Lane Form must be submitted at least 7 days prior to your scheduled arrival date.

*AIRPORT CHECK-IN*

Whether or not you are using the Westin ferry, if your villa is clean and ready for occupancy, you can now check in at the St. Thomas airport, provide your credit card and identification, and get your villa keys.

*FORECLOSURES*

Owners of eight percent of the unit weeks have not paid their maintenance fee, about the same as last year, and those owners have been denied use of their villas. We continue to institute foreclosure actions against owners delinquent in the payment of their maintenance fees. If you have not paid your maintenance fee, please do so at once; otherwise, you will be locked out and the rest of the owners have to pick up the costs, most of which are fixed. In addition, you could become a defendant in an expensive foreclosure action. In fact, our Board has just authorized our attorney to begin another raft of foreclosures against owners who have not paid their maintenance fee.

*NEXT BARGAIN SALE*

At the end of foreclosure proceedings, the association acquires the foreclosed unit week. As a result, we now own 27 unit weeks that we are going to offer for sale to owners at bargain-basement prices, as we have done twice before. Watch your email for a notice of this opportunity to buy one or more unit weeks at a price far below what comparable unit weeks would cost from the developer or from after-market realtors.

*WEEK 53*

Currently, nineteen Virgin Grand owners own both Week 52 and Week 1. Every five to seven years (and not until 2021 for a Friday check in), those weeks are separated by a “Week 53,” which are owned by the Developer. To prevent a discontinuity for those owners, management will reach out to affected owners 13 months in advance and ask whether they would like to use Week 53 instead of their Week 52. This will provide those owners with the opportunity to avoid a one week gap in the use of their villa by electing to use Week 53 before any other owners have the opportunity to exchange into that week.

*GUESTS WHO ARRIVE BEFORE OWNERS*

If guests will be arriving prior to the Owner, the Owner must telephone Owner Services to change the reservation into the guest name. The applicable Third Party Guest Fee will apply only if it is a VSN reservation. Owner Services is open Monday – Friday, 9am – 9pm and Saturday & Sunday, 9am – 6pm Eastern Time. If you are unexpectedly delayed (e.g., by a snowstorm or flight delay) and Owner Services is closed, you must call the resort front desk with the name of your guests, even though you have submitted a Diamond Lane Form. Your guests will be required to present a credit card at check-in and will be charged the nightly rate plus applicable taxes. When the Owner arrives and checks in, the Owner must then request the resort front desk to change the reservation back into their name. The guest will receive a refund for the nightly rental and taxes, and the Owner will be assessed the $25 per day Environmental Impact Fee at check-out.

*DATE OF NEXT ANNUAL MEETING*
The next annual meeting of the association will be held at the resort on the morning of March 5, 2018.

Sincerely,

Philip G. Schrag
Robert H. Werbel


*I like this part!! *

*AIRPORT CHECK-IN*

Whether or not you are using the Westin ferry, if your villa is clean and ready for occupancy, you can now check in at the St. Thomas airport, provide your credit card and identification, and get your villa keys.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I like the new checkin ability - we had a >45min wait (3rd in line...). I had a chance to see concierge to pick up discount cards, get incentive, etc.  - and still had to wait.  Then, some entitled guy steps in front of me with 'just a question' - that wasn't just a question (he wasn't happy with his CV villa...)  After 15 hr of travel - and everyone waiting - needless to say - I stopped that crap immediately.  We have a fix-fix... shouldn't be so hard.  Took me ~2 min to checkin.

8% in delinquency!
and now with that BS 'Environmental Fee' - my worry (prediction) is that low season studios will drop out at a higher rate.  This is an unfair 'fee' that it punishes a lower occupancy villas over high occupancy villas based on environmental impact.  I can not believe that this unbalance would be upheld in court - regardless of the overall inherent unfairness of this fee (punishes TS Owners who already pay property taxes that are suppose to cover environmental impact).  Total money grab - what else is new?

Problem is in the medium term - owners will bail - I already heard rumblings from owners.
This $175/week fee is more than 2x our property tax... arg


----------



## alexadeparis

Wow  I read that ARDA complaint. Very well pled and the first time I have EVER seen the ARDA take it to the mat for the actual timeshare owner. . I will be watching for the ultimate outcome. Things in Federal court sometimes move very slowly so this may take years.


----------



## DavidnRobin

alexadeparis said:


> Wow  I read that ARDA complaint. Very well pled and the first time I have EVER seen the ARDA take it to the mat for the actual timeshare owner. . I will be watching for the ultimate outcome. Things in Federal court sometimes move very slowly so this may take years.



I would have liked VSE/ILG and Marriott also get involved. They have a lot of skin in the game.  Why just ARDA?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> I would have liked VSE/ILG and Marriott also get involved. They have a lot of skin in the game.  Why just ARDA?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


ARDA represents the developers and the developers pay money to ARDA to lobby on their behalf.


----------



## DavidnRobin

dioxide45 said:


> ARDA represents the developers and the developers pay money to ARDA to lobby on their behalf.



I realize...
but this is not lobbying - it is a court case.
Nothing stops Marriott or ILG from filing an injunction to halt this fee and overturn it.
I have little faith in ARDA.

Are you subject to this fee?


----------



## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> I realize...
> but this is not lobbying - it is a court case.
> Nothing stops Marriott or ILG from filing an injunction to halt this fee and overturn it.
> I have little faith in ARDA.
> 
> Are you subject to this fee?


Can they not file amicus briefs in support?


----------



## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> Are you subject to this fee?


I will be when the time comes that we get to go to the USVI. I actually think it would be up to the HOAs to get involved as well, not just the developers.


----------



## ekinggill

Can anyone who has visited recently give an update on the car ferry situation?


----------



## applekor

ekinggill said:


> Can anyone who has visited recently give an update on the car ferry situation?


No issues, all are running which means there is a barge every half hour.  We are back to buying one way ticket however. They don't honor each others round trip ticket.


----------



## kenzie

ekinggill said:


> Can anyone who has visited recently give an update on the car ferry situation?


Car ferry are running fine as of end of April.


----------



## DavidnRobin

applekor said:


> No issues, all are running which means there is a barge every half hour.  We are back to buying one way ticket however. They don't honor each others round trip ticket.



We still get $50RT fare (vs $70 for 2 OW fare) - their times of departure are posted (and accurate) - they are only ~30 mins apart when the other car barge is running (it was in June).
So just make sure you get on correct one.


----------



## tammymacb

David, any word when the next bargain sale will happen? I keep considering buying week 28 so I'd like to see what's available when it comes out.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tammymacb said:


> David, any word when the next bargain sale will happen? I keep considering buying week 28 so I'd like to see what's available when it comes out.



I just saw what was stated in recent update (posted above). I assume an email will be sent (or like last time... VSE makes acceptable offer to HOA).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Helios

I was very surprised when I saw the bargain sale being mentioned.  I thought all these units would be bought by VSE to be resold...


----------



## SandyPGravel

*Any preference on which listing to go through?
*
Found a listing for a WSJ VGV unit on Redweek, also found same listing on Remax.  Any reason I should consider one over the other?  Same price for both listings.


----------



## cyntravel

Hi Can any one tell me if you can extend your staroptions? If so how do I go about doing so?

Thanks
Cyn


----------



## Bill4728

cyntravel said:


> Hi Can any one tell me if you can extend your staroptions? If so how do I go about doing so?
> 
> Thanks
> Cyn


I'd ask this question on the main starwood / Westin board not within this thread


----------



## cyntravel

Bill4728 said:


> I'd ask this question on the main starwood / Westin board not within this thread


Ok Thanks Bill


----------



## cubigbird

Interested in exchanging via StarOptions into STJ Thanksgiving 2018, so I'm obviously constrained to booking at 8 months.  What does availability look like for Thanksgiving and do I have a chance at 8 months out?


----------



## okwiater

cubigbird said:


> Interested in exchanging via StarOptions into STJ Thanksgiving 2018, so I'm obviously constrained to booking at 8 months.  What does availability look like for Thanksgiving and do I have a chance at 8 months out?



Nobody can check availability for November 2018 until November of this year. My guess is that Thanksgiving will be a challenging trade into WSJ; however, with Sunset Bay in active sales, there are fewer owners than unit-weeks and that might loosen inventory somewhat. Still, for a holiday week, you might have better luck in the 2-3 month timeframe than at 8 months, as I have seen occasional cancellations even for desirable holiday weeks.


----------



## GrayFal

Could someone refresh my memory about what housekeeping/tidy services we receive when staying in our owned unit/time? Specifically VGV but I also own in CV. 
I have a renter asking.  
TIA


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> Could someone refresh my memory about what housekeeping/tidy services we receive when staying in our owned unit/time? Specifically VGV but I also own in CV.
> I have a renter asking.
> TIA


Stay of 7 days = 1 mid-week tidy

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## GrayFal

SandyPGravel said:


> Stay of 7 days = 1 mid-week tidy
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


Thx.  That's what I thought.


----------



## Helios

cubigbird said:


> Interested in exchanging via StarOptions into STJ Thanksgiving 2018, so I'm obviously constrained to booking at 8 months.  What does availability look like for Thanksgiving and do I have a chance at 8 months out?


It would be tough to get this reservation, probably even with Sunset Bay being open.  @okwiater is probably right that the 2-3 months may be your best bet.  But be ready for some expensive airfare...


----------



## bobpark56

_[Deleted. Ads are not permitted in the TUG public forums.]_


----------



## cubigbird

Do we have any updates on the litigation of the $25 nightly "Environmental/Infrastructure Impact Fee" aka tax aka "we can't make good on our bonds so we are being creative to raise revenue and not dare call it a tax"???


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> I just saw what was stated in recent update (posted above). I assume an email will be sent (or like last time... VSE makes acceptable offer to HOA).



*Virgin Grand Villas — St. John Condominium Owners Association
Aug. 14, 2017*

We are pleased to announce an Owner resale program that will allow Owners like you the ability to purchase Association-owned Vacation Ownership Interest (VOI) weeks at a substantially reduced cost.

The Association now owns 24 VOI weeks as a result of Owners failing to pay their maintenance fees over the years. The Owners have been denied the use of accommodations at the resort and their VOI weeks have either been foreclosed or offered a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

If you are interested in purchasing an Association-owned VOI week, please follow these steps:

Click here to log in to your Dashboard on vistana.com. Please see the activation date below in *RED.*
Select and click "View Statement & Make Payments" in the "Owners Association" widget.
If you have VOI weeks at other resorts, please select the corresponding week under The Westin St. John Resort Villas from the drop-down menu.
Click on "Ownership Opportunities," then click on "Resale."
Click on "Available Vacation Weeks" on the right-hand side of the screen.
Review/update your information, select a Villa type from the Villa Type drop-down menu, then click "Submit Request."
Once the sale goes live on *Aug. 16, 2017, at noon Eastern time*, click on the link below to see the available inventory.
This special resale offer is subject to the following terms:

This is not a public offering, but a limited-term internal offer to Owners only. *The Association website will only be active beginning on Aug. 16, 2017, at noon Eastern time, until Sept. 16, 2017, at 4 p.m. Eastern time.*
VOI weeks are offered online on a first-come, first-served basis between *Aug. 16, 2017, at noon Eastern time and Sept. 16, 2017, at 4 p.m. Eastern time.*
*Qualified requests* to purchase available VOI weeks will be processed in the order received. A purchase contract and related disclosure documents will be mailed to Owners with further instructions. *An initial deposit of 50% of the purchase price will be required when returning the executed purchase contract.*
Requests will only be deemed as Qualified Requests if the person submitting the request is an Owner in good standing with no outstanding balances due to the Association.
VOI weeks offered by the Association will be automatically enrolled in Vistana Signature Network™ (VSN).
VOI weeks offered by the Association do not count toward Vistana Elite Owner status and may not participate in the Starwood Preferred Guest® program (converting a VOI to Starpoints®), and are not eligible for any other enhanced benefits offered by the Developer.
The offer is limited to VOI weeks owned by this Association. The Association is not offering to take back any VOI weeks. This is an offer to resell VOI weeks already owned by the Association.
Should you have any questions regarding this information, and for the fastest response time, please email us at resaleoffer@vistana.com.

Sincerely, 

Virgin Grand Villas – St. John Condominium Owners Associations
Board of Directors


----------



## Carolyn

Why am I not seeing "Ownership Opportunities"? Or do we have to wait until August 16 to see available units for sale?


----------



## LisaH

Carolyn said:


> Why am I not seeing "Ownership Opportunities"? Or do we have to wait until August 16 to see available units for sale?


Me either. Also, the available inventory link does not work.


----------



## Markus

From my read of David's post above, item 7, it looks like the list of inventory will only go live on the 16th of August.

Markus


----------



## SandyPGravel

Link isn't working yet...


----------



## SandyPGravel

Link is working now!!


----------



## DavidnRobin

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## SMHarman

What are those monster assessment numbers.


----------



## SandyPGravel

SMHarman said:


> What are those monster assessment numbers.



Maintenance Fees.  Some of those are multi-week fractional, probably 4 week period is my guess.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SMHarman said:


> What are those monster assessment numbers.



Those are the MFs...
The closing costs are ridiculous.

Interesting to see Fractionals listed - do they not get SOs?

Overall - nothing of interest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SMHarman

SandyPGravel said:


> Maintenance Fees.  Some of those are multi-week fractional, probably 4 week period is my guess.


Ah makes sense now. Thanks


----------



## LisaH

Doesn't look too impressive. Guess I won't be bidding...


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Those are the MFs...
> The closing costs are ridiculous.  *Agreed*
> 
> Interesting to see Fractionals listed - do they not get SOs? *Good question!!  6k to 12k in mf and no network option?  Ick*
> 
> Overall - nothing of interest. *Agreed*
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Helios

Completely forgot about this.  Looks like I did not miss anything good.

Still wonder why they were not purchased by the resort.  I guess they saw no value in the inventory.


----------



## EnglishmanAbroad

Anyone know if they have done or intend doing a similar 'sale' to existing owners for other resorts? I suppose for places like WKORV and WKORV-N there are enough people (who don't frequent this site) willing to pay the developer prices?


----------



## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## bobpark56

Without check-in dates, I find the listing of offerings useless.


----------



## cubigbird

Looks like the MF for Sunset Bay will be around $3,080 for a 2 bedroom week.


----------



## SandyPGravel

cubigbird said:


> Looks like the MF for Sunset Bay will be around $3,080 for a 2 bedroom week.


Ouch!

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## bizaro86

Does anyone know how the fractional deeds work? A month at WSJ sounds pretty good, but WHICH month makes quite a big difference...


----------



## DavidnRobin

bizaro86 said:


> Does anyone know how the fractional deeds work? A month at WSJ sounds pretty good, but WHICH month makes quite a big difference...



You could email Phil and ask?

It was odd to see Fractionals and have no date info...
(also - lack of check-in date as pointed out)

How hard would have this been to add these? arg...


----------



## Snowonbeach

We are 3 star owners (Lagunamar and Atlantis) who will be visiting St. John for the first time. We have a 2 bedroom villa booked. Would someone please give some advice on the difference in the various buildings? Are there specific sections we should ask for or avoid?


----------



## SandyPGravel

Snowonbeach said:


> We are 3 star owners (Lagunamar and Atlantis) who will be visiting St. John for the first time. We have a 2 bedroom villa booked. Would someone please give some advice on the difference in the various buildings? Are there specific sections we should ask for or avoid?



How many people in your group?  Some two bedroom options only sleep 6 (4 comfortably) some sleep 8, some sleep 10.  
Do you cook in room a lot?  Some have full kitchens.  Some have partial kitchens (4 burner cooktop and convection microwave.)  Some have light kitchen 2 burner cooktop and microwave.
Are you resort people, like to be in the center of things?  Or would you prefer a more laid back, quieter, some distance from main resort?
Are you renting a car for the entire stay?

Gina


----------



## Snowonbeach

Hi Gina

There are only two of us. We do like to cook our own meals so we definitely want a full kitchen. Most of the time we are pretty laid back and don't need to be near the centre of things. We will want to rent a jeep for a couple of days as we like to snorkel. Any suggestions would be appreciated!


----------



## SandyPGravel

Snowonbeach said:


> Hi Gina
> 
> There are only two of us. We do like to cook our own meals so we definitely want a full kitchen. Most of the time we are pretty laid back and don't need to be near the centre of things. We will want to rent a jeep for a couple of days as we like to snorkel. Any suggestions would be appreciated!



I would ask to be put in a VGV hillside villa buildings 31 - 34(If available) since you will only have two people(max of 6 people in those units).  The units have full kitchens, including an oven.  It is a walk to the main resort especially if you are in building 33 or 34, but the views can be spectacular.  You can request a shuttle up to the building if you venture down to the main resort.  Parking is directly outside of your unit, so that is handy. 

If you have time, pick up a copy of "St John Off the beaten track" by Gerald Singer.  Lots of info on St. John.  I found it very helpful the first time I visited so I could pick which places to visit.  Great descriptions of the island trails, beaches and history.

Any of the North shore beaches are spectacular.  This year we visited Honeymoon for the first time and loved it(saw some squid for the first time).  The first time we were there, we went to Maho, very calm bay great for turtles.  The best (IMHO) snorkeling is at Waterlemon but that will involve a drive, a hike and a swim to get to Waterlemon.  But it is worth it.  Hawksnest beach has great snorkeling too.  You really can't go wrong with any of the north shore beaches.

I would recommend a trip to the east end.   The east end has free roaming goats and donkeys that are fun to see.  Plus we love going to Skinny Legs, nice bar in Coral Bay.  We have driven all the way to the end of the road, mile marker 12.8 just for the heck of it.

Last year we did the hurricane hole kayak trip through Arawak Expeditions.  Very enjoyable.  Great snorkeling along the mangroves to see the baby fishes.

Have fun-
Gina


----------



## bobpark56

SandyPGravel said:


> The best (IMHO) snorkeling is at Waterlemon but that will involve a drive, a hike and a swim to get to Waterlemon.  But it is worth it.  Hawksnest beach has great snorkeling too.  You really can't go wrong with any of the north shore beaches.


Actually, the best snorkeling is at Haulover North (I think). But it's not for beginners and you should only do it when the wind is from the south, otherwise waves. No beach to speak of, and awkward entering the water, but once in and swimming to the left, it's like a coral garden with lots of fish. Waterlemon is 2nd on my list.


----------



## Snowonbeach

Thanks for all of the suggestions for snorkelling and buildings. Any advice for jeep rentals?


----------



## SandyPGravel

Snowonbeach said:


> Thanks for all of the suggestions for snorkelling and buildings. Any advice for jeep rentals?



We rent from Amalie on St Thomas.  Love the convenience of airport pick up / drop off. Has an added cost/hassle of using the Car Ferry.  We've never rented on St. John, but it has some advantages.  Some offer parking in Cruz Bay, which can be challenging.


----------



## Helios

+1, thanks to @DavidnRobin  for pointing it out.


----------



## cubigbird

Looks like Sunset Bay is set up as a 40 year RTU with an option to renew by owners vote after the 40 years has ended, no deeded weeks on a Home Options platform like Coral Vista.


----------



## DavidnRobin

VGV... Tough hill? I think that is relative to fitness level...
but then again - we get a vehicle (Amalie on STT) for the entire time and spend little time at the resort (if any). Not sure why spending big $$$ vacationing on StJ - and then going cheap on getting around (limiting access) this beautiful island.  But, that is IMO and IME... 
I enjoy getting the car at STT and the car barge - an immediate start to our vacation.

I think prime snorkeling/beach spot is where I am at the moment - however, the best I have seen on-island is off of Blue Cobblestone beach (Nag Head/Salt Pond), and backside of Watermelon (careful...) - otherwise places like Carval Rock and Congo Cay (weather permitting) - but need boat.  We are going to forego the BVI for future trips - unfortunately.


----------



## farsighted99

Looks like Hurricane Irma is now a Cat 4 and may be heading near the Virgin Islands.  Wish you all luck...   hopefully it will veer away....


----------



## DavidnRobin

farsighted99 said:


> Looks like Hurricane Irma is now a Cat 4 and may be heading near the Virgin Islands.  Wish you all luck...   hopefully it will veer away....



Cat 5 now - and USVI is directly in Irma's path. Still moving West with no Northward movement yet.


----------



## SandyPGravel

My 2019 week is on the Dashboard for confirmation already!!  18 months out.


----------



## lizap

DavidnRobin said:


> Cat 5 now - and USVI is directly in Irma's path. Still moving West with no Northward movement yet.




Looks like the eye may pass to the north of USVI.  If this track continues, USVI will get some wind, but nothing like the east side of the storm. Hard to imagine the kind of devastation if USVI takes a direct hit with 185 mph winds and gusts over 200 mph.


----------



## SandyPGravel

lizap said:


> Looks like the eye may pass to the north of USVI.  If this track continues, USVI will get some wind, but nothing like the east side of the storm. Hard to imagine the kind of devastation if USVI takes a direct hit with 185 mph winds and gusts over 200 mph.



"_The NHC also said Irma became the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic basin outside of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico in recorded history._"  Hard to believe it is this strong before it gets to the warmer water.  Can't imagine the strength it will gain.  Hope it steers clear.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Here was H.Marilyn's path and strength (1995). It was a Cat 2 when it hit USVI and never became more than Cat 3.
Never hit Mainland US - so many have never heard of it's destruction.

Irma will be a Cat 5...


----------



## SandyPGravel

Is Marilyn the storm that took out  the Christ of the Caribbean peace hill statue?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## DavidnRobin

H. Marilyn photo - WSJ location (pre-Westin - 1995)


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Is Marilyn the storm that took out  the Christ of thr Carribean peace hill statue?



Yes


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> H. Marilyn photo - View attachment 4663 WSJ location (whatever it was in 1995)




WOW!


----------



## DavidnRobin

Marilyn photos....
Wood houses were destroyed
Trees stripped
Coast Guard try to head full force into Marilyn in CA Harbor

Cat 2/3... ?

Glad WSJ-VGV has Hurricane Insurance - hope we don't need it.


----------



## cubigbird

Yikes!  Here's hoping that the resort has been updated stronger since 1995 and that there is good hurricane insurance in place for ALL of the resort phases!  Hopefully with the resort being on the hill and facing south it reduces potential for flooding and destruction.


----------



## DavidnRobin

I do not recall hearing that other phases have Hurricane Insurance - this is policy that WSJ-HOA purchased separately (as per VGV HOA Owner newsletter).


----------



## cubigbird

You would think that hurricane insurance would be mandatory.  It's like not having flood insurance in a FEMA flood plane.  Without it there could be a total uninsured loss, requiring the levying of hefty unaffordable SA or total rebuild of a resort, and I can't imagine owners footing that.  It would be stupid not to have it considering the island location vs typical hurricane paths.


----------



## DavidnRobin

cubigbird said:


> You would think that hurricane insurance would be mandatory.  It's like not having flood insurance in a FEMA flood plane.  Without it there could be a total uninsured loss, requiring the levying of hefty unaffordable SA or total rebuild of a resort, and I can't imagine owners footing that.  It would be stupid not to have it considering the island location vs typical hurricane paths.



In looking into this - in regards to VGV - here is an excerpt from VGV HOA newsletter (Sept 2016).






Can anyone shed clarity?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## cubigbird

Looks like that deductible might get to kick in here.  Here's to minimal damage and no special assessments on the horizon!  Irma could potentially demolish the entire resort like Wilma did in Cancun and Odile in Cabo.


----------



## okwiater

cubigbird said:


> Looks like that deductible might get to kick in here.  Here's to minimal damage and no special assessments on the horizon!  Irma could potentially demolish the entire resort like Wilma did in Cancun and Odile in Cabo.



Yeah, it's not looking good. I guess the silver lining would be that maybe Building 41 & 42 pool villa owners would finally get that permanent wall between the bedrooms?


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> In looking into this - in regards to VGV - here is an excerpt from VGV HOA newsletter (Sept 2016).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone shed clarity?



This sounds to me more like VGV is saving for the potential outlay of the _deductible_ rather than having procured an exclusive hurricane insurance policy. Like cubigbird, I am incredulous that the other phases would not have hurricane insurance. Granted, there could certainly be a special assessment, but would Vistana really risk a total loss on a property that is in active development and sales? Anything is possible, but it doesn't pass the smell test.


----------



## GrayFal

Keeping all the staff and their families in my thoughts today.  Many travel from STT daily to work - and I suspect the harbor is closed by now.


----------



## okwiater

GrayFal said:


> Keeping all the staff and their families in my thoughts today.  Many travel from STT daily to work - and I suspect the harbor is closed by now.



Yes, it was closed yesterday. I echo your thoughts for the people of the island. Hope everyone stays safe -- the buildings can be rebuilt.


----------



## SLC

okwiater said:


> Yes, it was closed yesterday. I echo your thoughts for the people of the island. Hope everyone stays safe -- the buildings can be rebuilt.


A view from earlier this morning, interesting to see: http://www.soggydollar.com/webcam


----------



## canesfan

I've been watching the News of St. John FB updates. It's definitely getting worse. The Weather Center has the eye predicted as 100-80 miles away from STT and possibly passing over STT & STJ 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## SandyPGravel

*I have never seen "double overhead waves" surf alert before.*
Marine Reports: Marine Forecasts






*My Location:* St John, VI  

*Current Time: *12:03:21 PM AST 







Wind Conditions  |  Wave Conditions  |  More Weather 
*USA Weather News Headlines
*Powered by 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



All Stories.

Surf Alerts
Date Alert
09.06.2017 Double-overhead waves
09.07.2017 Chest-high waves
09.08.2017 Chest-high waves
09.09.2017 Head-high waves
09.10.2017 Chest-high waves


----------



## lizap

Am I missing it or is there no mention of resort closure/Irma on the website?


----------



## NNerland

Not looking good -- From "News of St John" Blog

*Wednesday 12:10 p.m.*
*September 6, 2017 • 51 Comments*


The winds are really picking up. They’re also starting to swirl. We’ve been able to go outside most of the day due to the wind direction. We are now all inside hunkered down.

We hear the storm has shifted and that St. John will now get a direct hit. We can see that trees have already fallen, and the roof has come off one of our favorite restaurants.

I will continue to update as long as I can. To be honest, I am stunned that I still have internet.

This island will likely see mass destruction. That is difficult to write, but it is real. But we will rebuild. We will come back. We will be strong. We will show you the best of humanity.

So what do we need from you? We need to you to come back. We need your love. We need your support. We need you now more than ever.

As I have said several times, thank you. I appreciate each and everyone of you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving this website. And most importantly, thank you for loving St. John.


----------



## canesfan

lizap said:


> Am I missing it or is there no mention of resort closure/Irma on the website?


There was, it said you would get your Staroptions returned and waive cancellation fees.  The ports were closed to STT and STJ and advised all to leave. It was posted in the thread upwards and also Denise posted on a separate thread yesterday.


----------



## cubigbird

okwiater said:


> This sounds to me more like VGV is saving for the potential outlay of the _deductible_ rather than having procured an exclusive hurricane insurance policy. Like cubigbird, I am incredulous that the other phases would not have hurricane insurance. Granted, there could certainly be a special assessment, but would Vistana really risk a total loss on a property that is in active development and sales? Anything is possible, but it doesn't pass the smell test.



According to the STJ docs there is mention of payment of insurance premium (to include hurricane) as part of the yearly assessment but there are no further specifics.  I think it would be negiglent and a breach of fiduciary capacity (for the benefit of the owners) to not carry such coverage.  Hurricanes coming through this alley is not historically new.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Guess we are going to find out - STJ is in path


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## canesfan

From the News of St. John FB page

*News of St. John*
Just now ·
Papa News here
I just got a text from Jenn she said the winds are at 133 mph she and her friends are safe She fears the Island is being destroyed
( im not a writer )


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> Guess we are going to find out - STJ is in path
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## farsighted99

Keep safe everyone who is there. This is so depressing...  Am planning to visit in 2019...

Weren't they doing some massive renovations there recently???


----------



## vistana101

Looks like the eye hit Cruz Bay...wondering how the Westin and all the people there made out.




Update from News of St. John:


----------



## canesfan

On that same post in the comments someone said they heard from friends who were at the Westin. They were moved to higher ground. Lots of trees were down and at least one building had lost its roof. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Helios

wow, sounds awful.


----------



## NNerland

A picture from the Westin
Praying for all the people
Sounds like many are safe but island is really going to be changed


----------



## cubigbird

NNerland said:


> A picture from the Westin
> Praying for all the people
> Sounds like many are safe but island is really going to be changed



Can't tell from the photo if those are Sunset Bay or Coral Vista.  Looks like all buildings took major roof damage.  Probably the case for most, if not all of the phases.


----------



## NNerland

Sunset.  Down by pool but I am sure they all have some damage.   To think they were in the final month or two of a $95mm villa and property update.


----------



## Dawnwrey

cubigbird said:


> Can't tell from the photo if those are Sunset Bay or Coral Vista.  Looks like all buildings took major roof damage.  Probably the case for most, if not all of the phases.


I am pretty sure it is Sunset Bay.


----------



## vistana101

The same image a bit larger...




Definitely looks like Sunset Bay.


----------



## LisaH

Which App are you using to see this?



DavidnRobin said:


>





vistana101 said:


> Looks like the eye hit Cruz Bay...wondering how the Westin and all the people there made out


----------



## Helios

NNerland said:


> Sunset.  Down by pool but I am sure they all have some damage.   To think they were in the final month or two of a $95mm villa and property update.


Sunset definitely.


----------



## Vacation4us

LisaH said:


> Which App are you using to see this?


MyRadar


----------



## tomandrobin

I don't post much anymore, but I do read/follow a lot of different St John feeds. The damage appears to be pretty bad for the island. Power is out for the whole island and will probably be out for 1-2 months in some areas. The photos for Barbuda and St Martin and finally coming in, and those islands are devastated.


----------



## ksqdomer

Ivan's Stress free bar on JVD was totally wiped out.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...set=pcb.1880375888644954&type=3&theater&ifg=1


----------



## vistana101

Westin Damage


----------



## lizap

vistana101 said:


> Westin Damage View attachment 4689




I assume you were there.  Were the other buildings damaged?  Is the resort still open?


----------



## vistana101

lizap said:


> I assume you were there.  Were the other buildings damaged?  Is the resort still open?



Sorry, I was not there. Just following on Facebook. Comments there say people are all safe, but quite a bit of damage. No water, running on a generator for electricity, but no AC.


----------



## vistana101

Another picture:


----------



## GrayFal




----------



## GrayFal




----------



## GrayFal




----------



## GrayFal




----------



## GrayFal

Above images are from Instagram.  This person who is at the resort also had some video but if it know how to upload it


----------



## GrayFal

https://instagram.com/p/BYtI-F0gBSB/


----------



## DavidnRobin

I thought cell towers were down?
Curious to hear/see how the roofs of the VGV hillside villas held up?
The videos/photos from Tortola are horrific...
Anegada must be wiped clean. 

Hersheysfinest is about to have large increase in IG follows...
the photos on IG are very clear.  It looks as if the houses on the hillside (above gas station) still have their roofs (good) - but vegetation is wiped clean.
Luckily it grows fast - amazing how resilient palm trees are.


----------



## cubigbird

Here's hoping that we don't see a slew of Special Assessments.  I wish we could know about the extent of insurance coverage, or lack thereof.  You'd think though as large as VSE is, there would be adequate insurance and planning for this.


----------



## DavidnRobin

The before and after video on IG is really telling.  Looks like they were a guest and got stuck. Also, they were in their villa (BV phase?) during Irma - that surprises me, but perhaps deemed safer alternative (?)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## vistana101

Comment on Facebook says Westin closed through September 29th.


----------



## NNerland

My wife sent a screen shot of a comment in one of many on Facebook -- Westin Resort is closed until September 29th.   I can't belive they will get that place turned around in 3 weeks; but that was per the Starwood Ownership line this lady posted.

News isn't good.   Cruz Bay in tough shape, and there is finally word coming out of Coral Bay.  Per a special Facebook page set up -- Devastation is complete, but people are ok.  No serious injuries reported thus far and a volunteer medic only had to bandage 1-2 people.   They are all anxious to start the work of clearing debris and roads to get better access....but this is going to be a long build.  I read an article stating it could take years for St Thomas to recover.

On one bright note, it was said somewhere that Delta was going to be flying into STT starting Saturday.   The airport picture i saw looked pretty decent, would assume communications biggest key

The pictures are just heartbreaking.   They are all so positive about rebuilding; but the cold hard reality is if people don't return their lives will never be the same.

Irma has done some major damage to some amazing places.....St Martin, St John, St Thomas, Puerto Rico, and on its way to crushing Turks and Cacos.

Kenny Chesney had a pretty emotional post about being absolutely speechless - I would look for him to do something like JJ Watt for the area.   It is his home for many months per year when not touring or in LA.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Dear Owner, 

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, we wanted to update you on the status of The Westin St. John Resort Villas.

Most importantly all of our Associates, Owners and Guests are safe. The resort and the surrounding areas experienced significant damage and we are currently assessing the overall impact. We are able to report that the resort endured flooding, displaced landscaping and roof damage to multiple buildings. We will work with our insurance company to repair or replace these areas.

I would like to thank our team who worked diligently to prepare for the storm, help minimize damage and ensure the safety and well-being of the more than 300 Owners and Guests on property.

Thank you all for your kind messages. We will update you as we learn more.

Be well,

Sam Hugli
General ManagerYou have received this transactional message as part of your vacation ownership. Please do not reply directly to this system-generated e-mail. Contact Vistana Management, Inc. at 9002 San Marco Court, Orlando, FL 32819 or click here.

2017 Vistana Signature Experiences, Inc. ("Vistana") and Marriott International, Inc. ("Marriott"). All Rights Reserved. Vistana and its logo are the trademarks of Vistana or its affiliates. SPG, Preferred Guest, Sheraton, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Marriott or its affiliates and are used by Vistana, an authorized partner of the SPG program, under license from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC, a subsidiary of Marriott. Vistana and the programs and products it provides are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott or its affiliates. Vistana is solely responsible for its advertising, marketing, privacy and data collection practices.

Privacy Statement  |  Terms & Conditions  |  4802  |  20A  |  17-OOC-1275




Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Dear Owner,
> 
> In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, we wanted to update you on the status of The Westin St. John Resort Villas.
> 
> Most importantly all of our Associates, Owners and Guests are safe. The resort and the surrounding areas experienced significant damage and we are currently assessing the overall impact. We are able to report that the resort endured flooding, displaced landscaping and roof damage to multiple buildings. We will work with our insurance company to repair or replace these areas.
> 
> I would like to thank our team who worked diligently to prepare for the storm, help minimize damage and ensure the safety and well-being of the more than 300 Owners and Guests on property.
> 
> Thank you all for your kind messages. We will update you as we learn more.
> 
> Be well,
> 
> Sam Hugli
> General ManagerYou have received this transactional message as part of your vacation ownership. Please do not reply directly to this system-generated e-mail. Contact Vistana Management, Inc. at 9002 San Marco Court, Orlando, FL 32819 or click here.
> 
> 2017 Vistana Signature Experiences, Inc. ("Vistana") and Marriott International, Inc. ("Marriott"). All Rights Reserved. Vistana and its logo are the trademarks of Vistana or its affiliates. SPG, Preferred Guest, Sheraton, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Marriott or its affiliates and are used by Vistana, an authorized partner of the SPG program, under license from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC, a subsidiary of Marriott. Vistana and the programs and products it provides are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott or its affiliates. Vistana is solely responsible for its advertising, marketing, privacy and data collection practices.
> 
> Privacy Statement  |  Terms & Conditions  |  4802  |  20A  |  17-OOC-1275
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


I wish they had mentioned what buildings specifically.


----------



## NNerland

Pretty much every building.   I have seen many angles and areas and most every buildings points were ripped off.   Going to be interesting how long it takes them to get people in.   Specifics are going to be hard as it just happened and they have limited communication


----------



## vistana101

St. John does not seem to be in the direct path of Hurricane Jose, but it is quite close...


----------



## DavidnRobin

The hillside may have offered some protection for B31-34 - the IG photos show most roofs intact on hillside above gas station - but then again - different angle. Our villa (B34 1st floor corner) would be easily flooded with water coming off that hillside - and those roof corners are exposed.
Recall the roofs (and siding) were replaced - 2010-12?


----------



## DavidnRobin

vistana101 said:


> St. John does not seem to be in the direct path of Hurricane Jose, but it is quite close...



Oddly - the areas affected my get water (from rain) with minimal storm damage.  Many (many) Carib island folk are going to be in dire need of water soon/foremost (and shelter and food, and medical aid, etc...).  btw - not sure if this is allowed per TUG rules, but we donated to St John Rescue - they are in process of sending 3 planes.

WSJ damage is minimal compared to the devastation of those less protected.

It is reported (unverified) that 95% of boats in Hurricane Hole are severely damaged and many aground. Unverified.  They have a couple of Sat phones in Coral Bay - can only walk around as roads are blocked by poles, etc.
So sad.


----------



## LisaH

vistana101 said:


> St. John does not seem to be in the direct path of Hurricane Jose, but it is quite close...


It seems just outside the current forecast cone. Hope it will only change for the better as time goes.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> The hillside may have offered some protection for B31-34 - the IG photos show most roofs intact on hillside above gas station - but then again - different angle. Our villa (B34 1st floor corner) would be easily flooded with water coming off that hillside - and those roof corners are exposed.
> Recall the roofs (and siding) were replaced - 2010-12?


I put be missing something, what IG pictures.  I am interested in Building 43 pics.


----------



## cubigbird

Here are two photos from twitter of WSJ.  You might be able to determine the buildings based on angles.


----------



## GrayFal

http://viconsortium.com/featured/ir...ar-in-st-thomas-sinks-two-ferries-in-st-john/


ST. THOMAS — Governor Kenneth Mapp confirmed at a late Thursday press conference that so far, four people have been confirmed dead in St. Thomas in the wake of Hurricane Irma, adding that there was a high likelihood that more bodies would be found.




“Part of the recovery process involves going through properties and going through neighborhoods, and so far, I can confirm that so far we’ve identified at least four fatalities,” Mr. Mapp said. “I will not venture to say what was the cause of the fatalities; they clearly occurred during the course of the event,” he added, referring to Hurricane Irma — the 185 mile-per-hour storm that laid waste to St. Thomas on Wednesday. Mr. Mapp said the number is expected to increase as first responders continue their search and rescue efforts. “I’m advised that I should not be surprised to hear that there’s more; I don’t know that there will be any massive numbers, but this was a significant event leaving significant destruction in its path,” he said.

The governor also said his administration was not ready to reveal the communities in which the bodies were found, telling The Consortium that, “We can’t answer all the questions this early out.”

The tragic news is sure to heighten the fear of relatives who live abroad and have not been able to make contact with their loved ones in St. Thomas. The Consortium has been inundated by people whose family members were caught in the storm, some in tears, searching for any clue that would put their minds at ease.

William Vogel, federal coordinating officer of FEMA Region II, which encompasses the states of New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Native American tribes in the region, broke down while speaking at the press conference. “I can’t tell you how much the federal family understands what position you’re in, and we will do our best to be able to provide you with everything that you need,” Mr. Vogel managed, after offering sympathies.

At the Thursday press conference, which was held at Government House on St. Croix, Mr. Mapp said the newly formed Emergency Operations Command (E.O.C.), which serves as a centralized point to receive and disseminate information, and to adequately deploy resources, would create a system through which family members could begin identifying their loved ones.

The governor had planned on visiting St. Thomas today, and apologized for not being able to make it. He stressed that his administration and federal partners have been working incessantly to assure that affected Virgin Islanders receive adequate relief. He said all federal resources relative to Hurricane Irma will be routed to the St. Thomas-St. John District, as St. Croix was already returning to some level of normalcy.

Mr. Mapp said the damage in some areas of St. John appeared to be worse that the havoc Hurricane Irma exacted on St. Thomas. Mona Barnes, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, confirmed tonight that “a couple of the ferries have actually sunk,” quoting the captain of the district’s ports who, she said, also stated that all the ports in the district were closed as of late Thursday.

Noting that Virgin Islanders were in a unique and favorable position to be U.S. citizens, Mr. Mapp confirmed that President Donald Trump had approved his administration’s request for disaster declaration, which qualifies the territory for substantial federal dollars as the islands work to rebuild from the devastation that was Hurricane Irma.

The governor called off a curfew on St. Croix, but kept it active in St. Thomas. He also requested that all government employees return to work — including teachers, even though students will stay home for the remainder of the week — and urged St. Thomians to stay adhere to the curfew as crews continued their work.

The roofs of homes, hotels, gas stations and even Government House, were ripped off their frames, making room for strong winds to batter items on the inside, along with the incessant pouring of rain (Mr. Mapp reported 12 inches had fallen in the St. Thomas-St. John District as of 4:00 p.m. Wednesday).

Suddenly, buildings that were once considered safe turned into entrapment structures, sending their dwellers into panic, even as the water continued to rise, and the terrifying sound of the Irma’s wind gnawed. Human instinct forced the hurricane victims into survival mode, and some corralled themselves in areas of the compromised structures deemed the most protective.

Soon after, the distress calls came pouring in: “I need help for my mom after storm passes, she is in Wintberg. House is in bad shape — windows and doors gone; she is in a closet. Glass and water everywhere- I need help to get her out of there once this is over, please. I need to get her somewhere dry. She is 1-22 Wintberg, St. Thomas. She is 83 years old. Her roof is gone — just a pile of rubble,” wrote Sarah Beck, a post that was widely shared.

“My mom needs help. She’s on STJ, 16-5 George Simmons Terrace. Last I heard from her she was hiding in a closet and water was rising up through the floor from the cistern. Glass door and windows busted,” wrote Chezni Charles.

“My mom is stuck with flooding up to her knees and more water pouring in. If anyone can please help Eril Mitcham. Mountain Top Condo 11- D. St Thomas,” wrote Angie White. Moments later, a neighbor of Ms. White’s mother, offered to help. “We live right by and can send help,” offered Meredith Butala.

These stories were unique in their own right, yet similar in many ways as they all brought to light the destruction Irma left in its wake.


----------



## alexadeparis

One found on facebook


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## GrayFal

alexadeparis said:


> Can someone tell me how to attach a photo? Roofs are off at WSJ


I saved the pictures to my iPhone and then used the "upload file" button at the bottom of this posting box.


----------



## alexadeparis

GrayFal said:


> I saved the pictures to my iPhone and then used the "upload file" button at the bottom of this posting box.


Thanks I finally got it


----------



## DavidnRobin

cubigbird said:


> Here are two photos from twitter of WSJ.  You might be able to determine the buildings based on angles.



The second one is the Main building (Front Desk, etc)

The 1st one???


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> The second one is the Main building (Front Desk, etc)
> 
> The 1st one???
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Maybe sunset bay, looks like the pool in the background. 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## Helios

cubigbird said:


> Here are two photos from twitter of WSJ.  You might be able to determine the buildings based on angles.


Thanks those are buildings in the main resort.  I am looking for VGV Building 43 (Pool Villas).


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> The second one is the Main building (Front Desk, etc)
> 
> The 1st one???
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


the 1st one looks like the pool bar looking towards the ocean.


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## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> the 1st one looks like the pool bar looking towards the ocean.



Before/After








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> Before/After
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I think you're right.  OMG

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## Helios

Helios said:


> the 1st one looks like the pool bar looking towards the ocean.


Actually, it may not be the bar.  It's somewhere near the pool. I don't think that is a villas building.


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## Helios

Helios said:


> Actually, it may not be the bar.  It's somewhere near the pool. I don't think that is a villas building.


ok, mystery solved.


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## Helios

so sad.


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## DavidnRobin

Morgans Mango - Before/After






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Morgans Mango - Before/After
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Wow, I like that place.  I wish there was an unlike option for the destruction I see (not for you posting the pic).


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## canesfan

I've seen a video where Asolare is destroyed. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tomandrobin

canesfan said:


> I've seen a video where Asolare is destroyed.



Yup....Gone. I saw it on the St John facebook page.





__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=510559382613448


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## tomandrobin

I can't even begin to guess how long it will take to rebuild. Its not just the Westin that needs major work, its the whole island, plus St Thomas, plus the BVI's, plus the other islands. How long will it take insurance and structural engineers to come out, nake an assessment and reach a financial settlement? How long to get the materials purchased, made and shipped to WSJ? Where to find the help to rebuild? It truly may take well into next year to get the repairs done, and that is only if major rebuilding is not needed.


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## tomandrobin

__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=510559382613448
			





		HTML:
	

https://www.facebook.com/100009781716695/videos/510559382613448/


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## taffy19

So sad for the people who live there and for TUG's timeshare owners too.


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## Mauiwmn

It is very sad indeed.  It may take years for the rebuilding to be completed.  It took years after Hurricane Iniki for parts of Kauai to rebuild.  So many issues with limited supply of labor and materials can make recovery take much longer for islands.


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## tomandrobin

I should know this, but I do not......For all of the owners/guests that are going to have their reservations canceled the next few months and into 2018, what are their options? Do they just outright lose their week? Will Starwood allow them to use at another resort?


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## DeniseM

I would think you would simply use your Staroptions somewhere else - as you would if you decided not to visit your home resort in any given year.

For voluntary deeds, (no Staroptions) it will be up to Vistana.  *WSJ has an owner controlled HOA, so hopefully, they will have some say in this.


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## LisaRex

I agree.  My photo <--- was taken in Hurricane Hole on St. John.  Aptly named, except the federal government has protected it now, so I guess people cannot use it to shelter their boats anymore.


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## SandyPGravel

DeniseM said:


> I would think you would simply use your Staroptions somewhere else - as you would if you decided not to visit your home resort in any given year.
> 
> For voluntary deeds, (no Staroptions) it will be up to Vistana.  *WSJ has an owner controlled HOA, so hopefully, they will have some say in this.



That's going to be a lot of SO thrown into the mix.  Not sure what we can do, already have airfare in February.  (Didn't have TI, bought my flight with CC miles, wasn't sure how to get TI with using CC miles.  Not sue if TI would pay if the airport is open and the resort isn't "closed".)  I don't want to be a burden to the islands while they are recovering.  Will be back though!!  #LoveForLoveCity


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## DeniseM

We also use reward miles for flights, and during the booking process, we are offered travel insurance for an additional payment - and I always buy it.


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## SandyPGravel

DeniseM said:


> We also use reward miles for flights, and during the booking process, we are offered travel insurance for an additional payment - and I always buy it.



I have booked several times through Cap One reward miles, haven't seen the option for TI.  Guess I missed it.  I have seen the option when paying with CC though.


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## DeniseM

I don't do it that way.  I transfer my AMEX points directly to my airline account, and book through the airline.  

Another option is to buy separate travel insurance that covers your entire trip - AAA recommends Allianz.

There is also yearly timeshare insurance - there is info in the sticky at the top of the TUG Travel Forum.


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## Westnick

Who is going to pay for all this. Do you see maintenance fees going up? Will there be an assessment fee given to the Westin owners? Will insurance and government money cover all this?


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## okwiater

We are going to St. John at the end of January, about 4.5 months from now. I imagine the resort will be operational at that point but it's hard to know to what extent. The island will clearly be a very different place.


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## tomandrobin

https://www.flickr.com/photos/61853466@N07/

Caneel Bay


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## tomandrobin

West End Dock


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## klpca

The photos are just devastating. It brings back memories of Cabo after Odile (Sept 2014), but much, much worse. What I am about to post isn't specifically related to WSJ but I have noticed a lot of questions about upcoming reservations and I may be able to offer some (hopefully) helpful information from issues that occurred with Cabo reservations after Odile. (Only a Cat 4). Of course, there is no way of knowing what the situation will be after Irma, but I'll put it out there for what it's worth.

The resorts that were located in the part of Cabo that took a direct hit- the corridor - didn't reopen for a full year or longer. The resorts that weren't hit as hard opened sooner, but as I recall it took about a month. The airport opened sooner than original projections - after 3-4 weeks.

We had a January reservation at a resort in the corridor. I had booked an Extra Vacation through RCI. I had to make up my mind about cancelling the reservation and trying to get something else soon after the hurricane hit, so I was trying to figure out what to do. There was little communication from the resort (and of course nothing from RCI until about 60 days out), so in the end I just cancelled and ate the lost fee. As it turned out, the resort didn't open until October 2015. For almost 2 months after the hurricane, both the resort and RCI kept insisting that we  could stay in January. There was a Westin hotel next door that wasn't quoting such an optimistic timeline, so that is what I based my decision upon. The resort where I was supposed to be staying still had their structure in place including roofs, and they had seemingly unlimited local labor, and it still took over a year to reopen.

Here is the thread where we were trying to figure out what to do. There are some interesting tidbits about RCI & II cancellation policies. http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...lled-rci-exchange-merged.219018/#post-1691063

We did keep our dates in January and stayed in a resort that was able to reopen. Things didn't look the same, but we had a great time anyway. Everyone that we met was truly grateful that we came despite the damage.

Hopefully some personal post-hurricane timeshare experience will help someone.


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## GrayFal

View from up the hill


I have a reservation 12/10.  
If the resort is open we will go.   
I rented my February Presidents week.  I have in my contract that I recommend travel insurance.  
Not sure how that one is going to shake out


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## NNerland

Westin Pool


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## carpie99

I have a 9 day reservation in 34 days (October 12th).  I want to go to support the economy to help the rebuild.  I have no idea what building my 3 bedroom lockoff reservation is in but considering it is a 12 person reservation I think it has to be a Sunset Bay Reservation.


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## Dawnwrey

We have reservations at Coral Vista 10/28-11/12, and really don't see how they can have things back up and running that quickly. However, if they are, we will probably go, because we wonder how that economy can recover if people don't go. Maybe we aren't thinking clearly....Anyway, if anyone hears anything official about what our options are as owners, please share ASAP. I really hate not having solid plans, whatever they may turn out to be!


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## GrayFal

carpie99 said:


> I have a 9 day reservation in 34 days (October 12th).  I want to go to support the economy to help the rebuild.  I have no idea what building my 3 bedroom lockoff reservation is in but considering it is a 12 person reservation I think it has to be a Sunset Bay Reservation.


Or coral Vista.  Both of these phases have 3 BR lockoff sleep 12

Assume they will honor home resort reservations before SO Resies.


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## josh2268

Dawnwrey said:


> We have reservations at Coral Vista 10/28-11/12, and really don't see how they can have things back up and running that quickly. However, if they are, we will probably go, because we wonder how that economy can recover if people don't go. Maybe we aren't thinking clearly....Anyway, if anyone hears anything official about what our options are as owners, please share ASAP. I really hate not having solid plans, whatever they may turn out to be!



They are allowing cancellations penalty free for reservations scheduled now until September 29th. With that they are waiving the SO restriction period and allowing you to bank your SO into the next year, as long as those SO where not banked from a previous year.  If the reservation was put in someone else's name, the $59 fee is non refundable.  As i understand, at this time, any reservation for later than September 29th all existing rules apply.


----------



## carpie99

GrayFal said:


> Or coral Vista.  Both of these phases have 3 BR lockoff sleep 12
> 
> Assume they will honor home resort reservations before SO Resies.



Well I do own in VGV ... but had to move from the summer to the fall ... still won't matter home/SO priority though


----------



## carpie99

josh2268 said:


> They are allowing cancellations penalty free for reservations scheduled now until September 29th. With that they are waiving the SO restriction period and allowing you to bank your SO into the next year, as long as those SO where not banked from a previous year.  If the reservation was put in someone else's name, the $59 fee is non refundable.  As i understand, at this time, any reservation for later than September 29th all existing rules apply.



So open after 9/29???  Or are they just going to start moving the date out ....


----------



## josh2268

carpie99 said:


> So open after 9/29???  Or are they just going to start moving the date out ....



They moved the date twice already.  With a second storm coming right behind it, one would think the date is fluid at this time. But who knows.


----------



## DeniseM

*** Owner Services is closing at 3:00 Eastern today (in 1.5 hours) and will not open again until Tuesday, so if you need to do something regarding reservations this week - do it *RIGHT NOW!*


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## josh_e

We have (had) a reservation at WSJ for September 24 - October 1. Initially, we were hopeful it would work out, but after seeing the devastation, we know our trip wouldn't be happening.
I was able to cancel and started the refund process for our AA tickets to STT.
We still have not received official communication from Vistana about our reservation. After calling owner services, they said that they are canceling reservations through the end of the month (I have to assume this will be extended indefinitely). We were given the option to bank our points for next year, but they are not offering to waive the $99 fee to do this, even though it won't be possible for us to book something else this year. I'm hoping that policy will change.
Let me know if anyone else has the same experience.

I'm sure others have seen this, but this Facebook group seems to be the best source of info for the island right now. So sad to see our favorite place destroyed.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/125185931463839/


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## canesfan

I agree that the banking fee should be waived. It's certainly not your choice that you are banking options.  Afterall if you are using your ownership at WSJ, you are also losing owner priority, so that is a penalty itself to banking.  This is special circumstances and the fee should be waived, imho.


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## duke

With regard to Travel Insurance:  Most of us here have discussed and gotten the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card.  This card has Travel Insurance for airline mileage (frequent flyer) reservations if you used the card to pay ANY portion of the ticket fees.  This includes the TAX that is charged on all mileage reservations.  Hope this helps.


----------



## lizap

carpie99 said:


> So open after 9/29???  Or are they just going to start moving the date out ....



I can almost guarantee this date will be moved forward. There is no way WSJ will be fully operational by then.


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## SandyPGravel

lizap said:


> I can almost guarantee this date will be moved forward. There is no way WSJ will be fully operational by then.



Or the infrastructure of the island.  Water, power, food, transportation...  Even if the resort could be functional in 3 weeks the rest of the island(s) won't be. Putting extra stress on the limited resources of the island that soon?


----------



## lizap

SandyPGravel said:


> Or the infrastructure of the island.  Water, power, food, transportation...  Even if the resort could be functional in 3 weeks the rest of the island(s) won't be. Putting extra stress on the limited resources of the island that soon?



When I say fully operational, I mean not only having the necessities but the amenities that we are used to having when we visit there..AND if it is not fully operational, those of us who have a planned visit in the near future, should be allowed to cancel and bank without penalty. I agree it will take a very long time for the island to be normal again. Having been through Katrina, even in the continental U. S.,it took longer than a year, and we are still not where we were.  Given the higher winds, more damage, and much less infrastructure,  it will take a very long time for the island to get back to what it was, and it may not get there in some of our lifetimes.. I remember the gorgeous oak trees on Government street in Mobile being decimated during Frederick.  Ten years later, they had still not recovered fully. I remember that Biloxi was never the same after Camile.  I don't think we should expect too much soon.


----------



## NerdAlert

Just saw first pix from Caribbean Buzz on Facebook. It appears Virgin Grand bldgs 31-34, Bay Vista, and Coral Vista all have roofs intact, no debris around on ground either. Sunset Bay looks slammed. Can't see bldgs 41-44 pool villas yet. Anyone see them yet?


----------



## NerdAlert

Snapshot of VGV 31-34, Bay Vista, Coral Vista


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## LisaH

NerdAlert said:


> Snapshot of VGV 31-34, Bay Vista, Coral Vista


Thank god. Thank you!


----------



## lizap

Hard to tell, but overall the resort looks pretty devastated. However, it could have been worse.


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## DavidnRobin

NerdAlert said:


> Just saw first pix from Caribbean Buzz on Facebook. It appears Virgin Grand bldgs 31-34, Bay Vista, and Coral Vista all have roofs intact, no debris around on ground either. Sunset Bay looks slammed. Can't see bldgs 41-44 pool villas yet. Anyone see them yet?



2 of the VGV pool villas are on left side of photo

Hard to tell because of poor photo resolution, but looks like VGV, BV, and CV buildings are relatively intact.  SB and rest of buildings by GCB look badly damaged.

Devastating photos from across USVI and BVI - comparatively to VGV, BV, and CV buildings - we got off easy.  Many (many) have lost their homes, and livelihood.

Please allow VSN/VSE and WSJ time to recover and reorganize.

StJ (and USVI) will never be the same. Somethings are lost forever, others will rebuild, vegetation will grow back - some new things will be built - but post-Irma... we can only move forward with fond memories - and hopefully new memories.
It will never be 'the same' - ever.  This has always been the case following major hurricanes that hit tropical islands.


----------



## cubigbird

NerdAlert said:


> Snapshot of VGV 31-34, Bay Vista, Coral Vista



Its hard to tell due to the distance but I am sure there is water, roof or other structural damage to all buildings.


----------



## LisaH

My biggest fear is Irma might have damaged or worse destroyed the reef around St John, which was what happened to St Martin 20 some years ago.


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## SMHarman

lizap said:


> Hard to tell, but overall the resort looks pretty devastated. However, it could have been worse.


Looks pretty sound to me. Roofs on most buildings etc.


----------



## SMHarman

Soggy Dollar


----------



## canesfan

LisaH said:


> My biggest fear is Irma might have damaged or worse destroyed the reef around St John, which was what happened to St Martin 20 some years ago.



Yes, the Caymans reef was drastically changed after a major hurricane came through years ago also. It's a concern of ours too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## cubigbird

Here's a video from The Weather Channel.  WSJ at 1:00 and 1:14.





__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155810563815921


----------



## SMHarman

And now Jose is on the way.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...me-first-help-or-jose/?utm_term=.929e127e9361


----------



## DavidnRobin

So... on our way to WKORV/WPORV - good timing... I guess it is called traveling now, and not vacation.

Following IRMA - I assume our WSJ deeds are valueless - as many if not most are now.
This is a huge blow to the VGV HOA - as the others.
Yes, WSJ will recover - but STJ/USVI/BVI land and reefs will never be the same... so glad we have 11 fantastic years of memories


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## GrayFal

https://instagram.com/p/BY1fQaYALRF/

Video by hersheysfinest as she was leaving the resort via boat.


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## josh2268

I know this is the hotel side, but Oct 31st could be the new date now, pushed from Sept 29th. 

*Important Notice About Hurricane Irma*
Due to Hurricane Irma’s effects on the island of St. John, the United States Coast Guard has closed all ports on St. John and St. Thomas; ports are expected to remain closed until the weekend. Also, the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas will be closed until Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 6am and the resort is not accepting arrivals until further assessments are made. All cancellation fees from Wednesday, September 6 through October 31, 2017 will be waived.


https://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/announcements.html?propertyID=1187


----------



## lizap

josh2268 said:


> I know this is the hotel side, but Oct 31st could be the new date now, pushed from Sept 29th.
> 
> *Important Notice About Hurricane Irma*
> Due to Hurricane Irma’s effects on the island of St. John, the United States Coast Guard has closed all ports on St. John and St. Thomas; ports are expected to remain closed until the weekend. Also, the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas will be closed until Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 6am and the resort is not accepting arrivals until further assessments are made. All cancellation fees from Wednesday, September 6 through October 31, 2017 will be waived.
> 
> 
> https://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/announcements.html?propertyID=1187




This is still very optimistic. I can't imagine the effects of 185 mph winds (gusts over 200 mph).  Camile was not that strong and Biloxi was obliterated.


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> Following IRMA - I assume our WSJ deeds are valueless - as many if not most are now.



For now, yes. In a few years, who knows? Certainly the reason people fall in love with St. John can't simply be boiled down to Zozo's and a few other choice hangouts.



DavidnRobin said:


> Yes, WSJ will recover - but STJ/USVI/BVI land and reefs will never be the same... so glad we have 11 fantastic years of memories



I agree with and share the sentiments. But, do we hang our hats on the memories of the past, or be part of building a new future?


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> For now, yes. In a few years, who knows? Certainly the reason people fall in love with St. John can't simply be boiled down to Zozo's and a few other choice hangouts.


So, during the rebuild phase, what happens to MFs since there may not be a villa for you?  VGV Fixed villas and fixed weeks would complicate things even more.  Say building 41 is basically a total loss, what happens to those owners?

How long do you think it take to find out about Special Aasessments?  Hopefully insurance covers all, but somehow I doubt it.


----------



## okwiater

Helios said:


> So, during the rebuild phase, what happens to MFs since there may not be a villa for you?  VGV Fixed villas and fixed weeks would complicate things even more.  Say building 41 is basically a total loss, what happens to those owners?
> 
> How long do you think it take to find out about Special Aasessments?  Hopefully insurance covers all, but somehow I doubt it.



VGV isn't too complicated since the phase is mandatory. At the very least, owners would be entitled to use their StarOptions. The imbalance could put some strain on the VSN, though.

As for floating owners, Vistana is already waiving banking deadlines and whatnot. For guests staying a few months from now or later, I would be surprised if the resort didn't start accommodating guests before the end of the year. The amenities will likely be severely reduced, however.


----------



## lizap

okwiater said:


> For now, yes. In a few years, who knows? Certainly the reason people fall in love with St. John can't simply be boiled down to Zozo's and a few other choice hangouts.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with and share the sentiments. But, do we hang our hats on the memories of the past, or be part of building a new future?



I don't mean to sound negative.  Have you ever been through a hurricane or personally seen the after effects?  The only way I can describe it is it looks like a bomb has been dropped.  Hurricanes less powerful than this one (e.g., Camile ) have changed landscapes forever. I think some are seriously underestimating the devastation on the island.  It is very unfortunate that the news media has not been reporting this as much as they should.


----------



## OKPACIFIC

FYI here is a news site that is giving updates on what's currently going on in the USVI. You can also click on the tab for St John And it takes you directly to Stjohnsource.com

Stthomassource.com


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## lizap

OKPACIFIC said:


> FYI here is a news site that is giving updates on what's currently going on in the USVI. You can also click on the tab for St John And it takes you directly to Stjohnsource.com
> 
> Stthomassource.com



Thanks for the link.  These photos are what I expected - they make me want to cry..


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> VGV isn't too complicated since the phase is mandatory. At the very least, owners would be entitled to use their StarOptions. The imbalance could put some strain on the VSN, though.
> 
> As for floating owners, Vistana is already waiving banking deadlines and whatnot. For guests staying a few months from now or later, I would be surprised if the resort didn't start accommodating guests before the end of the year. The amenities will likely be severely reduced, however.


Getting SOs is some reassurance.  However, not my case, how about if you wanted to rent your week.  Would they let you use those SOs to reserve somewhere else and rent there.  I would think not.

Also, how about if you are simply not interested in going somewhere else.  Should they waive your MFs during the time they cannot provide the unit they are maintaining for you?  Should they have insurance for this?

Lastly, the SOs that could be used in the network could create a headache for some people reserving.

I don't mean to sound insensitive to what's going on, but at the same time I don't want to be responsible for something I have no control over and that Vistana can do something about.


----------



## okwiater

lizap said:


> I don't mean to sound negative.  Have you ever been through a hurricane or personally seen the after effects?  The only way I can describe it is it looks like a bomb has been dropped.  Hurricanes less powerful than this one (e.g., Camile ) have changed landscapes forever. I think some are seriously underestimating the devastation on the island.  It is very unfortunate that the news media has not been reporting this as much as they should.



I have not personally witnessed the after effects of a hurricane, no. But I do know that hurricanes have struck islands for centuries and yet life goes on. I'm not trying to downplay the enormity of what just happened in St. John, but there are only two ways to react to what happened: despair over what was lost or resolve to build something new. I agree that the island will never be "the same" but that doesn't necessarily mean we should walk away, either.


----------



## lizap

okwiater said:


> I have not personally witnessed the after effects of a hurricane, no. But I do know that hurricanes have struck islands for centuries and yet life goes on. I'm not trying to downplay the enormity of what just happened in St. John, but there are only two ways to react to what happened: despair over what was lost or resolve to build something new. I agree that the island will never be "the same" but that doesn't necessarily mean we should walk away, either.



We still do NOT have all the facts regarding devastation, but the odds are fairly strong the island will not be the same, at least in many of our lifetimes.  People go to St. John for a number of reasons, BUT for sure, most go there for relaxation and enjoyment.  The clear blue-green water, gorgeous beaches, the lush landscape, the resorts, the laid-back way of life, the remoteness all play a part, among others. Three of the five still exist.  Will it be enough for most tourists to want to return anytime soon?  I doubt it. Let's put this in perspective: many hotels and restaurants will choose not to rebuild, and even if they do, it will take longer than most realize to do so; the monumental task of just cleaning up debris will take many months.  St. John and St. Thomas don't have the infrastructure to support a quick cleanup/rebuilding even with the desire (I hope I'm wrong because I love this paradise so much)...  I hope the mainland U.S. will provide much support.


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## canesfan

I think it's also compounded by Houston and Florida. There's going to be a huge demand on supplies, aid and workers.  Their remoteness is really going to hinder their ability to get all of that quickly besides everyone in the US is going to be focused on rebuilding stateside. I can remember the cost & demand of drywall rising because of Katrina. Can you imagine it now?


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## lizap

canesfan said:


> I think it's also compounded by Houston and Florida. There's going to be a huge demand on supplies, aid and workers.  Their remoteness is really going to hinder their ability to get all of that quickly besides everyone in the US is going to be focused on rebuilding stateside. I can remember the cost & demand of drywall rising because of Katrina. Can you imagine it now?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




I agree with this assessment.  Rebuilding is definitely going to be slower because of the Houston and Florida problems.  You can bet the VIs will take a back seat to them, as far as supplies, aid, and support workers.


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## cubigbird

I wouldn't count them out.  Tourism **IS** their economy.  Without tourism, there are no jobs, no residents, no government, no taxpayer and collection base.  It will take time to rebuild, yes, but I'm sure they will look to rebuild and restart as fast as possible with the return of tourists in mind.  Cost and availability of goods will be expensive (supply & demand) for all affected areas I'm sure.  I read that the WSJ is the largest employer on the island so getting back up and running will be a top priority.  My fear is for WSJ owners and the possible special assessments that could come from this for large insurance deductibles and repairs not covered.


----------



## lizap

cubigbird said:


> I wouldn't count them out.  Tourism **IS** their economy.  Without tourism, there are no jobs, no residents, no government, no taxpayer and collection base.  It will take time to rebuild, yes, but I'm sure they will look to rebuild and restart as fast as possible with the return of tourists in mind.  Cost and availability of goods will be expensive (supply & demand) for all affected areas I'm sure.  I read that the WSJ is the largest employer on the island so getting back up and running will be a top priority.  My fear is for WSJ owners and the possible special assessments that could come from this for large insurance deductibles and repairs not covered.



Your right. Tourism is their economy. But what happens if there is a substantial drop in the number of tourists who want to visit there (which I suspect will happen over the next year). Tourists will return eventually, but it's going to take a while, and I suspect a long while to be what it was pre-Irma.  I can't imagine the devastation from this storm with 185+ mph winds with gusts over 200 mph.


----------



## cubigbird

lizap said:


> Your right. Tourism is their economy. But what happens if there is a substantial drop in the number of tourists who want to visit there (which I suspect will happen over the next year). Tourists will return eventually, but it's going to take a while.



Then that will be the birth of travel deals which we tourists should take advantage of to go down there and spend $$.  I remember a month after Hurricane Odile staying at the Barcelo in San Jose del Cabo, MX for 5 nights for $850 total with all inclusive included for the whole family.  The resort was only partially open -- it was quieter and wonderful!  2 1/2 years later, having just returned, you can barely tell a hurricane blew through there.  You have to look hard.  Cabo is similar, on the tip of the Baja and not easily reachable unless by air. I bet some of the larger resorts with deeper pockets like the WSJ open partially as soon as damage can be assessed and they have determined how much room inventory is habitable. The island can't afford to have a sustained huge drop in tourism.  Time isn't on their side.  Otherwise then bigger municipal financial problems will occur -- higher than currently.


----------



## canesfan

I believe that's true for WSJ and for STT Marriot Frenchman's. For WSJ it will be advantageous for them to get up and running as soon as possible then try to get a few locals repaired. The rest will follow, hopefully.


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## lizap

cubigbird said:


> Then that will be the birth of travel deals which we tourists should take advantage of to go down there and spend $$.  I remember a month after Hurricane Odile staying at the Barcelo in San Jose del Cabo, MX for 5 nights for $850 total with all inclusive included for the whole family.  The resort was only partially open -- it was quieter and wonderful!  2 1/2 years later, having just returned, you can barely tell a hurricane blew through there.  You have to look hard.  Cabo is similar, on the tip of the Baja and not easily reachable unless by air. I bet some of the larger resorts with deeper pockets like the WSJ open partially as soon as damage can be assessed and they have determined how much room inventory is habitable. The island can't afford to have a sustained huge drop in tourism.  Time isn't on their side.  Otherwise then bigger municipal financial problems will occur -- higher than currently.




A very important factor to remember is that Irma's intensity (winds) upon impact was about double that of Odile.  My guess is its going to take awhile (longer than some anticipate) for WSJ to reopen.


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## okwiater

Here is a great video of the Cruz Bay Area post-Irma. WSJ makes an appearance about 40 seconds in. Hillside buildings look like they fared quite a bit better than most.


----------



## Helios

VGV looks in decent shape roof wise.  The solar panels on top of the Pool Villa Buildings scared my at first, the reflection looked like the roof was gone.  Thanks @okwiater.


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## okwiater

Another video. WSJ shows up near the end.


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## Helios

Actullay, the video goes really quickly but it seems like Bay and Coral are not in very rough shape (roof looks OK).  Sunset looks not too good.  

I guess they don't construct them as they used to.  Seems like Hyatt used better builders...

Asolare looks bad.


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## okwiater

Yeah I agree. It looks like Bay Vista, Coral Vista, and VGV will all be at least partially habitable without a great deal of rebuilding. Sunset Bay took quite a beating, as did the pool, landscaping, common spaces, and other resort amenities. Perhaps I'm being optimistic but it seems like it could still be possible to go for our reservation in January. Even though the island will still be battered and broken, I'd like to do what I can to help them rebuild.


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## Helios

okwiater said:


> Yeah I agree. It looks like Bay Vista, Coral Vista, and VGV will all be at least partially habitable without a great deal of rebuilding. Sunset Bay took quite a beating, as did the pool, landscaping, common spaces, and other resort amenities. Perhaps I'm being optimistic but it seems like it could still be possible to go for our reservation in January. Even though the island will still be battered and broken, I'd like to do what I can to help them rebuild.


I think you would be OK reservation wise for January.  Best of Luck!  Like it has been said here, it will be changed with new things to discover and enjoy.  Like @DavidnRobin has said, adapt.

I think visiting is the best way to help.  They need tourism revenue to help finance the rebuild.


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## cubigbird

I wonder how the damage at Sunset Bay will affect the active sales and construction timeframe.  I would assume most units are still developer owned at this point and less owner owned?


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## jimjxsn

Here are some screen shots from those last you tube videos.



















Me, I'm looking forward to going back next year.

I feel for the nice people that actually live and work there...


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## okwiater

Skinny Legs just posted on FB that "we'll be back folks!"


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## tammymacb

I am a VGV owner and our friends own Bay Vista. We were SO excited about our next trip and then so devastated by what happened to our happy place. The villa photos look reassuring and I am really hoping this summer will be a "different" trip but still a wonderful one.
My husband and I are both divers and spent years diving Cayman. I understand the worry about the reefs taking a hit, and I'm sure they will. The issue is the churned up sand chokes out the reef. Time will tell what will happen and new reefs will form.
Until then, we'll make new memories and be thankful for what we have.


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## ksqdomer

45 min video of Westin before and after.


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## lizap

There's no way to tell precise


ksqdomer said:


> 45 min video of Westin before and after.




This is so sad.  It is going to take a very long time for WSJ to be fully operational.


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## tomandrobin

That before and after video......wow! 

Looks like the six lower buildings, resort pool area and check-in building took a beating. It will be 6-9 months to rebuild the check-in building.....and I might be too optimistic.


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## lizap

tomandrobin said:


> That before and after video......wow!
> 
> Looks like the six lower buildings, resort pool area and check-in building took a beating. It will be 6-9 months to rebuild the check-in building.....and I might be too optimistic.




Tom, I think your estimate is optimistic.  If I was planning to stay here in winter 2018, I would begin to think about making alternate plans.


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## taffy19

ksqdomer said:


> 45 min video of Westin before and after.


This person said that it was a very scary experience but nobody was killed.  For a person who knows this place well it has to be interesting to watch his experience.  He walked down the hill to the beach and showed the preparation that was done by the employees to keep things from flying around.  He walked down the hill a second time after the hurricane so you can see the damage that was done to the trees and beautiful landscaping plus the lobby area and then to the beach where some of the boats ended up.  The crew was already removing the tree debris off the roads.


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## ksqdomer

any word on the Westin Ferry? I wonder how the building fared down by the dock for future check in? I would have to think that some temporary pods or other structures will be used for check in for quite some time. We are next June and I really hope to be there.


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## DavidnRobin

ksqdomer said:


> 45 min video of Westin before and after.



Video was from guest hold-up in B34 - all that beautiful foliage gone - so sad.


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## Negma

An amazing video. The work ahead for the employees first personally then for the resort is massive. Our hearts go out to them, and some $$ too.


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## tomandrobin

Negma said:


> An amazing video. The work ahead for the employees first personally then for the resort is massive. Our hearts go out to them, and some $$ too.


 
We donated to the St John charities too.


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## tomandrobin

Over the weekend, Robin and I were discussing what to do with next year. We already have three units booked for next July and our friends have another three units booked. With all that damage we are seeing about the islands, what will await us when we arrive? I am heavily leaning or looking to alternative vacations, but I also hate eating the MF on three units. I will be waiting and watching over the next month or so, to see what VSE has to say about the resort.


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## taffy19

The pool looked very dirty and some buildings had damage too but nowhere near the damage that hurricane Kenna did to our timeshare resort next to the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort in Puerto Vallarta in October 2002.

A very big wave wiped out the first two stories of accommodations completely plus all the electrical wires had to be replaced but the kitchen below ground level took the longest to replace plus new restaurants around the pool.  

Our resort took about a year and a half and I remember posting pictures here on TUG of the damage to our 1 BR fixed timeshare on the second floor as nothing was left inside.

We also saw the damage in Kauai right after Hurricane Iniki and that was far worse than in Mexico.  The damage was almost everywhere and it took years to rebuild.

I don't think that it will take that long to get the resort ready but the lush scenery may not be the same and some wonder about the reef.


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## lizap

taffy19 said:


> The pool looked very dirty and some buildings had damage too but nowhere near the damage that hurricane Kenna did to our timeshare resort next to the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort in Puerto Vallarta in October 2002.
> 
> A very big wave wiped out the first two stories of accommodations completely plus all the electrical wires had to be replaced but the kitchen below ground level took the longest to replace plus new restaurants around the pool.
> 
> Our resort took about a year and a half and I remember posting pictures here on TUG of the damage to our 1 BR fixed timeshare on the second floor as nothing was left inside.
> 
> We also saw the damage in Kauai right after Hurricane Iniki and that was far worse than in Mexico.  The damage was almost everywhere and it took years to rebuild.
> 
> I don't think that it will take that long to get the resort ready but the lush scenery may not be the same and some wonder about the reef.



I don't think the photos are reflecting the extent of the damage.  I can assure you with gusts of 225+ mph, there was extensive damage. I believe it will take at least a year and maybe longer, and even then, things will not be the same. Remember, there are roads, restaurants, gas stations, etc., that sustained massive damage.  It will take several weeks (hopefully not months), just to restore electricity to all of the island. I am very appreciative of the video; its hard to fathom the devastation that even less intensive hurricanes cause.


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## canesfan

I think that video is very telling. Those overhead videos do not reflect the damage that is done on the ground like that person walking on the ground. It's going to take more that a couple months. The lobby is totally destroyed.


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## DavidnRobin

ksqdomer said:


> any word on the Westin Ferry? I wonder how the building fared down by the dock for future check in? I would have to think that some temporary pods or other structures will be used for check in for quite some time. We are next June and I really hope to be there.



The guests stranded were sent to PR by boat - from the IG video by Hershseysfinest looks the the WSJ ferry.  The other boats Island Spirit and dive boats were beached based on YouTube video


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## GrayFal

Just feeling sad about the whole thing.  So sorry for the people who live and work there.  

Hurricane Ivan hit Grand Cayman 9/11/04.  It took a long time for them to come back.  It still has world class diving and snorkeling and beautiful resorts but it did not happen overnight. I have been an owner at Morritts Tortuga Club since 2007 but it was still "tough" even 2 1/2 years after the storm.


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## SMHarman

Helios said:


> Getting SOs is some reassurance.  However, not my case, how about if you wanted to rent your week.  Would they let you use those SOs to reserve somewhere else and rent there.  I would think not.
> 
> Also, how about if you are simply not interested in going somewhere else.  Should they waive your MFs during the time they cannot provide the unit they are maintaining for you?  Should they have insurance for this?
> 
> Lastly, the SOs that could be used in the network could create a headache for some people reserving.
> 
> I don't mean to sound insensitive to what's going on, but at the same time I don't want to be responsible for something I have no control over and that Vistana can do something about.


In the same way your homeowner covers the cost of alternate accommodation,  the insurances the HOA have in place should cover the consequential loss here.


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## okwiater

There is lots of damage to certain buildings, yes, but many other buildings escaped "relatively" unscathed. I personally have a new appreciation for the quality of the rough construction used on those Hillside and Bay Vista buildings.

Either way, while I think the island will still be in a very rough and battered condition 4-6 months from now, I don't share lizap's somewhat more pessimistic outlook. Nor can I imagine staying away from the island this winter and keeping the much needed dollars away from the people who live on the island and are deciding whether and how to put their lives back together.


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> Skinny Legs just posted on FB that "we'll be back folks!"
> 
> View attachment 4732


I'll be there my next visit.


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## LisaH

Helios said:


> I'll be there my next visit.


Me too! We always do.


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## Helios

The food and ambiance will be just as good...


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## farsighted99

Wow. So depressing. So sad...   It can all be rejuvenated, but so sorry for everyone. Looks worse than I thought. Guess it will be awhile before I head there, looks like. Was planning to swap between here and Nanea.... every other year.

The vegetation looks completely wiped out.

Hope it gets back in shape by 2019.


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## carpie99

Helios said:


> Getting SOs is some reassurance.  However, not my case, how about if you wanted to rent your week.  Would they let you use those SOs to reserve somewhere else and rent there.  I would think not.
> 
> Also, how about if you are simply not interested in going somewhere else.  Should they waive your MFs during the time they cannot provide the unit they are maintaining for you?  Should they have insurance for this?
> 
> Lastly, the SOs that could be used in the network could create a headache for some people reserving.
> 
> I don't mean to sound insensitive to what's going on, but at the same time I don't want to be responsible for something I have no control over and that Vistana can do something about.



Not to sound insensitive ... but you became responsible the second you bought ownership in the property.  Do you really think you would have better chance of getting your unit fit for use faster than they will be able to.  I am just happy I didn't follow through with a secondary house purchase on the island that I had been considering rather than timeshare ownership.

I am looking forward to picking up some free timeshares at WSJ in the near future


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## LisaRex

I think 6-9 months is way optimistic.  Just the logistics of getting building material shipped to the Caribbean is daunting enough, but further complicated due to heavy damage inflicted to the entire Caribbean, but especially to the US mainland, which will surely take priority.  Had the damage been limited to the USVI, I'd have been more optimistic, but there's no way that repairing St. John, which is 75% national park with very few full-time residents, is going to take priority over repairing Miami or Tampa...or St. Thomas.  No way, no how.  Even if the federal government (or Vistana/MVC) throws a bunch of money their way, what good is cash if you lack lumber and skilled tradesman?

And, remember, even though USVI is technically part of the US, they actually operate as a separate entity. They have their own government, own utilities, own currency, etc., and they will suffer as a result.  For example, it would be so much easier for them if they were served by Verizon or Duke Energy, massive national US companies. Last week, as soon as models predicted that Florida was going to get hit, Duke started sending workers and trucks from all over the country to the southeast to assist.  The Caribbean islands do not enjoy the benefits of unification and mutual cooperation.  Not only are they physically removed from each other via a large body of water, but most don't share a common government. IOW, it's not like Aruba (Dutch) is going to send electric workers over to assist St. Bart (UK) or  St. John (US).   

Even if materials became available, and the ports of Miami, Savannah and Charleston are quickly repaired, you still have the lack of a deep-water port on St. John large enough to accommodate a container ship.  That means that heavy equipment and materials will have to first be shipped to the port in St. Thomas (which may have to be repaired first), then moved to smaller boats (which may have been damaged or sunk in the storm) to be transported to St. John.  That takes dollars, manpower, and time...all of which will be diverted to rebuilding St. Thomas first.

And, of course, we have the unmentionable fact that September is the beginning of hurricane season.

No, a leisure resort will be (and should be!) triaged far below other more emergent needs, such as rebuilding roads, hospitals, gas stations, grocery stores, government buildings, schools, and residents' homes.  My prediction is that it'll take 12 to 18 months for WSJ to be up and running, and that is assuming no further setbacks, such as crappy weather or civil unrest.


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## vistana101

I've been looking at Facebook posts and it seems a lot of villas were really heavily damaged inside even if it did not appear so on the outside. Some reports of broken glass doors, windows, lots of flooding etc. Here is just one photo showing a bit of interior destruction:




And a scary video: https://www.facebook.com/allen.gaston.39/posts/1399120883541223?pnref=story

It will certainly will take quite a bit of time to repair all of this...so sad to see such destruction throughout the beautiful island.


----------



## okwiater

LisaRex said:


> My prediction is that it'll take 12 to 18 months for WSJ to be up and running, and that is assuming no further setbacks, such as crappy weather or civil unrest.



You may very well be right. We'll have to wait and see what official information is forthcoming from the resort. It looks like Vistana is already taking precautions by restricting new reservations to April or later, though. I noticed today that the Villa Finder for WSJ has been locked down with the "requested check-in day may not be available for check-in" message for all dates through March of 2018.


----------



## SandyPGravel

okwiater said:


> You may very well be right. *We'll have to wait and see what official information is forthcoming from the resort*. It looks like Vistana is already taking precautions by restricting new reservations to April or later, though. I noticed today that the Villa Finder for WSJ has been locked down with the "requested check-in day may not be available for check-in" message for all dates through March of 2018.



I hope that some kind of official communication regarding the resort comes out soon.  All this speculating is nerve racking.  I don't expect definitive answers, just something from the resort so we can make adjustments if needed.  My DH would be more than willing to lend a hand, he's been in construction (commercial HVAC for 20+ years).  Yesterday he was wondering out loud if the airlines would wave over-weight bag fees so he could bring down tools.  I take direction well, with no construction background.


----------



## bice01

I'm not going to speculate on timing, but I do have a few comments.  

I think with the federal disaster declaration, FEMA has extraordinary powers to facilitate rebuilding.  For STJ, if FEMA chooses, it can bring in an Army Corps of Engineering temporary dock for deep water Coral Bay to accommodate roll-on/roll-off cargo ships for STJ.  Separately, the National Park Service has their own protocols and national teams for emergency cleanup and restoration for their 70% of STJ.  My point is that normal logistics for STJ may not apply now.

I do think that each individual private property and business will recover based on their individual insurance coverage, or under-insurance, as the case may be.

For Virgin Grand, it's my understanding that we have good coverage and are nearly funded on the deductible (assuming no FEMA $ assistance).  Also, we paid handsomely for those new roofs, which appear nicely intact.


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## DavidnRobin

I did the Owners Update at WKORV yesterday- in the past they were willing to take our WSJ deeds for exchange if we bought something new (with additional new $) like Nanea, etc.  Not this time - only WKV or WPORV.
Telling...


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## lizap

LisaRex said:


> I think 6-9 months is way optimistic.  Just the logistics of getting building material shipped to the Caribbean is daunting enough, but further complicated due to heavy damage inflicted to the entire Caribbean, but especially to the US mainland, which will surely take priority.  Had the damage been limited to the USVI, I'd have been more optimistic, but there's no way that repairing St. John, which is 75% national park with very few full-time residents, is going to take priority over repairing Miami or Tampa...or St. Thomas.  No way, no how.  Even if the federal government (or Vistana/MVC) throws a bunch of money their way, what good is cash if you lack lumber and skilled tradesman?
> 
> And, remember, even though USVI is technically part of the US, they actually operate as a separate entity. They have their own government, own utilities, own currency, etc., and they will suffer as a result.  For example, it would be so much easier for them if they were served by Verizon or Duke Energy, massive national US companies. Last week, as soon as models predicted that Florida was going to get hit, Duke started sending workers and trucks from all over the country to the southeast to assist.  The Caribbean islands do not enjoy the benefits of unification and mutual cooperation.  Not only are they physically removed from each other via a large body of water, but most don't share a common government. IOW, it's not like Aruba (Dutch) is going to send electric workers over to assist St. Bart (UK) or  St. John (US).
> 
> Even if materials became available, and the ports of Miami, Savannah and Charleston are quickly repaired, you still have the lack of a deep-water port on St. John large enough to accommodate a container ship.  That means that heavy equipment and materials will have to first be shipped to the port in St. Thomas (which may have to be repaired first), then moved to smaller boats (which may have been damaged or sunk in the storm) to be transported to St. John.  That takes dollars, manpower, and time...all of which will be diverted to rebuilding St. Thomas first.
> 
> And, of course, we have the unmentionable fact that September is the beginning of hurricane season.
> 
> No, a leisure resort will be (and should be!) triaged far below other more emergent needs, such as rebuilding roads, hospitals, gas stations, grocery stores, government buildings, schools, and residents' homes.  My prediction is that it'll take 12 to 18 months for WSJ to be up and running, and that is assuming no further setbacks, such as crappy weather or civil unrest.



Lisa,  unfortunately, I think your predictions are about right.


----------



## ekinggill

The most complete video of the WSJ damage I have seen yet.


----------



## DavidnRobin

^^^^ this has already been posted ^^^^


----------



## ekinggill

k


----------



## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> I did the Owners Update at WKORV yesterday- in the past they were willing to take our WSJ deeds for exchange if we bought something new (with additional new $) like Nanea, etc.  Not this time - only WKV or WPORV.
> Telling...



The fact that Vistana wouldn't buy back your WSJ deed is unsurprising but I disagree that it is telling. It's a basic tenet of business -- especially for a sales organization like Vistana -- that you don't accumulate inventory for which there is no demand, since doing so just ties up capital. It's obvious that nobody is going to want to buy WSJ until the resort and the island have been restored to a reasonable condition. So refusing to buy back your deed as part of an exchange isn't so much telling as it is exactly what I would expect Vistana to do in this situation.


----------



## Helios

carpie99 said:


> Not to sound insensitive ... but you became responsible the second you bought ownership in the property.  Do you really think you would have better chance of getting your unit fit for use faster than they will be able to.  I am just happy I didn't follow through with a secondary house purchase on the island that I had been considering rather than timeshare ownership.
> 
> I am looking forward to picking up some free timeshares at WSJ in the near future


Sure on being responsible, as an owner...perhaps I could not move faster, but perhaps I could...at least the speed and cost would be on my own terms which I can control...I cannot control Vistana's speed or cost...

So, you want free WSJ unit(s)...Sounds like you want to get someone else to pay for the SAs and the MFs while the restorations takes place, then you get for it/them free because owners freak out and sell to avoid another disaster...Some could interpret as insensitive and opportunistic...


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> The fact that Vistana wouldn't buy back your WSJ deed is unsurprising but I disagree that it is telling. It's a basic tenet of business -- especially for a sales organization like Vistana -- that you don't accumulate inventory for which there is no demand, since doing so just ties up capital. It's obvious that nobody is going to want to buy WSJ until the resort and the island have been restored to a reasonable condition. So refusing to buy back your deed as part of an exchange isn't so much telling as it is exactly what I would expect Vistana to do in this situation.



They have always offered to take our WSJ in exchange (years now...) - even last June. The only one that has been off the table is our OFD which has a VSE paper value of $125K.

What is telling is that our WSJ-VGV are now valueless - unfortunately.
This could be easily proved - and might be...

btw - I never said 'refused' as I wasn't buying, but happened to be at WKORV Owners Update because I want to see Nanea villas. it wasn't not on offer sheet like it has always been.  
I wasn't surprised - just a factoid... 2 weeks ago it would have been.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> My DH would be more than willing to lend a hand, he's been in construction (commercial HVAC for 20+ years).  Yesterday he was wondering out loud if the airlines would wave over-weight bag fees so he could bring down tools.  I take direction well, with no construction background.



If USVI is anything like other municipalities in the US, it's not as easy as a barn raising, at least for big projects.  Government-funded projects (e.g. FEMA) usually require competitive bidding and registered bidders.  The proposals usually must build in certain stipulations (e.g. you must use Teamster drivers and they will be paid $x per hour). This keeps the playing field even among bidders, and helps avoid exploitation of cheap labor (e.g. illegal immigrants).  It does make me wonder whether unions exist on the islands, and whether FEMA has the right to waive local mandates in emergency situations like this.


----------



## Henry M.

DavidnRobin said:


> I did the Owners Update at WKORV yesterday- in the past they were willing to take our WSJ deeds for exchange if we bought something new (with additional new $) like Nanea, etc.  Not this time - only WKV or WPORV.
> Telling...



I took an owner's update at Nanea on Sep.t 1 and they did offer to take in my WSJ EOY week (+ min $35K new money) in exchange for Nanea or WKORV weeks. I guess they changed their tune after Irma.


----------



## LisaH

*County Star Kenny Chesney Loses St. John Home to Hurricane Irma*
https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/kenny-chesney-loses-beach-house-to-hurricane-irma
He is being interviewed on CNN now.


----------



## alexadeparis

lizap said:


> Thanks for the link.  These photos are what I expected - they make me want to cry..


Me too, the longer I look at the pictures, especially on Facebook, the more depressed I get.


----------



## lizap

Posted earlier this week by Jenn on -News of St. John-Facebook (so very sad):

I’m scared. Those are words I never thought I would write when referring to St. John. But I’m scared. We’re only four days into this mess, and we’re hearing some awful things. For starters, Joe’s Rum Hut was broken into the day after Irma hit. The ATM was stolen. They attempted to get cash out of the register, but it was empty as Joe’s closed for season earlier this month. The ATM next to Cruz Bay Landing was stolen. The ATM at the ferry dock was stolen. Scoops has been broken into. St. John Insurance has been broken into. They hold almost all of the insurance policies on this island. Makes you wonder the intentions of that burglary, doesn't it? Dolphin Market in Coral Bay was looted the very first night. The very first night. We heard this morning that the Customs building in Cruz Bay was broken into and that guns were stolen. We heard that there was at least three robberies at gunpoint on Gifft Hill. This is not St. John anymore. I’m not sure what it is. What I do know is that I am scared. My friends are scared. And we don’t know what to do.

Last night I was able to go home. What I failed to mention was that we had to install a bar on the inside of our door so no one could break in. This is our new reality. Last night, for the first time since moving here, I was afraid to walk down the streets of Cruz Bay. And it was only 6:30 p.m. People are getting desperate, and desperate times call for desperate measures from some unfortunately. We are only on day four. What’s going to happen next?

I have seen absolutely no aid today except a few boxes of MREs walking down the street. I haven’t seen one helicopter land today. We hear help is on the way. Let’s hope so. We need the military. We need men and women guarding our streets with guns. Our police force does nothing. They sit in their cars and yell at people over the loudspeaker. I kid you not. They’re not even helping with traffic in areas where it’s needed. You know who is? Our homeless people. Our homeless people are directing traffic, and our police are not. Let that sink in for a minute. Several police officers can be seen constantly at Ronnie’s Pizza - our new cell phone spot - and they’re scrolling through Facebook rather than patrolling our streets. Im shocked they actually got out of their cars for that. I took pictures and I cannot wait until I have internet so I can share them with the world.

We need help. We need the United States government to step up. We need military. We need security. We all survived this monster storm. But will we survive the aftermath? No one knows. And that’s not me being dramatic at all. That, unfortunately, is the new reality of St. John. This is no longer paradise. This is no longer my happy place.

Please share this folks. Share away. Please get us help.

Jenn


----------



## okwiater

lizap said:


> Posted earlier this week by Jenn on -News of St. John-Facebook (so very sad):
> 
> I’m scared. Those are words I never thought I would write when referring to St. John. But I’m scared. We’re only four days into this mess, and we’re hearing some awful things.



Yes, but there have been several more recent posts describing a drastically improved situation as additional police and other resources have arrived from St. Croix.


----------



## okwiater

Looks like the devastation on St. John made the WaPo: https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...555caaeb8dc_story.html?utm_term=.985f510fbfc6


----------



## SandyPGravel

okwiater said:


> Looks like the devastation on St. John made the WaPo: https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...555caaeb8dc_story.html?utm_term=.985f510fbfc6



Wow, a great article, IMO.   Sad to hear the governor discounting what people in the midst of the situation on St John are saying.  I'm not sure what his reasoning could be?  Seriously the worse the situation is the more help you are going to receive.  By discounting local accounts, he is providing a disservice to those in greatest need.  Also, glad to read other first hand accounts of what was happening to back up what Jenn Manes had stated on her blog.  She was taking a ton of criticism on FB for describing what she was feeling and witnessing.


----------



## lizap

okwiater said:


> Yes, but there have been several more recent posts describing a drastically improved situation as additional police and other resources have arrived from St. Croix.



Thankfully, things have improved, but is is still very unfortunate that these things happened. My heart breaks for her reading this account. We are planning to donate to relief efforts.  Any recommendations?


----------



## carpie99

Helios said:


> Sure on being responsible, as an owner...perhaps I could not move faster, but perhaps I could...at least the speed and cost would be on my own terms which I can control...I cannot control Vistana's speed or cost...
> 
> So, you want free WSJ unit(s)...Sounds like you want to get someone else to pay for the SAs and the MFs while the restorations takes place, then you get for it/them free because owners freak out and sell to avoid another disaster...Some could interpret as insensitive and opportunistic...



The repairs will be funded by insurance ... I can only say that for the three units I own there I will pay the required SAs and MFs until I can continue visits to the property.  That is the inherent risk of property ownership.  They only owe you what you agreed to when you purchased, nothing more or less.  I haven't reviewed my documents yet to see what guarantees of use I have.  What I can tell you is that I have a nine day reservation in 29 days that use 168,000 star options ($4000+ in MFs) and have been told that my reservation is still valid.  So I have plenty of skin in the game and still feel fortunate that I have the backing of Vistana rather than having to somehow deal with insurance and repairs by myself.


----------



## lizap

carpie99 said:


> The repairs will be funded by insurance ... I can only say that for the three units I own there I will pay the required SAs and MFs until I can continue visits to the property.  That is the inherent risk of property ownership.  They only owe you what you agreed to when you purchased, nothing more or less.  I haven't reviewed my documents yet to see what guarantees of use I have.  What I can tell you is that I have a nine day reservation in 29 days that use 168,000 star options ($4000+ in MFs) and have been told that my reservation is still valid.  So I have plenty of skin in the game and still feel fortunate that I have the backing of Vistana rather than having to somehow deal with insurance and repairs by myself.



You may want to check with Vistana about your reservation. I cancelled our reservation yesterday for the middle of October. As of mid day yesterday, they are allowing penalty-free cancellations.


----------



## carpie99

lizap said:


> You may want to check with Vistana about your reservation. I cancelled our reservation yesterday for the middle of October. As of mid day yesterday, they are allowing penalty-free cancellations.



What were you able to do with your options?  I don't think I can reuse them this year at this point so if I can't bank them then it may not matter.


----------



## lizap

carpie99 said:


> What were you able to do with your options?  I don't think I can reuse them this year at this point so if I can't bank them then it may not matter.




They allowed me to bank the SOs, did not waive the banking fee, only the cancellation fee.  My understanding is that 'officially' the resort is closed through the end of October. I imagine this will be extended...


----------



## carpie99

lizap said:


> They allowed me to bank the SOs, did not waive the banking fee, only the cancellation fee.  My understanding is that 'officially' the resort is closed through the end of October. I imagine this will be extended...


Apparently yesterday I got a non-helpful agent after being on hold for 45 minutes ... I was told exactly "all reservations after 9/29 are still being honored and any changes would be according to standard procedures".  I should have asked for a manager. :/


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## SandyPGravel

lizap said:


> They allowed me to bank the SOs, *did not waive the banking fee*, only the cancellation fee.  My understanding is that 'officially' the resort is closed through the end of October. I imagine this will be extended...



This is totally unfair.  You aren't banking your SO because you didn't want to use them this year.  What a money grab.


----------



## josh2268

carpie99 said:


> Apparently yesterday I got a non-helpful agent after being on hold for 45 minutes ... I was told exactly "all reservations after 9/29 are still being honored and any changes would be according to standard procedures".  I should have asked for a manager. :/



I was told the same thing yesterday, asked for a manager and was able to bank, but still had to pay for the cancellation fee.


----------



## carpie99

Got a more helpful agent this time ... free cancellation.  78,000 of my points were banked points and still good for use into next year.  95,700 for use this year but I have the option to bank them for the standard $99 fee before October 1.

I am trying to figure out what I can possibly do with them this year before deciding to bank them.

Now to call American Airlines .....


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## Dawnwrey

We cancelled without penalty yesterday also. We had a 2 week reservation beginning October 28. We converted to starpoints since we don't have another opportunity to schedule additional time with options. Going to Kauai instead.


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## carpie99

Dawnwrey said:


> We cancelled without penalty yesterday also. We had a 2 week reservation beginning October 28. We converted to starpoints since we don't have another opportunity to schedule additional time with options. Going to Kauai instead.



I assume the reason there is no availability to use Staroptions is because the Westin has taken over the open availability in the 60 day window?


----------



## lizap

josh2268 said:


> I was told the same thing yesterday, asked for a manager and was able to bank, but still had to pay for the cancellation fee.



What time did you call?  You may have called before the descision to extend was made.


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## lizap

SandyPGravel said:


> This is totally unfair.  You aren't banking your SO because you didn't want to use them this year.  What a money grab.



And I had already paid a banking fee earlier since I had previously banked SOs this year.  I may try to see if I can be reimbursed through Chase's trip cancellation insurance.  But I probably won't as I'm tired of fooling with it.


----------



## Cornell

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/after-irma-a-once-lush-gem-in-the-us-virgin-islands-reduced-to-battered-wasteland/2017/09/12/b49532e0-9736-11e7-af6a-6555caaeb8dc_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_irmaislands945pm:homepage/story&utm_term=.9d5cd5f8496b

Good / sad article about virgin islands


----------



## cubigbird

Just looked at the Villa Finder.  The defaults starts in April but allows you to scroll backwards showing availability and allowing to book as early as November 6th and forward.  Agreed with posts above, here's hoping we get a resort update soon.


----------



## NNerland

Caneel Bay Resort just posted on Facebook -- they announced they will be closed for the duration of 2017 and will provide updates for 2018 in the future.  They are examining the extent of the damage to the property.  Their immediate priority is with their employees and the community on the Island of St John at this time.   

They took a pretty big hit, not as protected as St John; however probably a good indication of the true aftermath.  We are to go in January, but I just have a feeling this isn't going to be possible.  I really hope the Westin is transparent and forthright.   People also have decisions to make as airlines have restrictions and you can't just change at the last minute if you need to make alternate plans.  We are kind of in a bind as our airline tickets are with Sun Country; which has fewer options for us in the winter to change our plans.

I understand the enormity of the situation for Vistana and the Westin --- however we are all owners and in this together.  They need to be honest and transparent.   It will be interesting to see in the coming days and weeks what we hear.


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## dsmrp

Cornell said:


> https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/after-irma-a-once-lush-gem-in-the-us-virgin-islands-reduced-to-battered-wasteland/2017/09/12/b49532e0-9736-11e7-af6a-6555caaeb8dc_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_irmaislands945pm:homepage/story&utm_term=.9d5cd5f8496b
> 
> Good / sad article about virgin islands



Thank you for the link.  So sad, but glad they finally got some help with enforcement and transportation off island(s).  From the article it did seem to take awhile, and the grass roots effort from Puerto Rico was awesome.
Can anyone recommend a reputable organization that will direct contributions to USVI relief efforts?
I should go find that GoFundMe page of the guy from Puerto Rico in the article.

BTW, I heard on Good Morning America this morning about a cruise ship which Marriott chartered to pick up guests from St Thomas.
But only Marriott guests were allowed to board, in spite of many other tourists needing to leave St Thomas.
Marriott responded it was because the St Thomas port staff-officials only allowed those named on the manifest to leave.  OMG!


----------



## Jamie4Maui

We had a trip scheduled for St. John arriving October 7th. I called today to cancel and was able to bank my Star Options without a cancellation fee and also without the $99 banking fee. She almost charged me the $99 fee, but had put me on hold to talk with another department, who informed her that as of today a new policy had been issued that they were not going to charge the banking fee for those having to cancel at St. John. If you were charged this fee I would call back to get it refunded.


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## canesfan

I'm glad that Vistana finally made the right decision and is waiving the banking fee. It's definitely the right thing to do at this time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## lizap

Jamie4Maui said:


> We had a trip scheduled for St. John arriving October 7th. I called today to cancel and was able to bank my Star Options without a cancellation fee and also without the $99 banking fee. She almost charged me the $99 fee, but had put me on hold to talk with another department, who informed her that as of today a new policy had been issued that they were not going to charge the banking fee for those having to cancel at St. John. If you were charged this fee I would call back to get it refunded.



Thanks for letting us know.  I'm calling now to try to get it refunded.


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## SMHarman

Caneel Bay is done for 2017


----------



## josh2268

Jamie4Maui said:


> We had a trip scheduled for St. John arriving October 7th. I called today to cancel and was able to bank my Star Options without a cancellation fee and also without the $99 banking fee. She almost charged me the $99 fee, but had put me on hold to talk with another department, who informed her that as of today a new policy had been issued that they were not going to charge the banking fee for those having to cancel at St. John. If you were charged this fee I would call back to get it refunded.



awesome tip, i just called and got refunded my banking and cancellation fees


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## lizap

josh2268 said:


> awesome tip, i just called and got refunded my banking and cancellation fees



Yes, they have now refunded ours as well.  Thanks TUG!


----------



## letsgomets

So upset to see what's happened to St. John but looking forward to returning.  Since BV is not a mandatory resort and we bought a # of years ago via resale, I wonder if there are any options that are available to us if the resort is closed for our upcoming arrival dates or if we just lose out since we aren't allowed in the Vistana exchange program.  Would love any insights.


----------



## Helios

carpie99 said:


> The repairs will be funded by insurance ... I can only say that for the three units I own there I will pay the required SAs and MFs until I can continue visits to the property.  That is the inherent risk of property ownership.  They only owe you what you agreed to when you purchased, nothing more or less.  I haven't reviewed my documents yet to see what guarantees of use I have.  What I can tell you is that I have a nine day reservation in 29 days that use 168,000 star options ($4000+ in MFs) and have been told that my reservation is still valid.  So I have plenty of skin in the game and still feel fortunate that I have the backing of Vistana rather than having to somehow deal with insurance and repairs by myself.


Sorry, I didn't realize you owned at WSJ.  

Good luck with the reservations.  Please post pictures once you get there.


----------



## amycurl

lizap said:


> Thankfully, things have improved, but is is still very unfortunate that these things happened. My heart breaks for her reading this account. We are planning to donate to relief efforts.  Any recommendations?





> Can anyone recommend a reputable organization that will direct contributions to USVI relief efforts?



I would recommend the Community Foundation of the USVI.


----------



## SMHarman

Marriott just screwed over a bunch o peeps on St Thomas

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...on-guests-on-the-dock/?utm_term=.870cfe43d80f


----------



## dsmrp

SMHarman said:


> Marriott just screwed over a bunch o peeps on St Thomas
> 
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...on-guests-on-the-dock/?utm_term=.870cfe43d80f



Hope Marriott gets much more bad PR from this (ala United's passenger dragging incident) than any liability from accepting extra passengers on the ship.


----------



## ekinggill

Marriott pleaded with the port officials to be allowed to take the ~35 non-guests.  The non-guests were denied access because they were not on the manifest.

Marriott spent a lot of money on this rescue...including giving guests $200 cash to help them get home.  I hate seeing them being trashed by only half of the story.



dsmrp said:


> Hope Marriott gets much more bad PR from this (ala United's passenger dragging incident) than any liability from accepting extra passengers on the ship.


----------



## okwiater

ekinggill said:


> Marriott pleaded with the port officials to be allowed to take the ~35 non-guests.  The non-guests were denied access because they were not on the manifest.
> 
> Marriott spent a lot of money on this rescue...including giving guests $200 cash to help them get home.  I hate seeing them being trashed by only half of the story.



I agree there are far too many hazy or missing details to make a judgment here.


----------



## LisaRex

letsgomets said:


> So upset to see what's happened to St. John but looking forward to returning.  Since BV is not a mandatory resort and we bought a # of years ago via resale, I wonder if there are any options that are available to us if the resort is closed for our upcoming arrival dates or if we just lose out since we aren't allowed in the Vistana exchange program.  Would love any insights.



I really don't know.  I'd hope that being denied use of your unit due to (renovations, emergency repairs, or Acts of God) would be addressed in your Owner's Guide, so if you don't have one yet, I'd ask for it.  (You might want to ask for an e-copy to be sent, if possible; Otherwise, they'll send you a 500 page unbound paper copy.)

Below is a link to a 2011 article re hurricanes and timeshares.  It's somewhat relevant, however they don't have concrete information for VSE specifically.  If I owned a voluntary resort and was locked out of my resort for any reason beyond my control, and there were no weeks left in my season, I'd call and ask what my options were.  You paid for your week, but were denied use of that week through no fault of yours or theirs.  Since you are still on the hook for MFs and SAs to repair the damage, one would hope that they'd make a reasonable effort to "make it right" even if it meant booking outside of your season, outside of your home resort, and possibly even outside of VSE.  (I mean, they ARE a huge timeshare conglomeration.)

At the end of the day, there may be no recourse for you.  Take heart that you only out one week. Tens of thousands of people are on the hook to pay mortgages for homes that were destroyed last week. And many St. Johnians have no paycheck now because they relied on you to come and spend money there.  Sometimes life just isn't fair.

Good luck to you.

http://www.thetimeshareauthority.com/2011/08/26/hurricane-irene-and-your-timeshare-vacation/


----------



## LisaRex

Sobering article re USVI recovery.  Governor is saying that it may be months before electricity is even restored to the islands.   

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/8cf2a5...762153a/ss_u.s.-virgin-islands-governor:.html


----------



## Carolyn

LisaRex said:


> Sobering article re USVI recovery.  Governor is saying that it may be months before electricity is even restored to the islands.
> 
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/8cf2a565-29b2-3c24-a9f3-2b975762153a/ss_u.s.-virgin-islands-governor:.html



Date has been extended to December 31, 2017. I'm sure Vistana will keep moving this date out. On Vistana website this morning:

Update from Hurricane Irma: September 13, 2017
We are pleased to confirm that there were no injuries or loss of life to guests or staff. However, The Westin St. John Resort Villas sustained significant damage, and we are in the process of assessing the extent of it. We appreciate your patience while we gather information and make decisions about when the resort and the island will be ready to welcome Owners and Guests back to St. John. *As a result, we are currently waiving all cancellation fees for Owners who wish to cancel their reservations through December 31.* Contact Owner Services to make alternate plans for your 2017 usage. Please continue to check back here for the latest resort updates.


----------



## OCsun

As a WSJ villa owner I hope the powers to be will communicate with owners soon regarding what the future might look like.  Even if they only tell us that they need a month or two to make any good decision regarding the resort opening in the next 12-18 months.
Member services told me that I would not be informed regarding cancellations of accommodations until 60 days prior to a reserved stay, even if the stay is many months out.
A 60 day plan is understandable for a tropical storm or a Cat 1 or 2 hurricane.  St. John has long term damage and Vistanna needs to be realistic and informative to their owners

*Sorry!  They just posted this update when I posted my concerns.  *


----------



## SandyPGravel

But they are not saying the resort is closed.  You can call and cancel if you *wish*.  Seriously, do they really want tourists to show up?  Caneel stated they are closed through the end of the year.  Plus an email from owner services would be nice.  Not everyone checks the dashboard or has TUG to keep them up to date.


----------



## lizap

amycurl said:


> I would recommend the Community Foundation of the USVI.





Carolyn said:


> Date has been extended to December 31, 2017. I'm sure Vistana will keep moving this date out. On Vistana website this morning:
> 
> Update from Hurricane Irma: September 13, 2017
> We are pleased to confirm that there were no injuries or loss of life to guests or staff. However, The Westin St. John Resort Villas sustained significant damage, and we are in the process of assessing the extent of it. We appreciate your patience while we gather information and make decisions about when the resort and the island will be ready to welcome Owners and Guests back to St. John. *As a result, we are currently waiving all cancellation fees for Owners who wish to cancel their reservations through December 31.* Contact Owner Services to make alternate plans for your 2017 usage. Please continue to check back here for the latest resort updates.




Wouldn't be surprised to see this extended through May or June 2018 and maybe longer..


----------



## klpca

lizap said:


> Wouldn't be surprised to see this extended through May or June 2018 and maybe longer..


The areas hit hard by Odile took over a year to reopen.  It seems that the resorts have to have the insurance people out first, then they can figure out a timeline.


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## SandyPGravel

Just received an email from Islands magazine:

http://www.islands.com/everything-w...1121694541&spReportId=MTEyMTY5NDU0MQS2#page-8

*The Westin St. John Resort Villas:* The resort and the surrounding areas experienced some damage. As of September 11, Marriott International has advised the resort is closed until further notice.

Can Marriott International release a statement about this resort?


----------



## lizap

SandyPGravel said:


> Just received an email from Islands magazine:
> 
> http://www.islands.com/everything-w...1121694541&spReportId=MTEyMTY5NDU0MQS2#page-8
> 
> *The Westin St. John Resort Villas:* The resort and the surrounding areas experienced some damage. As of September 11, Marriott International has advised the resort is closed until further notice.
> 
> Can Marriott International release a statement about this resort?



Sounds like someone is thinking Marriott owns WSJ TS since they now own Starwood hotels..


----------



## letsgomets

I just spoke with Vistana about an hour ago and the representative told me that they were advised today to cancel all reservations through December 31.


----------



## LisaRex

SandyPGravel said:


> But they are not saying the resort is closed.  You can call and cancel if you *wish*.  Seriously, do they really want tourists to show up?



I think that it's an acknowledgement that for some people (e.g. fall week voluntary owners), there may be no point in cancelling. I mean, if you had dinner reservations for Saturday, and the restaurant closed today because they had a major fire, would you bother to call and cancel your reservation?  Mandatory owners have the option of converting to SOs, but I'm not sure if voluntary owners will have any options.  (And I hope I'm not sounding flippant there; I do feel really bad for voluntary owners.)


----------



## dsmrp

ekinggill said:


> Marriott pleaded with the port officials to be allowed to take the ~35 non-guests.  The non-guests were denied access because they were not on the manifest.
> 
> Marriott spent a lot of money on this rescue...including giving guests $200 cash to help them get home.  I hate seeing them being trashed by only half of the story.





okwiater said:


> I agree there are far too many hazy or missing details to make a judgment here.



Would you feel the same way if you were one of the 35?
True Marriott spent money, minimum $100K, to get their guests out of St Thomas, and they will get loyal-for-life Marriott customers and good PR from it.
Unfortunately I don't think we'll ever get the full story;  St Thomas Port and Marriott are saying the other was the reason for denying those 35+ people
access to the ship.   And St Thomas officials are busy handling a disaster situation for a long time to come...
IMO in this situation, port officials would be more concerned with who is disembarking from a ship rather than who is getting on.
And would want to get the non-locals out of there, so they can concentrate help on the resident population.
In a disaster, humanitarian common sense should (occasionally) overrule bureaucratic red tape and regulations.  But in stressful situations, people
do fall back on their rules in order to have some sense of control and normalcy.


----------



## GrayFal

On hold now





Dear Westin St. John Owner,

We wanted to provide you with an update of the post-Hurricane Irma recovery effort for The Westin St. John Resort Villas.  

The resort and surrounding areas experienced significant damage and we currently have construction, restoration, risk management and security personnel at the resort assessing the overall impact. As a result, all inbound arrivals through December 31, 2017, are being suspended. 

Owner Services has begun outbound communications in an effort to process cancellations and assist Owners with rebooking reservations, StarOptions Banking, SPG conversion, or assigning Vacation Ownership Interests with Interval International. Cancellation, StarOptions Banking, SPG conversion fees associated with scheduled 2017 Owner reservations for The Westin St. John Resort Villas (from September 1–December 31, 2017) will be waived. Additionally, any such fees previously collected during this time will be refunded within 10 to 14 business days. 

Many of you have reached out to ask what you can do to help. While we appreciate your willingness to contribute, at this time we are providing our full support to ensure the well-being of our staff and their families as well as working diligently to reopen as quickly and safely as possible. 

Our round-the-clock post-hurricane efforts will continue and we will provide updates as they become available. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. 

If you have questions concerning an upcoming reservation, please contact Owner Services at *888-986-9637* or *407-903-4635*, Monday–Friday, 9AM–9PM Saturday and Sunday, 9AM–6PM Eastern time.

Sincerely,




Suzanne Clark 
Vice President, Owner Services















 


You have received this transactional message as part of your vacation ownership. Please do not reply directly to this system-generated e-mail. Contact Vistana Management, Inc. at 9002 San Marco Court, Orlando, FL 32819 or click here.

©2017 Vistana Signature Experiences, Inc. ("Vistana") and Marriott International, Inc. ("Marriott"). All Rights Reserved. Vistana, its logo, and StarOptions are the trademarks of Vistana or its affiliates. SPG, Preferred Guest, Sheraton, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Marriott or its affiliates and are used by Vistana, an authorized partner of the SPG program, under license from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC, a subsidiary of Marriott. Vistana and the programs and products it provides are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott or its affiliates. Vistana is solely responsible for its advertising, marketing, privacy and data collection practices.

Privacy Statement  |  Terms & Conditions  |  4820  |  20A  |  17-OOC-1275-H-VSN


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## OCsun

Thanks for posting this notice to Westin St John Owners.  I have been an owner since 2003 and did not receive it.  Maybe it did not include the Virgin Grand Villa owners.


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## SandyPGravel

OCsun said:


> Thanks for posting this notice to Westin St John Owners.  I have been an owner since 2003 and did not receive it.  Maybe it did not include the Virgin Grand Villa owners.


I haven't received the email either.  But the email that went out last Friday, about owner services closing, to some people at one in the afternoon.   I didn't receive until almost 9 PM  So it may still come.  I also own VGV.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## canesfan

I haven't received it and I own Bay Vista. 
I don't have a reservation that is affected though. I have one for early May 2018 and wonder if they will be ready by then. It isn't looking good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## GrayFal

Very very very disappointed  with Vistana.
Yes, I am a resale owner for this one particular week.
I have FOUR weeks in the Vistana Signature Network and one that is not


They are not allowing me to put this week into VSN for 95,700 StarOptions.
My choice is II.
Big Woop! 
2 K in maintainence fees for a two bedroom II exchange into a $800 week p,us a $139 exchange fee.

Thanks a LOT VSN.

And I know I am not alone.  There are many Bay Vista and Coral Vista resale owners.   Very disappointing.


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## okwiater

I rented a Christmas week in my Bay Vista this year. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. The rental contract specified that it is non-refundable.

I haven't seen an e-mail from Vistana yet, though.


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## GrayFal

okwiater said:


> I rented a Christmas week in my Bay Vista this year. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. The rental contract specified that it is non-refundable.
> 
> I haven't seen an e-mail from Vistana yet, though.


Surprised you did not get the email.  Many on Facebook have gotten it


At the suggestion of a Facebook poster I am now working with someone from the resolution department that will allow me to use My HomeOptions elsewhere in the network this year.   I will keep you posted.

My WSJ week 7 that I have rented (no refund) is in the VSE Network.  It is in my contracts that I recommend travel insurance and give a link to a travel insurance company.  Will see what happens


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## dewdrops

Is the reason for not allowing voluntary weeks to convert to SO because it will cause an imbalance in the system? Vistana owns enough weeks to pull their own SO out so that there could be a balance. 
Seems even giving people option to book within last 60 days is better than no choices for the voluntary weeks owners. So many weeks go unused!


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## Helios

Good luck to @okwiater and @GrayFal with the rentals.  Hopefully your renters don't bother you knowing your agreement cannot be cancelled.


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## LisaRex

Egads, I hadn't thought of the impact of renters.  I think that at the very least, Okwiater may have the duty to notify his guest that the resort will be closed through 12/31/17, which might open up an unpleasant dialogue and quite possibly a chargeback from Paypal/credit card company if you accepted these for payment, as these companies are notorious for siding with consumers.

Personally, although I said "no refunds for any reason," I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable making a big profit.  After speaking with a lawyer, I'd certainly consider refunding all but the cost of the MFs as a good will gesture, and/or offering up the same remedy that VSE provided, such as depositing the week in II and offering to search for another location, or trying to book another location with SOs, assuming your unit came with SOs.   I'd also add language in future contracts that covered hurricanes and unforeseen resort closures. 

What a mess.


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## GrayFal

How sad for all involved.  And this is May 2018!


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## LisaH

GrayFal said:


> How sad for all involved.  And this is May 2018!


Indeed. Not sure about our early Aug week next year. Time to think about an alternative plan...


----------



## tomandrobin

I did receive the email from Vistana regarding the WSJ being closed thru the end of the year.

I keep playing out the logistics of a timeline for the Westin. My results are always bad to worse for a reasonable opening date. The island still has no power and at what point is the Westin still running its generator for an empty resort? Supplies are limited and rationed


GrayFal said:


> View attachment 4767
> 
> How sad for all involved.  And this is May 2018!



I saw that posted on Facebook the other day. Our reservations are for next July. The restaurant being closed does not mean the resort will be closed. It might be 1-2 months before an insurance adjuster can tour the resort. There might be a need for structural analysis of the damaged structures. I am not expecting all the inspections and assessments completed until December.


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## SandyPGravel

tomandrobin said:


> I did receive the email from Vistana regarding the WSJ being closed thru the end of the year.
> 
> I keep playing out the logistics of a timeline for the Westin. My results are always bad to worse for a reasonable opening date. The island still has no power and at what point is the Westin still running its generator for an empty resort? Supplies are limited and rationed
> 
> 
> I saw that posted on Facebook the other day. Our reservations are for next July. The restaurant being closed does not mean the resort will be closed. It might be 1-2 months before an insurance adjuster can tour the resort. There might be a need for structural analysis of the damaged structures. I am not expecting all the inspections and assessments completed until December.


What section do you own?  I still haven't received the email.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## tomandrobin

SandyPGravel said:


> What section do you own?  I still haven't received the email.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk



Bay Vista


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## SandyPGravel

tomandrobin said:


> Bay Vista


Wonder if David & Robin received it.  They're in VGV like me.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## tomandrobin

The past few days, I have tried researching part hurricane events to St. Thomas and St. John. I was trying to compare the damage caused by each event and the length of recover to the Virgin Islands current disaster. Irma seems to be the worse of the past 100 years.


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## tomandrobin

Just saw that the airport opening on St Thomas was pushed back to Sept 20th now.


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## GrayFal

SandyPGravel said:


> Wonder if David & Robin received it.  They're in VGV like me.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


Gina, I own in both VGV and Coral Vista.  The reservation I had in December was CV

I really don't think they will be sending notification of resort closure to people with reservations next summer, it is just too soon to know abiut the state of the resort.

My VGV Resie is week 7. Will see if I get any further notification.

Edit
Both Delta and American are allowing cancelations for STT flights thru 10/31/17
St Martin cancelations are allowed thru 12/31/17


----------



## GrayFal




----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> Gina, I own in both VGV and Coral Vista.  The reservation I had in December was CV
> 
> I really don't think they will be sending notification of resort closure to people with reservations next summer, it is just too soon to know abiut the state of the resort.
> 
> My VGV Resie is week 7. Will see if I get any further notification.



Mine is week 8 so I am in the same boat as you.  Plus I added one night to my trip staying at Marriott Frenchmen's Reef at the beginning of my stay.  Wanted to get acclimated before we did the 8 Tuff Miles.  I'm not sure what I will do if WSJ is open and the Marriott is still closed.  Sleep in the rental Jeep that I hope still exists.


----------



## Johnsky

SandyPGravel said:


> Mine is week 8 so I am in the same boat as you.  Plus I added one night to my trip staying at Marriott Frenchmen's Reef at the beginning of my stay.  Wanted to get acclimated before we did the 8 Tuff Miles.  I'm not sure what I will do if WSJ is open and the Marriott is still closed.  Sleep in the rental Jeep that I hope still exists.


I have not received the email even though I have a BV reservation for Nov. 4, 2017.


----------



## dioxide45

LisaRex said:


> Egads, I hadn't thought of the impact of renters.  I think that at the very least, Okwiater may have the duty to notify his guest that the resort will be closed through 12/31/17, which might open up an unpleasant dialogue and quite possibly a chargeback from Paypal/credit card company if you accepted these for payment, as these companies are notorious for siding with consumers.
> 
> Personally, although I said "no refunds for any reason," I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable making a big profit.  After speaking with a lawyer, I'd certainly consider refunding all but the cost of the MFs as a good will gesture, and/or offering up the same remedy that VSE provided, such as depositing the week in II and offering to search for another location, or trying to book another location with SOs, assuming your unit came with SOs.   I'd also add language in future contracts that covered hurricanes and unforeseen resort closures.
> 
> What a mess.


I would agree. Renters will have a lot of charge-back issues because of this and as you say, PayPal and CC companies tend to side with the customer on these. I have been reading over on TripAdvisor in the Sint Maarten forum and there are a lot of concerned travelers with rental bookings. One person booked a 45 person wedding. It still surprises me that someone would pay so much for a trip but not spend the little extra for travel insurance.


----------



## ekinggill

dsmrp said:


> Would you feel the same way if you were one of the 35?
> St Thomas Port and Marriott are saying the other was the reason for denying those 35+ people
> access to the ship.   And St Thomas officials are busy handling a disaster situation for a long time to come...
> IMO in this situation, port officials would be more concerned with who is disembarking from a ship rather than who is getting on.



From the New York Daily News:

U.S. Virgin Island officials have since confirmed dock security prevented those left behind from boarding the boat.

"What occurred with non-Mariott guests was a necessity, that is normal, legal protocol," U.S. Virign Islands Department of Tourism commissioner Beverly Nicholas-Doty told NBC.


----------



## dioxide45

GrayFal said:


> Surprised you did not get the email.  Many on Facebook have gotten it
> 
> 
> At the suggestion of a Facebook poster I am now working with someone from the resolution department that will allow me to use My HomeOptions elsewhere in the network this year.   I will keep you posted.
> 
> My WSJ week 7 that I have rented (no refund) is in the VSE Network.  It is in my contracts that I recommend travel insurance and give a link to a travel insurance company.  Will see what happens


Keep us posted, it will be interesting to see if they budge on letting you convert to StarOptions. I am not sure they want to set that kind of precedent.


----------



## okwiater

dioxide45 said:


> I would agree. Renters will have a lot of charge-back issues because of this and as you say, PayPal and CC companies tend to side with the customer on these. I have been reading over on TripAdvisor in the Sint Maarten forum and there are a lot of concerned travelers with rental bookings. One person booked a 45 person wedding. It still surprises me that someone would pay so much for a trip but not spend the little extra for travel insurance.



Already working it out with my renters. I am offering to rebook them but am not offering a refund. I always recommend travel insurance as part of my rental contracts.


----------



## okwiater

dioxide45 said:


> Keep us posted, it will be interesting to see if they budge on letting you convert to StarOptions. I am not sure they want to set that kind of precedent.



As unfair as it seems, your usage rights are to your owned unit or to deposit in II. I see no reason for Vistana to allow a voluntary resale owner to receive StarOptions. It's not like people don't know that the Caribbean is subject to hurricanes from time to time.


----------



## dioxide45

ekinggill said:


> From the New York Daily News:
> 
> U.S. Virgin Island officials have since confirmed dock security prevented those left behind from boarding the boat.
> 
> "What occurred with non-Mariott guests was a necessity, that is normal, legal protocol," U.S. Virign Islands Department of Tourism commissioner Beverly Nicholas-Doty told NBC.


The problem wasn't who was and who wasn't a Marriott guest, it was who was and who wan't on the manifest. Marriott didn't have the time or resources to obtain names and DOBs for guests not staying at their hotels. They did what they had to do for their guests. These people shouldn't be blaming Marriott, they should be blaming their hotels for not taking care of their guests.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Wonder if David & Robin received it.  They're in VGV like me.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk



No I didn't - but saw on their FB page


----------



## LisaRex

okwiater said:


> Already working it out with my renters. I am offering to rebook them but am not offering a refund. I always recommend travel insurance as part of my rental contracts.



FWIW, I think that's quite nice of you.


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> No I didn't - but saw on their FB page


I just received the email.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## okwiater

Stories from people on the island: http://mashable.com/2017/09/13/hurr...utm_cid=mash-com-fb-science-link#gLY_l7OOwaqD


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> I just received the email.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk



Me too. 
Enjoying our time at WKORV. Weather here has been awesome (if you like the heat) - writing from our favorite spot on beach.

We are all cried out.
Going to wait a few months and see how things pan out. 
Figure it will take a while to hear from VGV HOA BOD. Hopefully sooner than later.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Wonder if David & Robin received it.  They're in VGV like me.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


I didn't receive it and own 1 VGV and 1 SB.


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Me too.
> Enjoying our time at WKORV. Weather here has been awesome (if you like the heat) - writing from our favorite spot on beach.
> 
> We are all cried out.
> Going to wait a few months and see how things pan out.
> Figure it will take a while to hear from VGV HOA BOD. Hopefully sooner than later.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I still haven't received an email.  My VGV resies are for Thanksgiving and week after, so that probably explains why no emails yet.  My SB resie is for Easter week, I should have received one already


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## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> As unfair as it seems, your usage rights are to your owned unit or to deposit in II. I see no reason for Vistana to allow a voluntary resale owner to receive StarOptions. It's not like people don't know that the Caribbean is subject to hurricanes from time to time.


But let's think about that deposit for a second.  Vistana is allowing a deposit of an uninhabitable unit because they can substitute the actual deposit with another unit so there is not a like for like there due to exceptional circumstances. 

Being as a wsj > ii would always be a bad trade and they are pulling the inventory they are depositing to ii from somewhere ( lots of mud season ski or shoulder in the Carolinas?)  then why can't they create a similar imbalance on the SO system. 

Bank and borrow also creates a Theta based imbalance.


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## taffy19

okwiater said:


> Stories from people on the island: http://mashable.com/2017/09/13/hurr...utm_cid=mash-com-fb-science-link#gLY_l7OOwaqD


These stories make you realize how bad and scary this hurricane really was plus the damage that it did to the homes of the many people who live there.

I agree with lizap now that it will take a very long time before everything is back to normal if it is even possible with the loss of the mature trees, the beautiful shrubs, flowers or even the reef?  The structures will be rebuilt one day but that is not the reason why people come to visit this island for.  Really sad for everyone.


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## dioxide45

SMHarman said:


> But let's think about that deposit for a second.  Vistana is allowing a deposit of an uninhabitable unit because they can substitute the actual deposit with another unit so there is not a like for like there due to exceptional circumstances.
> 
> Being as a wsj > ii would always be a bad trade and they are pulling the inventory they are depositing to ii from somewhere ( lots of mud season ski or shoulder in the Carolinas?)  then why can't they create a similar imbalance on the SO system.
> 
> Bank and borrow also creates a Theta based imbalance.


II has a huge imbalance of inventory already. They get a lot of bulk deposits. I think it is easier for them to fill the demand in II than they can in VSN. If they do offer an II deposit, it will probably be some type of substitute supplemental deposit of some other Vistana week instead of the actual week that the owner has.


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## dewdrops

Thank you for following this incident and posting an update.  The Port rules may also have come about due terrorism/homeland security, an unfortunate consequence.

As we see, all too often, many jump on the bandwagon, whether social media or news media, and blame the "big bad corporation".   
****************************************************************
From Eskingill:
From the New York Daily News:
U.S. Virgin Island officials have since confirmed dock security prevented those left behind from boarding the boat.

"What occurred with non-Mariott guests was a necessity, that is normal, legal protocol," U.S. Virign Islands Department of Tourism commissioner Beverly Nicholas-Doty told NBC.


----------



## dioxide45

dewdrops said:


> Thank you for following this incident and posting an update.  The Port rules may also have come about due terrorism/homeland security, an unfortunate consequence.
> 
> As we see, all too often, many jump on the bandwagon, whether social media or news media, and blame the "big bad corporation".
> ****************************************************************
> From Eskingill:
> From the New York Daily News:
> U.S. Virgin Island officials have since confirmed dock security prevented those left behind from boarding the boat.
> 
> "What occurred with non-Mariott guests was a necessity, that is normal, legal protocol," U.S. Virign Islands Department of Tourism commissioner Beverly Nicholas-Doty told NBC.


This was previously reported in post #1988


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## okwiater

SMHarman said:


> But let's think about that deposit for a second.  Vistana is allowing a deposit of an uninhabitable unit because they can substitute the actual deposit with another unit so there is not a like for like there due to exceptional circumstances.
> 
> Being as a wsj > ii would always be a bad trade and they are pulling the inventory they are depositing to ii from somewhere ( lots of mud season ski or shoulder in the Carolinas?)  then why can't they create a similar imbalance on the SO system.
> 
> Bank and borrow also creates a Theta based imbalance.



Yes but VSN members pay annual fees to be able to use the network. Voluntary owners do not. Why should Vistana provide an accommodation to voluntary resale owners at the expense of paid VSN members?


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## dewdrops

dioxide45 said:


> This was previously reported in post #1988


Yes, I was trying to add the quote from Esking. and not able to do so.  I'm commending him/her for posting a followup.  Too many so quick to blame the "big bad corporation".


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## letsgomets

I own BV xmas week.  Bought it through a resale about 8 years ago.  Had a renter this year and gave them an immediate refund the moment Vistana announced the cancellation on Thursday.  I think that anything else would have been reprehensible, frankly.  How can someone put the burden on the renter?  You own the property and aren't delivering your half of the bargain.  While you can say they should have gotten travel insurance, even if it's in the contract, I don't think the owner would have a leg to stand on as the owner unless your contract says that they owe you the money even if you don't deliver the unit to them.  But regardless of what I could or could not have done legally, I couldn't sleep at night if I kept any portion my renter's money, even for MF.

It seems I am getting screwed both ways though.  I've given a refund because it's not my renter's fault.  But as a resale buyer, Vistana is only offering me the option of an II exchange which, as best as I could tell is virtually worthless and will probably cause me more aggravation and stress trying to find a match to a desired property the next two years.  It would be nice to have the StarOptions option.  Yes, a prior poster said "but you haven't paid fees to Vistana" and "you knew there are hurricanes in the Caribbean."  True statements, but I think everyone should pause and be a little accommodating in a real once-in-a-lifetime disaster.  There are Caribbean hurricanes, but not one that really hit St. John for more than two decades.  And I haven't paid fees to Vistana, but I think that it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to say, "therefore you cannot exchange under any circumstance other than a resort closure."  Does FEMA not help people in Houston rebuild who could have bought insurance instead?  But Vistana is corporation and can decide whether to extend good will or not and has no legal obligation if it doesn't want to.

Finally, a little perspective is needed.  I lose out on nearly $6000 my renter had agreed to pay (half of which she already paid).  Nearly everyone who owns a timeshare at WSJ can afford it.  The people who live in the USVI lost a lot more and can't.


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## tomandrobin

While watching the morning news, there was a story on St John. During the segment, they interviewed a women who said she worked at the Westin. She mentioned that she was now unemployed because the Westin was heavily damaged and would be closed for a year or more. I am hoping that was just a "guess".........time will tell.


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## sachia007

Random weird insurance question - if a few buildings in VG have damage, do only those who have timeshares in those buildings have to pay any future special assessment, or will all VG owners have to pay? Likewise, VG owners wouldn't have to pay for special assessment down at the other 2-3 phases on WSJ property, if deemed necessary, do they?


----------



## letsgomets

sachia007 said:


> Random weird insurance question - if a few buildings in VG have damage, do only those who have timeshares in those buildings have to pay any future special assessment, or will all VG owners have to pay? Likewise, VG owners wouldn't have to pay for special assessment down at the other 2-3 phases on WSJ property, if deemed necessary, do they?



I think that all of VG is "one" legal unit, as is each of BV, CV and Sunset (so four legal units in total).  So each one collectively has to pay (to the extent insurance doesn't cover) for damage to any of the buildings in its division.  But the most significant damage outside of Sunset (which doesn't have so many owners) seems to be to the common areas like the lobby building, pool, etc. and that is presumably shared by all owners and Vistana according to a pre-existing formula.


----------



## remowidget

okwiater said:


> Yes but VSN members pay annual fees to be able to use the network. Voluntary owners do not. Why should Vistana provide an accommodation to voluntary resale owners at the expense of paid VSN members?


Actually, I think that Voluntary owners pay the same fees that VSN owners pay. Note: I am a VSN Owner. I personally think Vistana should offer a direct approach to bringing resales into VSN, but they do not. It can be done though. A few weeks ago, I was told if I purchased an additional $30k contract, I could bring a resale property into VSN. I have read on Tug that someone else was offered to to bring their property in for buying a $24k contract.

So resale owners can become VSN owners if they choose to do so, just not for free.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk


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## LisaRex

tomandrobin said:


> While watching the morning news, there was a story on St John. During the segment, they interviewed a women who said she worked at the Westin. She mentioned that she was now unemployed because the Westin was heavily damaged and would be closed for a year or more. I am hoping that was just a "guess".........time will tell.



I saw the same report on MSNBC. She said that the resort was completely destroyed.  She is out of a job now. Another resident showed his destroyed home.  He, too, is out of work. 60% of their GDP is tourism related. I just hope they have Unemployment insurance or FEMA aid.  I cannot imagine their distress.

I really hope that their rebuilding efforts include building new strictures that can withstand stronger hurricane winds, if such a thing is possible.

I wonder if there is any chance of owners claiming this loss on their income taxes...


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## klpca

LisaRex said:


> I wonder if there is any chance of owners claiming this loss on their income taxes...


If you could, it would be subject to the 10% of AGI limitation which could be a big hurdle to overcome, dollarwise. Here's the relevant pub: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p547/ar02.html


----------



## okwiater

letsgomets said:


> I own BV xmas week.  Bought it through a resale about 8 years ago.  Had a renter this year and gave them an immediate refund the moment Vistana announced the cancellation on Thursday.  I think that anything else would have been reprehensible, frankly.  How can someone put the burden on the renter?  You own the property and aren't delivering your half of the bargain.  While you can say they should have gotten travel insurance, even if it's in the contract, I don't think the owner would have a leg to stand on as the owner unless your contract says that they owe you the money even if you don't deliver the unit to them.  But regardless of what I could or could not have done legally, I couldn't sleep at night if I kept any portion my renter's money, even for MF.
> 
> It seems I am getting screwed both ways though.  I've given a refund because it's not my renter's fault.  But as a resale buyer, Vistana is only offering me the option of an II exchange which, as best as I could tell is virtually worthless and will probably cause me more aggravation and stress trying to find a match to a desired property the next two years.  It would be nice to have the StarOptions option.  Yes, a prior poster said "but you haven't paid fees to Vistana" and "you knew there are hurricanes in the Caribbean."  True statements, but I think everyone should pause and be a little accommodating in a real once-in-a-lifetime disaster.  There are Caribbean hurricanes, but not one that really hit St. John for more than two decades.  And I haven't paid fees to Vistana, but I think that it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to say, "therefore you cannot exchange under any circumstance other than a resort closure."  Does FEMA not help people in Houston rebuild who could have bought insurance instead?  But Vistana is corporation and can decide whether to extend good will or not and has no legal obligation if it doesn't want to.
> 
> Finally, a little perspective is needed.  I lose out on nearly $6000 my renter had agreed to pay (half of which she already paid).  Nearly everyone who owns a timeshare at WSJ can afford it.  The people who live in the USVI lost a lot more and can't.



FWIW, I think it's very honorable of you to refund your renter's money. However, to say that abiding by the terms of a contract is "reprehensible" is a bit over the top. Travel insurance exists for a reason, and renters knowingly gamble with their payment if they choose not to buy it. Without it, the only remedy for being unable to stay in their rented unit during their rented time period is to be rebooked.

Same for your resale ownership. When you chose to save money by buying resale, you knew the only alternative to having use of your unit was to deposit it into II. I understand what you're saying about this being a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophic event, and I feel badly that no good options are available to you, but I also understand the flip side. I myself often choose to travel without insurance... and I understand and accept the risk of doing so.


----------



## okwiater

remowidget said:


> Actually, I think that Voluntary owners pay the same fees that VSN owners pay.



There is a $145 fee to be part of VSN. Voluntary resale owners don't pay this fee.


----------



## letsgomets

okwiater said:


> FWIW, I think it's very honorable of you to refund your renter's money. However, to say that abiding by the terms of a contract is "reprehensible" is a bit over the top. Travel insurance exists for a reason, and renters knowingly gamble with their payment if they choose not to buy it. Without it, the only remedy for being unable to stay in their rented unit during their rented time period is to be rebooked.
> 
> Same for your resale ownership. When you chose to save money by buying resale, you knew the only alternative to having use of your unit was to deposit it into II. I understand what you're saying about this being a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophic event, and I feel badly that no good options are available to you, but I also understand the flip side. I myself often choose to travel without insurance... and I understand and accept the risk of doing so.



That's an interesting perspective - "abiding by the terms of a contract."  I actually litigate contracts cases for a living and unless your contract said "you owe me the money even if I don't deliver my half of the bargain" (which itself could be of questionable validity), I don't see how an owner is abiding by the terms of his or her contract by refusing a refund when the resort is closed.  Advising a renter to get travel insurance doesn't cut it -- that's intended in the event I'm ready to perform but the renter can't or doesn't want to anymore (sickness, death in family, lost job, snowstorm cancels their flight, etc., or bankruptcy of the supplier).  I would bet money that the travel insurer of your renter will not pay the claim and, if they do, they'd sue you for the money back because you are the party who didn't perform by delivering the villa in livable condition.  Of course, you wouldn't be in breach for not performing - it is force majeure.  But it doesn't mean you are entitled to the other side's performance without yours. 

The Westin is no doubt refunding all payments of people who made non-refundable reservations directly with them.  You think they'd have a leg to stand on if they told you that the reservation was non-refundable, so sorry that the hotel is closed but you should have taken out insurance?  Why are you any different?  What would the internet outrage look like if a hotel ever tried that (putting aside bankruptcy, of course, since there's a whole legal regime and rationale of equal treatment of creditors behind that)?  Or when someone buys something on the internet that's "final sale" but then the store has a fire and the item is destroyed before it is even shipped to you -- do you think you still have a legal obligation to pay for the item because you knew it was final sale and delivery was irrelevant?  I don't think this is even a close call legally.

But yes, even if you had a chance of winning versus your renter, I think that it would be reprehensible to stick it to the renter.  They were willing to pay me $6,000 in return for xmas week at the villa.  I should profit from this tragedy and, even worse, make someone pay $6,000 for a villa that I can't give them?  Why is this any more morally acceptable than raising the price of gasoline when people are fleeing a storm (after all, what's wrong with free market supply and demand?)?     

The only close call, in my opinion, would be what to do if the resort had reopened by xmas but the renter no longer wanted to come because the facilities were still under repair and the island needed rebuilding.  I think a good argument could be made both ways in that circumstance, both legally and morally.  The proposal I was in the process of making to my renter when we heard of the cancellation was that if they didn't want to stay there under those circumstances, we should donate the rental fee to the rebuilding effort. 

As far as my disappointment in Vistana, I fully understand that's my bargain.  They could generate good will by giving me an option, but as I said in my original post, that's entirely up to them and they have no obligation to do so.  I suspect there are not a lot of people in my shoes actually given that VG is mandatory and BV, CV and Sunset are all new enough that there aren't that many third-party resales out there with reservations over the next x months.  So the dollars and cents probably isn't so great for them.  Some companies would do this without hesitation -- we'll see what Vistana decides to do.  But I have no doubt that it is entirely their decision and don't begrudge them their rights.


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> There is a $145 fee to be part of VSN. Voluntary resale owners don't pay this fee.



I believe... V Resort Owners (bought from SVO/VSE) do pay VSN fee if they want to use VSN.  They can choose not to be in VSN. Thus... VSN Voluntary 
vs. VSN Mandatory where it is required.

Glad VGV is an M Resort.
On FB - there seems to be vitriol against resale BV and CV Owners.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dewdrops

DavidnRobin said:


> I believe... V Resort Owners (bought from SVO/VSE) do pay VSN fee if they want to use VSN.  They can choose not to be in VSN. Thus... VSN Voluntary
> vs. VSN Mandatory where it is required.
> 
> Glad VGV is an M Resort.
> On FB - there seems to be vitriol against resale BV and CV Owners.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




Why is there vitriol against resale BV and CV owners? What did they do?


----------



## cubigbird

According to the National Hurricane Center and the Weather Channel it looks like tropical storm Maria is slated to be a hurricane category 3+ forecasted to directly hit USVI and PR sometime late next week.  Lets hope that the storm takes a turn and the area can see some relief and get a chance to breathe and continue recovery.  The last thing the island needs is another nasty storm.


----------



## dsmrp

dewdrops said:


> Thank you for following this incident and posting an update.  The Port rules may also have come about due terrorism/homeland security, an unfortunate consequence.
> 
> As we see, all too often, many jump on the bandwagon, whether social media or news media, and blame the "big bad corporation".
> ****************************************************************
> From Eskingill:
> From the New York Daily News:
> U.S. Virgin Island officials have since confirmed dock security prevented those left behind from boarding the boat.
> 
> "What occurred with non-Marriott guests was a necessity, that is normal, legal protocol," U.S. Virign Islands Department of Tourism commissioner Beverly Nicholas-Doty told NBC.



I think the VI *Tourism* commissioner of a territory dependent upon tourism,  fell on her protocol sword.  Would have been better to have f/u statement from the Port commissioner, who presumably has jurisdiction over the port rules and security staff.  Commissioner Nicholas-Doty also spun it that the 35 people hadn't gone to a "24 hour visitor centers" to register for evacuation. Highly improbable those visitor centers were open on the day of the Marriott ferry, 2 days after Irma struck and knocked out 90% of the power grid and made those hilly narrow roads an obstacle endurance course.

Marriott's communications on the matter was incomplete. They explained only people on manifest could board, but they created the manifest.  No explanation from them or VI officials of what attempts Marriott staff on the ground could or could not do to amend the manifest to include those 35 people.

It's commendable how Marriott took care of its guests.  If they had been able to get those 35 people on board the ferry too, they would have had a great good-will story.  As it is, their explanations were met with mixed reviews and criticism.  Unfair or not, people do hold corporations to higher standards than individuals.

Other reports had relief and evacuation assistance coming to St Thomas & St John on Saturday, the day after the Marriott ferry left.  Westin helped its guests evacuate on the Saturday too.  The 35 non-Marriott guests on St Thomas were able to evacuate on cruise ships 3-4 days later.


----------



## dsmrp

cubigbird said:


> According to the National Hurricane Center and the Weather Channel it looks like tropical storm Maria is slated to be a hurricane category 3+ forecasted to directly hit USVI and PR sometime late next week.  Lets hope that the storm takes a turn and the area can see some relief and get a chance to breathe and continue recovery.  The last thing the island needs is another nasty storm.



Would be a tragedy if USVI, BVI or PR got hit again   Will pray for a course deviation.


----------



## Conan

letsgomets said:


> The Westin is no doubt refunding all payments of people who made non-refundable reservations directly with them.  You think they'd have a leg to stand on if they told you that the reservation was non-refundable, so sorry that the hotel is closed but you should have taken out insurance?
> 
> The only close call, in my opinion, would be what to do if the resort had reopened by xmas but the renter no longer wanted to come because the facilities were still under repair and the island needed rebuilding.



I bought an Explorer package in 2016 that gave me two years, through 4/20/18, to make a return visit (5 nights) to the Westin St. John. I reserved it for November, 2017 and called Starwood about it yesterday. Of course they've cancelled the reservation, and they tell me I now have until December 15, 2019 to make my visit. They're not offering a refund. It seems to me a refund should be an option, if they can't offer occupancy between now and 4/20/18. If the shoe were on the other foot, would they have let me postpone my return visit beyond the 4/20/18 expiration date set out in our contract?

P.S. So far American Airlines isn't offering a refund either. Their best offer is I can apply what I paid for our tickets to travel someplace else, but only between now and a date in December 2017 which is the one-year anniversary of the day I bought my tickets to St. Thomas.


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## SandyPGravel

Good article. Quotes from Westin general manager.  Hopes to open by March.  (My rez starts on Feb 23 to Mar 2. )

Http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyl...ml?s_campaign=bostonglobe:socialflow:facebook

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## tomandrobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Good article. Quotes from Westin general manager.  Hopes to open by March.  (My rez starts on Feb 23 to Mar 2. )
> 
> Http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2017/09/16/enormous-hurdles-ahead-for-virgin-islands-tourism-industry/Uh6dlhddeqahVAaFOY2xiP/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe:socialflow:facebook
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk[/QUOTE



Not sure how they can do $90 million in repairs and be open in six months. But otherwise a good article of the impact to tourism.


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## SandyPGravel

My take was going to try to open sections of the resort that had less damage.  SB definetly not open by March.  If they can open parts of the resort at least some employees could be working.


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## dewdrops

dsmrp said:


> I think the VI *Tourism* commissioner of a territory dependent upon tourism,  fell on her protocol sword.  Would have been better to have f/u statement from the Port commissioner, who presumably has jurisdiction over the port rules and security staff.  Commissioner Nicholas-Doty also spun it that the 35 people hadn't gone to a "24 hour visitor centers" to register for evacuation. Highly improbable those visitor centers were open on the day of the Marriott ferry, 2 days after Irma struck and knocked out 90% of the power grid and made those hilly narrow roads an obstacle endurance course.
> 
> Marriott's communications on the matter was incomplete. They explained only people on manifest could board, but they created the manifest.  No explanation from them or VI officials of what attempts Marriott staff on the ground could or could not do to amend the manifest to include those 35 people.
> 
> It's commendable how Marriott took care of its guests.  If they had been able to get those 35 people on board the ferry too, they would have had a great good-will story.  As it is, their explanations were met with mixed reviews and criticism.  Unfair or not, people do hold corporations to higher standards than individuals.
> 
> Other reports had relief and evacuation assistance coming to St Thomas & St John on Saturday, the day after the Marriott ferry left.  Westin helped its guests evacuate on the Saturday too.  The 35 non-Marriott guests on St Thomas were able to evacuate on cruise ships 3-4 days later.



Kinda waiting for WaPO and ABC News who couldn't wait to jump out with the incomplete news to print a retraction or followup.  Oh no... that would be amending the narrative and can't do that. Sigh.  As for the guests who posted the videos and pictures and so quick to blame Marriott for pulling away, they TOO owe Marriott an apology for bad mouthing them.  Hey, I'm no corporate shill, nor all for the "big" guy/gal.  But just saying, to print/run such one sided news... even some of the posters here who read about it had more common sense than these so called reporters/editors and said, there has got to be more to the story, seems to be FACTS missing.  Yes, how we have forgotten about FACTS. 

As for the manifest, in this day and age of terrorism and what not, the rules are probably a lot stricter (even lacking common sense) and its unfortunate.  I think Marriott did say the Port told them they had limited time and had to leave. 

Not sure Marriott really also wanted the responsibility of those 35 people.  Like a more knowledgeable poster than I posted, 35 is manageable.  But what if hundreds starting running over to the boat now?  Unintended consequences my friends.  And not even sure the 35 would be a good will story, because the next thing you know, the other 350 that were left and not told of the boat will be accusing Marriott or whoever of not notifying them of the opportunity to leave and now they had to suffer.  No good deed goes unpunished indeed, perhaps.

In hindsight, maybe what would have been better is if Marriott notified the Port/Officials in charge they were bringing over a boat with 600 seats and then in an orderly fashion, the Port/officials of evac center, etc fill the 600 less whatever seats Marriott took up.  But in such rushed situations everyone just trying to do what they can within the "rules" and time constraints.


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## letsgomets

Conan said:


> I bought an Explorer package in 2016 that gave me two years, through 4/20/18, to make a return visit (5 nights) to the Westin St. John. I reserved it for November, 2017 and called Starwood about it yesterday. Of course they've cancelled the reservation, and they tell me I now have until December 15, 2019 to make my visit. They're not offering a refund. It seems to me a refund should be an option, if they can't offer occupancy between now and 4/20/18. If the shoe were on the other foot, would they have let me postpone my return visit beyond the 4/20/18 expiration date set out in our contract?
> 
> P.S. So far American Airlines isn't offering a refund either. Their best offer is I can apply what I paid for our tickets to travel someplace else, but only between now and a date in December 2017 which is the one-year anniversary of the day I bought my tickets to St. Thomas.



This is a great offer!  Hard to see how a 20-month extension is unfair.  Not sure what you mean about the shoe being on the other foot, but when we visited on an Explorer package (back when it was SVO so I can't speak for Vistana), yes, they were extremely accommodating -- they even opened up blackout/holiday dates for us.

As for AA, a "refund" for an airline is virtually always an offer to change your ticket without any fee.  That's what I got when we decided to change plans for a vacation due to Zika concerns (our tickets had been bought before the Zika warnings came about).  I thought it was reasonable.


----------



## DavidnRobin

dsmrp said:


> I think the VI *Tourism* commissioner of a territory dependent upon tourism,  fell on her protocol sword.  Would have been better to have f/u statement from the Port commissioner, who presumably has jurisdiction over the port rules and security staff.  Commissioner Nicholas-Doty also spun it that the 35 people hadn't gone to a "24 hour visitor centers" to register for evacuation. Highly improbable those visitor centers were open on the day of the Marriott ferry, 2 days after Irma struck and knocked out 90% of the power grid and made those hilly narrow roads an obstacle endurance course.
> 
> Marriott's communications on the matter was incomplete. They explained only people on manifest could board, but they created the manifest.  No explanation from them or VI officials of what attempts Marriott staff on the ground could or could not do to amend the manifest to include those 35 people.
> 
> It's commendable how Marriott took care of its guests.  If they had been able to get those 35 people on board the ferry too, they would have had a great good-will story.  As it is, their explanations were met with mixed reviews and criticism.  Unfair or not, people do hold corporations to higher standards than individuals.
> 
> Other reports had relief and evacuation assistance coming to St Thomas & St John on Saturday, the day after the Marriott ferry left.  Westin helped its guests evacuate on the Saturday too.  The 35 non-Marriott guests on St Thomas were able to evacuate on cruise ships 3-4 days later.



Shouldn't Marriott be discussed on Marriott forum? Or maybe on Carib forum? Just saying... this has nothing to do with WSJ or STJ.

However, IMO - no seat should have been empty - regardless of justification or spin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> Shouldn't Marriott be discussed on Marriott forum? Or maybe on Carib forum? Just saying... this has nothing to do with WSJ or STJ.
> 
> However, IMO - no seat should have been empty - regardless of justification or spin
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


There is a thread in the TUG Lounge already. Sometimes we can't always pick where the discussion will go in a thread.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...rom-irma-no-good-deed-goes-unpunished.262414/


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## dsmrp

dewdrops said:


> Not sure Marriott really also wanted the responsibility of those 35 people.


That's exactly the assertion of several of the 35 people. We've come full circle ...
I bet Marriott had some sort of liability waiver from all their guests.
Sea transportation implies a contract of carriage, and increased responsibilities on the part of the carrier.

I hope VI officials plan early on evacuating their residents if Hurricane Maria does take a course near the islands.


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## okwiater

letsgomets said:


> That's an interesting perspective - "abiding by the terms of a contract."  I actually litigate contracts cases for a living and unless your contract said "you owe me the money even if I don't deliver my half of the bargain" (which itself could be of questionable validity), I don't see how an owner is abiding by the terms of his or her contract by refusing a refund when the resort is closed.  Advising a renter to get travel insurance doesn't cut it -- that's intended in the event I'm ready to perform but the renter can't or doesn't want to anymore (sickness, death in family, lost job, snowstorm cancels their flight, etc., or bankruptcy of the supplier).  I would bet money that the travel insurer of your renter will not pay the claim and, if they do, they'd sue you for the money back because you are the party who didn't perform by delivering the villa in livable condition.  Of course, you wouldn't be in breach for not performing - it is force majeure.  But it doesn't mean you are entitled to the other side's performance without yours.
> 
> The Westin is no doubt refunding all payments of people who made non-refundable reservations directly with them.  You think they'd have a leg to stand on if they told you that the reservation was non-refundable, so sorry that the hotel is closed but you should have taken out insurance?  Why are you any different?  What would the internet outrage look like if a hotel ever tried that (putting aside bankruptcy, of course, since there's a whole legal regime and rationale of equal treatment of creditors behind that)?  Or when someone buys something on the internet that's "final sale" but then the store has a fire and the item is destroyed before it is even shipped to you -- do you think you still have a legal obligation to pay for the item because you knew it was final sale and delivery was irrelevant?  I don't think this is even a close call legally.
> 
> But yes, even if you had a chance of winning versus your renter, I think that it would be reprehensible to stick it to the renter.  They were willing to pay me $6,000 in return for xmas week at the villa.  I should profit from this tragedy and, even worse, make someone pay $6,000 for a villa that I can't give them?  Why is this any more morally acceptable than raising the price of gasoline when people are fleeing a storm (after all, what's wrong with free market supply and demand?)?
> 
> The only close call, in my opinion, would be what to do if the resort had reopened by xmas but the renter no longer wanted to come because the facilities were still under repair and the island needed rebuilding.  I think a good argument could be made both ways in that circumstance, both legally and morally.  The proposal I was in the process of making to my renter when we heard of the cancellation was that if they didn't want to stay there under those circumstances, we should donate the rental fee to the rebuilding effort.
> 
> As far as my disappointment in Vistana, I fully understand that's my bargain.  They could generate good will by giving me an option, but as I said in my original post, that's entirely up to them and they have no obligation to do so.  I suspect there are not a lot of people in my shoes actually given that VG is mandatory and BV, CV and Sunset are all new enough that there aren't that many third-party resales out there with reservations over the next x months.  So the dollars and cents probably isn't so great for them.  Some companies would do this without hesitation -- we'll see what Vistana decides to do.  But I have no doubt that it is entirely their decision and don't begrudge them their rights.



Not sure where you got the impression that I'm not delivering my half of the bargain. I've been quite clear in each of my posts that I've offered to rebook the renters. As you state, this is a force majeure situation -- but that doesn't automatically mean a refund is due. Non-refundable means non-refundable. If they didn't buy insurance and the resort is closed on their travel dates then rebooking is the only remedy.


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## Mauiwmn

Two natural-color images provided by the NASA Earth Observatory depict the U.S. and British Virgin islands: The top image shows the verdant islands prior to the passage of Hurricane Irma; the bottom image shows the brown the storm left behind after uprooting and wrecking much of the island chain.

The devastation to St John, St Thomas and neighboring islands is really beyond comprehension.  I think one can't really fathom what has occurred without observing it directly.

Here is another article on damages.  Satellite images are very telling, nearly all green vegetation removed from the chain of islands.  So very sad and tragic for those that reside in the islands.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...irma-it-was-like-stepping-onto-another-planet


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## Mauiwmn

I have directly seen some of the resulting devastation to vegetation due to two powerful hurricanes-Andrew and Iniki.  The images were haunting and they remind me of the power of nature as I had visited both places prior to the hurricanes striking.

I drove through Homestead Florida in May of 1993, 9 months after Andrew.  Large stretches of land had not one leaf.  Once large trees looked like small bare sticks stuck in the ground.  It looked like a war zone.

I had previously visited Poipu Kauai in Feb 1991.  When we returned in March 1995, 2.5 years after Iniki I was most struck by the devastation to the tunnel of trees.  The amazing trees were bare sticks as well.

Both Homestead and Poipu have almost fully recovered from their hurricane damage.  The Caribbean vegetation will also recover with replantings and the passage of time to allow regrowth.  It will be paradise once again.


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## taffy19

These two pictures show the devastation to the trees and foliage and 25 years or so is a very long time to wait to see the islands lush and green again like it was before the the hurricane.

I hope that it will be a lot faster to have houses again for everyone that are better built than they were before but it will take a lot of money and work so will need help from other people outside the islands.  It will be done because there are many helpful and generous people.


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## DavidnRobin

dioxide45 said:


> There is a thread in the TUG Lounge already. Sometimes we can't always pick where the discussion will go in a thread.
> 
> http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...rom-irma-no-good-deed-goes-unpunished.262414/



Was just unclear of why it started here - don't care otherwise.
WSJ took care of guests AND locals.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DavidnRobin

dewdrops said:


> Why is there vitriol against resale BV and CV owners? What did they do?



Same arguments as here - just harsher on FB.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## DavidnRobin

From STJ Rescue:
All non-essential persons on STJ are being requested to evacuate as MARIA has STJ in her sight (projected for Monday eve)





__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1643358255695968
			






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## letsgomets

DavidnRobin said:


> Same arguments as here - just harsher on FB.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



What are the arguments?  I don't understand why anyone would or should care.


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## LisaRex

DavidnRobin said:


> I believe... V Resort Owners (bought from SVO/VSE) do pay VSN fee if they want to use VSN.  They can choose not to be in VSN. Thus... VSN Voluntary
> vs. VSN Mandatory where it is required.



It's deemed a mandatory resort because, per that resort's OA (Owners' Agreement), if you buy at said resort, participation in the "club" (SVN/VSE) is mandatory.  An owner cannot opt out of membership, even if they have zero interest in exchanging to another resort.  This also means that resale owners of mandatory resorts must join the club. 

Resorts that do not include language in the OA mandating club membership are considered "voluntary" resorts because participation in the club is not mandated.  The language makes it clear that the developer could CHOOSE to let resale owners join the club, but with a few notable exceptions, they have historically chosen not to exercise that right.  Therefore, voluntary resorts will have a mix of owners. Those who buy from the developer will be club members; resale owners will not be.


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## LisaRex

FYI, as I was thinking about the few historical options when Starwood (at the time) actually invited resale owners to join the club, I realized that it was to SVV/SVR owners who'd just paid a sizeable SA for renovations that were not built into their budget.  So, while IMO a future SA seems nearly certain for WSJ owners, the upside MIGHT be that VSE will invite voluntary resale owners to join VSE.  That might be a salve to the wound to some people, no?


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## cubigbird

DavidnRobin said:


> From STJ Rescue:
> All non-essential persons on STJ are being requested to evacuate as MARIA has STJ in her sight (projected for Monday eve)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1643358255695968
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Looks Maria is still forecasted to be a Cat 3.  Only 3 times has 2 hurricanes come within 75 miles of USVI in the same season. Never both Cat 3+.  After Irma everything is either decimated or incredibly weakened.  I'm sure a Cat 3 will do above average damage.  Keep praying for STJ and for the storm to take a different path.  Here's to the end to hurricane season, hoping that Westin STJ isn't eventually going to be a total loss.


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## cyntravel

We are praying for everyone in the path of Maria.
Cyn


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## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> Yes but VSN members pay annual fees to be able to use the network. Voluntary owners do not. Why should Vistana provide an accommodation to voluntary resale owners at the expense of paid VSN members?


I imagine many of these owners would willingly pay that VSN fee instead of the II fee.


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## SMHarman

British Virgin Islands: ‘Knocked Down, but Not Knocked Out’ by Irma https://nyti.ms/2jAGxJx


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## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> FWIW, I think it's very honorable of you to refund your renter's money. However, to say that abiding by the terms of a contract is "reprehensible" is a bit over the top. Travel insurance exists for a reason, and renters knowingly gamble with their payment if they choose not to buy it. Without it, the only remedy for being unable to stay in their rented unit during their rented time period is to be rebooked.
> 
> Same for your resale ownership. When you chose to save money by buying resale, you knew the only alternative to having use of your unit was to deposit it into II. I understand what you're saying about this being a once-in-a-lifetime catastrophic event, and I feel badly that no good options are available to you, but I also understand the flip side. I myself often choose to travel without insurance... and I understand and accept the risk of doing so.


OK so what happens when tenant rocks up on St John and can't check in to their unit. 

Your contract provides a service you can't fulfill. Act of good or otherwise.


----------



## okwiater

SMHarman said:


> OK so what happens when tenant rocks up on St John and can't check in to their unit.
> 
> Your contract provides a service you can't fulfill. Act of good or otherwise.



Resort is closed. The contract provides remedies for resort being unable to provide said unit. Specifically, equivalent accommodations "elsewhere." The renters have been advised the resort is closed. Rebooking is the only remedy. Not sure why "non-refundable" is so difficult to comprehend. Many boutique resorts and airlines have similar policies.


----------



## cubigbird

Assuming the hurricane projections are accurate and St John & WSJ take a Maria Category 4 direct hit, how does that work financially for further destruction?  I assume that a second insurance deductible would be required, but how does one distinguish between damage differences from the two storms?  At what point is a total loss declared and a complete rebuild required?  If a SA becomes huge, I can't imagine owners being willing to pay it and just walking.....with everything so weak already, I can't imagine anything left standing will still be standing after Maria.


----------



## okwiater

cubigbird said:


> Assuming the hurricane projections are accurate and St John & WSJ take a Maria Category 4 direct hit, how does that work financially for further destruction?  I assume that a second insurance deductible would be required, but how does one distinguish between damage differences from the two storms?  At what point is a total loss declared and a complete rebuild required?  If a SA becomes huge, I can't imagine owners being willing to pay it and just walking.....with everything so weak already, I can't imagine anything left standing will still be standing after Maria.



It's highly unlikely that owners of $10-100K timeshares with annual MFs in the thousands will walk because of a $2K special assessment, which is about what it would cost even if the rebuild/repair bill ran up to $300 million.


----------



## lizap

cubigbird said:


> Assuming the hurricane projections are accurate and St John & WSJ take a Maria Category 4 direct hit, how does that work financially for further destruction?  I assume that a second insurance deductible would be required, but how does one distinguish between damage differences from the two storms?  At what point is a total loss declared and a complete rebuild required?  If a SA becomes huge, I can't imagine owners being willing to pay it and just walking.....with everything so weak already, I can't imagine anything left standing will still be standing after Maria.



This is my thought as well.  What if they decide the costs are too prohibitive to rebuild? Then what?


----------



## vistana101

So terrible that they are expecting to be hit again...with already $90 million in damages, you do wonder at what point they decide to stop. At least the Westin has the backing of a big corporation like Vistana and ILG. Caneel Bay, on the other hand, isn't as lucky (a previous article said residents heard rumors of the resort not reopening, and the resort did not explicitly refute that possibility).


----------



## DavidnRobin

$10-100K timeshares?perhaps on paper, but not in reality. Most are well below $10K on resale market (and that is being generous) - and now valueless, and will be for quite sometime.
Many owners will walk - why would they pay SA worth more than there timeshares?
Watch...


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----------



## Cornell

I agree ^^^ completely.  The analogy is a high mileage car that you bought new and needs a major repair.  At some point you aren't going to put any more $$ into it.


----------



## Cornell

I agree ^^^ completely.  The analogy is a high mileage car that you bought new and needs a major repair.  At some point you aren't going to put any more $$ into it.


----------



## lizap

Cornell said:


> I agree ^^^ completely.  The analogy is a high mileage car that you bought new and needs a major repair.  At some point you aren't going to put any more $$ into it.



Will there be an adverse impact on tourism and for how long?  How much will it cost to rebuild? Will people stop paying MFs?  These issues are almost certainly being discussed.


----------



## cubigbird

Maria is now a Cat 4 and rapidly strengthening.  Could be a Cat 5 by the time it hits and eye looks right in line with USVI and Puerto Rico.  Agree with all the above.  I can't image a second Cat 4 or 5 doing any less damage to already damaged buildings and infrastructure.  As I mentioned previously, what wasn't taken out by Irma will be taken out by Marie.  K.O.!!  There is no precedent here.  Never has USVI or PR taken a direct hit of 2 severe storms (Cat 3 or higher) in the same season.

Financially I can't imagine owners sinking hefty SA money in addition to already hefty maintenance fees.  If owners walk then that creates MF default which leads to much high MF than what it already has been and makes it unaffordable to pay.  VSE is going to have to be careful here to not scare owners away.  I would be very curious on the insurance coverage.  Wouldn't it be nice if insurance covers everything?!?!


----------



## okwiater

I think the biggest concern is impact to the island residents. If they rebuild, the resort will be fine. If they (or a significant percentage) don't, it won't.


----------



## lizap

If Maria stays on its current track, looks like it may be a little south of St. John.  Could take out St. Croix, which is the staging area for much of the relief efforts on St. Thomas and St. John. So incredibly sad..


----------



## vistana101

Storm is now Cat 5...can't believe this is happening. So sad for all of those affected.


----------



## LisaRex

Heartbreaking photo.  To think of all that vegetation gone, and yet another Cat 5 on the horizon.  Where are the people going to take shelter? Mudslides are almost certain.  And then we have the animals.  What's left for them to eat?


----------



## dioxide45

DavidnRobin said:


> $10-100K timeshares?perhaps on paper, but not in reality. Most are well below $10K on resale market (and that is being generous) - and now valueless, and will be for quite sometime.
> Many owners will walk - why would they pay SA worth more than there timeshares?
> Watch...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I would also think the lower season and perhaps studio owners are more likely to walk before perhaps the 3BR Pool unit owners would. This could cause a huge strain on financials if there are a lot of defaults. At some point it may make sense just to sell back to Vistana and let them start from scratch.



lizap said:


> Will there be an adverse impact on tourism and for how long?  How much will it cost to rebuild? Will people stop paying MFs?  These issues are almost certainly being discussed.



It took Grand Cayman seven years after Hurricane Ivan for it to reach pre-Ivan tourism levels. The devastation from Ivan in 2004 was bad, but nothing like the islands have seen this year. Even when everything is back up and running it will take years for the tourists to come back. Probably as long or longer than the Cayman Islands, seven to ten years perhaps.


----------



## farsighted99

Meh. My heart goes out to you owners in St. John. This is all so awful.


----------



## tomandrobin

Add Dominica to the list of devastated islands.

Maria is going to hurt St Croix on its way to smashing Puerto Rico. This hurricane season is historical in its damage to the islands. So many islands in one season is further complicating all rebuild efforts. Resources and manpower are being stretched awfully thin.


----------



## OCsun

*I can't believe that I am thinking this but, what effect will it have on us if we do just walk away rather than continue to make the high maintenance fees and and additional SA fees. * Please don't get me wrong or think ill of me.  We have been WSJ Villa owners since 2003.  We have a fixed week 16 pool villa and have always used it.  We never took the option to use StarOptions or Points.  Oh my! So many wonderful family memories!  My heart is broken! We have airline tickets to take us in April or 2018.
My husband is 71 now and I am getting there quickly (our picture is ten years old).  If St John takes years to come back to its beauty - I am not sure we will be physically able or want to go back to St John to many more years.  I know that not paying maintenance fees can cause bad credit.  At this point of our lives we don't plan on applying for loans for anything.
I am very torn and I am very, very, very sad for the people of St John and the employees of the Westin Resort.


----------



## LisaRex

dioxide45 said:


> I would also think the lower season and perhaps studio owners are more likely to walk before perhaps the 3BR Pool unit owners would. This could cause a huge strain on financials if there are a lot of defaults. At some point it may make sense just to sell back to Vistana and let them start from scratch.



It'll be interesting to see what VSE does. If I were a hotel/timeshare developer, the Eastern Caribbean is the last place I'd build anew, at least until I was able to gauge whether this hurricane season was a 100-year anomaly or the beginning of a new trend. 

Sadly, there's a good chance that WSJ is history already.  As others say, a decent percentage of owners might walk away before paying another round of MFs + a hefty SA looming on the horizon.  If that happens, unless VSE is willing to subsidize the HOAs, then the deck of cards will collapse and the HOA will have no choice but to file for bankruptcy. 

IF the island is spared the remainder of this hurricane season, and IF FEMA/emergency funds are available, there's still a possibility that they'll rebuild and re-open in 1-2 years.  However, if the islands continue to get walloped and/or if subsidies dry up, then I don't believe that there's any hope of WSJ continuing because I doubt they would be able to find financing for such a venture, at least not while Irma is fresh in everyone's memory.


----------



## LisaRex

OCsun said:


> *I can't believe that I am thinking this but, what effect will it have on us if we do just walk away rather than continue to make the high maintenance fees and and additional SA fees. *



First of all, I feel for you as well as the people who rely on your tourism dollars. 

If I were you, I'd exercise my SOs as soon as possible to book another resort in the network.  Or I'd even consider depositing my 2018 week into II now. Why not?  It should have good pull in II.  And that will buy you some time to get more clarity on what the recovery plan is. 

I assume that there will be an SA, but who knows for certain? Perhaps emergency aid will become available that will help mitigate the cost.  Or perhaps the developer will pony up some cash.  Or perhaps VSE will offer displaced owners some inducement for paying an SA, such as a free Getaway or 2. 

No, I'd wait and see what happens before I made any decision.  Worst case scenario, WSJ will declare bankruptcy, which will be the equivalent of walking away minus any hit to your credit (or guilt at exacerbating any already bad problem).  Best case, you'll discover a new vacation destination for a year or two in exchange for your MFs.  Aruba, Phoenix, Hawaii....the world's a really big place.

Best of luck to you.


----------



## canesfan

I agree with LisaRex. We know nothing yet and there's no need to make a decision now. Right now my concern is for the people of the USVI. It's horrible that they are getting hit with another storm. 


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## OCsun

Your probably right LisaRex!  I am getting too anxious about this because I never did anything but use it myself.  I am afraid of the details in II, therefore I never even considered it.  I think I needed to hear a voice of reason!  Thanks, P


----------



## tomandrobin

Lets say that there is a SA on all the current owners. Would all future new sales also be required to pay the SA?


----------



## ekinggill

tomandrobin said:


> Lets say that there is a SA on all the current owners. Would all future new sales also be required to pay the SA?



I would expect that legally they could not exempt any owner, including the developer owned units.  If someone hears otherwise, please share with the team.


----------



## tomandrobin

ekinggill said:


> I would expect that legally they could not exempt any owner, including the developer owned units.  If someone hears otherwise, please share with the team.



If so, it will make selling future WSJ units near impossible.


----------



## duke

You may want to consider that you still own two "assets" here.  One is the proceeds from the insurance policy and two is the land value.  A liquidation/distribution of these two assets may yield greater value than your ownership interest is selling for.


----------



## cubigbird

ekinggill said:


> I would expect that legally they could not exempt any owner, including the developer owned units.  If someone hears otherwise, please share with the team.



This is where I would expect or hope that they have adequate insurance that this doesn't / shouldn't even become an issue.  STJ is in hurricane alley.  Hurricanes are nothing new.  Adequate insurance is not cheap but should be paramount and in the best interest of the developer and owners.  Technically I could see a SA coming from having to pony up a second deductible from damage from the second storm since it's a separate peril.


----------



## DavidnRobin

In my view/opinion - only Plat+ villas in VGV will have value because of the favorable MF/SO exchange.
However, that is likely to change.

We do not go to WSJ to use the Main Resort. In fact, I do not think we have even been in the main pool since 2006.  We go to WSJ to enjoy STJ - which will never be the same, and will take years to recover to some semblance of normalcy.
We have 2 weeks worth 95.7K SOs for $2400 per week (unlikely to stay steady as they have for the last 5 years) - if MFs are reasonable for 2018 (and no SA), then will use SOs for HI in 2018 most likely.  If not, or large SA, we will unfortunately be moving on.  I bought all of our TSs with disposable income and always prepared to walk away if necessary.  Sorry, that is just the way it is.  The USVI fee of $25/day ($175/week) implemented in May makes that decision easier - on top of already paying Property Taxes of $150/week.  The cost of WSJ Ownership will likely become untenable for us when adding the cost of travel and transportation. I hope not, but do not see how costs will stay same unless VSE/WSJ becomes charitable which is highly unlikely.  Bankruptcy is only out w/o possible foreclosure.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> We do not go to WSJ to use the Main Resort. In fact, I do not think we have even been in the main pool since 2006.  We go to WSJ to enjoy STJ - which will never be the same, and will take years to recover to some semblance of normalcy.
> We have 2 weeks worth 95.7K SOs for $2400 per week (unlikely to stay steady as they have for the last 5 years) - if MFs are reasonable for 2018 (and no SA), then will use SOs for HI in 2018 most likely.  If not, or large SA, we will unfortunately be moving on.  I bought all of our TSs with disposable income and always prepared to walk away if necessary.  Sorry, that is just the way it is.  The USVI fee of $25/day ($175/week) implemented in May makes that decision easier - on top of already paying Property Taxes of $150/week.  The cost of WSJ Ownership will likely become untenable for us when adding the cost of travel and transportation. I hope not, but do not see how costs will stay same unless VSE/WSJ becomes charitable which is highly unlikely.  Bankruptcy is only out w/o possible foreclosure.



Lets not forget the new "sin" tax on alcohol/beer and increased custom fees for BVI excursions. And since the airline consolidation, an almost doubling of airfare.


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## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Lets not forget the new "sin" tax on alcohol/beer and increased custom fees for BVI excursions. And since the airline consolidation, an almost doubling of airfare.



Yes - the total travel cost is already tough. We are so very glad we had a great 11 years visiting STJ.


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## bizaro86

tomandrobin said:


> If so, it will make selling future WSJ units near impossible.



It wouldn't be a future buyer's responsibility to pay it. Vistana owns those units now, so they would have to pay the SA now, and the future buyer would buy it with the SA paid.


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## SandyPGravel

Just announced on news of St. John the national park will be closed for a year.  What will tourists do if they can't even go to the beach?  Won't get tourists there if 2/3 of the island is off limits.  

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## LisaH

My plan will be similar to DavidnRobin's. We love St John and will definitely be back no matter what happens. However, I'm afraid continuing the ownership at WSJ might not be financially sound if there is a hefty SA.


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## Carolyn

How does one "walk away" from owning a timeshare without it affecting your credit score?


----------



## tomandrobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Just announced on news of St. John the national park will be closed for a year.  What will tourists do if they can't even go to the beach?  Won't get tourists there if 2/3 of the island is off limits.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk



I could not find that announcement.


----------



## SandyPGravel

tomandrobin said:


> I could not find that announcement.


It was a FB post about 3 hours ago.  Now I can't find the post either.  It was from News of St John.  One of the comments to that post said they had heard the same thing on the weather channel. 

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## Helios

This is sad...all the good memories...My plan is to wait and convert to SOs in the mean time while I have a clearer picture of damage, timeline, SAs, and MFs.

I know I will not get two weeks in a 3 BR Pool Villa and 1 week in 2 BR SB villa...but the show must go on while I use my Starpoints to get premium flights to far places instead of beautiful St John.  Thinking about JFK-FRA-SIN-SYD in an A380-800 Suite thanks to my SOs converted to KrisFlyer miles  I'll just have to follow @Carolyn's Jimmy Buffett positive quote...


----------



## SandyPGravel

Found it.

Https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=768555013329087&id=140486059469322

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## dioxide45

SandyPGravel said:


> Found it.
> 
> Https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=768555013329087&id=140486059469322
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


This is what I see when I go to the link.
_
The page you requested cannot be displayed right now. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may be broken or expired, or you may not have permission to view this page._


----------



## SandyPGravel

dioxide45 said:


> This is what I see when I go to the link.
> _
> The page you requested cannot be displayed right now. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may be broken or expired, or you may not have permission to view this page._


Not sure what I did, link doesn't work for me either.

I will try to attach a screen shot...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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## Helios

Just saw that St John looks to be outside Maria's path.  It will be close...

http://google.org/crisismap/google.com/2017-maria


----------



## cubigbird

The key word is “likely.”  There is no official US Govt or National Parks closure posting yet.  Let’s wait and see.


----------



## Helios

Helios said:


> Just saw that St John looks to be outside Maria's path.  It will be close...
> 
> http://google.org/crisismap/google.com/2017-maria


St Thomas won't be as lucky.  Puerto Rico looks like they will get it pretty bad.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Carolyn said:


> How does one "walk away" from owning a timeshare without it affecting your credit score?



I do not care about my credit score (unless it is needed for an old-age home...).
VGV has been/was taking back deeds, or VSE takes back deeds due to circumstances, or HOA declares bankruptcy...


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> St Thomas won't be as lucky.  Puerto Rico looks like they will get it pretty bad.



Maria appears to be going south of St Croix - good news for STJ/STT for the most part.  Looks like Maria's eye wall will cut across PR.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Midnight - Buck Island getting sheared by Maria's Wall.


----------



## Julian926

I just got reservations at the end of May for St John in 2018.  Is it likely the resort will be closed in 2018?

Hope everyone is safe in St. John.


----------



## OCsun

This morning, The Today Show interviewed a women who has lived on St John for 25 years.  She and her family were temporarily staying at a Sheraton in Puerto Rico with many other displaced St John residents.  She spoke about how they were told to relocate off island for 6 - 12 months.  Her parents were supposed to fly out this morning which was not possible due to Maria.


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## cubigbird

Looks like the eye of Marie stayed to the south of St Croix and avoiding STJ.  I wonder how they fared with even (lesser) hurricane force winds?


----------



## GrayFal

I would not be so sure. 
I am a former owner at BlueBeard's Beach Club Resort on STT managed by Wyndham. 
They had terrible news from the manager Jose that there was even more damage from Maria. The storm surge was much higher and lasted much longer then Irma.
See pictures on their Facebook page.  Just heartbreaking.

Because of the prolonged storm surge, it makes me very concerned about the SB section of our resort.


----------



## DavidnRobin

It has been reported that H.Maria has sunk at least one of the car barges (Mr. B)


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## canesfan

WSJ posted on their FB page:
As our recovery efforts continue, we wanted to provide an update regarding Hurricane Maria. While the storm brought more wind and rain, we were fortunate to have weathered it with minimal impact. Everyone at the resort is safe and we are now returning our attention back to our clean-up efforts. Our thoughts are with everyone in Maria’s path.


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## letsgomets

canesfan said:


> WSJ posted on their FB page:
> As our recovery efforts continue, we wanted to provide an update regarding Hurricane Maria. While the storm brought more wind and rain, we were fortunate to have weathered it with minimal impact. Everyone at the resort is safe and we are now returning our attention back to our clean-up efforts. Our thoughts are with everyone in Maria’s path.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Great to hear.  Thanks for sharing some good news.


----------



## GrayFal

canesfan said:


> WSJ posted on their FB page:
> As our recovery efforts continue, we wanted to provide an update regarding Hurricane Maria. While the storm brought more wind and rain, we were fortunate to have weathered it with minimal impact. Everyone at the resort is safe and we are now returning our attention back to our clean-up efforts. Our thoughts are with everyone in Maria’s path.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So happy to hear this!


----------



## Helios

letsgomets said:


> Great to hear.  Thanks for sharing some good news.


+1


----------



## letsgomets

I don't understand the talk of bankruptcy and the villas being worthless.  I just found the 2017 budget for BV and there's are interest charges of nearly $200,000.  I don't know any details about the insurance policy, limits, deductible, etc., but it seems to me that when you combine BV, CV, VG and Sunset, that's a lot of insurance premiums and thus presumably a huge amount of insurance coverage.  Sure we can expect assessments to cover the deductible (although an assessment of just one year's maintenance would yield more than $5 million for BV alone and I doubt the deductible is anywhere near that) but it seems like talk of total loss, worthless units, etc. must be very exaggerated.

It may take time, but the Westin will be back.  I think we need to just hope for a speedy recovery for the island and the resort, not because we are eager to go back (we are!), but for the St. John and St. Thomas residents whose lives depend on it.


----------



## SMHarman

letsgomets said:


> I don't understand the talk of bankruptcy and the villas being worthless.  I just found the 2017 budget for BV and there's are interest charges of nearly $200,000.  I don't know any details about the insurance policy, limits, deductible, etc., but it seems to me that when you combine BV, CV, VG and Sunset, that's a lot of insurance premiums and thus presumably a huge amount of insurance coverage.  Sure we can expect assessments to cover the deductible (although an assessment of just one year's maintenance would yield more than $5 million for BV alone and I doubt the deductible is anywhere near that) but it seems like talk of total loss, worthless units, etc. must be very exaggerated.
> 
> It may take time, but the Westin will be back.  I think we need to just hope for a speedy recovery for the island and the resort, not because we are eager to go back (we are!), but for the St. John and St. Thomas residents whose lives depend on it.


Well hillside was working to build up a deductible fund.   Had not made it there yet. 

The question becomes is this a 1/100 year or more frequent and what does that do to ongoing insurance and building plans.


----------



## letsgomets

SMHarman said:


> The question becomes is this a 1/100 year or more frequent and what does that do to ongoing insurance and building plans.



Yes, I would expect that insurance rates will rise significantly, but at about 3% of our current maintenance, it could triple and be barely noticeable.


----------



## okwiater

letsgomets said:


> I don't understand the talk of bankruptcy and the villas being worthless.  I just found the 2017 budget for BV and there's are interest charges of nearly $200,000.  I don't know any details about the insurance policy, limits, deductible, etc., but it seems to me that when you combine BV, CV, VG and Sunset, that's a lot of insurance premiums and thus presumably a huge amount of insurance coverage.  Sure we can expect assessments to cover the deductible (although an assessment of just one year's maintenance would yield more than $5 million for BV alone and I doubt the deductible is anywhere near that) but it seems like talk of total loss, worthless units, etc. must be very exaggerated.
> 
> It may take time, but the Westin will be back.  I think we need to just hope for a speedy recovery for the island and the resort, not because we are eager to go back (we are!), but for the St. John and St. Thomas residents whose lives depend on it.



Completely agree with this. I don't think prime beachfront Caribbean resort property becomes worthless simply because it was struck by a hurricane. It seems likely that there will be some real estate fire sales in the near future, though, due to overreactions like these.


----------



## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> It has been reported that H.Maria has sunk at least one of the car barges (Mr. B)
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Not sunk, but...


----------



## tomandrobin

That is a lot of water washing over the deck of the boat. I would call that sunk in shallow water. I am sure the engines don't like being submerged like that.


----------



## SMHarman

Engines, electrical, HVAC, fixtures and fittings. That's a hull ready for a full refit, or scrap depending on cost delta of a new build hull in a yard vs custom refit everything.

Sandy did this to a colleague if mines boat.  It was loss adjusted as a total loss


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> View attachment 4791
> 
> 
> Not sunk, but...


----------



## DavidnRobin

WSJ - morning after H.Maria
Surfing waves...


----------



## vistana101

A few more pictures after Maria:


----------



## Helios

Wow, I guess I won't be occupying my SB villa in 2018...Any thoughts about when VGV HOA will comment on phase status?


----------



## cubigbird

I have a SB Plat+ villa as well.  Looks like we won’t be staying there either.  Looks like the roof corner structures needs major repairs but the buildings look to be intact otherwise.

I agree it would be nice to get some owner updates here.  I’m sure insurance adjusters have already been onsite.


----------



## SMHarman

cubigbird said:


> I have a SB Plat+ villa as well.  Looks like we won’t be staying there either.  Looks like the roof corner structures needs major repairs but the buildings look to be intact otherwise.
> 
> I agree it would be nice to get some owner updates here.  I’m sure insurance adjusters have already been onsite.


Insurance adjustors?  What they flew into STX and took a boat over between hurricanes?  Not sure they have been there yet myself.


----------



## DavidnRobin

They are still in rescue and recovery mode.

While walls (masonry) and roofs to some degree were spared.  The flooding inside the villas were extensive based on videos and reports (the heavy rain comes in sideways and goes under and up roof vanes).  The interiors will need massive overhaul (not to mention mold removal).

STT is still closed to commercial flights - 2 car barges that bring heavy equipment and construction materials are heavily damaged (by H.Maria)

It is going to be a while...


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## Helios

SMHarman said:


> Insurance adjustors?  What they flew into STX and took a boat over between hurricanes?  Not sure they have been there yet myself.


That would be my guess as well.  I wonder how much pull Vistana has to expedite things.  They are probably not at the top of the list given the amount of damage.  But, they are a corporate client, so, who knows...


----------



## Helios

cubigbird said:


> I have a SB Plat+ villa as well.  Looks like we won’t be staying there either.  Looks like the roof corner structures needs major repairs but the buildings look to be intact otherwise.
> 
> I agree it would be nice to get some owner updates here.  I’m sure insurance adjusters have already been onsite.


Did you mean Diamond Season?


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> They are still in rescue and recovery mode.
> 
> While walls (masonry) and roofs to some degree were spared.  The flooding inside the villas were extensive based on videos and reports (the heavy rain comes in sideways and goes under and up roof vanes).  The interiors will need massive overhaul (not to mention mold removal).
> 
> STT is still closed to commercial flights - 2 car barges that bring heavy equipment and construction materials are heavily damaged (by H.Maria)
> 
> It is going to be a while...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I agree.  Probably time to cancel the Easter week resie at SB...good thing I procrastinated on getting plane tixs this time.


----------



## Helios

Just went to cancel my SB Easter resie and saw a new message, very disturbing...the entire calendar for a year is blocked and there is a red text message that says "Property is currently not accepting reservations".


----------



## cubigbird

Helios said:


> Did you mean Diamond Season?



Yeah that's what I meant.  Same SO equivalent as Plat+ OF in Hawaii.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> I agree.  Probably time to cancel the Easter week resie at SB...good thing I procrastinated on getting plane tixs this time.



I procrastinated as well - usually I try to get at 330 day mark.
Turns out that was fortunate.

IMO - I wouldn’t got to STJ unless I wanted to contribute to the clean-up efforts which is going to take years.
We will not be going in 2018 and will hopefully use our SOs (2x 95.7K) for HI - not an awful $/SO value, assuming the 2018 MFs stay the same (large assumption).  The Plat+ VGV have a good SO value. Low season Owners the worst.  They will be 1st to bail - IMO


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## LisaRex

letsgomets said:


> I don't understand the talk of bankruptcy and the villas being worthless.



First and foremost, owners at any given resort usually do not own the property their building sits on.  They own the right to use their unit one week per year.  The land is owned by another entity, often a land holding company related to the original developer. 

Secondly, even the best insurance policy has a co-pay and costs that aren't covered.  I doubt any policy covers a year of lost revenue, for instance. No matter what, future premiums will be significantly higher.  Utilities will increase, too, as they must recoup the cost of repairs from a very limited customer base.  This tragedy will inevitably mean higher MFs and/or an SA, at least in the short term. 

Any time you raise MFs significantly, you risk losing paying owners.  WSJ is especially vulnerable, due to many factors: 

Distinct seasons.  In resort with distinct low seasons, those owners are always more vulnerable for defaulting because they are often paying close (or exceeding) comparable rental rates already.  By law, HOAs cannot assess different MFs based on seasons, so if MFs exceed inflation, who in their right mind would pay $500 to $1000 MORE than current rental rates?
Disgruntled owners: Low season owners were already hit once because nearly the entire 2017 low-season was wrecked by Irma. With no remedy forthcoming for this year's loss, how likely will these same owners be to pay that next invoice?

Voluntary resort: Most of WSJ is voluntary, and most of the new phases have been around long enough that there's already going to be a decent number of resale owners. With depositing their week in II being their only possible remedy (and maybe not even that because they technically don't have a week to deposit), resale voluntary owners are at an even higher risk than mandatory week owners. 

The island is in shambles: Some owners will see the damage to the island and decide not to return to a place that resembles a war zone 
Immensity of the storm: Because of the sheer amount of damage, it'll take months before utilities are up and running. They can't even begin cleaning up without fresh water, nor can they start to rebuild without electricity.  Every day that the resort is closed means lost revenue. 

Downtime: What percentage of owners are going to pay 2018 MFs (and possible SA) knowing that there's a decent possibility that the resort will be out of commission the entire year?   

Lack of new owners: In a healthy economy, a resort like WSJ could easily find new owners to replace "deadbeat" owners. The Caribbean is far from healthy. Finding new owners quickly is imperative for the survival of all timeshares, because otherwise you risk starting a vicious cycle of higher MFs yielding more defaults yielding higher MFs yielding more defaults.
Of course, more data is needed before anyone must make a decision on what to do.  However, the obstacles for WSJ are enormous.  That is why some people are opining that this storm might have staked WSJ right through the heart.  Even though it's not running and generating much needed revenue, bills still need to be paid, such as key staff salaries, management fees (I think they owe Starwood $1M per year just for naming rights!), utilities (once they are up and running), insurance premiums, property taxes, and, of course, clean up and repair costs that aren't covered by insurance.  Who's going to pay for all of that? 

It's like the perfect storm has hit WSJ.


----------



## lizap

okwiater said:


> Completely agree with this. I don't think prime beachfront Caribbean resort property becomes worthless simply because it was struck by a hurricane. It seems likely that there will be some real estate fire sales in the near future, though, due to overreactions like these.




It will be back, provided it doesn't get hit again in the next year or two. But tourism will definitely take a hit.  Most people go to St. John for rest, relaxation, beautiful scenery, etc...


LisaRex said:


> First and foremost, owners at any given resort usually do not own the property their building sits on.  They own the right to use their unit one week per year.  The land is owned by another entity, often a land holding company related to the original developer.
> 
> Secondly, even the best insurance policy has a co-pay and costs that aren't covered.  I doubt any policy covers a year of lost revenue, for instance. No matter what, future premiums will be significantly higher.  Utilities will increase, too, as they must recoup the cost of repairs from a very limited customer base.  This tragedy will inevitably mean higher MFs and/or an SA, at least in the short term.
> 
> Any time you raise MFs significantly, you risk losing paying owners.  WSJ is especially vulnerable, due to many factors:
> 
> Distinct seasons.  In resort with distinct low seasons, those owners are always more vulnerable for defaulting because they are often paying close (or exceeding) comparable rental rates already.  By law, HOAs cannot assess different MFs based on seasons, so if MFs exceed inflation, who in their right mind would pay $500 to $1000 MORE than current rental rates?
> Disgruntled owners: Low season owners were already hit once because nearly the entire 2017 low-season was wrecked by Irma. With no remedy forthcoming for this year's loss, how likely will these same owners be to pay that next invoice?
> 
> Voluntary resort: Most of WSJ is voluntary, and most of the new phases have been around long enough that there's already going to be a decent number of resale owners. With depositing their week in II being their only possible remedy (and maybe not even that because they technically don't have a week to deposit), resale voluntary owners are at an even higher risk than mandatory week owners.
> 
> The island is in shambles: Some owners will see the damage to the island and decide not to return to a place that resembles a war zone
> Immensity of the storm: Because of the sheer amount of damage, it'll take months before utilities are up and running. They can't even begin cleaning up without fresh water, nor can they start to rebuild without electricity.  Every day that the resort is closed means lost revenue.
> 
> Downtime: What percentage of owners are going to pay 2018 MFs (and possible SA) knowing that there's a decent possibility that the resort will be out of commission the entire year?
> 
> Lack of new owners: In a healthy economy, a resort like WSJ could easily find new owners to replace "deadbeat" owners. The Caribbean is far from healthy. Finding new owners quickly is imperative for the survival of all timeshares, because otherwise you risk starting a vicious cycle of higher MFs yielding more defaults yielding higher MFs yielding more defaults.
> Of course, more data is needed before anyone must make a decision on what to do.  However, the obstacles for WSJ are enormous.  That is why some people are opining that this storm might have staked WSJ right through the heart.  Even though it's not running and generating much needed revenue, bills still need to be paid, such as key staff salaries, management fees (I think they owe Starwood $1M per year just for naming rights!), utilities (once they are up and running), insurance premiums, property taxes, and, of course, clean up and repair costs that aren't covered by insurance.  Who's going to pay for all of that?
> 
> It's like the perfect storm has hit WSJ.



Lisa, unfortunately, I think your assessment is pretty accurate..


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> View attachment 4793
> 
> WSJ - morning after H.Maria
> Surfing waves...



I just realized that was a photo of the bay in front of the Westin.......Crazy!


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> I procrastinated as well - usually I try to get at 330 day mark.
> Turns out that was fortunate.
> 
> IMO - I wouldn’t got to STJ unless I wanted to contribute to the clean-up efforts which is going to take years.
> We will not be going in 2018 and will hopefully use our SOs (2x 95.7K) for HI - not an awful $/SO value, assuming the 2018 MFs stay the same (large assumption).  The Plat+ VGV have a good SO value. Low season Owners the worst.  They will be 1st to bail - IMO



Ha.....We also procrastinated buying our airfare for WSJ in 2018. We usually buy our airfare when the boooking window opens. 

We still have not canceled our July 2018 trip. My heart really wants to go, but my head keeps telling me to move on for next year and come back in 2020. Plus, we need to coordinate with three other owners on whether we should go or not go. I know the Westin Manager has said they plan on being open in March, but I just don't see how or if it is, what exactly will be open at the resort. 

Puerto Rico and St Croix were major stepping blocks in the recovery process. After Maria, they now need help......so where does St John get their help from?


----------



## okwiater

I am told the damage at WSJ exceeds $100MM. Not to worry, though: for all you WSJ naysayers, Vistana direct sales is taking them back as trades as of yesterday.

Also, I can guarantee there are a bunch of investors salivating at the thought of Caneel Bay or other prime properties deciding not to rebuild. Buy low, sell high...


----------



## GrayFal

Helios said:


> Just went to cancel my SB Easter resie and saw a new message, very disturbing...the entire calendar for a year is blocked and there is a red text message that says "Property is currently not accepting reservations".


I am seeing this as well. Regardless of what date I put in. 

We might have a long while to wait to visit our beloved island again. 

I am waiting for Vistana to cancel my week 7 VGV Resie to see what options they are offering.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Wow, so our MF bills for use year 2018 will be due at the end of the year for a property we cannot use.  I've already pre-paid most of my 2018 MF, just so I don't have that huge bill to pay at one time.  I count my lucky stars that I bought in a mandatory section so at least I can get some use out of my SO, but that is a lot of SO(Plat+) to try to use up somewhere else.  (Still working, so vacation time has its limits.)  Plus I, unlike a few of you, didn't procrastinate and have my airfare for February already.  I was soooo happy because I had scored my cheapest airfare yet to STT.  (Not looking so cheap now)  On the upside(sorta...trying to grab at straws here) I used CC points so I'm technically not out any $$, just some built up assets.  $200/ticket in change fees plus any difference in airfare. OUCH.  Tickets were only $427/person to start.

I agree it would be nice for some communication from the resort.  The only semi-tangible info was from the Boston Globe article.  Otherwise "just wait and see, hold on we'll tell you....eventually."  I'd say it's pretty obvious if they have blocked off accepting all reservations they have an idea that they will not be re-opening in 2018.  It would be nice if they extended how long the SO could be banked.

I would also hope they would have some mercy on voluntary owners.  I realize the chance you take when purchasing a resale voluntary section, but if VSE doesn't do something for them, there is no reason for them not to walk except the hit on credit.  Easily could be two years of MF for the resale low season owners with nothing to show for it.  The program from around 2007 where they offered SVR owners the option to buy in for $500 or $600 dollars then the ability to join SVN and bank would be a nice option.  Even if the cost was a little more, say $1000, that would be a nice chunk of change for the resort to apply toward the repairs.  Some owners would jump at the chance.  Or they could, as a sign of good will, deed back the weeks of owners that want out and then VSE can sell high again.  Don't some other TS systems allow a fee to deed back?  That would be another source of capital toward repairs.  Give VSE $500 to get out of the deed?  Some owners would jump at that chance too.  Also I think the idea that they are willing to take back the VOI would convince some owners that there must be some value in the VOI and they might opt to keep the VOI and continue paying the MF. (Long shot, I know.)  When I went to my owners update I told them very specifically what I was willing to purchase and nothing was available.  So, I would say, IMO, there is a market for weeks if none are available!

I am glad someone else mentioned whether or not you could deposit the voluntary weeks in II.  I was wondering the same thing.  How can you deposit a week that is unusable?

Ok, I'm done rambling for the moment.


----------



## SMHarman

I'm thinking that they don't want more reservations in 2018 than they currently have.

If they are 50% sold and can get 50% open then they are effectively a sold out resort and can run like that while fixing the rest of the buildings. 

If I were thinking about repair phasing I'd be looking my to get that done phase by phase with the main resort phases tackled first and during that time bring the hill people reservations into main resort units while theirs are repaired.


----------



## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> I am told the damage at WSJ exceeds $100MM. Not to worry, though: for all you WSJ naysayers, Vistana direct sales is taking them back as trades as of yesterday.
> 
> Also, I can guarantee there are a bunch of investors salivating at the thought of Caneel Bay or other prime properties deciding not to rebuild. Buy low, sell high...


I'm surprised at these caneel by any rumors. You would think that at $800 a night and sold out peak season they have the cashflow and insurance to rebuild. 

Also what about the donkeys.


----------



## tomandrobin

SMHarman said:


> Also what about the donkeys.



Donkeys weathered the storms better then the hotels.


----------



## tomandrobin

Before Hurricane Maria, I was assuming that help to rebuild would come from St Croix and Puerto Rico. Now that they both have been ravaged, where is the help going to come from? There is enough rebuilding to be done on their own islands now. And when Westin can finally hire a firm to do the work, where are the workers going to stay? 

I see so many logistical problems and obstacles for the Resort to get repaired and back in service, can't even imagine it on an island wide scale. 

Just thinking about repairing/replacing all those utility poles on St. John, St. Thomas, St. Croix and Puerto Rico. Based on the estimates of damaged poles, you are looking at around 30,000-50,000 poles? Hurricane Sandy required 65,100 wood poles and 103,500 wood cross arms, and Hurricane Katrina 92,000 wood poles and 90,000 wood cross arms the first month afterwards. Those poles need to be shipped and off loaded along with every other resource those islands need to rebuild.


----------



## tomandrobin

On the plus side, I still have my Atlantis week booked for end of June.


----------



## SMHarman

tomandrobin said:


> Donkeys weathered the storms better then the hotels.


They have been there longer


----------



## dioxide45

SandyPGravel said:


> I am glad someone else mentioned whether or not you could deposit the voluntary weeks in II. I was wondering the same thing. How can you deposit a week that is unusable?


If you currently have a reservation, I suppose you could possibly deposit it. Though they could later cancel the deposit and any exchanges made with it if they determine that the host accommodation is not available. If you don't have a reservation yet for 2018, well, you can't deposit anything since they aren't taking new reservations. Though I recall that Vistana doesn't allow you to deposit a reservation, so perhaps they won't allocate your week for deposit now with WSJ weeks?


----------



## DavidnRobin

More video of WSJ
https://www.facebook.com/groups/269556383563172/permalink/276703616181782/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## okwiater

tomandrobin said:


> Before Hurricane Maria, I was assuming that help to rebuild would come from St Croix and Puerto Rico. Now that they both have been ravaged, where is the help going to come from? There is enough rebuilding to be done on their own islands now. And when Westin can finally hire a firm to do the work, where are the workers going to stay?
> 
> I see so many logistical problems and obstacles for the Resort to get repaired and back in service, can't even imagine it on an island wide scale.



Maybe they'll hire a Chinese company to rebuild the resort a la Baja Mar in Nassau. Those workers lived on a boat and added nothing to the local economy!


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> I am seeing this as well. Regardless of what date I put in.
> 
> We might have a long while to wait to visit our beloved island again.
> 
> I am waiting for Vistana to cancel my week 7 VGV Resie to see what options they are offering.


I ended cancelling my SB Easter week resie.  I guess the SOs will have to do.  Hopefully I can use my 2018 Pool Villa (November), but I am guessing no...


----------



## Julian926

tomandrobin said:


> Ha.....We also procrastinated buying our airfare for WSJ in 2018. We usually buy our airfare when the boooking window opens.
> 
> We still have not canceled our July 2018 trip. My heart really wants to go, but my head keeps telling me to move on for next year and come back in 2020. Plus, we need to coordinate with three other owners on whether we should go or not go. I know the Westin Manager has said they plan on being open in March, but I just don't see how or if it is, what exactly will be open at the resort.
> 
> Puerto Rico and St Croix were major stepping blocks in the recovery process. After Maria, they now need help......so where does St John get their help from?



I'm in the same boat. After the hurricane, I booked through VSN and I had May open.  I naturally assumed that this meant that the resort will be open by then, but it may not be the case.  I wished they closed all of the 2018 weeks until they knew when exactly they will be available.


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> I would also hope they would have some mercy on voluntary owners.  I realize the chance you take when purchasing a resale voluntary section, but if VSE doesn't do something for them, there is no reason for them not to walk except the hit on credit.  Easily could be two years of MF for the resale low season owners with nothing to show for it.  The program from around 2007 where they offered SVR owners the option to buy in for $500 or $600 dollars then the ability to join SVN and bank would be a nice option.  Even if the cost was a little more, say $1000, that would be a nice chunk of change for the resort to apply toward the repairs.  Some owners would jump at the chance.  Or they could, as a sign of good will, deed back the weeks of owners that want out and then VSE can sell high again.  Don't some other TS systems allow a fee to deed back?  That would be another source of capital toward repairs.  Give VSE $500 to get out of the deed?  Some owners would jump at that chance too.  Also I think the idea that they are willing to take back the VOI would convince some owners that there must be some value in the VOI and they might opt to keep the VOI and continue paying the MF. (Long shot, I know.)  When I went to my owners update I told them very specifically what I was willing to purchase and nothing was available.  So, I would say, IMO, there is a market for weeks if none are available!
> 
> I am glad someone else mentioned whether or not you could deposit the voluntary weeks in II.  I was wondering the same thing.  How can you deposit a week that is unusable?
> 
> Ok, I'm done rambling for the moment.



I have mixed feelings about this.  

I spent significant $s retroing my pool villa weeks and even got a SB unit to clean my portfolio and have a week located in the main resort.  So, Vistana offering the SVR program would not sit well with me.  This would need to be priced properly.  Also, wouldn't all other owners who purchased from the developer be upset as well when they realize there is more competition to get SOs reservations.  I do that very rarely so that makes no difference to me. 

On the flip side, I don't want take the hit with those MFs/SAs that would need to be subsidized by remaining owners.


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> I am told the damage at WSJ exceeds $100MM. Not to worry, though: for all you WSJ naysayers, Vistana direct sales is taking them back as trades as of yesterday.
> 
> Also, I can guarantee there are a bunch of investors salivating at the thought of Caneel Bay or other prime properties deciding not to rebuild. Buy low, sell high...


Is vistana your source?  If you can elaborate, please PM me.


----------



## SMHarman

okwiater said:


> I am told the damage at WSJ exceeds $100MM. Not to worry, though: for all you WSJ naysayers, Vistana direct sales is taking them back as trades as of yesterday.
> 
> Also, I can guarantee there are a bunch of investors salivating at the thought of Caneel Bay or other prime properties deciding not to rebuild. Buy low, sell high...


100m. I struggle to get to that number. 

Land value is still there. I don't see 100m of new / repair construction. Especially when you look at the unit renovation budgets etc.

Now material cost and trash haulage are higher but even then the 200-400 psf to build number does not get to a point where you hit that on the Sq ft built on the site.


----------



## dioxide45

SMHarman said:


> 100m. I struggle to get to that number.
> 
> Land value is still there. I don't see 100m of new / repair construction. Especially when you look at the unit renovation budgets etc.
> 
> Now material cost and trash haulage are higher but even then the 200-400 psf to build number does not get to a point where you hit that on the Sq ft built on the site.


90MM was quoted in a newspaper article, I think it came from the GM.


----------



## lizap

Helios said:


> I have mixed feelings about this.
> 
> I spent significant $s retroing my pool villa weeks and even got a SB unit to clean my portfolio and have a week located in the main resort.  So, Vistana offering the SVR program would not sit well with me.  This would need to be priced properly.  Also, wouldn't all other owners who purchased from the developer be upset as well when they realize there is more competition to get SOs reservations.  I do that very rarely so that makes no difference to me.
> 
> On the flip side, I don't want take the hit with those MFs/SAs that would need to be subsidized by remaining owners.



I just don't see them offering voluntary owners an opportunity to use SVN for a fee.  I suspect their only option will be to deposit into II, although there's nothing to deposit (so they would be making a special accomodation).


----------



## SMHarman

dioxide45 said:


> 90MM was quoted in a newspaper article, I think it came from the GM.


He's a quantity surveyor now? 

Seriously. Can you get  to that number!

I only can adding a 200% premium for lack of staff and resource.


----------



## Helios

SMHarman said:


> He's a quantity surveyor now?
> 
> Seriously. Can you get  to that number!
> 
> I only can adding a 200% premium for lack of staff and resource.


No kidding, he must have very good sources doing the work remotely or he is an estimator (or, did they get contractors there to survey the resort already).

I think it is interesting that there is info flowing to the media and to their owner...zero......


----------



## dioxide45

SMHarman said:


> He's a quantity surveyor now?
> 
> Seriously. Can you get  to that number!
> 
> I only can adding a 200% premium for lack of staff and resource.


He may be more qualified than us, I am not a surveyor, adjuster or estimator, are you?

It was from the Boston Globe article.

_Samuel Hugli, the general manager, said he hoped to reopen the restaurant in two weeks and by March welcome back the roughly 1,000 guests who typically stay there during the high season.

First, he said, they would have to dig out the pool, which remains buried under sand. Other repairs, he estimated, would cost the resort as much as $90 million._

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyl...ml?s_campaign=bostonglobe:socialflow:facebook

Really though, shouldn't the operating fee go down in the next annual MF? They don't have housekeeping, front desk and other staff to pay along with still paying insurance and other base fees, but labor is perhaps the biggest expense at any resort. They don't need supplies. The costs of taxes are still there, but most owners pay that separately. Other than basic carrying costs, there aren't a lot of costs to keep a closed resort running. There will be a SA to cover whatever insurance doesn't.


----------



## SMHarman

dioxide45 said:


> He may be more qualified than us, I am not a surveyor, adjuster or estimator, are you?
> 
> It was from the Boston Globe article.
> 
> _Samuel Hugli, the general manager, said he hoped to reopen the restaurant in two weeks and by March welcome back the roughly 1,000 guests who typically stay there during the high season.
> 
> First, he said, they would have to dig out the pool, which remains buried under sand. Other repairs, he estimated, would cost the resort as much as $90 million._
> 
> http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyl...ml?s_campaign=bostonglobe:socialflow:facebook
> 
> Really though, shouldn't the operating fee go down in the next annual MF? They don't have housekeeping, front desk and other staff to pay along with still paying insurance and other base fees, but labor is perhaps the biggest expense at any resort. They don't need supplies. The costs of taxes are still there, but most owners pay that separately. Other than basic carrying costs, there aren't a lot of costs to keep a closed resort running. There will be a SA to cover whatever insurance doesn't.


I'm not but I know ground up building is 100-300 per Sq ft.

This is nowhere near that.  Many tile floors etc will powerwash down.  Many structural parts still intact.  Much of the plumbing and electrical in units still intact. 

New furniture and appliances plus ripping drywall back past the tide marks drying and refinishing is what I see for most units.   That could be a complete gut of the drywall but still you are not pouring new concrete. I saw them hammering through sunset Bay during the conversion. The foundation and walls are sound. 

Landscaping could be pricy.  Where do you get the plants from!  Many ripped up islands. 

Then shared services need work but similarly drywall roofs, soft furnishings.

I like your operating budget assessment.  The electric / HVAC bill also goes away!


----------



## SMHarman

You know what though. 

http://newsofstjohn.com/2013/10/31/westin-announces-35-million-expansion/

Coral Vista apparently cost $35 million.


----------



## lizap

dioxide45 said:


> He may be more qualified than us, I am not a surveyor, adjuster or estimator, are you?
> 
> It was from the Boston Globe article.
> 
> _Samuel Hugli, the general manager, said he hoped to reopen the restaurant in two weeks and by March welcome back the roughly 1,000 guests who typically stay there during the high season.
> 
> First, he said, they would have to dig out the pool, which remains buried under sand. Other repairs, he estimated, would cost the resort as much as $90 million._
> 
> http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2017/09/16/enormous-hurdles-ahead-for-virgin-islands-tourism-industry/Uh6dlhddeqahVAaFOY2xiP/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe:socialflow:facebook
> 
> Really though, shouldn't the operating fee go down in the next annual MF? They don't have housekeeping, front desk and other staff to pay along with still paying insurance and other base fees, but labor is perhaps the biggest expense at any resort. They don't need supplies. The costs of taxes are still there, but most owners pay that separately. Other than basic carrying costs, there aren't a lot of costs to keep a closed resort running. There will be a SA to cover whatever insurance doesn't.



I think Hugli is being extremely optimistic.  Just don't see early March happening..


----------



## Helios

dioxide45 said:


> He may be more qualified than us, I am not a surveyor, adjuster or estimator, are you?
> 
> It was from the Boston Globe article.
> 
> _Samuel Hugli, the general manager, said he hoped to reopen the restaurant in two weeks and by March welcome back the roughly 1,000 guests who typically stay there during the high season.
> 
> First, he said, they would have to dig out the pool, which remains buried under sand. Other repairs, he estimated, would cost the resort as much as $90 million._
> 
> http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2017/09/16/enormous-hurdles-ahead-for-virgin-islands-tourism-industry/Uh6dlhddeqahVAaFOY2xiP/story.html?s_campaign=bostonglobe:socialflow:facebook
> 
> Really though, shouldn't the operating fee go down in the next annual MF? They don't have housekeeping, front desk and other staff to pay along with still paying insurance and other base fees, but labor is perhaps the biggest expense at any resort. They don't need supplies. The costs of taxes are still there, but most owners pay that separately. Other than basic carrying costs, there aren't a lot of costs to keep a closed resort running. There will be a SA to cover whatever insurance doesn't.


Couple of things, I was mainly being sarcastic.

Not sure what Hugli's quals are...I am a Professional Engineer (Civil) licensed in 11 States and two Countries who deals with heavy highway construction.  Not the the same type, but you may say I may have a clue about construction costs.  $100M sounds high to me, but I haven't seen the damage in person like he has.

The article was dated 9/16 (Pre-Maria) and the damage looks more severe after Maria (from pictures  - again I haven't seen it in person).  So, let's start panicking because if he is good at estimating, or his sources are, we (WSJ owners) are in real trouble with construction costs well into the 9 figures...

I 100% agree with your last paragraph, I think MF should go down until occupancy resumes.  For instance, there is nothing to maintain in SB, the MF cover maintenance not rebuilding/construction.  Construction should be covered with SAs and insurance payments.

Just my $0.02...


----------



## Helios

lizap said:


> I think Hugli is being extremely optimistic.  Just don't see early March happening..


I agree, timeline is too optimistic...


----------



## GregT

DavidnRobin said:


> More video of WSJ
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/269556383563172/permalink/276703616181782/
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


So sorry to see this....stunning...


----------



## GrayFal

Dear Delta Customer,


As the implications of Hurricane Irma are still unclear and unfolding, we want to ensure you have the flexibility to adjust your upcoming travel plans as needed. If you choose to make a change to your upcoming flight plans, we have implemented a travel waiver that will allow you to do so free of charge. Please click here for more details on the waiver. You may rebook your trip by searching for alternate flights through My Trips on delta.com or on the Fly Delta app.


Sincerely,
Your Delta Family


Delta has extended their cancellation policy to reservations thru 4/2/2108.
I was able to use my credit toward flights to Atlantis in May 2018 even though "normally" I would have had to use the credit by 1/29/18, one year after I purchased the ticket. 
They have waived the one year restriction for this extreme circumstance.

America airlines is still offering rebooking for reservations thru  10/31/17 only and you must travel to STT by 12/31/17 (roll eyes)
Guess they are not reading the news.


----------



## GrayFal

lizap said:


> I just don't see them offering voluntary owners an opportunity to use SVN for a fee.  I suspect their only option will be to deposit into II, although there's nothing to deposit (so they would be making a special accomodation).


I attempted to get another reservation thru SVN using my Voluntary Home Options in either Westin in Palm Springs for December.
I was dealing with resolution? services but they were unable to accommodate me.

So using a Marriott deposit that I had in II already I booked Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Springs.

My voluntary CV was deposited into II as an II Points deposit.  Something I have not dealt with before.  Depending on time of year and unit size I could get two weeks of vacation or on the flip side, not enough points to get even a week for week trade. Exchange fee for VSE to VSE is $139, all other exchanges $189.

Hoping to make HO CV resie for next December.


----------



## okwiater

United just implemented a travel waiver through April 2 as well. I think it's time to cancel.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Dear Delta Customer,
> 
> 
> As the implications of Hurricane Irma are still unclear and unfolding, we want to ensure you have the flexibility to adjust your upcoming travel plans as needed. If you choose to make a change to your upcoming flight plans, we have implemented a travel waiver that will allow you to do so free of charge. Please click here for more details on the waiver. You may rebook your trip by searching for alternate flights through My Trips on delta.com or on the Fly Delta app.
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> Your Delta Family
> 
> 
> Delta has extended their cancellation policy to reservations thru 4/2/2108.
> I was able to use my credit toward flights to Atlantis in May 2018 even though "normally" I would have had to use the credit by 1/29/18, one year after I purchased the ticket.
> They have waived the one year restriction for this extreme circumstance.
> 
> America airlines is still offering rebooking for reservations thru  10/31/17 only and you must travel to STT by 12/31/17 (roll eyes)
> Guess they are not reading the news.


 To Delta.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Hoping to make HO CV resie for next December.


I am thinking the same for my SB Diamond VOI.  Hopefully things are somewhat operational then.


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> United just implemented a travel waiver through April 2 as well. I think it's time to cancel.


 To United.  

American should learn from Delta and United...


----------



## SMHarman

Helios said:


> To United.
> 
> American should learn from Delta and United...


When has American ever led the way, from continuing to serve anaphylactic allergens to seat and cabin upgrades to customer service (though Untied might pip them to the post on that)


----------



## Helios

SMHarman said:


> When has American ever led the way, from continuing to serve anaphylactic allergens to seat and cabin upgrades to customer service (though Untied might pip them to the post on that)


I guess that is true.


----------



## dioxide45

SMHarman said:


> When has American ever led the way, from continuing to serve anaphylactic allergens to seat and cabin upgrades to customer service (though Untied might pip them to the post on that)


Didn't American used to be one of the more revered airline frequent flyer programs and airlines? Wasn't it their merger with US Airways that brought them down?


----------



## SMHarman

dioxide45 said:


> Didn't American used to be one of the more revered airline frequent flyer programs and airlines? Wasn't it their merger with US Airways that brought them down?


Yep,  they followed Delta's lead on that one


----------



## GrayFal

dioxide45 said:


> Didn't American used to be one of the more revered airline frequent flyer programs and airlines? Wasn't it their merger with US Airways that brought them down?


Yes, that is when things really want down.


----------



## okwiater

Helios said:


> To United.
> 
> American should learn from Delta and United...



American just matched United and Delta. Travel waiver for STT had been extended through April 2.

Kudos to Delta for being the first to implement this waiver. And to United and American for matching them.


----------



## dss

Yes, for many years AA was a leader in many categories. Then they were essentially "purchased" by Doug Parker and his cronies, who ran US Air into the ground (technically it was a merger). They had also previously run America West into the ground (including an unbelievably scary record of maintenance neglect and fines). Somehow both times he took the smaller asset and leveraged himself into the seat of power, and he has been a walking customer disaster everywhere he has been. Use your AA miles anyway and anyhow you can because it's only going to continue to get worse....


----------



## SandyPGravel

okwiater said:


> American just matched United and Delta. Travel waiver for STT had been extended through April 2.
> 
> Kudos to Delta for being the first to implement this waiver. And to United and American for matching them.



Please excuse my ignorance...but when I call do I have to know where/when I want to change my tickets to?  I don't know want to sit on hold forever(just an assumption) and then have to do it all over again.  Also, (dumb question #2) can the airlines revoke this waiver at any time...in other words do I need to do this ASAP?

TIA, Gina


----------



## GrayFal

Gina. 
Delta a system in place where when you call, if the wait is more than 5 minutes, they will call you back.  And they do. They will say "will call back between 22-37 minutes" 
I was able to rebook to Atlantis 

Haven't cancelled my AA tickets yet.


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> Gina.
> Delta a system in place where when you call, if the wait is more than 5 minutes, they will call you back.  And they do. They will say "will call back between 22-37 minutes"
> I was able to rebook to Atlantis
> 
> Haven't cancelled my AA tickets yet.


Thanks.  My tix are AA I was reading their change stipulations and it reads like I have to know exactly what I intend to do with my tix  when I call.  Decisions decisions...

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


----------



## Dawnwrey

For our Delta tickets in lieu of STT, I knew what we wanted when I called. The call back system worked great!
For our United tickets during hurricane Harvey, we were able to get a credit on record that we can use in the future, but that will require another call once we decide to use them.
Good Luck!


----------



## LisaH

AA also has a call back system so you don't need to wait. During Irma we changed our tickets to Bahamas from making a stop in Miami to Charlotte with better connections. Worked out well for everyone.


----------



## cubigbird

Here’s a great satellite photo from NOAA of STJ.

https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irma/index.html#20/18.33067/-64.79532


----------



## SMHarman

cubigbird said:


> Here’s a great satellite photo from NOAA of STJ.
> 
> https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irma/index.html#20/18.33067/-64.79532


Looks like the dock needs a rebuild. Unless it always had a kink in it. I can't remember

Also looks like many buildings roofs are predominantly intact and in the right place.     compare to some other Hill buildings now matchsticks. 

Landscaping is a mess and all the pools have turned to mud.

As Dave said earlier depends how water got in sideways through broken windows and through eaves.


----------



## Helios

cubigbird said:


> Here’s a great satellite photo from NOAA of STJ.
> 
> https://storms.ngs.noaa.gov/storms/irma/index.html#20/18.33067/-64.79532


Thanks.  The pic is very sharp.  Interesting, all resort pools look very dark with the exception of Villa 4111.


----------



## dioxide45

Helios said:


> Thanks.  The pic is very sharp.  Interesting, all resort pools look very dark with the exception of Villa 4111.


Maybe it has been drained? Is the bottom painted blue or blue tile?


----------



## Helios

dioxide45 said:


> Maybe it has been drained? Is the bottom painted blue or blue tile?


It could be, perhaps they started working om that one.  It should be light blue color.


----------



## farsighted99

okwiater said:


> Also, I can guarantee there are a bunch of investors salivating at the thought of Caneel Bay or other prime properties deciding not to rebuild. Buy low, sell high...



Salivating over what? I don't see any win here.


----------



## okwiater

farsighted99 said:


> Salivating over what? I don't see any win here.


That just means you're not one of them.


----------



## farsighted99

Well, it could have been worse (after looking at the pics). Lots of cleaning up to do though....

Hopefully there will be no more hurricanes for awhile.


----------



## alexadeparis

Hope this isn't too far off topic, but there is a group organizing care packages to USVI families. 
While it sucks that WSJ is down and out, these folks have lost their homes in some cases and have basic needs that aren't being fulfilled. I adopted 2 families.  https://www.facebook.com/AdoptAFamilyUSVI/


----------



## LisaRex

alexadeparis said:


> Hope this isn't too far off topic, but there is a group organizing care packages to USVI families.
> While it sucks that WSJ is down and out, these folks have lost their homes in some cases and have basic needs that aren't being fulfilled. I adopted 2 families.  https://www.facebook.com/AdoptAFamilyUSVI/



Thanks for the referral.  I'm adopting a family.


----------



## Westnick

alexadeparis said:


> Hope this isn't too far off topic, but there is a group organizing care packages to USVI families.
> While it sucks that WSJ is down and out, these folks have lost their homes in some cases and have basic needs that aren't being fulfilled. I adopted 2 families.  https://www.facebook.com/AdoptAFamilyUSVI/



We will also adopt 2 family's. Thanks for the info. Hope you are doing ok.


----------



## LisaH

I adopted one family as well. Wonder how quickly I will receive the instructions as we are leaving for overseas travel this Sat.


----------



## GrayFal

Aea ael


LisaH said:


> I adopted one family as well. Wonder how quickly I will receive the instructions as we are leaving for overseas travel this Sat.


Me, too!


----------



## DavidnRobin

Met a few people here at WPORV that originally had reservations at WSJ, and Vistana pushed them towards WPORV in lieu of WSJ.  Long way to go, but a few more East Coasters than usual.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## lizap

DavidnRobin said:


> Met a few people here at WPORV that originally had reservations at WSJ, and Vistana pushed them towards WPORV in lieu of WSJ.  Long way to go, but a few more East Coasters than usual.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



This is what I figured would happen.  Hawaii may become a little harder to get using SOs..


----------



## tomandrobin

lizap said:


> This is what I figured would happen.  Hawaii may become a little harder to get using SOs..



We thought long and hard about changing over to Hawaii for next summer's trip. We decided that we are going to ride it out and are still planning on going next summer. We know the resort will not be fully functioning, but by next July the resort should be open. Those buildings down by the pool area will have to be redone, but they weren't done last year either. The Lobby will not be open, but I am sure they will have a temporary location setup. The pool may not be open, but I hope it will be. Bottom line, we love St John that much that we willing to risk going to a lesser resort and a lesser island then not go at all......and the local economy needs us to survive. 

I am not buying airfare until Vistana makes an announcement of a firm reopening date.


----------



## SandyPGravel

tomandrobin said:


> We thought long and hard about changing over to Hawaii for next summer's trip. We decided that we are going to ride it out and are still planning on going next summer. We know the resort will not be fully functioning, but by next July the resort should be open. Those buildings down by the pool area will have to be redone, but they weren't done last year either. The Lobby will not be open, but I am sure they will have a temporary location setup. The pool may not be open, but I hope it will be. Bottom line, we love St John that much that we willing to risk going to a lesser resort and a lesser island then not go at all......and the local economy needs us to survive.
> 
> I am not buying airfare until Vistana makes an announcement of a firm reopening date.



I would still like to use my late February week.  I have the same week reserved at WLR and AA is allowing a trip waiver for my time frame, but I too would also rather go to St. John.  WLR is nice, but we love St. John and I want to add to the recovery/economy of the island.  I wish we would get some kind of an official update.  If it is firm that the resort will not open until at least March I will obviously adapt, but some communication from VSE would be nice.  

I saw a FB post from the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park that the trails and beaches are accessible and will continue to be.  You will just have to wear something other than flip flops to get there!


----------



## cubigbird

Here’s an update from News of St John.  Things are hapenning, albeit it slow, but still forward progress...

http://newsofstjohn.com/2017/09/27/good-things-are-happening

STJ will recover and it will be tourist paradise again.....


----------



## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> Met a few people here at WPORV that originally had reservations at WSJ, and Vistana pushed them towards WPORV in lieu of WSJ.  Long way to go, but a few more East Coasters than usual.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


How were they being pushed? We lost a November stay, and no one has been pushing us. From what I can see, WSJ gold season points won't get you anything comparable Hawaii.


----------



## lizap

bobpark56 said:


> How were they being pushed? We lost a November stay, and no one has been pushing us. From what I can see, WSJ gold season points won't get you anything comparable Hawaii.



Probably referring to the mandatory sections (that come with SOs) at WSJ.


----------



## DavidnRobin

bobpark56 said:


> How were they being pushed? We lost a November stay, and no one has been pushing us. From what I can see, WSJ gold season points won't get you anything comparable Hawaii.



Sorry, I didn’t grill them with questions. These were ‘hot tub’ conversations. They were not resale buyers - very few people we meet are resale buyers - and few are even aware of a secondary market.

One had WSJ-CV reservations and were able to exchange into WPORV.

The others were in VGV section - and now here.  

Not sure if this was norm or not.
Sorry I didn’t get more info - most discussions are about the destruction and recovery time.

Again, our WSJ VOIs were not on our offer sheet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## alexadeparis

LisaH said:


> I adopted one family as well. Wonder how quickly I will receive the instructions as we are leaving for overseas travel this Sat.


I got mine in the afternoon, after requesting that same morning, so you should get yours soon.


----------



## SandyPGravel

I sent an email to Suzanne Clark this morning asking when we would start receiving updates on the status of the resort.  I was pleasantly surprised to receive this email quite quickly after I sent my inquiry:

_*"Good Morning, As you are aware, the Caribbean and specifically the islands of St. John and St. Thomas were significantly affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Given the magnitude of these storms, it has taken time for us to assess the full impact on The Westin St. John Resort Villas and the local community. We will be sending out an owner letter with the update on the status of the property and the associates today, many who live on St. Thomas this week with ongoing scheduled updates likely monthly as we have them to provide.



We are pleased to report that there were no serious injuries, however, many of our Associates’ homes and belongings have been destroyed. Through the company’s relief fund, we are providing support and assistance to help with their immediate and long-term needs. Because the lines of communication are very limited in St. Thomas and St. John, including power, it is not easy to reach our associates. So in an effort to stay connected as much as possible we opened a temporary Human Resource office on the island of St. Thomas. We employ over 300 associates in St. John, so the safety and support of them and their families is one of our number one priorities.



The letter you receive today or tomorrow will address the status of owner reservations and what Vistana is doing for our valued owners as well. More to come shortly, I assure you. Look for an email after 6:00 PM Eastern time today Oct 2, 2017.  



Thank you, Suzanne





Suzanne Clark
*_
*VICE PRESIDENT*
_*
OWNER SERVICES"*_


----------



## tomandrobin

SandyPGravel said:


> _* So in an effort to stay connected as much as possible we opened a temporary Human Resource office on the island of St. Thomas. We employ over 300 associates in St. John, so the safety and support of them and their families is one of our number one priorities.*_



I have been following the Westin thread on facebook. Good to see Vistana helping their employees through this difficult time.


----------



## vistana101

So nice to see they are helping their associates...has anyone received the letter?


----------



## Helios

nothing here.


----------



## tomandrobin

Happy


Helios said:


> nothing here.



I didn't get my email yet either.....


----------



## SandyPGravel

tomandrobin said:


> Happy
> 
> 
> I didn't get my email yet either.....


Me neither.  I guess after 6pm today or tomorrow means tomorrow.  

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


----------



## SandyPGravel

Dear Westin St. John Owners, 

As you are aware, the Caribbean and specifically the islands of St. John and St. Thomas were significantly affected by the recent hurricanes. Given the magnitude of these storms, it has taken time for us to assess the full impact on The Westin St. John Resort Villas and the local community. We understand your concern about your vacation ownership at the resort and want to assure you that we will keep you informed with the latest information as it becomes available. 

During Hurricane Irma, our top priority was to ensure the safety and well-being of our Guests and Associates at the resort. Our 300 Guests and 37 Associates took shelter at the resort, where they remained safe with food, water and power. Shortly after the storm passed, we chartered a ferry to transport all Guests safely to Puerto Rico where they were able to return home. We are pleased to report that there were no serious injuries, however, many of our Associates’ homes and belongings have been destroyed. Through the company’s relief fund, we are providing support and assistance to help with their immediate and long-term needs. We continue to support the community by providing assistance to first responders and supplying fresh water to those on the island who may not otherwise have access. 

The Westin St. John Resort Villas suffered structural damage and water inside the villas. Within a week, risk management and facilities professionals along with restoration and security contractors were on-site to assess the damage and secure the resort. Our cleanup efforts are underway and we are working on a timeline to complete the remediation efforts. We will continue to work closely with each Association’s Board of Directors and provide regular updates.

In order to proceed with these efforts, the recovery process requires the cancellation of all scheduled reservation arrivals through June 30, 2018. At this time, no new reservations are being accepted for 2018. As we make progress, we will communicate updates should these dates change. 

Your 2018 annual assessment is currently under discussion with your Association’s Board of Directors and will be mailed as scheduled. Although you are unable to occupy, deposit or convert your ownership, we are providing alternatives to help you preserve your 2018 vacation:

Reserve a Vistana Signature Network reservation for a stay at one of our other 20 network resorts; *OR*
Bank your 2018 Use Year StarOptions with no transaction fee, which are valid for use through December 31, 2021; *OR*
Assign your Weeks or Points Use Right with the full trading power of your Home Resort interval with Interval International(1) for use through December 31, 2020. While there is no fee to assign your week, at the time you initiate a vacation exchange request, Interval will collect its current exchange fee.(2)
In addition to the above choices, you may purchase an SPG Starpoints package (up to 110,000 Starpoints) at a preferred rate that can be redeemed at over 1,300 hotels and resorts worldwide (package valid for six years from issuance and subject to the terms and conditions of the SPG program).

To take advantage of one of these options, please contact Owner Services at *888-986-9637* or *407-903-4635*. For more information and ways to donate to resort Associates or the local community, please refer to *Frequently Asked Questions*. 

On behalf of The Westin St. John Resort Villas family, thank you for your care and concern. 

Sincerely,




Thorp Thomas 
Senior Vice President


----------



## GrayFal

Well there it is


----------



## ksqdomer

Just nipped me week 25.


----------



## ekinggill

My week 32 reservation is intact, but I don't know what to do.  On one hand, June 30 could become August 30 late in the game leaving me few options in 2018 where the kids are not in school.  

On the other hand, I really want to support St. John in its recovery.  If the Westin is open for business, I want to support the recovery with my vacation dollars.  Frankly a less crowded island and a few less amenities has great appeal to me.


----------



## duke

This seems like quite an imbalance and quite a question for VSE.  (Probably leading to a class action lawsuit).  Usually when an owner trades a use week for another use week there it is one week for one week.  Here they are creating weeks out of thin air and using them to trade for real assets.  So, the STJ owners are paying fees to use other system assets and the fees are going ...... where?  Kinda fits the definition of fraud.


----------



## GrayFal

Vistana is able to balance things out using unsold inventory. Marriott does it all the time with their destination club program.  If Marriott needs a week I deposit in II they take it and substitute another week for. deposit.  
Vistana will be able to manipulate what is actually deposited.  
It all works out in the end.


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> Vistana is able to balance things out using unsold inventory. Marriott does it all the time with their destination club program.  If Marriott needs a week I deposit in II they take it and substitute another week for. deposit.
> Vistana will be able to manipulate what is actually deposited.
> It all works out in the end.



Hold on...
That is only if VSN has the inventory - and many of the VSN resorts are a serious step-down in many ways.

Hey WSJ Owners - those paying high MFs - go ahead and stay at a Orlando Sheraton that have 1/2 the MFs... ???
Sounds like a win for VSE/VSN unless they serious cut the 2018 fees for WSJ.
Right...

It is complicated - Duke isn’t wrong that they are walking a tight-rope. They may have just effective sold more SOs than owned (how many are going into II?), and certainly gained in MF value per SO. This is 9 months of SOs (or HOs) times 4 phases times #VOI-weeks - many that have high SO/HO holdings.
Al least they allowed SO banking until 2021 - that helps to buffer.

Isn’t that like selling more VOIs than you have?  And they gain a benefit based on WSJ Owners decrease in SO value...

Again - complicated.  Much depends on WSJ fees in 2018 and beyond...
At least we won’t have to pay that BS USVI fee of $175/week in 2018...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## DavidnRobin

I just went into VSE portal - one of our VGV weeks (wk24) was already cancelled and SOs returned, and the other week (wk23) was still listed (weird - it may because it has a separate II account number?). I cancelled it. I am going to try and get a jump on VSN usage of those SOs (191.4K) before the large increase of WSJ owners trying and figure out what to do (SO use or Bank).  Hawaii - here we come!


----------



## tomandrobin

Well.....With that update, I have canceled my three weeks at St John. Our reservations are for July 14th, but I do not like the "2 week" cushion that everything is going to be ok by June 30th.


----------



## tomandrobin

Vistana has a bunch of new inventory that they can use.....Cabo, Cancun, Maui. Plus a percentage of people will do nothing or bank into 2019.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Vistana has a bunch of new inventory that they can use.....Cabo, Cancun, Maui. Plus a percentage of people will do nothing or bank into 2019.



The new resorts help somewhat, and certainly the banking.  However, they will also have owners, and others are using VSN and Banking. It is still a flood - how large remains to be seen.  Many WSJ Owners are paying a very high $/SO rate.
I am going to reserve 16-17 nites in a 1Bd HI for our 191.4K SOs. No desire for Cancun, and Cabo only has 2Bd (or studios?).

Of course, this will be without knowing the 2018 cost for those WSJ-VGV SOs - that could change our plans.


----------



## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> Again - complicated.  Much depends on WSJ fees in 2018 and beyond...
> At least we won’t have to pay that BS USVI fee of $175/week in 2018...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



How the 2018 operating budget has any operating in it.  Surely they should run a huge operating surplus in 2017 as well. 3 months of no housekeeping, electric bills and many other big ticket items.


----------



## tomandrobin

the 2018 MF will be a mess......How do you "subtract" costs from being closed for 10 months (minimum) and add in costs to fix/replace damages to the resort?


----------



## GrayFal

I just got my cancelation for week 7


----------



## SMHarman

tomandrobin said:


> the 2018 MF will be a mess......How do you "subtract" costs from being closed for 10 months (minimum) and add in costs to fix/replace damages to the resort?


Seems pretty simple to me

Fixed costs (insurance etc) stick.
Variable costs (electric./ cleaning) pro-rated.
Take the surplus from 2017 and toss it in there.
That's your 2018 OPERATING budget. 

Fix / replace that's all CAPITAL budget and an assessment to cover insurance gaps and rebuild deductible reserves over an appropriate time-frame.  Realistically there is likely a short term borrow with a lien on the grounds or other HOA owned assets (including the ability to uses owners future cashflow as collateral on that loan) to spread the pain of the rebuild assessment.


----------



## tomandrobin

I am sure the insurance will also cover interruption of business to the resort too.


----------



## SMHarman

tomandrobin said:


> I am sure the insurance will also cover interruption of business to the resort too.


The bit I feel sad for here is the resort mitigates interruption costs by laying off all non essential staff instead of paying them and the cost rolling up to the insurer.

It's not like the staff have other jobs to go to.


----------



## okwiater

I was able to reserve an oceanfront 2-bedroom villa in Maui, change my flights with no change fee to cover the outbound flight, and redeem AA miles accumulated during an SPG-AA transfer bonus promotion for the return flight. Total spent to trade my St. John vacation for a Hawaii one for my family of 4: $105. Not bad.


----------



## clsmit

We own a 3BR pool villa fixed/fixed that's out of network. The Hubby just called the elite line to see what we could get with this situation. Basically, nothing special due to the situation. We can reserve someplace else 8 months out as if we were just using the options. We were trying to reserve something at Harborside for 8 months + 1 day and the rep nicely explained how we could do that at midnight. Basically, have fun using your options somewhere else in 2018 if you can find it at this late date, or bank them. 

Our 2019 reservation, which we had not yet confirmed, still looks like it's available for confirmation.


----------



## Helios

ekinggill said:


> My week 32 reservation is intact, but I don't know what to do.  On one hand, June 30 could become August 30 late in the game leaving me few options in 2018 where the kids are not in school.
> 
> On the other hand, I really want to support St. John in its recovery.  If the Westin is open for business, I want to support the recovery with my vacation dollars.  Frankly a less crowded island and a few less amenities has great appeal to me.


I think you may be out of luck, your week is close enough that it may get cancelled if they hit any issues.  Hopefully I am wrong.


----------



## Helios

duke said:


> This seems like quite an imbalance and quite a question for VSE.  (Probably leading to a class action lawsuit).  Usually when an owner trades a use week for another use week there it is one week for one week.  Here they are creating weeks out of thin air and using them to trade for real assets.  So, the STJ owners are paying fees to use other system assets and the fees are going ...... where?  Kinda fits the definition of fraud.


I mentioned this before, I agree with the unbalance 100%.  But, can Vistana really get in trouble given the circumstances?  Now, more than ever, it will be very important to reserve during the home season.  Too bad for us WSJ owners...


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> Vistana is able to balance things out using unsold inventory. Marriott does it all the time with their destination club program.  If Marriott needs a week I deposit in II they take it and substitute another week for. deposit.
> Vistana will be able to manipulate what is actually deposited.
> It all works out in the end.


Do they own enough inventory to balance things?  Are they OK forfeiting revenue to keep owners happy?


----------



## SandyPGravel

Has anyone asked what the deal is for the star points?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


----------



## Helios

tomandrobin said:


> the 2018 MF will be a mess......How do you "subtract" costs from being closed for 10 months (minimum) and add in costs to fix/replace damages to the resort?


Of course I don't pay an SA, but, should SAs cover the rebuilding cost?  MF should cover the recurrent costs, so those should go down until the units can be occupied.


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Has anyone asked what the deal is for the star points?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


I am guessing they will be similar to the discount packages you can get when you buy from them.  If so, I want 100 of those...

So nice of them...


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Reserve a Vistana Signature Network reservation for a stay at one of our other 20 network resorts; *OR*
> Bank your 2018 Use Year StarOptions with no transaction fee, which are valid for use through December 31, 2021; *OR*
> Assign your Weeks or Points Use Right with the full trading power of your Home Resort interval with Interval International(1) for use through December 31, 2020. While there is no fee to assign your week, at the time you initiate a vacation exchange request, Interval will collect its current exchange fee.(2)



How about if you are a non-VGV resale owner?  Can you still use VSN to exchange or bank?


----------



## SandyPGravel

DavidnRobin said:


> I just went into VSE portal - one of our VGV weeks (wk24) was already cancelled and SOs returned, and the other week (wk23) was still listed (weird - it may because it has a separate II account number?). I cancelled it. I am going to try and get a jump on VSN usage of those SOs (191.4K) before the large increase of WSJ owners trying and figure out what to do (SO use or Bank).  Hawaii - here we come!





GrayFal said:


> I just got my cancelation for week 7



My week 8- 2018 rez is still showing confirmed...  Guess they aren't cancelling chronologically.


----------



## SMHarman

ekinggill said:


> My week 32 reservation is intact, but I don't know what to do.  On one hand, June 30 could become August 30 late in the game leaving me few options in 2018 where the kids are not in school.
> 
> On the other hand, I really want to support St. John in its recovery.  If the Westin is open for business, I want to support the recovery with my vacation dollars.  Frankly a less crowded island and a few less amenities has great appeal to me.


By that point in the game I think some buildings will be open and Vistana will deal with the balance of the buildings under business interruption cover.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SMHarman said:


> How the 2018 operating budget has any operating in it.  Surely they should run a huge operating surplus in 2017 as well. 3 months of no housekeeping, electric bills and many other big ticket items.



We can hope...
2018 MF bills due around same time. Of course - there could be a SA as well.
It would be good to get more info from VGV BOD. We are going to HI in June on our WSJ SOs. - $325/nt if 2018 MFs stay the same.  Others will have different costs.
Spoke with CV owner - there is closer to ~$250/nite based their CV HOs and MFs.


----------



## GrayFal

Helios said:


> How about if you are a non-VGV resale owner?  Can you still use VSN to exchange or bank?


My resale CV 12/10/17 resie was only allowed to be deposited in II as an II points deposit.  If you own BV resale it would be a week deposit. Resale Owners in BV, CV and if there are any yet, Sunset, can not bank SO because you don't have any with your ownership. 
I am hoping to use my 2018 CV  HOs in December 2018


----------



## dioxide45

I am sure that II and VSN has enough slack that they can fill the added demand that results from WSJ owners that can't use their weeks. I suspect this will put extra stress on II bulk banks by Vistana. I would expect to see far fewer of those, of the few that they were still doing, for the next couple years. Probably not a great time to own a voluntary resale at the moment.


----------



## Helios

GrayFal said:


> My resale CV 12/10/17 resie was only allowed to be deposited in II as an II points deposit.  If you own BV resale it would be a week deposit. Resale Owners in BV, CV and if there are any yet, Sunset, can not bank SO because you don't have any with your ownership.
> I am hoping to use my 2018 CV  HOs in December 2018


That makes sense.  They are not giving anything outside your ownership rights.

I am not familiar with the way the II points work.  Do you find them useful?


----------



## Helios

dioxide45 said:


> I am sure that II and VSN has enough slack that they can fill the added demand that results from WSJ owners that can't use their weeks. I suspect this will put extra stress on II bulk banks by Vistana. I would expect to see far fewer of those, of the few that they were still doing, for the next couple years. Probably not a great time to own a voluntary resale at the moment.


Yeah, at least not WSJ voluntary phases.  Others still have the home period.  Reason enough to plan ahead and do some clicking before eight months.


----------



## GrayFal

Helios said:


> That makes sense.  They are not giving anything outside your ownership rights.
> 
> I am not familiar with the way the II points work.  Do you find them useful?


First time using them. Seems to be a fixed crossover grid.   
I need to find the grid.   . Must be somewhere in the II site. 

I will be able to get several exchanges using my one 2BR CV deposit.


----------



## Helios

Seems like it could be a good value, better than week for week if you own a premium week.


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> I just got my cancelation for week 7



Did they cancel or did you cancel?  (Just curious, nothing has changed on my account yet.)

UPDATE: Rez cancelled, SO in my account.


----------



## tomandrobin

Looks like we are going to Cancun! 

I would like to go to Maui, but that 12 hour flight, with 1.5 hour layover is too much. Robin would never make it with her still recovering from her accident. Cancun is 3.5 hours, which is about her flight limits for now. 

Now what to do with the other 419,000 staroptions......lol.


----------



## GrayFal

Just an update for my week 7 rental.
I contacted my renter now that the resie was canceled.
I forwarded the cancelation and told her to submit it along with our contract to her travel insurance company.
She stated she had not taken the insurance.

I offered to move her reservation to 2019 and it matches her kids vacay schedule.

I am happy, she is happy. 
I will stay for 10-12 days in STJ when I go in December 2018.

Booked Harborside for May 2018.


----------



## SandyPGravel

I booked us 9 nights in a 2 BR LO WKOVRN, but if we don't find anyone interested in going I will drop it down to a 1 BR.  Could get an OF in studio, not sure if I want to go that small.  Found two one way flights at a pretty good rate (for the midwest).  Still more $$ than flying to WSJ though.


----------



## duke

DavidnRobin said:


> Hold on...
> It is complicated - Duke isn’t wrong that they are walking a tight-rope. They may have just effective sold more SOs than owned (how many are going into II?), and certainly gained in MF value per SO. This is 9 months of SOs (or HOs) times 4 phases times #VOI-weeks - many that have high SO/HO holdings.
> Al least they allowed SO banking until 2021 - that helps to buffer.
> 
> Isn’t that like selling more VOIs than you have?  And they gain a benefit based on WSJ Owners decrease in SO value...



Thanks David - But, think about it.  You've lost all of the WSJ inventory and VSE is giving the right to use the other Real inventory in the system?  If you think VSE can deposit their owned inventory to "balance" it out that is false because they are then not getting anything in return.  This is an imbalance plain and simple.  The STJ owners are not putting any weeks in and are taking out weeks.  That means others who are putting in real weeks are getting shafted.  The reason there are not extra weeks or VSE weeks is because VSE would loose the value of those weeks because they are not getting anything out.  Big problem.  Bigger lawsuit from non-STJ owners.


----------



## OCsun

After receiving a letter regarding the Virgin Grand Villa's, I am feeling grateful that we have such a great board. They stated that the Virgin Grand Villa's has a special reserve fund to fill the 5% insurance deductible.  I am so grateful to the foresight of people like Philip Scharg and Robert Werbel.


----------



## EnglishmanAbroad

I'm not sure why non-STJ owners would consider being shafted or consider lawsuits. The only 'right' all owners have is to preferred reservations at their ownership resort in the 12-8 month window and that's not changing. Being able to make reservations anywhere/anytime with SOs is not guaranteed. Admittedly it will become harder as there will be more competition, especially for resorts that offer a similar season and beach experience as WSJ if owners their seek a like for like vacation. All 4 Hawaii resorts still have SO availability today for late May/early June 2018 reservations.


----------



## OCsun

October 2017

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Owner:

*HURRICANE IRMA*

We usually don’t write to you in the fall until after we have our meeting to consider and approve the annual budget, but we are writing now because Hurricane Irma has so profoundly affected the Westin St. John and the entire island.

As you know, the storm was devastating for our island and many other Caribbean islands. There was major damage in downtown Cruz Bay and most of the structures in Coral Bay were destroyed. Many people are homeless throughout the island. Fortunately, all staff members and guests who were at the resort when the hurricane hit were uninjured, and all guests were successfully evacuated to Puerto Rico to continue their travel home. As we write this, the only electrical power on the island is the power from generators, including generators at our resort, and we don’t know when the electric utility on St. Thomas will start up again. Most of the vegetation on the island was lost, and we all hope it will grow back. A few restaurants and markets on the island have recently reopened. The airport just reopened and mail service has resumed. Gifft Hill School and First Bank are now open, and the ferries and car barge are running, but on a limited schedule. While these are all encouraging signs of progress, the road to recovery will be lengthy.

At the resort, damage was extensive. The pool filled with sand and mud, as it did during the big storm a few years ago. Snorkels and the gazebo were destroyed. Several buildings lost portions of their roofs - mostly those in the Sunset Bay development nearest the beach, but also the lobby building. Virgin Grand’s buildings, being further from the water, suffered less harm, although some water damage did occur. Vistana has engaged a contractor who has been conducting a careful inspection of all buildings and cleanup of debris has been ongoing for the past few weeks. The plan is to make all necessary repairs to the Virgin Grand units, as well as remediation to prevent hazards from molds, bacteria and other biological contaminants. Any furniture, furnishings or equipment damaged by water will of course be replaced.

As a result of the storm, management has determined to close the resort, at least through June 2018, while major repair work is being done. Vistana has recently communicated with owners regarding vacation opportunities during that time period.

*INSURANCE*

A piece of relatively good news in all of this is that years ago we anticipated that a major hurricane might occur and felt we needed to plan for it as best we could. Vistana’s insurance policy has a deductible of 5% of the property value, of which our share is 5% of the value of our buildings plus 5% of the value of a pro-rata portion of the common areas that we share with the other timeshare resorts on the property. Among the first things we did as Board members was to recommend that we build a special hurricane reserve fund into our annual budgets to cover the deductible, so that if a hurricane did occur, we would not have to have a special assessment. We have all been funding that reserve for several years, and the fund will have more than two million dollars in it by the end of 2017 - nearly all of the estimated possible maximum risk to Virgin Grand owners as a result of Irma. As a result we do not anticipate that Virgin Grand owners will have to incur any special assessment because of this storm. Of course, to the extent that our insurance reserve is depleted in order to pay for damage up to the deductible, we will have to continue funding the hurricane reserve in future years to replenish it.

*THE PROPOSED 2018 BUDGET*

The Board is further reviewing the proposed 2018 budget in light of the temporary closure of the resort, and we will be in touch soon to provide more information on this matter.

*HUMANITARIAN NEEDS*

It is understandable that the damage to St. John and our resort is causing disappointment and inconvenience to our owners who had been planning to enjoy a vacation at a place that they (and we) have come to love. However, we should not lose sight of the hardship that this has brought to residents of the island, who have lost so much of the little they had. They are desperate for humanitarian assistance in providing the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter. Each of us has made a personal contribution to the St. John Community Foundation and we hope that you will consider doing the same, be it to that organization or the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands, which appear to be the two organizations directly committed to providing USVI humanitarian relief. Links to these organizations appear below.

http://thestjohnfoundation.org/ http://cfvi.net/

Philip G. Schrag
Robert H. Werbel


----------



## DavidnRobin

OCsun said:


> After receiving a letter regarding the Virgin Grand Villa's, I am feeling grateful that we have such a great board. They stated that the Virgin Grand Villa's has a special reserve fund to fill the 5% insurance deductible.  I am so grateful to the foresight of people like Philip Scharg and Robert Werbel.



Me too... I am glad we have Phil/Bob on BOD, and thoughtful communications here and quarterly updates.

Not sure if many here nowadays recall this, but the WSJ Thread #1 was partially responsible for having a WSJ BOD (VGV phase) with elected officers purely by Owners - the only one in VSE/VSN!!! (SVO-WSJ did not use their vote - this was around 2009...).  Phil blames me... 

I have better understanding of Insurance situation - I didn't know the monies were to cover the hurricane insurance deductible - makes more sense now.  Does BV, CV, and SB phases have a fund to cover insurance deductible?

PS. Dear WSJ-VGV - Can you now fix our MB shower in 3410?


----------



## GrayFal

2017

Dear Fellow Coral Vista Owner:

This is our second letter to you from your owner-elected representatives to the Coral Vista Board of Managers. We had planned to write to you following our budget approval meeting; however, because Hurricane Irma has so profoundly affected the Westin St. John and the entire island, we know that owners are concerned and want information.

*HURRICANE IRMA*

The storm was devastating for our island and many other Caribbean islands. There was major damage in downtown Cruz Bay and most of the structures in Coral Bay were destroyed. Many people are homeless throughout the island. Fortunately, all staff members and guests who were at the resort when the hurricane hit were uninjured, and all guests were successfully evacuated to Puerto Rico to continue their travel home. At present, the only electrical power on the island is the power from generators, including generators at our resort, and we don’t know when the electric utility on St. Thomas will start up again. Most of the vegetation on the island was lost, and we all hope it will grow back. A few restaurants and markets on the island have recently reopened. The airport in St. Thomas just reopened and mail service has resumed. Gifft Hill School and First Bank are now open, and the ferries and car barge are running, but on a limited schedule. While these are all encouraging signs of progress, the road to recovery will be lengthy.

The resort suffered extensive damage. The pool filled with sand and mud, Snorkels and the gazebo were destroyed, and the Sunset Bay buildings and lobby building suffered serious roof damage. Vistana has engaged a contractor who has been conducting a careful inspection of all buildings and cleanup of debris has been ongoing for the past few weeks. Fortunately, we have insurance coverage to cover the loss from the hurricane damage and the insurance claim is already in progress.

As a result of the storm, management has determined to close the resort, at least through June 2018, while major repair work is being done. Vistana has recently communicated with owners regarding vacation opportunities during that time period.

The Board is further reviewing the proposed 2018 budget in light of the temporary closure of the resort, and we will be in touch soon to provide more information on this matter.

We will share more news on the progress of the repairs and remediation as it becomes available. The annual meeting, scheduled for March 6, 2018, will be held as planned but will be relocated to Orlando, Florida.

*HUMANITARIAN NEEDS*

The residents of St. John and other US Virgin Islands are desperate for humanitarian assistance in providing the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter. Please consider providing support toward this effort. Following are links to organizations directly committed to providing USVI humanitarian relief.

St. John Community Foundation
Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands
St. John Rescue, Inc.
http://thestjohnfoundation.org/
http://cfvi.net/
http://www.stjohnrescue.com/

Thank you for your concern and support.

Nancy Gerding
nancy.coralvista@gmail.com James Miller, II
james.coralvista@gmail.com David Futransky
david.coralvista@gmail.com
You have received this message as part of your vacation ownership. Please do not reply directly to this system-generated email. Contact Vistana Management, Inc. at 9002 San Marco Court, Orlando, FL 32819 or click here.

©2017 Vistana Signature Experiences, Inc.

Privacy Statement  |  Terms & Conditions  |  4868  |  17-WSJ-1389


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## cubigbird

I own at WSJ-SB and have not received any of these update emails.


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## DavidnRobin

cubigbird said:


> I own at WSJ-SB and have not received any of these update emails.



Probably going to be similar to CV email.
VGV discusses covering hurricane insurance deductible.

Other phases have hurricane insurance, but what about funding deductible like VGV?

It will prove to be interesting...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## tborr123

So for someone who loves St. John, is this a resale buying opportunity long term, and if so, are the asking resale prices reflecting that? Or is it too early or owners holding on?


----------



## DavidnRobin

tborr123 said:


> So for someone who loves St. John, is this a resale buying opportunity long term, and if so, are the asking resale prices reflecting that? Or is it too early or owners holding on?



I can only speak to VGV phase and my opinion.
Prior to Irma, VGV has an issue with delinquency (non-payment of MFs) by low season owners (as evident by the listings from the last 3 HOA sales), and a resale market of little to negative value of these weeks.

Now there is a real life scenario - with this SO exchange available for WSJ owners post-Irma (at least until June 30).
The low season (Gold) owners pay the same MFs (and USVI fee...) as Plat+ owners, but receive significantly reduced SOs.

In our case - 1 week gives me 95.7 SO (luckily - used to be 67.1K!) at a cost of ~$2600 (MF, PropTax, VSN fee). I like to think in increments of a 1Bd in HI (81K SO) since this is our normal usage (and plan to use 2018 SO for HI since we live in CA).
This works out to $325/nite ($2200/wk) for 1Bd HI villa - via VSN.

Someone that owns my villa type (2Bd TH) in Plat+ gets 176.5K SOs (!) - that works out for them... ~$176/nite ($1230/wk) for a 1Bd HI (81K SO).
45% less per SO.

I realize the Plat+ paid more (years ago if from SVO, or a highly variable resale market since) - but that is money gone. It is about cost going forward that matters.  So these low season owners - especially those with less SO - look at this and seeing that their vacation costs are too much. They can't sell or give away (ours now has no value since $2200/81K SO is close to even as compared to renting... for example) - so what do they do?  They walk...

So... who picks up slack?  VGV HOA was innovative in taking back deeds and selling. Not to make money, but to cover delinquent MFs. If they can no longer sell these low season, and VSE-WSJ doesn't pick them up - the MFs increase for all owners - thus causing more to bail (this will always be case when Ownership costs become prohibitive).

as okwaiter stated (indirectly) - VSE-WSJ stands to pick up SOs cheap... or resale buyers will (both will still need to cover ongoing costs). There is no ROFR - so that helps resale buyers looking for a bargain.  Future cost of Ownership  will matter greatly (and my not be such a great bargain) - VGV was already seeing a tipping point.

CV and SB phases may likely be somewhat protected as MF are tied more to HomeOptions and not villa-type

IMO YMMV...


----------



## SandyPGravel

Does anyone know/understand how the deductible works when the resort gets hit by two named storms?  Is the deductible for the first one only?  Do you think any of the damage was *officially accessed* between the storms so they could say "No this isn't covered under the first storm deductible"?  

I too would like to commend the forethought of the VGV BOD to plan for the deductible.


----------



## okwiater

SandyPGravel said:


> Does anyone know/understand how the deductible works when the resort gets hit by two named storms?  Is the deductible for the first one only?  Do you think any of the damage was *officially accessed* between the storms so they could say "No this isn't covered under the first storm deductible"?



Good question. I don't think there would be grounds for denying coverage under the first storm deductible, though, because based on the extensive photo/video documentation of the damage done by Irma, to the extent Maria did any additional damage (with a far less severe blow to the island) it was largely or exclusively possible because of the damage already done by Irma. Typically these policies include language that when a covered event occurs, it is the policyholder's responsibility to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to secure the property to prevent further damage. Then, secondary damage that occurs as a result of the covered event would still be covered. IANAL


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## Helios

cubigbird said:


> I own at WSJ-SB and have not received any of these update emails.


Same here.  I sure wish SB does have the same fund.  But it will certainly not be big enough to cover the damage because damage is more extensive and SB has had a short time to build the reserve, if there is any.  Just my $0.02.

When was or will be your first use year?  Mine is 2018.  I may get a SA for damage that happened before my first use year...


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## SMHarman

SandyPGravel said:


> Does anyone know/understand how the deductible works when the resort gets hit by two named storms?  Is the deductible for the first one only?  Do you think any of the damage was *officially accessed* between the storms so they could say "No this isn't covered under the first storm deductible"?
> 
> I too would like to commend the forethought of the VGV BOD to plan for the deductible.


It's the same insurer and the same repairs. If the fix is the same claim and the read here is the 5% Co insurance not so much a deductible but this will be handled as a single claim, not two separate claims.

If the claims had been two months apart and repairs fully made from first claim then it would be a different story.


----------



## cubigbird

Helios said:


> Same here.  I sure wish SB does have the same fund.  But it will certainly not be big enough to cover the damage because damage is more extensive and SB has had a short time to build the reserve, if there is any.  Just my $0.02.
> 
> When was or will be your first use year?  Mine is 2018.  I may get a SA for damage that happened before my first use year...



My first use year is 2020.  I have EOY but couldn’t swing travelling in 2018 as I’m already planned out.  So if there is a SA, I will be paying for an assessment on a week I have yet to use.


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## SandyPGravel

Helios said:


> When was or will be your first use year?  Mine is 2018.  I may get a SA for damage that happened before my first use year...



That's horrible!!


----------



## Ty1on

okwiater said:


> Good question. I don't think there would be grounds for denying coverage under the first storm deductible, though, because based on the extensive photo/video documentation of the damage done by Irma, to the extent Maria did any additional damage (with a far less severe blow to the island) it was largely or exclusively possible because of the damage already done by Irma. Typically these policies include language that when a covered event occurs, it is the policyholder's responsibility to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to secure the property to prevent further damage. Then, secondary damage that occurs as a result of the covered event would still be covered. IANAL



"reasonable"

These were BANG-BANG events.  It will be interesting to see whether insurance tries to exploit such language.


----------



## cubigbird

SandyPGravel said:


> That's horrible!!



You are right.  Here’s hoping that there is no SA!  Unfortunately I picked it up long before any possible Cat-5 hurricane could come through so obviously the timing was beyond my control.  I have a Plat+ week so I had to grab it.


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## SMHarman

Helios said:


> Same here.  I sure wish SB does have the same fund.  But it will certainly not be big enough to cover the damage because damage is more extensive and SB has had a short time to build the reserve, if there is any.  Just my $0.02.
> 
> When was or will be your first use year?  Mine is 2018.  I may get a SA for damage that happened before my first use year...


Surely there are some legal ramifications to that.  Warranty of habitable on transfer and who pays to make it habitable.


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## DavidnRobin

Last night (9pm PST), I used the SO from our WSJ-VGV 2018 weeks (June) to reserve 17 nites next June at WPORV in a 1Bd at the 8-month opening.

While we are paying a somewhat high cost for these nites, but at least the travel costs will be less as we live in SF Bay Area.  I feel bad for those living on East Coast or South like majority of WSJ Owners.

We choose Kauai over Maui because we are going to Maui for 3 weeks in Sept.

38 nites in HI in 2018 - woohoo!

We usually go to WPORV in Sept - be interesting to see north Kauai in June.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> That's horrible!!


I say so...at least it seems like my 2 Pool Villa Weeks will be fine


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## Helios

SMHarman said:


> Surely there are some legal ramifications to that.  Warranty of habitable on transfer and who pays to make it habitable.


Hopefully.  It is tricky because the paper work was filed in early 2017.  However, my first use year is 2018...


----------



## Helios

Has anyone heard from SB?


----------



## ELGEE TRAVELS

SandyPGravel said:


> Has anyone asked what the deal is for the star points?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk



Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
--50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
--90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
--110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00

This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.


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## cubigbird

Helios said:


> Has anyone heard from SB?



I have not heard any correspondence from SB, only the general resort updates that went out and that we have discussed here.  I wonder how and where we can contact them?


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## DavidnRobin

ELGEE TRAVELS said:


> Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
> You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
> --50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
> --90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
> --110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00
> 
> This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.



1.65c per SP. That is pretty good.
This within the range of cent/SP from the non-scientific VSE consensus poll of the value of a SP.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...illing-to-pay-for-starpoints-cents-sp.248944/


----------



## okwiater

ELGEE TRAVELS said:


> Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
> You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
> --50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
> --90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
> --110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00
> 
> This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.



Wow thay is actually a great deal. Better than the SP purchase certificates included with developer purchases.

I may actually purchase a package at this rate.


----------



## SandyPGravel

ELGEE TRAVELS said:


> Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
> You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
> --50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
> --90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
> --110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00
> 
> This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.


Thanx for sharing!  

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


----------



## cubigbird

okwiater said:


> Wow thay is actually a great deal. Better than the SP purchase certificates included with developer purchases.
> 
> I may actually purchase a package at this rate.



You are going to want to use it ASAP and buy with a plan with the pending merger of SPG into Marriott Rewards.  I’d hate to buy Starpoints at a nice discount only to see that discount go away in the merger.  We don’t know the loyalty program merger details yet, but they did announce they look to combine in 2018.


----------



## GrayFal

ELGEE TRAVELS said:


> Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
> You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
> --50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
> --90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
> --110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00
> 
> This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.


You say you can only buy one option.  What if you have more than one interval affected by the cancelation? My Fall 2017 CV snd February VGV 2018 were canceled .  

And can I convert these to Marriott Reward Points ?


----------



## okwiater

cubigbird said:


> You are going to want to use it ASAP and buy with a plan with the pending merger of SPG into Marriott Rewards.  I’d hate to buy Starpoints at a nice discount only to see that discount go away in the merger.  We don’t know the loyalty program merger details yet, but they did announce they look to combine in 2018.



Good advice! As it is I have a few hundred thousand SP in the bank. Maybe time to start planning some 2019 vacations.


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> You say you can only buy one option.  What if you have more than one interval affected by the cancelation? My Fall 2017 CV snd February VGV 2018 were canceled .
> 
> And can I convert these to Marriott Reward Points ?



I just asked - only one purchase allowed.

I may buy a package as I gave up my AMEX SPG for a CSR VISA, and only have a few SPs. Used remaining for NYC (6 nites at Le Parker Meridian) and AA flights (1st class).  Not sure how they can collapse the 3:1 MAR/SPG ratio without pissing off 1000s of customers.  But, always good not to hold on to.


----------



## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> I just asked - only one purchase allowed.
> 
> I may buy a package as I gave up my AMEX SPG for a CSR VISA, and only have a few SPs. Used remaining for NYC (6 nites at Le Parker Meridian) and AA flights (1st class).  Not sure how they can collapse the 3:1 MAR/SPG ratio without pissing off 1000s of customers.  But, always good not to hold on to.


It's not how they collapse the 3:1 but how the redeem prices will go up when the align SPG redemption to MAR redemption.


----------



## cubigbird

Points are of no value until you use them.  You must use them to realize the discount.  With SO MANY hotel and airline and other travel currency frequent devaluations, it’s generally a bad idea to horde points.  Case and point: look at the redemption requirements today on AA and Delta and even Hilton.  Heck I don’t think Delta posts a redemption chart anymore.  They keep wanting to move the goalposts.

Begin with the end in mind.  You should always have a plan going in to use or accrue points with an intended usage.  Otherwise you get stuck when a devaluation occurs.  SPG -> Marriott no different.  Don’t buy the points just to hold onto a nice large block!!

Let’s get back to talking about St John!!


----------



## DavidnRobin

SMHarman said:


> It's not how they collapse the 3:1 but how the redeem prices will go up when the align SPG redemption to MAR redemption.



I understand- but same effect - potential to devalue SPs by needing more to stay for hotel nite - this is likely true for both SP and MP devaluation (this goes on), and not just SPs 



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## DavidnRobin

This is only offered to WSJ Owners and therefore WSJ related.  Many WSJ Owners do not know the nuances of SP usage and value.  I know a few that only own WSJ and know little about VSE, VSN or SPG.


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## GrayFal

For a limited time convert Starpoints and earn up to 30% more AAdvantage miles.

Just saw this promo on Facebook


----------



## duke

ELGEE TRAVELS said:


> Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
> You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
> --50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
> --90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
> --110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00
> 
> This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.



90,000 SPG = 270,000 Marriott Rewards Points = 7 nights Cat 1 - 5 hotel and 132,000 United Miles (or 120,000 SW, AA, etc) by transferring to Marriott and then selecting Marriott Travel Package (flights and nights).


----------



## GregT

DavidnRobin said:


> Last night (9pm PST), I used the SO from our WSJ-VGV 2018 weeks (June) to reserve 17 nites next June at WPORV in a 1Bd at the 8-month opening.
> 
> While we are paying a somewhat high cost for these nites, but at least the travel costs will be less as we live in SF Bay Area.  I feel bad for those living on East Coast or South like majority of WSJ Owners.
> 
> We choose Kauai over Maui because we are going to Maui for 3 weeks in Sept.
> 
> 38 nites in HI in 2018 - woohoo!
> 
> We usually go to WPORV in Sept - be interesting to see north Kauai in June.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I think that's fantastic - I love WPORV and June visits have been great for us two years in a row. I'm sorry we are skipping 2018 it would have been nice to meet you!

Well enjoy both Kauai and Maui - you will have a great time!

I'm a little surprised we aren't seeing many WSJs on eBay - I am curious if we will see more in the coming months. 

Best,

Greg


----------



## Helios

okwiater said:


> Wow thay is actually a great deal. Better than the SP purchase certificates included with developer purchases.
> 
> I may actually purchase a package at this rate.


I thought the prieces would be the same as the inventive certs.  I am in as well.


----------



## Helios

Since these SP would be TS generated, the conversion to MR points should be restricted (per the conversion rules)...I know in practice it can be done since these unallowed conversions are not restricted by the conversion interface.


----------



## GrayFal

GregT said:


> I'm a little surprised we aren't seeing many WSJs on eBay - I am curious if we will see more in the coming months.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Greg


Too soon. 

The typical owner is not “us” who are on top of the situation. 

Agree that in the coming months we could see a lot of resale activity.


----------



## tomandrobin

GrayFal said:


> Too soon.
> 
> The typical owner is not “us” who are on top of the situation.
> 
> Agree that in the coming months we could see a lot of resale activity.




Wait for the maintenance fees and expected SA bills to come out......then check a month later. I would expect that 5-10% will just walk away. 

And if we have an economic meltdown like 10 years ago, you will see a flood of $1 sales.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> While we are paying a somewhat high cost for these nites, but at least the travel costs will be less as we live in SF Bay Area.  I feel bad for those living on East Coast or South like majority of WSJ Owners.
> 
> We choose Kauai over Maui because we are going to Maui for 3 weeks in Sept.
> 
> 38 nites in HI in 2018 - woohoo!



38 nights......I like your fallback plan! 

And yes, the traveling from the east coast to Hawaii sucks!


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## cubigbird

Here is the correspondence from Sunset Bay. No new news here different from the other emails sent out:

October 2017

Dear Fellow Sunset Bay Owner:

As you are aware, Hurricane Irma was devastating for the island of St. John and many other Caribbean islands. As a result of the damage sustained at The Westin St. John Resort Villas, management has determined to close the resort, at least through June 2018, while major repair work is being done. Vistana Signature Experiences (Vistana) has recently communicated with Owners regarding vacation opportunities during this time period. The Board is further reviewing the 2018 budget in light of the temporary closure of the resort, and we will be in touch soon to provide more information on this matter.

*RESORT UPDATE*

The resort suffered extensive damage. The pool filled with sand and mud, Snorkels Bar & Grill and the gazebo were destroyed, and the Sunset Bay buildings and lobby building suffered serious roof damage. Vistana is working with a contractor who has been conducting a careful inspection of all buildings while debris cleanup has been ongoing. Fortunately, insurance covers hurricane damage and the claim is already in progress.

*ST. JOHN UPDATE*

There was major damage in downtown Cruz Bay and most of the structures in Coral Bay were destroyed, leaving many residents without homes. Fortunately, all staff members and Guests who were at the resort when the hurricane hit were uninjured, and all Guests were successfully evacuated. At present, the only electrical power on the island is the power from generators, including at our resort. A few restaurants and markets on the island have recently reopened. The airport on St. Thomas has reopened and mail service has resumed. The ferries and car barge are running on a limited schedule. While these are all encouraging signs of progress, the road to recovery will be lengthy.

*HUMANITARIAN NEEDS*

The residents of St. John and the other U.S. Virgin Islands are in need of basic necessities including food, water, clothing and shelter. Please consider providing support toward this effort. Following are links to organizations directly committed to providing USVI humanitarian relief.

St. John Community Foundation http://thestjohnfoundation.org/
Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands http://cfvi.net/
St. John Rescue, Inc. http://www.stjohnrescue.com/

We will share more news on the progress of the repairs and remediation as it becomes available. The annual meeting, scheduled for March 7, 2018, will be held as planned but will be relocated to Orlando, Florida.

Thank you for your concern and support.

Your Sunset Bay Board of Managers


----------



## canesfan

Our Bay Vista email was the exact same. It would’ve been nice if they addressed if there were damaged to Bay Vista Villas. Hopefully that means there is minimum damage.


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## melissy123

How are there still ads on Redweek for WSJ rentals through the end of year and into next year? Caveat emptor and all that but shouldn't Redweek pull those ads?


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## cubigbird

Here’s an updated photo of WSJ that is on Facebook dated today 10/9.  Looks like the green on the island is coming back and the resort is seeing some construction.


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## letsgomets

Is that the tennis court and playground area that looks like it has been stripped into a construction zone?


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## okwiater

Nice to see the green coming back. Sad to be missing our planned stay this coming January but looking forward to our Big Island and Maui replacement vacation, and hopefully a return to WSJ in 2019.


----------



## DeniseM

Redweek is cancelling WSJ Ads and giving owners a credit - what that means is that you should not initiate the cancellation - let Redweek do it to ensure that you get the credit.  The credit will be on your Redweek account and will apply to future Redweek Ads.  I think this is very generous.


----------



## Carolyn

Where do I find out about buying one of the Starpoints packages that was mentioned earlier? I can’t seem to find it.
Thanks.


----------



## GrayFal

Carolyn said:


> Where do I find out about buying one of the Starpoints packages that was mentioned earlier? I can’t seem to find it.
> Thanks.





Carolyn said:


> Where do I find out about buying one of the Starpoints packages that was mentioned earlier? I can’t seem to find it.
> Thanks.


You have to call according to the email


----------



## Dawnwrey

ELGEE TRAVELS said:


> Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
> You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
> --50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
> --90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
> --110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00
> 
> This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.


----------



## DavidnRobin

1.65 c/SP


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## SandyPGravel

ELGEE TRAVELS said:


> Hello, I just phoned them.  The Star points deal is as follows:
> You can buy one of three SPG star points options.  You can only buy one option.  Offer good to BUY the points by December 31, 2017.
> --50,000 SPG Star Points = $825.00
> --90,000 SPG Star Points = $1,485.00
> --110,000 SPG Star Points = $1,815.00
> 
> This equates to 1.6 cents per SPG Star Point.  Far less than any of SPG's regular offers of around 2.6 - 3.5 cents per point.



Can someone tell me the value in buying one of these?  (I'm not trying to cause an argument, just trying to see the value.)  As an example I checked the $$ cost for a 12,000 point room compared the cost of using 12000 points at $0.0165c each.  The room was $162 cash, but the points would cost $198.   And if it is a no-no to convert the points to Marriott...you can only use them for SPG hotels or can you convert to airline miles?  I don't know if that conversion comes out any better. My understanding is for every 20,000 points you get 25,000 airline miles or something like that.


----------



## Carolyn

GrayFal said:


> You have to call according to the email



Got it...thanks!!


----------



## SMHarman

SandyPGravel said:


> Can someone tell me the value in buying one of these?  (I'm not trying to cause an argument, just trying to see the value.)  As an example I checked the $$ cost for a 12,000 point room compared the cost of using 12000 points at $0.0165c each.  The room was $162 cash, but the points would cost $198.   And if it is a no-no to convert the points to Marriott...you can only use them for SPG hotels or can you convert to airline miles?  I don't know if that conversion comes out any better. My understanding is for every 20,000 points you get 25,000 airline miles or something like that.


Does your cash number include all fees and taxes?  What are the cancellation penalties on the cash rate?

What if that room was super popular. 

What about the nights and flights options or the redeem four get fifth night free options.

Also the suite upgrade on many European hotels is a suite (boom boom) spot.


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## DavidnRobin

As this offer is just for WSJ owners...
I did buy these and I have been a critic of SP valuation, and reason for consensus poll linked above.

For me... I am low on SPs (~20K) so unlike previously when I had >200K - they are more valuable to buy if one has a use for them and do not have more than they need.  1.65c/SP is a reasonable price to pay since I think I can get at least 2.5 c/SP out of them - which I think I can do.  I also have CSR points.
I did not find the Marriotts to be of value when I looked.
In a few weeks we are staying in NYC (Le Parker Meridien, SPG Cat6 - based on location only) for 100K SPs - 6 nites (1 free) - which works out to ~$275/nt @1.65c/SP



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## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Can someone tell me the value in buying one of these?  (I'm not trying to cause an argument, just trying to see the value.)  As an example I checked the $$ cost for a 12,000 point room compared the cost of using 12000 points at $0.0165c each.  The room was $162 cash, but the points would cost $198.   And if it is a no-no to convert the points to Marriott...you can only use them for SPG hotels or can you convert to airline miles?  I don't know if that conversion comes out any better. My understanding is for every 20,000 points you get 25,000 airline miles or something like that.


The conversion will not work in your favor for all rooms via points.  However, you can get a large value out of those points at several locations.  It all depends on your travel patterns.  Using the points in Europe of converting them to miles to be used for international premium cabin trips is the best value IMO.


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## canesfan

I try to use points for European rooms. Sometimes cash and points work out favorably but not always. We have stayed in some incredible hotels and been upgraded to Suites that we would have never paid for if not for points and SPG preference. You really need to weigh your options on what it’s worth to you.


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## tomandrobin

Our best use of Starpoints......Hotel stays with being  5*, lots of fantastic upgrades and Airlines.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Helios said:


> The conversion will not work in your favor for all rooms via points.  However, you can get a large value out of those points at several locations.  It all depends on your travel patterns.  Using the points in Europe of converting them to miles to be used for international premium cabin trips is the best value IMO.



I only checked on the conversion for one hotel in Waikiki.  We haven't traveled to Europe, so I have never checked anything there.  I did convert SPG points for airfare once.  I don't remember being savvy enough to determine if it was the best value, it was just nice not "paying" for airfare to St. Thomas.  (We didn't upgrade to 1st class.)



SMHarman said:


> Does your cash number include all fees and taxes?  What are the cancellation penalties on the cash rate?
> 
> What if that room was super popular.
> 
> What about the nights and flights options or the redeem four get fifth night free options.
> 
> Also the suite upgrade on many European hotels is a suite (boom boom) spot.



Some of the other reasons aren't specific to using points.  I still get an upgrade whether I pay cash or use points(maybe we aren't getting the upgrades others are, but we've been happy).  I still have to pay the resort fee at the hotel if I use points (according to the reservation I currently have in Waikiki.)  But you are correct I don't pay the taxes if I use points.  Still get the free night if I pay cash on the "get 5th night free".  Not sure what the room being super popular has to do with the value of buying points vs paying cash?  I can still get the room if it is available paying cash.  By paying cash I mean using the CSR card and earning three points per dollar.



tomandrobin said:


> Our best use of Starpoints......Hotel stays with being  5*, lots of fantastic upgrades and Airlines.



We're never going to be 5* or even 3* for that matter.  We have enough options to be 3*, we just bought the second unit resale so we're not worthy! (Sorry lame Wayne's world reference)

Again I am not trying to cause an argument, just trying to see if I should consider buying the points or not.   At least they wouldn't expire for 6 years and I wouldn't have to keep track of them as much. (We got rid of the AMEX card so I have to keep better tabs on the account.)

I have to try and keep three different point systems straight in my head, so I get a tad overwhelmed.  We still have SPG points, we have CSR points and we have Capital One Miles.  Plus the random FF miles that I try to keep current so I don't lose them.  (But I don't fly enough for those to add up quickly.)

Thanx for your input!


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## farsighted99

Getting value out of Starpoints depends on what hotel you are going to stay in, when you are traveling, and how much you can get it elsewhere. I just went on a trip to Asia:  stayed in Bangkok at the St. Regis.  Booked it through Amex (Platinum Card) and got a 4th night free and a free dinner in their Italian restaurant. Rates were way lower than points. Then stayed in the Le Meridien in Chiang Mai and booked it using points through Chase Ultra Rewards (Sapphire Reserve). Then the Marriott in Hong Kong used Marriott points since that was the best deal. All 3 hotels are SPG hotels. Got upgraded in all 3 hotels, with breakfast included.  Haven't touched my Starpoints yet, but probably will soon.  I have a lot of them thanks to Vistana.  However, I wouldn't buy any unless I had plans to use them soon and they worked out to be worthwhile. Oh, and expiring in 6 years in not very appealing. Miles sent to airlines isn't too bad, but if your airline is United it's not a good exchange (2 starpoints for 1 united).


----------



## YYJMSP

so here's a thought -- what happens to all of the WSJ Explorer packages out there that you can no longer return on?


----------



## dioxide45

YYJMSP said:


> so here's a thought -- what happens to all of the WSJ Explorer packages out there that you can no longer return on?


They will likely just extend the deadline to use them.


----------



## Helios

farsighted99 said:


> Getting value out of Starpoints depends on what hotel you are going to stay in, when you are traveling, and how much you can get it elsewhere. I just went on a trip to Asia:  stayed in Bangkok at the St. Regis.  Booked it through Amex (Platinum Card) and got a 4th night free and a free dinner in their Italian restaurant. Rates were way lower than points. Then stayed in the Le Meridien in Chiang Mai and booked it using points through Chase Ultra Rewards (Sapphire Reserve). Then the Marriott in Hong Kong used Marriott points since that was the best deal. All 3 hotels are SPG hotels. Got upgraded in all 3 hotels, with breakfast included.  Haven't touched my Starpoints yet, but probably will soon.  I have a lot of them thanks to Vistana.  However, I wouldn't buy any unless I had plans to use them soon and they worked out to be worthwhile. Oh, and expiring in 6 years in not very appealing. Miles sent to airlines isn't too bad, but if your airline is United it's not a good exchange (2 starpoints for 1 united).


You do need to be aware of bad conversion rations and figure out what airline has the most advantageous point requirements for your desired route/cabin.


----------



## Helios

YYJMSP said:


> so here's a thought -- what happens to all of the WSJ Explorer packages out there that you can no longer return on?


tada...


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> I only checked on the conversion for one hotel in Waikiki.  We haven't traveled to Europe, so I have never checked anything there.  I did convert SPG points for airfare once.  I don't remember being savvy enough to determine if it was the best value, it was just nice not "paying" for airfare to St. Thomas.  (We didn't upgrade to 1st class.)
> 
> Thanx for your input!


Re: value, I'll give you an example that maximizes your ROI.  Buy the $110K points for $1,815, say you have 5K SPG points (value those at $0.0165/SP or $82.5), then convert them to Aeroplan miles in two batches (60K and 55K).  You will get 140K miles for $1,897.50.  Get a Lufthansa ticket from the US to Europe (saver mileage) for 140K miles and ~$1,266.60 CAD.  Your total cost would be approximately $1,897.50 plus $1,015 = $2,912.50 USD.  Sounds like a lot, probably/it depends...but this tix out of pocket can be more over $18,000.  I know you won't earn miles...

No fuzzy math here.  I just picked a good example to illustrate the value that can be achieved if the points are properly used.  I realize this is not for everyone.  There are other ways to get an even higher ROI...


----------



## NNerland

YYJMSP said:


> so here's a thought -- what happens to all of the WSJ Explorer packages out there that you can no longer return on?



We have a package - we had reservations for January.  We were able to cancel, before they cancelled everyone's automatically.  I was told they would basically do whatever to make it work and they are kicking out there a few years.   They basically use hotel inventory or unsold inventory so it shouldn't mess things up too much.  But obviously they sell them to get you back and they want you back.  They have been great to work with thus far.    Package will be paid off this year, not a bad vacation at interest free.  Not a STEAL by any means like I first sold myself on; but nothing to be ashamed of.  Basically in our case a bit cheaper than the dues one would pay and much cheaper if we get to be in the new Sunset phase (which ironically has the most damage)


----------



## ksqdomer

dioxide45 said:


> They will likely just extend the deadline to use them.


they have, two years.


----------



## YYJMSP

ksqdomer said:


> they have, two years.



Yup, just got the email on ours this morning -- extended to Dec 15, 2019


----------



## cubigbird

I’m curious on how a SA could apply for phases such as Sunset Bay that are in active sales by the developer.  Wouldn’t the developer still have to pay their share on developer owned units? 

As Denise mentioned in another thread, it’s not popular, but due to hurricane and completely unexpected, how much could it be to prevent owners from walking and how could it affect owners in a phase in active sales?


----------



## SMHarman

cubigbird said:


> I’m curious on how a SA could apply for phases such as Sunset Bay that are in active sales by the developer.  Wouldn’t the developer still have to pay their share on developer owned units?
> 
> As Denise mentioned in another thread, it’s not popular, but due to hurricane and completely unexpected, how could it affect owners in a phase in active sales?


Yes the developer still owns those shares so would be paying their share.  Just like they pay the HOA MF on those shares. 

I'm more curious about owners that closed but their first use year is 2018.  They didn't pay MF for use during the period the event occurred in and the developer has a warranty of habitation under law so surely the developer should be paying to make those weeks habitable again.


----------



## Helios

SMHarman said:


> I'm more curious about owners that closed but their first use year is 2018.  They didn't pay MF for use during the period the event occurred in and the developer has a warranty of habitation under law so surely the developer should be paying to make those weeks habitable again.


I'll post on this as this is exactly my case.


----------



## DavidnRobin

WSJ-VGV 2018 (proposed) annual fees just arrived in mail

2018 WSJ-VGV MF (proposed)
Studio: $1458.19
1Bd: $1944.34
2Bd TH: $2430.07
2Bd Prem: $2916.40
3Bd Pool: $2916.60

IMPORTANT
Note at bottom states:
This is only proposed and needs to be approved.
That the MFs will NOT be as high as proposed due to H. Irma
November 10 is the date for approval of the actual budget (MF).

It is interesting to note that the 2Bd TH MFs increased by ~$30.  That is 5-6 years in row that MFs have stayed relatively flat (w/o Irma impact)


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## okwiater

I assume the 3BR pool villa MF of $1916.60 is a typo?


----------



## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> I assume the 3BR pool villa MF of $1916.60 is a typo?



Oops - corrected - thanks


----------



## DavidnRobin

Question for WSJ Owners that took offer to buy SPs for 1.65c/SP.

Anyone been successful in actually purchasing them?
Twice now - they have given me delay excuses (2 different ones...)


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Question for WSJ Owners that took offer to buy SPs for 1.65c/SP.
> 
> Anyone been successful in actually purchasing them?
> Twice now - they have given me delay excuses (2 different ones...)


I intend to buy it but haven’t gotten around to call.  What kind delay excuses are they giving you?


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## Markus

I am going go buy also. These will be of good use in Europe. I just burned off quite a few in Greece, and found very good value.

Markus


----------



## OCsun

I called and purchased points yesterday.  They said it could take up to 72 hrs to show.  Is that not the case?


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## canesfan

I was just reading an article about tourism on the VIConsortium FB and it was listing all the resorts with projected open dates. It has WSJ as October 2018. 


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## ksqdomer

What’s the phone number for booking at the 8 month out date?


----------



## SMHarman

ksqdomer said:


> What’s the phone number for booking at the 8 month out date?


https://www.vistana.com/contact-us

Or use the website at midnight EST 

1-888-847-8262

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Hours of Operation:
9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST Saturday, Sunday

Closed Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Sheraton Vacation Club
1.888.SV.OWNER (1-888-786-9637) or direct at 407-903-4649

Westin Vacation Club
1.888.WV.OWNER (1-888-986-9637) or direct at 407-903-4635

Harborside Resort at Atlantis
1-877-782-7496 or direct at 407-903-4893

Lakeside Terrace and Vistana Beach Club
1-800-847-8262 or direct at 407-903-4640


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## DavidnRobin

ksqdomer said:


> What’s the phone number for booking at the 8 month out date?



I’d suggest to book online. Opens evening before phone reservations.


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## DeniseM

> What’s the phone number for booking at the 8 month out date?



For example, tonight (Oct. *22*) at midnight eastern, you can reserve June *23*.  Here in CA, that's 9:00 pm.

For popular resorts/dates, if you wait and call the next day, you will find that there is nothing left.
_
***If you have never made an online reservation, you should practice in advance so you are quick and efficient.  Even if you accidentally make a reservation, you can immediately cancel it online with no penalty._


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## ksqdomer

Just saw on a Facebook thread that United has canceled all STT flights into April 2018


----------



## tborr123

SandyPGravel said:


> Dear Westin St. John Owners,
> 
> As you are aware, the Caribbean and specifically the islands of St. John and St. Thomas were significantly affected by the recent hurricanes. Given the magnitude of these storms, it has taken time for us to assess the full impact on The Westin St. John Resort Villas and the local community. We understand your concern about your vacation ownership at the resort and want to assure you that we will keep you informed with the latest information as it becomes available.
> 
> During Hurricane Irma, our top priority was to ensure the safety and well-being of our Guests and Associates at the resort. Our 300 Guests and 37 Associates took shelter at the resort, where they remained safe with food, water and power. Shortly after the storm passed, we chartered a ferry to transport all Guests safely to Puerto Rico where they were able to return home. We are pleased to report that there were no serious injuries, however, many of our Associates’ homes and belongings have been destroyed. Through the company’s relief fund, we are providing support and assistance to help with their immediate and long-term needs. We continue to support the community by providing assistance to first responders and supplying fresh water to those on the island who may not otherwise have access.
> 
> The Westin St. John Resort Villas suffered structural damage and water inside the villas. Within a week, risk management and facilities professionals along with restoration and security contractors were on-site to assess the damage and secure the resort. Our cleanup efforts are underway and we are working on a timeline to complete the remediation efforts. We will continue to work closely with each Association’s Board of Directors and provide regular updates.
> 
> In order to proceed with these efforts, the recovery process requires the cancellation of all scheduled reservation arrivals through June 30, 2018. At this time, no new reservations are being accepted for 2018. As we make progress, we will communicate updates should these dates change.
> 
> Your 2018 annual assessment is currently under discussion with your Association’s Board of Directors and will be mailed as scheduled. Although you are unable to occupy, deposit or convert your ownership, we are providing alternatives to help you preserve your 2018 vacation:
> 
> Reserve a Vistana Signature Network reservation for a stay at one of our other 20 network resorts; *OR*
> Bank your 2018 Use Year StarOptions with no transaction fee, which are valid for use through December 31, 2021; *OR*
> Assign your Weeks or Points Use Right with the full trading power of your Home Resort interval with Interval International(1) for use through December 31, 2020. While there is no fee to assign your week, at the time you initiate a vacation exchange request, Interval will collect its current exchange fee.(2)
> In addition to the above choices, you may purchase an SPG Starpoints package (up to 110,000 Starpoints) at a preferred rate that can be redeemed at over 1,300 hotels and resorts worldwide (package valid for six years from issuance and subject to the terms and conditions of the SPG program).
> 
> To take advantage of one of these options, please contact Owner Services at *888-986-9637* or *407-903-4635*. For more information and ways to donate to resort Associates or the local community, please refer to *Frequently Asked Questions*.
> 
> On behalf of The Westin St. John Resort Villas family, thank you for your care and concern.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thorp Thomas
> Senior Vice President


----------



## tborr123

Vistana Owner Services is telling me the Starpoints package available to purchase by WSJ owners is only for buyers of developer units, not resales.  I don't see that condition in the letter from Vistana. Anyone else have this understanding?


----------



## SandyPGravel

tborr123 said:


> Vistana Owner Services is telling me the Starpoints package available to purchase by WSJ owners is only for buyers of developer units, not resales.  I don't see that condition in the letter from Vistana. Anyone else have this understanding?


That's shady.  It doesn't say that.  Maybe that's why others had issues trying to buy too?

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## tborr123

tborr123 said:


> Vistana Owner Services is telling me the Starpoints package available to purchase by WSJ owners is only for buyers of developer units, not resales.  I don't see that condition in the letter from Vistana. Anyone else have this understanding?



It took a couple of escalation requests but they are now letting me buy the package.


----------



## EnglishmanAbroad

May have been an oversight on their part but it doesn't surprise me as no resales (not even Mandatory resorts) carry forward the option to convert ownership to SPG points.

Just saw the update - glad you managed to get what you wanted, especially with what WSJ owners have been going through.


----------



## tborr123

EnglishmanAbroad said:


> May have been an oversight on their part but it doesn't surprise me as no resales (not even Mandatory resorts) carry forward the option to convert ownership to SPG points.
> 
> Just saw the update - glad you managed to get what you wanted, especially with what WSJ owners have been going through.



Well, after being on hold for 15 minutes they said they would call me back to do the transaction. They said the same thing last week. We will see if it happens.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tborr123 said:


> It took a couple of escalation requests but they are now letting me buy the package.



Who did this get escalated to?
I have called 3 times and given my CC info twice. Radio silence...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tborr123

It’s not yet done as they said they would call back to do the transaction during a less busy time. I first talked to the representative who answered the call, and when she said no, I asked to speak to her supervisor. After a few minutes on hold she transferred me to the resolution representative and I had the same conversation refuting his assertion that it was not available to resale owners. I again asked to speak to his supervisor, and after another few minutes he came back on and said he had checked and I was right. He offered to transfer me to someone who could do the deal and fifteen minutes later said he would call back in 48-72 hours.


----------



## GrayFal

tborr123 said:


> It took a couple of escalation requests but they are now letting me buy the package.


I have called and was turned down as well.  I will PM you for the details.

I know as a resale owner I am not permitted to convert my ownership to SP but this is not a conversion offer.  It is an offer to purchase at a reduced rate.

Edit..., I just saw your detailed response.  I will call back again and escalate this further.
Possibly an email to someone further up the chain?
Thx


----------



## SandyPGravel

GrayFal said:


> I have called and was turned down as well.  I will PM you for the details.
> 
> I know as a resale owner I am not permitted to convert my ownership to SP but this is not a conversion offer.  It is an offer to purchase at a reduced rate.
> 
> Edit..., I just saw your detailed response.  I will call back again and escalate this further.
> Possibly an email to someone further up the chain?
> Thx



Please keep us updated on this.  I am interested in how this plays out.  Pretty smarmy if they exclude resale owners when the email clearly says WSJ Owners, not owners of developer sales only.  If that is the case BV, CV & SB resale owners are doubly screwed.


----------



## Johnsky

I successfully exchanged two WSJ-BVV non-developer weeks (2017 and 2018) via Interval International for two back-to-back weeks at Westin Nanea.  Of course there is a cost for exchanging, but I'm so thrilled that my WSJ weeks are not a total loss.  I put the exchange request in about 3 weeks ago and received the confirmations this week.  FWIW, there appears to be newly released Nanea inventory on Interval.  I imagine that Vistana has released a certain percentage of unsold units to Interval.


----------



## LisaH

Johnsky, which two weeks did you get confirmed at Western Nanea?


----------



## DavidnRobin

SandyPGravel said:


> Please keep us updated on this.  I am interested in how this plays out.  Pretty smarmy if they exclude resale owners when the email clearly says WSJ Owners, not owners of developer sales only.  If that is the case BV, CV & SB resale owners are doubly screwed.



Well... it looks as if the VSE/VSN/WSJ decided to let resale buyers purchase these SPs.
My CC charge just went thru - finally, after multiple calls and leaving my CC info (incl CCV) twice, after being forwarded to department that handles these requests.  Call before 5pm EST.
I figured that it was a 'resale' issue that may have been overlooked.

Now... what to do with my new SPs? We had run low since our switch from AMEX to CSR.

...and thanks Vistana


----------



## GrayFal

On phone now

What is the name of the department please?

Edit. They put me right thru and took CC #.  
No run around.  
I have a feeling they have gotten more than a few complaints!

Thanks for doing the right thing Vistana


----------



## Johnsky

LisaH said:


> Johnsky, which two weeks did you get confirmed at Western Nanea?


September 21, 28, Friday check-in.


----------



## Helios

My info is outdated, glad it worked out.

I called today and got the 110K Points.  They told me it was one package per WSJ direct owner. No packages for retro units or multiple weeks.


----------



## DavidnRobin

One package per WSJ Owner.


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## LisaH

How much is the “preferred rate” for the 110K starpoints package?


----------



## GrayFal

LisaH said:


> How much is the “preferred rate” for the 110K starpoints package?


$1850


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> How much is the “preferred rate” for the 110K starpoints package?



1.65 cents per SP no matter which package


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## LisaH

Thanks!  What is the normal buying rate for SPG points? Sorry I am not well versed with SPG points (mainly Marriott rewards user). Approximately how many nights can be booked with 110K points in top destinations?


----------



## DavidnRobin

LisaH said:


> Thanks!  What is the normal buying rate for SPG points? Sorry I am not well versed with SPG points (mainly Marriott rewards user). Approximately how many nights can be booked with 110K points in top destinations?



Note: this is a WSJ Owner Offer only - 1 per Owner regardless of number of VOIs or HOs owned.

I posted a consensus poll (unscientific due to being underpowered) - see earlier post.  1.65c/SP was in the most ‘voted’ for range.  

Also there was the TPG valuation for Marriot/SPG conversion that put it at 2.7c/SP iirc

IMO - the value is determined by the need and usage.  This is an excellent price.  The retail price is 3.5 cents and they sometimes give up to 30% discount.

Even with their lotto offers -the best you can get is 50% (1.75c/SP)

I bought them to use them as we have run low.  Otherwise I would pass.

Also - best to gain SP using the AMEX SPG. (vs. buying). IMO
but the math will always be fuzzy... 

As to what 110K gets you? Depends. Also @duke posted an UA offer for a SP-MR-UA conversion.




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## LisaH

Thanks! Sounds like a nice offer. My Marriott points are running low. Need some hotel points for staying in big city here and there. Will order Monday.


----------



## bobpark56

LisaH said:


> Thanks! Sounds like a nice offer. My Marriott points are running low. Need some hotel points for staying in big city here and there. Will order Monday.


The best Starpoint deals are in Europe. We will be 5 nights each in April at the Westin Valencia and Westin Palacio, Madrid, (40,000 and 48,000 pts, respectively). We have also had excellently priced stays in Dublin, Nuremberg and Prague.


----------



## echino

LisaH said:


> Approximately how many nights can be booked with 110K points in top destinations?



Three.

Standard rooms are at most 35,000 starpoints per night, so 110,000 package will give you 3 nights in a standard room at their top hotels. However, some hotels and resorts do not have standard rooms. Those may cost up to 90,000 starpoints per night.


----------



## okwiater

echino said:


> Three.
> 
> Standard rooms are at most 35,000 starpoints per night, so 110,000 package will give you 3 nights in a standard room at their top hotels. However, some hotels and resorts do not have standard rooms. Those may cost up to 90,000 starpoints per night.



Although that is true, there are plenty of top resorts with phenomenal rooms that go for 30K/night, which is reduced to 24K/night if you book in increments of 5 nights. Some of my favorite trips have been to resorts of that caliber, since I can obtain rooms which go for $1K or more per night for about half that cost using points.


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## dioxide45

110,000 StarPoints however will convert to 330,000 Marriott reward points that you could use to convert to at Category 7 hotel + flight travel package. That would give you 7 nights in a category 7 hotel plus 132,000 United MileagePlus air miles. This is far better than three nights in a hotel room.


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## remowidget

echino said:


> Three.
> 
> Standard rooms are at most 35,000 starpoints per night, so 110,000 package will give you 3 nights in a standard room at their top hotels. However, some hotels and resorts do not have standard rooms. Those may cost up to 90,000 starpoints per night.


We rarely pay over 12k for an SPG night, most are 10k or less. We have spent quite a few nights at 3 or 4k. SPG and Marriott are both buy 4 get one free. Our most recent stay was 5 nights in a Residence in which cost us 35k SPG points which we transferred to Marriott and paid 105k Marriott points for. So, You could say we paid 7k SPG points a night to stay in a Residence inn. If we had paid cash it would have been $234 plus tax a night. Using this example from last week, my points were worth over twice what people in this thread think they are worth.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk


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## DavidnRobin

Suggestion: go to SPG - explore different hotels and their Category Level - and then go to Category chart to see the SP/nite.  Keeping in mind Points & Cash, and 5th nite free.

We are about to use SPs to stay for 6 nites in NYC for 100K SPs in an SPG Cat 6 room. 16,666/nt 
Also used SPG-AA bonus transfer to get 2 RT 1st class (nonstop) tickets from SJC to EWR. Used 80K SP iirc 


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## SMHarman

DavidnRobin said:


> Suggestion: go to SPG - explore different hotels and their Category Level - and then go to Category chart to see the SP/nite.  Keeping in mind Points & Cash, and 5th nite free.
> 
> We are about to use SPs to stay for 6 nites in NYC for <100K SPs
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Welcome to the 'hood.


----------



## bobpark56

DavidnRobin said:


> Suggestion: go to SPG - explore different hotels and their Category Level - and then go to Category chart to see the SP/nite.  Keeping in mind Points & Cash, and 5th nite free.
> 
> We are about to use SPs to stay for 6 nites in NYC for 100K SPs in an SPG Cat 6 room. 16,666/nt
> Also used SPG-AA bonus transfer to get 2 RT 1st class (nonstop) tickets from SJC to EWR. Used 80K SP iirc
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



But when comparing prices, remember that you do not get 4th night free when using cash plus points.


----------



## bobpark56

echino said:


> Three.
> 
> Standard rooms are at most 35,000 starpoints per night, so 110,000 package will give you 3 nights in a standard room at their top hotels. However, some hotels and resorts do not have standard rooms. Those may cost up to 90,000 starpoints per night.



I think you paint too pessimistic a picture. We are booked for 10 nights all told in top-notch Madrid and Valencia Westin hotels for 88,000 starpoints, using 4th-night free. And we just returned from 5 nights at the Westin Dublin, for another 48,000 starpoints.


----------



## SMHarman

bobpark56 said:


> But when comparing prices, remember that you do not get 4th night free when using cash plus points.


Bit you do earn 'nights' for elite qualifications and $/points for the cash spend so you can end up much closer to a wash.


----------



## GrayFal

I just booked the Grosvenor House,  JW Marriott on Park Lane in London for 5 nights for 180K Marriott Points = 60K SPG points.  Cost for standard room is $3600+. As MRP Gold or Platinum I get lounge access with full hot breakfast. Snacks, afternoon tea and light dinner with alcoholic beverages. We are doing a daytime flight arriving at 11 pm; I used my free category 5 cert I get with Marriott CC to stay at the airport Marriott and will go to the JW the next morning for check in and breakfast.  

I will get great value out of those 110,000 SPG points. Interested in checking out the Westin Dublin property with my left over SPG points.  We have always stayed at the Shelbourne (Renaissance) when we visited before.


----------



## cyntravel

Wow Pat 
That sounds like a really good trip and deal!
Cyn



GrayFal said:


> I just booked the Grosvenor House,  JW Marriott on Park Lane in London for 5 nights for 180K Marriott Points = 60K SPG points.  Cost for standard room is $3600+. As MRP Gold or Platinum I get lounge access with full hot breakfast. Snacks, afternoon tea and light dinner with alcoholic beverages. We are doing a daytime flight arriving at 11 pm; I used my free category 5 cert I get with Marriott CC to stay at the airport Marriott and will go to the JW the next morning for check in and breakfast.
> 
> I will get great value out of those 110,000 SPG points. Interested in checking out the Westin Dublin property with my left over SPG points.  We have always stayed at the Shelbourne (Renaissance) when we visited before.


----------



## Sea Six

We like to stay at the Dolphin or Swan in the EPCOT area when going to the food and wine festival.  Those resorts are both 10,000 points per night, but we upgrade to a balcony room with a fireworks view for 11,000.


----------



## GrayFal

Sea Six said:


> We like to stay at the Dolphin or Swan in the EPCOT area when going to the food and wine festival.  Those resorts are both 10,000 points per night, but we upgrade to a balcony room with a fireworks view for 11,000.


That is a good use of points also


----------



## farsighted99

echino said:


> Three.
> 
> Standard rooms are at most 35,000 starpoints per night, so 110,000 package will give you 3 nights in a standard room at their top hotels. However, some hotels and resorts do not have standard rooms. Those may cost up to 90,000 starpoints per night.



I think it depends on where you are going.  I just checked for Maui in January and you can stay at the Sheraton Maui Blackrock (which is a lovely hotel) for 20,000 points a night.  Or pay $379/night.  (Jan 10-13)

Plus you can send the points to Marriott and do better than that. 110,000 x 3 gives you 330K Marriott points.


----------



## tborr123

SandyPGravel said:


> Can someone tell me the value in buying one of these?  (I'm not trying to cause an argument, just trying to see the value.)  As an example I checked the $$ cost for a 12,000 point room compared the cost of using 12000 points at $0.0165c each.  The room was $162 cash, but the points would cost $198.   And if it is a no-no to convert the points to Marriott...you can only use them for SPG hotels or can you convert to airline miles?  I don't know if that conversion comes out any better. My understanding is for every 20,000 points you get 25,000 airline miles or something like that.



Can anyone buy a Starpoints package even if it is higher in price than for WSJ owners?


----------



## SandyPGravel

tborr123 said:


> Can anyone buy a Starpoints package even if it is higher in price than for WSJ owners?



I received this offer today:

https://storefront.points.com/spg/e...uyNow_ENG&SWAQ=1VC&SWAQD=26722&language=en_US


----------



## EnglishmanAbroad

SandyPGravel said:


> I received this offer today:
> 
> https://storefront.points.com/spg/e...uyNow_ENG&SWAQ=1VC&SWAQD=26722&language=en_US



So 2.275c/SP instead of their normal 3.5c/SP


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## SandyPGravel

EnglishmanAbroad said:


> So 2.275c/SP instead of their normal 3.5c/SP



I didn't say it was a good offer.


----------



## LisaH

Question: when you make SPG points reservation, do you still pay resort fee and tax?


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaH said:


> Question: when you make SPG points reservation, do you still pay resort fee and tax?



Parking fee if Valet is the only option, but nothing else.


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## YYJMSP

SandyPGravel said:


> Parking fee if Valet is the only option, but nothing else.



the point redemption only covers room and taxes, you still pay resort fees, parking, etc


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hey Tuggers - let’s keep in mind that this is the WSJ thread, and while SP value is important- this has officially become tangential.
Perhaps we can have a separate thread for SP value/boasting?


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## cubigbird

Back to WSJ.  According to News of St John, It looks like WSJ now has power.

http://newsofstjohn.com/2017/11/02/random-ramblings-by-jenn/


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## tomandrobin

When does the starpoint sale end for WSJ owners?


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Hey Tuggers - let’s keep in mind that this is the WSJ thread, and while SP value is important- this has officially become tangential.
> Perhaps we can have a separate thread for SP value/boasting?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Agree ( and I am kind of the guilty ones!) 
Let's see if Denise can separate out these posts as I am interested in hearing others experiences comments on SPG usage.


----------



## SMHarman

LisaH said:


> Question: when you make SPG points reservation, do you still pay resort fee and tax?


I did at WSJ. (how on topic is that)


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## SMHarman

Dedupe


----------



## LisaH

tomandrobin said:


> When does the starpoint sale end for WSJ owners?


I called and was told it ends by Nov 30.


----------



## tomandrobin

LisaH said:


> I called and was told it ends by Nov 30.



Thank You!


----------



## LisaH

I am waiting to charge it to my newly applied SPG Amex card  It has not arrived yet.


----------



## cubigbird

Suggestion of WSJ part 3 new thread.  This thread has completely deviated away from WSJ discussion, rather now usages of Starpoints.


----------



## DavidnRobin

cubigbird said:


> Suggestion of WSJ part 3 new thread.  This thread has completely deviated away from WSJ discussion, rather now usages of Starpoints.



See above posts concerning this tangent.  It was relevant from the aspect of the 1.65c/SP offer to WSJ Owners and SP value.

However, I was planning to propose a Part 3 once post-Irma decisions made by WSJ/VSE (e.g. 2018 MFs) and the impact on WSJ for 2018.
This thread has over 200K views.


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## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> See above posts concerning this tangent.  It was relevant from the aspect of the 1.65c/SP offer to WSJ Owners and SP value.
> 
> However, I was planning to propose a Part 3 once post-Irma decisions made by WSJ/VSE (e.g. 2018 MFs) and the impact on WSJ for 2018.
> This thread has over 200K views.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I agree, post-Irma changes are a good trigger for a new thread.


----------



## letsgomets

When/how did you get this letter?  Was everyone supposed to?  I never did.  [not sure if the quote pasted properly, but I was referring to the Vistana letter on SandyPGravel's posting on October 3 (#2199)]


----------



## SandyPGravel

I received an email (Post 2199) not a physical letter.


----------



## letsgomets

I see now -- Vistana sent different letters to different owners.


----------



## DavidnRobin

My charge for purchased SPs based on offer to WSJ went through on Oct 27. However, the additional SPs have not shown up in my SPG account. (they stated a few business days...)
Has anyone received their SPs from this WSJ offer?


----------



## GrayFal

I received mine in2 days.  Check robins account?


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> My charge for purchased SPs based on offer to WSJ went through on Oct 27. However, the additional SPs have not shown up in my SPG account. (they stated a few business days...)
> Has anyone received their SPs from this WSJ offer?


I called on the 27 as well and the 110K SPG points posted on Sunday (10/29).


----------



## tomandrobin

We called Monday morning, they took our information and said someone would call back. Still waiting......

On another note, I found out that my SPG account somehow was merged with a Marriott account.


----------



## OCsun

David, I received mine in two days.


----------



## Markus

I bought Monday and mine posted today.

Markus


----------



## DavidnRobin

Thanks all. My CC charge went thru on Oct27. No SPs yet in my account (or Robin’s). Called today (twice) - apparently they are lost in the ether - so the Dept (that you can’t call directly...) that deals with this sale will ‘get back to me’ (heard that before). They have the correct SPG account number.  I speculate that someone’s SPG account has extra SPs sitting in it because they entered the wrong account number.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## LisaH

I wish it was mine


----------



## Helios

LisaH said:


> I wish it was mine


No kidding...


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> Thanks all. My CC charge went thru on Oct27. No SPs yet in my account (or Robin’s). Called today (twice) - apparently they are lost in the ether - so the Dept (that you can’t call directly...) that deals with this sale will ‘get back to me’ (heard that before). They have the correct SPG account number.  I speculate that someone’s SPG account has extra SPs sitting in it because they entered the wrong account number.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I think you may be right.


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> I think you may be right.



They didn’t have a record of my purchase - I had to send CC proof.
Arg.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Helios

Wow, unbelievable.  They charged your CC and somehow there is no record.  That makes sense.

I guess no chance those 110K will end up in my account now...


----------



## tomandrobin

tomandrobin said:


> We called Monday morning, they took our information and said someone would call back. Still waiting......



We had to call back yesterday, since we had heard from no one. This time, we talked directly with the department handling the starpoint sale. Starpoints were deposited this morning.


----------



## tomandrobin

DavidnRobin said:


> They didn’t have a record of my purchase - I had to send CC proof.
> Arg.



Hopefully they will get that straightened out today.


----------



## DavidnRobin

tomandrobin said:


> Hopefully they will get that straightened out today.



They did. I had to send CC proof that I paid.  Showed up today.


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----------



## NerdAlert

Please see Virgin Grand MF posted for 2018. They will please every VGV owner during this terrible situation.


----------



## NerdAlert

WSJ VGV Meeting November 10 Quick Summary

There will probably be a formal note coming soon, but here is a quick summary of a portion of the meeting.

No SA coming to VGV. All damage due to Irma and Maria to be covered by insurance. The deductible reserve will be sufficient to cover insurance deductible. International damage recovery company is on site with about 300 workers. (Kudos--They did hire some of the Westin associates too.) Up until now, just damage assessments, moisture mappings, and stabilizations-- no renovations yet. Expect renovation work to begin late December. All pools got sludged, with main pool with 2 feet of sludge. All pools (3BR pools, hillside pools, and main pool) to be resurfaced. Some of the future planned refurbishments are going to be lumped into this renovation, reducing future downtime. Lemongrass did okay with Irma, but rocked by Maria. Huge problem of debris removal. Commercial entities just recently allowed to use landfills in VI. WSJ staging area for debris is tennis court area. Separating organic debris from construction debris so it can be chopped up.  Overall, windows and doors fared well, with only 15 windows/doors compromised by projectiles. Big challenge is keeping all generators running to keep A/C systems running. This is important to keep dry units dry. Construction company has been keeping up with the diesel supply for the generators.

Unbelievable items: 50% of drywall resort wide was compromised. The maintenance fees are to be about 40% of prior levels for 2018. Even though bldgs 31-34 look great from afar, weird things happened. Some of the dormers above steps in the end 2BR TH units on the ends acted like flappers during storm. So the wind lifted them, rain shot in, then they went down. This happened all during the storm. They showed pictures of pretty significant damage to the 2BR TH villas on ends. (XX10, XX19, XX21, XX28). Many of the "20th Anniversary" banners on the light poles survived.

The general feeling was that maybe July 1 is optimistic given the magnitude of the job and supply procurement.


----------



## LisaH

Wow! No SA and 2018 M/F is only 40% of 2017’s? That is incredible. Wouldn’t we need to replenish the reserve since it’s used for insurance deductible?


----------



## SandyPGravel

LisaH said:


> Wow! No SA and 2018 M/F is only 40% of 2017’s? That is incredible. Wouldn’t we need to replenish the reserve since it’s used for insurance deductible?


Does my MF over-pre-payment just carryover to 2019?  

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


----------



## Helios

SandyPGravel said:


> Does my MF over-pre-payment just carryover to 2019?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


Give them a call and ask them for that.  Either way, the overpayment will stay as a balance in your account.  You could even ask them for a check back.  I’ve done all those...


----------



## okwiater

LisaH said:


> Wow! No SA and 2018 M/F is only 40% of 2017’s? That is incredible. Wouldn’t we need to replenish the reserve since it’s used for insurance deductible?



Good point. Perhaps the MFs are already partially covering the reserve replenishment?


----------



## Helios

I thought about the replenishment, my guess is that it is already covered in the MFs.  They may also be thinking that this was a freak year damage wise, like a 100 years storm used for design purposes, so they may think they have some time to get to full replenishment.


----------



## SandyPGravel

Helios said:


> Give them a call and ask them for that.  Either way, the overpayment will stay as a balance in your account.  You could even ask them for a check back.  I’ve done all those...


I contacted them via email to see if they will allow me to apply the overage to my other unit.  I assume they will say I can't do that.  I will then ask for a check back, then charge the other MF to a credit card, get those points and come out ahead!


----------



## Helios

So, when we are these low MF supposed to be posted online so we can make payment arrangements?


----------



## cyntravel

Wow that sounds like good news.
Thanks!
Cyn


----------



## 5333grand

Will this resort be back to 100% by October of 2018


----------



## SandyPGravel

SandyPGravel said:


> I contacted them via email to see if they will allow me to apply the overage to my other unit.  I assume they will say I can't do that.  I will then ask for a check back, then charge the other MF to a credit card, get those points and come out ahead!


The response I received:
Dear GINA xxxxxxx,

Thank you for contacting Vistana Management, Inc. 

We are sorry to hear about the confusion that this has caused. Upon reviewing the details of your account xxxxxxx, our records show that it currently has a credit in the amount of $xxxx.xx For information purposes, the 2018 annual fees for the referenced account have not been assessed yet; however, the current estimated amount comes to $2,355.07, not $963.58. Once the statement for the account in question is issued, you will either be billed for the difference, if any, or your account will show a credit. If your account shows a credit after your bill is issued, you may certainly request for it to be transferred to any other of your accounts, or have it refunded back to the credit card you used to submit your payments.

If we can be of further assistance, our hours of operation are:

Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time
Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time
800-729-8246 - Toll free
407-903-4670 - Local & International
407-418-7771 - Facsimile

Sincerely,
Association Management


----------



## GrayFal

Gina, that is what I would have expected.  Once posted you should be able to see your credit.  

5333grand. 
I own a VOI that allows booking may thru December at 12 months. When I go online and look for availability, there is none.  
Not looking good although officially they have only announced closure thru next 6/30/18


----------



## Helios

So, when will they post...


----------



## sachia007

When will the bill arrive with MF? When is the payment due? Not sure if I missed something arriving in the mail.


----------



## DavidnRobin

The WSJ VGV MFs have not yet been posted on VSE, but I expect will be soon now that HOA BOD has met.
The payment will be due in early January.


----------



## GrayFal

Coral Vista

No usage in 2018 (sad) and reduced Maint Fees for 2018

November 2017

Dear Fellow Coral Vista Owner:

As your elected members of the Board of Directors, we have been actively involved in conversations with the management team of the Westin St. John since the resort was hit by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. We are aware that Vistana has been working with our insurance carriers and construction teams and many people are involved in restoring the property to its pre-storm condition.

We have also participated in a number of budget workshops in order to reduce this year’s maintenance fees to as low a level as possible. You will be getting a statement for your maintenance fees which represents a 35.1% decrease in the Base Fee and a 63.7% decrease in the Per Point Assessment for the 2018 year. The Board passed a budget that we felt was responsible and as minimal as possible.

There are significant fixed expenses that are incurred whether or not the resort is open. These include our Association’s share of the salaries of 27 essential resort team members who are continuing to work at the premises (instead of the approximately 270 team members required to operate at full capacity), including seven engineers who will maintain and repair the plant equipment, ten security team members who will ensure the perimeters are secured 24/7 and some key resort leaders and support team members, as well as insurance and utility fees. We are putting aside some money for our insurance contingency but we have not factored in an amount for our normal replacement reserve funding. Since some furniture and other goods will be replaced from insurance proceeds, we will recalculate the useful life of these goods and adjust the replacement reserve schedule (and costs) once we have a better idea on the settlement and the date we reopen.

While your fees are reduced, and the resort is not taking reservations for 2018 at this point in time, you may contact Owner Services at 888-986-9637 for assistance regarding your 2018 Star Options.

Please note that even though maintenance fees are going down significantly for 2018, if you exchange your unit week(s) through Vistana (if your interval is in the network) or through Interval International, you will receive the same benefit as though you had exchanged them after paying a full maintenance fee.

Vistana has arranged for various use options for 2018 even though members have no inventory to trade. This is a significant benefit and an upside of being part of such a large club and system and a silver lining for not being able to use our wonderful property.

We have asked Vistana to make updates on a regular basis to owners. We are aware that there is limited information coming out of St. John and that progress on restoration of the island is taking time to complete. The island has suffered major damage. At the resort, work is being done on a daily basis. At this point, debris is being removed, damaged materials are being taken out, and plans for reconstruction and repair are being made. Everything will be cleaned, repaired, and brought up to standard. Inspections of repairs and testing for mold and mildew will be completed before units are reopened. We all hope that this happens as soon as possible, both at the Westin St. John and for the entire island. Both we and management will keep you informed as best we can.

We will report to you after the annual meeting on March 6, 2018 which will be held in Orlando.

David Futransky
david.coralvista@gmail.com Nancy Gerding
nancy.coralvista@gmail.com James Miller II
james.coralvista@gmail.com
You have received this message as part of your vacation ownership. Please do not reply directly to this system


Here is my 2016 fee for 95.7 SO


2017 BASE FEE 726.09.  Will see 35.1% decrease - $471
2017 POINTS ASSESSMENT $1,082.73. Will see 63.7% decrease - $390


----------



## GrayFal

Virginia Grand Villas


Possible usage end of 2018????
November 2017

Dear Fellow Virgin Grand Owner:

We recently participated as your elected directors in a Board of Directors meeting to revise the proposed budget created in September that you received several weeks ago. The revision was considered necessary in light of the temporary closing of the resort due to Hurricane Irma (and to a lesser extent, Hurricane Maria, which didn’t directly impact St. John as much as Irma did, but which has slowed reconstruction because of its devastating impact on Puerto Rico).

For purposes of the 2018 budget, we assumed that the resort would be closed for all of 2018. If it is able to open in the latter part of 2018, the Board will likely approve a supplemental budget, with a supplemental maintenance fee bill, late in the year.

The revised budget that we approved, a summary of which will be included with the 2018 maintenance fee bill that management will be sending out to you shortly, represents a 60.4% decrease in expenditures and in maintenance fees, compared with the proposed 2018 budget that we circulated to owners several weeks ago (and represents a 58% reduction compared to our 2017 maintenance fees). The budget cannot be zero, despite the assumed closure of the resort for the entire year, because we nevertheless have significant fixed expenses that are incurred whether or not the resort is open for business. These include our Association’s share of the salaries of the 27 essential resort staff who are continuing to work at the premises, including seven engineers who will maintain and repair the plant and equipment, ten security staff who will ensure the perimeters are secured 24/7 and some key resort leaders and support staff, as well as insurance and utility fees. We have also budgeted to continue paying into an insurance contingency to fund our approximately $2 million deductible under the property insurance policy, as much or all of the insurance deductible fund that we built up over the last few years will be depleted by what we will have to pay as a result of Irma’s destruction. We are not budgeting anything for our usual contribution to the replacement reserve fund, as the insurance policy will pay for replacement of a lot of furniture that was damaged, and thus extend the time before which it will have to be replaced. Next year, after we see how much furniture and equipment has been replaced with new product, we will resume funding the replacement reserve.

Please note that even though maintenance fees are going down significantly for 2018, if you exchange your unit week(s) through Vistana (if your interval is in the network) or through Interval International, you will receive the same benefit as though you had exchanged them after paying a full maintenance fee.

Vistana has arranged for various use options for 2018 even though members have no inventory to trade. This is a significant benefit and an upside of being part of such a large club and system, and a silver lining for not being able to use our wonderful property.

While we have been receiving periodic updates from management we don’t know much more now than we did in our last report about when basic services can be restored fully on the island or when the resort might reopen. At the resort, work is being done every day to remove debris, tear down sheetrock that had become wet, test for mold and mildew, and inspect windows and other structural elements and mechanical equipment. All the pools have been emptied and will be resurfaced while empty. Management will be providing periodic updates as there is news to share, and we will work to stay current, as well. And of course we will write to update you after the annual meeting, to be held in Orlando on March 5.

Philip G. Schrag
phil.schrag@gmail.com Robert H. Werbel
robert.werbel@yahoo.com


----------



## DavidnRobin

Hi Pat - Thanks for the update.
The CV letter does not state 'no usage in 2018' - they are not yet taking 2018 reservations (of course, they may not).
"..._the resort is not taking reservations for 2018 at this point in time._"

and is aligned with tone of the VGV letter.
"_For purposes of the 2018 budget, we assumed that the resort would be closed for all of 2018. If it is able to open in the latter part of 2018, the Board will likely approve a supplemental budget, with a supplemental maintenance fee bill, late in the year._"

Pat - did you get resolution on what happens to resale buyers of CV (or BV) for 2018?

Looks like our 2Bd TH will have 2018 MFs between $960-$970/week.
As we used our 2018 SOs to stay at WPORV for 17 nights - that puts our cost at ~$113/nite for a 1Bd.
ps. we chose WPORV over WKORV/N because we are already staying at WKORV for 3 weeks (retirement is nice...)


----------



## Helios

I got my VG letter but not the SB.  I wonder why?


----------



## DavidnRobin

Helios said:


> I got my VG letter but not the SB.  I wonder why?



they are still trying to find the remnants of SB... 
sorry... too soon?


----------



## GrayFal

DavidnRobin said:


> Hi Pat - Thanks for the update.
> The CV letter does not state 'no usage in 2018' - they are not yet taking 2018 reservations (of course, they may not).
> "..._the resort is not taking reservations for 2018 at this point in time._"
> 
> and is aligned with tone of the VGV letter.
> "_For purposes of the 2018 budget, we assumed that the resort would be closed for all of 2018. If it is able to open in the latter part of 2018, the Board will likely approve a supplemental budget, with a supplemental maintenance fee bill, late in the year._"
> 
> Pat - did you get resolution on what happens to resale buyers of CV (or BV) for 2018?
> 
> Looks like our 2Bd TH will have 2018 MFs between $960-$970/week.
> As we used our 2018 SOs to stay at WPORV for 17 nights - that puts our cost at ~$113/nite for a 1Bd.
> ps. we chose WPORV over WKORV/N because we are already staying at WKORV for 3 weeks (retirement is nice...)


I am assuming by the verbiage for CV which is different then VGV that CV had more dAmage  and will not be open. Time will tell.  

As for my 2017 usage as stated in the above letter, options are SO if participating and/or II deposits - as a resale owner, my only option is II. Looks like the same for 2018.


----------



## DavidnRobin

SMHarman said:


> Welcome to the 'hood.



Sorry for being off-topic - we had a great visit to NYC minus the record setting arctic blast. (luckily we were prepared having camped in Yosemite the week before...)
Highlights:
Front row seats at Village Vanguard (Ravi Coltrane) - standby line.
The Daily Show w/ Trevor Noah - also standby.
Best food for the price - The Halal Guys


----------



## DavidnRobin

GrayFal said:


> I am assuming by the verbiage for CV which is different then VGV that CV had more dAmage  and will not be open. Time will tell.
> 
> As for my 2017 usage as stated in the above letter, options are SO if participating and/or II deposits - as a resale owner, my only option is II. Looks like the same for 2018.



I think they are just covering the options.  I would have loved to see the photos they showed of the 2Bd TH VGV villas.

That is too bad about II being only option for CV/BV resale owners.


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> they are still trying to find the remnants of SB...
> sorry... too soon?


Very likely...


----------



## Helios

DavidnRobin said:


> I think they are just covering the options.  I would have loved to see the photos they showed of the 2Bd TH VGV villas.
> 
> That is too bad about II being only option for CV/BV resale owners.


That's the beauty of mandatory resorts...

I have a lot of SOs from other VOIs, so I'll convert to SPG points.  I am planning a big trip with the fam to Phuket and those Singapore and Emirates Airlines F suites ain't cheap.  I want to try both airlines in one way trips.

Manufactured Spending to generate SOs is not for me, and does not work in my area anyway (I actually think it's end everywhere is coming).  So, I have to rely on a lot heavy spending (personal and biz) to generate those miles and this little help will come in handy.  I have to make lemonade with the hurricane lemons...


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## okwiater

I actually think Vistana is being more than fair -- incredibly generous, in fact -- with the usage options they are providing to owners. With no inventory to trade, Vistana could have easily (and justifiably) stated that although maintenance fees would be reduced, there would be no usage options for 2018. Instead, everyone is getting the full gamut of trading choices, and even voluntary resale owners are getting a top trading II deposit for less than half the maintenance fee. It could be much, much worse.


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## DavidnRobin

Justifiable???
VGV Owners have SOs - along with SOs/HOs by BV/CV/SB Owners (VSE/SVO purchased) - they cannot deny Owners VSN (SO) usage per CCRs.  Nor, can they deny any II/RCI usage (note: some original VGV Owners still have RCI) - again per CCRs, or SO-SP conversion...
And... the HOAs must have a audited 2018 budget that has a zero sum (revenues/expenditures) which they have submitted, thus the revised MFs

The only thing they did more than fair beyond their legal responsibility (as a public corporation beholden to the stockholders) was the SP offer (1.65c/SP) - which was nice compared to the 3.5c/SP retail rate, but still above the 1c/SP base value (1%).


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## okwiater

DnR -- are you certain that ownerships within SVN are entitled to SOs even if the resort is uninhabitable?


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## duke

That is a good question and, as well, what right does Vistana have giving exchange rights without requiring a unit deposited?  Where is that inventory coming from?  Seems it makes it more difficult for other members of Vistana to exchange?

They are not giving away their stuff... They are giving away mine!  Such nice guys....


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## GrayFal

Just received MF Invoice VGV
1BR $770.85 with nothing going to reserve fund this year.


----------



## Henry M.

I got my bill, EOY Platinum WSJ Bay Vista:

Maintenance Fee: $402.68, Taxes: $102.41, Total: $505.12.


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## DavidnRobin

okwiater said:


> DnR -- are you certain that ownerships within SVN are entitled to SOs even if the resort is uninhabitable?



VSN fees are paid for the ability to use SOs within VSN (at 8 months).
WSJ Owners have SOs associated with their Ownership (except resale CV/BV/SB) per CCRs, and tied to the purchase contract between the Owner and VSE.
VSN period (SO) is the 2nd tier of VSE usage per CCRs.
The CCRs (Owners Manual) does not state that if a resort is uninhabitable then SOs will also not be available.

Importantly - VSE/VSN did not come out and deny SO usage (and resort usage) that they would have done if it were part of CCRs (it would be legally binding...).

Theoretically, this is no different than if 100% of WSJ Owners decided to use their SOs instead of their Home Resort.
(of course this would not happen under normal conditions, but still possible in theory)

So yes... I am certain - especially considering that it is actually happening.  I have used my WSJ 2018 SOs already - along with others.
I find interesting the thinking behind the supposition that it is more than fair for VSE to allow Owners to use the SOs associated with their deed per their contract...
Jarta?


----------



## DavidnRobin

duke said:


> That is a good question and, as well, what right does Vistana have giving exchange rights without requiring a unit deposited?  Where is that inventory coming from?  Seems it makes it more difficult for other members of Vistana to exchange?
> 
> They are not giving away their stuff... They are giving away mine!  Such nice guys....



This is a different topic than VSE/VSN 'allowing' WSJ Owners the right to use VSN that is part of CCRs/Contract.

This is obviously something VSE/VSN had to deal with (and take associated loss), and did.  I can only assume that this has been extensively discussed at the highest levels with Legal Dept involved (being a large publicly traded company), and found that within their own inventory they can cover the extra non-WSJ SO usage.  Also, it is unlikely that 100% WSJ owners will be using VSN.

This naturally means limited inventory of VSN in 2018 for SO reservations by all VSN members, and why I immediately used our WSJ SOs (2x95.7K) to reserve WPORV at exactly 8 months out.  When we were at WPORV in Sept - we ran into a few people staying at WPORV using their WSJ 2017 SOs (post-Irma) since they lost their usage.

What would you suggest VSE/VSN do about the WSJ situation - charge 2018 MFs and then deny SO usage?  Not an attorney, but I assume that would be legally challenging based on CCRs/Contract. (as evident by their actions - they did not take this route)

btw - there are already people looking to give away their WSJ deeds (low season) - with more to come. This will be the largest hurdle to overcome for VGV given the already lack of value for low season weeks (IMO). [as evident from the proposed HOA-acquired inventory sale pre-Irma - most were low season weeks]


----------



## DavidnRobin

sachia007 said:


> When will the bill arrive with MF? When is the payment due? Not sure if I missed something arriving in the mail.



VGV 2018 MFs are due Jan 9th.  The 2018 MFs are ~40% of original budget (pre-Irma).


----------



## okwiater

DnR, there is lots of supposition and assumption in your post. You keep saying "per CCRs" but that is not the extent of the legal agreements which guide VSN usage. There is also an agreement between the resort itself and VSN. Now, I am not saying definitively that you are wrong, nor am I implying it. To the contrary, you may well be right. But you have not provided any *evidence*, and I'm asking if you are sure. Thinking you are right isn't the same thing as being sure. Can you provide the language which is applicable to this particular situation?


----------



## duke

David - of course, I am happy for you and glad you could get 21 days stay at WPORV instead of WSJ.  However, the point is that Vistana should not be congratulated for giving away inventory that could be used by others who have rightfully deposited into the system.  We should get the credit for helping out WSJ by the exchange as we are going to suffer due to less availability to reserve.


----------



## DavidnRobin

duke said:


> David - of course, I am happy for you and glad you could get 21 days stay at WPORV instead of WSJ.  However, the point is that Vistana should not be congratulated for giving away inventory that could be used by others who have rightfully deposited into the system.  We should get the credit for helping out WSJ by the exchange as we are going to suffer due to less availability to reserve.



We thank you... 
and also me as we own 4 other VOIs

What was VSE/VSN/WSJ supposed to do?
I am really unclear here - tell WSJ that they can’t use their SOs?
Not a Lawyer, but... again - if they could, they would as they have a large Legal Dept.

@duke - perhaps you can get non-WSJ VSN members to form legal action to get to the bottom of this travesty?


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## DavidnRobin

DavidnRobin said:


> VGV 2018 MFs are due Jan 9th.  The 2018 MFs are ~40% of original budget (pre-Irma).



The CCRs/Owners Manual include the SVN agreement.  I have read both - more than once.  I do not recall any section about denial of entitled SOs unless VSN stops being the conduit for VSE reservations, OR Owner has acted against terms of CCRs (like rental of non-HR SOs).

I can send to you if you want to peruse and find section that allows them to deny SOs to those entitled
since you are making the claim that they could (“more than fair”).

If they could deny WSJ SO usage based on resort damage (or the like...) not only would they - they would be required to.

Prove that they can deny SO usage based on unavailability of Resort Villas.  To me, they have already shown answered this question by their action. Nothing to do with fairness - they are required to act in a legally defensible manner.


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## SandyPGravel

I would think that Vistana owns enough weeks at the other resorts to equal the mandatory VOI's at WSJ that need availability.  Granted not at a resort that might be considered desirable, I.e. Orlando.  Plus WSJ owners are allowed to bank next years usage (for 3 years I think) which spreads out usage as well.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


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## okwiater

DavidnRobin said:


> The CCRs/Owners Manual include the SVN agreement.  I have read both - more than once.  I do not recall any section about denial of entitled SOs unless VSN stops being the conduit for VSE reservations, OR Owner has acted against terms of CCRs (like rental of non-HR SOs).
> 
> I can send to you if you want to peruse and find section that allows them to deny SOs to those entitled
> since you are making the claim that they could (“more than fair”).
> 
> If they could deny WSJ SO usage based on resort damage (or the like...) not only would they - they would be required to.
> 
> Prove that they can deny SO usage based on unavailability of Resort Villas.  To me, they have already shown answered this question by their action. Nothing to do with fairness - they are required to act in a legally defensible manner.
> 
> 
> View attachment 5146



DnR, you are still making lots of assumptions based on your recollection of the CCRs/Owners Manual as well as your implied assumption that Vistana, if it were legally permissible to do so, would act in the least advantageous manner with respect to its owners. I'm going to go ahead and call your post as false, and recommend that you give the documents another read.

Here is the section that would permit Vistana to revise the number of StarOptions available to WSJ owners for CY 2018:

_"The number of StarOptions assigned represents the reservation power of a given Vacation Ownership Interest within the Network is based on such factors as relative Network Member demand for the particular Network Resort, seasonality of the VOI, Unit type assigned to the VOI Use Rights associated with the VOI, Network Resort type, Network Member use patterns, and availability of Vacation Periods for reservation at the particular Network Resort ("Assignment Factors"). Network Operator reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to revise the number of StarOptions required for reservations within the Network annually, each without Network Member consent [...] Club Operator also reserves the right to revise the assignment of Club Points based on the Assignment Factors."
_​And here is the catch-all section that would permit Vistana to do whatever it deemed necessary to "improve" the operation of the VSN:

_"Network Operator shall have the right to amend any portions of the Network Documents which Network Operator in its sole discretion determines are necessary or desirable to amend from time to time, without the consent of Network Members. With respect to Club Resorts, Club Operator may change the Club Rules from time to time as set forth in the Network Affiliation Agreement for the Club. In making any changes to the Club Rules, Club Operator will use its best efforts in making such amendments, in good faith and based on all reasonably available evidence under the circumstances, to improve on the quality and operation of the Club and to further the collective enjoyment of present and future Club Members as a whole to use and enjoy Vacation Periods. Such amendments may be for any purpose, including permitting banking of Vacation Periods and creating Club tiers. Operating the Club in an efficient manner requires the tracking of Club Member use patterns, Club Member demand, and availability of Vacation Periods. Club Operator shall have the sole discretion to amend the Club Rules from time to time based on the results of this tracking to improve on the quality and operation of the Club."_​
Given the lack of availability of any Vacation Periods at WSJ, it would seem to me to be entirely within Vistana's rights to reduce or eliminate the ability of WSJ owners to trade using StarOptions.

Furthermore, there are references throughout the document to a Club Affiliation Agreement and a Network Affiliation Agreement which govern the affiliation of the resort with Vistana and with the Network. I did not see these documents included with the CCRs, but it's possible I missed them. If you know where they are, please provide a link. There could very well be additional relevant terms related to the availability of VOIs at the resort contained therein.

All that said, DnR, you made a good point earlier about WSJ low season owners being at a higher risk of default. IMO, this could very well have been the primary driver of the decision to preserve StarOptions for WSJ owners alongside the drastically reduced MFs. Even WSJ low season owners will enjoy high VSN trading power relative to MFs this year.

Let's try to keep these discussions fact-based going forward?
​


----------



## dioxide45

Here is another tidbit from our SVV Mandatory CC&Rs. I suspect many are very similar for the early mandatory properties. If the VGV documents contain similar, it seems that Vistana is well within their rights to permit owners to continue to use SOs.


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## duke

"Business Interruption" / "Loss of Use" insurance covers this type of situation.  It is included in most policies.
Owners (that is, other than WSJ) are probably not getting the full story here and are being taken advantage of by Vistana giving away something they don't own.
My bet is that Vistana, managing the HOA, is collecting on the "Loss of Use" insurance and reimbursing themselves for the rental income loss they are taking by letting WSJ owners use their units in the exchange pool.......


----------



## NNerland

Got our final invoice -- in all we own - 3 Bd Bay Vista Winter ($1228 vs $2500), 3 bd Bay Vista Winter (odd - $750 vs $1300), 3 bd Bay Vista Summer ($1228 vs $2500), 2 bd Coral Vista ($1125 vs $2500).  In 2016 - dues were about $8600 - for 2017 they were about $4400.  We also purchased the points 110,000 for $1815 so our total cost was $6200.   We are lucky as we own all in network, re qualified and saved some money.  We did have a few expensive developer buys, but got smart after doing our research but got to 5 star.   We ended up booking 17 nights in Cancun in January (super cheap month to go) and a 2 bd and Studio (3 units total) in March for a week PLUS get to convert our Winter Bay Vista to 153,000 points and bought the 110,000 points - so 263,000 points to spend.   All for $6200 so we got our monies worth and leverage this year.  Hopefully will be open and ready for us in January 2019 when we return for our 2 weeks in our Odd years.

I think all and all we all came out pretty well through this.   I know there is "well we should" or "we got screwed" or "Vistana is out to get us" -- but consider this.  We have a corporation that is going to get our place back months if not years before others.   We have insurance that covers EVERYTHING.    Also, as noted in the letters our Reserves should be stronger than ever as so much will be replaced and it will be like a new resort in most areas.  Insurance will go up, but hopefully not horrible with 100 year storm...but I am sure it will go up substantially.    In an odd way, if the USVI gets their $8billion they could get out of a huge financial mess they were in right now that has increased taxes and "fake taxes on our timeshares"  Another topic too long to discuss, but none the less could be in a healthier state a few years down the road.

The pictures area amazing, the green is coming back.  There will be some areas that will never be the same; but all in all it is still a gorgeous place.  It stinks to have this happen, and things will never be exactly the same; but we are counting our blessings and trying to make the most of it.  Happy Holidays.


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## okwiater

Nnerland -- completely agree. Vistana has been handling this admirably thus far. All the doomsday scenarios that were being painted in the immediate aftermath seem quite far-fetched at this point. Remember when people were talking about the HOAs declaring bankruptcy and the resort never being rebuilt?


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## Helios

Well, depending on your specific situation, they may not meet your needs.  There is no option to convert to SPG points...options are: use in network or bank (VGV, equal, developer units) or convert to II.

To bad for people with large WSJ portfolios.


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## canesfan

Helios said:


> Well, depending on your specific situation, they may not meet your needs.  There is no option to convert to SPG points...options are: use in network or bank (VGV, equal, developer units) or convert to II.
> 
> To bad for people with large WSJ portfolios.



At least there’s no charge for banking and 3 years to use instead of 2. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Helios

canesfan said:


> At least there’s no charge for banking and 3 years to use instead of 2.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Not much help when you don't pay to bank, have more than 0.6M WSJ Options, tons of options elsewhere, and VOIs with MVC and HGVC.  I really wanted to convert...


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## DavidnRobin

As discussed - the WSJ thread #2 has gotten quite long, and perhaps this change in the overall WSJ situation is a good time to start a new WSJ thread.

I have asked DeniseM to lock this thread, and I will start a new one.  Seems like a timely change as multiple issues with WSJ and STJ will likely take a while to resolve the new 2018 MFs now that have been announced, and 2018 usage has been resolved.


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