# Best Time to visit STT



## ml855 (Apr 20, 2010)

When is the best time to visit St. Thomas/St. John's?  We usually visit Aruba in June and it's great, how about the US Virgin Islands.  I'm going to try to exchange into the Marriott Timeshare on St. Thomas through II.  Thanks.


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## brother coony (Apr 20, 2010)

Anytime except July and August, too hot


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## Tia (Apr 20, 2010)

We have always gone Feb/March and loved it.


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## Numismatist (Apr 20, 2010)

We always go in July, it's hot but that makes the ocean OH-SO-INVITING!


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## lynne (Apr 20, 2010)

Tia said:


> We have always gone Feb/March and loved it.



+1 - We always traveled to the USVI/BVI when the East Coast winter at it's worst.


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## caribbean (Apr 21, 2010)

I personally love spring and fall because it is not crowded. But as another said, anytime except the middle of the summer in order to avoid the worst of the heat.


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## ml855 (Apr 21, 2010)

Sounds good, I think I'll try for anytime between Jan and April, what do you think my chances will be, I'm going to try for the Marriott Frenchman's Cove or the Westin on St. John's Island.  I'm exchanging a Platnium week at the Marriott Manor Club in Williamsburg and I usually ask for an exchange 2 years out, I'm looking at traveling 2012 and my week is 2011.

Thanks.


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## Weimaraner (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm not a Westin St. John expert however I have read time and time again that it's one of the hardest to trade in to. I think it's the only timeshare on the island plus Starwood owners get first preference and the maintenance fees are very high which discourages owners from depositing into Interval. There are a lot of us who would love to visit WSJ so I wish there were more opportunities!


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## HudsHut (Apr 24, 2010)

Question for those of you familiar with exchanging into St. Thomas:

I've been searching for the past few weeks, and I have seen nothing available for April 2011 in RCI. 
Am I too early? 
or too late?
or does April not get many deposits?


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## Tia (May 3, 2010)

Just a guess that it's early for next years April deposits, but it's been many years since we used RCI to get an exchange week in STT . What resort or are you looking at anything? Then too there was a theory that there is a filter in RCI to prevent trade downs if you own a Gold Crown and that is what your using to trade.


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## GrayFal (May 3, 2010)

ml855 said:


> Sounds good, I think I'll try for anytime between Jan and April, what do you think my chances will be, I'm going to try for the Marriott Frenchman's Cove or the Westin on St. John's Island.  I'm exchanging a Platnium week at the Marriott Manor Club in Williamsburg and I usually ask for an exchange 2 years out, I'm looking at traveling 2012 and my week is 2011.
> 
> Thanks.



By requesting so far out and being flexible with your dates, I am (pretty) sure you will get Frenchmens Cove.
Westin St John will be impossible unless you  have a Starwood week - Starwood has a preference period the same as Marrriott so a unit there would never get past the preference period to a non-Starwood member.


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## DVB42 (May 10, 2010)

ml855 said:


> When is the best time to visit St. Thomas/St. John's?  We usually visit Aruba in June and it's great, how about the US Virgin Islands.  I'm going to try to exchange into the Marriott Timeshare on St. Thomas through II.  Thanks.



I think it is good any time of year. The only time deterent to me is late summer (Aug and Sept) because of the greater hurricane risk.


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## Sandy VDH (May 11, 2010)

Any time cruiseships are not in port.


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## legalfee (May 11, 2010)

Sandy Lovell said:


> Any time cruiseships are not in port.



Cruiseships don't bother us. In fact we made a special trip downtown to see the Oasis of the Sea at port on it's maiden voyage.


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## jqg1956 (May 11, 2010)

Our timeshare week on St. John is 45 - first week of November -the weather has generally been excellent - water temp is good - one year it was rainier than usual, but the showers only last a few minutes - I like November since its not too crowded -and even though it is technically hurricane season, we've never had a problem.


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## DavidnRobin (May 13, 2010)

legalfee said:


> Cruiseships don't bother us. In fact we made a special trip downtown to see the Oasis of the Sea at port on it's maiden voyage.



While that may be nice - the cruise ship crowds at Trunk and Honeymoon (and the lack of snorkeling skills of many) is not a pretty sight.  We had to save one guy a couple of years ago from drowning at Honeymoon.  They just dump them off in the water with those orange vests with little supervision - it is a sad sight to behold. VINOW lists the cruise ships that vist per month.



jqg1956 said:


> Our timeshare week on St. John is 45 - first week of November -the weather has generally been excellent - water temp is good - one year it was rainier than usual, but the showers only last a few minutes - I like November since its not too crowded -and even though it is technically hurricane season, we've never had a problem.



I see on RW that there is another TS on STJ (Sunset Ridge Villas) - but you are the first I know of who posts on TUG.  Where is Sunset Ridge Villas located - and how are they?

We go to STJ in June (WSJ) for 2 weeks.  I researched June quite extensively before buying - it is pre-hurricane season (never a hurricane or tropical storm in recorded history in June).  It is wedding season (so lots of happy couples and families).  June is one of the lowest rainfall totals (and therefore less mosquitoes). It is one of the lowest cruise ship months. The trade winds are still blowing (important as not to get sweltering hot), and everything is still open, but not crowded.  It is considered off-season - so more discounts on things like charters,

Although hurricanes are relatively rare overall - the clean-up after one can go on for months afterwards.  The locals joke that they are still cleaning up after the last one that occured years ago. 

We vote June!


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## gmarine (May 13, 2010)

The average daily high and low temps dont vary by more than about 5 degrees from winter to summer, however the best chance for rain is September and October.


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## legalfee (May 14, 2010)

DavidnRobin said:


> While that may be nice - the cruise ship crowds at Trunk and Honeymoon (and the lack of snorkeling skills of many) is not a pretty sight.  We had to save one guy a couple of years ago from drowning at Honeymoon.  They just dump them off in the water with those orange vests with little supervision - it is a sad sight to behold. VINOW lists the cruise ships that vist per month.



We've only been to Coki Beach and Magens Bay in STT. No snorkeling at Magens but Coki Beach had OK snorkeling and no day trippers. The best was the BVI catamaran cruise to the caves and baths of Virgin Gorda.


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## SpikeMauler (May 14, 2010)

legalfee said:


> We've only been to Coki Beach and Magens Bay in STT. No snorkeling at Magens but Coki Beach had OK snorkeling and no day trippers. The best was the BVI catamaran cruise to the caves and baths of Virgin Gorda.



The last time we were at Magens(two months ago)) there were a lot of silver and black fish(8" to 10" long) in waist high water. There were also large schools of Tarpon chasing bait fish in neck high water. Not sure if that's an everyday occurance there or not but we had fun swimming with the fish. We went when there were no cruise ships in so it was great having that beautiful beach almost to yourself.


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## Numismatist (May 14, 2010)

Go to Secret Harbor (near Red Hook) and snorkel along the right side of the beach in the rocky area.  Tons of fish, a rather disturbingly long barracuda, and many little cave like hiding places for fish.


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## legalfee (May 15, 2010)

SpikeMauler said:


> The last time we were at Magens(two months ago)) there were a lot of silver and black fish(8" to 10" long) in waist high water. There were also large schools of Tarpon chasing bait fish in neck high water. Not sure if that's an everyday occurance there or not but we had fun swimming with the fish. We went when there were no cruise ships in so it was great having that beautiful beach almost to yourself.



I've heard you don't want to go to Magens Bay on Sundays. We saw tons of big fish when we were there and pelicans swooping down and eating some.


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## jqg1956 (May 15, 2010)

DavidnRobin said:


> I see on RW that there is another TS on STJ (Sunset Ridge Villas) - but you are the first I know of who posts on TUG.  Where is Sunset Ridge Villas located - and how are they?
> 
> 
> Here's the website for Sunset Ridge - easier than trying to explain where it is!
> ...


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## SpikeMauler (May 15, 2010)

legalfee said:


> I've heard you don't want to go to Magens Bay on Sundays. We saw tons of big fish when we were there and pelicans swooping down and eating some.



Sunday is locals day at Magens.

http://www.stthomasblog.com/?p=193


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## Quimby4 (May 16, 2010)

GrayFal said:


> By requesting so far out and being flexible with your dates, I am (pretty) sure you will get Frenchmens Cove.
> Westin St John will be impossible unless you  have a Starwood week - Starwood has a preference period the same as Marrriott so a unit there would never get past the preference period to a non-Starwood member.



Has any Tugger (non-Starwood) ever traded into the Westin St. John?  

I have heard it is next to impossible, and all of the Sightings seem to be just a few days before the travel date....I have a pending request for a bunch of dates through 2012, just for the fun of it to see if it happens.


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## DavidnRobin (May 18, 2010)

Quimby4 said:


> Has any Tugger (non-Starwood) ever traded into the Westin St. John?
> 
> I have heard it is next to impossible, and all of the Sightings seem to be just a few days before the travel date....I have a pending request for a bunch of dates through 2012, just for the fun of it to see if it happens.



There have been a few reports of II exchanges into WSJ - likely this will be low-low season (Sept-Oct).  For some grandfathered villas - there is also RCI, but never heard reports of RCI exchanges into WSJ.

good luck.


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## DavidnRobin (May 18, 2010)

gmarine said:


> The average daily high and low temps dont vary by more than about 5 degrees from winter to summer, however the best chance for rain is September and October.



Very true - but it has to do mostly the trade winds (or lack of) - it is amazing how hot it gets when the trade winds stop blowing.


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