# Need advice from Caribbean experts !



## Deb from NC (Dec 16, 2010)

DH and I have never been to the Caribbean . We LOVE Hawaii, but the flight is sooooo long, several people have suggested that we try the Caribbean sometime.  Is there an island there that is Maui-like ?  (Or as beautiful in it's own unique way? )  I would prefer to go to a timeshare but am open to other options.  Can you help me choose an island/area?  We like to swim, snorkel, walk on the beach, just lay by the pool & read.  Interesting side trips are always welcome.  I don't need to be near a bigger city than Lahaina 
Advice please?
Thanks!
Deb


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## Numismatist (Dec 16, 2010)

I would try St. Thomas (Marriott Frenchman's Cove), the reason:

It fits your needs, but also the U. S. Virgin Islands are right next to the British Virgin Islands, so there are numerous islands you can check out via charter boat, each with their own unique features.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 16, 2010)

Thanks!  Is there a best time of year to go?  (Any times to definitely avoid? )
We usually go to Maui in November, and have consistenly had temps in the low to mid 80's.  A little cooler is fine..we don't like really hot weather.
Also, hurricane season is ..when?  
Deb


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## Numismatist (Dec 16, 2010)

It's the same year round there, we like the summer because it's less crowded and the water is even warmer.

Hurricanes tend to be late summer, early fall.


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## pianodinosaur (Dec 16, 2010)

We love the Caribbean.  You might also consider Cancun and Playa del Carmen as well as the Islands.  My favorite Islands are Aruba, Puerto Rico, Nassau, St. Thomas, Barbados, and St. Maarten.  We have never been to Grand Cayman or Jamaica but anticipate a visit in 2012.


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## lynne (Dec 16, 2010)

Before moving to Hawaii, the Caribbean was our annual vacation spot.  Our favorites are St. John, Virgin Gorda and Barbados.  All are beautiful and unique.


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## SpikeMauler (Dec 16, 2010)

Deb from NC said:


> DH and I have never been to the Caribbean . We LOVE Hawaii, but the flight is sooooo long, several people have suggested that we try the Caribbean sometime.  Is there an island there that is Maui-like ?  (Or as beautiful in it's own unique way? )  I would prefer to go to a timeshare but am open to other options.  Can you help me choose an island/area?  We like to swim, snorkel, walk on the beach, just lay by the pool & read.  Interesting side trips are always welcome.  I don't need to be near a bigger city than Lahaina
> Advice please?
> Thanks!
> Deb



I would look into St John. It's a mountainous Island which is two thirds National Park and has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Calm crystal clear waters with excellent snorkeling. From St John you can take day trips to St Thomas and the British Virgin Islands(passports needed for BVI).


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## capjak (Dec 16, 2010)

I like Maui because of the beaches and the city has things to do.

I think from a resort point of view Harborside Atlantis would be my pick. Also liked St. Thomas but not as much as Hawaii or Paradise Island Atlantis.

On the non caribean side that I like very much in comparison to Hawaii would be Nuevo Vallarta Grand Mayan..Puerto Vallarta has many great dining and activities and the resort is very nice for lounging around.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 16, 2010)

Thanks all!   Sorry to be so uninformed, but would everyplace except the US Virgin Islands require a passport ?


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## siesta (Dec 16, 2010)

everything but puerto rico and us virgin islands


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## legalfee (Dec 17, 2010)

+1 on St Thomas. We like going in December because it's warm and the holidays and not hurricane season. You'll only need a passport if you cruise the British Virgin Islands (not a bad idea). St Thomas is a great jumping off point to go the St John, BVI or St Croix. The resturaunts are great too.


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## Anne S (Dec 17, 2010)

You might also consider St. Maarten. Lots of timeshares, beautiful beaches, great food on the French side, and easy day trips to other islands, such as Anguilla, Saba and St. Barth's.

Hurricane season is from June to November, but historically hurricane activity is most active from late August to October.


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## Carolyn (Dec 18, 2010)

Our favorite Caribbean Islands are St. Barts (no timeshares), St. John and St. Lucia.


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## pedro47 (Dec 18, 2010)

What are best airline carriers to use from the East Coast and what are the average plane fares to St. Thomas or St Maarten?


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## SpikeMauler (Dec 18, 2010)

pedro47 said:


> What are best airline carriers to use from the East Coast and what are the average plane fares to St. Thomas or St Maarten?



We use American or Delta to fly direct from JFK to St Thomas. We choose whoever has the cheapest fare at the time between the two. We travel in March, the fares usually run between $330rt pp and $550rt pp depending...


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## pedro47 (Dec 19, 2010)

SpikeMauler said:


> We use American or Delta to fly direct from JFK to St Thomas. We choose whoever has the cheapest fare at the time between the two. We travel in March, the fares usually run between $330rt pp and $550rt pp depending...



Thanks for the information the prices are not bad at all.


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## JudyS (Dec 19, 2010)

Deb from NC said:


> ..would everyplace except the US Virgin Islands require a passport ?


If you travel with the Caribbean and Mexico by boat or car rather than air, you can use a passport card rather than a passport book. The passport card is much cheaper. However, unless you take a cruise (or drive to Cancun), this probably doesn't help you much, since most non-cruise travel from the US to the Caribbean is by air. (My husband and I did travel by boat from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Bahama once, years ago, but I didn't really like Grand Bahama.)

Of course, you could use a cruise to sample different islands, although most cruises leave port far too early for my tastes.


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## Dollie (Dec 19, 2010)

*Something to consider*

From several of the posts, I see people are going from the east coast to the Caribbean.  I wanted to mention a problem we have going to the Caribbean from Burlington, Vt.  The New England saying “you can’t get there from here” applies.  The flights to the Caribbean fly out of a major hub (JFK or Newark for us) in the morning.  It is difficult for us to make such a connection, especially in the winter when the weather can be a problem.  We are heading to St. Maarten and Nevis in Feb and to make our 8am flight out of Newark comfortably, we are going to fly the day before to Newark, spend the night, and then catch the morning flight.  The night in an airport hotel isn’t that much money and we are retired so the extra days are not an issue, but for other people who don’t have simple access to a hub or where the extra days might eat into their vacation, this is something to investigate.  On a fairly recent trip to Aruba where we tried to do this in one day, our snowy early morning flight out of Burlington was late causing us to miss our Aruba flight.  Luckily there was another flight to Aruba and we were one of the lucky ones to get a few of the available seats, the majority of the people who missed the flight had to wait a day before continuing on to Aruba.

It’s actually easier for us to fly to Hawai’i (Burlington-Chicago-Maui) than it has been to get to the Caribbean.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 19, 2010)

Thank all.   It looks like we can get to the US Virgin Islands in about 1/3 of the time (and for about 1/3 of the cost of the flight!) that it normally takes us to get to Maui, so I think we'll have to give it a try


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## Numismatist (Dec 19, 2010)

I always fly from Boston to St. Thomas (someetimes with a short stop in San Juan).  $350-$550 is the usual range.


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## RIMike (Dec 22, 2010)

*I really like St Martin*

Deb,

Any non-us territory requires a passport.  Each island in the Caribbean is very different from the others.  I really like St Martin as the best of both worlds. It is half Dutch and half French. It has great resturants, beautiful water, and lots to do if you want to be active. I own at Oyster Bay Beach Resort and it is isolated from a lot of the island which suits me fine.

I have also been to St John (love it), St. Thomas (too American), St Kitts, Aruba, Dominica, Barbados, Grand Caymen...all are nice and have lovely things to offer.  But I still enjoy St Martin the best because it is close to St. Barts, Anquilla (BVI), Saba (another Dutch Island) in addition to what I mentioned above.

Best Wishes,
RIMike


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## Bucky (Dec 22, 2010)

Since I don't see a Marriott in what you own I probably wouldn't count on getting St John or St Thomas during any peak period.  Maybe last minute within flexchange but then the airfares will probably eat you up.  

We have fallen in love with St Maarten.  Some like one side over the other but it really doesn't matter.  We always stay on the Dutch side.  Some of the best restaurants on the island are in the Simpson Bay/Maho/Cupecoy area. Others will extol the virtues of the French side. More beautiful beaches than you will find on most islands and the people are extremely friendly.  It's a 2.5 hr flight non-stop out of Charlotte on US Air.


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## legalfee (Dec 23, 2010)

Bucky said:


> Since I don't see a Marriott in what you own I probably wouldn't count on getting St John or St Thomas during any peak period.  Maybe last minute within flexchange but then the airfares will probably eat you up.
> 
> We have fallen in love with St Maarten.  Some like one side over the other but it really doesn't matter.  We always stay on the Dutch side.  Some of the best restaurants on the island are in the Simpson Bay/Maho/Cupecoy area. Others will extol the virtues of the French side. More beautiful beaches than you will find on most islands and the people are extremely friendly.  It's a 2.5 hr flight non-stop out of Charlotte on US Air.



You're probably right about St John. It's hard to exchange into the Westin. But the Wyndham properties at Elysian and Bluebeards Beach Club can be had in St Thomas.


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## DeniseM (Dec 23, 2010)

The Westin St. John is the hardest of the Starwood resorts to trade into, and because of the Starwood to Starwood priority, if anyone is even crazy enough to deposit one of these $$$ weeks into II, a Starwood owner is likely to get the exchange. 

It sure doesn't hurt to request it, but request others as well.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 23, 2010)

I do wonder if I have the trade power for ANYTHING in the Caribbean!  One thing in our favor (maybe) we can be very flexible on when we go.  When we go to Hawaii we normally rent, so I would be willing to do that if needed.
Having said that, I have had wonderful vacations staying in resorts that aren't as high end as a Marriott or Westin....if it's clean & comfortable and in a nice location, I'm pretty darn happy.  (Loved Trapp Family Lodge, Harbor Ridge and Crag's Lodge for that very reason)  Any recommendations on resorts/time periods I might be able to pull?  I never trade my Port O Call week, usually trade Spicebush, and have over 200K Wyndham points.....
Thx !
Deb


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## m61376 (Dec 24, 2010)

Deb-
As much as you love Maui, you will likely fall in love with the shorter flights to the Caribbean 

I haven't been to St. Lucia, St. Barts and a few others, although I understand they are very pretty, but from the several that I have been to, they are not another Hawaii, but are terrific vacation spots in their own right. Personally, we love Aruba- the residents are very friendly, it is a safe island so we're not restricted to the resort area like at some other locales, there are tons of really good restaurants at moderate price points, and the weather is consistently good year round. It is below the hurricane belt.

Depending on when you go, be careful of the weather- not only for storms, but that it is consistently warm. For example, many Harborside owners have commented that there are certain months of the year when it is frequently chilly. Last year we were on an airport shuttle after a trip to Aruba in Frbruary, and there was a family who was in the Bahamas the same week. We had gorgeous weather; she commented that she wore her boots all week (the temperature was 55 or so).

Something you may want to consider is taking a cruise- a little different type vacation, and you could explore several locales and get a flavor of which one(s) you'd be interested in returning to. Actually, that's how we fell in love with Aruba many years ago.


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## legalfee (Dec 24, 2010)

Deb from NC said:


> I do wonder if I have the trade power for ANYTHING in the Caribbean!  One thing in our favor (maybe) we can be very flexible on when we go.  When we go to Hawaii we normally rent, so I would be willing to do that if needed.
> Having said that, I have had wonderful vacations staying in resorts that aren't as high end as a Marriott or Westin....if it's clean & comfortable and in a nice location, I'm pretty darn happy.  (Loved Trapp Family Lodge, Harbor Ridge and Crag's Lodge for that very reason)  Any recommendations on resorts/time periods I might be able to pull?  I never trade my Port O Call week, usually trade Spicebush, and have over 200K Wyndham points.....
> Thx !
> Deb



Deb, you should be able to trade into either of the Wyndham resorts in St. Thomas - The Elysian or Bluebeards Beach Club. Also if you're near Charlotte US Airways has direct flights every Saturday.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 24, 2010)

Thanks all !  We live only about 1.5 hours from Charlotte, so often fly out of there since it is hard to get to a lot of places from our regional airport  

Now to decide which island to go to..you all have given me so many great options!  (BTW, I would love to try a cruise, but DH gets violently seasick and I've never been able to convince him to try one   )    I'll start researching resorts and see what might be possible for us to pull....will let you know what we find!

Deb


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## normab (Dec 24, 2010)

Having been to all the Maui, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii, and many Carribean islands, I am wondering if you are looking for the beauty or the upscale nature and many shopping/dining activities of Maui?  

For similar lushness I would choose St John or St Lucia.  And St John would be  a tad more "americanized"--my term for catering to american tourists. And having supermarkets that remind you of home.

For activities, shopping and dining I would choose St Martin first followed by Aruba.  Neither island competes with the lushness of any Hawaiian island, but both have alot to do and are fairly americanized.  St Martin has some of the best shopping (both in Phillipsburg and Marigot) and wonderful cuisine.  And the beaches are wonderful.  Also lots of flights available!!

We love St Kitts but it is still new to the tourist industry, and there are fewer restaurant activities and shopping.  It is great if all you want to do is R&R!

Norma


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## Deb from NC (Dec 24, 2010)

normab said:


> Having been to all the Maui, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii, and many Carribean islands, I am wondering if you are looking for the beauty or the upscale nature and many shopping/dining activities of Maui?
> 
> Hmmm..good question.   I'd say first & foremost it's the beauty of the islands that I love-we've made side trips to Lanai, Molokai and Oahu while making our " home base " Maui on prior trips.  It's mostly the beautiful scenery I remember when I go home.  I do almost NO shopping (!) but we do enjoy having some nice meals out.  But we have stayed in very nice resorts on Maui (Westins & Marriott rentals on Kaanapali beach) so I may be a little spoiled by staying at such nice places...certainly nicer than most places we stay in the Continental US !


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## HenryT (Dec 27, 2010)

Deb from NC said:


> normab said:
> 
> 
> > Having been to all the Maui, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii, and many Carribean islands, I am wondering if you are looking for the beauty or the upscale nature and many shopping/dining activities of Maui?
> ...


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## tombo (Dec 29, 2010)

I agree with St Maarten as your best bet. I love Aruba too, but it is a much harder trade to get. You can trade into St Maarten much more easily than Aruba and I think it is a prettier Island overall.


No Carribbean Island matches the lush tropical beauty of Maui or Kauai. And as much as I like Maui, Kauai is the most scenic tropical Island I have ever seen. Having said that I bought and sold an oceanfront timeshare on Kauai because the air travel from the east coast is so brutal. Our last trip to Kauai was 24 hours of travel time from when our alarm went off until we put our key in the door of our room. We decded to sell when we got home.

I now plan on going to St Maarten or Aruba (bought a week in Aruba since it was such a hard trade) most years. I love both for different reasons. The high rise section of Aruba is beautiful with great beach and resorts, restaurants, bars, and activities all within walking distance no matter which resort you stay in. The sidewalk is ocean front connecting all resorts and casinos. It is a great place to arrive and stay for most of the trip. St Maarten is prettier, greener, and more impressive with the mountains rising form the sea and the many great beaches on the island (as opposed to a couple of great Aruba Beaches). There are 2 countries on St Maarten, great shopping and dining, but to see St Maarten you must drive. No matter which resort you stay at you have to leave to see the sights. on St Maarten I am driving to some beach or some attraction every day. In Aruba we don't crank the car most days.

Lush tropical island beauty, St Maarten wins. Relaxing on a beautiful beach and everything you could need a short walk away, Aruba wins. Both are great and both are places I will never tire of visiting. However neither are comparable to the lush tropical Islands of Maui or Kauai IMO. If both were the same distance by plane, I would coose Hawaii every year, but from the east coast it is the Caribbean every year with possible Hawaii trips in the future when our memory of the travel misery fades some more.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks so much all.  Tombo, I know exactly what you mean about the travel misery...historically we have gone to Hawaii about once every 4 years...when the memory of the last miserable flight has faded!  I have yet to make it to Kauai or the Big Island and I REALLY want to visit those..but will have to wait a few years for the misery of the last return flight from Maui fades (we flew home this year with a plane full of coughing, sneezing passengers and promptly got miserably sick when we arrived home! )
We're pretty much booked for 2011 with trips planned to Lake Tahoe, Hilton Head, Seattle & DC, so will probably have to wait 'til 2012 for the Caribbean..at least that will give me lots of time to search II and RCI!
Deb


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