Day Pass in St Thomas

[Mahou]

We will be in St Thomas for a day as part of a cruise trip.
As a Marriott owner, but not at this resort, can I get a day pass ???

thanks

 

[dioxide45]

Can't speak for Frenchman's Cove, but I have been on cruises before where some of the guests spent the day at the Frenchman's Reef. I don't know the cost or if it was just based on consumption. I would think the selection of restaurants and bar service may be better at the hotel than at the timeshare property.

 

[jimf41]

Frenchman's Cove probably wouldn't know what you were talking about if you asked for a day pass as I don't think they get many requests for them. Best way to find out is call or Email the resort. If they do give you one they have a nice gym with showers and lockers.

The Reef doesn't give day passes but the beaches in St Thomas are all public so anyone can use them and they all have public access. At the hotel beach they charge for chairs and umbrellas, about $25 a day I believe, and they serve food and drink on the beach and at the hotel bar. No access to lockers or a shower though.

If your party is big enough to share costs you can get a room at the Reef and that gives you full access to the hotel pools and a room with a shower.

 

[bazzap]

I have seen posts on Cruisecritic suggesting cruise passengers can get a day pass there for $35.
It was not clear whether this was for the Cove or for the Reef.
They offer something similar in St Kitts where we own.
I must admit that MVC owners getting a day pass, even those owning at another resort is one thing, but cruise passengers getting a day pass I am far less comfortable with.
Yes, I accept that the resort wants their cash and it may? help fund some maintenance / development.
However, unless the resort imposes very strict control on how many passes they will issue the sheer number of potential cruise passengers coming in is a potential for a nightmare scenario.
St Kitts currently has far fewer cruise ships arriving daily than St Thomas (I was amazed by the number we saw when we stayed at the Cove), but the numbers are rising rapidly.
In all of our stays at St Kitts, I must admit that we have only experienced a problem once when hundreds of extra people appeared at the resort turning a quiet place into something entirely different.
We subsequently learnt from the resort management that these were cruise passengers.
All I can say is that once was one time too many.

 

[FractionalTraveler]

You can somewhat plan to avoid the cruise ship passengers by looking at the monthly cruise ship arrivals schedule online and plan accordingly.

As an example, we usually plan to go to Meagan's bay or Saint John's beaches on days with little cruise ship traffic. Otherwise we just go in the afternoon (3PM) or so and most have left back to the ship already. If it were to happen at resorts in the same way, we would just plan around it by scheduling other activities. Not a big deal for us.

FT

 

[Mahou]

Day passes for owners

Barry,

I saw many people from the cruise ships when we were in St Kitts. They all arrived with their ship beach towels ! This is where my idea came from !

I thought as owners we might be able to get a day pass to any of the reports in the system, ideally for no cost or at least a minimal cost.

We have a day pass for the Spanish resorts as owners. I guess all the resorts provide this option for their home resort owners

Perhaps this would be a nice low cost benefit for owners. Something like an ID card that gives owners access to all the resorts in the program to use the resorts facilities for the day

Is this an idea worth pushing up the MVCI chain of command ???

 

[bazzap]

Yes Mahou, I know too that for at least one of our Spanish resorts they have a clear policy on day passes for owners, documenting when and on what basis they will be issued.
This could easily be the basis for other resorts offering the benefit, as you suggest

FT, I agree, when we stayed at the Cove we planned all of our off resort activities around the cruise ship schedule.
On the busiest days though, when there were half a dozen cruise ships in port and 20,000 or more passengers on the island all we wanted to do was chill out at the resort.
At these times, I really would appreciate the resort being for the owners and guests only, plus what might be a very limited number of other owners visiting with day passes.

 

[SMB1]

Barry,

I saw many people from the cruise ships when we were in St Kitts. They all arrived with their ship beach towels ! This is where my idea came from !

I thought as owners we might be able to get a day pass to any of the reports in the system, ideally for no cost or at least a minimal cost.

We have a day pass for the Spanish resorts as owners. I guess all the resorts provide this option for their home resort owners

Perhaps this would be a nice low cost benefit for owners. Something like an ID card that gives owners access to all the resorts in the program to use the resorts facilities for the day

Is this an idea worth pushing up the MVCI chain of command ???

I'm pretty sure the resorts that offer day passes do so on an discretionary basis. On days that a resort is sold out and the amenities are crowded they may not give out any day passes.

 

[MALC9990]

I have seen posts on Cruisecritic suggesting cruise passengers can get a day pass there for $35.
It was not clear whether this was for the Cove or for the Reef.
They offer something similar in St Kitts where we own.
I must admit that MVC owners getting a day pass, even those owning at another resort is one thing, but cruise passengers getting a day pass I am far less comfortable with.
Yes, I accept that the resort wants their cash and it may? help fund some maintenance / development.
However, unless the resort imposes very strict control on how many passes they will issue the sheer number of potential cruise passengers coming in is a potential for a nightmare scenario.
St Kitts currently has far fewer cruise ships arriving daily than St Thomas (I was amazed by the number we saw when we stayed at the Cove), but the numbers are rising rapidly.
In all of our stays at St Kitts, I must admit that we have only experienced a problem once when hundreds of extra people appeared at the resort turning a quiet place into something entirely different.
We subsequently learnt from the resort management that these were cruise passengers.
All I can say is that once was one time too many.

I'm just guessing here, but at St Kitts the TS resort is integrated with the hotel, so I'm guessing that any cruise passengers visiting for the day were actually welcomed by the hotel management and paying the hotel for the visit. TS guests at St. Kitts would therefore just be inconvenienced without any benefit. Unfortunately I would guess that cruise passengers visiting the hotel for the day provide a good income for not too much expense for the hotel.

The Cove is well separated from the Reef in St. Thomas and so again my guess would be that any cruise passengers would be at the Reef rather than at the Cove - there being far fewer facilities at the Cove than at the Reef.

I believe the day pass facility for owners at resorts in Spain (mainland only not Son Antem in Majorca) are only for owners at the specific resort and again any guests they bring are limited. I do not believe that day passes are available in Son Antem - although golfers do come in but are paying to use the golf course and club house facilities. The Son Antem Spa now requires a villa door key to gain access as does the fitness room.

Like you I'm not a fan of day passes for cruise passengers - on our visit to St Kitts, we regularly spent the day at the Carambola Beach Club which was great on days when no cruise ship was docked but on days when there was a cruise ship in we avoided the place after the first experience when the place was overrun with passengers who were a right royal pain in the ass.

 

[jont]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but i always thought you had to be an owner at the specific resort to get a day pass, not just a Marriott owner in general. For example, I own at Oceanwatch in MB but I can't get a day pass for any of the HHI Marriotts since I down "own" there.

 

[Janette]

I love Frenchman's Cove and can't wait to get back in January but I really don't know why you would want to spend your one day on STT there unless you know someone you are visiting. The day passes on HHI are just for owners at the resort.

 

[jme]

St Thomas options

The Morningstar Beach (down the hill from Frenchman's Reef Hotel
and opposite side of the hill from Frenchman's Cove Resort) is one of my
favorite small beaches on St. Thomas....beautiful water and sand, and the
waves just roll in easily....very relaxing, plus there's the restaurant there and
several back up at the hotel. The view out to sea is very nice. More of a
semi-private beach, so that's good too. And the pools there are absolutely wonderful.

PICS BELOW, but more info below that!

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POOL at MORNINGSTAR:

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The beach at Frenchman's Cove Resort is somewhat disappointing
because it's small and the view is limited by the hill/cliffs below the hotel,
but the pools there are great. If you could get a day pass there it would be nice,
just for the pools.

The Frenchman's Reef Hotel pool and deck overlook have the best
views around because of its lofty perch atop the hill. The views out to sea
and into Charlotte Amalie are unsurpassed, although Frenchman's Cove's view
of Charlotte Amalie is nice. My lingering best memories of St. Thomas include
that view off the pool area toward the sea, surrounding mountains,
and Charlotte Amalie.

PICS BELOW, more info below that.

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Megan's Bay on the other side of the island is amazing.....
perennially listed as one of the top beaches in the world by Travel Channel,
and not too crowded. It's a drive, but worth it....the views along the way from
various look-outs are spectacular. 2 pics below:

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[jont]

Marty
You're killing me with these pictures! The first day back to work is hard enough, then I see all these beautiful pictures.

 

[dioxide45]

The Reef doesn't give day passes but the beaches in St Thomas are all public so anyone can use them and they all have public access. At the hotel beach they charge for chairs and umbrellas, about $25 a day I believe, and they serve food and drink on the beach and at the hotel bar. No access to lockers or a shower though.

This is what I beleive the cruise passengers were doing on the cruise we were on that stopped in St Thomas. They just used the beach and were able to order food/beverage from the hotel but didn't have access to the facilities.

I have never been to Frenchman's Cove or the Reef, but with all the fabulous beaches in St Thomas and St John, I can't imaging spending the day at either of these two resorts.

If it were me, I would plan a trip to St John and Trunk Bay. Many of the cruise likes either offer a beach break tour that will take you to Cruise Bay on St John where you can catch a taxi. Or they offer a shopping tour where you just skip the shopping and take a taxi to the beach once on St John.

I'm just guessing here, but at St Kitts the TS resort is integrated with the hotel, so I'm guessing that any cruise passengers visiting for the day were actually welcomed by the hotel management and paying the hotel for the visit. TS guests at St. Kitts would therefore just be inconvenienced without any benefit. Unfortunately I would guess that cruise passengers visiting the hotel for the day provide a good income for not too much expense for the hotel.

I think you are spot on with this assessment. The hotel is earning income from those day passes at the inconvenience of hotel and the timeshare guests. Though I suppose if the hotel is being profitable, it is good overall. Though it may not always make for a pleasant day to be at the pool when hoards of cruise ship passengers come rolling in.

 

[Johnfi]

Cruise Critic has an article on day passes at various Caribbean Resorts http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1100 and mentioned the Reef for $35/day for chairs and towels but no pool access. Umbrellas are extra even for hotel guests. ViNow also has a list of beaches and services http://www.vinow.com/stthomas/beaches_stt/ and on the top of the site it also the all-important cruise ship schedule! It will give you an idea of how crazy the crowds will be.

We are owners at MFC and almost always walk over (or take the Cove shuttle) to Morningstar Beach rather than sit on the beach at the Cove. We see non-hotel guests at Morningstar that just bring their own blanket and towel and enjoy the beach for free. They have 2 bars and a restaurant on the beach and bathrooms but no showers.

If you have never done St John trips I highly suggest that and if you just want a few hours on a beach after maybe some shopping in CA - Take a taxi to Morningstar or even use the Ferry (same $ as a taxi and no traffic) from CA to the Reef and walk to Morningstar beach.

Enjoy!

 

[bazzap]

Well found. This article explains the situation very clearly.
As you surmised Malcolm, the co-location of the hotel and vacation club at St Kitts explains the cruise passenger presence at St Kitts Beach Club.
Fortunately, most of them use the vast beach or main pool rather than the smaller pools the MVC villas are located around.
I guess it is not an issue at Frenchman's Cove as there is a clear separation from the hotel, which is fortunate as the MVC beach and pool are much smaller.
For me, if I were in St Thomas on a cruise stop I would choose
- if there was enough time, getting over to St John I just loved it there
- going to Megan's Bay or perhaps one of the other quieter beaches on the island
- Frenchman's Cove if I had friends staying there.
Have a great time whatever you choose.