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

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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?