Westin St John Master Thread - Part 3 [Dec. 2017 and forward]

[cubigbird]

Speaking for SB floating, they cannot be booked with check ins before 3/16.

I just tried the villa finder online and can not book anything at all. I'm wondering if they are using my Sunset Bay week to search, but no other phases show available.

 

[Helios]

I only see the calendar showing green starting on 3/16. I own one SB and two VG and that's all I see.

 

[schafercpa]

Going thru withdrawal and could not wait til 2019. Leaving this week for a 7 nite stay. No direct flights from NYC as of time of booking and must connect in Miami. One interesting side note....
Only after purchasing a prepaid AT&T Sim card for my iphone did I find that Verizon now includes the USVI as part of the home network. No more $2.99 a minute calls. Only 3G available and I am sure reception will be spotty but never the less a welcome bit of news! Just remember, before you leave, to make Verizon aware that you will not be traveling to BVI so if and when your signal bounces off one of their cell towers, you will not be hit for extra roaming charges.

 

[TravelTime]

I was looking to by something at WSJ and there are some great deals out there now. However, living on the west coast, the flight time and ferry time to get to St John seems too long and complicated. We have Marriott DC points to stay at St Thomas (the Cove or Ritz Carlton) so I figured we could stay there every 5 years and take the ferry over. I doubt we would visit more than once every 5 years. I know some people do not mind the complicated flight and ferry schedule but my DH hates it. Am I missing something? Should I jump on one of these WSJ deals I am seeing know, given all the uncertainty about the recovery?

 

[LisaH]

I guess it’s a personal decision. For us living in the Bay Area, we think it’s worth the trouble to be in a place as magical as St John. Like you, we are Marriott owners and our first exposure to St John and WSJ was when we stayed at the Marriott St Thomas. Once we saw the island and snorkeled around it, we were hooked! We don’t even mind going there just for one week although some west coast folks (like DavidnRobin) do go for two weeks at a time.

 

[DavidnRobin]

I guess it’s a personal decision. For us living in the Bay Area, we think it’s worth the trouble to be in a place as magical as St John. Like you, we are Marriott owners and our first exposure to St John and WSJ was when we stayed at the Marriott St Thomas. Once we saw the island and snorkeled around it, we were hooked! We don’t even mind going there just for one week although some west coast folks (like DavidnRobin) do go for two weeks at a time.

True - 2 weeks on STJ is >2x better than 1 week. IMO
Our biggest issue with 1 week was by the time we got acclimated (June in STJ is hot and humid) it was almost time to go home.
It is 14.5 hours door-to-door for us (taking red-eye), and we are 10-15 mins from SFO.

TravelTime - Why would you buy if you would only go once every 5 years? Better off renting from an Owner. WSJ is a place to buy to use (except maybe 3Bd VGV Pool Villas in Plat+ season as the SO/MF ratio is quite good - for now...). Good luck.

 

[DavidnRobin]

I reserved and received the confirmation for our VGV weeks in June 2019.
Still no one with early 2019 reservations?

 

[sachia007]

I reserved and received the confirmation for our VGV weeks in June 2019.
Still no one with early 2019 reservations?

We are Feb. 24th - in VGV hillside and it was confirmed.

 

[sachia007]

Going thru withdrawal and could not wait til 2019. Leaving this week for a 7 nite stay. No direct flights from NYC as of time of booking and must connect in Miami. One interesting side note....
Only after purchasing a prepaid AT&T Sim card for my iphone did I find that Verizon now includes the USVI as part of the home network. No more $2.99 a minute calls. Only 3G available and I am sure reception will be spotty but never the less a welcome bit of news! Just remember, before you leave, to make Verizon aware that you will not be traveling to BVI so if and when your signal bounces off one of their cell towers, you will not be hit for extra roaming charges.

When you arrive to STJ, can you let us know if they're letting people walk around Caneel property at all? Really curious if they'll let someone drive/walk in.
Thanks and enjoy.

 

[Markus]

I reserved and received the confirmation for our VGV weeks in June 2019.
Still no one with early 2019 reservations?

I am confirmed in a pool villa for week 1, Friday Jan 4, 2019 check in.

Markus

 

[DavidnRobin]

Thanks.
Has anyone have an early 2019 reservation for the other phases (BV, CV, or SB)?


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[NNerland]

Thanks.
Has anyone have an early 2019 reservation for the other phases (BV, CV, or SB)?


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Yes - we have booked 2 weeks Jan 11-25th in Bay Vista in our 3 bedroom ownership.

 

[cubigbird]

Thanks.
Has anyone have an early 2019 reservation for the other phases (BV, CV, or SB)?


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I can’t book any reservation at WSJ. Not even in Jan 2019 or later. I’m wondering if that is due to my SB ownership and 12 months out usage rights conflicting with the unknown status of the villa repairs.

 

[DavidnRobin]

I can’t book any reservation at WSJ. Not even in Jan 2019 or later. I’m wondering if that is due to my SB ownership and 12 months out usage rights conflicting with the unknown status of the villa repairs.

What it looks like so far - based on reports - is that there have been no early 2019 reservations for CV and SB.
This may be because of unknown status of repairs of these phases at this point. SB was severely damaged from my understanding.


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[cubigbird]

What it looks like so far - based on reports - is that there have been no early 2019 reservations for CV and SB.
This may be because of unknown status of repairs of these phases at this point. SB was severely damaged from my understanding.


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I'm sure you are right. I can't book anything at WSJ at all. It shows green in the villa finder for April 2019 dates but it is not clickable to make a reservation. If I scroll backwards to January, less than 12 months out in my season (1-15, 51, 52) but still in my 12 month booking preference it shows nothing but grey. I'll be curious to see if it allow me to book other phases at 8 months out.

Here's hoping to hear some resolution soon on SB.

 

[DavidnRobin]

I'm sure you are right. I can't book anything at WSJ at all. It shows green in the villa finder for April 2019 dates but it is not clickable to make a reservation. If I scroll backwards to January, less than 12 months out in my season (1-15, 51, 52) but still in my 12 month booking preference it shows nothing but grey. I'll be curious to see if it allow me to book other phases at 8 months out.

Here's hoping to hear some resolution soon on SB.

I can’t recall - have you called Owner Services? What do they say in regards to trying to make a reservation (booked or cannot be reserved?)


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[DavidnRobin]

There is ‘talk’ on FB that currently there is no/little work going on at WSJ.
I have no idea if true or not - this came from someone living on island.
But, surprised if true...
Wonder what WSJ GM Sam Hugli would say about this, and the potential lack of early 2019 reservations for CV and BV?


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[NNerland]

Someone should just call and find out - rather than speculating. I have reservations and it seems like you can book for April 16 and later. I own Bay Vista Phase and even those units say not available.

 

[Helios]

SB still can’t reserve. Calendar is green starting mid April but not clickable.

 

[DavidnRobin]

SB still can’t reserve. Calendar is green starting mid April but not clickable.

Is this based on calling? Or online?


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[LisaH]

SB still can’t reserve. Calendar is green starting mid April but not clickable.

Is this based on calling? Or online?

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My guess is online since it’s not Clickable.

 

[TravelTime]

True - 2 weeks on STJ is >2x better than 1 week. IMO
Our biggest issue with 1 week was by the time we got acclimated (June in STJ is hot and humid) it was almost time to go home.
It is 14.5 hours door-to-door for us (taking red-eye), and we are 10-15 mins from SFO.

TravelTime - Why would you buy if you would only go once every 5 years? Better off renting from an Owner. WSJ is a place to buy to use (except maybe 3Bd VGV Pool Villas in Plat+ season as the SO/MF ratio is quite good - for now...). Good luck.

We decided against buying. At first we thought we might go EOY, but then we looked at how complicated the flights are and reflected on all the problems we had on our last trip to St John. So we decided buying at WSJ is not for us. A big deal breaker was the lack of views at WSJ. Only the hillside villas have some views but we heard they are far off views and some are good and some are just okay. Our only experience with St John was at Caneel Bay and nothing could ever compare to that so we decided we might be disappointed at WSJ. So we will wait until Caneel Bay reopens, if ever, to revisit. Or take day trips from St Thomas.

 

[carpie99]

We decided against buying. At first we thought we might go EOY, but then we looked at how complicated the flights are and reflected on all the problems we had on our last trip to St John. So we decided buying at WSJ is not for us. A big deal breaker was the lack of views at WSJ. Only the hillside villas have some views but we heard they are far off views and some are good and some are just okay. Our only experience with St John was at Caneel Bay and nothing could ever compare to that so we decided we might be disappointed at WSJ. So we will wait until Caneel Bay reopens, if ever, to revisit. Or take day trips from St Thomas.

Where do you stay in St. Thomas? I can't imagine ever staying there for an entire week when WSJ is so close.

 

[tomandrobin]

We decided against buying. At first we thought we might go EOY, but then we looked at how complicated the flights are and reflected on all the problems we had on our last trip to St John. So we decided buying at WSJ is not for us. A big deal breaker was the lack of views at WSJ. Only the hillside villas have some views but we heard they are far off views and some are good and some are just okay. Our only experience with St John was at Caneel Bay and nothing could ever compare to that so we decided we might be disappointed at WSJ. So we will wait until Caneel Bay reopens, if ever, to revisit. Or take day trips from St Thomas.

We own EOY in the Bay Vista Section.......We have a view from our units. I get the travel time/distance thing......its why we have only been to Hawaii twice. Caneel Bay will be many years before its open. There has been zero work done at the resort and when it does, most of the building will need to be razed and start from scratch. And there is still a "if" as to it ever opening back up again (It will, but there are politics and money involved that will drag it out).

 

[TravelTime]

That is so sad to hear about Caneel Bay. It is a St John landmark. I hope things will work out and it will be re-opened one day.