Westin St John Trip Report - Post Reno Aug 2015

[JessI]

This is my very first trip to the Westin St John as an owner and for our inaugural trip there will be 8 of us going for 10 days with 6 adults and 2 teenagers and a baby on the way. We will be staying at the 3BR in BV for a week, and then we extended with my SPG points so we will see what the difference is and what Platinum will get you. I’ve been reading on these forums planning our trip for the past year, so here’s paying it forward.

Here's our brief itinerary: (We're on day 2 so some of this hasn't happened yet so its subject to change.)

Day 1 Friday - Travel and Arrive at STJ

Day 2 Sat - Resort Day

Day 3 Sun - Private charter with Nauti Nymph for 8ppl around St John

Day 4 Mon - Resort Day

Day 5 Tue - Jos Van Dyke BVI w/ Cruz Bay Water Sports

Day 6 Wed - Resort Day with Owner's update

Day 7 Thur - Resort Day

Day 8 Fri - Virgin Gorda BVI w/ Cruz Bay Water Sports

Day 9 Sat - Resort Day

Day 10 Sun - Depart Day


Traveling: Coming from San Francisco, we took the red eye to meet the rest of our party in Orlando. Spent a day there to finish preparing and flew out the following day through Miami to St Thomas. Mind you our trip from Orlando to STT or rather from MIA to STT was quite an adventure with delays after delays. We had a 45 minute layover to attempt to connect, and without the outbound flight delayed it would have been a bit tight. Mid afternoon thunderstorms in MIA will put a stop to all flights and so will missing ground crew. Yup, we were literally sitting on the plane and there was no one around to push us out of the gate. MIA is sadly not all that organized. Oh well but as you can tell. We made it.

Transportation from STT to the Westin: To use the Westin Ferry or not to use the Westin Ferry. That is the question. I have literally been researching this topic for the past year and reading everyone else’s post. The hubby over ruled me and said it was worth the convenience for traveling with 8 ppl. Granted we are a young ok not so young (mid 30’s couple from the bay area that like to travel and we were toting around 4 senior citizens and 2 teenagers. But it just pains me to stomach that it cost us $880 to transport 8 ppl round trip. Here is the Westin Ferry cost for owners. Here is the Westin Ferry cost for non owners. 2 owners at $110 each. 4 adults at $120 each and 2 folks under 17 at $90 each. If we actually landed at our scheduled time at 3pm we were scheduled to take the 5:30 fairy. We didn’t actually land until 7:30pm. Because we booked through the Westin, we didn’t stress out on the plane because we knew they would figure it out for us. I reluctantly have to admit that my husband was right. Something I don’t really do that easily. . .

Here is the pic of the lounge and where you check in. You tag your bags which already have your room number on them and you are all checked in. We sat in the lounge for about 20 min and they had a shuttle that took us to a water taxi launch point which is a bit farther than red hook that is basically on standby for the Westin that then took us over to St John and docked by the National Parks docks in Cruz bay. I think its one bay over from where the public ferry goes. Then a short taxi ride. Normally they would take you to the Westin Dock but that is almost done being refurbished. (All the other renovations are done too and we took pictures of those as well.)

We were greeted with our room key and a gregarious Neil the guy who drives the golf cart and takes care of our luggage and a Fruit punch/Rum punch welcome drink. My favorite welcome drink is still the Westin Moana Surfrider in Waikiki or the St Regis in Princeville in Kauai. Sorry I digress.

Back to Neil who’s awesome. The lobby was a short walk to building 24 but I’m 7 months pregnant and if someone is going to offer to cart me around in the golf cart, I’m going to take it. Plus we got the tour from Neil. When we got to the room, we asked about whether there was an ice machine since there the ice maker was off in the freezer and he said something in his walkie talkie and a ginormous bag of ice showed up 2 minutes later.

After a long travel day, we were a bit hungry and it was 9:35pm which meant the one and only dining option Lemongrass was closed. But there’s room service. I’m surprised that the prices here are more than Hawaii and Cancun, slightly and the selection for late night dining which is from 9:30 - 11pm is pretty limited. Here's the room service menu. The room service at the Westin KORV is pretty yummy and I have high foodie standards from SF.

Well we made it. Don’t know what the view looks like because its dark outside. The master bedroom with the king size bed was a bit smaller and at an angle then what I’m used to at the Westin Cancun Lagunamar and Westin KORV (Pardon my abbreviations. I’m new here and haven’t learned them all yet.)

Time for bed. Until tomorrow.

 

[DavidnRobin]

How's the view?

 

[JessI]

Day 2

Rise and shine. Well here is the view that we woke up to. You can kinda see the water and the lovely crane working on the dock. On the weekend, it wasn't being worked on so it didn't really bother us much but come during the week, it was dredging and dumping.

Here is a pic of the view from our room.

Will edit when we get back from our trip. More pics to come.

 

[JessI]

Day 3 - Must Do Private Boat Tour

We were debating about how best to see the island and with 8 ppl, you can’t really fit everyone into one car. Plus it just didn’t really appeal to us even if it was just 2 of us. You can rent a Dinghy where you can drive yourself around. They come in two sizes, small and large for $200 and $355 for the whole day. The large one has a middle console but they only fit around 4 people. The furthest you can go with the large dinghy on the north side of the island is BLAH bay. Plus you have to drive, and your passengers have to just sit and hang on all day. Not so much fun. We booked a private boat the day before with Naughti Nymph on site at the Westin to take us where ever we wanted to go. Seeing the island by water was the best decision that we made. Everyone had such a great time and none of us are avid snorkelers but you couldn’t get us out of the water. We do plan on taking the Westin St John 2 hour island tour (by land) later in the week.

Private Boat charter for 8 ppl from 8:30am - 4:30pm
30 Foot Center Console Everglades Power Boat
$940 Boat and Captain
$179 Gas 40 Gallons (varies by usage)

We packed our own lunch so that we could maximize the time boating around and seeing things. Otherwise, they will take you to a lunch spot on land and so that you can stop at a restaurant and get something to eat. Basically we told the captain we wanted to see the island, snorkel and hear a bit about the island. Not everyone in our group snorkels and that was ok. There was plenty to see and a good time was had by all. He ended up taking us all around the entire St John, some other near by islands, 6 different snorkel spots, and the option to stop at a beach bar called ABI on St Thomas which we opted not to since it was a bit crowded and we don’t really drink.

Here are the spots that we ended up stopping at
Snorkel #1
Maho bay was busy so we went to WaterLemon Bay for our first snorkel spot. It had some fish but it was good to get in and get used to the water.

Snorkel #2
Salt Pond had less fish, but I did see a Barracuda.

Snorkel #3
Christmas Cove was a great place to just swim.

Snorkel #4
Turtle Bay definitely had other tour boats there looking for turtles. We looked everywhere for turtles and we finally spotted a few after we climbed back on the boat. Figures. . . There were not that many fish.

Snorkel #5
Buck Island We saw a shipwreck. My husband and I are history buffs so we thought we would get to see some old 1800s boat and with a great story behind it. Nope. . . it was a boat that sank in the 1970s due to some drug run or refuge type boat. Boo. BUT, it had the best place to swim with lots of schools of fish. Apparently these fish are familiar with boats and people feeding them so they just hung around our boat. That was a pleasant surprise.

Snorkel #6
Lovango Island had lots of fish of all kinds of varieties and was the last and the best snorkel spot if you want to see a diverse population. This is the spot where there is a single windmill and a fairly new looking house right on shore.

Since the Westin dock was not finished yet we had to catch the boat and get dropped off at the National Parks Dock in town which is a $5 per person cab ride away. Our captain called for our taxi and we headed back to the hotel and straight to the pool bar for a drink and that completed our adventure.

Half the group opted to stay home and take advantage of the grill while the other half went into town to have dinner at Rhumb Lines, a thai caribbean fusion place.

Grill Facilities:
For us the nearest grills were located between building 25 and 26. I was surprised at first to see that there wasn’t any outdoor tables and chairs near the grill to enjoy a nice meal outside like they do have at WKORV and Westin Lagunamar Cancun. Then I remembered the bugs at night so we were happy to go back and hide inside.

Rhumb Lines:
We didn’t have reservations and normally I don’t think you need to but the place was a bit packed from a rather large group . We opted to sit at the bar and was able to do so right away. We had the mango gazpacho, Lobster Tail Tempura, and the coconut shrimp for appetizers. For dinner we had the salmon and the ultimate pad thai which had chicken, beef, and shrimp.

It does run a bit on the spice side, so you can ask them to tone it down. If you are used to the rice noodles being chewy which is how I like them, these were bit stiffer. It was still good but just an FYI. The chef did train in thailand and americanized thai food is very different than actual thai food so this actually may be more authentic.

It was easy to just walk back by the docks and there was always a red westin open aired taxi to be found.

Will add pictures later. On hubby's camera.

 

[bobpark56]

"Some Fish"?!!! I think you missed something.

<snip>
Snorkel #1
Maho bay was busy so we went to WaterLemon Bay for our first snorkel spot. It had some fish but it was good to get in and get used to the water.
<snip>

"Some fish"?!!! You must have been on the wrong side of Watermelon Cay...over where the boats anchor.

We have never seen less than "many" fish between the cay and the near shore. Indeed, last October there were millions...streams of shiny sardine-like fish with 4 to 5-foot tarpons gliding up & down through them, presumably feeding.
And when swimming from the shoreline over toward the cay, we found many colorful fish of various varieties, including numerous large colorful parrot fish...and a turtle. And the coral was quite pretty and plentiful. Did you miss that? (The only place I know of with more impressive coral is Haulover Bay North.)

We can't wait to go back. I would hate to see your report discouraging others from giving Leinster Bay (where Waterlemon Cay is) a try.

 

[LisaRex]

We've been to Waterlemon twice. The first time was reportedly amazing. They saw tons of fish, barracuda and an octopus. The second time, the extreme current made it extremely difficult to navigate. My husband gave up swimming around the cay because the current kept pushing him back.

So I think your enjoyment at any of these spots varies greatly based on the ocean conditions.

I would also second the private charter recommendation, if you can swing the price tag. FYI, if you have 6 passengers or less, your trip will be quite a bit less than what the OPer paid. We chartered Island Roots with Capt Jason Siska and paid $750, including gas, + tip for all day trip. We paid a bit more for gas because we wanted to do a bit of boating in between.

When you go above 6 passengers, the boat has to be inspected, etc., so that drives the price up.

 

[LisaH]

I think the prices are quite comparable.
Island Roots: $750/6 ppl, $125 each
Naughti Nymph: $940/8 ppl, $118 each.

 

[LisaRex]

I think the prices are quite comparable.
Island Roots: $750/6 ppl, $125 each
Naughti Nymph: $940/8 ppl, $118 each.

Yes. but you're assuming that you are traveling at capacity. And my quote included gas, while the NN quote was exclusive of gas. If you add in gas, the NN was $1119. Note that most private charters charge a flat rate whether it's 1 person or the max.

So let's take my most recent trip, where it was just us and another couple. On Island Roots, it cost us $750 total, or $187.50pp or $375/couple. Had we chosen the Nauti Nymph, it would have cost $1119 or $280.00pp or $559.50 a couple. That's almost $200 more per couple.

Of course, NN might hold a lot more people, so if you're booking for a crowd, the larger boat makes much more sense. But, generally speaking, for 6 or less, it's most cost effective to book a smaller boat.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Never used Nauti Nymph - but see them all over (do they have multiple boats?)

Jason (Island Roots) is a great charter Captain - and very professional, personable, and down-to-earth. We have done 3 charters w/ Jason (and only singles w/ many other charter companies). He grew up on St John - went to U Chicago - appeared on Survivor (16th season), and moved back to St John and took over Island Roots after the previous owner passed away. He lives very simply in a home he is building by Kiddel Bay while building-up Island Roots as one of the highest rated charters in StJ. If you book Island Roots - I suggest to do so well in advance. Island Roots has one of few morning permits for Hurricane Hole - if you have the opportunity to snorkel the mangroves in HH - please be purposely extra gentle.

btw - there has been a recent change in the USVI/BVI 6-PAC rules that will alter boat capacity rules. Not sure of the details since it does not impact us directly. Perhaps someone here can better explain.

Re: Waterlemon - as with all places be extremely cautious in the water - especially the back side of cays. Pay attention to the moon phase as currents are stronger during new and full moons. We had a near drowning incident at Watermelon a couple of years ago (after being there several times) - that could have easily turned to tragedy. Luckily, we had someone (another Tugger) with us that was able to rescue our friends since he had open-water rescue training. The charter captain (not Jason) was not paying attention and didn't see us being pulled by the current (~4mph), and could not hear our yelling.
After a life-altering experience in Kauai - I use a snorkel vest (self inflatable), and do not care how dorky I look. I was glad to have my snorkel vest during the Waterlemon incident (things can go bad quickly), and now very cautious of snorkeling with others unless they are wearing a vest. I also carry a water whistle now on advice of our hero Tugger after the charter captain said he couldn't hear us.

Back to Jason... he will track currents and drift float with the snorkelers if needed (saving a lot of energy), and for every nook/cranny in the USVI/BVI he knows what directions to snorkel and plan accordingly, and what too watch for (fish, corals) in the area.

 

[LisaH]

David, Excellent feedback on Island Roots! As a side note (OP, sorry for getting off the topic), we have a tour scheduled with Island Roots next Wed, Aug 12. Currently we have four and are still looking for 2 more. Please let me know if anyone is interested in joining us.

 

[JessI]

Private Charters

Thanks for the great advice David. Here is the link to the FAQ page for Island Roots. Unfortunately, Island Roots won't take any more than 6 ppl and this time we have 8. Just means next time we come we're going to have to conveniently lose a couple. We are definitely excited to try them the next time around.

Naughti Nymph has various boat sizes and we went with the slightly larger one to accommodate 8 ppl. The boat that holds 6 people max is a little cheaper. Here is the list of pricing for the Naughti Nymph. It is a flat price for each boat size with a max capacity.

On another note about renting a dinghy. I would not go with that route. We rode on many a dinghy's today when we went on the Island Spirit with Cruz Bay Watersports to JVD today since they had to use that to ferry us back and forth from the shore to the boat in many locals.

It is very uncomfortable. I can't imagine renting that for a 1/2 day let alone a full day. You have to drive it yourself. You're sitting on the side of the boat hanging on the entire time so you can't really sit back, relax and enjoy the view because you might tumble out. The fumes were a bit strong depending on the way the wind was blowing so I would not opt for this option. Also, ocean boating experience is required and 4ppl maximum no matter what size. My father in law sails and has been on his water his whole life and has rented bare boat in the VI before, owns 3 boats and we still opted not to do the dinghy's.

Here's the link but I also pasted the info below.


Duration:
Half or Full Days
Time:
Half Day Rental
(9am-12pm or 1pm-4pm)

Full Day Rental
(9am - 4pm)
Price:
12ft
Half day FROM $115 includes gas
Full day FROM $170 includes gas
14ft.
Half day FROM $185 includes gas
Full day FROM $275 includes gas
16ft
Half day From $255 includes gas
Full day From $355 includes gas

 

[Helios]

Magic Moments

Has anyone tried Magic Moments?

 

[DavidnRobin]

No, but I hear you can get magic mushrooms (Legal?) in the BVI - see Bomba's Shack Full Moon Party on Tortola...

What is Magic Moments?
Charter? Wedding Planner?

 

[Helios]

Magic Moments

Boat excursions from the USVI - http://www.yachtmagicmoments.com

They look pretty nice, not sure if they are worth the cost.

 

[JessI]

Day long Boat excursions to Jos Van Dyke (JVD) and/or Virgin Gorda (VG)

Day long Boat excursions to Jos Van Dyke (JVD) and/or Virgin Gorda (VG)

The two boat companies I saw the most were Cruz Bay which is located on site at the Westin and Bad Kitty.

They go to similar places but have some very distinct differences that once you know what they are you will tend to fall into one camp or the other.
If you want to see both JSV and VG all in one day and check the box that you did it, then you will probably prefer Bad Kitty. With Cruz bay, these are done on two different boat trips which we preferred the more leisurely relaxed way of seeing the sights. Granted it was more expensive but we get more time at each spot. Also, our fee included lunch and all customs fees so we did not have to have separate cash for that unlike Bad Kitty. JVD $180 ($120 + $40 customs $20 lunch at Foxy's) . VG $200 ($140 + $40 customs + $20 lunch)

Bad Kitty uses a catamaran (no sail) and there boat goes a little faster and is more of a cattle call. Lots of people piled in a boat. When you go to Virgin Gorda. You have to swim to the shore to get to the baths. They also make you were the yellow snorkel vest. Not sure if you don’t like to swim how you would see the baths and if you have a nice camera like my husband does how you would get out there. Its a short swim but if you are not a water person than your out of luck. You spend some time splashing in Devils Bay which is beautiful. I could sit there forever. I think they walk through the baths, and then turn around and come back and get back on the boat. They go to cooper island for lunch, Norman Island for a quick snorkel to the caves, a stop at JVD to the Soggy Bottom Bar but barely enough time to actually go and get a drink (about 30-40min) and then back home.

For Cruz Bay we did JVD on a Tuesday. The continental breakfast (cinnabons and really good fruit) was surprisingly good. They served the better brand of juices and the crew was awesome. We sailed on the catamaran that also had a sail. My father in law, got to drive the boat a bit which made his day and Captain Doug was great on the Island Spirit. We stopped by Maho bay to snorkel, then went to Foxy’s for lunch which was alright and had some time to browse a shop or two. Then around the corner to white bay and had 1.5 hours to swim, sit on the beach, get a drink at the Soggy Bottom, or splash around by the boat. It was pretty but very crowded with all the other day trippers there. Then we headed back to the main dock, go through customs, and get dropped back off at the Westin.

I would recommend in the morning before you depart you get to the Cruz bay desk by Westin Pool 15-30 min early to fill out your paper work so you can get on the boat first and pick a good seat. We only had 25-30 ppl on both trips and it was great. They provide snorkels but we brought our own.

We visted VG on Friday on island Time another boat with Cruz Bay again with Captain Doug. It was a monohull power boat that fits about 74 people. We only had 31 so it was plenty roomy. Typically they said they have 50 ppl. We sailed directly to VG that took about 1 hour 45 min since it is one of the furthest BVI. They take your lunch order before you get off the boat. We dock on the island and take a 10 min taxi ride to the baths. The crew will guide you through the baths. We hike 15 min down hill to devil’s bay and see the Bad Kitty people swimming. We get about 15-20min to splash in devil’s bay then they walk us through the baths one way and end up at the poor mans’ bar for about 10-15 min to get a drink splash in the water and head up to the Top of the Baths for lunch. From poor mans’ bar to the top is a really short walk. You could choose to go down to the baths the shorter way down and then go through the baths on your own and come back up the 15 min hike but then that becomes uphill.
The walk through the baths is not the leisurely stroll that I pictured. You climb up and down and around stuff. I did it being 31 weeks pregnant. But let’s just say it was’t as easy as I thought it was going to be.

We had lunch, time to enjoy the view, visit a shop and then head back on the taxi to the boat to head to Norman Island and snorkel in the 3 caves for about an hour before we headed back.


We used Cruz Bay for both our trips and found a 10% off coupon in the Destination magazine that they handed us as we got on the plane in Miami. i haven’t seen one of those on the island yet. This discount is better than the discount you get through the Westin when you stop by the concierge which is $10 off every other person.