Caribbean vacation -again! (cruise, rentals, airline, snorkel)

[toobusytoday]

My trip - My husband is turning 50 in December and I would like to suprise him with a Carribean vacation for just the two of us. For a few reasons, I'm planning on doing it in April of next year and will book the flight sometime in the next month to get a low rate. I am still deciding on an Island. Instead of hijacking another thread I thought I would start my own to get more input.

After spending way too much time reading a couple of travel books and travel forums I have to sadly conclude that Jamaica may well be too unsafe to visit. And so far, I haven't been able to talk myself into Puerto Rico even though it seems that the flight there would be the easiest and least expensive from where I live in PA. My criteria is that I want a direct flight from either Newark (NOT JFK or LaGuardia) or Philadelphia and I don't want to spend more than $1200 total for flights for the two tickets - including the "extra" charges. Oh, and no all inclusive stuff, we want to explore, not sit around and drink. My husband also likes to dive and I prefer wimpy snorkeling. I would be happy hanging out alone on his day or two of diving.

So, the only other really fun alternative I've come up with is the US Virgin Islands, which STT mentioned on the other thread. It took me a little while to realize your screen name, STT, is also the airline code for St. Thomas! I think it might be fun to stay a few days at St. Thomas and then a few more at St. Johns. Any insight from you, STT, would be very welcome.

We have visited St. John's and I believe Virgin Gorda ten years ago on a Windjammer Cruise and enjoyed them both very much.

Any suggestions of other islands or information about the USVI's would be appreciated.

[STT Resident]

toobusytoday: I think STT would be an excellent choice for you and it's only a ten minute ferry ride to St John (no "s') so you can pop over there for day trips (there's both a passenger ferry and a car barge from the Red Hook ferry terminal.) Accommodation is generally less expensive on STT than on STJ and my suggestion would be to go to ..VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner® Vacation Homes Rentals by Owner (http://www.vrbo.com - broken link) and check out condo rentals at Sapphire/Crystal Cove. Sapphire Beach is beautiful and the location is perfect. The advantage to renting a condo is that you'll have a nice kitchen so you can make your own breakfasts, lunches and even a couple of dinners if you choose. Also check out Secret Harbour.

No worries about all-inclusive. There are only a couple of places which offer AI here for good reason. There is so much to do outside the confines of any resort and getting around by car is easy. We drive on the left but it's easy to get used to very quickly as the maximum speed limit is 35mph and for the most part you'll be doing 25!

You don't need a passport to come here but upon re-entry to the mainland you do need to carry - if you don't have a passport - a raised seal birth certificate and a government-issued photo (i.e. state driver's license) and the same goes for entry by boat to the British Virgin Islands if you wanted to take a charter or ferry over there.

Chris Sawyer is an excellent dive operation and you can check out his website at Chris Sawyer Diving Center St. Thomas and St. John US Virgin Islands. Your husband will be very happy!

Well, that should give you a leg-up and feel free to ask away about anything else. This has been my home for 25 years. Cheers!

[toobusytoday]

STT, I started looking at the VRBO listings a few days ago, probably due to your suggestion on the tripadvisor forum. We do usually stay at apartments or places with kitchens so the vrbo site is excellent. I found this one: Beachfront Vacation Condo Dorthea Beach St. Thomas, Virgin Islands - Condo (http://www.vrbo.com/182608 - broken link) Do you know anything about the location? We kind of like staying in unique places when we vacation and this looked pretty cool. What do you think? I loved the idea of walking to Neltjeberg beach.

I've bookmarked the dive recommendation - thank you.

[STT Resident]

toobusytoday: I confess that I haven't been to Dorothea in a few years but it's a nice location and very quiet. As I remember the condos have some age on them but are well maintained and this one looks very tempting! It goes without saying that you'll want to rent a car/Jeep wherever you stay and their offer of having a rental Jeep waiting for you is just perfect. Seems like a winner to me. Cheers!