Advice from someone who just moved to STX

Thank you for the advice. I am moving from Michigan next month and I am debating whether to ship a vehicle from Miami or try to purchase something on island.

I have two questions:

Did they allow you to pack anything in your vehicle? I have previously read on this website it is a good way to get things here. I've also heard not to leave anything valuable in your vehicle and that some shippers won't allow you to leave anything in your car.

My second question is, did you clear the vehicle and register it yourself or hire someone to do it? I understand the process can be cumbersome at best and that it may be worth it to pay someone local to handle the process for you.

Thank you!

Tropical allows 30 cubic feet per vehicle. That doesn't seem like much until you figure that is 10 U-haul medium boxes. One of our cars was a minivan and we had trouble getting all 30 cubic feet in it. I don't think you can do it in a regular car. Tropical told us to keep the boxes below the windows. We numbered each box and gave Tropical a list of what was in each box. We paid a little extra for them to deal with customs on the stateside end. We even packed a tv in a box an put it in the van. It made the trip just fine.

The van did not have customs issues on this end as it is US made. My Triumph on the other hand was comical. The young lady at customs did not know what the car was. She had to confir with someone in the back for about 15 minutes. She came out and told me it was going to cost some outrageous price to clear the car. I told her no. She then decided that the car needed to be visually inspected. Tropical brought it around to customs. EVERYBODY had to come look at it. She quoted another (cheaper) price and I said ok.

We then drove both cars to the insurance company. We bought insurance on both of them. The insurance people have "a guy" who for $40 per car take care of the registration. We paid it. We then drove the cars home. I'm pretty sure that part was illegal, but we did it anyway. That night the insurance agent brought me the plates, registrations and titles. We were done. The locals told us that if we tried to do this ourselves it would be a long involved process that could take days. That's why we used the "guy".

Hope this helps.

Thanks Ric!! Great Info.

I wanted to add a note. I had a friend who was moving from the USVI (international move) ... in any case was concerned about the amount of "getting thrown around" would be involved when things were mailed and in flight... bought rubbermade boxes the ones that look like rectangular trash cans sort of with a lid... and packed stuff in those and used heavy grey duct tape to tape it up... it looked aweful but worked- the dishes didn't even break, as I was told!!!!

I have shipped items in regular boxes both priority which of course is more $$ and regular mail and book rate... the quicker it gets where its going the better the condition the box seemed to be and of course the contents... So if its better items that you don't want to take a chance on - consider priority mail... and insurance on the contents.

A tip: Use cloths and towels and sheets - things you will need as packing... rather then wasting space with packing bubbles... if you have little nic-nacks that you are bringing - small ones like your favorite x-mas ornaments, little figurines (things that will remind you of home and make you feel less shocked like Ric said), put them in socks... you need the socks and its good packing... wrap framed pictures in shirts, towels... put harder items on the sides and more delicate items in the center so if the box gets a hard hit the harder items like books can take the blow... very very delicate items take with you the plane... you can pay extra to have an extra bag - check with your airline on the prices and requirements.

--Islander

Thanks for the nice report. I laughed when you talked about the Triumph. I don't know what model you have, but you must love it very much to take it to the islands, I bought my son a Triumph Spitfire some years ago...and then I bought him a second one for parts and repairs. Great looking car... I hope your's survives the rust and wear that is inevitable in the Virgin Islands. You should tell customs is worth about $11 after you subtract the labor and effort you give to keep it running...lol. Best of luck in your new adventure...

Islander,

Good advice about the mail. In working for an airline we ship a lot of mail because most comercial carriers have a cargo contract with USmail. And your friend was right about the amount of "throwing around" things recieve, and yes, there is a big difference between priority and just regular mail. I have horror stories about bags/mail and the airlines but I won't go into detail, I will say this though. You can't go wrong with hard sided luggage and don't overstuff. If it weighs a lot and is overstuffed, (I see split zippers on a daily basis) your probably going to have problems. When packing your checked bags for your move remember the TSA! If your trying to sneak a weapon to the VI in your checked luggage and don't tell the airlines, there is a really good chance you'll get caught. Don't bother locking your bags to protect your valuables because they (TSA) have bolt cutters for just such an occasion. WASH YOUR SHOES! If you are taking a lot of shoes with you and one pair happens to be for yard work and you have lawn fertilizer on them and your bag and the items (including all shoes) get swabbed for explosive detection. The fertilizer will test positive and your bag will be held. I see tons of those rubbermaid boxes (duct tape and all) and they are great for protecting your fragile items. That is good advice!

Also remember that airlines (due to employee injuries) are now charging for bags over 50 pounds. 25 dollars for 51-70 lbs. 80 bucks for 71-100lbs and anything over a 100 must be shipped cargo. Excess luggage usually starts around $40 for the first bag and, depending on the carrier, will increase with each additional bag. Example...First 2 checked are free, 3rd is $40, then the next 2 additional bags are $80 each, after that it goes up and up...Some airlines are less or more depending on the carrier but that about sums it up. If your really lucky, you'll get a disgruntled employee who is too agravated (or lazy) to charge the fees and you can slide by that way, but don't use that horrible line "but they didn't charge me when I was leaving...(fill in city here)." If you say that, just go ahead and get your money out cause you blew it.

Oh wow, I just got home from work, is it obvious? Sorry, Hope the baggage price info helps those of you relocating...And yes, go priority mail. It does make a HUGE difference.

All,
This post has been a huge help! I will begin packing and shipping items for my move this week. I bought a new vehicle - a Ford Ranger - as the old VW was a POS. I decided it would have cost more money to fix it up and ship it than it was worth. With the new American-made vehicle, it's less money to ship, plus the 3-year warranty will eliminate some of the anxieties I had about repairs. Although I’ll miss my little VW convertible, I'm really comfortable and happy with the decision I made to do this.

I've researched shipping the vehicle, and yes, Tropical is who I've decided to use. They have been recommended several times on this site and they have they are the most inexpensive. I plan to insure the car for an extra $300. I've also checked into insurance for the car once it gets to the island. My question is whether or not I can purchase this insurance ahead of time? It seems that it would side-step some of the hassles once on the island. Also, since the truck is brand new (I've never had a NEW car before) - I'd like to keep it that way - unscratched, untouched. I don't care if the car is double or triple insured. I just want it to arrive in my hands the same way I sent it!

Also, now that we have the truck, I suppose packing the truck with items is out of the question. I can, perhaps put some things inside the cab behind the passenger seat, but the rest seems like a waste of space now. Oh well. =) I'm not bringing much to the island with me. Just clothes and a few other things. So priority mail is the way to go? Not FED EX or UPS? I realize they are more pricey, but wouldn't my packages arrive sooner? Just wondering what your thoughts are.

Thanks for all the info.
~S

The info that Tropical will send you tells about packing pickup trucks. I didn't pay that much attention to it because I don't have one. Remember, you can bring two suitcases. We each had one that was primarily clothes and the other was primarily stuff. It's amazing how much clothing you can get in a suitcase when you don't have all that bulky winter stuff to pack. Make sure you weigh your suitcases or you'll run into the problems that elle rock mentioned. I think you will be surprised how heavy 50 pounds really is. We didn't use UPS or Fedex because we weren't in that big a hurry to get our stuff. We did a little touristing on the way from Louisville to Florida. BTW, remember Tropical ships from Riveria Beach. It's way north of Miami. We didn't and had decided to visit South Beach for a couple of days. We spent the better part of one day just driving back and forth. It was a bit of a pain.

SDaughter,
Just wanted to make sure you knew the rules about sending a "new" vehicle... you've got to have the title in hand - which basically means you can't have a lien on it. And that means it's got to be paid for.
I only say this because most people don't buy cars outright these days, but I'm hoping you're one of the exceptions.
May God bless you with your move, we'll be heading down in Oct to STX.
Tim & Julie

Priority Mail is fine... FedEx and UPS are going to add up fast!! Priority mail will get there in a few days which is fine... regular mail or book rate takes several weeks...

--Islander

Tim & Julie,
(Wish I could afford to purchase a vehicle outright!) As far as I know, a notarized letter of release from the lienholder is also acceptable to move the vehicle. At least I hope this is true. I did speak with the dealership on this matter before I purchased the vehicle. Many thanks for your good wishes and good luck with your move as well!!

~S

Thanks Islander. Good to know that I can receive my articles in a few days.
Do you think it is possible to purchase insurance for the vehicle ahead of time? I should have asked the people from Guardian when I had them on the phone the other day. You're always so helpful! Many thanks!!!

~S

Well that's cool! I didn't know they'd allow you to do that... 🙂
Have a great time in your new truck! -Tim

Hello! I need advice on relocating. I am a retired minister and will be seeking a place to live with my wife and 2 small dogs. In addition, I have a 99' dodge grand caravan. Hopefully, I can gain employent to perform weddings at either a hotel / resort, a charter / cruise line or perhaps a local travel agency handling tourists wishing to marry there. We don't know a single soul there, much less employment opportunities. If anyone can Email us advice on ANY subject regarding life in that area of the world, like which island is less expensive to live, travel back & forth to work or the islands conditions, weather reports, recommendations about anything, etc. All will be greatly appreciated. What kind of clothes to bring, winter weather, just about anything to ensure we are going to be OK there. Thank You & God Bless!

Buy the Settler's Handbook. It will answer many of your questions. Look at the top of this board for more information. Then go back and look at the archived discussions. Ask specific questions here and you will get answers. We planned our move for several years and this board was a great help. To answer your questions. I think St Croix is probably the least expensive as for as cost of living goes. St John is very expensive. I'm not sure, but I think St Thomas is a little more expensive than STX. As far as clothes go, bring about 1/2 of what you think you will need. Shorts, T-shirts, golf shirts and some sport shirts. Lots of shorts. A few pair of long pants. Sandles, tennis shoes and a pair of dress shoes ought to do it. For church and formal occasions you will need a lightweight suit and tie. Bring lots of money. You can eat up your cash pretty quickly with deposits and all. Will you be ok in USVI? Probably. We've found it to be all we thought it would be, so far.

Hello Ronald,

Performing weddings is something you could definately look into. You mentioned all the ways to work as a wedding minister for visitors - locals getting married too!! (laughing) so keep them in mind!! You can set up your own service, where people contact you directly - there are a few people that do that... here are a couple names
Bill Arnet http://www.viweddingguide.com/pages/affalt.html
Anne Marie Porter http://stjohnweddings.com/

that way you can see what others are doing... there are other ministers also...

You can also network with hotels and wedding agencies for referals and for work. This is a viable work situation if you can network with the right people. Many wedding companies have their minister, photographer... working for them already or they themselves are that person... so definately do your research on this.

In order of expense for living.. most to less St. John, St. Thomas & Water Island, St. Croix.. But each island is different so you should research each and see what works for you.

You should read through the info. in the moving guide on this site... the which island section gives a bried intro.

Weather go to http://www.vinow.com/usvi/weather.php good info there
Cloths - Ric gave good advice on that... if you will be performing weddings then a light suit or dress cloths would work... or a ministers robe. Winter weather - ahhhhhh bright sunshine!! The temperature only fluctuates by a mere 3 or 4 degrees in the winter. Sometimes it gets to 77-79 degrees... but yearround its pretty constant at low-mid 80s.

Welcome to the board Ronald - read different post, read the guide, get the book - read it... ask all the questions you come up with - we will try and help.

All the best.

--Islander