Hovensa turnaround

great for the economy.

Okay, what is Hovensa turnaround?

A large short job. Typically where they will fill everyone up to bursting.

EE - a "turnaround" is when the refinery shuts down an entire unit and a complete overhaul is done. Depending on the unit(s) they are doing a turnaround can last from 2 weeks to 9 months.

So it is like an upgrade to the facility?

You can think of it as a refurb or upgrade depending on circumstances.

Thank you! You can learn a great deal here.

"You can learn a great deal here."

Said the Jedi EE to the Yoda board 😀

I heard that Carambola is 80% full with Hovensa workers for this turnaround.
I wouldn't think any tourists would want to stay there with the hotel being full of hovensa workers.
It's somewhat good for the economy but January thru March is high season and to fill up the hotels with hovensa workers leaves not a whole lot of places for the tourists to stay? Alot of stores will lose business during this time, I don't think these workers have much time on there hands to shop or to go diving or the tourist things.
The Island needs these turnarounds in the low season when the hotels need the business.
Just my opinion.

jumping up and down and turning around for the turn around. brings more biz to one and all. I am sure the hotels are happy.

The bars will be happy as well.

I worked at Sand Castle once when we were filled with Hovensa guys... they were very polite, and spent a lot of money in the bar and various other west end bars. And one of them gave me a bunch of paperback books when he left, so of course, I am biased in his favor.

When on the road booming you generally work at least 6 tens and maybe 6 tens and an eight. Cheaper for a contractor to work you to half to death than high more hard hats and equipment so most are looking for a quiet cool place and a good meal and yes maybe a book to take your mind away from missing your loved ones back home..... and we usually tip pretty darned good cause we know what it's like to work for our money.....
The other side is work six months a year and loaf the rest.

Construction workers have an extremely high divorce rate.
Heck your not even a real pipefitter until you have your divorce, DUI, and a bankruptcy ! LOL

Obviously Hovensa marches to their own drummer, but I often wondered why they seem to choose "high tourist season" to bring in their sub-contractors. I remember times when there were NO rooms on the island and short term rents were at all time highs, because the contractors were their during January-March. I know that there are contractors coming and going all the time, but it seems the big jobs are during the winter months.

The last one they did was in low season. Hotels don't have to take them, but I think that, by next winter/spring we'll be glad to have them - hope I'm wrong.

Last one was like May 2006 or there abouts. Its been a while, we don't do the tourism that stt does. Our repeat tourists that come every year will mostly have their reservations. There will always be some rooms open at the more expensive hotels. They will fill up the cheap places first and there many vacation condos and houses that sit empty every season. Not really worried that we will offend any tourists.

Also the last time there was a turnaround Hovensa paid up front for entire stays and many of the rooms sat empty for the month. I'm talking about overpaying by 20k and up. I think they learned their lesson. I did here one or two lost their job over it. So I think they will be a little more cautious in their bookings.

I heard that Carambola is 80% full with Hovensa workers for this turnaround.

So Carambola is cheap?

Did you miss the I heard part? It may be 80 % full but I know its not all Hovensa workers. They did it the right way this time.

But yes Carabola is not what I would call expensive. If you call up and take their rack rate, sure they're expensive. But they are heavily discounted on all the travel websites. They are simply too far away from everything, I have NEVER understood why they don't have a free shuttle for their guest going to c'sted and f'sted. They would get so much more business. Let's face most tourists are pretty nervous about driving here since we drive left. They are the largest hotel (by room count) but far from the most expensive.

heard carambola has contract with hovensa for the contractors. they found problems with the divi. to bad for divi.

when is the turnaround again?

Just about everyone has a contract with hovensa for this turnaround. And everyone has a contract/direct billing with hovensa and set rates.

Have you guys seen what they have done at the commanche? The outside still needs work but they have remodeled the rooms beautifully. Hands down the most beautiful rooms downtown by a LARGE measure. They kept all the historic charm but made them beautiful.

the commache rooms are ok i heard but the place still has a cold feeling to me. like ghosts of the past or something. very cold and dreary. not sure if they will be able to totally bring it back to past charm and warm it up. not a good location for hotel rooms unless they fence in and add guards. my opinion of course.

Okay now I know you haven't see them. The a 4 story great house has been restored and its amazing. To see an old great house like that restored correctly, well I much rather pay $5 to see it then whim museum. The rooms closest to the water are even cooler. Wood floors again with lofts for the bedrooms and amazing views.

Please downtown is not a war zone, where do you think you live? Especially on the boardwalk, cops are always patrolling.

Whether they can finish off the outside and be able to run a hotel, I don't know, but they did a BEAUTIFUL job restoring it.

greets

commanche was (in MY humble opinion) indeed haunted when i lived in st. croix.
i know you will all think i am nuts......but i was in there one night, in an empty room, with a friend, and there was something in the room.
the room got real cold and felt like spirits were whooshing about us.
we got the hell out of there.....and my friend was a VERY muskeled guy, not afraid of anything (normally carried a machete) and he grabbed my hand and we hauled ass.
we were there to check out accommodations for some friends that were coming to visit.
needless to say we put our guests up in our respective gates.
there is a feeling about the place.........
has to be i guess........
historically.....
pirates
prisoners
christopher killallaus
slaves
all kinds of spirits all over the island.
😮
i am sure that not everyone feels them (spirits) though, so for those that don't it is a nice place.....this was just my experience.

For answer to why Hovensa performs turnarounds during the "high" season, it results from fact that for the refinery winter is the low season, crack spreads are tight during the winter months since gasoline demand is down. The refinery wants to be back at full utilization by the end of March to build-up stock for the summer driving season, plus the summer blends of gasoline are more profitable. This timing is especially important for this upcoming turnaround since the FCC is coming down which is the refineries most profitable unit.