Taking a Car between STT and STJ

The Car ferry is $35 round trip. Why don't you rent a car on St John? They have good deals on jeeps, etc.

Matt

If you're camping at Cinnamon Bay, why would you want to take the car ferry back and forth to St Thomas every day? Perhaps I misunderstood.

You can rent from some of the agencies on St Thomas and bring the car across to St John or you can rent on St John. If you rent on St John you cannot take the car on the ferry to St Thomas. If you really feel you'll be going back and forth alot and needing the car on each island then you'll have to rent on St Thomas but I doubt you'll want to take the car back and forth every day, it would get kind of expensive.
I just read that back and it's clear as mud....hope it helps anyway!

Sorry about the confusion, we're camping at Cinnamon Bay as the beginning of our move. We decided that we could save a fair amount of money by camping for the first week as opposed to spending that money on a hotel. So, while we'll be camping on St John we'll also be looking for a place to live, car, jobs, etc on St Thomas.

I guess the thing to do would be to try to plan a lot for an individual day or two on St Thomas and then rent a car or take a cab on those days. Sounds like a better idea to me, anyone else?

See you all in July

Dave

Count,

I rented from Budget (at the airport) earlier this month. They let you take their cars to STJ, while some companies do not. I rented a Jeep for the weekly rate of $200.

Ansley

Please take this as my opinion only.

You are going to find it time consuming and frustrating to camp at Cinnamon Bay and try to take a car back and forth even for two or three days to STT. I bet you spend between 1 and 1 1/2 hours each way. And you won't get a feel for STT the way you would if you stayed there.

If STT is the island you are interested in moving to, find inexpensive accomodation there. You will then have lots of time to drive around see STT.

My 2 cents.

Hi Linda

Thanks for you input!

We were looking into staying on STT but the cheapest accomodation we could find there would run us something like $1200+ for the week, which would be workable on our budget but not nessisarily money well spent. When we compared the price of camping, including ferry fees, cab fees, a rental car on a day or two, and everything else it still came up that we'd likely be able to save at least $500-$700 and this made it seem worth it.

We have more spare time than we do money to throw around so its kind of a toss up. I'll take your advice to heart though and give it another look for affordable places on STT. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for you help
Dave

I don't think you have done your homework. I think that Cinnamon is more expensive than some of the guest houses here in St. Thomas on a daily basis. You can get 'moving' deals from some.
I read here about someone who saved $30 a day getting a deal at a hotel by the airport for $100 a day when, had he done his homework, he would have found rooms maybe as little as $50 a day!
Ronnie
PS I emailed you some info.

Hey Count,

I stayed at the Island Beachcomber earlier this month. It's less than a mile from the airport, and close to downtown. My rate was $79.00 a night. If you rent a car from Budget, they give you a coupon book for 1 free night at the Island Beachcomber if you stay 3 nights (read the back of the coupon for details). If you stay 4 nights, you get a free night and dinner for 2 at their restaurant. The hotel is right on the beach, with beautiful, calm water. The rooms were average, but clean. IThe hotel staff were very nice, particularly the bartenders Candy and Rick at the Tiki bar right on the water. I don't know how many people you're traveling with, but the $79.00 rooms have 2 double beds, and are of decent size. I'd stay there again, particularly if I were on a budget.

Ansley

Cinnamon Bay is a great campground. I stayed there a few months ago with my boyfriend. We have no complaints.

The car ferry runs from Cruz Bay to Red Hook. I think the unofficial times it leaves is on the hour from STJ and on the half hour from STT. There are three companies that service vehicles. Round-trip tickets cost $35. Two of the companies accept each others' tickets. The last boat is usually 5 or 6 p.m. (People boats, which are $6 roundtrip, run later)

Rental companies may mind if you take their cars back and forth. If you want to stay on STJ and move to STT, I'd use cabs to get to/from the ferry and rent a car on the island you'll be on that day.

Thanks ansley, I'll look into that hotel. At $79/night it is within our budget and would be easier than camping. If I might ask, how did you get your reservations? Do you know if they have a website?

Thanks Scarlet, nice to hear that Cinnamon Bay is as good a place as I'd heard. I think we'll look for a hotel and use camping as a backup plan.

Ronnie, thanks for the heads up. I emailed you some specific questions...

Dave

Count,

I found Island Beachcomber when researching all hotels on STT. When I needed to get the number quickly after that, I just went to GOOGLE.COM, and typed in Island Beachcomber and St. Thomas. It comes up quickly. I think they have a toll free number.

Ansley

The man speaks the truth. $79 per night plus 10% service charge and 8 % tax equals ~ $93 per night.

http://www.st-thomas.com/islandbeachcomber/rates.html

I'm coming down for a few days to conduct a pre-move scouting expedition in July. I may stay at the Beachcomber myself.

"woman" speaks the truth!

Ansley

ansley wrote:

> "woman" speaks the truth!
>
> Ansley

Oops!

My sincere apologies.

Jay

PS: Thanks for the heads up on the Beachcomber.

Have fun!!!