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Didn't cancel Todd Yesterday at 10:31 PM Since our second trip in 2004, and excluding the year of Irma, this is the longest stint we had not been on island. Opened a restaurant in Washington State and that took our normal winter travel away, now open for 5 weeks, fully expected to cancel this trip but the staff insisted we go, have a break. It's also been several years that we have not done our opening night at the Buc but here we are. Huppel a bit later, for as long as we last post red eye flights.

Almost surreal we are here, not a long trip, but we are here.

Cheers!

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Green Cay Villas? h2omlns Yesterday at 07:17 PM We are on the island now but haven't been since 2017. What happened to Green Cay Villas?

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Running the gauntlet from Road Town to STT Aries4 Yesterday at 04:39 PM If I catch a 7:30 am ferry on a Wednesday out of RT, do you think I could make an 11:45 am flight over at STT? I keep going back and forth on this thinking 4 hours should be enough but then I take into account Murphy's Law. I can use miles for that flight but I don't want to book that return flight if I need a later one. Any insights, personal anecdotes, jokes are welcome!

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BVICS cwoody Yesterday at 02:09 PM Have not seen any chat about this service. Has anyone given it a try?

Like the old BVI VIP but sounds much better.

BVI Concierge Service

They now offer door to door service from STT to BVI. A rep meets your group at STT airport and gets you all the way through to your destination in BVI.

I signed up for our trip down in a couple of weeks. Taxi, 1st available ferry, luggage, all BVI customs paperwork, taxi, taxes. Not sure about tips.

The folks running the program have been very responsive and helpful.

Ill let you know how it turns out.

This would include:
- VIP airport pickup in St. Thomas
- Ferry coordination and ticketing (aligned to your actual arrival time)
- Expedited Fast Track processing on both the USVI and BVI sides
- All applicable government fees (St. Thomas port fee and BVI Environmental Levy)
- Ground transfer in Tortola directly to your final destination

More and more travelers are now choosing the VIP Ferry Fast Track service to avoid the typical congestion at the ferry terminal and begin their arrival experience right away. Rather than spending extended time waiting through the usual process, our guests are able to move through efficiently and enjoy a much smoother transition into the Virgin Islands.

For your group, the cost for this custom one-way all-inclusive arrival would be $189 per person (all-in). (About $200 pp after taxes)[i][/i]

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The "Old San Juan" dinner paradox Lucía 04/19/2026 10:09 PM I am spending two nights in OSJ before flying home. I have read all the Top 10 lists (Barrachina, Marmalade, St. Germain, etc.). I get it. Those are the famous spots.
But I have a rule: I don't want to eat where the tourists take photos. I want to eat where the line cooks go after their shift ends or where the sommelier takes his wife on a Tuesday. Bonus points if the menu is handwritten and in Spanish only

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Am I crazy for staying on the ship during St. Thomas? AprilRat 04/19/2026 09:01 PM We are doing an Eastern Caribbean loop on a large Royal Caribbean ship next month. Itinerary: Nassau, Sea Day, St. Thomas, Sea Day, CocoCay.

I have been to St. Thomas (Megan's Bay) twice before. I love the island, but I am looking at the port schedule: there will be five Oasis-class ships in port that day. I have heard Charlotte Amalie becomes a literal wall of people.

I am considering just staying on the ship to have the pool, the empty hot tubs and the quiet buffet.

Will I regret missing the island completely, or is the "ship day" experience when everyone is off the boat better than fighting 15 000 other tourists for a taxi?

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Last Day fabila 04/19/2026 12:27 PM Today was the last full day of our vacation. The weather was a bit unpredictable, with heavy rain passing through about every two hours. Thankfully, it never lasted long, so it didn’t disrupt the day too much. In between the showers, we were able to spend time on the beach and by the pool, and when the sun came out, it was strong and warm.
Since it was our final day, we kept things relaxed. We started the morning with breakfast at the yacht club, which was a nice, peaceful way to begin the day.

We skipped lunch and took it easy for most of the afternoon. For dinner, the eight of us went to Roma, where David had made reservations for the garden area just outside the entrance. It’s one of our favorite spots to sit, especially with the comfortable weather we’ve had all trip—no humidity. The restaurant was packed, and there was a steady line of people waiting to get in, so having a reservation made all the difference.

Dinner was excellent. I ordered the chicken cutlet Parmesan, which is usually one very large piece—but this time, it came with two. It was more than I could finish, though I gave it a good effort. It was served with a small side of penne pasta and tomato sauce, a simple but satisfying combination.

Throughout the trip, we noticed several places were consistently busy. Even spots like Roma required reservations, and we saw people reserving seats at the bar. Our friends went to Jax several times—when we joined them the first time, we were turned away due to the wait. The next time, we made a reservation in advance. They mentioned that on one visit they had to sit at the bar, and on two other occasions when they booked ahead, the only available reservation times were 6:00 and 6:15. One evening, Captain D’s Rib Shack was especially crowded, with a long wait both when we passed by and later when we returned. Despite it being after the Easter break, several restaurants were clearly still bustling.

Tomorrow we’ll be up early to pack and head home. It’s hard to believe the trip is already over. I’m grateful for the time we spent here and the memories we made. Hopefully, we’ll be back again next year.

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Sargassum report status map SXMScubaman 04/19/2026 01:06 AM https://bookstmartin.com/sargassum-...Ci4mJ6JuBEH9W_aem_kCYrnfWGCMUS6ePA2lx7QQ

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Awesome Music At D's Tonight Whale Tail 04/18/2026 11:57 PM If you are on island right now and close to D's Beach Bar you should get there.

My wife has a FB friend that broadcasts live music from SXM so we can watch here in Canada

Tonight at D's The Real Deal with Ronnie Santana and Lee Hardesty Rodrigo Froes are performing.

Their special guest for their 2nd set is Omari Banks the son of Bankie Banks.

Dam I wish we were there.

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$600 Airfare Difference. Punta Cana vs. Curacao. Is the extra flight time worth it? Chards 04/18/2026 07:47 PM I'm planning a long weekend (4 nights) in late April. I have two options on the table:
Option A: Punta Cana (DR). Direct flight. $380. Resort looks average.
Option B: Curacao. One connection. $980. Smaller boutique hotel.
I've heard Curacao has better snorkeling right off the beach and less of a "mass tourism" feel, but $600 is a lot of money for 2 people.
For those who have been to both in the last 12 months: Is Curacao actually $600 better than Punta Cana right now regarding safety, water quality, and food prices? Or am I paying for a flight connection?

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