Who's holding off on vacation plans for 2009?

JC · Post by JC » Wed Feb 04, 2009 11:13 pm

RG...we're sure gonna miss ya...I'll drink plenty of green beer for ya!!!

Jim...how 'bout you? Spring break '09??? A little blues festival maybe...?

I'd leave tonight...if I could...

27 & Counting...

iowaguy · Post by **iowaguy** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:03 am

Hi JC. Nice to hear from you. Its a little painful for me to read this Forum lately. I had FREE AADVANTAGE TICKETS booked to STJ over Spring Break/ Blues Festival/St. Paddys week, but I really need to go to San Diego for a meeting that week so I changed plans and now we're heading out to California for the week. Nice, but not STJ. So we won't see you in March.

We are, however, leaving for the Turks and Caicos on Saturday, so I can't really expect anyone to feel sorry for me:) I planned the T and C trip before the financial collapse.

But I will be thinking about The Quiet Mon on March 14!

cptnkirk · Post by **cptnkirk** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:52 am

The sad thing is I'm trying to get 3 trips in this year cause of the great deals poping up but I'm holding off for now. Gawd St John is an expensive addiction

loria · Post by **loria** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:55 am

we really wanted to go back for spring break--but we have had 7K of unexpected medical expenses and both kids need 10k in braces--what a nightmare--and the project that I work on is due to stop in May (though there is talk of getting an extension for a 6th year)so, I am not even sure how we'll manage everything we need to do so st John is not in the plans unless something really changes. Luckily my family has a house in Maine so we can go there for a bit in the summer.
I am bummed because it looks like at least 2010 until we get back, but then i remind myself that we are doing far better than many others and a STJ vacation is a luxury that many could not afford under the best of circumstances--so i need to quit whining

psufan · Post by **psufan** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:33 am

We booked our May trip back in July when I was blissfully employed. I still am employed but the outlook is far from blissful. I fully expect to be out of work by the time our trip rolls around. However, it is nearly fully paid for and we are so excited. We decided if the worst comes to pass I will not forego our trip to paradise. We will do the cooler thing and eat in more to keep expenses down. Hubby will probably reconsider his fishing charter which hasn't been booked yet.

Robbin · Post by **Robbin** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:32 pm

hubby and I are comming in April and I feel real guilty for spending the money. Not to say how much the air cost has went down from when we bought them. I'm telling my self we work hard and deserve a vaction like this atleast once in our life. But it's still hard.

RickG · Post by **RickG** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:41 pm

Last minute deals are looking pretty good, even for high season.

Cheers, RickG

Greenskeeper · Post by **Greenskeeper** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:51 pm

We booked last March before the craziness started. I'm not sure if we would've found a better deal if we waited but then again, if we didn't book then, we might not be going anyway.

We did book the villa for an extra night because of our flights. That I'm kicking myself for. Probably should've stayed at night in a hotel in STT instead and saved ourselves quite a few Benjamins. C'est la vie.

Newbie mistake.

greyhoundmom · Post by **greyhoundmom** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:51 pm

Sigh.....well, after spending 2 glorious weeks at Orion's Hill in June 08, the talk around the table is we can't afford to go in 09. It just breaks my heart to think about not going back for year 5. I'm thinking about spending part of tax rebate for summer 09, probably not the wisest thing to do considering the economy. S/O says why look at the forum when we probably can't go in 09. I say it is bitter sweet to constantly look at the forum postings knowing it might not happen but it makes me happy to feel I'm still in touch with the "magic place". So, with that said, would you go back in 09 and do bare bones rental for 2? The past 4 years we have financed one child, two children, grandchild and friend and lastly a 50/50 split with bro/sis. I am really feeling the need to have some one on one with S/O in the place that we love. Would you go back in 09 without the frills just to be there or would you wait until 10 to do it up right? With that said, what can I look at in Coral Bay on the cheap? Don't need a pool (sigh!) but just to be there would be karma........So, any ideas for a cheap Coral Bay rental? If we actually got to go I'd be crazy happy....Jan

loria · Post by **loria** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 6:54 pm

greyhoundmom wrote:Sigh.....well, after spending 2 glorious weeks at Orion's Hill in June 08, the talk around the table is we can't afford to go in 09. It just breaks my heart to think about not going back for year 5. I'm thinking about spending part of tax rebate for summer 09, probably not the wisest thing to do considering the economy. S/O says why look at the forum when we probably can't go in 09. I say it is bitter sweet to constantly look at the forum postings knowing it might not happen but it makes me happy to feel I'm still in touch with the "magic place". So, with that said, would you go back in 09 and do bare bones rental for 2? The past 4 years we have financed one child, two children, grandchild and friend and lastly a 50/50 split with bro/sis. I am really feeling the need to have some one on one with S/O in the place that we love. Would you go back in 09 without the frills just to be there or would you wait until 10 to do it up right? With that said, what can I look at in Coral Bay on the cheap? Don't need a pool (sigh!) but just to be there would be karma........So, any ideas for a cheap Coral Bay rental? If we actually got to go I'd be crazy happy....Jan

Hell to the yes! i would go VERY barebones--i would bring a tent! so pool? no Problem!

greyhoundmom · Post by **greyhoundmom** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:06 pm

Thanks,Loria! I like your hell to the yes! I'm a dreamer at heart and always think "how can we make this happen?" Our first year we did Maho Camps tent cottage. Way back then it was 70.00 night, think its gone up to 85.00. We'd do that in a heartbeat again. Although back then we used Hamilton's taxi everywhere and I think our week of taxi's was $600. So more economical to rent a car like in the past. We love, love, love Hamilton Eugene but when when youre on a budget..... The first time married daughter had to hike to Leinster she was spitting mad and didn't get it, further into the week she got it and made us proud! So, again where have/would you stay bare bones in Coral Bay (or anywhere else!)?

loria · Post by **loria** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 7:22 pm

greyhound mom,
i would try concordia--if you are going off season they are pretty reasonable (and nicer than maho IMO)--then there are a few places that come up here (studios) that others have recommended--Pia knows them and so does rickG and probably lysac--
though with concordia you get the pool

man, i really need a trip this spring...so YOU go and i get to live vicariously!!!

cptnkirk · Post by **cptnkirk** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:26 pm

Well greyhoundmom I think ya know my answer GO FOR IT you owe it to yourself and your honey. Sounds like ya would be doing it up right for the two of ya. What more do ya need other than beautiful beaches and the one you love to share them with. Well maybe some cheap rum for good measure. Does that sound obsessed?

Anyhoots heres some links I go to when I start thinkin cheap stays(scroll down a little to see links) Heck I might baresite at Cinnamon if I can get someone to go with me(Honeys stipulation)
http://virgin-islands-on-line.com/forum ... hp?p=48798

ifloat · Post by **ifloat** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:30 pm

I figure the amount we are spending on the trip to St. John won't really keep the grim reaper from the door for very long if everything goes south for us economically. So yeah, we're going in March. This was originally supposed to be a trip to Bora Bora for husband and I, but things happened and now it's us and the two adult daughters in the Caribbean. Can't wait!

chicagoans · Post by **chicagoans** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:52 pm

greyhoundmom:

I copied these several months ago from a post about inexpensive places to stay. These are on the Coral Bay side and might work for you:

Calabash Views, Calabash Boom
Just Enough, Coral Bay
New Moon, Coral Bay
Stairway to the Stars, Upper Carolina
La Dolce Vita, Coral Bay
Sailview, Coral Bay area

usvi-on-line