... yet another STT / STJ car rental question

[SoCaTraveler]

Hi everyone,

New poster here... hello!

Our family of 4 (kids 16 and 12) will be staying at the St. Thomas Marriott for 8 nights in June (staying for free on Marriott points... first time visit). We want to come over to St. John for 3-4 day trips.

I know car rental questions come up all the time here, but I haven't really gotten a strong sense for which of the following options is best for a family who wants to ferry over to St. John on several days.

(a) bring our St. Thomas (4 wheel drive) rental car over via the car ferry / barge for our 3 or 4 day trips.

(b) pick 3-4 days in a row where we won't rent a car on St. Thomas, take the passenger ferry over and rent a car on St. John, returning it each evening (I realize the car would have to be returned at around 5 p.m., but we could stay in Cruz Bay for dinner after returning the car, but before taking the ferry back to St. Thomas).

(c) same as b, above, except leave the car overnight in the parking lot of the car rental company (not sure how safe this option would be).

I'm hoping to get some fresh opinions on this topic.

We're renting with Dependable Car Rental on St. Thomas, by the way.

Thanks, in advance, for your help!

[waterguy]

If you are going to do 2 days in a row you could bring your car over on the barge. Stay late and eat dinner on STJ sample some of the nite life if you want park your car take the ferry over catch a cab back to your hotel and do the reverse the next morning, That way you don't have to leave so early to catch the last barge and you can beach it longer or explore.

[SoCaTraveler]

Thanks waterguy - hadn't thought of that option! That would also allow us to have dinner in the Coral Bay area (we have heard good things about Sweet Plantains).

So, the rental car would be fine left over night in Cruz Bay? Since it would be a rental car from STT, we wouldn't have a rental car parking lot to leave it in. Is there a particular location that would be best (safe, well lighted, etc.) for leaving it over night?

[SoCaTraveler]

Hi again,

Any ideas on where in Cruz Bay to park a STT vehicle over night so that we can return to STT (passenger ferry) and come back the next day to visit another day / pick up the vehicle. Is this a good and/or safe idea in the first place?

Thanks.

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[silverheels]

It is called Slimman's. Best to leave a car there than in the main parking area.

[SoCaTraveler]

Thanks! So Slimman's is a secure lot? Is there someone there over night... or is it just lighted and in a good location?

Thanks again!

[silverheels]

Slimman's is secure. It is well lit and locked at night.

[SoCaTraveler]

Oh, great! That sounds like the place to park overnight.

I thought of another related question. Does anyone know if you can buy a round-trip car ferry / barge ticket and use it to go from STT to STJ one day, and to return to STT on the following day?

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[Teresa_Rae]

You save a good bit of money if you buy a round trip ticket…that is what we’ve always done. But it could end up biting you if you absolutely need to get back by a certain time and the barge you have a ticket for is running late.

[SoCaTraveler]

Thanks Jorge and Teresa...

I know it's more flexible to buy one-way ferry tickets, but if we do decide to go the round-trip ticket route, do both trips have to be taken on the same day?

I do like the idea of leaving our STT car rental over night in the secure STJ parking lot, taking the passenger ferry back to STT at the end of the day, and returning the next day via passenger ferry to pick up the car for another day of exploring.

[Teresa_Rae]

Nope, you don't have to use the round trip the same day...we always use it 10-12 days later.

[MrsCARolph]

Hi SoCa- Just an FYI, I think Budget is the only rental company on STT that will let you take the car over to STJ. At least that's what I've found in my research.

[SoCaTraveler]

Thanks MrsCARolph - actually our rental company, Dependable, will let us take our rental from STT to STJ. I heard Avis allows this as well. I did hear that Hertz does not. Don't know about other companies.