Water Taxi to STJ - Help Me Decide!

[DuxDweller]

Hi All. I have read numerous posts recommending taking the taxi service (Dohms) from STT to STJ. I am travelling with my wife and 4 kids (7-11). From looking at the site, it states atht the water taxi can only pick up at Red Hook - not CA. I am arriving at 1 p.m. on a Thursday. My dilemma is that the shorter cab ride to CA with a longer boat ride sounds more appealing than a long cab ride and a short boat. The cost seems (for a group my size) to be about double. Any opinions (or something I am missing) would be really appreciated!

[Nic in KC]

A private taxi would be nice, but we are all about the shorter car ride and longer boat ride. We'll take whatever ferry leaves first, but if I had a choice, I'd be on the boat the longest!

[RickG]

Dad, the earlier you start your vacation after a long travel day the better. When you have the brood along I think its best to minimize the number of transitions and luggage moving. So, I'm a car barge convert after taking the people ferry and renting a vehicle on STJ for my first 12 trips. It's nice to load luggage and people at the airport and the unload at the villa.

On the ferry question, I go for the CA ferry. It's a nice ride and lets you start the vacation a little bit earlier. Also, the baggage situation seems a bit more laid back on the CA ferry than the Red Hook ferry.

Dohm's will also pickup at Crown Bay, ten minutes from the airport.

4 kids, 4 hands. Good luck!

Cheers, RickG

[DuxDweller]

Thanks Rick. I have read many of your posts - here and on other forums. We are doing a "black and white" experience. Three nights at Maho Camps - a followed by a week at Vistaero. I chickened out on renting on STT because of teh fear of a breakdown.

Do you think the private taxi woudl be better of I took it from the closer location - or is the public transport from CA a pleasant enough experience?

[RickG]

Well, I think the VI Taxi guys are pretty good. But, with four kids I'd say its worth getting some extra help. If you go the Dohm's/Crown Bay approach then you'll get a bit more help.

Where are you renting your vehicle on STJ? My recommendation is to drop the brood and bags at the Beach Bar, order snacks and beverages for everyone, and you can go fill out the vehicle paperwork by yourself. There's some beach area there for the kids to goof on.

When are y'all going? What cabin are you in at Maho?

Cheers, RickG

[DuxDweller]

That's great advice! I think I will give the Dohms thing a whirl. Wife thinks I;m an idiot for spending the $$ - but I know who'll be lugging the gear!

We're renting from Spencers (through the Villa management Co) I got one of those Safari trucks - couldn't resist. We don't have a car for the first few days, so we were thinking a cab to Maho (after the Beach Bar - makes sense to me). We are leaving Thursday - can't wait. I called Maho and they wouldn;t tell me the asssignments. We got two (one for the boys the other for the girls) and they are supposedly "close together" - but that's all they'd tell me.

I recall that you stayed at Vistaero? Do you remember whether there is a sound system that we can hook the ipod into? Is it possible to get music out at the pool?

[PA Girl]

As a repeater who travels with a child and several childish adults, I can say that the Christophers/Dohms route is worth the few extra bucks.

RickG's Beach Bar suggestion is brillant.

I would love to stay at Maho (for a short period of time) but high maintenance husband will not even consider it.

[Xislandgirl]

if you are looking for a private taxi on STT, I can highly recommend Rachel Brown. Let me know if you would like her number.

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

We traveled with our four kids this last summer and stayed at Vistaero...also, we used Dohm's for private taxi and private water taxi to STJ. It was fantastic. We got lucky and had one of his safari taxis from the airport to Red Hook. It was a blast. A great way to see St. Thomas. Then, the water taxi was even better. I'd do it this way again, when traveling with our four rug rats.

Pete will have to chime in on the A/V questions. All I know is that we had music by the pool (where we spent a great deal of time with the kids). Pete brought the I-Pod with the docking station. And, an extension cord. (Hey, it came in handy at this villa!!)

You will have a wonderful vacation. Good idea to do the camping part first. You are brave souls.

Enjoy!!

[flip-flop]

Here's another vote for the water taxi. I, too, wish I was brave enough to do the rental on STT and car barge, but am just NOT.

My suggestion is Christopher's taxi and Dohms going over. We had two kids (10 months and 5 years) and gramma along and it was really nice to not have to wait for anyone and to have help with the luggage. I would not have wanted to wait in CA for the ferry.

Now, coming back, I don't think I'd arrange the water taxi again. It is so much easier to just time the check-out/car return with the ferry schedule, plus there is shade at the Cruz bay dock.

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

Pete, the AV geek here.

The stereo at Vistaero was not the best. It had a built-in dock for an iPod, but the connector that goes into the bottom of the iPod was broken off...so, it wasn't of much use. Also, it is a fairly large system and it is in the great room, which really isn't pool side.

As Marcia said, we used a sound dock for the iPod (JBL Soundstage) and brought it out to the pool area. There is a wet bar by the pool that is an ideal place to put the whole set up.

Here's what it looked like (We brought the hula girl from home...don't ask.)

[StJohnRuth]

Pete,
That ipod thing is pretty cool. Does it actually sound decent? (I can see why you might need an extension cord for that.)
-Ruth

[Pete (Mr. Marcia)]

Pete,
That ipod thing is pretty cool. Does it actually sound decent? (I can see why you might need an extension cord for that.)
-Ruth

It sounds great...good bass and high end. Most importantly, it is loud. It goes to eleven!

It even comes with a handy remote that worked all the way across Vistaero's pool deck. It's also small enough to travel with.

One other thing about the extension cord subject, and then I'll be done. That sound dock, for example, has one of those plugs that has a transformer, or whatever its called...a big, black square thing. The plug would not fit in the outdoor outlets that have weather proof covers. But, the plug on the extension cord did.

That was a nice picture of Ron on the Bongo Boys' site this morning, by the way.

[DuxDweller]

Thanks Pete! I think I'll grab one of those JBL gizmos (and the extension cord too). The Bose dock is kind of big and clunky for packing into a suitcase. How long ago were you at Vistaero? Maybe they fixed that idock . . .?

[RickG]

JBL also has a newer micro version. It's rather tinny, the one that Pete has sounds better.

If you have an Apple store nearby they have them setup so that you can have a listen.

I'm wrestling with the battery/no battery thing. I think I'll end up with one like Pete with no battery. My buddy Big Red brings his JBL docking station on trips and it is da kine.

Cheers, RickG