Islands getting busier??? Thoughts???

[Greenskeeper]

We have vacationed during President's Week for a number of years. While it was very crowded everywhere we have been, I have to say, those people who travel to STJ were by far the most polite and social fellow travellers. There are always those few bad apples in the crowd but that's everywhere. I kind of look forward to seeing those people in action because the service people always seem to have a way of dealing with those attitudes that is amusing- much like the bartender described at Chateau Bordeaux.

[mit43]

I think I mentioned back in September that there were more people on STJ in the off-season than I had ever seen. We were used to deserted beaches, but last year we rarely had any beach to ourselves as we did in years past.

The only bright spot I can see is that if it keeps getting busy in the off-season maybe some of the restaurants may stay open during September this year!

[Berlingirl]

Lex posted the article from the newspaper that the other day there were over 20,000 cruise passengers on one day alone in ST Thomas and STJ. It relates to this post directly. That amount of people can really put a strain on island resources as well as it exposes a lot of newbies to the islands. People see the beauty of the islands and that's it...they've been bit by the USVI bug! The Rccl Oasis of the Seas and Carnivals Dream are ships of the newest, biggest, greatest class that are entire little floating cities. I'll confirm what I read in the article too. People are cruising and doing land vacationing as family units a lot more today. I am doing a ton of them lately.

Have to add, we've seen lots more people in the off season also...May be because of the exposure the islands have gotten off of cruise ships and another thought could be because of the No passports needed for the USVI clause of the last few years. I know that when I tell people they need passports for Aruba, Jamaica, Mexico etc,they immediately ask where they can go and not need to get passports.

[LandLockedBeachLover]

Very interesting read through this string. Wouldn't it be awful if WE were the reason for the influx of visitors?? We all do gush on and on (I know I do to anyone that will listen to me )about what a wonderful vacation place it is! Perhaps we should keep it our little secret!