USVI-On-Line

We are headed to St John in May for our 4th trip. Tonight Hubbie comes home and asks how would you like some company on St John. At first I thought maybe he had seen the light and was going to agree we should take our 3 dachshunds with us. I find out that a friend of his and his wife are thinking about a trip to ST John. They are on a limited budget of about 3000 for the vacation. I do not think we know them well enought to share our Villa . I told hubbie I would come up with some suggestions. Maybe a 5 nighter. Any suggestions?
Nancy

Well...it depends. Sometimes having another couple share the cost of the villa is a good thing. But if you don't know them that well it could be a disaster. Sometimes it's better to just say no and have the villa to yourselves but we've done both. But if you agree to them coming they should get their own car so you aren't attached to each other all of the time!!

DON'T DO IT. To vacation together anywhere requires proven compatibility. If you spend the money to go to STJ, then find the other couple loves what you hate and hates what you love, you'll never stop kicking yourself. Maybe they're lushes. Or judgmental. Maybe they're boring. Maybe they're late-night revelers. Maybe they fight. You already know money is going to be an issue. There have been enough trip reports of unacceptable traveling companions here to make me utterly comfortable in this advice. DON'T DO IT.

you'll find lots of options for them then--there are a lot of deals to be had--I am not sure where they are coming from but say -700 on flights and for five days 350 or so for rental car (for five days?)--nd they can certainly find a place for 5 nights for a grand or a bit more at that point--so they have about 700 left to play with?

look, i do maho or concordia--and they have an offer at concordia in the off season -- i think it was five nights for th eprice of four.--but there are other places as well

If you do decide on another couple that you're not too familiar with, and sharing lodging with said couple, I would personally make a point of renting 2 cars.
That way both couples can come and go when/where they please.
Just an idea.
Smiles-
MJ

I have to agree with mahojim on this one. Personally I wouldn’t do it because I didn’t know them well enough. Even if I did I would still rent separate vehicles. You need that outlet.

Why not share your villa?? Unless it's very small, it's only 2 people and a way to make a new set of friends. Three years ago we went with an acquaintance of my husband's and the said acquaintance's girlfriend ,whom I had never met, and now we are great friends and have had 3 trips together since. BUT, I would definitely get 2 vehicles so you are not on top of one another at all times.

Man I really like to save money and ya save alot with another couple and one villa but on this one I say no way. If ya find you guys really aren't compatible it's going to really put a damper on the vacation. You will be so regretful about the situation at hand it happened to us once. Now we do have a couple we vacation with but we are 100% compatible and ya still make some consessions that ya don't have to cause your trying to make everyone happy.

If you can "share" the villa without sharing the whole vacation, it would work out for all of you. But, if they're newbies and would want to be attached at the hip for the whole time, then you'd have to be ready for lots of compromise.

I shared a villa with 8 other women (SOTB) and it worked out great; others have more nightmarish experiences.

Not to beat a dead horse but
The two Jeeps is the key. If you rent the villa together, you both save money which usually gives you more money to do things especially in this economy. If you guys don't like doing the same things, you just go where you want with YOUR Jeep. I would try dinner out at a restaurant at home first to find out a little about them. I won't however,take "High Maintenance" people with me because they usually won't enjoy St. John, they are found on cruise ships all dressed up at dinner!

Dont do it!

Unless you get lots of vacations and this one is no big deal to you.

Because you are essentially risking your vacation that YOU have been waiting for.

I am sure your husband has good intentions, but it is not your responsibilty to share so they can afford ST. John.

Can you imagine letting them come with you and then they are difficult or unusual or whatever, and then you are the b**** because you can't "loosen up" or whatever and have a good time?

We took great friends who were newbies. If you are sharing a villa you need to have people that you know well enough to just say what you need to say.

The only way I could see it working would be a villa with a guesthouse. That would be possible, but I still would say no, unless you would really benefit/need the extra cash from sharing.

I think with some research they can find something in that price range. And if not, well they should wait.

Let me put it to you this way;
A few years ago, Amy & I invited another couple that we were friends with to share a villa on STJ. Their first trip there. We weren't the closest of friends, by any means, but "friendly", none the less.
I had told them about Amy & my upcoming trip, and they decided to come along. For months we all looked forward to it, counting down the days.
Then with @ 2-3 days to go, we were informed by the other couple that they didn't really like hot weather, and weren't beach nuts, either.
Amy & I were perplexed as to why they would want to come. Yet, they had paid their amount, so off we went.
Needless to say, there was lots of tension during the trip, and sadly, we have lost contact with them & vice versa since then.
Not that this type of thing will happen to you, but just make sure to mull this one over.
We also had one Jeep to share, which made every decision about the days' adventures just more of a struggle.
Good luck, and
Smiles-
MJ

I have decided to not share the Villa. We have not been to St John in 3 years. I am looking at some low cost rentals for them I think maybe they can afford 5 nights. We staying 10 nights .Any ideas on low cost but nice places 5 nights.
Nancy

When in doubt.... DON'T

Remember, the herd only moves at the pace of the slowest/cheapest beast.

Cheers, RickG

Isn't the slowest/cheapest beast the one that always surrounded by the pack of lions?