Indelicate Question

[ifloat]

We will be four adults visiting STJ for eight days. The airline tickets and the villa are paid for. The car rental will go on the charge card. Snorkel trip will be cash or check.

My question is, how much cash do you think it would be good to bring? We are plain food/ steak and potato kind of diners, very light drinkers. Might buy a couple of tshirts. Need to rent fins for snorkeling.

Would charge anything that could be charged.

So what places are most likely to accept cash only? How much cash per person per day do you think it would be wise to allow?

Can you cash a check at the local bank if you need to, or would traveler checks be a good idea?

Thanks...

[chicagoans]

Hi ifloat! I get the impression that most people bring a few hundred along ($300-500.) We were able to use a charge card for most things (snorkle gear rental, car and kayak rental, snorkle boat trip, groceries and most dinners.) I remember that we had to pay cash for gas. That was at the station in Coral Bay; I'm not sure about gas in Cruz Bay.

[Pia]

Cash Only............

Taxi's
Ferries,
Deli Grotto
Entrance to Trunk Bay
Tourist Trap (?)
Donkey Diner
Local food/vendor stands (ie: Sheila's Pot)
Gas in Coral Bay (Cruz Bay takes credit cards no travellers checks)


I'll keep thinking but I'm sure others will know more

Pia

[el]

If you start with less cash, are the atm machines often not working? I think I read that there are one or two in Cruz Bay?

[bj]

Tip: I would not bring large bills. You may find some places will not be able to give you change. I know for sure the taxi & ferries.

[ifloat]

Thanks for the replies! All very helpful.

It's less than 3 weeks til we go and we're all very excited.

[KatieH]

I made a point of stopping at an ATM pretty much every time I was near one, even if I didn't need any cash at the moment. Sometimes I was able to get money, other times I wasn't. I tried to use my credit card for as much as possible.

We may see you on island, as we'll be there in 3 weeks too.

[Cid]

We stopped every day before heading out at the ATM at the Starfish Market. It worked well. We guesstimated how much we were going to need and stuck to that amount. It worked well. We only went "card crazy" a couple of times....

[traveler22]

I would take a little more than you THINK you need, you can always bring it home. The ATM's at Starfish were out of money twice last week and the one in town once but it was a busy week (Presidents week) with alot of families on-island. You can plan all you want but you will always find something to do or buy (wife) that you weren't planning on . Good luck and have a great time.

[savvy]

We always take plenty of small bills for tipping. I go to the bank and get $2.00 bills so I need to haul around only half the amount of small bills. The last time we went out on the Wayward Sailor, captain Phil only took cash. We never carry a checkbook with us on trips. For daytrips, think about larger bills for tips, too.

[Gromit]

For 7-10 days we usually start out with $300 - $400 each for hubby and myself.

We usually have to stop and get a couple hundred more by the end of the trip but that initial cahs really gets us through most of the week.

[Schnell]

We usually take $400 cash for both of us and end up with about $100 to come home with. We charge everything though.....don't get points using cash!

On a side note we take cash to use as tips. I like to tip in cash only...that way I know the server/bartender gets the whole tip.

[RickG]

Unlike most of my friends (who can't pay their tab without a credit card) I generally carry cash. If there's two of us, we each bring around $500 for a week. If I have my two daughters I bring $1,000. I use a credit card for big ticket items, or where it's required, like auto rental. If I'm working with an owner/operator for something like a daysail I pay cash. I've been island when the ATMs were not working, but it's been years since I've seen that happen.

I know a lot of folks live on plastic, but owners pay high processing fees for credit cards. Back in the day, it would take weeks to get credit cards and travelers checks credited to their account, so cash was always preferred. I'll stick with cash.

Cheers, RickG

[DuxDweller]

With a family of 6, I went through cash like it was water! Cab fare to Maho Bay . . . . $50 (one way). Ferry tickets are also cash only. For whatever reason, it seemed like I was at the ATM every day. All of them worked fine (the First Bank in Cruz; the ATM at Starfish; the ATM at the CA and Red Hook docks).

[ifloat]

My husband and I have never used an ATM, so I guess we'll make sure to charge what we can. Will banks change traveler checks into cash?