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Car rental necessary the first day?

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:49 pm
by Harpersmom8910
We are renting 2 jeeps for 6 people so the rate is $140 per day. We will be arriving in St Thomas at 1:50 pm so hoping to make the 3 o'clock ferry but most likely will be on the 4 o'clock. So we should be at our villa , Gull Cottage, around 5. We would only need the jeeps for dinner the first night. Would it be better to just get them the next morning and save $140? :?:

Thanks for opinions!

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:11 pm
by Xislandgirl
You will need to get a taxi from the ferry dock to the villa, then back and forth to dinner and then back into town agan the next day.
Plus a stop at the grocery store.
It will be about the same as renting the jeeps

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:44 pm
by Florida Girl
You might save a little money if you eat dinner at your villa the first night. Then you'd only have to pay a taxi for the trip to the villa on arrival and then back into town the next morning. You could even make arrangements with the driver who takes you to your villa to come back and get you the next morning. Are you bringing a cooler of food that you could cook the first night?

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:53 pm
by Lovermont
I looked at the rates on this page:
http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/sj/sjtaxi.shtml
I think Gull Cottage is at Great Cruz Bay, so it looks like the Taxi driver will charge you no more than $3 per person. So, for six of you, each trip will cost you $18. Assuming you all take 4 trips, the total cost will be $72. You'll definitely save money by holding off on the rental for one day, the question is really whether its worth the trouble of arranging for cabs for a savings of about $60+.
I'm guessing that you won't need to go to the supermarket until the second day.

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:09 pm
by Harpersmom8910
I'm sure we will go back to town for dinner the first night so we really won't need to go to grocery store till the next morning and we would just send 2 people to pick up the jeeps. I'm just worried its not worth the hassle of getting a taxi to take us back and forth that first night and may also be worth it to get the grocery shopping over with that first day and just wake up and head to the beaches!

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:02 pm
by JJShaw
Not sure if this is something that would work or not...but depending on how much luggage you will have...you could always eat when you arrive from the ferry...we are planning on eating when we arrive in Cruz Bay this time,for that first night, as we arent getting a jeep our first night there...maybe even do a little food shopping while there...then getting a taxi on to where we are staying..and that way you can enjoy the villa and rest from a day of travel for the evening...and not have to go back out..

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:41 pm
by GraysonDave
You are walking distance to the westin, which has a car rental facility on the premises. So you could take a taxi to the villa, walk to dinner at the westin, then walk to pick up jeeps the next morning.

Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 10:15 am
by Steve S
FWIW St John Market is walking distance from the Westin.

That said, how about renting one Jeep for the first day and shuttle folks to the villa in two trips. Probably 5 minutes each way. You can get whatever provisions you need. Definitely worth the 70 bucks.

Posted: Tue May 01, 2012 7:01 pm
by mindehankins
How do the other 5 people in your party envision your first night? Are they likely to be too excited, and wanting to go down to town and check things out?
It could be done. I'm not sure if it SHOULD be done.