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How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure Day

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:07 pm
by antonimadl
Good afternoon all,

My wife and I are staying overnight on St. John for the first time this coming March. Our flight leaves STT at 5pm, which gives us some time on our departure day.

However, our check out is 10am and car rental return is 11am on that Sunday.

Does anyone have suggestions on the best thing to do in Cruz Bay -- with luggage in tow! -- from 11am until the 2pm ferry back to Red Hook St. Thomas?

Or is there something cool to do around Charlotte Amalie (with baggage) and we should catch the 11:15am Ferry direct?

Once in Puerto Rico, we asked a nice restaurant to watch our bags so we could traipse around before our flight home. Is there any hotel that would do a day pass and hold bags.

I was thinking about Honeymoon Beach's day pass, but it only has "lockers" and doesn't mention showers... so I imagine that wouldn't suffice.

I'm looking for any ideas - from simply a good place to hang out for 3 hours and chill, to a beach or hotel or other venue, to perhaps a private sail back to Charlotte Amalie to end the week long trip in style. :wink:

Thanks in advance!
Pete

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 8:54 pm
by jimg20
We have been using Rachel's taxi on STT. We have asked her to drop us off in CA with a plan to meet her at a particular place and time. We roam around CA and she keeps the luggage. A little dinner, a little shopping, a little drink.....or two will kill the time. We then head for the airport with plenty of time to check in and buy some liquor inside security.

JIM

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 1:34 am
by michigan girls
Connections will hold your bags for a small charge if you choose to hang out in Cruz Bay. That's what we do, and enjoy some last minute eating and shopping before taking the walk of woe to the ferry.

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 6:56 am
by Bigcheeze
Last year we took the 11:15 to CA and the Taxi drivers there will hold your bags and pick you up at a designated place and time while you check out some last minute shops, the straw market and a nice lunch at Glady's( nicely air conditioned) in a building and courtyard that was built in the 1700's.

Enjoy

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:09 am
by nikkiki
I'll second Connections. We dropped off our bags for just a few bucks, then we were free to wander the shops for last minute gifts. Alternatively, we had brunch at Cruz Bay Landing last time and kept our bags with us there. It's right across from the ferry dock.

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:13 am
by liamsaunt
Our departure day tradition is to drop the bags at Connections and then go have lunch at Banana Deck. Just make sure you check what time they are planning on closing that day before heading out. Sometimes they close early on Saturdays.

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:22 am
by Beachnut513
We too hire Rachel and she picks us up and drops us off downtown and then brings us to the airport! She's fantastic!!

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:30 am
by onthelake
Hi FYI Connections is closed on Sunday!

We relax at High Tide people watching (and eating) and take turns browsing the shops!

8)

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:55 am
by northerngal
where is connections?

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:01 pm
by grandpainin
It is straight up the Ferry Dock street past the Church and at the intersection on the left. You can not get lost everone is friendly.

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:05 pm
by BostontoSTJ
Take the ferry to Redhook, walk to Fishtails, enjoy cocktails and a snack, grab a cab to the airport

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:41 pm
by antonimadl
Thanks for your suggestions!

So, the consensus is Either to

1) Get a cab to hold our luggage while we wander around Charlotte Amalie (Gladys), preferably booking a private taxi with Rachel. I found 340-771-2986 as her number.

This site is a great resource! Thanks for the tip, I might want to find transport from CA to RH on arrival as well.

Or to

2) Hang out at Connections in Cruz Bay (High Tide, Banana Deck). But, if they are closed on Sundays, that won't work for us. :(

Is there somewhere else in Cruz Bay that would watch bags?

Thanks, Pete

BTW, I laughed at the "walk of woe" to the ferry.

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:02 pm
by Sumerwaters
The last few times I had a few hour between checkout and flight we did hop the ca ferry and walked with our luggage to the Big Kahuna downtown..got a bite to eat..they have all those frozen drinks...politely asked if we could leave our bags..and visited a few shops.. Came back..had a few more frozen drinks....tipped them for allowing my bags to sit and caught a cab to the airport

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 10:41 am
by lazylane
We have left ours at Connections and we have also left them with guys at the ferry(for a tip!)! Or if there are several of us, we take turns watching them/walking around town/ sitting in the park !! We left them at the taxi stand at Red Hook once and walked around/had lunch before heading to CA

Re: How best to Enjoy time With Bags 11am-2pm on Departure D

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:45 pm
by mindehankins
Who are you renting your vehicle from? Courtesy car rental held our bags all day on departure day. When it came close to time to leave, we walked back up to their office, and they gave us a ride to the ferry. Gave us quite awhile for shopping before departure!