USVI-On-Line

Has anyone had their villa stocked with food before you arrive? I believe you can have someone shop and deliver groceries for you. Also, we used St. John Car Rental last year and were very satisfied. Caribben Villas recommends another company and said they also have their own fleet of cars but that we can use whomever we want. I wasn't sure what they meant by "their own fleet" as it relates to renters??

For me, grocery shopping is a requirement at home that I dread and I would like to avoid it even more when on vacation.

For several years, we have had Katilady provide a starter basket, so to speak, with stuff for the next day's breakfast and extra water, beer, wine, etc. Last year we added a drop-off meal and were very pleased with the amount of food (we ate leftovers for several meals)

For our upcoming trip, I looked into getting the house truly provisioned and found it to be too expensive. I don't mind paying for convenience but the cost (for us) was outragous. The one service charges 20% on top of the food cost plus an additional $250 if you ask for more than 25 items.

We love STJ Car rental and have used them for ages. Never had a problem and always recommend them to others on this board. I don't use CV's car rental company because they don't allow you to use AMEX for the rental-- which is all we use when travelling whenever possible for a variety of reasons. So we just book directly with STJ car rental.

As for the villa stocking prior to arrival, I have also looked into this and read reviews of this service on the board.

Here's my personal opinion on this issue and it's not to say that you shouldn't do it, but I find that the costs for doing this are fairly high. Just so you can put it inperspective, my hubby and I make very good money, have no kids and A LOT of disposable income. I have no problem dropping serious cash when I want something (service or product)-- just ask Flip FLop! But I just feel that the stocking is an unneccessary expense especially with the accessibility of the various markets on island.

Hubby and I use the market visit as an opportunity to plan out our meals for the week (usually only breakfasts, snacks and sodas - because we eat out everyday for lunch and dinner) and we honestly enjoy the visit to Starfish and other markets, if only to have fun comparing prices between the STJ and DC markets. I also want to SEE what I am getting before-hand.

I have heard great reviews about alcohol delivery from Mixology warehouse on this board in the past, and as I recall there is a minimum purchase -- so that might be worthwhile.

All this being said, I have heard WONDERFUL things about the stocking companies and those companies that offer prepared foodstuffs. But when I see the prices (and I've discussed this with Flip Flop as well), I just don't feel (from MY perspective) that it's worth the money.

Go to the market, have some fun with it -- and if you're planning on buying ice cream at $8 a half gallon (not kidding) take a cooler from the villa with you when you go so it doesn't melt on the way home!

I just pulled out my folder (yes, I am so travel-geeky that I keep trip folders) and saw that the delivery cost for $500 worth of groceries would have been $350.

Everyone spends their vacation dollars differently so I don't mean to knock the idea. We spend the extra $6 or so dollars per person to use Dohms, which is a service others might find unnecessary.

While it is wonderful to have the villa stocked, I just can not see paying the premium prices.
I sent a box to our rental agent ahead of time with things like Granola bars, crackers, Pringles, etc. and we brought a wheeled cooler with Chicken, Bacon, Egg beaters, cheese, and salamis with us.

Then we hit Starfish for everything else we needed. I think it is great to have something there when you arrive but a quick trip to the market is less expensive than a full provision and you get to pick out exactly what you like for the price that you would like to pay.

I forgot to add that I love STJ Car rental and would never book with anyone else.

Thanks for the added info on the actual pricing. I thought they were that high, but I didn't have the $$$ amounts in front of me. BTW I keep folders too!!!

We should also advise that you can get to $250 in groceries in a heartbeat on island and $500 is only a second heartbeat after that!

Maybe it would be nice if we could have folks occasionally post basic grocery item prices along with trip reports from now on. Might be helpful for newbies!

In other words, maybe we could encourage folks like STJ Ruth and others who are opn island to indicate what they pay for Milk, Bread, eggs, Soda (the basics) on the board as a regular feature. What do you guys think?

I am pretty sure I have my receipt from my last trip in my FOLDER I can pull it out and post some items.

It was posted in one of Jorge's original trip reports. I will see if I can find it.

Too funny about the "folders." I ALWAYS have a folder. I just thought I was a freak of nature!

I have a folder too, but the family always calls it my "geek book".

truth be told my current trip info is in a folder. the info from the last trip is in a ZipLoc bag!

My name is Diana and I'm a folder person too. I have a feeling that a HUGE percent of us are 'folder people'

Ok, I am sort of embarassed to admit this but I am actually making folders for the rest of the group. Each family will be getting one.

We are having a planning session in a few weeks and I feel that the participants need to be informed prior to the meeting - vacation homework, in a way.

Forget so of embarassed, I am really embarassed now that I typed it.

I do not travel anywhere without a folder. It is a disease, but I have to do it.