USVI-On-Line

1. How far out do you reserve your villa?
Me, last minute planner. We usually decide in Feb. where we want to stay at for a June trip. Once decided we hope like hell we can get the villa of our choice and the car rental company too.

2. How many days do you typically stay for a famiy vacation?
10 days if the whole family goes.

3. What days of the week/weekend do you travel on? How far out to you purchase airline tickets?
We try to leave out midweek and not return on a weekend day. Last year we flew into STT on a Saturday and it sucked! I vowed NEVER again. We purchase our airline tickets when the price drops in the mid $300.00 range.

This year I'm trying to plan the vacation earlier and firm everything up. Not only are we staying longer but will need to rent a larger villa. My early planning is going to put me out almost a year in advanced.

Anyone ever plan this early? Did you regret your villa choice or end up finding one you like better?

What about flying out of St.Thomas on a Sunday? Is it busy and crazy at the airport? How bad does it suck? Would flying out of STT be better on a Saturday?

Maybe I'd be better off to stick with my shorter planning so I won't drive myself insane worrying about 'what if!' You know, what if: I can't get a good airline fair, I change my mind on villa, I'm unable to get off work, other couple changes their mind (after I've paid), the sky falls and the world goes to helll..... *signed* FREAK.... UGGGHHHH Mabye I need meds and not a vacation.

I have picked and booked a villa 12 months in advance because I loved it so much. We were not disappointed. Because we have sort of specific requirements, I rather get something secured sooner rather than later.

We booked 10 months in advance for our next trip. We found a house that really fit our requirements and it had only one rental period available in the winter so we booked it right away.

Our last Sunday return from STT was insane. I don't know how much could be blamed on high season and how much could be blames on computer problems.

We pick and book a villa 1 year out then we watch for airfares over the next few months.

Typically we purchase airfare 9 months out. And if I can get them in the $300 range I am thrilled.

I never regret a villa choice cause we put the work in up front to pick what we want and secure it. I am usually more worried about not getting the villa I want than regretting the choice after the fact.

Typical trip is 10 days. Usually leave on a Saturday AM and return on a Wednesday or Thursday. Don't know why. that's just how we do it.

Doesn't matter what the siutation is at the airport--we always check in on line 24 hours in advance. When you arrive at the airpport-- get a porter and they will breeze you through. No worries.

I am a big fan of advance planning. I do my research, pick the best of the best (for me anyway) and then I sit back and relax.

I also usually put together an itinerary and list of things to do. Not that we HAVE to do them, but if we're siting aroumd staring at each other and want to go to dinner, instead of having a huge discussion we pick from the list.

Other days the itinerary goes out the window.

I think the importance of an itinerary is equal to the size of the group that you have. The larger the group, the more important it is to have some sort of master plan in place. Otherwise you can spend a lot of time spinning your wheels.

Do the work at the outset, discuss what people want to do, see, eat etc. Plan out your days.

You can always dith the plan, but it's better to have a plan to ditch than no plan at all.

I generally tend to be an advanced planner but this year everything has gone out the window.

Our villa choice is hanging on a thread because we had people cancel on us. So, here we are a little more than 2 months out with no villa (well, we have a villa, we just can't afford it without two people paying...), no rental car. However, we do all have plane tickets (we had to get them before they doubled in price AGAIN), and I'm getting everything else taken care of as we speak -- part of why I'm sleuthing around here.

I've learned a lot from this trip, because it's been so much more difficult than last time -- even with our high-drama KC stalkers who somehow ended up traveling with us. I still love going with my friends to STJ, but I hate being undecided with a little more than 60 days to plan.

I know it will all work out and once we get a villa, I won't need anymore than a new rolly bag (mine is falling apart, I noticed when I unpacked it yesterday) and to ship a box off in about a month so I can travel carryon only. Oh, I should probably buy some Off too, at some point!

We booked way out last year, and we ended up getting a fabulous rate on our villa because everyone seems to be raising their rates. If you have your heart set on a certain villa and you have a large group to accommodate, I'd book as soon as I made up my mind. Just double-check on the cancellation policy, just in case someone does change their mind before they pay.

Oh, and P.S. I flew on Sundays last year, and it wasn't terrible. I flew Delta and got right through, but some of my friends flew American and their computers were down. They'd probably still be standing in STT airport if they hadn't printed their boarding passes at Connections the night before.

LuLu- I can HIGHLY recommend E-bags "MotherLode Bag" This is one of the BEST suitcases I have EVER owned and it is perfect in every way (I do not exaggerate). http://www.ebags.com/ebags/mother_lode_ ... N=20039564

My only complaint is they don't come in pink!! This bag has traveled all over the world with me and STILL looks great. I have the Large and Medium. I like them cause they are right up to the max legal size for checked bags and very light so you don't waste weight on the bag itself. It's also super convertible. Check out the live video demo on the site.

RE:DEPOSITS

Oh, and I need to add -- I would never book a place without ALL parties making a down payment. That way everyone is invested in the trip.

Rick G suggests that the faster you pay the higher up on the list you are to pick your room.

We used to have (note the past tense) a friend who wanted to go on the trip to STJ with us. We made him do his portion of the deposit equaly to half of the days he would be staying. Well he dicked around and didn't get his airline ticket. Then the air tickets were more expensive than he wanted so he wanted to back out.

I told him "tough." He knew that he needed to get his airline ticket and it's not my fault that he waited so long to buy it. I told him he had a choice. Either forfeit his deposit or he could buy his airline tickets and pay the other half of his deposit and have a great trip. If he had a family emergency or lost his job or something major like that I would have refunded his deposit, but this was just plain laziness and why should I be responsible for that?

Either way, I wouldn't have to come up with the full amount to cover him -- at least I was half way there and it wouldn't have been tragic if we had to pay the difference.

NEVER book a place without getting ALL parties to pay their fair share of the deposit up front.

Gromit, is that bag a carryon? I haven't looked at the link yet (pretending to be working), but I am going to try carryon only. And I did kinda-sorta want pink!

Anyhow, I will say after this trip, I have adopted a "no-pay, no-stay policy" that will be highly enforced. I'm not sure I care about sob stories and the like, because my stress-free vacation is a big, giant stress ball right now. If any of the folks who have bailed had paid a deposit, they wouldn't be getting it back. Kind of makes you wonder why they never paid, doesn't it... Oh well, lesson learned. I will still travel with friends, because it's always the best week of the year once it gets here, but no one has a spot on the trip until their checks have cleared.

LuLu -- check out the link-- they have three sizes. One is definitely carry-on only sized.

Check out the link and don't forget to watch the video demo. It's cool!