Friday 25 May 2018

St Thomas Vacation Packages

St. Thomas Vacation Packages – Tips for a Fun Trip!

If you are planning to visit the US Virgin Islands you should make sure to look into St Thomas vacation packages. This island is one of the main hubs of activity in this part of the Caribbean, and it has a lot to offer to tourists. You will be able to enjoy not just great shopping, but beautiful beaches and wonderful adventures out in the water. As with any exotic location, with a few tips and tricks you can make the most of your time. Read on to find out how.

The first thing you should know is the people in St. Thomas, as in the other US Virgin Islands, are very friendly. They are very keen to say good morning, good afternoon and good evening, and they expect tourists to be able to do the same. Make sure you learn the right way to say these simple greetings – fortunately the natives speak English so it should be easy enough.

caribbean map for St Thomas Vacation Packages

If you want to enjoy St. Thomas vacation packages on a budget you may avoid booking during super-peak season, which runs from late December to early January. Instead, look into stays that will take you there in mid-winter and late fall, but you should be on the lookout for the weather as some consider this to be rainy season.

There is a lot of cuisine to enjoy in St. Thomas, especially fish caught in the nearby ocean. Look for restaurants that serve the best seafood and sample as many different dishes as possible. If you plan to stay in a rented villa you can buy different kinds of fish and prepare delectable meals with recipes from the internet.

Lastly, don’t forget to shop – in order to encourage tourists shopping in the US Virgin Islands is duty free. Take time to find the right bargains so that you can make the most of your money.

The Virgin Islands could use the support from visitors… and what better way than to book St Thomas Vacation Packages to benefit everyone! Especially you and your family!

Monday 30 April 2018

Financial Budget Strategies for a Successful Virgin Islands Vacation or Holiday

Most people mistakenly think that you need a lot of money to travel, or that vacations are simply too expensive and lavish. This is a good example of a wrongful assumption. Traveling ‘light’ so to speak, with limited cash, combined with a positive attitude and a deep personal commitment, persistence and resourcefulness is possible.

To put in plainly, planning pays and travel budgets save money. Taking the extra time to review sources at your disposal prior to, during and after your trip encourages a hands-on, pro-active approach to traveling and vacationing in general.

Most of us want to focus on having a good time and ensuring that a couple of the smaller details are taken care of. Taking advantage of saving opportunities and discounts, limited offers and utilizing tips and tricks from frequent travelers seem to be the keys to travel success.
Lessons learned will serve us all well when taking our next trip, whether to the campgrounds, some exotic tropical paradise or both!

There are various useful information and travel sources to assist you in this money-saving undertaking for traveling on a budget:
• websites and online travel providers whom specialize in great deals for vacation package bargains.
• travel websites brokerages and discount fare operators, airline carriers and websites with last minute fares and seat sales.
• travel speciality portals like booking.com where taking advantage of overnight flight flights, empty seats and multiple connections and other ways to save money while traveling the globe, is a mastered art of comparison-shopping and the budget travelers paradise so to speak.
• Printed materials, traveling on a budget-style magazines (like Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine) and books, other e-zines online, offering industry and insider travel tips, student and backpacking tips, and even specific destination guidebooks.
• Other specific budget-travel, industry-related publications and resources like: “First-Time: Around the World,” by Doug Lansky (published by “Rough Guides”) or “The Travel Detective: How to Get the Best Service plus the Best Deals from Airlines, Hotels, Cruise Ships, & Car Rental Agencies,” by Peter Greenberg (Random House)or the ever-handy: “The Traveler’s Handbook,” published by Globe Pequot Press.
• Various topic-specific guidebooks like, “Let’s Go,” guidebooks by and for students, are ideal for backpacking and exploring Europe for example. “Lonely Planet,” guidebooks to remote and popular destinations, with lots of valuable information for both upscale as well as budget travelers.
• Word-of-mouth via novice and skilled travelers, colleagues, family and friends who travel frequently often share great insights. We cannot discount these value-adding insights.
• Coupons and special vouchers, Family discounts and specials, online, limited-time internet-bargains.
• Condominium or developers, resort, time-share Promotions. Sales-pitch pop-up windows, Camping (sites and cabins, bring own linens and towels), tourist boards and information centers, and many more…

The Travel Detective Book vacation villa

Setting up a quick quote or cost-analysis for your planned journey, a rough travel expense account or budgeting outline to get started, is always a good idea to give your dreams some wings.

At the very least, you will have an idea and some kind of baseline and starting point. Initially though, forget all about expensive restaurants, business class flights and luxury car rentals and all you might have to sacrifice or cannot have on your budget, at least for now.

Hotel Savings
Here are some hotel hints.
• Check with the hotel if they have a frequent guest plan.
• Ask about package deals.
• If attending a conference, ask for the delegate rate.
• Explore other options than hotels – homes, apartments, guest rooms and houses, B&B’s , sub-let or short-term ‘lease’-like agreements for example: rent a St Thomas vacation house for a month, staying with family or friends, relatives or business contacts, farmhouses, self-catering apartments, Monasteries and convents in Europe are also cheaper options – – Always consider a fabulous Vacation Villa when visiting St Thomas instead of staying at those big overcrowded resort hotels.
• Avoid big Hotel bills, try AAA memberships, family-friendly hotels, ask for a first floor room, as most have pools (if you are fearful for little children wandering around and falling in).
• Continental breakfasts are a great money-saver for large families.
• Ask about any reduced fares at hotels, consider last-minute check-ins – hotels are rarely really fully booked.
• Eating in a supermarket deli-like counter proves to be much cheaper than fast-food locations or expensive restaurants.

Airline Savings
• Explore online offerings, comparison shop and then consider booking with discount airlines are all smart strategies. Remember flexibility on your part regarding dates and times will translate into savings.
• Consider enrolling in several air miles, reward or frequent flyer plans which often includes discounts on hotels and car rentals.
• Timing is everything. Avoid peak periods for example, holidays, spring break, and peak business hour time’s makes for more travelers en route and supply and demand will dictate pricing and cost – usually higher. Take advantage of shoulder and low season travel periods.
• Often the better airfare rates involve a Saturday night stay.
• Book flights at least two weeks in advance. Typically the closer you book to your flight date, the more expensive it is likely to be.
• Log on to the airline’s website and check out unadvertised flight specials.
• Booking online typically can save you a few dollars as well.
• Use a park-and-fly service and park your own vehicle at the airport. Driving your vehicle there and back is far less expensive than a taxi if you live far from the airport. Sometimes you may discover that airport bus services or shuttles may be cheaper than taxis.
• When boarding the plane, bring your own water. Airplanes often have dry air conditions and flight attendants rarely have time to keep refill your glass.
• Never eat at the airport. Airport food is twice the price of food anywhere else. Try to eat before arriving at the airport or pack a few snacks to tie you over until you reach your destination.
• Once you have landed, be sure to ask the information desk about free shuttles to your hotel or use public transit.
• Save time and headaches by traveling with a bag, you can carry on the plane. Some airlines have express check-in counters for passengers traveling with carry-on luggage only.

Transportation Tips
• Travel passes for public or mass transportation offers a good deal and can save you some money.
• Shuttles or trains are often cheaper than flights, sharing cab-fares if traveling alone
• Taxis are convenient but rarely worth the price. If you do hire a taxi, consider asking someone to split the fare with you.

snorkeling st thomas waters

Tuesday 24 April 2018

What to Expect from a St Thomas All Inclusive Vacation

With your St Thomas All-Inclusive Vacation coming up you have familiarized yourself with the basic facts – you know the language, the currency, passport and immigration information, the time zone and even the electricity requirements. What many vacationers don’t stop to consider is exactly what the phrase “all inclusive” means. It is easy to understand why they take things for granted – since they pay a lot of money they assume that everything they need will be covered. Read on to find out what a St Thomas all-inclusive holiday is all about.

There are several chain hotels on the island and they offer an all-inclusive service. This means that they have fully furnished rooms, meals, snacks, beverages, entertainment, recreation and more. This, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that the package that they offer you will include all these things. “All-inclusive” can mean different things depending on how much you are paying, and the time of the year. You may find an all-inclusive package that provides you with accommodation and 3 meals only.

jester sailing at sapphire st thomas

The best way to know what exactly is included in your package is to look out for your pre-vacation email. This is an email from the hotel telling you exactly what you will and will not be paying for. It usually comes a few days before your vacation starts, so adjust your email settings to ensure that it doesn’t go to your spam folder. If you do not receive it contact the hotel and ask them to send it again.

While a St Thomas all-inclusive holiday is all well and good, you may want to keep in mind that it can be rather limiting. For one thing you are tied to the hotel’s meals and you may not get to sample delicacies from around the island. Before you make your bookings make sure that you are getting the best deal possible.