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So I've been having a great vacation week in the USVI. Weather was great, condo was fantastic, residents were very friendly and helpful, I didn't lose anything, nobody in my family got injured, etc. Just a great week, and we are leaving tomorrow morning.
So we spent the afternoon at Sapphire beach, had a milkshake at Udder Delights (good stuff) got back to the condo, showered, and went to eat our final St. Thomas dinner in Red Hook at the Caribbean Saloon. We arrived at 6:30pm, parked in the ferry terminal parking lot, went to dinner, back to the ferry terminal, and there was nobody in the parking attendants booth.
We waited a while, then I went inside to find out what the deal was. I asked around, and everyone said they didn't know why the woman wasn't there. Went back to the car, thought about moving a barricade and bypassing the gate, went back into the terminal and saw the woman coming from the bar area with a drink in her hand. She went to the attendants booth with me (telling me she thought she left the gat up before she left). I got back into the car, gave her our ticket and $10 (expecting change) - she says "that's $10" and gives me a receipt. I said we were only there 1-1/2 hours max. She said we were there for three hours. I looked at the receipt which says we were there 6 hours and 30 minutes, and tell her that. I asked her for the ticket back - she at first refuses, then says that it got mixed up with other ticket stubs.
So she has my $10 and refuses to talk about it any more. I ask for her supervisor, she says I can come back in the morning (I'm leaving St. Thomas tomorrow morning).
Now it's not about the money at all. It's about having a great vacation spoiled right at the end by just one person. It made everyone in my family angry about being so blatantly fleeced.
When we cruised here 2 years ago, I left my camera in a taxi in Charlotte Amalie. I told another taxi driver about it, and she spent the next two hours tracking it down, driving my family and I to the cruise ship where she directed the first driver to leave it. Just fantastically hepful. Everyone else here is so nice...And then this happens.
Anyway, just needed to get that out. If you park in the ferry terminal lot, be careful when leaving. Don't give any money until you agree with the charge.
That really stinks. Sorry to hear that happened. I would urge you to make a few phone calls and let someone "higher up" know what happened. I wouldn't hold back that you had to wait around awhile while the attendant was at the bar.
Would love to hear more about the rest of the trip!
stjohnjulie wrote:
That really stinks. Sorry to hear that happened. I would urge you to make a few phone calls and let someone "higher up" know what happened. I wouldn't hold back that you had to wait around awhile while the attendant was at the bar.Would love to hear more about the rest of the trip!
Now that I'm back home, I'm not so ticked off now.
The experience on New Horizons snorkel/day sail really made the vacation something special. Left out of Sapphire Beach Marina last Wednesday. Sunny, 90 degrees, stingrays, good food, nice company, barracuda, cool fish, etc. Like a dream day. And cheap! (We got a full day of sailing (9:15am - almost 4:00pm), breakfast, lunch, gear, open bar for $60/per person.
The good memorys stick, the bad ones seem to fade quickly.
your snorkel day sounds great!! did you go to places that were accessible to other people, like Trunk Bay? Or did you go to more private coves? also, $60, really??? that is awesome! I just looked at their and they listed $80. did you have a coupon or something else to get it so cheap? we will be there in 2 weeks, can't wait!
I agree on the snorkel day price! I have been researching prices, since there are 5 of us, and that is awesome! Did you make reservations before you lleft for the trip, or did you just make them when you got there?
Kitty,
We went on New Horizon about 6 weeks ago. We booked on line and paid cash when we got there to get the $60/person rate. It was for the all day sail and as others have posted it was wonderful.
Sounds great! Thanks!
I am wondering of they have raised their prices. The on line cash rate now says $80.
Can you tell me a little about the sites where they snorkeled?
thanks.
Most days if I have seen New Horizons sailboat they are snorkeling at Honeymoon Bay St John and move for an afternoon snorkel in Christmas Cove on Great St James - I have seen them in Rendezvous Bay St John when the North Swell is running big.
The NPS is changing the mooring situation at Honeymoon and DPNR has installed moorings at Christmas Cove so maybe that will alter things.
thanks Exit Zero!
are these snorkel sites accessible by other land based tourists or only if you are on a charter trip? just wondering of we went to St John, could we do these snorkel spots on our own?
