Help! Need *New* Caribbean Vacation Destination

wester.DeleteThis@laway.net wrote:

>On Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:49:29 GMT, Chuck & Chris
><ChasKMneverspam.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:35:34 GMT, Kurt Ullman <kurtullman.DeleteThis@yahoo.com>
>>wrote:
>>>The other thing I got from our cruise to St. Lucia is that I don't
>>>ever want to fly in there. The runways are SHORT and you have to
>>>basically get to the edge of the runway and drop straight down to miss
>>>something (IIRC). The thing that stuck in my mind was more the takeoffs.
>>>The airport had a little ski jump at the end of the runway, sorta like
>>>the British Aircraft carriers.
>>
>>I think a lot of the Caribbean islands have this same problem. My
>>theory is that the ones that had decent land for landing strips were
>>developed first for commercial jets. Sadly, this also means that they
>>are now the most overcrowded.
>>
>>While certainly not a deciding factor, the ability to fly in a jet
>>directly to an island from a location in the USA or Puerto Rico is a
>>very nice feature on our "no hassle" scale.
>>
>>Chuck
>
>Um, there are no jets that fly into the Caribe. You'll have
>STOL-licensed pilots.

Are you being sarcastic? Because my daughter flies 737s to various
places in the Caribbean. There are a few places where she has to have
some kind of familiarization training because of the runway
configuration, but that isn't true for the majority of the places.
And there are some places in the US where that is true also.
 >> Stay informed about: Help! Need *New* Caribbean Vacation Destination 

They land 747's at St. Kitts, Antigua, St Martin, and San Juan....just
to name a few that I have seen.

www.nevis1.com

On Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:04:06 -0500, wester RemoveThis @laway.net wrote:

>On Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:49:29 GMT, Chuck & Chris
><ChasKMneverspam RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:35:34 GMT, Kurt Ullman <kurtullman RemoveThis @yahoo.com>
>>wrote:
>>>The other thing I got from our cruise to St. Lucia is that I don't
>>>ever want to fly in there. The runways are SHORT and you have to
>>>basically get to the edge of the runway and drop straight down to miss
>>>something (IIRC). The thing that stuck in my mind was more the takeoffs.
>>>The airport had a little ski jump at the end of the runway, sorta like
>>>the British Aircraft carriers.
>>
>>I think a lot of the Caribbean islands have this same problem. My
>>theory is that the ones that had decent land for landing strips were
>>developed first for commercial jets. Sadly, this also means that they
>>are now the most overcrowded.
>>
>>While certainly not a deciding factor, the ability to fly in a jet
>>directly to an island from a location in the USA or Puerto Rico is a
>>very nice feature on our "no hassle" scale.
>>
>>Chuck
>
>Um, there are no jets that fly into the Caribe. You'll have
>STOL-licensed pilots.
 >> Stay informed about: Help! Need *New* Caribbean Vacation Destination 

>
> St. Lucia was not one of our favorite stops. It was in the midst of a
> serious crime wave at the time... or so they told us... and we were
> warned to be extremely careful. In view of that, it's probably not our
> best choice even if the resort itself is quite fine.
>
> Chuck

Been to St Lucia three times now and would not hesitate to go back - I dont
think the 'crime' is any worse than anywhere else - just be careful!
Antigua is supposed to have some of the best beaches but cant make a
recommendation re a hotel. Other than the beaches, its not very scenic tho.


--
Rita Daggett
 >> Stay informed about: Help! Need *New* Caribbean Vacation Destination 

>
> The other thing I got from our cruise to St. Lucia is that I don't
> ever want to fly in there. The runways are SHORT and you have to
> basically get to the edge of the runway and drop straight down to miss
> something (IIRC). The thing that stuck in my mind was more the takeoffs.
> The airport had a little ski jump at the end of the runway, sorta like
> the British Aircraft carriers..
If you docked at Castries, you saw the 'small' airport; there is a much
bigger one with long runways down in the south where the big aircraft go.
Its then a longish bumpy ride to most of the hotels which are in the north
(unless you go to Anse Chastenet, Jalousie or one or two of the others which
also have the advantage of being near The Pitons) but you get to see some of
the island that way! There is also the option of helicopter transfer from
Hewonawarra (or some such name of airport in south) to the one near
Castries.
Have you considered Grenada? That did suffer badly from hurricane damage in
2005 but is probably mostly repaired now. We stayed at the all-incl La
Source (which is just about to re-open I think) which again had really good
wines and generally good food too (as well as included spa treatments and
other activities) but you might prefer something closer to the capital.

--
Rita Daggett
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> Sorry .... have to disagree a bit on ANU. The south western quarter of
> Antigua is very beautiful indeed. English Harbour, Freemans Bay, Shirley
> Heights etc. are extremely attractive both scenically and historically.
>
Yes, I suppose so, but I was (mentally) comparing them with St
Lucia/Dominica type of scenery.
(Half Moon Bay is also a wonderful beach, which used to have a really good
hotel!)


--
Rita Daggett
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On Tue, 6 Mar 2007 10:04:11 -0000, "Rita Daggett"
<r.m.daggett.RemoveThis@nospam.open.ac.uk> wrote:
>Have you considered Grenada? That did suffer badly from hurricane damage in
>2005 but is probably mostly repaired now. We stayed at the all-incl La
>Source (which is just about to re-open I think) which again had really good
>wines and generally good food too (as well as included spa treatments and
>other activities) but you might prefer something closer to the capital.
>--
>Rita Daggett

Grenada is another one of those locations that's on our interest list
but not for this particular vacation. There's little time left and we
see no charter vacation offerings at all out of Boston. To do this
location at this time "a la carte" would be well outside our maximum
vacation budget.

Chuck
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>
> Grenada is another one of those locations that's on our interest list
> but not for this particular vacation. There's little time left and we
> see no charter vacation offerings at all out of Boston. To do this
> location at this time "a la carte" would be well outside our maximum
> vacation budget.
>
> Chuck
One of the differences in experience/perception (or whatever the right word
is) - the islands that are well-served by flights/packages from the UK are
not necessarily the same ones which are well-served from the States.
Certainly when I'm looking for a short hol in the Caribbean I want an island
with a direct flight from UK!

--
Rita Daggett
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On Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:04:12 GMT, "Skip Elliott Bowman"
<skipster.TakeThisOut@teleport.com> wrote:
>Tom is right. There is no more crime per se in the Caribbean than in NYC or
>San Francisco, the two most popular tourism destinations in America.

We are not out to avoid the Caribbean because of the
general/background level of crime there. Hardly! We are only seeking
to avoid those very few islands and locations where we have
specifically been told or read of (or personally observed) elevated
crime rates specifically targeting tourists. With so many other good
choices, why would we want to go to an island or location where crimes
against tourists are not being properly controlled?

And let me be clear... there are plenty of locations within the USA
where we do not go and certainly would not choose to go on vacation.
The fact that a particular Caribbean island or location has "no more
crime per se than New York City" is not, to us, a very impressive
selling point. But we are comparing apples with oranges here. Crime
or not, there is only one NYC and folks understand and accept that
when they choose to travel there. If they don't, they will become
victims rather quickly! On the other hand, there are dozens of great
Caribbean islands and locations offering friendly, safe vacationing...
so why not choose one with a good reputation for safety?

Chuck
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Chuck & Chris <ChasKMneverspam DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote:

>On Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:04:12 GMT, "Skip Elliott Bowman"
><skipster DeleteThis @teleport.com> wrote:
>>Tom is right. There is no more crime per se in the Caribbean than in NYC or
>>San Francisco, the two most popular tourism destinations in America.
>
>We are not out to avoid the Caribbean because of the
>general/background level of crime there. Hardly! We are only seeking
>to avoid those very few islands and locations where we have
>specifically been told or read of (or personally observed) elevated
>crime rates specifically targeting tourists. With so many other good
>choices, why would we want to go to an island or location where crimes
>against tourists are not being properly controlled?
>
>And let me be clear... there are plenty of locations within the USA
>where we do not go and certainly would not choose to go on vacation.
>The fact that a particular Caribbean island or location has "no more
>crime per se than New York City" is not, to us, a very impressive
>selling point. But we are comparing apples with oranges here. Crime
>or not, there is only one NYC and folks understand and accept that
>when they choose to travel there. If they don't, they will become
>victims rather quickly! On the other hand, there are dozens of great
>Caribbean islands and locations offering friendly, safe vacationing...
>so why not choose one with a good reputation for safety?
>
Because often the perceptions are wrong, and you might go to somewhere
with a good reputation and be robbed and you can go to somewhere with
a poor reputation and have a wonderful time.

Not that you need to ignore the possible problems. Just take it with
a bit of skepticism.

AFAIAC, the high prices in the Virgins would be more of a problem than
the supposed crime rate for your scenario.

If you wanted white sand beaches, the Gulf Coast of FL around Ft.
Walton Beach would be perfect, especially as March would be off season
and there wouldn't be a lot of people around. Of course it wouldn't
be as warm as the Caribbean.
 >> Stay informed about: Help! Need *New* Caribbean Vacation Destination 

On Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:22:32 GMT, Rosalie B.
<gmbeasley RemoveThis @mindspring.com> wrote:

>If you wanted white sand beaches, the Gulf Coast of FL around Ft.
>Walton Beach would be perfect, especially as March would be off season
>and there wouldn't be a lot of people around. Of course it wouldn't
>be as warm as the Caribbean.

We've both done Florida many times... both coasts and the Keys... and
I'm sure we will do them again! Chris was thinking Key West at one
point for this vacation, but I talked her out of it. For this
particular vacation, some nice, wide, white sandy *Caribbean* beaches
are the order of the day.

Chuck
 >> Stay informed about: Help! Need *New* Caribbean Vacation Destination 

On the other hand, there are dozens of great
> Caribbean islands and locations offering friendly, safe vacationing...
> so why not choose one with a good reputation for safety?
>
> Chuck
I think all that people here are trying to say is that perceptions vary.
You appear to be writing St Lucia off because of what you were told on your
cruise; various people here have maintained that what you were told was an
exaggeration (in their opinion).
I suspect that all the islands are much the same regarding safety etc.
(there's been a huge fuss on a Bonaire forum about whether Bonaire is 'safe'
or not for example).
What do you think about Jamaica? (my perception is that Jamaica is less
'safe' than St Lucia, for example, but I've never been to Jamaica.
The only crime I have personal knowledge about was a camera stolen fron a
person's room in Dominica...


--
Rita Daggett
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On Thu, 8 Mar 2007 09:42:40 -0000, "Rita Daggett"
<r.m.daggett.DeleteThis@nospam.open.ac.uk> wrote:

>What do you think about Jamaica? (my perception is that Jamaica is less
>'safe' than St Lucia, for example, but I've never been to Jamaica.

From my own business travels there (as well as those of my
co-workers), I do not consider Jamaica to be a low-crime Caribbean
vacation destination for Americans. In fact, I am hard pressed to
think of anyplace worse right now other than possibly Haiti.

Chuck
 >> Stay informed about: Help! Need *New* Caribbean Vacation Destination 

On 7 Mar 2007 09:14:16 -0800, "Darryl61" <Darryl.Milstein RemoveThis @gmail.com>
wrote:

>IMHO...the publicity that Aruba received as a result of the
>disappearance of that young lady was unfairly reported. We have been
>to the island close to a dozen times in the last 10 years and have
>never witnessed an unlawful or even susupicious act. The people of
>Aruba are wonderful! Hard working, honest, sincere and, above all,
>friendly. They are the main reason we return every year. And...we do
>NOT own a time share in Aruba, sad to say!!

I'll admit right off the bat that I am not very big on Aruba. I
vacationed there once a few years back and had a terrible time. I
found the island neither pretty nor culturally interesting. Believe
it or not, it was overcast and rained every day I was there. My
resort's beach and pool were horribly overcrowded on the few sunny
periods and I found the hotel staff to be abysmal. Food was extremely
expensive, extremely slow in coming and only fair at best. In fact,
Chris and I are specifically looking for this vacation to be the
"anti-Aruba" vacation. We want to learn from that costly mistake.

That all being said, I do not consider Aruba to be a high crime
island... at least for adult vacationers... and felt quite safe there
as an American tourist. But the Natalee Holloway case does clearly
show that if a crime against an American does happen down there, don't
expect to find any answers or justice. It simply ain't gonna happen.

Chuck
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