Virgin Islands Trip

[pourcyne]

I don't look at things that way.

Most people don't. They will drive 30 miles one-way to the Walton Empire Outposts to save a buck. Makes no sense.

 

[isufbcurt]

Most people don't. They will drive 30 miles one-way to the Walton Empire Outposts to save a buck. Makes no sense.

Agree. For me the benefit of driving to Chicago instead of flying from Des Moines is only about the flights not the costs. I can usually get a non stop or 1 stop from Chicago whereas going from DM usually adds an additional stop. To me that's worth it. I want to be on the plane as short of time as possible.

 

[Stormin]

IM the same way. I love not having to plan drinks and food. Just go, get in the pool, eat myself to death and drink myself to death. Not worry about money and all of that.

I stay at a small Mexican hotel on the beach in Playa. Not AI. I run a tab at the restaurant bar (cash only) for the day. When I am done for the day I settle up for everything and tip. Not a big deal. But the no hassle feature of an AI with swim up bar the convenience of AI wristband is very nice. Plus it is paid for up front. You do need less cash to carry.

 

[mustangcy]

I'm a little older than you but we have similar tastes:

Fly to cancun
Take a shuttle to a ferry
20 minutes later you're on Isla mujeres
Rent a golf cart for a week
Drive that golf cart to your airbnb
If you go with at least one other couple you can stay at a million dollar house with a private pool on the south side (busy) of the island
Hang out by the private pool 6+ hours day
Eat/Drink at great places for embarrassingly low prices
Go to the local grocery store and get booze/beer/food for 1/3 the price of the u.s.

If you want beaches you'll have to take the golf cart to the opposite end of the island but they are some of the best in the world. The snorkling is also good. The only downside is that it's no longer a secret so it's getting busier and you'll also see a heavy military presence but we've never seen anything sketch.

We've done this I think 5 times and it's pretty amazing. If you go with another couple or two it will be similar to price of an all inclusive without all down sides of an all inclusive.

Just got back from Isla. Second time there for us. We rented a very nice place with another family so it is indeed cheap relatively speaking to stay in a really nice place with your own pool and ocean view. Isla is our favorite place to vacation, so much food and bars and beaches. That said, the cheapness part is about gone. Prices on the island are about what you would pay in the states, so not super expensive by any means but not the "cheap food and drink" it was in the past. That said, Isla has the best bar scene in all of Mexico. Just unrivaled for fun off the wall places to drink and have fun.

 

[dmclone]

Just got back from Isla. Second time there for us. We rented a very nice place with another family so it is indeed cheap relatively speaking to stay in a really nice place with your own pool and ocean view. Isla is our favorite place to vacation, so much food and bars and beaches. That said, the cheapness part is about gone. Prices on the island are about what you would pay in the states, so not super expensive by any means but not the "cheap food and drink" it was in the past. That said, Isla has the best bar scene in all of Mexico. Just unrivaled for fun off the wall places to drink and have fun.

Yes, we were there in February and noticed higher prices. The grocery store stilled seemed pretty cheap. I'm also worried about them building that Sandles on the southern end. Next year we may try out Roatan for the first time.

 

[pourcyne]

Agree. For me the benefit of driving to Chicago instead of flying from Des Moines is only about the flights not the costs. I can usually get a non stop or 1 stop from Chicago whereas going from DM usually adds an additional stop. To me that's worth it. I want to be on the plane as short of time as possible.

You know airflight is safer than traveling by car, right?

Your odds of being in an accident during a flight is one in 1.2 million, and the chances of that accident being fatal are one in 11 million. Your chances of dying in a car crash, conversely, are one in 5,000.

How Flying Today Is Safer Than At Any Time In The Past

Becoming safer with every year that passes.

simpleflying.com

 

[isufbcurt]

You know airflight is safer than traveling by car, right?

Your odds of being in an accident during a flight is one in 1.2 million, and the chances of that accident being fatal are one in 11 million. Your chances of dying in a car crash, conversely, are one in 5,000.

How Flying Today Is Safer Than At Any Time In The Past

Becoming safer with every year that passes.

simpleflying.com

It has nothing to do with safety.

I don't like flying for numerous reasons - the other passengers (people that want to constantly talk to you, crying kids, fat people, smelly people, the reclining person in front of you, etc.), the entire flying process it a pain and annoying, the flight crews are usually rude and worry about minor things, the cramped seating space etc.

If I can reasonably drive somewhere I'd must rather do that. Turn the radio on and rock out as I go on my trip

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

If you’re young and going in a group of young people, use caution when taking advice from old people. 2 completely different experiences and itineraries.

 

[alarson]

At $.56 a mile for mileage, it costs me $183.12 to drive to Chicago. Parking in Lot G at O'Hare is $15 a day, or $105 for a week. Even at minimum wage, my time is worth $7.25 an hour, so 6 hours approximately for $43.50.

So, my "savings" adds up to

366.24 mileage RT
105.00 parking
87.00 minimum wage RT
________
558.24 "savings" (I'm not counting my pain and suffering at O'Hare, America's worst airport)

Now, I could fly to St. Thomas from Chicago for $457 on Spirit, BUT that flight leaves Chicago at 8 p.m. and there's a TEN HOUR LAYOVER in Orlando. Even so, that ticket really costs me $1,015.24.

Right.

I feel like this math really depends on how many people you've got going. One person the savings from driving to a different airport is a lot less because of these costs, while the more people you travel with the costs of driving are divided among those people while the savings from flying at a cheaper airport are the same per-person. Most of the time a solo traveler won't save much by driving to a different airport.

Also can depend who you know in a city. I'll fly out of MSP every so often when headed west as there are some good options for that there, but part of that is that I can drop my car at a friend's place and head to the airport from there, so i'm not dropping a lot of money on flying.

 

[Cloned]

Yes, we were there in February and noticed higher prices. The grocery store stilled seemed pretty cheap. I'm also worried about them building that Sandles on the southern end. Next year we may try out Roatan for the first time.

We have been to Roatan to dive. Quite different than many other Caribbean islands, probably a decade or more behind in terms of development which we liked but not ideal for those looking for white sand beaches and all inclusives.

 

[qwerty]

You're not going to Little St. James are you?

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

You know airflight is safer than traveling by car, right?

Your odds of being in an accident during a flight is one in 1.2 million, and the chances of that accident being fatal are one in 11 million. Your chances of dying in a car crash, conversely, are one in 5,000.

How Flying Today Is Safer Than At Any Time In The Past

Becoming safer with every year that passes.

simpleflying.com

Saying that to a race car driver won't mean much anyway.