USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

I am planning a big trip to celebrate my college graduation (I'm 34 and it's taken a long time to get through it while working full time, etc!) I think I've settled on St. John or St. Thomas but need some guidance with finding the best rates, options, etc.

I seem to have a misunderstanding of the role of a travel agent, though, and was hoping someone could clue me in. I was thinking they would be able to look for the best rates and packages for me, but so far it's seemed like they give quotes that are much higher than what I can find direct on the hotel sites.

I think I have narrowed down the "where to stay" to:

Westin on St. John
Marriott on St. Thomas or
Ritz on St. Thomas

I'm looking for a water front room for sure. I'm not looking for a ton of things to do as my main goal is to relax and just be away.

Anyone been to any of the hotels above and/or have advice on how to find the best rates, etc.?

Thank you in advance!

Re: USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

I've stayed at the Ritz and we loved it! I've heard good things about the westin but never stayed there. The ferry terminal to St. John is close to the ritz so we went over for the day. I can't help with getting the best rate though because we used Marriott rewards.

USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

I am a former travel agent. It basically boils down to many hidden fees on the internet and also the items included in the package that may be showing you a higher rate. Transfers? A better room type? Excursions?
Are you researching this as a package with airfare? Since airfare costs fluctuate so much, to get the fare quoted in your research, you have to book and pay for the trip at the same time.
Also, flight costs are all flight-specific. If your internet search includes more flexibility than the options you plugged into a website, the quote may sound different. The travel agent may not know you are flexible...

Eta: this tugged at my heart strings because St Thomas and St. John are my favorite places to vacation. I would stay at the Westin and have the concierge book you a private driver to take you on a tour of St. Thomas. It's not expensive or fancy (minivan) and they show you the sights that are off the beaten path, too. There are also some great restaurants in St. Thomas, and pretty good shopping. We get our duty free liquor at KMart! Our driver let us in on that secret...

Message edited 1/11/2015 1:40:05 AM.

Re: USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

I love St. John - I have a timeshare at the Westin and go every year.
The hotel part is not really beachfront. Most of the rooms face the pool or higher up on the hill, the gardens. Doesn't matter, the view is great. The beach though, is not all that. It is a cove. Other great beaches are a short cab ride away.
Awesome restaurants and bars nearby in Cruz Bay and if you rent a jeep, across the island in Coral Bay.

If you do want to stay at the Westin, I would recommend renting a timeshare villa thru Redweek.com or VRBO.com. You get more for your money that way. Dining out gets expensive, so we eat in breakfast and sometimes a dinner or two.
DH and I, along with some friends, are looking to extend our usual 1 week stay by renting another villa or even a home in the area.

I've heard great things about the Marriott and the Ritz on St. Thomas.
American and Delta each have one direct flight daily to St Thomas from JFK.

USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

Thanks so much for the replies! I feel pretty overwhelmed trying to make the "right" choice.

I would be using US Air miles for the flight, so just trying to figure out the lodging.

How does renting a timeshare work? Is the Westin still responsible for condition, etc.?

USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

You rent a timeshare directly from an owner, ideally thru a site like Redweek or VRBO. The property, in my case the Westin, is responsible for having it ready in a clean condition. There is no daily maid service, they will come in once midweek to change the linens and replenish the towels, tp, dish soap if you need it. You are responsible for all food items including condiments like salt, pepper, sugar. I travel with a bag of
supplies I need for the week.
The water is safe to drink, but some people are sensitive to a bug in the water that can cause stomach problems. We buy jugs of water just to be safe.

I like timeshare for the comforts of home. I will do laundry, this way we don't have to pack a lot of clothing and have more room for food items, supplies, beach stuff, folding cooler.
We eat breakfast in, and have access to bbq grills if we want.

Message edited 1/19/2015 5:30:45 PM.

Re: USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

I agree. A lot of times guests come to me with a "better rate" but it's not an apples to apples comparison. Most often it's that the rate you see online doesn't include taxes and resort fees and mine does. Other times it's a different room category altogether, or a significantly less desirable flight (more stops, longer layovers, etc). I can match just about any price you find on the internet, so that's not an issue. If you're otherwise happy with your agent, I would point it out to her and she can explain the difference in rates, or try to get a price match for you.

That having been said, all travel agents are different, and while I do feel that a big part of my job is to get the best price, the bigger part of my job is to give you the best experience by asking you questions and matching you with the best resort, by steering you to the right activities, by working with my tour operator and resort contacts to get you the room request you want or the special recognition of your celebration. to be there for you in case anything goes wrong or you need to make a change, so that it's ME, not you on the phone with resorts and airlines making changes and assuring that you have your right seats on the plane, the room you requested, your driver arriving on time, etc.

I do spend a lot of time (maybe more than I should) doing price adjustments in the event of a price drop and monitoring prices for my guests, but honestly, I don't feel my job is all about the bottom dollar, it's about the added value I can provide. I'd encourage you to speak with your agent and she will be happy to clarify her rates and her role and go to bad to get you the best price and the best experience. If she doesn't, then it's not a good match. Good luck!

Re: USVI and Travel Agent Help Needed

Those are 3 great resorts. It depends on what you want to do most, but usually people like to stay on St. Thomas and ferry to St. John. It's SO easy to get around on St. Thomas. I love that the cab and jitney fares are posted so there is no fear in getting overcharged. I actually drank the water there while pregnant. I guess I live on the edge. Since it's part of the US, the shopping rules are very relaxed. It's very easy to spend a fortune there, so be aware of that!