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4. Where can I get snorkeling gear? If you don't bring your own snorkel gear to bring with you, there are places on the island where you can buy or rent gear. There are two Kmarts and a Cost-u-Less (the island's version of Costco, without the membership) where you can buy snorkel equipment and you can also buy or rent gear at one of several dive shops located around the island. 5. What will the weather be like while we are there? Our temperatures are very moderate year round. How does an average of 82 degrees sound? During the winter months, December through April, daytime highs hover around 84 degrees. In the summer, late April through November, the temperature will be anywhere from 86-89 degrees. Nighttime lows average 72 in the winter months and 76 during the summer. Pretty amazing, wouldn't you agree? Rainfall varies by the season, but there really is no time of the year where it just rains day after day. "Dry" season vs "Rainy" season on St. Croix means 10 minute rain showers instead of 15 minute rain showers. More often than not, the rain will come at night.
6. Will there be a lot of cruise ship passengers crowding the island? St. Croix does not have a lot of cruise ship visits like some other Caribbean islands. We only have a 2-3 of cruise ship visits per week during Peak Season and maybe one a week during Off Peak Season. As a comparison, St. Thomas, may have as many as 4-6 ships in port each day! That's a lot of people crowding the town and beaches. 7. Should we think about buying travel insurance? Getting travel insurance it is something to think about. Be sure to ask a lot of questions before you purchase insurance. One of the best known travel insurance companies is TravelGuard.com. A quick search online will reveal several large and reputable companies. 8. Will my cell phone work on the island? Yes, and Maybe. Several cell phone companies have service on the island, although some may include roaming charges. ATT & Sprint definitely will work and offer state to state service. Verizon, on the other hand, has virtually no service on the island. We recommend contacting your carrier before you arrive to avoid huge cell phone charges. 9. Can I access the internet on St. Croix? Yes! Most hotels and many villa and condo rentals offer internet connections. There are also several internet cafes on the island. BroadbandVI also offers WiFi connections in many areas of the island. 10. What airport do we fly into? Henry E. Rholsen International Airport (airport code: STX). The airport was enlarged and renovated with modern facilities. It has a runway that is long enough to safely handle large aircraft. 11. Is the water safe to drink? The water in town and at most hotels is perfectly safe to drink. If you are in doubt simply ask. The water at most of the villas on the island is collected rain water that is stored in cisterns below the villas. While it may be safe to drink, we recommend buying bottled water for drinking purposes. Bottled water is available in gallon jugs everywhere on the island for about $1.00 per gallon. Anytime you go out of the country, you run the risk of getting a bug that your body is not used to from the local water supply. The same would apply to someone coming to the U.S. from out of the country! 12. Do we need to conserve water while on the island? It is not absolutely necessary, however, please try to conserve water as much as possible. The water at most major hotels, and while in either Christiansted or Frederiksted, is safe to drink. The water at most private villas comes from rainwater collected from the roof and stored in a cistern under the house, which is typical throughout the Caribbean), or is delivered by trucks. As you can imagine, this can be very expensive. Fresh water is very scarce on St. Croix. We recommend buying drinking water from a grocery store or the many convenience stores around the island. It is not completely necessary, but we do recommend renting on. You can rent a car by the day or week and many of the rental companies will deliver the car to you. You must be at least 25 years old to rent a car on the island and have a valid driver license and current insurance. Click here for some St Croix car rental agencies. Public transportation is not the best on St. Croix. There are public buses (VITRAN) available in certain areas of the island but they are not very convenient and really don't follow a schedule of any kind. Locals tend to use Taxi Vans. You will see them clearly marked with a Taxi sign on the roof. You just flag them down and the cost is based on distance. Regular Taxis are also available. Click here for more taxi info. 14. What is the currency in the U.S. Virgin Islands? U.S. Dollars. Credit cards are accepted at most establishments. If you prefer to use cash, there are many ATMs located around the island. 15. What is the electric voltage on St. Croix?
The voltage on St./ Croix is 110 volts, the same as on the
U.S. mainland. 16. What time zone is St. Croix in? St. Croix uses Atlantic Time and does not follow Daylight Savings Time. St Croix uses the same time as the East Coast of the U.S. during the summer months. During daylight savings time, in the fall and winter months, St Croix is one hour ahead of East Coast time. 17. Is there a hospital on St. Croix, and what about doctors? Yes, Juan F. Luis Hospital - Sunny Isle, located across from the Innovative Building. In fact, there is a new cardiac center that is one of the largest and most modern in the Caribbean. There are doctors of every kind available on the island. 18. Where should I stay while on St. Croix? St. Croix offers visitors to the island many options for accommodations. You will find large beachfront resorts and hotels, smaller independent hotels and Inns, B&Bs and condo and villa rentals. Accommodations range from luxury to modest. You can even go camping! The rates will vary by the time of year. Typically, Peak Season runs from mid-December to mid-April and Off Peak runs from mid-April to mid-December. The US Virgin Islands imposes an 10% tax on all short-term lodging. That means you will pay the same 10% tax where ever you choose to stay. 19. I am physically challenged. Does St. Croix accommodate travelers with disabilities? Yes! There are many businesses, restaurants and lodgings that fully accommodate travelers with special needs whether you are confined to a wheelchair, use a walker or are on crutches. The U.S. Virgin Islands is fully committed to the provisions of the ADA.
Many St. Croix businesses are wheelchair accessible and
several tour companies will accommodate the physically challenged. Click
here for more information.
20. I want to have my wedding and get married on St. Croix. Is it difficult to arrange? No, not at all. A marriage license needs to be obtained at the courthouse. Your union will be recognized as a legal union by any court in the United States. There are several wedding planners on the island to help you. Click here for more wedding information and for a Marriage Application and License that you can download. 21. We are planning a vacation with children of varying ages. Will they be bored? No! St. Croix has a multitude of things to do for children. You can choose from crab races, snorkeling and swimming, horseback riding, kayak rentals, a Buck Island sail, miniature golf, and museums, parks and national monuments. Believe me, your kids won't be bored!
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