In a previous post I asked which place would you recommend STT (Ritz Carlton) or Nevis (FS) Now I'm reading about the crime on STT. My husband and I really won't be leaving the Hotel property if we go there but its still making me nervous. If we go there we will be going from the airport to the hotel but I thought maybe about going to some other places for dinner. Do you think if we stay in STT we should just stay on the property? I need to make a choice soon and the more I read the more confused I feel. Thanks for any input.

All due respect, of course....but you need to get over it. Crime is everywhere in the world....STT is no exception. Keep in mind that the majority of crime on most islands do not involve tourists....however....safety in numbers is important after dark. That can be said about most major cities in the US, as well. If crime is something you are going to worry about on your vacation....go somewhere else. Possibly Lake Wobegon.

This is a legitimate question that always gets a curt remark. There have been problems on STT. I believe that it is in the town of Charlotte Amalie at night. The Ritz is not near the town and you should be fine dining out. My mother loved the Ritz. I have heard wonderful things about the FS Nevis. I believe that Nevis is a very quiet island. If you are a shopper, go to STT. Another property to consider is Caneel Bay on St. John. There are islands in the caribbean that have reputations for being safer than others.

And you, "girlonthego", are one we should feel qualified to "legitamize" a subject? From reading some of your other posts on this forum, I would be hesitant to heed some of your "advice" and "suggestions" knowing what I know of the region. No disrespect of course.

The reason I'm so concerned about the crime is not fear but wanting to get away from it. My husband and I are both NYC Detectives and all we do everyday is deal with crime. We havent been to the islands in years so we are just trying to get some ideas whats going on. To say the least is we did not live in a bubble. I'm well aware crime is everywhere but just was looking for some more seasoned travelers advice. I welcome everyones post. I just found this website and really love the talk forums.

caribbean soul: I too have read some of your previous posts. You have some nerve criticizing! You can vacation in a crime ridden place and enjoy yourself. Just don't pass judgement on others. Everyone has a right to an opinion on this board, unless it doesn't agree with people like you! Now, jt. I understand your position about wanting a relaxing place to vacation. I think St.John would be the more relaxing of the islands with good snorkeling and a very nice hotel, caneel bay. I do think that STT would be fine, but it does have problems in their main town.

We knew about St. Thomas' relatively high crime rate and were pleasantly surprised at how safe we felt there as vacationers. We rented a car and drove all over the island, primarily in daylight.

Actually crime occurs not only in Charlotte Amalie but also in various neighborhoods around the island, although a tourist would not have a reason to be in these other areas.

I suppose that if a vacationing detective was going to drive down the road and spend time wondering whether the fellows hanging out at the corner store were criminals, this might interfere with one's relaxation.

Personally I would choose Caneel Bay over the Ritz, but not because of crime concerns - more because of the beautiful setting, beaches, and snorkeling. Accommodations definitely more luxurious at the Ritz, however.

If you're going to stay at the Ritz and only venture off-property a few times, taxis would make sense.

Back to the OP's question, I have been to STT only a couple of times but never felt unsafe day or night.

We ate out for almost all meals and simply took a taxi from our hotel to the restaurant and then had the restaurant call us a taxi when we left to return. (During the day, we selected places we could walk to from our hotel and never felt in the least worried.)

During our most recent trip (in Jan.), we walked for quite some distance on the backstreets (off the main road) of town in order to get to a sandal shop I have become addicted to, as we had done before, and never felt even remotely uncomfortable.

Mainly due to its size and population, STT has a rep for crime, but I do not think it even remotely begins to compare to JA or DR or even a mid-sized US city. I live in Raleigh and am more comfortable walking around in downtown Charlotte Amalie than I am downtown here.

Just don't go wandering around at night and you will be fine!

jt - i just had to jump in here.
please ignore carib souls wobegon comment, and the bickering -
my best friends daughter just spent a year on st. t at the clg. & we went to visit her for 2 weeks. the daughter cautioned us not to be alone on the street in CA after say 9pm, saying the chance of harrassment could be great and the chance of a worse incident possible. she also cautioned us to avoid 1 particular beach that was rarely used by tourists but near our hotel; however we were 2 women alone. that said we had no problems at any time,and i never felt uncomfortable (i'm from a tiny town in maine).imho there would be no reason at all not to take a taxi to/from any restaurant on the island. i am going again in june by myself and will rent a car and have no intention of staying on the hotel property!!!just not out alone at night.

Sorry for the "curt" remark JT. The crime discussions regarding the islands gets nauseating sometimes. As to GOTG remarks about vacationing in "crime ridden" areas....a little confused here....so I'll just ignore. After reading one of her posts discouraging families from vacationing in Mexico because of the water....I'd ignore more. JT-if you really want a relaxing vacation, I'd recommend flying into STT and take the CA ferrry over to STJ and definitely rent a villa. The villa experience on STJ will save you major expenses than a hotel such as Caneel which can hit $500/day easy. There are hundreds of villas and most agencies prorate the price based on number of guests. So you can find a nice 3 BR villa for $200-300/day depending on season. Another solid choice is Gallows Point Resort on STJ. http://www.gallowspointresort.com/
I hope this helps....sorry again for the curt remark and the Lake Wobegon reference....I understand your desires better knowing what you do for a living now.

Some people, white americans in particular, are uncomfortable in areas where they are the minority. Very often they equate race with crime when a more logical link is poverty with crime.

My wife and I (both white americans) have had nothing but good encounters with residents of St. Thomas. We really enjoy hanging out at Coki Beach, eating local food and chatting up locals whenever possible.

We made a mistake once when going to dinner at Romano's. We ended up walking a long way through a scary (to us) part of town near Point Pleasant. Definately stood out like sore thumbs. No one approached us other than to pass by going their own way. Not too smart on our part but no harm done.

I say feel free to go just about anywhere you want during the day and to stick to the more tourist focused areas at night.

I love St. T. and we're heading back in August for our third visit as a couple and my fourth as an individual.

Leave the gumshoes at home and live in sandles! Have fun.

mm

Thank You everyone for all the posts. I have found them very useful. I really have my heart set on Nevis FS but Im not thrilled about changing planes. This whole trip is a surprise for my husband and hope whatever choice I make turns out well.

I agree that STT is like any American city. We're not living in the 17th century anymore. Crime happens everywhere and people will always fight over the concept of crime on STT. You can relax IMO. We never felt unsafe day or night.

I find nothing wrong with trying to figure out which island is safer. Yes the majority of travelers have no problems when on vacation. But if an island has a higher crime rate than another, that also means that chances of something happening are greater. Why worry when on vacation??? I went to Aruba and Grand Cayman in the last year and felt totally comfortable(even though I was a white American). Went to St. Thomas and Barbados with a cruise also. Could not stop looking at my bag on the beach as I was in the water. That's not maximizing my vacation's potential. So when someone asks a question regarding safety, I think it is a totally valid question because it directly relates to relaxation.

NYGiants,

I agree that it is a totally valid question, and several knowledgeable people who have been there for more than one day on a cruise gave their informed opinions on STT's safety level.

Hmmm. Aruba and Caymans vs Barbados and STT.

Aruba and the Caymans are well-known as two of the most antiseptic and white-washed, least-authentic-island-experience, Americanized islands in the Caribbean.

Yes, they are safer than most of the other islands, but there are those of us who like to feel like they're in another country when they travel.

So, EXACTLY what was it about STT and Barbados that you found threatening as opposed to GC and Aruba?

Perhaps the OP wants a nice resort on an island she feels she can enjoy without worrying about personal safety, and people who have spent a lot of time going all over the island in question are in a position to tell her whether or not this is the case.

I stayed at Frenchman's Reef for 5 days a few years ago.

I do not care for STT. I am a runner and was uncomfortable to go out in the mornings for a run so I was confined to the gym. Walking around downtown at night was not comfortable and we ended up in taxis.

Not my taste for a vacation.

For me, it is way too developed. Might as well be in the US for all the island culture STT offers.

Not my choice but many love it.

Don't know if the British Virgin Islands are an option, but we much prefer them to the USVI. There is very little crime in the BVI. Have been to Tortola and Virgin Gorda and would recommend either. WE especially liked the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda. You can only get to the resort by boat.

OK....how about an opinion on the STT/Nevis subject from a 17 yr. resident of the VI? While STT is definitely the premier shopping port of call in the Caribbean, and a lovely island to vacation on for a number of reasons, I would like to assure the NYC detective that her choice of the Four Seasons in Nevis is one that she will not regret. Nevis is very small, quaint and the Four Seasons experience is a beautiful one that will remain with her for a lifetime. In all of my years of residence in the Caribbean I have had the blessing to travel to almost every island from the Florida Keys to Trinidad, and Nevis is on my list of top five favorites. Enjoy....and come to visit with us in the USVI on your next trip!

VI Bridget: Where do you live on STX? I used to work for a public accounting firm in Gallows Bay back in the early 90's for a few years. I last lived in Estate St. John before moving back to the States. Just curious!

CaribbeanSoul: I live on the BEST side...the West side! ;-) In all sincerity , since you're familiar with the locale, I live in Est. LaGrange off of Mahogany Rd. I love the lushness of our psuedo rain forest, and the sunsets, and have tried to live elsewhere on the Island, but the west is definitely my preference! I, too, worked in Gallows Bay in the early 90's!