Why don't more Fodorites consider St Croix?
 

We recently spent a week on St Croix, at the Buccaneer Resort. We absolutely loved it. (See comments on my thread.)

But I will say that I was a bit hesitant to choose St Croix. Because I found so little enthusiasm for it here, except for a couple of posters, like starrs.

I have been to the French Riviera, the Italian Riviera, St Martin, Dominican Republic's Carib coast, Florida, California and Hawaii. For this recent trip, we wanted aqua blue, crystal clear water.

We were very happy we'd chosen St Croix, and the Buccaneer. I'm wondering why more people here don't consider it. I see comments on practically every other Carib island, but not much on St Croix. Lots of remarks on another travel site, though not much here.

Just curious.

FYI:
http://www.fodors.com/community/cari...n-st-croix.cfm

Now I'm really curious because no one even responded about St Croix. Folks are missing out on a great vacation spot, is all I'm sayin'.

My reasons are not against St Croix specifically, but the Caribbean in general.

Because I live west coast US, it's way easier and less expensive for me to get to Mexico or Hawaii for beach vacations. I only head to the Caribbean if I'm meeting friends from 'back east'. Then we go to Jamaica.

St. Croix is the least popular of the US Virgin Islands, but a lot of people on these boards also dislike St. Thomas and St. Maarten, primarily because of reports of crime. But I'm with you. St. Croix is actually my favorite of the Virgin Islands, and I'm sticking to that opinion. I've stayed on both ends of the island, and I have always loved it.

I went to St. Croix many moons ago and St. Thomas within the last 10 years. Not destinations I would return to. There are just better Islands in the Caribbean to spend my hard earned money on.

Also, from my US departure point, it's not that easy to get to many of the Caribbean Islands and it can be rather costly in airfare. We tend to go to Mexico a lot also because it's cheaper and more convenient to get to. We also prefer AI vacations and St. Croix doesn't really offer good options in that respect.

I wouldn't mind returning to St. Croix as part of a cruise ship vacation. However, I have put future Caribbean cruises on that back burner because all the ones I am interested in stop in St. Thomas and I really don't want to go back there if I don't have to.

I stopped there on a cruise a few years ago, and the area where the ship docked is not nice at all, and I can see why some might not like it. I spoke with a cab driver who said they didn't allow cruise ships for a while due to crime. We drove to the other end of the island, passing a gigantic oil refinery that wasn't very nice to see on the island either.

Now once we got to the opposite side of the island, it seemed very nice, and I can see where folks would like it. We took a charter over to Buck Island which was gorgeous.

Out of the 3 USVIs, I'd go with St John over ST Thomas & St Croix hands down. Just much less built up, better beaches, and a much safer feel to it.

St Croix has a reputation for 'crime' and for locals being not particularly friendly or welcoming. I'm not saying these are legitimate reasons or even true, but those thoughts are most definitely out there and commonly accepted.

If I were going back to USVI I also would go to St John instead.

Thanks for your interesting points.

We found the people to be very friendly. But our time was mostly spend at the Buccaneer, where workers fall all over themselves to help.

Safety wasn't an issue I found in researching STX, nor when we were there. Not like the reputation I found for Mexico, St Thomas and Jamaica.

I should just keep quiet about it. Because we liked this low- key and uncrowded island.

I was in the USVI way back in the late 70's. Even then the reputation for St Croix as being dangerous was common place.

I'm truly glad you had a good experience at the resort, but I don't think you can really speak to an entire island's atmosphere or safety for tourist from that limited experience.

I'm not sure where you "found" the "reputation" for Mexico, St Thomas or Jamaica as being so much more dangerous. Those are all places I have been without issue myself.

The 70s was a long time ago.

I won't argue about my opinion or my findings. They should not be taken as blanket "know it all" statements.

<The 70s was a long time ago.>

My point exactly. That St Croix has been troubled by a reputation as being not the most "safe" place for decades.

Tab, I'm not sure why. I started going because a friend loved to stay at Chenay Bay - and golf at the Buccaneer. I absolutely fell in love. Later we returned to a villa on the opposite side of the island and it was heaven. It's still one of my favorite two islands - the other is St. Lucia. St. Croix is harder to get to compared to the others and Delta changed their routing (we flew on frequent flyer miles). IMO St. Thomas had the reputation for the crime and comments about St. John reminded me of Kauai and St. Croix was the equivalent of the Big Island. <<< just my personal opinion

For "unsafe" I think Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Mexico would beat St. Croix. We drove around St. Croix on virtually every road in an open jeep and I wouldn't do that in a lot of places. We avoided town when the cruise ships were in port, only because I hate being around that many people. But St. Croix on a non-ship day? Heaven. Any island in the Caribbean can feel "unsafe" but I never felt that way on St. Croix. We only drove at night one night - on the 4th of July after watching the waterfront fireworks at a restaurant. Yes, at that time I hoped we wouldn't have car trouble in the dark - but I don't think that is St. Croix specific.

Glad you enjoyed your visit. I hope to go back one day.

Just because you think Mexico or Jamaica is less safe does not make it true.

Thanks, starrs. I completely agree with your assessment. We definitely hope to go back. With DS and DD both on the west coast, though, it will be more difficult to head east from home.

suze, I think everyone knows that reputations for "safety" change over time, and tend to be based mostly on opinion. No point arguing about it.

Croix is one of my very favorite places in the world. If you are a diver, the North Shore (the northeast corner of the island between the Salt River and Davis Bay) is pure heaven. Much as I love it, though (and I've been going down there for close to 20 years), I've noticed an uptick in crime in the past 2 years -- the closing of the Hovensa plant really hurt the local economy a lot. I still keep going back though!

Thanks for your perspective, tejana.

Some of my family went scuba diving, but I don't know exactly where. They had a great time.

We all went on a Buck Island snorkel trip, also.

The water is so much prettier in the Caribbean, than Hawaii. We couldn't get enough of being near the ocean--- swimming in it, listening to it, watching the waves.

I had heard the closure of that business caused some criminal activity, but I don't know what type it was supposed to have been-- theft or violent crime.

<<I'm wondering why more people here don't consider it.>>
a) they have their favourite destinations and keep going to the same place every year, especially if it is cheap and easy to get to.
b) put off by crime even though that's ridiculous. Of course, one needs to be careful, but there are more dangerous places in the world, like Cape Town or Rio. The Caribbean is tame by comparison.
c) Can't be bothered to put in the effort to get there, if it is not a direct flight that takes 2 hours, forget it. If I only had 2/3 weeks vacation per year, I'd probably be the same.
If I have the opportunity to go, I would definitely go.

I'd be curious to your opinion of St John after spending some time there compared to St Croix. You might then understand the attitude of this message board when it comes to which island is more desirable. All 3 can be great destinations, but St John seems to be the most popular for a reason.

Well...We've been to ST Croix approx. 20 times and always stay at The Buccaneer. It is by far our favorite island and our favorite resort. We've been to lots of Caribbean islands, several spots in Mexico and also to S.America. We have never had the slightest "safety" problem on STX and believe me ,I go everywhere I possibly can.I have had incidents in Mexico,where we've been to at least 7 different times. We have friends who have had "safety" issues on some of the other islands.The image that STX has probably came from an incident that took place almost 40 years ago when some tourists were killed while golfing at what is now the Carambola course. That's a pretty long time for that to keep coming back to haunt STX. I do know for a fact that there are problems on many other islands and many seem to be worse than what you encounter on STX. I will admit that the closing of the Hovensa refinery has hit the island pretty hard and things have change a little. Whenever I can, I check this forum and some others for info and I see many many comments about problems on other islands too. The people on STX are somewhat reserved but to my experience are most definetly not unfriendly. I will also say that when we tourists leave our own home areas and go to any place new or different many of the "problems" we encounter are probably in our own perceptions. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I contend that the same applies to "safety". If I have a discussion with anyone who tells me how dangerous the Caribbean is, I usually ask them how they feel when they go to NYC, Phila.,Wash.,D.C,Miami or any of the many other large cities that I been to. If they don't feel the same about safty in big cities in this country , then I don't put much stock into their comments about the islands. STX is a wonderful island to visit and it still has somewhat of an older Caribbean feel to it. Each and every island that we've been to has it's own plusses & minuses but all in all STX can't be beaten. If someone goes to any island and is expecting perfection and a Disneyland sort of environment ,then they'll be disappointed. We're going to STJ again in a few weeks and although I like it quite a bit, STX still wins out for me. STJ has lost its West Indian character and it is very pricey. It's the prettiest of all of the island that we've stayed on but it has almost become like some sort of artificial spot. We first went there over 20 years ago and it was really neat. This will be our 5th or 6th visit and I have to say that it's becoming more like all of the other islands. It was very clean & pristine 20 years ago, but now you spot garbage containers, junk cars & trucks and all of those things that come with growth and popularity. STX really hasn't changed a whole lot in the time that we've been going there and I hope it kind of stays that way.

Stcroixboix, I agree completely. You were a big help in our decision to choose The Buccaneer.

"Safety" relates to one's comfort zone. I think some places which are poor, can be perceived as unsafe by some people who prefer Disney perfection.

Like in the Dominican, where I toured the farm areas and the city of Santo Domingo with a friend who lives there, I left with a very good impression of the island and its people. I loved the simple little farms and the people who waved at us.

The other couple who were with us, went home saying they thought DR was 'dirty', which I did not think at all. I believe that's how they interpreted the poverty.

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. An open mind is a very good thing.

Some places actually are more unsafe than others.

Many consider Mexico to be unsafe.

Because some people "consider" it does not make it a fact.

I agree. I feel much safer in Mexico than I did in St. Thomas, St. Croix or Jamaica. One of the reasons why we keep returning to Mexico for vacation year after year. People who believe in the news media hype or the people who never even been there or don't know how to read a map are missing out on a truly great destination, which is fine with me. It keeps the prices and crowds down.

I live in West Texas, about 3 - 4 hours from a few border towns of Mexico. I am safer in Caribbean Mexico than I am in my own backyard. There are lots of drugs and associated crimes in this area.

I also feel safer in Mexico (La Paz, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta) than the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, USVI, Jamaica).


As one example, local residents specifically advised me not to walk along after dark on the West End road in Negril because a woman had recently been mugged there. I have never heard of anything like that in many many trips to PV.

Tabernash2: I think there are a good number of reasons why St. Croix is off the radar for some folks. There isn't a lot of airlift there. It is difficult to get there from the rest of the Caribbean (and even the rest of the USVI). There isn't a lot of cruise ship traffic. And one of the biggest reasons, I have always felt, is that the people of St. Croix like it that way.

To KVR: I understand why you didn't like St. Thomas. You seem to like the AI experience, which is antithetical to the St. Thomas way of life. ;-) Too bad you never experienced the Texas Society Chili Cook-Off.

And suze: Why are you even looking at this forum, if you don't like the Caribbean?

Yes. That's my point. We "feel safe" based more on our own comfort zone and experiences, than on crime statistics.

eastenderusvi~ Actually I love the Caribbean. Gorgeous part of the world. I've had many wonderful experiences there. I just don't believe it is "safer" than Mexico was my point.

tabernash2~ It's not about my "own comfort zone" when a local tells me their friend got knocked down and her purse taken a couple weeks ago at 10pm as she was leaving their home.

That was your experience. Again making my point that many times our feelings are based on anecdotal evidence, not statistics.

It was "anecdotal evidence" that a woman had recently been mugged?

There is no "right answer" here. Some people prefer different places....Thank God!!

KVR didn't like St John.....I absolutely LOVED it...just differing opinions.

Tabernash loves St Croix, which is fine....it's great that you found a place you really loved. Not everyone is going to agree with your choice is really the point here.

I don't care where you go in the tropics....if you are dumb enough to be in bad areas that you wouldn't be at home, well, be prepared to have a bad experience.

Common sense goes a long way. So whether you are in Mexico, Jamaica, DR, or the USVI......there are places you need to avoid at certain times of the day if you want to play it safe. Do your homework, know your surroundings, and have fun!!

Yes, suze, exactly.
By definition: "anecdotal--
... using a personal experience or an isolated example instead of a sound argument or compelling evidence.
It's often much easier for people to believe someone's testimony as opposed to understanding complex data and variation across a continuum. Quantitative scientific measures are almost always more accurate than personal perceptions and experiences, but our inclination is to believe that which is tangible to us, and/or the word of someone we trust over a more 'abstract' statistical reality."

Bassguy, I agree. Same is true for any city in the US, or the world.

To me a woman being recently mugged in the exact location I am walking alone at night myself IS "a sound argument or compelling evidence" that maybe I should not do that same thing putting myself in that same situation of risk. That's called being smart, instead of stupid, and has nothing to do with "abstract statistical reality".

Whatever you say, suze.

I was on vacation here Christmas week 2014 and I did not experience any crime or problems. I think the talk of high crime in St. Croix is causing people to miss this little gem of an island. My experience was an island with beautiful topography (reminded me of St Lucia with its mountainous topography), friendly people, great beaches and water and interesting things to do and see. The I read the crime postings just before going and was very concerned and considered canceling the trip but it had already been paid for. We drove all over the island and did not experience any issues. Athough there are certainly a lot of public housing projects and abandoned houses outside the resort we stayed at (Renaiisance Carambola) it was pretty obvious where we "did not belong" and we did not stop at the housing projects or in the run down sections of Christensted or Frederiksted. I also noticed that the island did not have young guys "hanging around" or driving around with loud music or staring at us as we drove by. Instead the island was quiet and although obviously experiencing bad economic times from the state of housing and roads outside our resort, it did not seem at all dangerous. So my opinion is go to this beautiful island, use your common sense and stay in your car in the run down sections! We did that for a week and were 100% fine and never bothered or molested by any locals. While you are there Definitely do the bioluminescent bay tour if you are there when the moon is ¼ or less - otherwise you will not see bioluminescence but you will have a nice kayak paddle. Also go to some of the island restaurants such as Rowdy Joes (ten minute ride from the hotel) and the Buccanneer hotel restaurant. Both are excellent. Also go see Udall point and Sand Point while you are on the island. And finally, rent a car - you will need it for the island and to get decent food.

Thanks for your report, TravlerX.
Glad you enjoyed St Croix.
We are hoping to return someday soon.

My wife and I are going to STX for thanksgiving 2015.

We are staying on the east end, but will be driving around a lot.

A lot of people here said "just stay out of the bad areas".

But what are the bad areas? It seems Csted is safer than Fsted. Is there any truth to that?

I read a lot to get back to your hotel by sun down. Why is that? People seem to insinuate that the island is a free for all after sunset...

Thanks for any and all replies!

To a great degree, Christiansted is safer than Frederiksted, but you have to drive past a housing project to get into Christiansted, so I guess it's all relative. As I discovered, I could easily end up in the wrong part of town without knowing really how I got there.

Having said that, I've never had a single problem on St. Croix, and I've driven around late at night from one end of the island to the other.

It's a great island, and if you exercise even a modest amount of caution, you'll have a wonderful time. The people are for the most part very friendly. It's actually my favorite of the US Virgin Islands.

I agree, also.