The Sea Witch Stole My Voice! Our Two Week Land and Sea Adventure! COMPLETE 4/12

[UGAFan0829]

Lessa, I totally understand your obession with the Dooney & Bourke bags. I SO want one too, but it's just not in the budget right now, especially with Christmas right around the corner!!! I showed it to my DH a couple of nights ago, and he thought it was really cool too!!!

Keep us posted on yours...I wanna know if they have any in stock when you call. I was thinking of trying to save up enough for the larger bag to try and buy it when we go for the Princess 1/2 in March, but I'm wondering if they will still have them by then! I'm so excited for you!!!!!

 

[jordanyosh]

What's Dooney and Bourke? Why is it so expensive?

J/K I bought my mom one once...those prices aren't too too bad.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Lessa, I totally understand your obession with the Dooney & Bourke bags. I SO want one too, but it's just not in the budget right now, especially with Christmas right around the corner!!! I showed it to my DH a couple of nights ago, and he thought it was really cool too!!!

Keep us posted on yours...I wanna know if they have any in stock when you call. I was thinking of trying to save up enough for the larger bag to try and buy it when we go for the Princess 1/2 in March, but I'm wondering if they will still have them by then! I'm so excited for you!!!!!

I haven't ordered it yet, I contracted a responsibility virus last night and the doctors aren't sure when I will be cured of it. Hopefully not long as I REALLY want that purse! I am afraid that they are not going to have it if I wait so I have been debating back and forth, back and forth.

What's Dooney and Bourke? Why is it so expensive?

J/K I bought my mom one once...those prices aren't too too bad.

I am a Dooney and Bourke fan, I already have two of their purses and now I may have a third if I allow this purse to tempt me.

 

[jordanyosh]

I think I've seen one somewhere recently.....DTD at Disneyland? I can't remember. Oh, someone at my church had one. That's it

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I had set my alarm for 6am as we had an early excursion booked for our St Thomas port day. Well 6am arrived too soon, I awoke to my cell phone alarm going off but I was still feeling yucky so I went back to sleep for an hour and told Mom to wake me up at 7am. She woke me promptly at 7am and after I showered I felt a bit better.

While I was sleeping Mom watched our arrival into St Thomas from the verandah.

Mom and I got ready for our excursion and packed our day bag and then it was off to Topsiders to grab some breakfast before meeting our excursion group in the Buena Vista Theatre.

Three excursions were meeting here as we were all heading over to St John.

Unlike the excursion from the day before we actually had a Disney CM accompanying us on our excursion in addition to the guide from the tour company that Disney contracts.

It was pretty much the same procedure as the day before, check-in with your ticket, pick up some towels and get a Disney character sticker to wear on your shirt. Our group was Purple Pocahontas. Mom chatted with the Disney CM who would be coming on the excursion with us. She was from a student from Canada and was only working for DCL over the summer. Her job is to work the excursion desk and go on excursions, pretty sweet job if you ask me.

We were led off the ship and over to our "ferry" boat. Once again we were the only cruise ship in port. That is very unusual for St. Thomas so we were really lucky this trip that we did not have to deal with the crowds from other cruise ships at either of the ports. Due to the fact that there were no other cruise ships in port that day our ferry/shuttle boat was able to pull up right next to the Magic.

Mom and I grabbed some seats up on top so we could enjoy the sea air and the view.

As the boat began to pull away a CM from the Magic came running over signaling for the boat to come back. So we pulled back up to the dock. Apparently some guests were running late and they wanted the boat to wait. We waited five minutes but they never showed so we left without them.

I was really irritated that they even waited those five minutes. You get very little time on the excursion as it is so I think it is very unfair that they tried to keep us all waiting. Maybe it in uncharitable of me to say that but that is how I see it. It is clearly marked on your excursion tickets what time you need to meet your excursion group. Not only is it listed on your tickets but it is also listed on the navigator. So if you don't make it on time that is your own fault and the rest of the people who showed up on time should not be penalized. Vent over!

We had a very nice guide and he spent the whole ride over talking to us about the island and its history. He used to live in the continental US but several years ago he decided to move down to St Thomas. He lives on a boat in the harbour and leads excursions for a living. He really loves it down there and doesn't regret it for a minute. I don't blame him, St Thomas is beautiful!

Marriott timeshares being constructed

Some house belonging to a really stinking rich guy

The Marriott

This is the shuttle that runs between Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas and Road Town, Tortola. The two islands are pretty close together so we had not traveled very far overnight.

I think St Thomas would be the perfect base island to stay on while exploring the US and British Virgin Islands. It has great resorts and lots of transportation options to make it very easy to get around and visit the other surrounding islands.

It was a beautiful day and it was scorching hot! They were selling water bottles on the boat at a very reasonable price so Mom decided to buy some.

Next Update: We continue on our journey to St John, USVI.

Click here to continue

 

[englishrose47]

St Thomas looks beautiful !Loved the Seagull pix !!!!!

 

[PopArtGal]

I wannnnnnnnnnnnt that purse!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

St Thomas looks beautiful !Loved the Seagull pix !!!!!

It is! I love St Thomas!

I wannnnnnnnnnnnt that purse!

Me too!

 

[PopArtGal]

I love that Goofy at the back of the boat.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I love that Goofy at the back of the boat.

Me too, I love all the Goofy love shown on the ship. You just don't see much Goofy around the parks, glad he has lots dedicated to him on the Magic.

 

[Mysteria]

Lessa have your relatives ship it to you as a gift putting no more than 60.00 for the worth of what's in the box.

Now off to read the update.

eta: More beautiful pics. Can't wait to hear about the excursion.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Lessa have your relatives ship it to you as a gift putting no more than 60.00 for the worth of what's in the box.

Now off to read the update.

eta: More beautiful pics. Can't wait to hear about the excursion.

So they won't charge duty if it is marked as being under $60?

 

[Mysteria]

So they won't charge duty if it is marked as being under $60?

Correct. Have them list it as a purse but under $60 (pick an amount other 60 because that's too obvious lol) and marked as a gift. Chances of them opening it are small. Chances of any custom agent knowing it's worth more than that if they do is even smaller.

My family and I ship gifts back and forth for a lot of bdays/Christmas etc.

 

[ladybugmom]

I really enjoyed St. Thomas when we were there but I LOVED St. John!!!!!! It was my favorite of all the ones we visited!! Can't wait to hear about your time there!!! BTW--I LOVE the purse, too!!!

 

[jcc0621]

Lessa - Can you have the purse shipped to the relatives, and then have them ship it to you? I am sure it would be much cheaper than $100 that way.

St. Thomas looks really nice. I think you should have tried to meet the stinkin' rich guy

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Correct. Have them list it as a purse but under $60 (pick an amount other 60 because that's too obvious lol) and marked as a gift. Chances of them opening it are small. Chances of any custom agent knowing it's worth more than that if they do is even smaller.

My family and I ship gifts back and forth for a lot of bdays/Christmas etc.

I didn't know any of this. The only time I have had my grandparents ship something they put the actual value of the item and did not label it as a gift so I got stuck paying duty. Ever since that I always just shipped to their house and picked it up when I visited. I do have an aunt and uncle who are a bit more savvy than the grandparents so they could probably pull it off.

I really enjoyed St. Thomas when we were there but I LOVED St. John!!!!!! It was my favorite of all the ones we visited!! Can't wait to hear about your time there!!! BTW--I LOVE the purse, too!!!

St Thomas and St John were spectacular, I totally understand why it is such a popular port.

Lessa - Can you have the purse shipped to the relatives, and then have them ship it to you? I am sure it would be much cheaper than $100 that way.

St. Thomas looks really nice. I think you should have tried to meet the stinkin' rich guy

My Mom suggested that option to me. If I get the purse I'm sure my relatives would that for me.

The rich guy is old with grandkids, I'm not into that kind of thing.

 

[jcc0621]

My Mom suggested that option to me. If I get the purse I'm sure my relatives would that for me.

The rich guy is old with grandkids, I'm not into that kind of thing.

So maybe some of the grandkids are your age

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

So maybe some of the grandkids are your age

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

The rich guy is old with grandkids, I'm not into that kind of thing.

or if he is really old, tell him you are one of his grandkids, he wont know either way, and take you in.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

or if he is really old, tell him you are one of his grandkids, he wont know either way, and take you in.