Looking for Advice

[High Plains Drifter]

Ok, for better or worse, my wife and I opted for a special deal with Marriot. You know the kind: ridiculously good resort rate -- all they need is 90 minutes of your time for a timeshare presentation. As annoying as that is, the great deal coupled with frequent flyer miles to our destination make for one CHEAP trip. Me likey.

The decision we have to make, however, is where to go between Aruba, St. Kitts and St. Thomas. We've been to Bonaire and everything I've heard about Aruba is that it is no Bonaire in terms of diving. I've seen a couple of warning posts about the dangers of hooking up with Dive Ops that cater to the cruise ship crowd in St. Thomas, but I'm sure that applies anywhere you go. St. Kitts seems like the one least overrun by humanity, which is a plus. Other than that, I'm pretty clueless about which to choose. FWIW, the resort on ST. Thomas looks like the nicest one.

Anyone been to all three places? From a diving perspective, which would you choose? The wife and I are fairly inexperienced with about 50 dives each under our belt. Also, we'd be looking at going around September '09, if that matters.

Any help you could throw my way would be greatly appreciated.

-HPD

 

[Colorado Fred]

We have a timeshare just down the beach from the huge Marriott complex on Aruba. Go to aruba-bb.com to check for comments on the resort.
As for the diving, yeah it doesn't compare to Bonaire but then not much else does except the Caymans and Cozumel. From the Marriott you go next door to the Holiday Inn where Unique/Pelican have (or had) a booth. Best bet, however, is to call SEAruba or JADS. These shops are on the south coast where the better reefs are. These shops, as do most on the island, offer free pickup/return service.
I've had one dive off St. Thomas and one between St. Kitts and Nevis at Monkey Shoals - not worth the air. Hope someone else has better info.

 

[luckydays]

I dont know about the diving in these places but I do know of the resorts. I have stayed at all three (and other marriott timeshares) and prefer Aruba to all of them. If you can stay at the Aruba Surf Club go for it. Nice place, island is moderately priced and beautiful. The Surf Club has a lazy river on I must have gone around that thing 1000 times with a cocktail in my hand. It was a great way to send my day (not a diver then).

The Marriott has three hotels in a row on Palm Beach. The Surf Club (TS), the Ocean Club (TS) and the Stelaris Hotel. When we went you could not go between hotels for the pool but you could go to each for the services.

The rooms in the resorts are the same pretty much. St Kitts resort is new and nice but there is a lot of construction around it (at least there was when I was there last year).

Of all the places in the caribbean, St Thomas would not be my first choice. The resort is nice but just not what I wanted out of a Caribbean vacation. Could have gotten the same results had I went to the Keys for less.

Of the three, I would go to Aruba and stay at the Surf Club.