Lots of specials just posted on villa rentals from Suite St. John:

Cinnamon Bay Estate 40% Off Due to Cancellation

Plus more specials and discounts on other villas - click the link above for details or email: gallowspt@aol.com

~ In honor of the newly minted U.S. Virgin Islands quarter, travelers are enticed with unprecedented 25 cent per night offer ~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, October 9, 2009 - In honor of the Territory's very own United States quarter, introduced into circulation this month, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has unveiled a one-of-a-kind offer to generate exposure and entice visitors to the Territory.

~ In honor of the newly minted U.S. Virgin Islands quarter, travelers are enticed with unprecedented 25 cent per night offer ~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, October 9, 2009 - In honor of the Territory's very own United States quarter, introduced into circulation this month, the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has unveiled a one-of-a-kind offer to generate exposure and entice visitors to the Territory.

ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, September 22, 2009 - St. Croix will welcome a total of 24 cruise ship calls between October and December, according to the most recent schedule provided to the Department of Tourism and confirmed by the VI Port Authority and partner cruise lines. The Adventure of the Seas will continue its current schedule visiting every other Saturday through December 12 and resuming this schedule in January. The Disney Magic will make two more visits to St. Croix on October 13 and November 10 before the year's end. Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas will resume regular calls beginning on November 16, and Celebrity Cruise Line's Millennium, Mercury and Summit will begin regular calls in October, November and December respectively. Holland America's Maasdam will make two calls while Oceania's Regatta and Crystal Cruise Line's Serenity will each make one call.

On all cruise ship days, passengers will be greeted on the pier by live musical entertainment and Department of Tourism greeters distributing island information, Cruzan Rum samples and USVI-branded souvenir gifts.

The current cruise ship schedule is as follows (subject to change):

October 3, 2009 Adventure of the Seas (RCI)

October 13, 2009 Disney Magic

October 17, 2009 Adventure of the Seas (RCI)

October 27, 2009 Millennium (Celebrity)

October 31, 2009 Adventure of the Seas (RCI)

November 1, 2009 Jewel of the Seas (RCI)

November 9, 2009 Maasdam (Holland America)

November 10, 2009 Disney Magic

November 14, 2009 Adventure of the Seas (RCI)

November 14, 2009 Mercury (Celebrity)

November 16, 2009 Serenade of the Seas (RCI)

November 17, 2009 Millennium (Celebrity)

November 28, 2009 Adventure of the Seas (RCI)

December 1, 2009 Regatta (Oceania)

December 2, 2009 Serenity (Crystal)

December 5, 2009 Mercury (Celebrity)

December 7, 2009 Maasdam (Holland America)

December 8, 2009 Millennium (Celebrity)

December 12, 2009 Adventure of the Seas (RCI)

December 14, 2009 Serenade of the Seas (RCI)

December 19, 2009 Millennium (Celebrity)

December 21, 2009 Summit (Celebrity)

December 26, 2009 Mercury (Celebrity)

December 28, 2009 Serenade of the Seas (RCI)

~ Promotion represents continued commitment to St. Croix air service ~

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, August 31, 2009 - The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has announced the return of its St. Croix Fantastic Flight promotion to entice potential visitors to St. Croix over the coming months.

Visitors who book between September 1 and October 5, 2009 for travel to St. Croix between September 1 and November 15, 2009 will receive a $150 per-person airfare credit and a fourth night free at participating hotels.

The new offer is a key element in the Department's strategy to ensure continued air service to St. Croix, and will leverage recent commitments for increased air service to the island this fall.

Weekly flights from Boston to St. Thomas to commence in December

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, August 26, 2009 - The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has received commitments from US Airways for new, weekly non-stop service from Boston's Logan International Airport to St. Thomas' Cyril E. King Airport. The service represents a new route for the carrier, which will operate on Saturdays beginning December 19, 2009 through April 23, 2010 using the A319 aircraft. The flights are now available for sale at USAirways.com and all other US Airways ticketing outlets.

~ Additional non-stop service to St. Thomas and St. Croix will arrive later this year~

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, June 16, 2009 - The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism today announced that American Airlines and Delta Air Lines will increase non-stop service to St. Croix's Henry E. Rohlsen Airport and St. Thomas' Cyril E. King Airport.

This week, American Airlines shared plans to increase service to St. Croix, which will provide 10 flights departing weekly from Miami (up from seven flights weekly). Earlier this month, Delta Air Lines also announced an increase in service from two flights per week to daily service to St. Croix from Atlanta to commence on December 19, 2009.

~ Visitors can now experience the charm of the islands' boutique hotels, and enjoy significant savings on dining and attractions~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, June 3, 2009 - Travelers looking for an authentic, intimate Caribbean vacation experience should look no further than the U.S. Virgin Islands. With the new Inntimate Treasures promotion from the Department of Tourism, visitors will find that a world of customized service, unique amenities and unforgettable experiences await at the small hotels of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.

The package includes $50 in attractions and activity coupons, and a $50 dining certificate along with an eco-friendly, USVI-branded gift bag that includes a bottle of Cruzan Rum, and a USVI-branded t-shirt. The Inntimate Treasures package is valid for bookings made from June 1 through October 15, 2009* for travel between June 15 and October 31, 2009 and is based on a four-night minimum stay.

"The Inntimate Treasures package allows travelers to explore our islands from a different perspective. It allows for personalized service and gives our visitors the opportunity to have a unique Caribbean experience along with some great savings at our restaurants and attractions," said Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

~ DOT Invests over $1.3 Million to Promote Package, and Destination, Nationally ~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, March 19, 2009 - The Department of Tourism has unveiled a new offer to jump start summer and fall bookings for the Territory. The Sizzlin' Sampler, launched earlier this week, has been designed to resonate with potential visitors in the current economic environment and provide support to industry partners through co-branded marketing and incentives to drive on-island spend.

~ Tourism greeters now serving visitors on three islands ~

ST. JOHN, U.S. Virgin Islands, February 12, 2009 - The Department of Tourism is pleased to announce the expansion of its welcome program throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands with the recent launch of its greeter program on St. John. Since late January, Department of Tourism greeters have been stationed daily at the Loredon Boynes ferry dock in Cruz Bay and at the Port Authority dock on cruise ship days to welcome visitors, distribute Cruzan Rum samples and share island information with guests. Uniformed greeters are distinguished by their USVI-branded white polo shirts, white pants, colorful madras belt and an oversized red "ASK ME" button pinned to their shirts. "We are very pleased to now serve the thousands of guests visiting our three island destinations and to provide a warm and smiling welcome to both our cruise and overnight guests," said Monique Sibilly-Hodge, Assistant Commissioner of Tourism who oversees the welcome program on St. Thomas and St. John. "Making our guests feel appreciated takes the entire community, and the Department of Tourism is happy to lead the way," she said.

~ Ships include the Disney Magic, Holland America Eurodam, and Azamara Journey ~

ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, January 30, 2009 - St. Croix welcomes three cruise ships to the island next week, with the arrival of the Disney Magic on Tuesday, February 3 at 7:00 a.m., Holland America's Eurodam on Wednesday, February 4 at 8:00 a.m. and the Azamara Cruise Line Journey on Sunday, February 8 at 8:00 a.m.

~ Launch event at Wyndham Sugar Bay celebrates the U.S. Virgin Islands' newest marketing tool ~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, January 28, 2009 - The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism will unveil its brand new website, VisitUSVI.com, at a special event at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa tonight.

Hosted by Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty and Deputy Commissioner Chantal Figueroa, guests will include President of the U.S. Virgin Islands Hotel & Tourism Association Lisa Hamilton, as well as representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, a number of local destination marketing companies and participants from the series of on-island website focus groups.

"Throughout the 18-month journey from research to site launch, we worked very closely with industry partners and community leaders to gain their insights and feedback about desired features for the new site," says Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty. "We are excited to finally unveil the website to our local community and introduce these new features, including site navigation which links our prospective visitors directly to our hotel and tourism partners."

Until tomorrow, January 21, at midnight, Spirit Airlines is offering Ft. Lauderdale travelers special rates to and from the USVI on select dates. Travel details are below, and can be booked on Spirit's Web site: http://www.spiritair.com/. Click on the "Cheapano Fibonacci" graphic advertising $1 fares for travel details.

SPIRIT AIRLINES FLIGHTS ON SALE FROM FT. LAUDERDALE TO USVI FOR $13 EACH WAY*

Ft. Lauderdale to St. Thomas, USVI

$13 each way, for $9 Fare Club Members*, $22 each way for all non members for flights booked by tomorrow at midnight for travel on February 18, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27.

St. Thomas to Ft. Lauderdale

$13 each way, for $9 Fare Club Members*, $22 each way for all non members for flights booked by tomorrow at midnight for travel on February 15, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27.

*Please note that seats are limited and must be booked by tomorrow night, January 21, at midnight. The $13 fares are for "$9 Fare Club Members" only. For an annual fee of $39.95, Spirit $9 Fare Club Members receive $9 discounts, each way, for all flights.

ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, January 16, 2009 - Two ships are scheduled to call on St. Croix before the month's end bringing the total number of visitors to the island in the month of January to over 9,000. On Tuesday, January 20, Holland America Line's Maasdam will arrive at 7:00 am carrying approximately 1600 passengers and 618 crew. The ship will depart St. Croix at 4:00 pm. Known for its award-winning service, elegant ships, and exotic itineraries, Holland America Line is recognized as a leader in the cruise industry's premium segment.

~ St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John lauded with prestigious awards ~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, January 13, 2009 - The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism is pleased to announce the numerous accolades the destination received in 2009 editions of two top national magazines - Travel + Leisure and Scuba Diving magazines.

The destination was awarded with top honors for three of its hotels in the January 2009 issue of Travel + Leisure magazine. This annual "500 World's Best Hotels" issue features the awards list "Top 25 hotels in the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas," in which each of the three islands were represented: Caneel Bay Resort, St. John (#12), The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas (#14), and The Buccaneer, St. Croix (#15). This marks the seventh year of Travel + Leisure's annual Top 500 ranking, in which an international team of reporters and editors carefully chose its picks for high-end hotels, resorts, inns and lodges from among thousands worldwide. The issue is anticipated to reach approximately 980,000 readers, with another 100,000 monthly visitors estimated to visit its Web site. Recognition must be given to the management and staff of each of these award-winning properties, for their commitment to service and guest experience.

The 7th Annual ST. JOHN BLUES FESTIVAL

Wednesday, March 18th through Sunday, March 22nd

The HOTTEST Blues Festival on the COOLEST Caribbean Island

5 AMAZING DAYS 10 GREAT BLUES EVENTS

Starring Janiva Magness Zac Harmon Trampled Under Foot Rusty Wright Blues Band Mitch Woods Billy Gibson Deb Callahan Groove Thang

CHECK OUT THE ENTIRE SCHEDULE AT:

STJOHNBLUESFESTIVAL.COM

Suite St. John at Gallows Point, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, is offering a great holiday sale - 30 to 40% off their regular rates: Gallows Point, Suite St. John Holiday Sale

~ Program Designed to Increase Group Sales and Boost Local Businesses ~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, December 10, 2008 - In efforts to boost group business to the U. S. Virgin Islands next year and stimulate demand for local recreational services, the Department of Tourism is launching a Group Rewards Program for meeting planners beginning December 15.

~ Holiday spirit arrives early for children in need~

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands, December 8, 2008 - The gift-giving spirit will arrive early in St. Thomas this year when the Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association and the Disney Cruise Line, hosts the Disney Holiday Gift Project on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at the Palms Court Harbor View Hotel from 11:00am to 2:30pm.

More flights into the U.S. and British Virgin Islands then any Other Airline

November 25, 2008 Hyannis, MA - "This winter season no one gets you to your vacation destination in the Virgin Islands faster and more conveniently then Cape Air," says airline founder and CEO Dan Wolf. "We are meeting the unprecedented demand for service by sending additional planes to the Caribbean giving us a total of 25 aircraft available to meet the hourly schedule of flights between San Juan and not only the US and British Virgin Islands but also Vieques, Cape Air's newest island destination."

For over a decade Cape Air, the largest independent regional airline in the United States, has been providing service between San Juan and the Virgin Islands. Wolf says this year the advance bookings have dramatically increased in response to a major reduction in service from the major carriers who used to fly to the Islands. "We expect to fly about 1,000 passengers daily between the islands this upcoming season, up about 70% from last year." says Wolf. "In addition to the hourly service, passengers can also enjoy the seamless convenience of our ticket and baggage agreements with most major airlines including our code share partner Continental Airlines. Check your bags at your departure and find them waiting for you at your island destination."

You can book Cape Air flights directly from Caribbean-On-Line starting on our Caribbean Airlines page, at www.flycapeair.com, or by calling Cape Air's reservations department at 800 352-0714.

Big news for the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Croix as cruise ships return:

Some Caribbean webcam news today from the U.S. and British Virgin Islands:

The biggest news is the great new cam from St. John Spice with a view of the passenger ferry dock and Cruz Bay - check out this shot! St. John Spice hosted a similar view for another website for several years, but this new cam is their own. If you are coming to St. John, make sure to look up and wave when getting off the passenger ferry - and then head up the stairs to say hi to Ruth and Ron and buy some grill rub or other great spices and gifts.

We lost a Coral Bay, St. John view from the V.I. Daily News (I guess they just took the cam down or it is broken), but we added a new view from them of Long Bay and the Havensight cruise dock on St. Thomas.

There is also a new roving cam on Anegada in the B.V.I. called "De Anegada Webcam". If you don't know Anegada, it is a fairly remote coral atoll sitting all by itself north east of Tortola - we have stayed there and written about Anegada before. This cam doesn't always broadcast, and changes locations, so it is worth checking out often. Last week it was at Cow Wreck Bay - today's view I am not so sure of.

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands - Steve Simon presents the 4th Annual St. John Christmas Music Festival & Children's Parade on Saturday, December 6th. A glorious night of free concerts under the stars in the heart of Cruz Bay at Winston Wells Ball Field will follow immediately after our Parade.

This renowned annual holiday family event is brought to you by the Angels at Merchants Commercial Bank, The Lumberyard Complex, First Bank, American Paradise Realty, Holiday Homes, Tropical Properties, Chelsea Drugs, Carlson Construction, Catered To, The Westin Resort St. John, Theodore Tunick & Company, Donald Sussman and Steve and Helen Simon.

Food and beverage service will be available all evening so bring a chair or bring a blanket but please be cool........no coolers.

For additional information please contact Steve Simon at (340) 693-8120 or at stevesimonlive@yahoo.com

Specific to the island of St. Croix, the Blue Bay Jazz Fest, taking place between November 19 and November 23 in the downtown Frederiksted district, will feature performances by local Crucians, as well as nationally-acclaimed musicians, including Pete Escovedo and Tito Puente, Jr. In addition to music, the festival will feature cuisine by local Caribbean vendors, arts and crafts activities, street entertainment and mocko jumbie dancers.

When we lived on St. Thomas this was always one of my favorite events of the year. It is a great day and for a great cause.

The 9th Annual Pumpkin Cup Golf Tournament will tee-off at 9 a.m. on Sunday, October 12, at Mahogany Run Golf Course in St. Thomas. Sponsored by the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association and the St. Thomas/St. John Ladies Golf Association, the tournament supports special programming for female golfers and funds clinics that teach young women this popular sport. To become a sponsor or for additional information, contact Shawn McBride at (340) 777-6146 or the Mahogany Run Golf Course Pro Shop at (800) 253-7103 or mahoganyrungolf.com.

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (Sept. 24, 2008) -- Bolongo Bay Beach Resort (http://www.bolongobay.com), located in St. Thomas, is offering a 20% discount off nightly rates for the resort's European Plan (EP) for all basketball fans coming to the destination Nov. 21-29, 2008, when St. Thomas hosts the 9th Annual U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam men's and women's tournaments, which are taking place Nov. 21-24, 2008 and Nov. 27 - 29, 2008 respectively at the University of the Virgin Islands.

Guests staying at Bolongo during the USVI Paradise Jam will enjoy accommodations in an ocean view room; a "discover scuba diving" in-pool lesson; and complimentary use of non-motorized watersports (snorkel gear, paddle boats, sunfish sailboats, windsurfing equipment, kayaks and much more).

Some good news from the U.S. Virgin Islands today:

New flight time allows for seamless connection from Copenhagen to St. Thomas via Atlanta

ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, September 23, 2008 - The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism is pleased to announce same-day flight connections from Copenhagen, Denmark to St. Thomas, USVI on Delta Air Lines.

Following months of ongoing dialogue between the Department of Tourism and Delta, the airline will adjust the departure time for its new Atlanta/St. Thomas service to allow passengers to/from Copenhagen to make a same-day connection with the Territory. The connecting service will be offered four days per week via Atlanta, Georgia beginning December 20, 2008. Delta has indicated that the updated schedule will be reflected in the airline's timetable issued later this month.

The St. Thomas Source is reporting that things are slow for hotels this September - for some hoteliers it is shaping up to be as slow as after the terror attack on 9/11:

I was living on St. Thomas in 2001 - that was a tough period. It seems the combination of the economy, fuel prices, and hurricanes have keep a lot of people home this fall.