Caribbean Dreaming

On this very cold day in Cleveland, Ohio, I decided to explore the possibility of a trip to the Caribbean this spring.  Before any of us make travel arrangements, we should note the possible Covid-19 ramifications.  And it’s not just about you or me; it’s about our helping these small islands with fragile healthcare ecosystems keep the virus under control.  Here’s a good discussion about this topic:  https://thepointsguy.com/guide/avoiding-caribbean-covid-19/.  We concur that if you have been careful in your behavior here at home and have a negative test prior to departure, the risk to the place you’re visiting should be fairly low.

We started by looking at a couple of the islands mentioned in the link above that have very low (less than 1%) positivity rates.  By comparison, our rates in the US are generally much higher than that; most states are between 6% and 10%.  Out of the list of ten islands, or groups of islands, St. Barts is now off limits, and the Cayman Islands require a strict 14 day quarantine, so a visit to either is impractical.  So, we looked closely at St. Kitts and Nevis (less than one-tenth of a percent) and the British Virgin Islands (less than four-tenths of a percent).

The protocols for St. Kitts and Nevis suggest why the positivity rate is so low on each island:  they’re each very strict about allowing visitors to roam about their tropical paradise.  Both islands require a negative test within 72 hours of arrival.  After arrival, you are limited to your hotel/resort for the first seven days, and only on approved tours between seven and fourteen days. Note that currently there is only one approved tour.

We visited there a few years ago, staying at our Marriott Vacation Club timeshare , which adjoins the St. Kitts Marriott Resort , where rates this spring start at a very reasonable $179 per night for a week long stay.  It was very nice, and the island is beautiful, the beaches terrific.  American flies there direct from Miami.  But I don’t think I’d want to be restricted to one place for an entire week or more.

So what about the British Virgin Islands (BVI)?  Sebastian’s on the Beach , near Tortola, has rooms starting at $171 per night.  Or if you’re still sitting on the budget from last year’s cancelled trips, you can splurge at the legendary Rosewood Resorts Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda, where rooms start at a whopping $850 per night.  Here are the current rules for the BVI:  Negative test within five days of arrival plus another negative test required upon arrival.  That allows you to stay at your hotel/resort only for the next four days.  After four days, you need another negative test in order to be free to move around the territory.  Flights are in the $400-$500 range, but there are no direct flights from the US; you will need to fly to St. Thomas or Puerto Rico and then take a quick hop over to Tortola, where the main airport is located.  And you have to fly in; the ferries from the US Virgin Islands are shut down until at least June.

Photo by Toni Osmundson on Unsplash

Next, we looked at St. Thomas, in the USVI.  No passport needed.  Flights are as low as $250 on Spirit with several airlines flying direct from the US to St. Thomas.  Hotels start around $270 a night at the Bolongo Bay Resort.  You’ll need a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure, but no quarantine is required.  And you don’t need a negative test prior to returning to the US.   St. Thomas has a relatively low positivity rate of around 2.5%.  Bizarrely, the CDC says it’s a Level 4, Very High Covid risk.  I don’t understand this, other than the CDC doesn’t really want us to go anywhere.  From what we see, this may be your best alternative, but it appears we’re not the only ones eyeing St. Thomas.  There is pretty limited availability at several hotels, so if this is of interest, you may want to book your travel sooner rather than later.

St. Lucia is another viable option.  Positivity rate about 5%, flights around $600, with direct service from Atlanta on Delta and Miami on American, negative test within five days of departure required.  It doesn’t look like you’re limited to your hotel/resort grounds, but “independent” restaurants are off limits.  Because of this, you might want to consider an all inclusive resort like the Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa, where rates start at $322 per night, since you’ll probably be eating at your hotel/resort every night.  Fellow ET (that’s Exceptional Traveler, of course) Michelle recommends staying at Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort located on the western side of the island (rates starting at $768 per night).  This resort is one that “you don’t really want to leave.”  If you’re more interested in venturing out on your own, she recommends the more centrally located Marigot Bay Resort & Marina (rates starting at $795 per night).   “I like to leave the hotels when I travel and explore things that are a bit off the beaten path,” Michelle says, and this was the perfect base.  She visited the island last year, just before everything shut down, and had a wonderful time. . .no surprise, as St. Lucia always rates as one of the top Caribbean islands to visit.

Lastly, we looked at Aruba, our favorite island.  Their positivity rate is about 7%, about the same as our home state of Ohio, although visitors to the island are much lower than that.  You need to have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure, and mandatory medical insurance is $30 per person.  Visitors are not restricted to any particular area, but there is a midnight curfew currently in place, and there are restrictions on groups of four or more.  We’ve spoken to people who have been to Aruba recently, and they report that mask requirements are pretty well observed.  You can dine outside at many restaurants to mitigate that risk, and the weather is perfect, allowing you to spend your days at the beach or pool.  Lodging costs range from $300 to $800 per night for lodging, including familiar brands like Marriott, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton and Hilton.  If you venture a little off the beaten path, you can even stay at an overwater villa at the Aruba Ocean Villas, rooms starting at $430 per night.  Like most of the other islands mentioned above, round-trip flights start at $500, although there are some bargains to be found.  Many airlines fly directly from the US, including Southwest.

Several other islands, like The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, still welcome US visitors, so if you been to any others, please let us know about your experience.  The other factor we didn’t mention is THE VACCINE.  If you and your traveling party have been vaccinated, that could alter your personal risk assessment. although we did not see any islands that allowed visitors who gave vaccinated tourists a free pass.  As always in this Covid-19 world, keep an eye out for any changes in policy, make sure your flight and hotel reservations are fully refundable or purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

We hope that our analysis is a starting point to determine whether a trip to the Caribbean in the first half of 2021 is right for you.  Please let us know if you’re considering a tropical escape by leaving a note in the comments section below.

Palm Beach, Aruba