Traveling To St John in times of Covid 19
TO OUR VALUED GUESTS, (UPDATED 4/4/2022)
We want to share some details that will hopefully answer any questions you may have in light of COVID-19 and your St. John vacation plans, and ease your mind regarding our protocol for keeping our guests and residents safe.
We will continuously update our website with any new information released by our local government, the airlines, and any federally mandated changes that may impact your trip. With all of the misleading and incorrect information being shared on social media, we want to caution our guests to consult only reliable sources, and encourage you to get your information directly from our website, from our Governor’s online press conferences, or reach out to us personally any time with questions or concerns.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS USVI Travel Portal website: www.usvitravelportal.com
Non-vaccinated guests: Within FIVE DAYS of the commencement of travel to the US Virgin Islands, every non-vaccinated traveler five years of age and older must be tested and upload a NEGATIVE test result to the USVI Travel Portal website, and receive a green QR code from the USVI Government for approval for entry into the territory. You will not be allowed to enter the USVI without proof of a negative test result, and you may not be allowed to board your plane without proof of the green QR code.
Vaccinated guests: Travelers who have been fully vaccinated (first and second injections) do NOT need to be tested prior to arriving in the US Virgin Islands. Vaccinated travelers must upload proof of vaccination to the travel portal website and receive a green QR code from the USVI Government for approval for entry into the territory.
STEP 1: Types of acceptable documentation for guests requiring testing:
• COVID-19 molecular (e.g., RT-PCR, viral or nucleic acid amplification) test from a nasal or throat or saliva swab sample taken and NEGATIVE result; OR
• COVID-19 antigen (RAPID) test from a nasal or throat swab sample taken and NEGATIVE result.
OR• Proof of vaccination (first and second injections)
STEP 2: Travelers must upload their test results or their vaccination status to the USVI Travel Portal website. Within 24 to 48 hours of submission, you should receive an email from the USVI Government with a green QR code. You must produce this document to airline officials at your departing destination and upon arrival on St. Thomas. Digital (cell phone) or printed documents are acceptable.
TESTING TIME FRAME: You must be tested no earlier than 5 days prior to the commencement of travel to the USVI. For example, if you arrive on St. Thomas on a Saturday, you can begin testing on Monday of that week. We highly recommend getting tested on the first possible day or shortly thereafter, as it sometimes takes up to 48 hours to receive your travel confirmation email. Be sure to check your junk/spam folder regularly.
MASKS Masks are no longer required throughout the territory with the exception of the airport, ferry dock and while a passenger on the ferry, and all medical facilities.
REVISED CANCELLATION POLICY Our guests will receive a 100% credit if your trip is cancelled due to a governmental shutdown of the US Virgin Islands that encompasses your dates. Contact us if you have questions or concerns about the impacts of the pandemic on your vacation.
WHAT TO PACK You will need to pack a mask to wear upon your arrival at the Cyril King Airport on St. Thomas, at our ferry docks and while a passenger on the ferry, and in our medical facilities if you should need medical assistance.
GREETINGS For our first-time guests, a member of our Greeter Staff will meet you at the dock or rental car agency and accompany you to your villa. For our repeat guests, you have the option to go to the villa on your own. If you prefer to be met by one of our greeters, we are happy to accommodate.
VILLAS Our staff is taking all necessary measures as set forth by the CDC to ensure the safety of our guests. Closely following and adhering to the CDC guidelines, our Housekeeping Manager has incorporated these processes into our already stellar cleaning routine, and continuously updates the staff regarding most effective sterilization and deep cleaning methods and products. In addition to our usual pristine deep cleaning routine after each check-out, we also sanitize all light and fan switches, doorknobs, drawer handles, appliances, television and stereo remote controls, and beach gear. All linens are washed in hot water with bleach. Our staff wears masks at all times while inside the villa.
We are also taking additional steps by removing any non-essential items from the villa, such as kitchen spices and condiments left by previous guests and providing alcohol sprays and other cleaning products for guests to assist in their own cleaning.
An electronic version of our informational House Instructions Binder is available via email upon request for those who prefer not to use the hard copy in the villa.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARRIVE ON ISLAND
TAXIS Our public taxis are currently running at full capacity on St. Thomas and St. John. If you would like a referral for a private taxi, please let us know.
FERRIES The public passenger ferries are running on their regular schedule. Passengers are currently required to wear face masks and practice social distancing from other passengers.
As an alternative to the public passenger ferry, please contact us for information regarding private water taxi transportation between Red Hook or Crowne Bay on St. Thomas to the St. John National Park dock in Cruz Bay.
The car barges are currently running on their regular schedule. As always, we highly recommend renting your car on St. John to avoid any potential (and sometimes frequent) delays with the barge.
RENTAL CARS Our preferred companies have assured us that they are taking all required measures to deep clean and disinfect their vehicles after each rental. For rental car company recommendations, please contact our office.
MARKETS
While all of our markets are currently open, we highly encourage our guests to take advantage of villa provisioning services.
We also work closely with some of the highest rated private chefs on island for in-villa chef prepared meals, and meal drop-off service. Please contact us if you would like more information.
RESTAURANTS All of our restaurants are currently open. We highly encourage that you make reservations for the fine dining options, as they often book up several weeks in advance.
BEACHES All of our beaches are open without restriction.
SHOPS All of our shops are currently open.
CHARTERS While the US Virgin Islands waters are open for travel, the British Virgin Islands remains closed for private charters, including Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. However, with all the local islands and various bays surrounding St. John, there is still plenty to see and do on a day-charter, and we highly recommend that you book at least one while you are here. If you would like more information about our various charters, please contact us.
We will continue to keep you updated as new information is released. If you have any questions, or if you would like to book any of the services described above, please feel free to contact Jared or Keri!
Jared Warren, Broker/Owner JARED@STJOHNHOMESANDVILLAS.COM (340) 626-8229
Keri LaMar, Experience Designer KERI@STJOHNHOMESANDVILLAS.COM (657) 566-1336
TO OUR VALUED GUESTS,
We want to share some details that will hopefully answer any questions you may have in light of COVID-19 and your St. John vacation plans, and ease your mind regarding our protocol for keeping our guests and residents safe.
We will continuously update our website with any new information released by our local government, the airlines, and any federally mandated changes that may impact your trip. With all of the misleading and incorrect information being shared on social media, we want to caution our guests to consult only reliable sources, and encourage you to get your information directly from our website, from our Governor’s online press conferences, or reach out to us personally any time with questions or concerns.
REOPENING DATE
ISLAND REOPENED FOR GUESTS
The question most frequently asked by our guests: WHEN CAN WE RETURN TO ST. JOHN? As of September 8, 2020, the governor has re-opened the islands to leisure travel arrivals starting September 19, 2020. This means any arrival after September 19, 2020 is good to go. We do request that our guests familiarize themselves with social distancing and safety requirements and adhere to the rules to avoid any issues.
STATE OF EMERGENCY
The announcement that our territory is in a State of Emergency caused some confusion among residents and guests. The state of emergency only applies to the federal funding our island receives from the government. It does not impact tourism, or the date when tourists may return.
REVISED CANCELLATION POLICY
We are offering our guests a 100% credit or 90% refund if your trip is cancelled due to a government shutdown of the Virgin Islands that encompasses your dates. Contact us if you have questions or concerns about the impacts of the pandemic on your vacation.
WHAT TO PACK
While our markets have been fully stocked with most cleaning and sanitizing supplies, we suggest you pack a container of hand sanitizer and Lysol-type wipes. We also request that you bring a mask or some other type of face covering (other than a ski-type mask, which are banned on island). Currently, most airlines are requiring passengers to wear a mask in the airport and on the plane for the duration of the flight.
GREETINGS
For our first-time guests, a member of our Greeter Staff will meet you at the dock or rental car agency and accompany you to your villa. For our repeat guests, you will be given the option to go straight to the villa on your own. Of course, if you prefer to be met by one of our greeters, we are happy to accommodate.
VILLAS
Our staff is taking all necessary measures as set forth by the CDC to ensure the safety of our guests. Closely following and adhering to the CDC guidelines, our Housekeeping Manager has incorporated these processes into our already stellar cleaning routine, and continuously updates the staff regarding most effective sterilization and deep cleaning methods and products. In addition to our usual pristine deep cleaning routine after each check-out, we will be sanitizing all light and fan switches, doorknobs, drawer handles, appliances, television and stereo remote controls, and beach gear. All linens are washed in hot water with bleach. Our staff will wear masks at all times while inside the villa.
We are also taking additional steps by removing any non-essential items from the villa, such as kitchen spices and condiments left by previous guests and providing alcohol sprays and other cleaning products for guests to assist in their own cleaning
An electronic version of our informational House Instructions Binder is available via email upon request for those who prefer not to use the hard copy in the villa.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARRIVE ON ISLAND
TAXIS Our taxis are currently running on St. Thomas and St. John. Because of the social distancing mandate, taxis are only able to transport half the usual number of passengers at a time. Therefore, you might experience a delay in getting a taxi from the airport to the ferry dock. As such, we highly recommend reserving a private driver. In many cases, the price is the same or less than a public taxi. Please contact us if you would like more information or would like to reserve this service.
FERRIES
The passenger ferry is running on a modified schedule. Passengers are currently required to wear face masks and practice social distancing from other passengers.
As an alternative to the public passenger ferry, we can arrange private water taxi transportation from Red Hook or Crowne Bay on St. Thomas to the St. John National Park dock in Cruz Bay. Please contact us if you would like more information or would like to reserve this service.
The car barge is currently running on a regular schedule. As always, we highly recommend renting your car on St. John to avoid any potential (and sometimes frequent) delays with the barge.
RENTAL CARS
Our preferred companies have assured us that they are taking all required measures to deep clean and disinfect their vehicles after each rental. For rental car company recommendations, please contact our office.
MARKETS
While all of our markets are currently open, we highly encourage our guests to take advantage of our provisioning service. For a nominal fee, our personal shoppers will follow all safety protocols for purchasing and delivering your groceries to your villa before your arrival.
We also work closely with some of the highest rated private chefs on island. They are currently offering a meal drop-off service to our guests. Please contact us if you would like more information or would like to reserve chef and/or provisioning service.
RESTAURANTS
Effective September 8, 2020, all restaurants are allowed to reopen for dining in, with the following conditions:
Alcohol must be served at tables only, and not at bar counters;
Restaurants are prohibited from seating more than six persons per table;
Tables must be at least six feet apart;
Patrons must wear masks upon entering the restaurant and while walking around, but may remove them at all times while seated; and
Employees must wear facial coverings at all times.
All bars that do not serve food will continue to remain closed.
BEACHES All of our beaches are open all hours without restrictions on weekdays, and from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Please follow the rules for social distancing, keeping at least six feet between you and the next person if not in your immediate family. Masks are not required at the beaches.
SHOPS
Only ten people are allowed inside our shops at any given time, including employees. Masks are required.
CHARTERS
Social distancing rules apply while on the boat. Masks are may be required.
While the US Virgin Islands waters are open for travel, the British Virgin Islands will remain closed for any non-residents until further notice. Unfortunately, no charters will be allowed to visit any of the British Virgin Islands, including Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. However, with all the local islands and various bays surrounding St. John, there is still plenty to see and do on a day-charter, and we highly recommend that you book at least one while you are here. If you would like more information about our various charters, please contact us.
MASS GATHERINGS
No greater than 50 persons may gather in any given place, and social distancing of six feet is required. Churches and other places of worship may reopen on September 8, 2020, subject to the maximum person mandate, and attendees can partake in communion.
Casinos and gaming facilities are allowed to reopen on September 19, 2020.
We will continue to keep you updated as new information is released. If you have any questions not answered here, or if you would like to book any of the services described above, please feel free to contact Keri or Jared at any time!
Jared Warren, Owner
jared@stjohnhomesandvillas.com
(340) 626-8229
Keri LaMar, Experience Designer
keri@stjohnhomesandvillas.com
(949) 525-3553