I'm sure that you have all heard about the great prices that you can get on stuff in St. Thomas. In some cases, those prices are much better than you can find here in the good ol' US of A. But, on certain items, the St. Thomas prices can actually be higher than you would be able to find here. So here's the hint.
Decide what you want to buy before you leave on the cruise. Then, price those items here in the US and make a list of the items and prices (don't forget sales tax). Also, price the items on the Internet and add those to the list (don't forget to include shipping on Internet purchases). With you list in hand, you can immediately tell if the item that you are looking for is one of those great deals or a waste of time. Also, if you can tell the salesperson what you can get the item for in the US and where, you can cut through a lot of the BS. If they can meet or beat your price, they will. If they can't, then you know right away, so you can spend your shopping time only on those products that are priced better in St. Thomas.
If you follow this formula, not only will you save money, but you will save time, since you won't be wasting time trying to find a decent price on an item that is more expensive in St. Thomas. With all that extra time, you can concentrate on finding the best deals on the items that you will purchase there.
Here's a hint for the chocoholics on the cruise.
This hint is in two parts - where to go and when to get there.
Where to go:
Caribbean Chocolate Company
15 Dranigans Gade(next door to Haagen-Daaz)
When to get there:
Go there as soon as you get ashore. That way, you have time to go back several times before departure. In fact, I'm not sure, but it may be illegal for chocoholics to go to St. Thomas without visiting CCC. (Don't quote me on that.) Anyway, if it's not illegal, it should be.
I hope that you all have a great time on the cruise. I doubt that I will be able to make it, as I expect to be very busy at about that time.
From my cabin balcony on past cruises, it always amuses me to look down at the gangplank in port to see tourists huffing, puffing and sweating as they haul cases of liquor and other bulky items back to the ship. Stuff they could get cheaper on sale at Walgreen's when they get home.
One passenger told me she purchased a particular piece of Royal Doulton she wanted in the ship's shopping arcade, and it was less expensive than in St. Thomas.
To me, the ship's the trip, plus the sightseeing and beach fun. But then, I'm not a mall rat to begin with. But I do love to browse the native craft shops in the ports. In Cozumel, I bought 8 light-weight place mats on the cheap (plus easy to pack and take home). They're handpainted with colorful hibiscus and are so eye-catching that my dinner guests exclaim over them. These are the type of things I look for.
Leni