Topics Include:
“Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” is broadcasting live from the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Stephanie refers to the island, an unincorporated territory of the US, as “our very own tropical paradise”. She has spoken with Marc Langevin, General Manager of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, many times over the phone. He finally joins her live to talk about the unique Ritz Carlton property in the Caribbean.
Stephanie is fond of saying that “all roads to lead to Ireland and the Berkshires”. She discovered when she met Marc Langevin in person that his wife was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Langevin had traveled to the Berkshires over the summer and visited Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.
For more information visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/stThomas
and http://www.travelers411.com/stthomas
Marc Langevin states that what sets St. Thomas apart as a destination is the richness of it. The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas is located on the far east side of the island, adjacent to Red Hook Beach and facing the island of St. John. The resort is a twenty five minute drive from the city of Charlotte Amalie. Langevin says he takes pleasure in sending guests away from the property during the day as there is much to do throughout the area. He says guests can take a ferry to St. John, ride a catamaran or rent a motorboat to explore the island on their own. It takes only fifteen minutes by boat to travel to the other side of the island.
Travel Expert and Radio Show Host Stephanie Abrams says she has spent time promoting St. Thomas as it is one her favorite Caribbean destinations. She does not believe however that it is foremost in the minds of American travelers when they are thinking of travel to the Caribbean. She says the US Virgin Islands do not receive their fair share of attention, promotion and visitorship. Langevin says that many travelers who do visit the island do so by cruise ship and are given a limited impression of St. Thomas when they dock in the crowded city of Charlotte Amelie.
Stephanie chose St. Thomas for her honeymoon after she learned about the island while watching Actress Nancy Walker (famous for her Bounty paper towel commercials in the 70’s and for her role as the television mother of Rhoda Morgenstern) on a talk show. She stated that the secret to longevity was her house in St. Thomas, situated on a mountain side that overlooks the Charlotte Amalie harbor. Walker’s endorsement was enough to convince Stephanie that St. Thomas was a must-see destination.
The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas is a small property for the brand with only one hundred and eighty guestrooms on site including twenty suites. In addition to the hotel Marc Langevin says there are also residences on site. He says that repeat guests often decide to buy a piece of property because they realize that it is “the” place they want to spend their vacation.
The hotel consists of a series of small three-floor buildings wrapping around the bay. Langevin refers to its design as “front loaded” an industry term referring to the fact that every guestroom faces front and looks towards the water. Langevin says the most popular rooms are the suites which were incorporated into the property when it underwent renovations three years ago. He states that these rooms sell out first. There are fifteen Club Level suites which have private balconies or terrace and other premium amenities.
There are two pristine beaches at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas with very little surrounding development. The hotel’s Infinity pool, Spa and Club Lounge all overlook the ocean. The Club Lounge serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks. Guests can lounge around by the pool or on the beach or partake in the many activities to do at the property including scuba diving to see coral. There are many other ocean activities provided at the hotel including a sailing camp for kids.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1152
For more information visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/stThomas
and http://www.travelers411.com/stthomas
Natalia Alexander, Meetings and Special Events Manager at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, joins the “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” Radio Show. She states that the most significant events that take place at the property are primarily weddings. Stephanie says that the resort has the ideal backdrop for the occasion. Alexander says that alongside the ideal outdoor location there is a barge that sits in the center of the bay and launches a fireworks display. The property’s wedding gazebo overlooks beautiful turquoise waters and has a view of St. John in the distance. Alexander states that the property also offers “ease of travel and ease of planning”.
Natalia Alexander says brides and grooms are often looking for a property that will not only be an experience for themselves but also their friends and families. She says a lot of couples will turn the event into a family vacation for a couple of days before the wedding. Alexander states that the reason clients chose the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas is because “you can do so much”. She states that a four day event can result in memories for a lifetime. Event activities include a welcome reception, cocktail reception on the Lady Lynsey (a 53’ catamaran), party with fireworks, dancing and brunch overlooking the ocean the day after the wedding.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1153
For more information visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/stThomas
and http://www.travelers411.com/stthomas
Travel Expert and Radio Show Host Stephanie Abrams says traveling to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands always feels like coming home. Cynthia Boyett, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, joins “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!”. Boyett says the resort has “so much to offer” including a spa, water activities and the opportunity to just lounge. Stephanie says people first pick a destination and then accommodations and asks what about St. Thomas is special. Boyett says that the major islands in the US Virgin Islands are diverse and all have something to offer. She states that basing oneself in St. Thomas gives travelers the opportunity to explore the gorgeous topography and beautiful vistas on all three of the US Virgin Islands. The island of St. John is mostly comprised of national parkland whereas St. Croix is largely farmland. Cynthia Boyett says St. Thomas offers a true island experience with the care and comfort of a Ritz Carlton.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1154
For more information visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/stThomas
and http://www.travelers411.com/stthomas
Guests Include:
Marc Langevin, General Manager, Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas
Natalia Alexander, Meetings and Special Events Manager, Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas
Cynthia Boyett, Director of Sales and Marketing, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas
Topics Include:
Travel Expert and Radio Show Host Stephanie Abrams is broadcasting from the Club Lounge at the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas. She describes the view as “turquoise waters, sugary sandy beaches and boaters and sailors”. Stephanie is joined by Lucinda O’Connell, the Resident Artist at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas. O’Connell was born in Tampa, Florida and has lived in St. Thomas for twenty two years. She moved to the island after she married a St. Thomas native but has lived on the other two US Virgin Islands as well.
Lucinda O’Connell says she knew from a young age that she wanted to be an artist and has pursued it throughout her life. She discovered that her heart wasn’t in commercial artwork and that she derived her greatest source of inspiration from painting her interpretations of island life. She has created artwork for magazines and other editorial pieces but says that her favorite way to make a living from her work is by teaching watercolor classes.
On Tuesdays and Fridays O’Connell teaches at the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas outside the Blue Water restaurant. She says it is an outdoor experience that is meant to be fun and relaxed. She gives an overview of how to create colors in the color palate and then a demonstration on drawing and painting. While the class begins painting she walks around and works with students one on one. She says that some choose to paint the hotel architecture rather than the ocean or flowers. Each piece is then matted and framed at the end of the class.
O’Connell believes in emphasizing that having a foundation is the key to a good work and has the students create minimal lines with pencil at first. She then has them start out with laying a background wash and a cobalt blue sky. O’Connell says she approaches teaching with humor and takes the fear out of watercolor painting. She says that at the end of the day, “You will walk away with a painting you want to frame”.
Lucinda O’Connell had a piece on exhibit in Easthampton, Massachusetts. The exhibit was put on by Marcia Reed Hendricks who is a fine artist in Northampton. She visits St. Thomas every year and chose to display Lucinda O’Connell’s piece “Elephant Ears” which won best painting at the 1996 Caribbean Colors Exhibition.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1155
For more information visit http://www.artbylucinda.com and http://www.travelers411.com/art
Jen McQueen, Public Relations Manager at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, joins the “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” Radio Show. McQueen is actively involved in facilitating volunteer work in the community and in ecotourism through the Ritz Carlton. Every Ritz Carlton in the world has a program called the “give back getaway”. Each individual property selects a program such as child development, hunger relief or in the case of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas environmental tourism. In St. Thomas this includes shoreline, coral reef and mangrove protection. The program is titled “Discover Coastal Treasures”. Guests pay a nominal fee to participate in reef conservation and education.
Guests are first invited out on the 53’ catamaran, the Lady Lynsey, to scout snorkeling destinations. Once an area is established guides trained by Coral World or the Department of Fish and Wildlife will take the guests out to collect data about fish population and coral health. This is uploaded to the Reef.org database for the Reef Environmental Education Foundation and is made available to all scientists. Information about taking part in “Discover Coastal Treasures” is available online or interested parties can call the concierge department at the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas to find out when upcoming programs are scheduled.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1156
For more information visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas and http://www.travelers411.com/stThomas
Sybille Sorrentino, Owner of Virgin Islands Ecotours, joins the “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” Radio Show. Sorrentino has owned Virgin Islands Ecotours for eight years and previously owned a wine and spirit wholesale and retail operation in the British Virgin Islands. She says of all the Virgin Islands that St. Thomas is her favorite. Sorrentino made the switch to the environmentally conscious industry after she toured the Galapagos. After she moved to St. Thomas Sorrentino said she wanted to showcase the natural wonders of the area and knew that it needed to be interpreted in a “wonderful, fun and adventurous way”. Virgin Islands Ecotours now has three locations: one in Mangrove Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary and two in the Virgin Islands National Parks (St. John and the Hassel Island).
Ecotourism focuses on the wildlife and natural resources of the destination. In the case of the St. Thomas this extends to the vast array of natural wonders to explore. Tours are scheduled every day of the year. There are two hour snorkel tours, three hour kayaking, hiking and snorkel expeditions and a five hour tour that includes multiple snorkeling destinations and a picnic lunch. Groups generally range from two to six people. Sorrentino says that their most popular tour usually includes upwards of thirty people. Guests participate in hermit crab races, seeing a geological blowhole (where people stand in front of air blown form the surface from a closed underground cavern system) and snorkeling around a ship wreck. The activities have professional guides. There is one guide for every eight people.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1157
For more information visit http://www.viecotours.com and http://www.travelers411.com/stThomas
Lars Danneberg, Director of Food & Beverage, Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, joins the “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” Radio Show. Danneberg is German born and formerly worked in Grand Cayman. He has worked in the food and beverage industry for the past decade and says that he has a “passion for good wine and food”.
The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas has four restaurants including its Great Bay Lounge. The restaurant is more casual but still elegant with large class door windows that Danneberg says have a beautiful view out to Great Bay and the harbor lights. It incorporates local and imported fish and has a sushi bar. Danneberg says that they use local fish with Asian styles of cooking to “create something exciting”.
Stephanie says that food is an important part of the travel experience. A destination can be fabulous but if the food is not, travelers are likely to be disappointed. Lars Danneberg says that the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas aims to provide “the best and the freshest food in combination with a well trained culinary team to make it all happen”. He says the most popular items on the menu are surf and turf dishes.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1158
For more information visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas and http://www.travelers411.com/stThomas
Guests Include:
Lucinda O’Connell, Resident Artist, Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, St. Thomas US Virgin Islands.
www.artbylucinda.com
Jen McQueen, Public Relations Manager, Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas
Sybille Sorrentino, Owner, Virgin Islands Ecotours.
www.viecotours.com
Lars Danneberg, EAM - Director of Food & Beverage, Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas
Topics Include:
Travel Expert and Radio Show Host Stephanie Abrams says the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas has gorgeous landscaping. She says that she’s content to stay on the grounds admiring the flowers but that she is also interested in doing some serious shopping before she leaves. Stephanie states: “I plan to do my part for the economy of St. Thomas”.
Stephanie says that St. Thomas has always had a special place in her heart. She honeymooned on the island and has been back many times since. In addition to appreciating the beauty of the pristine waters surrounding the island Stephanie also says there are also many adventures a visitor can have. Stephanie says that islands such as St. Thomas act as a great base for exploration and offer an alternative to cruising. Stephanie says that while cruising allows travelers the opportunity to visit many different destinations they are often not able to fully appreciate one single area.
Clement Maduro, President of Limnos Charters joins the “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” Radio Show to discuss his tour operation. Limnos operates out of the area of Red Hook in St. Thomas. Stephanie says it is a “happening location” with restaurants, bars and shops that reminds her of Lahaina, Hawaii. Clement Maduro was born and raised on the island and said he has a strong affinity for the water.
Limnos Charters travels from the US Virgin Islands to the British Virgin Islands. The first stop is in Virgin Gorda where there is a geologic formation referred to as “the Baths”. Maduro says it is an area of approximately forty square miles of large boulders protruding out of the water and that it is the only formation of its kind that has water running through it. Next the charter travels through the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Norman Island, the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island” where, in 1910, Spanish silver was discovered. Passengers snorkel in the area for an hour and then the boat travels to White Bay in Jost Van Dyke. The entire length of the beach is lined with bars and restaurants. Maduro says it has “beautiful water, beautiful sand and beautiful ambience”. Visiting the British Virgin Islands does require a passport though charter representatives clear customs on behalf of the tourists. A picnic or catered lunch is available upon request and drinks are served aboard the charter vessel.
with Caribbean Pirate Statues in Jioban McCort in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1159
For more information visit http://www.limnoscharters.com
Patrick Hermon, Captain of the Lady Lynsey at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands joins the “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” Radio Show. Stephanie is excited to ride the boat later on. Hermon has been boating since he was a child and was first taken out by his grandfather, a lifelong tugboat captain. The Lady Lynsey is a fifty three foot Gold Coast catamaran that Patrick Hermon operates for guests of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas on a daily basis.
Patrick Hermon states that as soon as guests see the Lady Lynsey “they’re in love”. He says he operates several trips a day the most popular of which is the sunset cruise, an hour and a half trip to the south side of St. Thomas. There is a half day snorkel trip and trips out to the British Virgin Islands including Jost Van Dyke.
Hermon has been at the Ritz Carlton property for thirteen years and says that some of the guests return to the property again and again and they always come aboard the Lady Lynsey. The Aquatic Center keeps a schedule of the boat’s trips. Guests can arrange for a trip with the concierge.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1160
For more information visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas and http://www.travelers411.com/stThomas
Travel Expert and Radio Show Host Stephanie Abrams says she is always concerned about travel protection and asks frequent guest Jim Grace, President and CEO of InsureMyTrip.com, to talk about what is happening in 2010. Grace says that there has been an increase in traveling since August, 2009 and that those in the travel insurance industry are looking towards a strong 2010. He says people are taking more adventurous trips but are cautious about the dollars they spend.
Jim Grace says that a current hot spot for travel is South America. Stephanie says Argentina is a fantastic bargain for Americans as the dollar goes a long way. She asks Grace what travelers should be aware of if they are traveling there. Grace states that there are different policies depending on the destination. A policy he would recommend for Europe would be different from one for the US or elsewhere in the world. For South America and elsewhere in the world Grace states that medical evacuation is critical. A traveler’s current health insurer will not be able to assist them in the event of a medical emergency. InsuremyTrip.com will provide you an insurer that will navigate you through the problem and will be able to assist with any language barriers or medical obstacles.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1162
For more information visit http://www.insuremytrip.com/
Also visit the Travelers411 InsureMyTrip Directory Listing where you'll find an archived collection of commercial-free interviews: http://www.travelers411.com/directory/insureMyTrip/
Visit the Travelers411 Travel Insurance Mini-Site:
http://www.travelers411.com/insurance/
Visit the Travelers411 Travel insurance Discusson Forum: http://www.travelers411.com/forums/travelInsurance/
Bill Canfield, Manager of the St. Thomas Yacht Club, joins the “Travel With Stephanie Abrams!” Radio Show. Canfield states that the club does not have members who live aboard their yachts but rather the private club runs races and other yachting events. Travel Expert Stephanie Abrams recalls following the Volvo Ocean Race Fleet from Boston Harbor to Galway, Ireland in March, 2009.
The St. Thomas Yacht Club will run the 37th International Rolex Regatta in March, 2010 which receives yachting enthusiasts from around the world. There were between eighty and one hundred sail boats present that ranged in size from twenty four feet to one hundred and eighty feet. The boats are divided into classes and partake in several races including one into town intended to involve the local community. The St. Thomas Yacht Club is the first yacht club that Rolex has invested in for racing.
Stephanie says there are many people who as experienced cruisers have found that the cruise experience can’t “get small enough or more intimate enough”. She asks Bill Canfield what a private boater should explore in St. Thomas. He says that there are over two hundred beaches a traveler can get to in a day. Some, he says, have no people on them. In Red Hook alone Canfield says there are three or four charter companies that have boats from twenty four foot sail boats to thirty foot power boats. He says there also companies like Double Header that take guest out to fish and “nearly guarantee that you will catch something”. Guests who don’t want to charter a boat themselves can usually get a captain for a hundred dollars a day and gratuity.
Bill Canfield says St. Thomas is unique in that the water is perfectly clear and there is almost no current, the wind goes in the same direction and the weather is always great. He says it’s incredibly safe and very enjoyable.
Bill Canfield says that the St. Thomas Yacht Club “is around the bend” from the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas; literally one bay over.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread:
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1161
For more information visit http://www.styc.net
Guests Include:
Clement Maduro, President, Limnos Charters, Red Hook, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
www.limnoscharters.com
Patrick Hermon, Captain of the Lady Lynsey, Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
www.ritzcarlton.com/stthomas
Jim Grace, President & CEO, InsureMyTrip.com.
www.insuremytrip.com
Bill Canfield, Manager, St. Thomas Yacht Club.
www.styc.net
