Legendary Caribbean Resort Offers Warm Welcome to U.S. Citizens
A Visit to The Buccaneer on St. Croix Doesn’t Require a Passport for Entry or COVID Testing to Return to the Mainland
Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – If you believe in signs, just take a look around. You’ll quickly deduce that it’s time to plan a visit to The Buccaneer, the historic resort on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here’s the most recent evidence:
That silly groundhog emerged in Pennsylvania on February 2 and predicted six more weeks of winter. (Fun fact: There are no groundhogs anywhere on St. Croix. Also, no winter weather. Hmmm ...) Speaking of winter weather, a massive winter storm impacted millions living along the Eastern Seaboard last week. That part of the country is still trying to warm up ... but there’s more snow expected this week.
Tampa Bay’s football team – the Buccaneers – won that big football game yesterday, making “Buccaneer” a word you’re hearing a lot right now. Presidents’ Day will be celebrated next week -- on February 15 – and President Joe Biden has been known to enjoy a relaxing vacation on St. Croix ... including time spent at The Buccaneer resort.
All signs are pointing to The Buccaneer, the oldest family-run resort in the entire Caribbean. And here’s some great news: The resort is offering a warm welcome (literally ... at this time of year it’s always about 82 degrees and sunny) to visitors from throughout the United States. As always, U.S. residents don’t need a passport to visit St. Croix, “America’s Paradise,” but in our current travel environment, they also don’t need to take a COVID test before returning from a vacation to the island. Unlike most other Caribbean destinations, which fall under new COVID-19 travel requirements issued by the Centers for Disease Control, St. Croix is part of a U.S. territory and therefore considered domestic travel.
Visitors must submit an approved negative COVID test result and get cleared to travel to the USVI prior to arrival on St. Croix, but no test result is required by the CDC for visitors to return to the U.S. mainland. All visitors do, however, need to abide by their own state’s regulations regarding return from any sort of travel.
In short, all visitors age 5 and older must go to www.USVItravelportal.com to receive certification before traveling to St. Croix. But once they get to the island, they can let so many cares just float away in the soothing waters of the Caribbean Sea and the gentle breezes that make all those palm trees sway.
The island has enjoyed a consistently low rate of COVID cases, due in great part to the ongoing commitment of government officials and residents to keep St. Croix as healthy as possible. Crucians are traditionally a health-conscious bunch, enjoying their island’s abundant sun and pleasant climate as they embark on all manner of outdoor adventures, from hiking to snorkeling. There’s been a mask mandate in place on St. Croix since the earliest days of the pandemic and dining outdoors has always been part of island life. In short, Crucians are certainly aware that we’re in the clutches of a global health issue, but they’ve also discovered that life on their island hasn’t had to adjust as much as it has in most of the rest of the world. That means that visitors can still enjoy a full vacation here, keeping in mind that there are capacity restrictions in place and nobody can just walk up to a bar and order a drink these days. But otherwise, a vacation on St. Croix today looks a lot like it has since 1947, when The Buccaneer first opened its doors to hotel guests.
The resort has modified its operations to account for new health and safety measures – the kids’ club and weekly nature to tours aren’t available right now, for example – but its restaurants are open (and by open, we mean open-air!), as are the golf and tennis clubs. The spa is now offering beachfront massages rather than indoor treatments, and the recreation department has developed entirely new ways to provide the free water-sport equipment guests enjoy so much. Fully sanitized snorkeling gear is delivered to guest rooms before check-in, eliminating the need for any personal contact.
Local captains, who take hotel guests out to Buck Island Reef for popular snorkeling excursions, have reduced the number of people on their boats and use enhanced sanitizing measures on all equipment. To explore the world-famous reef, guests simply swap out their cloth mask for a fully sanitized glass one before enjoying the peace and solitude of one of America’s most fascinating national monuments ... because it’s underwater!
For those who are eager to get out and travel safely right now, The Buccaneer is ready and currently taking reservations. And for those who’d prefer to dream a little while longer before taking a trip to the tropics, the resort is offering discounts of 10 to 15% off all room categories for travel between April 16 and December 19, 2021.
And how about all those couples who had to adjust wedding plans due to COVID-19? They deserve a do-over, right? Or maybe an “I Do”-over? The Buccaneer has long specialized in destination weddings, and it’s seeing an increase in demand for small ceremonies. For those romantics who haven’t planned a wedding because they haven’t yet declared their intentions, The Buccaneer also offers a “Pop the Question” package so a pair can get engaged in a setting that’s as stunning as it is socially distanced.
For more information about The Buccaneer, please visit www.thebuccaneer.com. For more details about the island of St. Croix and the rest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, please check www.usviupdate.com. There’s also a special website to answer questions about travel to and from the territory.
The Buccaneer reminds all potential visitors to do their research and make informed and responsible travel decisions before embarking on a vacation, now or in the future. Please be sure to consult individual local and state requirements when planning travel.
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