Topic Wiki

IslandsKosherPoints Hotels?Notes
Anguilla   ??               
Antigua   ??               
Aruba   Chabad   Marriott, Ritz Carlton,...etc            
Bahamas  Chabad  Atlantis-Marriott, Baha Mar-Hyatt  Weather forcast always says rain but in reality mostly nice weather 
Barbados    Chabad              
Bermuda    Colder, and Bermuda Triangle....
Cuba    ??              
Curaçao   Chabad          Hyatt     
Cancun   Kosher Restaurants, Chabad   St Regis, Hyatt, Westin...etc            Not Carribean but close enough
Cozumel   Chabad +         Not Carribean but close enough
Dominican Republic    Chabad + Year Round Kosher Hotel  Westin            
Grand Cayman    Kosher Frozen Food at the Ritz and Chabad Ritz, Westin..           
Jamaica    Chabad   Hyatt, Hilton            
Martinique    Chabad             
Puerto Rico    ChabadSt Regis x2, Ritz Carlton, W...etc            80% of the Island doen't have power All restored now
St Barts   Chabad              
St Kitts    Supermarket Carries many marked itemsPH            
St Lucia   Chabad              
St Martin   Chabad            
St Thomas    Chabad   Ritz Carlton, Wyndham, Westin on ST John            
Turk & CaicosChabad              
* Zika Status - I think its fair to say they all have it today most islands just stop reporting it.


HT: Davidmal

Feel Free to edit the wiki
« Last edited by mendelk on August 08, 2021, 09:13:33 PM »

Author Topic: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread  (Read 161000 times)

Offline dhalpern1

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Offline Fan of Dan

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Re: Caribbean in end of January. Which island is the best? What points to use?
« Reply #81 on: January 14, 2013, 08:36:52 PM »
T&C, sorry.
United also flies there from Newark and US out of PHL, although it's 17.5k each way.

Offline sy guy

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #82 on: January 27, 2013, 01:40:41 PM »
Just got back from Barbados. 25k Avios R/T from JFK, or you can tie into a Miami stop using AA miles. Or tack on a few Europe one way e.g. BGI_JFK_LHR for an additional 2.5k AA.

Kosher food plentiful in supermarkets (no meat or wine/grape juice, but pita with hashgacha is easily found and most groceries are US sourced), if a bit more expensive. Plenty of secluded beaches and cheap villas for rent. Very clean island and good attractions. Great scenery, and rental cars are reasonable. If you are worried about bringing food and customs, they offer meat import permits for 15 bucks - I got one but customs just waived us through.

Not as much character as St. Maarten, but far superior to PR, Aruba, DR, and even Cayman in my book.

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #83 on: January 27, 2013, 02:14:50 PM »
Just got back from Barbados. 25k Avios R/T from JFK, or you can tie into a Miami stop using AA miles. Or tack on a few Europe one way e.g. BGI_JFK_LHR for an additional 2.5k AA.

Kosher food plentiful in supermarkets (no meat or wine/grape juice, but pita with hashgacha is easily found and most groceries are US sourced), if a bit more expensive. Plenty of secluded beaches and cheap villas for rent. Very clean island and good attractions. Great scenery, and rental cars are reasonable. If you are worried about bringing food and customs, they offer meat import permits for 15 bucks - I got one but customs just waived us through.

Not as much character as St. Maarten, but far superior to PR, Aruba, DR, and even Cayman in my book.
Were you in those places?

Offline sy guy

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #84 on: January 27, 2013, 02:41:21 PM »
sxm - 3 times, gcm 2 times, dr - 3 times, pr 3 times. Aruba once, but did not like it at all, would recommend any of the others.

Offline Dan

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #85 on: January 27, 2013, 03:12:30 PM »
sxm - 3 times, gcm 2 times, dr - 3 times, pr 3 times. Aruba once, but did not like it at all, would recommend any of the others.
Would love to read a TR/comparison of them.
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Offline yuneeq

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Re: Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #86 on: January 27, 2013, 03:15:40 PM »
sxm - 3 times, gcm 2 times, dr - 3 times, pr 3 times. Aruba once, but did not like it at all, would recommend any of the others.

Proof that you definitely are SY :P
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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #87 on: January 27, 2013, 03:29:39 PM »
Would love to read a TR/comparison of them.
+1 that would be great.

Offline sy guy

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #88 on: January 27, 2013, 06:27:32 PM »
Hard to do, as the trips were taken at different points in life. But I'll try short bites...

Barbados - see above.

Aruba - stayed at Westin on long weekend with wife. Nothing special about beach or hotel, or island.

SXM - stayed all 3 times at westin using SPG points. Great value at 12k points for $400/night rooms. Rooms large (huge bathroom), nice property on pretty beach. Nice villas just up the beach if you need a kitchen ( Not super luxurious but perfect for family of up to 5. Got upgraded every time as SPG Gold, twice to oceanfront. Renting a car is a must, as island is scenic, with great variety of beaches and activities. Beach at Radisson is very pretty, much nicer than beach at La Samanna. Kosher items increasingly available from supermarkets. Easy trip from NYC on AA or JetBlue. Classy island, no slums. You can also do day trips to St Barts and Anguilla by ferry, but saw no need personally.

DR - went only as kid, to casa de campo, and another facility. Nice scenery, plenty of flights, but poorer island. The punta cana all inclusive scene just doesnt work for kosher folks.

PR - Went twice to San Juan at Caribe Hilton, very nice property with most private beach in San Juan. Kosher was hard to find, but plenty of nice things to see, and close to airport. Cheap rent a car as I remember. Also went to Aguadilla once, which was a very nice villa property with Jet Blue access directly to airport 5 minutes away. More secluded, but a hike to the tourist attractions like the rain forest.

Cayman - went once as kid (to a villa) and more recently for long weekend with my wife at the Westin (SPG points stay). Nice Westin, not as fancy as Ritz, and seven mile beach is very pretty and large enough to find a private spot. Best off-beach snorkeling anywhere, and stingray city is fun. No need to rent a car, as supermarket is close by. Classy island.

I don't gamble, but if that is your thing, the casino action in PR seemed the most lively, with the Westin in SXM's casino more of an afterthought. Generally, non-stop flights are key for us, and I dont like to spend for overpriced resorts.

Offline sy guy

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #89 on: January 27, 2013, 06:30:20 PM »
Also remembered that I have been to the bahamas, but saw nothing special.

Ultimately, I'd rather fly the extra hour or so to SXM or Barbados, get better weather with more variety of scenery and beaches. If your taste is to just plop on one nice beach and not move around, GCM should also be in the mix.

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #90 on: January 27, 2013, 08:20:29 PM »
@sy guy  Thanks for the breakdown! I am dying to go to the Carribean so this should help. Was thinking about either Turks and Caicos or Cayman but now you have me thinking about SXM. How is the snorkeling and diving there? That is a big thing for me.

Offline sy guy

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #91 on: January 27, 2013, 08:43:08 PM »
not a diver so don't know. Snorkeling was best in Cayman, and I have heard turks is fantastic. Barbados has great reefs but further off the beaches, the snorkeling beach side was mediocre.

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #92 on: January 27, 2013, 10:14:11 PM »
not a diver so don't know. Snorkeling was best in Cayman, and I have heard turks is fantastic. Barbados has great reefs but further off the beaches, the snorkeling beach side was mediocre.
How is the snorkeling in SXM?

On a side note you are lucky you found SPG availablity in the Carribean I have had a hard time finding in the past.

Offline robi

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #93 on: July 11, 2013, 03:06:54 PM »
Anyone ever stay at the sivory punta Cana? Or anywhere in punta Cana?
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Kosher in the Caribbean? (Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados)
« Reply #94 on: January 04, 2014, 02:51:40 PM »
I will be in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados (the Caribbean Islands) for 4 days at the end of January and wanted to know if there is any option of purchasing kosher food at any of those locations (I am assuming that there is no chance of davening with a minyan - but if you know otherwise please let me know).

Thank you in advance!

Offline arig

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #95 on: January 26, 2014, 10:28:13 PM »
Heading to SXM on Sunday for 3 days. :) staying on SPG points (16k per night) on a Plat acct- hope to get upgraded. emailed hotel about upgrade-they said they will do their best. also asked regarding storing double wrapped kosher meals/heating up and they wrote back they dont allow outside food on resort. they also turned down my request for a fridge. they did tell me that they offer frozen meals at $25 a pop from some caterer in miami called cohens. anyone have info on them? hotel couldnt provide any. A couple of other questions: 1. do they practice what they preach? ie. will they allow me to store/ warm up food once i am actually there (or for a couple dollars on the side)? 2. anyone ever requested a fridge there? 3. are the outlets there 120v? i was thinking about bringing a small toaster oven... also if anyone has any suggestions for activities there, that would be most appreciated. im thinking about scuba diving, para-sailing, and snorkeling. TIA

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #96 on: January 27, 2014, 08:05:47 PM »
Heading to SXM on Sunday for 3 days. :) staying on SPG points (16k per night) on a Plat acct- hope to get upgraded. emailed hotel about upgrade-they said they will do their best. also asked regarding storing double wrapped kosher meals/heating up and they wrote back they dont allow outside food on resort. they also turned down my request for a fridge. they did tell me that they offer frozen meals at $25 a pop from some caterer in miami called cohens. anyone have info on them? hotel couldnt provide any. A couple of other questions: 1. do they practice what they preach? ie. will they allow me to store/ warm up food once i am actually there (or for a couple dollars on the side)? 2. anyone ever requested a fridge there? 3. are the outlets there 120v? i was thinking about bringing a small toaster oven... also if anyone has any suggestions for activities there, that would be most appreciated. im thinking about scuba diving, para-sailing, and snorkeling. TIA
I am going in April for 5 days so please keep me posted on your experience and please post a TR when you return. You can take a day trip to St Barts or Anguiila if you'd like. St Barts is a longer boat ride, although the boat leaves from Oyster bay which is where the Westin dawn bay is. (I am assuming that is where you are staying, you didn't specify, although there is only 1 SPG property on the island. Pinel island is a 5 minute ride where they are supposed to have good snorkeling.

Offline yoss6400

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #97 on: January 28, 2014, 11:28:12 PM »
what cell phone did you guys use?
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Offline arig

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #98 on: January 29, 2014, 11:02:33 AM »
i am not taking a cell, although i always have my AT&T phone at $2.50 a minute for emergencies. from what i've read, people have had no problems using skype and facetime on the island to call back home... u can rent a phone from some lady on the island that IS $20 a week rental fee and comes out to like .30 cents a minute to US and Canada. google search "queen of sxm", her name is Sharon.

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Re: Carribean Islands (Which One?) Master Thread
« Reply #99 on: February 05, 2014, 08:14:20 PM »
St Martin, SXM for Westin Hotel shows no availability after December 20, 2014
2 reps on the phone says sold out?? Anyone have experience if they open up rooms?