At Coki Beach, my partner rented her snorkeling gear for $20 US (I brought my own). To my surprise, rental attendant gave us each a hard biscuit to feed fish while we were in water. Once we got into water, dozens of tropical fish immediately crowded around us. I guess they knew drill quite well. We ripped off small pieces of biscuits and fish went for it, even if food was just inches away from our face masks. The yellowtail snappers, sergeant majors and occasional parrotfish displayed no fear of us at all. At one point, my partner held out a larger piece of her biscuit and some of fish darted in to nibble at it. After about an hour in warm water, it was time to say goodbye to our new aquatic friends. This experience at Coki Bay with fish was one of factors which eventually influenced my partner to become a certified scuba diver herself.

Another $15 US cab ride took us back to cruise ship port where we spend rest of day browsing many duty free shops located there. A similar snorkeling trip arranged through cruiseship would have cost us double amount we paid. St. Thomas is definitely not an inexpensive island for either cruise ship passengers or resort tourists staying there but extra comfort and quality of island are quite noticeable compared to many other Caribbean destinations. From my readings, other main islands of U.S. Virgin Islands which are St. John and St. Croix, are more laid back and less commercialized than St. Thomas. I would like to visit them in addition to another return trip to St. Thomas in future for a multi day scuba diving trip. For those thinking of going on a Caribbean cruise, I would definitely recommend one that has St. Thomas as one of its ports of call. It is one of better islands on any Caribbean cruise itinerary.

Saving money on travel doesn't need to stop there. You can save money on travel in just about every aspect by planning and research. Take time to compare different companies, then choose best option for you. Also, take a box of cereal and pick up a gallon of milk instead of spending a ton on breakfast. Grab a local newspaper to see if there are deals in there for area restaurants. The local family diner may have some great food at reasonable prices but is overlooked because of all those glaring signs in tourist's face.

Being able to find a deal on travel is a great advantage. Saving some extra cash can truly make your vacation more worthwhile. Since so many people just don't get enough vacation time, getting most out of what they do get is key. So, take some time and find best travel deals out there for yourself!