The Top 10 Caribbean all-inclusive adults only resorts - rated and ranked according to reviews

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(Iberostar's Grand Hotel Paraiso pictured above)

If you are thinking of escaping to an all-inclusive couples only Caribbean resort and wondering which one is the best, well, I have done the sifting and sorting for you here. Planning your best Caribbean vacation can be a tough assignment, especially if you are thinking of an all-inclusive adults only resort.

With over 200 all-inclusive couples only resorts and spas to choose from in the Caribbean, determining which is the best one for you can consume hours of research. Who wants to spend time doing all that? Here I am going to present to you the top 10 based on traveler's reviews. These top ten are ranked by the highest percentage of "excellent" reviews from various sources.

What I have done is sorted through the reviews of these 200 Caribbean all-inclusive adults only resorts to produce a top 10 list. Here you go....


1. Geejam - Jamaica

2. The Caves - Jamaica

3. Banyan Tree Mayakoba - Cancun - Find the Best Deals at hotels.com!

4. Tie between Jamaica Inn - Jamaica, and East Winds Inn - St. Lucia

5. Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso - Cancun

6. Laluna - Grenada

7. Le Blanc Spa Resort - Cancun

8. Iberostar Grand Bavaro Hotel - Punta Cana

9. Tie between Jade Mountain - St. Lucia, and Small Hope Bay - Bahamas

10. Iberostar Grand Rose Hall - Jamaica

There you have it, out of the 200+ all -inclusive resorts this is the Caribbean's top 10 ranking of all-inclusive couples only resorts based on reviews. You can check the rates at a few of these at Book It. I just checked the Jamaica Inn website that shows rooms for two starting at $299USD per night and on Bookit they show $260USD. This appears to be a great value as Le Blanc has rooms starting at $605USD.


Just so you know, Geejam isn't a beach resort, so if you want a beach, you might consider some others on this list, I don't know about you, but I go to the Caribbean for the beach, if I wanted to hang around a pool I'd go to Arizona. Anyway, This will give you an unbiased top 10 list, not based on one person's opinion but thousands of actual travelers who've been there and have nothing to gain or lose by giving an honest assessment.

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Some of these resorts are smaller intimate boutique resorts and some are large. As you can see Jamaica is the top dog when it comes to the best in all-inclusive resorts and spas, with Cancun a close second. No wonder Howard Hillman ranks Jamaica as the most romantic Caribbean island in his rankings of the best Caribbean islands for vacationing on.



The vast majority of couples only all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean are found on Jamaica, Cancun and Punta Cana and I have ranked the top 10 all inclusive resorts in floridas in each of those places also. Interestingly the most well known names in the business like Sandals and Couples don't have any properties in the top ten.

Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso was awarded Trip Advisor's Traveler's Choice award as the best all-inclusive resort in the world (check out their video above). Most travel websites don't show all of Iberostar's resorts, but I have a banner link to Iberostar's homepage on the right hand side of the screen if you want to search for rooms and rates, I also have a link here to Iberostar, be sure to bookmark it for reference in your vacation planning. With 3 resorts in the top 10, Iberostar is clearly the the leader in building high-end luxury all-inclusive couples only resorts, I have ranked all their Caribbean properties here.

If you're interested I have also ranked the top ten Caribbean destinations and provided the corresponding highest rated resort (hotels and all-inclusives).

I hope this list of the top 10 Caribbean all-inclusive adults only resorts helps you to plan the best Caribbean vacation of your life! Incidentally, I have checked some of the websites for these resorts and Hotels.com usually has better rates, you can Search Here for Hotels.com Best Hotel Deals!

P.S. If you'd like to keep posted on my research about the best Caribbean vacations, be sure to use the buttons to "Follow" on Twitter or "Like" on Facebook, plus then I'll know what I'm writing is helpful to you. Thanks!

I am also including a banner link below to Bookit's all inclusive special offers if you want to see what kind of deals they are running currently. Under their Travel Themes menu check the All Inclusive deals, they have some great deals at top rated Caribbean all inclusive resorts in floridas!

Best Caribbean Island vacations- Couples vs Sandals- rated and ranked according to reviews

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The best Caribbean island vacations for couples can be a rather subjective list. If you want a special place for the two of you to spend a luxurious honeymoon with privacy and resort staff catering to your every whim, there is a Caribbean island vacation for that. The Caribbean is in my opinion, the best place in the world for romantic vacations with your loved one. I spent my honeymoon there with my wife and we're going back next month again to celebrate our anniversary.

Most times when people are looking for the best Caribbean island vacation for couples, they are thinking of an all-inclusive vacation. The Caribbean islands that are renown for the best all-inclusive couples only resorts are Jamaica,the Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Antigua. So lets take a look at what those islands have to offer you and see which is the best fit.

Since Couples and Sandals are major players when it comes to couples only all-inclusive Caribbean resorts, we'll be looking at their properties. These two resort companies spend heavily to advertise and are well known names in the industry.

In Negril, Jamaica there is Couples Negril, Couples Swept Away Negril, Sandals Negril Beach Resort And Spa.

In Montego Bay, Jamaica there is Sandals Carlyle Inn, Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island.

In Ocho Rios, Jamaica there is Couples Sans Souci, Couples Tower Isle, Sandals Grand Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort, and the new Sandals Royal Plantation.

In the Bahamas you have the Royal Bahamian and Emerald Bay.

In Whitehouse, Jamaica (south side of the island) there is Sandals Whitehouse.

On the island of Saint Lucia is several more all-inclusive couples resorts. In Castries, St. Lucia there is Sandals Halcyon Beach, Sandals La Toc Golf Resort& Spa, Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort.

There is also a Sandals on Antigua called Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa.

photo by Loren Sztajer	via PhotoRee

As you can see the bulk of the couples only all-inclusive couples only resorts are on the island of Jamaica, although Cancun actually has more.

Making a determination as to which is the best Caribbean island vacation destination for couples I did some research of traveler's reviews. This I believe will give you the best unbiased rating and ranking of all the Couples and Sandals resorts in the Caribbean. So here they all are ranked best to worst.

1. Sandals Royal Plantation

2. tie between Couples Negril and Couples Sans Souci

3. Couples Swept Away, Negril

4. Sandals Whitehouse, Jamaica

5. 3 way tie between Sandals Negril Beach Resort & Spa, Sandals Carlyle Inn and Couples Tower Isle.

6. Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island

7. Sandals Montego Bay

8. Sandals Halcyon Beach

9. Sandals Grande St. Lucian spa & Beach Resort

10. Sandals Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort

11. Tie between Sandals La Toc Golf Resort & Spa and Emerald Bay

12. Royal Bahamian

13. Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa



Sandals Royal Plantation is one of the premiere couples all-inclusive resort destination in the Caribbean. It is a small hotel that used to be a Beaches resort, but it has been totally remade as a world-class luxury resort. With only 77 rooms you can Enjoy the all-Butler experience at Sandals Royal Plantation in Jamaica! Keep in mind that rates are usually about half price in the off season of June through October, I have a banner link on the right hand side of the screen about a special of 65% off + 1 night free that Royal Plantation is currently offering.

Aside from Royal Plantation, Couples appears to have the overall better properties as their 4 properties are all in the top 5.

If you take the averages for each resort area you'll find that overall the best resorts are in the following locations.

1. Negril - overall resorts average rating of 66% excellent.
2. Ocho Rios - overall resorts average rating of 65% excellent.
3. White house - resort rated excellent by 64%.
4. Montego Bay - overall resorts average rating of 61% excellent.
5. St. Lucia - overall resorts average rating of 58%.
6. Bahamas - overall resorts average rating 52.5%
7. Antigua - resort rated excellent by 50%.

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Based on these figures it is easy to see why Negril is consistently rated as one of the best Caribbean vacation destinations for couples, with Ocho Rios close behind, and I'm finding the best deals at these places on Book It. Based on these reviews, it certainly appears that Sandals may need to improve their properties on St. Lucia, the Bahamas and Antigua.

Go here to see which Caribbean all-inclusive couples only resorts are rated in the top 10 overall. I have also separately rated and ranked Sandals resorts here.

I hope the aggregating of these reviews and ranking them helps you to plan your best Caribbean vacation! Don't forget you can Find Last Minute Deals at hotels.com!

P.S. If you'd like to keep posted on my research about the best Caribbean vacations, be sure to use the buttons to "Follow" on Twitter or "Like" on Facebook, plus then I'll know what I'm writing is helpful to you. Thanks!

Martinique is one of the top Caribbean islands.

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One of the top Caribbean islands, is the island of Martinique. Martinique is in the Lesser Antilles, part of the Windward Islands, just about 30 miles north of Saint Lucia and 40 miles south of Dominica. Martinique is an overseas region of France, along with Guadeloupe.

Martinique is one of the larger islands in the Lesser Antilles. The land area encompasses 435 square miles (1100 Km)and has a population of nearly 400,000 people. Originally discovered by Christopher Columbus, yet like many other Caribbean islands, the control of Martinique has gone back and forth between the British and French for 400 years until becoming solidly French controlled in 1946.

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The geography of Martinique is quite diverse. The northern part of the island is a rugged landscape with several extinct volcanoes much like St. Lucia's pitons, some rising to an elevation of over 4000 feet(1400 meters). The southern portion of the island is more populated as the geography is more gentle, there is better beaches and more development.



Although French is the official language, many locals speak the traditional Creole native to Martinique. Martinique, like St. Martin, provides an interesting blend of French and Caribbean cultures. One example is the French tradition of businesses shutting down at lunchtime for a leisurely lunch break. The cuisine is also a blend of French and Caribbean styles and flavors. Like most Caribbean islands, the majority of the population is descended from slaves imported during the slave trading eras of the 16th to 19th centuries. Islands in the Caribbean such as Martinique were fought over by the Dutch, French, and British for their production of tobacco, sugar cane, indigo and cotton.

Martinique does enjoy one of the highest standards of living among the top Caribbean islands. The climate is typical of most Caribbean islands, with high temperatures in the 80's year-round. The hot weather is moderated by the natural air conditioning known as trade winds. The high season on Martinique is December through April. August through October the risk for hurricanes is present, if traveling there during these months be sure to get travel insurance. You can also Search Secret Hotels & Save up to 70% off on quality hotels.

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Martinique is a popular winter vacation destination for French and French Canadians. The Euro is the official currency here and U.S. Dollars are generally not accepted, but credit cards will do. If you like French luxury goods, you'll like Martinique. Shopping for perfumes and fashion at great prices is a tourist favorite here. Like most Caribbean islands, rum is the drink of choice, even on Martinique.

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Martinique isn't usually in the top ten rankings of best Caribbean vacation destinations, though it is a popular stop for cruise ships. There are luxurious resorts here for families and couples, and is popular for honeymoons and weddings and you can Find Last Minute Deals at hotels.com! you can also check Book It. If you've been to Martinique, feel free to leave a comment about your experience there. Thanks!

Top Caribbean Destinations - Saint Lucia

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St. Lucia is regularly rated one of the top 10 Caribbean destinations. St. Lucia is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. Often people think St. Lucia is one of the Virgin Islands, but it isn't, it's a country of it's own. The island is of fair size and covers an area of about 238 square miles and has a population of 171,000 people.

Originally St. Lucia was settled by the French, then the British. Control of St. Lucia changed between the two counties several times before finally becoming an independent nation in 1979.

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The geography of St. Lucia is much more rugged than other Caribbean islands due to the volcanic origins. The highest peak is Mt. Gimie at over 3000 feet above sea level. The ruggedness gives St. Lucia much more scenery than say the Cayman Islands or the Bahamas which are essentially flat. The capitol of St.Lucia is Castries, which is a popular cruise ship stop. Like most Caribbean islands, St. Lucia is very tourism dependent though they are a major banana exporter as well. The recession has hurt the travel industry and the island has been trying to diversify into banking and financial services.

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While St. Lucians own language is Creole French, English is the official language, so no worries about language barriers.

Hot mineral springs and the world's only drive-in volcano, are a couple of favorite tourist activities for families. St. Lucia is one of the top wedding and honeymoon destinations of all the Caribbean islands. Over the last 10 years, St. Lucia has regularly been awarded the world's leading honeymoon destination in the Caribbean. There is no residency period to be married in St. Lucia, just 24 hours after getting your marriage license you can get married.



Whether traveling for holidays with the family or just a couple, you'll find plenty of resorts to accommodate you. Sandals, has an all-inclusive resort here which is top-notch and you can Save up to 55% at Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort.

St. Lucia is still recovering from being slammed by hurricane Tomas which struck the island last year killing 14 people and causing massive landslides. My good friend is from St. Lucia and told me how it devastated the island and wiped out many roads. In fact, he was planning a trip home this spring but cancelled it because there was still so much aftermath that was still not recovered from, like no running water. We had talked about traveling there with our wives this spring but with his insight from family there, we cancelled. Which is why we are going to the Cayman Islands instead.

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St. Lucia is certainly one of the top Caribbean destinations for weddings, honeymoons, couples or families! Some of the best deals there can be found on Book It.

Here I have rated and ranked the all inclusive resorts in floridas in St. Lucia.

If you've been to Saint Lucia, feel free to leave a comment about your experience there. Thanks! Don't forget you can Find Last Minute Deals at hotels.com!

Is Aruba really one of the best Caribbean vacation destinations?

                                              Aruba beach



Aruba has to be on any one's top 10 best Caribbean vacation destinations.  Aruba is part of what is known as the Lesser Antilles and is located just off the coast of Venezuela, which means it is about as far as you can get from the U.S. mainland.  Unlike some Caribbean nations which are made up of several or hundreds of islands, Aruba is just one island.  The island itself is about 33 miles long, a large portion of which is uninhabited desert.  The capital and principal city is Oranjestad, which if you know Dutch will give you a good indication of the heritage of this island nation as it has been under the control of the Dutch since 1636.  Dutch is the official language but many Arubans speak English.



Aruba enjoys a higher than average standard of living for the Caribbean.  The currency in Aruba is the Florin which is set to exchange at the rate of 1 Florin to 1.77 U.S. Dollars.  Aruba has experienced an explosion in population growth since 1987, growing from just over 60,000 to over 100,000 residents today.  I wonder if the Beach Boys song "Kokomo" which came out about that time had something to do with it.

                                            Downtown Oranjestad



Downtown Oranjestad is renown for the colorful Candyland looking architecture.  It's kind of interesting as I wonder where this architecture came from as Holland doesn't look like Disney's Mainstreet.



One notable consideration about Aruba is the climate.  Unusual for a Caribbean vacation destination is Aruba's relatively dry climate.  Most islands in the Caribbean receive abundant rainfall, which is why they are so lush and green.  Some Virgin Islands for example receive over 45 inches of rain per year, Aruba receives only 18 inches per year, which explains the desert landscape.  The good thing is you don't have to worry that your vacation will be soaked with rain every day, as rain is rare.  Plenty of hot sunny weather! Also, unlike some islands such as the Virgin Islands, Aruba is flat which makes getting around a bit easier, though a bit less scenic.  Most all the development  on the island is on the West side as the East side is rugged and has more surf.

                                                Baby Beach



The beaches of Aruba are not as abundant as some Caribbean islands, but what they do have are as spectacular as any.  Palm, Eagle and Baby beaches are the most famous.  In fact, many will tell you not to miss Baby Beach.  As you can see from the photo, it is a nice cove which ensures little to no waves in the crystal clear water.  Great for small children.

If you're interested I listed the top 5 best Aruba resorts on Palm/Eagle beach here.



There's no question that Aruba has to be one of the very best Caribbean vacation destinations.

Best Caribbean Vacations #14 is Curacao

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Curacao has been rated by Trip Advisor as the 13th best Caribbean vacation destination.
Curacao is a small island nation in the Southern Caribbean and is part of the Dutch ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Curacao is a two island nation, there is a smaller uninhabited island called Little Curacao, and the larger island of Curacao.

Curacao is the largest and most populous of the Dutch ABC islands with a size of 171 square miles and a population of over 140,000. The name Curacao is believed to be originating from the Portuguese word for heart. The island was discovered by the Spanish in 1499 but settlement came from the Dutch. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Curacao was known for being a pirate hideaway. Control of Curacao changed hands from the French and British several times before finally coming under Dutch control in 1815 where it has been ever since.

As a side note, I find it interesting how busy the Dutch were in the Caribbean in the 1600's to 1800's. For such a small nation they must have really loved the tropical weather in the Caribbean to be having it out with the British and French over these little tropical islands.

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This little Caribbean island nation really began their rise in prosperity with the discovery of oil in 1914. Over the years they've developed the tourism industry and financial services as a tax haven, as well as a popular vacation destination for Europeans on holidays. The Dutch Florin is the local currency but U.S. Dollars and Euros are accepted most everywhere.



The Geography of Curacao is similar to Aruba in that it is rather flat and barren, not that lush tropical feel like you get in the Virgin Islands. The rainfall again is similar to Aruba in that they only receive 21 inches of rain per year, which is almost desert like compared to other Caribbean islands. The best thing about that is you won't have to worry about rain ruining your vacation as the weather is most always hot and sunny. In fact, the average high temperature is 88 degrees year-round, making Curacao one of the hottest and best Caribbean vacation destinations.

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Being just off the coast of Venezuela, Curacao is technically outside of the hurricane belt. Although, in recent years there have been some hurricanes that have hit Curacao, overall the risk here is lower than most other Caribbean islands.

Most of the best beaches on Curacao are on the Southern part of the island where the waters are calmer. The Northern part of the island is more rugged and has more surf. The coral reefs here are famous with scuba divers and are quite good. Some of the best beaches are Playa Kalki, Playa Grote Kanapa, Playa Kleine Kanapa. Incidentally, you'll find the best deals on the beach front resorts at Book It.

Curacao is a melting pot, and four languages are spoken here. Primarily English and Spanish, but also Dutch and Papaimentu (the island's native Creole). English is common enough for you to converse while on vacation there though.

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Willemstad is the capitol of Curacao and much like Oranjestad on Aruba, it's know for it's colorful architecture. Many of the old historic buildings in downtown Willemstad are painted bright pastel colors. Willemstad is great for shopping, especially in the downtown area with duty-free shops where you can find just about any kind of treasure you want to remember your vacation to Curacao by. Overall, Curacao rightly deserves to be rated one of the best Caribbean vacation destinations and you can Find Last Minute Deals at hotels.com!

If you've been to Curacao, please leave a comment and share your experience. Thanks!

Best Caribbean Vacation # 13 is Antigua/Barbuda

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Antigua/Barbuda is rated the number 13 best Caribbean Vacation destination by Trip Advisor. Antigua/Barbuda is a two island nation surrounded by numerous smaller islands. If you are looking for a Caribbean island vacation with plenty of beautiful uncrowded beaches, Antigua/Barbuda could just be the place for you as it is known as the place of 365 beaches, you could literally visit a different beach every day of the year.

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The British originally settled on Barbuda in 1632. Antigua/Barbuda gained independance from the U.K. in 1981 and is now a fully self governing nation. Between the two islands the population is just over 70,000.

As would be expected, tourism is the top industry, Antigua in particular being known for their many posh resorts. As with some other Caribbean island nations such as the Cayman Islands and Bahamas, Antigua/Barbuda is also known for their international banking services.



Antigua/Barbuda still retain much of their British flavor in the culture and past-times like Crickett which is popular there. Of the two islands, Antigua is more populated and developed more for tourism. These islands are consistently ranked as the best Caribbean islands for weddings. The Sandals Resort has a great deal now where you can Save up to 60% off and 1 Night free plus a $100 Red Lane Spa Credit at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa. Similar to St. Barts, it's not uncommon to spot celebrities vacationing in Antigua/Barbuda.

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The beaches of Antigua/Barbuda are some of the most photographed beaches in the Caribbean, with beautiful white sand and crystal clear blue waters, it's no wonder.

If you're interested, I have rated and ranked all the Antigua all inclusive resorts in floridas.

Antigua/Barbuda are well deserving of their place as one of the best Caribbean Vacation destinations and you'll find great deals on Book It. If you've been to Antigua/Barbuda, please leave a comment to share your experience there. Thanks! Don't forget you can Find Last Minute Deals at hotels.com!

Best Caribbean vacation # 11 is St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

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The best Caribbean vacation destination number 11 is St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. St. Thomas is one of three islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the others being St. John and St. Croix. The U.S. Virgin Islands are an unincorporated territory of the United States.

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The island of St. Thomas has a population of over 50,000 people living on its rather hilly terrain. St. Thomas was originally settled by the Dutch and Charlotte Amalie is one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean islands. The U.S. purchased the Virgin Islands in 1917 as part of a a strategy to control the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.



The climate on St. Thomas is typical of most Caribbean islands and is a popular winter vacation destination as high temperatures in January average 86 degrees. The geography of St. Thomas is different from many Caribbean islands which are rather flat like the Cayman Islands or the Bahamas. The roads tend to switchback and snake all over the hills. One advantage to this type of terrain is the views from higher elevations which are spectacular of the surrounding islands.

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Charlotte Amalie is a picturesque harbor town dating back to the 1600's and has a fine tourist friendly downtown area through the old cobblestone streets. This area can be overrun with tourists when a cruise ship is in port, which is quite often as St. Thomas is a popular stop for them. Red Hook is another area to visit on the East end of the island which also has a few restaurants and shops and a ferry to St. John.

St Thomas has some fine beaches, the most well known would be Magens Beach, which, a mile in length is probably the largest beach on the island. Saphire Beach and Secret Harbour are a couple other nice beaches, a great tip though is to take the ferry to St. John for a day trip as their beaches, like Caneel Bay are arguably better. Remember that beaches facing the Atlantic will tend to have more surf and Western beaches will tend to be calmer.

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All in all, St. Thomas deserves to be regarded as one of the best Caribbean vacation destinations, and you'll find great deals there on Book It. If you've been to St. Thomas, please feel free to leave a comment about your experience there. Thanks! Don't forget you can Find Last Minute Deals at hotels.com!

I have a ranking of the top 10 best resorts in St. Thomas here.