NCL "St John on your own" ??

We're on the NCL Escape in June, and on our day in St. Thomas we will be heading over to St John's for some beach time. I know all the in's and out's of the Taxi/Red Hook Ferry/Cruz Bay/Taxi routine, but I've also read that some cruise lines offer a "St John's on your Own" excursion where it seems they basically bring a ferry to the cruise docks, and you go straight from there to Cruz bay, after which you are on your own. That would seem to be a good option, as it circumvents the sometimes lengthy taxi rides on StT.

Does anyone know if NCL offers this option?

Yes, NCL offers this option and the cost is essentially the same as really doing it on your own but you end up coming back to the ship around 1:00. Total time with the ship including your 1/2 hour ferry ride is 4 1/2 hours. Figuring you will have 2 15 minute taxi rides in St John plus about 15 minutes of packing up and getting to taxi stand from your beach spot this leaves you about 2 hours 45 minutes of actual beach time.

When we went on our own with NCL Escape we had 5 hours on the beach, a total of 7 1/2 hours with transportation, including packing up our stuff to get to the taxi and we still had time to shop in port.

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Yes, NCL offers this option and the cost is essentially the same as really doing it on your own but you end up coming back to the ship around 1:00. Total time with the ship including your 1/2 hour ferry ride is 4 1/2 hours. Figuring you will have 2 15 minute taxi rides in St John plus about 15 minutes of packing up and getting to taxi stand from your beach spot this leaves you about 2 hours 45 minutes of actual beach time.

 

When we went on our own with NCL Escape we had 5 hours on the beach, a total of 7 1/2 hours with transportation, including packing up our stuff to get to the taxi and we still had time to shop in port.

 

 

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Thanks for the info! We'll have to talk about beach time...DW is very fair skinned and so we don't usually make the beach an all-day affair anyway.

Yes, NCL offers this option and the cost is essentially the same as really doing it on your own but you end up coming back to the ship around 1:00. Total time with the ship including your 1/2 hour ferry ride is 4 1/2 hours. Figuring you will have 2 15 minute taxi rides in St John plus about 15 minutes of packing up and getting to taxi stand from your beach spot this leaves you about 2 hours 45 minutes of actual beach time.

 

When we went on our own with NCL Escape we had 5 hours on the beach, a total of 7 1/2 hours with transportation, including packing up our stuff to get to the taxi and we still had time to shop in port.

 

 

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One further question: What would happen if you simply didn't show for the return trip to the ship at 1pm? Would they spend a lot of time waiting, or just assume you would be making your own way back to the ship? I wouldn't want to inconvenience the others on the trip, or cause problems for the ship's excursion staff.

One further question: What would happen if you simply didn't show for the return trip to the ship at 1pm? Would they spend a lot of time waiting, or just assume you would be making your own way back to the ship? I wouldn't want to inconvenience the others on the trip, or cause problems for the ship's excursion staff.

I have no idea, but that would add an expense to use the ship tour and then add transportation to get back on your own. We are also very fair skinned and there is a lot of shade on the beaches. Once you get to St John you won't want to leave!

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If you're not at the designated spot, they usually wait a few minutes if time allows, but they are not obligated to, because I've heard them say they can't wait for late birds. As long as you're back on the ship in time, you're good!

Wonder why this trip is not longer?

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We're on the NCL Escape in June, and on our day in St. Thomas we will be heading over to St John's for some beach time. I know all the in's and out's of the Taxi/Red Hook Ferry/Cruz Bay/Taxi routine, but I've also read that some cruise lines offer a "St John's on your Own" excursion where it seems they basically bring a ferry to the cruise docks, and you go straight from there to Cruz bay, after which you are on your own. That would seem to be a good option, as it circumvents the sometimes lengthy taxi rides on StT.

 

Does anyone know if NCL offers this option?

Where can I find out about all those ins and outs?

Where can I find out about all those ins and outs?

Basically, you take a taxi from the ship dock to the Red Hook ferry landing, take the ferry to St. John, and take a taxi to the beach of your choice. Return is just the reverse, bearing in mind that the ferry only runs hourly, so you need to be sure and make a return ferry run that will get you back to St. Thomas in time to allow for the taxi ride back to the ship.

You can search this forum for lots of information about doing this.

Does anyone know if NCL GEM offers this "on your own" option? How much does it run? We booked St John Excursion with snorkeling but I just noticed we are only there 90mins. Not much beach time. I can always bring snorkel gear.

I can't find St John "on your own" on their website excursions. Do they offer it only when you get onboard?