Secret Harbor update Dec 4 2017

Beach is open! The restaurant is open! The bathrooms are open! Dive shop is open!

We visited Dec 4 on RCI Jewel of the Seas. Taxi ride from Crown Bay was $11PP each way. We weren't sure of phone service so we arraigned with our cab driver to pick us up at 1pm, which he did, he was even early. The restaurant is open and I'm sure someone there could call for taxi even if you don't happen to have phone service. That way your return time could be flexible. We did have phone service (sprint).

Beach is open, clean, it's just as you remember if you've been there before. Most of the sand was even raked. We got there early and there was only 1 other person on the beach. A small family arrived around 11 so we just moved further down the beach.

There are a few chairs out. Just as in the past it's not clear if non-guests can use the chairs, but we did and no one complained. We're pretty sure that if need more you can take from the stacked chairs, they didn't seem locked. The resort is not currently open, there were a few people in rooms, not sure if those are condo owners or relief workers. Worst case you might have to pay a few bucks to rent the chairs, it's worth it if so.

Bathrooms are open and flushing. Clean as always.

Restaurant is open. Food is good. We shared a burger and fries. Burger was a good solid 7 on the mainland scale, 9.5 on the island scale. Fries were a 9/10, really good fries, hot and crisp. Beers are only $5. Overall, cannot recommend the restaurant highly enough.

We snorkeled only on the dock side (left when looking out to sea). Water was a little cloudy, there were the usual fish, etc. We didn't go all the way out around the point. It's decent snorkeling from shore.

It's like the Secret Harbor of the old days, casual, quiet, uncrowded. Go, don't even hesitate.

Thanks for the update!

Thank you for the update.

Keith

At secret harbor today... clean, pretty... dive shop open, hotel open but pretty empty beach! Gorgeous. Just a little hard to get taxi back to ship so arrange for pick up! Otherwise dont heaitate to go!

Fabulous! This is where we wanted to go when we arrive in St. Thomas on our cruise in late December. Really appreciate you taking the time to share. Thanks so much!

Great news! We stayed at Secret Harbor for a week once, loved the place. I would just recommend that if you want lunch, have some local island food, not a common burger.

Is it a good beach for small children?

Meaning - does the water stay shallow for a good while when you walk out?

Thanks!

Thanks for the updates, that is great news! We sail on Magic the end of January and we were hoping to visit Secret Harbor for the day to enjoy the great food and great snorkeling!

Thanks to ALL on CC for all you do, we found this hidden gem thanks to CC several years ago.

Susan

Anyone have any recent updates on Secret Harbour or pics that they can share? I understand that they are working hard on restoring the entire island and things are improving each day. I plan to visit in mid-Feb so just looking to keep updated on the beach and resort conditions.

I have a group of 31 people interested in going to Secret Harbor... ages ranging from 5-65 years old. I have a few concerns:

Do we need to worry about beach chairs and shade?

How far is Secret Harbor from the cruise port in Charlotte Amalie?

And Is it easy to get back to the cruise port from Secret Harbor?

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Taxi is 25 - 40 minutes and $10 - $11/person each way, you’d all jut need to find different taxis going to the same beaches. That is a very large group for any beach and there would probably be a shortage of both lounges and umbrellas.

Magens is probably the only viable option for such a large group together...

Great news! We stayed at Secret Harbor for a week once, loved the place. I would just recommend that if you want lunch, have some local island food, not a common burger.

Love the mahi mahi sandwich at Sapphire. But I do enjoy a “common” cheeseburger in paradise! ;)

Have enjoyed snorkeling there many times in the past! Has the water cleared up?

Just got home from our Magic cruise and we visited Secret Harbor when in St. Thomas. This was our 3rd visit to Secret Harbor and very different from the previous experiences.

Taxi to Secret Harbor was $10 pp one way, no problem getting a return taxi back to the port either.

We opted this time to rent loungers $10 per lounge chair with a $5 cash deposit that is returned when you return the lounger to the stack on the beach. Umbrellas are also available to rent, not sure of the price.

The Sunset Grille is now strictly a bbq venue, no more ahi tuna or other good seafood items.

The service was not good. The individual doing the beach service kept forgetting the lime for the coronas, not just once but several times; then they ran out of Coors Lite. We requested a tab be started and when we were ready to leave at 4 pm we could not find the person to pay the bill. It would have been very easy to leave without paying but that is NOT our style so I went up to the Sunset Grill and asked for our tab - none had been started. I was able to tell the bartender what we had so we could settle up. Needless to say no tip was even considered.

Secret Harbor is becoming popular with the cruise ship passengers there were more people from the ship than we had seen in the past.

Since we had missed our 1st port of Amber Cove due to high seas and wind, the wind was still pretty bad in Secret Harbor and water visibility was not that great but other than the service we enjoyed our day here. We were disappointed with the changes at Sunset Grille but life is full of changes.

I will add that the group of 6 sitting next to us on the beach, also from a ship, went up to the Grille to eat and they wound up spending all afternoon there, due to slow service and a huge issue with their bill and charges not being correct. They didn't get to spend any time in the loungers they rented and they were not happy cruisers.

I am considering a visit to Secret Harbour in a few weeks, having been there in the past can you comment on the condition of the beach and foliage? I have not been able to find any recent photos or videos.

I am considering a visit to Secret Harbour in a few weeks, having been there in the past can you comment on the condition of the beach and foliage? I have not been able to find any recent photos or videos.

The beach and foliage are in good shape. They appear to have many more umbrellas than previously.

One of the building lost part of its roof during the hurricane but overall the Sunset Grille, the beach area and foliage are in good shape.

We saw a lot of hurricane damage on our taxi ride too and from Secret Harbor, many homes that have not begun the repair process. In town at the port all seems good.

Appreciate your updates. We haven't been here before and I am trying to decide between Secret Harbor and Sapphire on our trip there in a couple of months.

Can you possibly give me an update on the restrooms as I will be travelling with a 4YO? Do we use the facilities in the hotel or is there some other setup? What are the conditions?

TIA

Was just there a few days ago. Beach and foliage all in great shape. Much more quiet and secluded than Sapphire Beach. Here’s a pic.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Since this beach is more secluded than the others is it difficult to get a taxi back to port?

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

The resort can call a taxi if there isn't one waiting.

Since this beach is more secluded than the others is it difficult to get a taxi back to port?

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

Not at all we have never had an issue. There are usually open air taxis waiting out front of the resort around 4 pm.

The taxi that dropped us off asked us what time we would like to be picked up and they came back at the time we requested. The cost was $10 per person.