torn between the 2

Really can't decide on going to St. John or staying on St.Thomas.

We wanted to have a Beach/Snorkel day for our Charlotte Amalie stop and don't know what to do. Read a lot about St.John and Trunk Bay and it sounds like a good time. Not much is said about the beaches on St.Thomas though.

Anybody did both? If so whats your opinion? what Beach did you go to on St. Thomas?

Wanna make the most of our day docked from 8am-6pm

would also like to eat some awesome local cuisine!! any recommendations

Coki Beach is the best beach for snorkeling on St Thomas IMHO. Approximately 1/2 hour taxi ride there. Trunk/St John would require 20 minute taxi to Red Hook, 30 minute ferry ride to St John and another 15 minute taxi ride to Trunk.

Coki doesn't even come close to as nice as Trunk Bay so you would need to decide if the effort is worth it. In my opinion, yes it is. Especially if you cruise often and have been to St Thomas before or will again. St John is one of our favorites in the Caribbean. We now go for week long stays, leaving February 5th for another visit.

If you want local West Indian food it is primarily available in downtown Charlotte Amalie or from food stands in the downtown area. You will generally not find much near the beaches which during the week are for tourists. Having lived there for 15 years there is no awesome local cuisine- goat water stew, peas and rice, fried this and that?:( However different things for different folks:) Enjoy your cruise:)

B.

We had never been to St Thomas and after reading these boards I almost didn't even try to stay on the main island. I'm very happy we did stay on the island and in fact we had a spectacular half day at Megan's Beach. I'm sure St Johns is awesome and probably Trunk Bay will be a fantastic destination sometime in our future. Rough seas and high winds cancelled many passengers travel there on our port day plus the transit time was significant. We were very happy with our decision to see and experience Megan's Bay, quiet calm fantastic beauty of a beach. Don't rush off St Thomas until you experience some of it's beauty. Make St Johns a specific destination when you have lots of time.

If you have never been to St Thomas before I would say stay on the island, taking the taxi, ferry, taxi to St John does take up alot of your day. We have been to St Thomas several times and there are several nice beaches, Megans, Coki, Saphire, and Emerald to name a few. If you really want to go to St john I would check into a private excursion maybe a catamaran or day sail rather then wasting so much time traveling back and forth. If you do go to St John on your own just keep in mind the traffic in the afternoon is pretty heavy so be sure to allow for that on your return to the ship. Enjoy your cruise, St Thomas and St John are both very pretty.

Check out how many cruise ships will be in port, and let that help make your decision. We went to St. John's, and we loved it. When we came back, we had enough time to go to Charlotte Amalie. Well, after about 5 minutes there, I was ready to go back to the ship!

Thanks all!!

@Betsy's Mom,

My GF and I are adventurous eaters and are always wanting to eat local food at every stop and will try anything once!

What would be the MUST have/try foods while there?

Well we didn't do any food there because we couldn't find the local food. I am not much of a drinker, but I did try the bushwhacker (I think that is what it is called). Wow! It is good!

I am extremely partial to St. John. Been to both islands quite a few times including a third visit to Magen's Bay about two years ago. It reinforced my feelings that nothing on St. Thomas (although nice) can compare to the beauty and serenity of St. John. It's a bit more difficult to get to (it's really just about a 20 minute ferry ride from Red Hook) but for us, it's worth it. But that's just my opinion.

Good luck with whatever you decide. The Virgin Islands are lovely and will provide you with a great day!

Check out how many cruise ships will be in port, and let that help make your decision. We went to St. John's, and we loved it. When we came back, we had enough time to go to Charlotte Amalie. Well, after about 5 minutes there, I was ready to go back to the ship!

Do you know how you can find out how many ships are in port on a particular day?

Do you know how you can find out how many ships are in port on a particular day?

From Cruise TT. (Link goes directly to St.Thomas)

@paulanddarnell and others:

We are going to St.Thomas on Jan 26th and there are also 5 other ships, up to 18000 passengers at the same time. What beach would you recommend that would be nice and less crowded? I think that the main point would be relaxing on the beach but possibility for snorkeling would be a plus.

Originally we had planned to go to Coral World but with that many tourists coming on the island, I think that venue like that will be packed and thus we might like to find something else to do.

I am extremely partial to St. John. Been to both islands quite a few times including a third visit to Magen's Bay about two years ago. It reinforced my feelings that nothing on St. Thomas (although nice) can compare to the beauty and serenity of St. John. It's a bit more difficult to get to (it's really just about a 20 minute ferry ride from Red Hook) but for us, it's worth it. But that's just my opinion.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide. The Virgin Islands are lovely and will provide you with a great day!

I completely agree. And because St. John is a bit more difficult to get to that helps to preserve the serenity. Cinnamon Bay is one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been. And I have done a lot of traveling.

That said, for someone who has never been to St. Thomas I would stay on the island and take in what it has to offer. For those who have been there before it is worth taking the trip to St. John. What I would NOT recommend is trying to take in both islands on the same day. That would make for a very busy and stressful day and you would not get to do either island justice.

If it's your 1st time in St Thomas, I recommend the city tour and end at Sapphire Beach. St.John is nice but time consuming to get there.

I beg to differ with Betsy's Mom. The local cuisine is very reminiscent of southern comfort food. Stewed chicken and goat, baked macaroni and cheese, fried plantain, whole fish boiled or fried, fungi (a corn meal preparation with okra), kallaloo (a spinach and okra soup perhaps with pork, possibly lobster and fish), conch (fritters or even better in butter sauce), soups of all sorts, johnny cake (a fried bread), guava and pineapple tart, rum cake...To each his own, but to me very yummy. Well, except for the souse or the bullfoot soup.

If you are downtown, try Cuzzin's for lunch.;)