Dock in St Thomas

Can anyone tell me where the Wind Spirit docks in St Thomas? And what time we can embark and disembark. We're thinking about trying to catch a 9:30 a.m. plane to go home and were wondering if this is possible. Also, can anyone recommend a nice hotel near the dock. Thx so much--

It depends on which cruise you are on. Most appear to show them docking at 6:00AM but that time doesn't guarantee that they will start the disembarkation process by then. Then there is also customs to deal with. Can be quick or loooooong!

I've never sailed Wind Star, nor been to St. Thomas before so I am only guessing. Suggest you call them up and see if they think 9:30 would be okay.

Also, I would suggest getting travel insurance on the rare chance you do miss the flight. Will cost you much less than a changed ticket!

We've taken the Wind Spirit out of St. Thomas twice. Once it docked at Crown Bay (the smaller dock nearest to the airport - about five minutes or so away), and once at the larger Havensight dock (where the megaships dock - about 15 minutes away, maybe longer depending on traffic, as you have to go through downtown Charlotte Amalie to get to the airport).

Both times we were disembarked very early - off by 8:00 AM. It doesn't take long to clear 148 passengers. That said, it will probably be pushing it a bit to try for a 9:30 AM flight. (Why do you want to leave so early anyway?? Stay and drag out the vacation as long as you can!! :) ) Also, both times Windstar had arrangements with the Best Western Emerald Beach Hotel across from the airport to allow passengers to use their facilities and store their luggage until their flights. They also arranged transportation to Emerald Beach, and then on to the airport, but if memory serves, this option is only available if you booked all your travel and flights through Windstar. I think others had to book this and pay for it sort of like an excursion.

We actually looked into booking the Emerald Beach hotel one year for a few days pre-cruise, and the rates were about as reasonable as any in St. Thomas - around $120/night. We ended up staying in St. John instead, so I can't give you a review, other than the parts we saw after our cruises looked okay. (Nice pool and the rooms are right on a decent beach...) We met a couple who stayed at Mafoli (??) Hotel, and another who stayed at the Hotel 1898 (or some year there abouts...) and both were satisfied with those. (They're both on the hill above Charlotte Amalie looking down on the harbor and fairly close to both docks.) We allowed Windstar to make our arrangements one year, and they put us up at the Mariott Frenchman's Reef, which is very nice, but overpriced. I hope some of this is helpful... Have a great trip!

We have been on SD twice when it disembarked in St. Thomas. No way would I try a 9:30 flight. That assumes that you are at the airport by 8:00 and that is a real push. Loast year customs was supposed to be there at 6:30, got there at 8:00, not SD's fault at all, but customs is going to be there when they can and you can't do anything about that.

Thank you all for your replies--especially your detailed message, 2Feathers. I had called Windstar and they told me they were at the West Indian dock, but I was afraid to believe them because I saw that they also docked other places--now I know they do switch back and forth. We have stayed at the Frenchman's Reef before and may just go back because now we know it's pretty close to the dock. There's also a Holiday Inn that our friends were looking at because it's so cheap and we'll only be there one night--so we'll see. Thanks againn--I appreciate all the help.

You can find out where your ship docks/anchors in St. Thomas by visiting http://www.*****/general_usvi/cruiseship/

Carole, the Mariott is pretty close to the West Indian dock (in fact, you can see the big cruise ships very well from there), but its on the far side of the harbor from the Crown Bay docks. Still not a great distance... you're on an island, afterall : ). The Holiday Inn is pretty much right in the center of town, directly across the street from the harbor/water, and sort of in between the two docks, so it would be close to either. If you book the hotel and transfers through Windstar, they'll pick you up and take you to the ship.

As johnnycruise mentioned, the dock schedules are published on ***** (as well as some others), but we found they're not always accurate. On each of the two Wind Spirit cruises we took out of St. Thomas, the ship ended up being docked at the one other than what the schedule said. The hotel or a taxi driver should be able to tell you which dock to go to. But if you're staying a night before embarking, you should be able to see which ships are docked at West Indian from the Holiday Inn the morning of your cruise. From the Mariott, you may not be able to see the Wind Spirit among the the megaships, because you're sort of behind a hill looking at the tops and rear ends of those ships, and the Spirit isn't tall enough to see over the hill. You will be able to see her if she's at West Indian as you're heading back into town, though. If you don't see her there, you'll know she's at Crown Bay. As you drive toward Crown Bay, you'll be able to see the four masts of the Spirit rising above everything else. I'm getting goosebumps thinking about it! I'm very jealous of you!

We just got off Windsurf 11/27-12/4. We stayed at BW Emerald Beach Hotel near airport (which I booked myself thru BW site) prior to cruise. The ship was docked at Crown Bay (5 minutes away). We didn't have any traffic going to ship, and hotel is right near airport- it was exciting to watch planes take off very close! The rooms were nice enough- right on the beach- I almost didn't want to leave the beach to go on the ship... Their "free" continental breakfast was not very good, though- very "slim pickings". They finally replenished it, after I asked a couple times- and then it wasn't too bad- but knowing we were going to eat "so well" on the ship. made it OK.