Emerald - Crown or Havensight

Does anyone know what determines where they dock? I've heard both places, but I want to dock at Havensight in January and just curious why sometimes they dock at one dock or the other.:confused:

Does anyone know what determines where they dock? I've heard both places, but I want to dock at Havensight in January and just curious why sometimes they dock at one dock or the other.:confused:

I believe their primary dock is Crown unless there isn't space then they may use Havensight

I believe their primary dock is Crown unless there isn't space then they may use Havensight

I would think if there are very limited other ships or none at all in that day it would be Havensight.

The Emerald is at Havensight today. :)

So.... if there is room, they dock there???????

When we were on the Emerald on the 11/16 cruise, they docked in Crown Bay. There were no ships docked in Havensight that day.

Search for St Thomas Port info this should let you know. You could also try www.cruiseclues.com and see if they have the schedule.

I would think if there are very limited other ships or none at all in that day it would be Havensight.

 

The Emerald is at Havensight today. :)

Looking at the webcams I think you're right, but it's a little weird, because the schedule shows the following for today:

Thursday 12/13/07

- Caribbean Princess (WICO)

- Emerald Princess (CB)

- Norwegian Dawn (WICO)

- Westerdam (CB)

(WICO = West Indian Company Dock, CB = Crown Bay)

Princess and Holland America will usually dock at Crown Bay rather than Havensight, space permitting. They both have 10 year agreements to bring a minimum amount of passengers to Crown Bay and if they exceed that amount receive a rebate of the docking fees.

Strange:confused:

They will dock at crown bay, except if another grand class ship is already scheduled there. Crown can't dock 2 grands at the same time.

Looking at the webcams I think you're right, but it's a little weird, because the schedule shows the following for today:

Thursday 12/13/07

- Caribbean Princess (WICO)

- Emerald Princess (CB)

- Norwegian Dawn (WICO)

- Westerdam (CB)

(WICO = West Indian Company Dock, CB = Crown Bay)

 

Princess and Holland America will usually dock at Crown Bay rather than Havensight, space permitting. They both have 10 year agreements to bring a minimum amount of passengers to Crown Bay and if they exceed that amount receive a rebate of the docking fees.

I only knew about today because there is a live from poster that verified that.

I think it is a last minute decision. :)

No rhyme or reason, then???????

If you're sailing on January 25th (per your sig) then you're supposed to be in St Thomas on January 28th. According to CruiseCal the Carnival Destiny will be the only other ship there so I would speculate the Emerald Princess wll be docking at Crown Bay.

cruzfiend,

There is definitely rhyme and reason to how it works.

HAL and Princess normally berth exclusively at Crown Bay.

However, if too many HAL and Princess ships arrive on the same day, one or more of them is transferred over to WICO (Havensight).

Often the ships are not informed of changes until the last minute. So it is impossible to know for sure until you actually arrive.

Well, I hope we end up @ Havensight:)

No rhyme or reason, then???????

Apparently not. :rolleyes:

Recently tied up at Crown bay. One ship at Havensight. Expect to be at havensight.

Once the month you are cruising arrives, you can go to www dot vinow dot com and get the cruiseship docking schedule for that month. If it says CB, you dock at Crown Bay. If it says WICO, you dock at Havensight. However, with only one other ship in port, Carnival Destiny, you most likely will be at Crown Bay.

Princess ships will dock first at Crown Bay unless there are multiple Princess and HAL ships in port that day. Only then will they sometimes transfer over to Havensight (or tender into downtown).

On our Nov 6 cruise, we were scheduled to dock in Crown Bay but they decided to dock at Havensite instead. We were the only ship there and the Caribbean Princess was the only one at Crown Bay. We heard they did this to share the wealth and not crowd either port.

Can someone enlighten me as to the advantages/disadvantages to both Havensight or Crown Bay? Which is closer to the ferry to St. Johns?

Hi All

Check this site at the begining of every month look at the schedule and it tells you what ships are in and where they are docking.

vinow dot com /general_usvi/cruiseship/

I cant add the www at the begining as it dont show up ?

Regards

Thanks, Roy. I never tried that site.

I think the below, from Captain Albert's Weblog (he's the captain of the Veendam thought currently on break) may help clarify a number of points for all regarding the docking situation in St.Thomas. As you'll see, there are clear guidelines for who docks where...

As there are now two “shopping and docking” areas it is a bit confusing for the guests, not knowing where they will end up when arriving in St Thomas. The docking space at Havensight can take a maximum of three mega liners as the dock is just over 3000 feet long. There are plans for an extension in order to be able to accommodate the Royal Caribbean Genesis Project currently under construction. The policy is to put the ships with the most guests “per inch of dock length” alongside first. Also the ships that call most frequently have preference. If the dock is full, then the inner harbor can take one big cruise ship at anchor, or two small ones. When the inner harbor is full then there is still room for three ships at the outer anchorage. That is the area where the Norway always anchored in the past. From the outer anchorage it is a long tender ride in to the down town sea front, so no captain is very happy with being sent there. Then there are two docks available at Crown Bay. Both sides of the pier can accommodate a 1000 foot ship.

With more and more mega liners coming into service and quite a few of them on a weekly run which includes St Thomas it became more and more problematic for company’s such as Holland America and Princess, who run longer cruises on (slightly) smaller ships to get a decent docking space. On a Saturday, Sunday or Thursday, which are normally the quiet days with no ships in that are on the 7 day run, you could dock at Havensight, on other days you could end up at the outer anchorage. To alleviate that inconsistency, Carnival Corporation signed a contract with Crown Bay developers so that HAL and Princess ships would use Crown Bay provided they would get preference there.

Thus today the Veendam docked at Crown bay, together with the Caribbean Princess. An anomaly, but the result of this contract, occurred today was well, as there were no ships at all at Havensight. A lot of people complain about Crown Bay. The disadvantage is that the shopping mall is not yet completely finished and there are also less shops, yet, than at Havensight. The advantage is that it is a shorter taxi ride to down town. Also if you are at the outer anchorage it is 25 minute tender ride into town, which can be very bumpy on a windy day. So there are pro’s and con’s. For those who just want to cross the street and go boutique hopping, it is less good. For those who want to go to downtown and on tours, it is better as the traffic congestion between Crown Bay and downtown is normally less than from the other side.

I spoke with one of the officers on the Emerald who told me that the Carnival Corp actually owns the Crown Bay pier, so any Princess or HAL ship will go there first, and Havensight only if Crown is full.

Having been to both, I really couldn't care less which one I go to. I enjoy the downtown area, but not so much the area around the pier, so it makes no difference to me one way or the other.

No rhyme or reason, then???????

Please see post #7.

i thought they had a contract with crown?,but then again maybe i heard ir wrong:)))