Thinking about St. John and how to go

[gatour]

Anne, thanks for the information. I have saved both your post here and your trip report. Exactly the type of the information I wanted/needed. Moho Bay sounds perfect. We have been to Trunk Bay numerous times and getting away from the cruise ship crowds would be nice. So you have convinced me that a rental jeep is in order for 3 or 4 days.

 

It looks like Starfish is to the right of the dock for the Redhook/Cruz Bay ferry. Is that correct?

 

You mention that I am going to before June to say hello to Carlos at I guess Zozo's. We won't be going until July. Is it just because Carlos will be leaving or going on vacation then? I found Zozo's website and based on your recommendation and the website, it definitely sounds like something I want to do with my wife.

 

If you asked me and wife a year ago about job stress, I had it and she didn't. Now the tables have turned. So when I started thinking about our next vacation, I thought of St Johns. Someplace where we can walk out of the room and onto a beach, but also a potential to explore. Based on the information you have supplied, it sounds like we have made good choice. Just be forewarned I may additional questions.

David

 

 

gatour ~ I think quite a few people do what you are thinking about. Rent a jeep for a few days from the rental desk at the Westin. I highly recommend doing that so you can see all of the island. One couple on our catamaran trip stayed at the Westin for four nights and never got beyond the beach at Caneel bay other than getting on our catamaran. You can't enjoy the beauty of the island if you don't venture beyond the Cruz Bay area.

 

Here's a link to my recent review on trip advisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147409-i432-k5384143-St_John_Trip_Report_April_22_29-St_John_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html You'll find some restaurant suggestions here. I highly suggest making a reservation for the bar on the upper level at Zozo's at Gallows Point. Make a reservation for 30 minutes before sunset. GREAT view and equally great food. If you are going before june, tell Carlos we said hello (he's the bartender/server). There are lots of great restaurants in Cruz Bay and if you rent a jeep, you can venture to some of the fun places on the east side of the island like Skinney Legs, Shipwreck Landing, Donkey Diner and Miss Lucy's. So much to do, so little time. Have a great one!

[Host Anne]

David ~ I promise you will not regret your decision. Starfish isn't exactly "next" to the ferry dock. It is a little way out of town. It's actually between the ferry dock and the Westin. If you want to do the bar at Zozo for sunset, I'd suggest picking a night soon and email for a reservation at the bar (ask for the two corner seats (there are only two).

 

Unfortunately, Carlos is moving back to New Mexico in June so he and his wife can raise their children on the mainland. He was terrific and worked there a long time. They will miss him.

 

Feel free to ask questions at anytime and you can also drop me an email (it's below my signature).

[hula dancer]

Molly ~ WOW....what a trooper you are. That's a ton of reading.

 

Yes, there are quite a few places on St. John that accommodates two. VRBO has a bunch listed and is where I found Skyflower Suite where we stayed. It was perfect for two!!! Favorite time of year is a tough one. Jan & Feb has great weather when it's cold back in the US but that's also high season. I prefer when it's less crowded. We've done April, May and June now. I think I'd vote for April. Fewer people, not too hot, not too many bugs yet, all the restaurants and stores are open. I'd probably love it in late Fall, too (November) but our business doesn't let us get away in the Fall.

 

Cruises have taken us there primarily from January through March. In all of our stops there on cruise ships (probably ten), we have only had one day where we had any kind of considerable rain.

 

For me, I'd go any time of year, I love it that much. The sights, the peacefulness....it's just the perfect way to slow down and appreciate mother nature's beauty.

 

Enjoy you upcoming stops, Molly. Wishing you days filled with sunshine!

 

 

Days filled with sunshine! I really like that ... thank you! Thanks also for the VRBO Skyflower Suite suggestion. I will check it out, along with other VRBO rentals. I've used VRBO in the past for Oceanside, California and for Orlando, Florida.

April would probably be a good time for us to be gone. A few warm days here in Reno, NV but they are just teasers before the temp drops again. Plus it's early enough that not too much will need to be done in the yard yet. Hoping to possibly set something up for next April. We'll see ..... If we are there we will think of you constantly and follow your many suggestions on where to go, where to buy groceries, where to eat, where to snorkel, etc., etc,

Thanks again for all the help you offer to me and to so many others.

Molly

[gatour]

Anne

 

Sorry I wasn't clear in regards to Starfish, I didn't mean right next to the dock. I found it on maps.google.com and it showed on the map as being to the right of the dock but a bit away. I wanted to make sure that was the place you were talking about. It sounds like it is. I am thinking about picking up a few bottles of wine there to take to the hotel. It would be nice to grab a glass of wine and sit out on our patio or balcony without having to go to one of the hotel bars or wait for room service.

 

What would be your guesstimate be for the time it would take to travel from the Westin to Zozo's? maps.google.com says it should take 17 minutes. Looking at the route and based on my prior trips where we took island or snorkeling tours that sounds optimistic. If you can't tell you have me sold on Zozo's. :)

 

Thanks for the info.

 

David

 

David ~ I promise you will not regret your decision. Starfish isn't exactly "next" to the ferry dock. It is a little way out of town. It's actually between the ferry dock and the Westin. If you want to do the bar at Zozo for sunset, I'd suggest picking a night soon and email for a reservation at the bar (ask for the two corner seats (there are only two).

 

Unfortunately, Carlos is moving back to New Mexico in June so he and his wife can raise their children on the mainland. He was terrific and worked there a long time. They will miss him.

 

Feel free to ask questions at anytime and you can also drop me an email (it's below my signature).

[Host Anne]

gatour ~ glad you saw Starfish. I always worry when someone says "near the dock" that they think they can walk there and Starfish definitely isn't a walk. If you are going to stop and buy some wine, I'd recommend Pine Peace Market. I think they have better prices. If you are going to Starfish anyway, it may not be worth saving a few dollars to make another stop but the wine at the liquor store at Starfish was kind of on the high side this year. We only bought two bottles so it wasn't worth heading to Pine Peace. Just wanted you to be aware.

 

Driving on the island always depends on who is on the road in front of you. Sometimes it could take 15 minutes, sometimes 20. But I don't think it could take you more than 15 minutes from the Westin to Zozos. We got there in 30 minutes from Coral Bay!!!! But don't rush yourself. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset. Relax and enjoy a drink before dinner (they do expect you to eat dinner at the bar - I should have mentioned that to you). I promise you will love it. And I think your wife will, too.

[augie]

I no longer want to just spend a day on St. John. I want to be there for a week. No, that's wrong ... I'd really like to be there for a month! I'm going to start planning a trip right now.

 

That's how we feel! I find myself planning future trips even when I have one on the books already!

 

Augie & Anne --- what are your favorite times of year to be on St. John? Is it possible to find places to rent for only 2 people? Hmmm, the places you rent look fabulous ... can we come stay with you. Hey, we'd be happy to pay our share. We'll even cook and clean !!!

 

So far we've been five times in October (sometimes in to early November). We like the off season rates and less crowded island at that time of year, although some places may be closed and there's some risk of tropical weather.

 

We've also been once in March, with our youngest son for his high school spring break, and once in July. Never had a bad time, even though a couple of those trips (one in October and one in July) were pretty wet - but that's just a crapshoot!

 

There are tons of places for only two people. VRBO is a good place to start, as are some of the villa rental agencies (if I book through one of them I use one that is located on island, in case I need any help during our stay). Don't summarily exclude 2, 3, and even 4 BR properties when you're doing your villa search - many of them charge by the number of guests, and you can often find good deals on places that have more bedrooms than you'll need.

 

Enjoy your planning, and as Anne said, don't hesitate to ask questions!

[augie]

If you want to see GREAT underwater photos, Augie has them and he'd probably be happy to re-post a link to those. I still need quite a bit of work on my underwater work.

 

I don't know about "great" (that's awfully sweet of wannabatsea to say though!), but here's a link to a bunch of pictures we've taken underwater during our trips to St. John. I kind of threw this album together by just selecting, indiscriminately, most of the pictures we took while snorkeling over a few visits, and they're in a random order and I haven't had a chance to cull out some that no doubt should be removed, so caveat emptor!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10044245@N04/sets/72157629986612893

[gatour]

Anne,

 

Just sent an email to to Zozo's for reservations with a preference for the two corner seats. Found a website that has the sunset times for St Johns during the time we will be there. Sunset is right before 7pm, requested reservation time is at 6pm with a preference to the two seats you mentioned.

 

Without you even mentioning it, I expected that they want us to eat at the bar, so had already perused the menu. Any recommendations on dishes to order?

 

Thanks for the pointer to Pine Peace. It would probably just be a "wine run" so either one be sufficient and between you and Auggie, you have convinced me to rent a jeep.

 

David

Edited May 7, 2012 by gatour

[gatour]

Float mats.

 

On cruise lines that have private islands, they rent float mats. Nowadays, we don't normally rent one as after a few hours there are numerous ones abandoned by the actual renters.

 

I imagine our hotel includes these under the free "water toys" category but also I guess they are limited to use on their beach.

 

Is there a place to rent them for a week or several days and take them to whatever beach you want?

 

Sorry for all of the questions. I don't go into commando mode while on the trip. I like to have a few things planned, but also have some options in mind while on the trip.

[petepie]

wannabeatsea: thanks for the additional information on restrooms at the beaches. I couldn't clearly remember which ones had which type of bathrooms.

 

gatour: If you are staying on St. John, definitely rent a jeep, at least for a few days of your trip. Steep hills and switchbacks make 4wd a must, but with low speed limits and a laid back vibe, the driving is ok. You will get out and about to so many more beaches, restaurants, and views than you could with a taxi.

 

Floats: we bring down the spring floats made by Swimways. They pack small and then inflate and deflate quickly since they're just the ring that is inflated (the middle part you sit in is mesh). We've also brought the full inflatable floats for kids you can get at Target etc. They're fun, but take more time to inflate, so we end up driving them to and from the beaches fully inflated, which takes up a lot of space in the car. You will really love staying on St. John, a much different experience than going for a single day. Take some bug spray though - most of the restaurants are outdoors, so it can get a little buggy at dusk/dinnertime.

[Host Anne]

Augie ~ i'm serious about your underwater photos. i was obviously not getting the hang of it yet. i'll keep trying but yours are great!

 

gatour ~ my husband had the stuffed pork chop and he said it was possibly the best pork chop he ever had. I had the osso buco and it was very good, too. We share a pasta appetizer (pasta ribbons with mushrooms) and it was outstanding. i'm guessing the Westin has float mats but i'm pretty sure you can rent them at Trunk and Cinnamon Bays. There are other water sports rental places in Cruz Bay, too. You'll be able to find what you are looking for.

 

never a problem asking questions. Love to help out whenever i can.

[gatour]

Yesterday, got an email reply for my reservation request from ZoZo's. They only accept reservations 30 days out. No harm/no foul. Just wanted to point that out to anyone else that is reading this thread.

 

Anne, Thanks for the entree suggestions.

 

Petepie, Thanks for reminding me about bug spray. I actually brought some on a cruise a few years ago for the first/only time since me and one my wife's cousin's was doing a kayak tour through mangroves. He was very grateful along with other shipmates that were on that tour.

 

I may do some National Park trail hiking, so besides the open air restaurants it should be needed.

 

Definitely understand about the need for a 4 wheel drive. I remember some of the "normal" roads during St Johns Island tours. That is what I will reserve.

 

I have already ordered the National Geographic map along with the latest Nook ereader. If you ever see a couple sitting on a cruise ship, one that is reading magazines while the other is reading a book, more than likely that is us. On vacations I catch up on my magazine subscriptions. After doing some research I found most of my magazines that I subscribe to are available on the Nook. Less things to pack in the suitcase weight wise.

 

Once I get the nook, I will also buy some e-copies of fodor's et al. Although with the wealth of information everyone here has provided they may well be redundant.

 

And yes my signature changed. I just booked a cruise to the Western Caribbean. ;)

[geauxgirlgeaux]

We cruised to St. Thomas this past March ( family with 3 teenagers) and went to St. John on our own. We rode the group taxi to Red Hook. ( about 30 minutes) Then took the next ferry to Cruz Bay. (Bought round trip tickets). (Maybe 20 minutes)We then took another taxi to Trunk Bay. ( 15 minutes) We stayed at Trunk Bay for about 2 hours which was enough time to snorkel, swim, sun and eat and not feel rushed. Then we took a cab back to Cruz Bay ( 15 minutes) and walked around for about half an hour. Lined up for the ferry, then when back in Red Hook took cab back to the dock.(took about 45 minutes because traffic was terrible) We were at Crown Bay which is really far. All in all it was worth it. You need to check ferry timetables and give yourself plenty of time to get back. If your ship is at Crown Bay I would plan for 1 hour each way because if there are several cruise ships in town traffic will be crazy! We enjoyed the day! We didn't save much money doing it on our own though, and in retrospect if we had to do it again we might would take the ship excursion for this one if our ship was docking at Crown Bay.

We probably spent about $250.00 with all the taxis, ferries, and snorkel rental and food while we were there for a family of 5.

Hope this helps! St John is really beautiful. There is a smoothy place off the main square at the car rental place ( I know lol) that has really great fruit smoothies! Have fun!

Also Trunk Bay is a part of the National Park Service and has lifeguards. If you rent the snorkel equipment be sure and rent the "life Jacket" thing too. You need the extra flotation.

[seamour]

The first step is to ask yourself about your own preferences. If you are likely to look back afterwards and say "it took us an hour and a half to get to the St. John beach and the same time to get back, we could have spent that time on a St. Thomas beach", then stay on St. Thomas. If you're a "wherever you go, there you are" type of person who sees all the travel experiences--talking with cab drivers, getting salt-sprayed on the ferry rides, people-watching as you are waiting for a ferry home--as part of the fun, then go to St. John.

 

LOVE this!

 

It took about 10 years to fulfill that promise, with two or three cruise ship visits in the intervening years, but now we've made three trips to St. John, with two more booked for this year!

YAE glad you were able to make it happen

 

Here's a link to photos from our trip to St. John last summer: http://stjohntrip2009.shutterfly.com/26?size=All&startIndex=0

 

Enjoy whatever you do.

thanks for all the info! & sharing your lovely pictures!

[blue_water]

Cruisee - If you're in port at least 8 hrs then an excursion to STJ is an excellent idea. I've recommended against it for some folks, and I've also recommended doing it on your own if you don't care about the sail from the cruise dock. Trunk or Cinnamon Bay on your own is one of the easiest in the Carib. Whether on your own via taxi and Red Hook ferry, or on a cruise line sponsored cat from CA to Cruz Bay and beyond, it's a great day with a tour of STJ and a gorgeous beach thrown in - Can't beat that!

 

If you prefer not to move around alot and just want a pretty nice beach just stick with Sapphire, Coki, or Magens on STT and relax.

Edited May 17, 2012 by blue_water

[blue_water]

Hello everyone, can you let me know how long it takes to get to Trunk Bay from the port?

 

Figure 1/2 hr drive time to Red Hook ferry, 15 - 20 minute ferry, and 1/2 hr max to Trunk. There will be a short queue at the port, the ferry leaves every hour on the hour, and the queue in Cruz Bay will be minimal. So figure 2 hrs there and 2.5 hrs back to be safe including a potential 1/2 hr ferry wait each way as well as more traffic in port on the return. You need at least an 8 hour day in port to make it worthwhile (this is on your own). You can also ferry from CA to Cruz Bay but we prefer the Red Hook option.

Edited May 17, 2012 by blue_water

[Redsfan]

Cruisee - If you're in port at least 8 hrs then an excursion to STJ is an excellent idea. I've recommended against it for some folks, and I've also recommended doing it on your own if you don't care about the sail from the cruise dock. Trunk or Cinnamon Bay on your own is one of the easiest in the Carib. Whether on your own via taxi and Red Hook ferry, or on a cruise line sponsored cat from CA to Cruz Bay and beyond, it's a great day with a tour of STJ and a gorgeous beach thrown in - Can't beat that!

 

If you prefer not to move around alot and just want a pretty nice beach just stick with Sapphire, Coki, or Magens on STT and relax.

 

so if you arrive at 7am and leave 6pm do St.Johns? Great advice you gave me on the Tortola board....Magens is doable but wondering if St.Johns is worth it for us..remember 3 kids in tow...

[blue_water]

Is your Carnival excursion a boat from port to Cruz Bay (St John) and an option of an island tour and Trunk Bay (or just get dropped at Trunk Bay) and a boat back to the ship? I think that would be doable depending on the ages of course. Your long day in port makes it a good option, but you're a ways from the ship if the young ones get restless, etc. Magens and Sapphire are just a short taxi back...

So you do have more choices than someone with 8 hrs in port, but I can understand a St John excursion being a major one with the kids. May not be as relaxing for you as I had thought!

[Redsfan]

Is your Carnival excursion a boat from port to Cruz Bay (St John) and an option of an island tour and Trunk Bay (or just get dropped at Trunk Bay) and a boat back to the ship? I think that would be doable depending on the ages of course. Your long day in port makes it a good option, but you're a ways from the ship if the young ones get restless, etc. Magens and Sapphire are just a short taxi back...

So you do have more choices than someone with 8 hrs in port, but I can understand a St John excursion being a major one with the kids. May not be as relaxing for you as I had thought!

 

they 3, 5 and 11 come that time. Patience is pretty good if busy LOL...

[blue_water]

I would go with Trunk Bay.

 

If the Carnival excursion isn't too expensive and includes a cat or other non-ferry transportation the kids would love playing pirates. A ferry is OK too, just not as nice as a cat. We did the Carnival excursion our first visit to STT (2002?) and really enjoyed it.

There may be other excursions even better that stop in Cruz Bay and sail on to other St John bays for snorkeling or to drop you at the beach. If interested check what the other cruise lines offer, check shoretrips.com, and google.

 

A self-excursion (taxi & ferry) is also a good option, just need to do a little more work on your own.

 

Sure it's a bigger excursion but you could have a great day on the water, at the beach, and in Cruz Bay which has some excellent shopping and lunch spots!

[cruises42]

We cruised to St. Thomas this past March ( family with 3 teenagers) and went to St. John on our own. We rode the group taxi to Red Hook. ( about 30 minutes) Then took the next ferry to Cruz Bay. (Bought round trip tickets). (Maybe 20 minutes)We then took another taxi to Trunk Bay. ( 15 minutes) We stayed at Trunk Bay for about 2 hours which was enough time to snorkel, swim, sun and eat and not feel rushed. Then we took a cab back to Cruz Bay ( 15 minutes) and walked around for about half an hour. Lined up for the ferry, then when back in Red Hook took cab back to the dock.(took about 45 minutes because traffic was terrible) We were at Crown Bay which is really far. All in all it was worth it. You need to check ferry timetables and give yourself plenty of time to get back. If your ship is at Crown Bay I would plan for 1 hour each way because if there are several cruise ships in town traffic will be crazy! We enjoyed the day! We didn't save much money doing it on our own though, and in retrospect if we had to do it again we might would take the ship excursion for this one if our ship was docking at Crown Bay.

We probably spent about $250.00 with all the taxis, ferries, and snorkel rental and food while we were there for a family of 5.

Hope this helps! St John is really beautiful. There is a smoothy place off the main square at the car rental place ( I know lol) that has really great fruit smoothies! Have fun!

Also Trunk Bay is a part of the National Park Service and has lifeguards. If you rent the snorkel equipment be sure and rent the "life Jacket" thing too. You need the extra flotation.

 

Do you know how much the snorkel rental is?

[Redsfan]

I would go with Trunk Bay.

 

If the Carnival excursion isn't too expensive and includes a cat or other non-ferry transportation the kids would love playing pirates. A ferry is OK too, just not as nice as a cat. We did the Carnival excursion our first visit to STT (2002?) and really enjoyed it.

There may be other excursions even better that stop in Cruz Bay and sail on to other St John bays for snorkeling or to drop you at the beach. If interested check what the other cruise lines offer, check shoretrips.com, and google.

 

A self-excursion (taxi & ferry) is also a good option, just need to do a little more work on your own.

 

Sure it's a bigger excursion but you could have a great day on the water, at the beach, and in Cruz Bay which has some excellent shopping and lunch spots!

 

thanks, Trunk sounds like Paradise but will depend upon weather for 1,and also how much we want to spend. This will surely not be a cheap trip, but maybe worth it if time permits. I can't see myself every paying what Carnival or any cruise lines charge for excursions. Their Trunk Bay one is like 4 hours or something with maybe 2 hours of beach...

[blue_water]

There are tour operators too, Nightwind out of Sapphire is very popular, just a ton of options. The Carmival option is the easy one. If you're interested in a St John excursion google for day sails and look at other sources like shoretrips.com. If you're just not sure you're up to it take an island tour and hit a beach. The weather is always an unknown, unfortunately. But of our 8 cruises and many, many day sails we've never had a bad experience on an excursion due to weather (for what it's worth). Rains come and go quickly.

 

Paradise Point is a great spot to end your day with a Bailey's Bushwacker, fun for the kids, and great views of the harbor, the kids would get a thrill seeing the ships from there. The Butterfly Farm in Havensight by the dock is also cool and the Birdlady has a great birdshow there the kids would like.

 

Have a great cruise!

Edited May 18, 2012 by blue_water

[Redsfan]

There are tour operators too, Nightwind out of Sapphire is very popular, just a ton of options. The Carmival option is the easy one. If you're interested in a St John excursion google for day sails and look at other sources like shoretrips.com. If you're just not sure you're up to it take an island tour and hit a beach. The weather is always an unknown, unfortunately. But of our 8 cruises and many, many day sails we've never had a bad experience on an excursion due to weather (for what it's worth). Rains come and go quickly.

 

Paradise Point is a great spot to end your day with a Bailey's Bushwacker, fun for the kids, and great views of the harbor, the kids would get a thrill seeing the ships from there. The Butterfly Farm in Havensight by the dock is also cool and the Birdlady has a great birdshow there the kids would like.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

thanks!

[toolaidback]

We'll be there on July 17th on the Dream. I'm not sure where it docks. It looks like we'll be in port from 11-7pm. Would this be enough time to enjoy Trunk Bay? Or would our time be better served visiting a St. Thomas beach?