Thinking about St. John and how to go

[Hogladyrider]

Question for my St. John experts. I was planning on going to St. John till I saw 7 ships in port including the Oasis and Dream. Something like 22k people!!! WOW!!!

 

The one good thing is we have a later arrival 11-7pm, is it worth the risk to see St john?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

ABSOLUTELY....go for it. Plan your day to be off the ship ASAP and buy your return ferry tickets on your initial purchase.

 

When we visited St. John on our own the 1st time there were 6 ships in port including Oasis and we had no issues with crowds.

 

If you REALLY are doubting yourself, look for an excursion to St. John, but it probably will not allow you the time you are looking for to spend on St. John.

 

You CAN do this!

[OZjones12]

ABSOLUTELY....go for it. Plan your day to be off the ship ASAP and buy your return ferry tickets on your initial purchase.

 

When we visited St. John on our own the 1st time there were 6 ships in port including Oasis and we had no issues with crowds.

 

If you REALLY are doubting yourself, look for an excursion to St. John, but it probably will not allow you the time you are looking for to spend on St. John.

 

You CAN do this!

 

Ok thanks! Ive been to St Thomas with 6 ships but not the 2 big ones and only went to Sapphire Beach...Wasnt sure how crowded St john would be with that many people. I NEVER pay for excursions, doing it on your own is 1/2 the fun! :D

[WendyLinLA]

Hi! We just got home from our amazing Caribbean cruise and I've spent all day writing notes about it while it's all fresh in my memory. Here's what I have on Trunk Bay, which we did exactly one week ago. We had a full day here. We did the St. John’s / Trunk Bay day trip on our own instead of through Carnival and saved about 40%, as well as had flexibility on how and where to spend our time, without sacrificing much benefit from doing it through Carnival. So I highly recommend doing this on your own. Here’s what we did:

Our ship docked at 8 am. At 9 am, from the Havensight port where our ship docked we took a taxi to Red Hook. The taxi cost $10 pp and took about 20 minutes to Red Hook, which is a cute little town. Then we took a ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay on the neighboring island of St. John. The ferries leave about every 30 minutes, I believe. The bar at the ferry terminal sold bags of “Dirty Chips” potato chips for a buck each, and they were delicious! The ferry cost $6 per adult and $1 for kids (I don’t remember the age cut-off) each way, and took 20 minutes to get to Cruz Bay (Note that we did it this way because that's what someone in the tourism office at Havensight recommended. At Red Hook others were talking about some other option of going straight from Havensight to Cruz Bay by water, and I think the cost was a bit more that way, but it took a little less time, so perhaps that would have been the better way to go. Still, our way to St. John worked out fine.) Then from Cruz Bay we took a taxi/shuttle with a bunch of other tourists to Trunk Bay. It cost $6 per person and I think took only about 10 or 15 minutes to get to Trunk Bay. It stops, or can stop, at any of the little beaches along the way, but almost everyone was going to Trunk Bay. Admission to Trunk Bay was $6 per adult and free for kids. The beach had equipment to rent, bathrooms, showers, life guards, a gift shop and a snack bar, a bit pricey but not outrageous. The beach was crowded but not overly so, for our tastes (if you prefer a more secluded beach, you could get off the shuttle one stop earlier to Hawksnest Bay, or stay on for Cinnamon Bay, although I don't know anything about either other than that they'd be less crowded. The cab cost is plus or minus a buck.) The water was perfect. Very warm but just cool enough to be refreshing! The water was very calm. The sand was not quite white but more of an ivory. The snorkeling was fantastic. We were very happy that we brought our own snorkel gear and a little inflatable raft. There is a "snorkel trail" marked by large signs under water, or what to look for, what to be careful of. There was a ton of beautiful coral near a little island out in the water. My 7-year-old pointed out that some coral looked like a brain. Indeed it was called “brain coral”. My boyfriend made a list of the fish we saw snorkeling in the Caribbean: Great Barracuda, Fairy Basslet, Stoplight Parrotfish (both phases), Redband Parrotfish, Trumpetfish, Blue Tang aka Dory, Palometa, Grouper, Spotted Trunkfish, Southern Stingray, Variegated Feather Duster and purple jelly fish (although that was at Virgin Gorda)! There were lifeguards that reminded everyone every 15 minutes to not stand on the coral. The beach had trees on the land side so there were shady spots and an umbrella was not necessary. We ate at the snack bar for lunch. The woman who ran it made Seinfeld's Soup [you-know-what] look like a pussy cat. The smoothies can be made with or without rum. The $5 hot dogs were huge and good. Beware of the gulls, they will come down and take food right off your plate! You have to cover your food even as you eat it. They have netting above the picnic tables but that didn't seem to help. My son had a french fry taken right out of his hand. We had plenty of time at Trunk Bay and went in the water two or three times. We even had enough time to got back the the ship by the way we came, clean up in our cabins and go back to shore for a second excursion to Kmart :)

So here is the time and cost breakdown, if you're interested:

Cab from Havensight to Red Hook: $10 pp, about 25-30 minutes

Ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas to Cruz Bay, St. John: $6 per adult, $1 per child, about 20 minutes

"Taxi" shuttle from Cruz Bay to Trunk Bay: $6 pp and about 10-15 minutes

Admission to Trunk Bay: $6 per adult, kids free

Total excursion cost on your own: $50/adult, $34 for kids (plus tips at your discretion)

Carnival excursion rate: $75/adult, $60/kid (plus 15% tip THEY tack on)

Savings by doing on your own: About 40%

Takes about 60-90 minutes each way from ship gangway to Trunk Bay sand. I think it's well worth it if you'll be ported in St John for at least six hours. As was the case with all other Caribbean ports we went to, since they all rely heavily on tourism it never seemed like a risk of not being able to find a cab or some form of transportation anywhere, so the risk of getting stranded and missing the ship was very low.

Hope that helps! HAVE FUN!!!!!

Edited August 14, 2012 by WendyLinLA

[blue_water]

Thanks for the detailed report Wendy, that will be helpful to those who can't decide whether to go on their own or not. That excursion really is a no-brainer and very easy to do. I would recommend at least 8 hrs in port though so one can have at least 4 hrs to spend on STJ. The ferries leave every hour and that can add to the delay if you just miss one.

The ferry from the cruise dock to Cruz is another option but the Red Hook route is the preferred option, the CA ferry schedule isn't as regular as the Red Hook ferry.

[Host Anne]

OZ ~ here's another vote to got to St. John. We prefer to do it on our own to go where we want, when we want but then we've been there many times and are very familiar with the island. You've gotten lots great advice here to help you decide. Arriving at 11 and staying till 7 is a benefit. Most of the crowds will start to head back to St. Thomas around the time you arrive. Go and have a great time.

 

Thanks, too, for the great recap, Wendy. Detailed info is very helpful to those thinking about making the visit to St. John.

[GetNAway]

Will be there for the first time in October and tagging along with friends who are repeat visitors. Reading this thread with so much wonderful information and tips about visiting has me so excited! I don't know what I want to do...love the idea of being on a tropical island beach but I'm not a good swimmer so I may opt to tour the island instead of hanging out on the beach. Do the rental jeeps hold just four passengers?

 

We're in St Maarten on another day of the cruise and have a private charter scheduled so I know I'll get water time there. That could make up for not being in the water on St John...oh the choices....the good thing is that I know we'll have a memorable time no matter what we decide!

 

Again, thanks to all the folks who have contributed so much helpful information to this thread and the photos are awesome!

[Host Anne]

Susan ~ you do not need to be a good swimmer to enjoy the beautiful beaches of St. John. The north shore beaches have very shallow water entrances. You can easily walk along the beach at the waterline and not be worried about being near deep water. For me, I can just sit for hours and enjoy the view. The beautiful blues are a sight to behold.

 

Touring the island is awesome, too. But unless you are used to driving on the island (narrow, curvy roads and driving on the wrong side of the road) I'm not sure it's the best way to use your time on the island. If you want to tour, go with one of the many taxi safaris. For $25 you can get an island tour and then spend some time on one of the beautiful beaches.

 

For the most part Jeep rentals hold four passengers.

[GetNAway]

Thanks, Anne! I just want to have my cake and eat it too! I've been reading Gerald Singer's St. John Beach Guide and Pam Gaffin's Feet, Fins & Four Wheel Drive books and while the beaches are tantalizing there is just so much more to see - I'm really leaning toward the idea of spending the day touring. Waiting to hear back from others in our group to see if they are up for touring rather than just a beach day. My husband and I will be traveling with fellow poster Hogladyrider and her spouse and another couple. If all six of us decide to tour it sounds as if we might just as well hire a taxi to take us around for the day as opposed to renting a jeep.

[mattduke1]

^

Interesting that you mentioned Pam Gaffin in your post. My wife and I are going on a private tour of St. John by Pam on Monday. We're very excited about her showing us the hard-to-find and unknown treasures that make up St. John.

[GetNAway]

I loved reading her book - her sense of humor is great and her love for the island is evident!

[GetNAway]

^

Interesting that you mentioned Pam Gaffin in your post. My wife and I are going on a private tour of St. John by Pam on Monday. We're very excited about her showing us the hard-to-find and unknown treasures that make up St. John.

 

By the way - will love to hear about your experiences when you get back! Have a great time!

[Host Anne]

There is nothing better than seeing the island through the eyes of someone like Pam that knows the island so well. I guarantee you will want to return for a longer visit. We've been many times and there are still new places to see and things to do. Such a wonderful piece of paradise.

 

Matt and GetNAway, ENJOY!

[Hogladyrider]

Looking for some information on the 2 hour safari tours of St. John. I like the idea of the open air safari, wondering if there are any "details" on where you go for the two hours, drive around the island, is it worth the two hours in a safari? I don't see any tour descriptions on any of the St. John web sites :cool:

 

Last trip to St. John we went to Trunk Bay and loved it.

 

We are visiting this time the early part of October so hope some local restaurants are open near the ferry for a cold one and lunch!

 

From what I have been reading on some web sites it appears Sept. is vacation time for many businesses on St. John.

 

More than likely we will play the entire day trip by ear and make a decision on the ferry ride over that day since we are in port 11-7.

Susan

[blue_water]

We too did Trunk while the rest of our party did the tour and they loved it. I can't remember the details but St John is beautiful.

 

I have to believe the Beach Bar is open in Cruz Bay as well as other spots so enjoy a bite and cold one. Or you can always return an hour earlier and eat at Big Bambooz in Red Hook next to the ferry terminal (or Island Time if they're open). There are taxis right there too.

[O2B@Cagain]

In September and early October, some, but not all, bars and restaurants will be closed. Just go with the flow and enjoy the one you find with the open doors!

[GetNAway]

In September and early October, some, but not all, bars and restaurants will be closed. Just go with the flow and enjoy the one you find with the open doors!

 

Lovin the idea of living on island time even for just a little while!

[Host Anne]

Hoglady they aren't any typical "formal" tours. The safari tours are conducted by taxi drivers and all I've toured with have been great. The safari taxis hold from ten to twenty people normally. A tour hour tour normally consists of a drive along the north shore beaches with stops at overlooks, a stop at the Annaberg sugar ruins, a drive up Bordeaux Mountain for a stop at the overlook at Chateau Bordeaux (my favorite view), and if there is time a stop down in Coral Bay (we like to go to Shipwreck Landing for lunch). You ca ask your taxi driver to do this type of tour and they will be happy to accommodate.

 

Hope that gives you a little idea of the typical safari tours are like. When you get off the ferry you'll find lots of safaris lined up waiting for those who want an island tour. Enjoy!

[Host Anne]

Here is a listing of restaurants on St John and when they will be open and closed in the next two months:

 

http://stjohnspice.com/stjohnrestaurants.htm

 

Since Shipwreck will be closed in October I'd suggest Skinny Legs or Aqua Bistro for lunch if you make it to Coral Bay.

Edited August 21, 2012 by wannabatsea

[Hogladyrider]

Spot on Anne, exactly what I was looking for regarding info on the safari tours.........thanks so much!

 

Also thanks for the links...it is wonderful having an "inside source" for St John here on the boards.

Susan

[GetNAway]

Susan A what Anne described sounds great to me!

[jonbgd]

I have a question concerning taxi drivers. In the past, when I have hopped over to St John, they have waited to fill the trucks. Either to do a beach drop off or for the Island tour.

 

We have a group of 8 that want to go to Trunk bay for an 1 1/2-2hrs to snorkel than continue on an Island tour so instead of the 2 hour tour it will be closer to 3 1/2hrs.

 

Is this possible besides paying big bucks???

[Host Anne]

You are most welcome for the tour info. Have a blast!!!

 

Jon...you can negotiate anything. Know that a typical island tour is about $25 per person. Drop off at a beach is about $6 -$8 per person each way depending upon the beach. You can negotiate both with a safari driver. There are even some smaller safaris for 8 - 10 that would be perfect for your group. Negotiate for a half day rental and they'll take you where you want when you want. Be fair and be pleasant (remember that gas is very expensive on st John) and you'll find taxi drivers will work with you. At least that has been my experience.

[blue_water]

I have a question concerning taxi drivers. In the past, when I have hopped over to St John, they have waited to fill the trucks. Either to do a beach drop off or for the Island tour.

 

We have a group of 8 that want to go to Trunk bay for an 1 1/2-2hrs to snorkel than continue on an Island tour so instead of the 2 hour tour it will be closer to 3 1/2hrs.

 

Is this possible besides paying big bucks???

 

The typical options are either get dropped at the beach at the beginning of a tour or continue on and tour the island and get dropped at the beach at the end for less time there. The drivers do want to fill up of course. But with a group of 8 you should be able to nehotiate an itinerary that will work for you. The rates are fixed.

Edited August 22, 2012 by blue_water

[jonbgd]

Jon...you can negotiate anything. There are even some smaller safaris for 8 - 10 that would be perfect for your group. Negotiate for a half day rental and they'll take you where you want when you want. Be fair and be pleasant .

 

Thats what I was thinkng. In the past either it was the beach or the Island. So no big deal. I was just happy to be on STJ. Burnt out on STT

But with the group, want to do both, since 6 of them havnt been there before and a few may never again.

 

tour the island and get dropped at the beach at the end for less time there. .

 

Im thinking it might be better to do snorkel first thing since we will be on the Epic and the Allure will be an hour behind us:eek: (Besides 2 other ships)

If we catch the 9am RH ferry, we can probably get an hr in the water, before it gets really crowded.

 

 

Thank you both for you responses, as another couple we are cruiising with are more lurkers than posters. This will let them see opinions other than mine:D

 

BTW do they still have the 215p ferry back to CA? I was looking on another website and didnt see it listed

Edited August 22, 2012 by jonbgd

[blue_water]

>>If we catch the 9am RH ferry, we can probably get an hr in the water, before it gets really crowded.<<

Good idea

 

the ferry to CA departs Cruz at 3:45PM