Thinking about St. John and how to go

[blue_water]

Yes the taxi rate schedules are posted on vinow dot com, your link was stripped but that is the right one. There is one published rate that I am aware of (from CA to RH). And yes, it can depend on where you you get the taxi from.

Thanks!

[TMW67]

*Few question's from first timer's going to Caribbean's. My husband & I are wanting to go snorkeling on St. John, perferably Trunk Bay. We will be getting to St. Thomas at 11:00 am & be there till 7 pm. via Carnival cruise line. We want to spend as much time as possible there ourselves without the guided tours etc.

 

1. What would be the best way to get to Trunk Bay from the dock at this time?

 

2. And again, best way to get back to the dock at that time of day & when should we plan on leaving to head back? (DON'T WANT TO MISS THE BOAT)! LOL! :)

 

3. Since we'll be out & about at dinner time, where's the best place to grab a bite to eat? We don't drink, so not into the bar scene.

Thanks![/size][/size][/font]

[blue_water]

*Few question's from first timer's going to Caribbean's. My husband & I are wanting to go snorkeling on St. John, perferably Trunk Bay. We will be getting to St. Thomas at 11:00 am & be there till 7 pm. via Carnival cruise line. We want to spend as much time as possible there ourselves without the guided tours etc.

 

1. What would be the best way to get to Trunk Bay from the dock at this time?

 

2. And again, best way to get back to the dock at that time of day & when should we plan on leaving to head back? (DON'T WANT TO MISS THE BOAT)! LOL! :)

 

3. Since we'll be out & about at dinner time, where's the best place to grab a bite to eat? We don't drink, so not into the bar scene.

Thanks![/size][/size][/font]

 

1/2 hr taxi to Red Hook ferry terminal, 20 min ferry to Cruz Bay, and short taxi to Trunk. Total transportation cost is about $45pp roundtrip. The ferry is a nice ride on top on a nice day.

You should be able to make the noon ferry to Cruz if you get a taxi right away, and if you take the 4PM return ferry from Cruz Bay you'll have about 3 good hrs on the beach and will get back to the cruise dock by 5:30 for sure. The 5PM ferry would probably be fine but if there were any delays it could be a problem. But many ppl will take the 5PM ferry back, you just want to be in line early so you don't miss it.

For eating, if you want a bite when you arrive in Cruz bay there are several options, you can find reviews by searching for Cruz Bay restaurants on tripadvisor. If you get back to the cruise dock early there's Paradise Point where you can get a bite and enjoy the view of the harbor, just make sure they're open first. You can buy tram (Skyride) tickets through your excursions desk or taxi up and tram down and walk to the ship at Havensight. The Gourmet Gallery right near the ship has the best deli on the island if you want to pack a cooler for the beach.

Have a great day!

[TMW67]

Thanks Blue_Water for your information! :D

[Host Anne]

TMW - since you are late arriving into St. Thomas have you checked to see what other ships are in port with you? If Oasis or Allure is with you, Trunk could be very crowded by the time you arrive. You may want to ask your taxi driver when you get to St. John how the crowds are. If it's crowded, you may want to consider Cinnamon Bay instead.

 

There will be plenty of taxis at both Trunk and Cinnamon whenever you decide to head back to the ferry. I'd head back to the ferry about 45 minutes before the ferry you want to take. You'd probably be fine on the 5:00 pm ferry but I'd likely take the 4:00 to be on the safe side.

 

I don't have suggestions on restaurants because we never eat on st. Thomas but there are plenty of great little restaurants next to the ferry dock before you leave Cruz Bay is you got there early enough or decide to take the 5:00 pm ferry.

 

Have a fantastic day on my favorite island!

[blue_water]

The taxi coordinator or a driver can advise on the beach situations and whether it would be best to head for one of the beaches right away or grab a bite in Cruz Bay first to let the crowds thin out a bit.

If you decide to have lunch before the beach we like the Beach Bar which you can see on the beach off the starboard side of the ferry as you enter the bay.

 

More likely you will grab a quick bite before getting off tye ship and having something to eat after the beach. For great salads, mahi mahi, or ribeye options head for the Banana Deck and sit in the upper deck for the view. For great pizza and sandwiched the Sun Dog Cafe. Everything is within walking distance from the ferry dock. You won't have a lot of time, but there are also some great shops and a nice bar at Mongoose Junction a short walk to the left of the ferry dock.

 

Enjoy Trunk or Cinnamon, or even Maho and Francis if they recommend that for you. The drivers are excellent guides and will help you have an enjoyable day.

[TMW67]

Thanks for the advice! I've heard other's saying that once the cruise ships start getting there it get's very crowded & have suggested Cinnamon Bay also. I'm considering it as an option now! :) Are there bathrooms, showers, places to grab snack/drink & do they rent snorkel gear at Cinnamon Bay?

[Host Anne]

Cinnamon is virtually identical to Trunk as far as amenities. You can rent snorkel gear & beach chairs, both have snack bars and restrooms/showers & changing facilities. The only challenge I see is that with the late arrival it's possible they could be out of some rental items at either place, especially if one of the megaships are in port. What day will you be there? I'll check the port schedule for you.

 

Maho has what I'd call "rustic" restrooms. No other facilities. Francis doesn't have any facilities at all.

[efoote01]

We are in STT from 8-5 on nclgem. We have to tender due to there being 6 ships in port along with the epic during spring break . We only go to the beach. Is the self excursion to STJ even doable for us? We are 2 adults & a 9 yr old.

 

 

 

Or should we head to Magen's or sapphire?

 

 

 

Thx

[TMW67]

Thanks Host Anne! We will be there July 2nd via Carnival Dream.

[blue_water]

We are in STT from 8-5 on nclgem. We have to tender due to there being 6 ships in port along with the epic during spring break . We only go to the beach. Is the self excursion to STJ even doable for us? We are 2 adults & a 9 yr old.

 

Or should we head to Magen's or sapphire?

Thx

 

With the added time involved in tendering, STJ becomes a more difficult choice for an 8 or 9 hr day in port. It is certainly doable, but you will probably be getting to Trunk or Cinnamon around 10:30 (or later if you take the cruise ship option) and it will be crowded. Trunk will be busy because it's one of the most-touted excursions (like Magens). Cinnamon and Honeymoon may be better but with 6 ships in port I wouldn't count on it. So if you do go you may want to plan on going straight to Maho or Francis where you will have basically no amenities. If you opt for the cruise ship ferry you will be getting there later so there's no read advantage there.

 

We enjoy going to STJ when there aren't alot of ships in port. But the nicest swimming beaches there get just as busy as on STT on big ship days so we stay on Sapphire because it's less busy there. So I would recommend Sapphire to have another couple hours to enjoy there with less ppl. Sapphire is also beautiful and has great snorkeling along with any other amenities or watersports you want. If you prefer a dead calm beach with a restaurant Secret Harbor is also nice. We stay at Sapphire because we like it better than SH but both are nice beaches.

If you want a very quiet beach that is just naturally gorgeous Lindquist (Smith Bay) is a short distance from Sapphire and Red Hook. Not as many amenities, but that's why it's less busy! :)

 

EDIT -

Sorry, forgot to add that we went to Magens while staying at Sapphire last month just to see it again (spent $10 for entry with the car) and it just doesn't have the "character" that Sapphire and Coki have. It's dead calm there and pretty, but we just don't enjoy it as much there. Friends just returned from their first cruise there and were surprised it's rated as one of the top 10 Carib beaches. If I'd known they were cruising there I would have sent them to Sapphire (or Trunk and CInnamon on the right day).

 

Have a great day whatever you choose!

Edited February 25, 2013 by blue_water

[heels/colts]

We will be in port 8:00 to 5:00 docking at Charlotte Amalie. Best way to st johns and is this enough time. Thanks oct 23 three other ships.

 

[Host Anne]

TMW - you are in luck. Only one other ship in port with you...Oasis. She gets in a few hours befor you so anyone heading to St. John from Oasis will be we'll ahead of you. By the time you arrive on St. John some of this Oasis passengers will be packing up. You should be fine to go to any beach you'd like.

 

By the way, you dock at Havensight so you'll be closer to Red Hook to start. Have a great day!

[Host Anne]

Heels/Colts - for me 8 - 5 is sufficient time to visit St. John. It's easier if you are at Havensight instead of Crown Bay. Shorter taxi ride to Red Hook. If you dock at Havensight you should be able to catch the 9:00 am ferry from Red Hook to Cruz Bay. If you dock at Crown Bay you'll likely make the 10:00 am ferry.

 

Once you arrive at Cruz Bay there will be plenty of taxis to take you to a beach (Trunk and Cinnamon are the most popular and taxi is approx $7 per person) or on an island tour (about $25 per person).

 

I'd recommend taking the 2:00 pm ferry from Cruz Bay back to Red Hook. I like to have a little extra time. Traffic can very busy in the afternoon on St. Thomas.

 

Ferry ride costs $6 per person each way. Taxi from ship to Red Hook is is approx $9 per person from Havensight and $11 from Crown Bay. Return taxi is the same fare.

 

Hope this helps! Enjoy!

[heels/colts]

Thanks Host Anne

[Hogladyrider]

Hi everyone!

 

We have done the STJ on our own twice and Saphire Beach once.

 

We are visiting ST again this coming Sept., yes I know it is still a long way off, but half the fun is pretrip research.

 

I am looking for suggestions for some other beach to visit without going to STJ. If we do STJ again we will visit Cinnamon this time, as of now.

 

I read an earlier post about Lindquist, please tell me more. I have also been researching Simplicity Charter and a visit to Water Island on our own.

 

We visit during off season so that also plays a role as many excursion boats are out of the water for redo and many restaurants on STJ are closed for holiday.

 

We love the water and lounging on the beach, we are not shoppers.

 

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions.

Susan

Edited February 27, 2013 by Hogladyrider

[Ms411]

Honeymoon Beach on Water Island.

[boleynkid]

1/2 hr taxi to Red Hook ferry terminal, 20 min ferry to Cruz Bay, and short taxi to Trunk. Total transportation cost is about $45pp roundtrip. The ferry is a nice ride on top on a nice day.

You should be able to make the noon ferry to Cruz if you get a taxi right away, and if you take the 4PM return ferry from Cruz Bay you'll have about 3 good hrs on the beach and will get back to the cruise dock by 5:30 for sure. The 5PM ferry would probably be fine but if there were any delays it could be a problem. But many ppl will take the 5PM ferry back, you just want to be in line early so you don't miss it.

For eating, if you want a bite when you arrive in Cruz bay there are several options, you can find reviews by searching for Cruz Bay restaurants on tripadvisor. If you get back to the cruise dock early there's Paradise Point where you can get a bite and enjoy the view of the harbor, just make sure they're open first. You can buy tram (Skyride) tickets through your excursions desk or taxi up and tram down and walk to the ship at Havensight. The Gourmet Gallery right near the ship has the best deli on the island if you want to pack a cooler for the beach.

Have a great day!

 

Hi, we are first timers and were looking at Trunk Bay also. However, I have discovered that there are 6 ships in dock on the same day as ourselves so do you think it would be better not to go ? Our ship is in port 8am to 5pm and any info with regards to ferry times etc would be much appreciated so we can plan things if we do decide to go. Can I assume it is easy to get a taxi from the dock to Red Hook Ferry ? Thank you.

[Host Anne]

boleynkid ~ Yes, you definitely have enough time to enjoy St. John during your stop in St. Thomas. You didn't say what ship you are on and that can make a difference. If you port at Havensight, you are much closer to the Red Hook Ferry (which I recommend regardless of where you dock). Crown Bay is twice as far to get to the ferry, more traffic to get through (hence longer travel time) and more difficult to get a taxi to Red Hook.

 

If you are at Havensight (if you post your ship, I can check) and you are permitted to disembark shortly after you arrive, you will be able to make the 9:00 AM ferry to St. John. That's ideal because you'll be on St. John by 9:20 and ahead of most of the crowds. If Allure or Oasis is in port with you (along with the other ships), I'd recommend going to Cinnamon over Trunk Bay. It's a bigger beach and will likely be less crowded. They have a snack bar and you can rent beach chairs, snorkel gear, floats, etc here as well.

 

On the way back, I'd recommend the 2:00 PM ferry back to Red Hook. Gives you plenty of time to get back and not have to worry about getting to the ship on time.

 

Let me know your ship and I'll check where you are docking!

[Dunmore2]

April 9, Celebrity Eclipse, does it dock at Havensight?

 

Thanks

Edited March 3, 2013 by Dunmore2

[blue_water]

Yes you are docked at Havensight (WICO) and it is very easy to grab a safari taxi to and from Red Hook and the East End beaches. Trunk and Cinnamon beaches on STJ will be crowded which can take away from the experience. But other beaches like Maho and Francis are not as protected and don't have the amenities. If we were looking for a beautiful beach we would choose either Sapphire or Secret Harbor (Sapphire is preferred) on St Thomas on a heavy ship day, but you do have enough time to ferry from Red Hook to STJ. There is also nice shopping in Cruz Bay along with good lunch options.

There are a ton of other threads on this forum on the topic of going to STJ for the day and you'll find pros and cons and other ideas.

[Dunmore2]

Thanks. We've been to Sapphire, very beautiful. Because the Oasis is in port with us, we want to escape to St. John. We're looking for a quieter place to snorkel. We'll probably start at Trunk Bay and then move on once the hoards arrive. I imagine there are taxis available at Trunk Bay and that we could arrange a drop off/pick up for another beach. What do you think?

[plus521]

We will be in at. Thomas and would like to go to St. John. We will be arriving April 17th. I have looked at our itinerary and not sure what dock we will be at?? What is our best way to get there and back?

[plus521]

I should have added. We would like to go to the best beach for snorkeling. :)

[Host Anne]

Dunmore ~ it never matters to us how many ships are in port. We always escape to St. John. Your thoughts on changing beaches if Trunk gets crowded is a good one. There are always taxis at Trunk and Cinnamon that can take you else where. Maho is our favorite beach but the only facilities they have are some what I'd call "primitive" restrooms (they are new but primitive). The trade off is a beautiful beach, good snorkeling (often see turtles, lots of fish, an occasional ray) and less people. But if you go to a beach like Maho, be sure to make arrangements with your taxi driver to come back and get you at a specific times as you won't find taxi's waiting at Maho. There are no facilities at all at Francis and although very lovely, it's further to get to than Maho and not any better in our opinion (don't get me wrong, we love Francis but on a cruise day there isn't a good reason to go further than you need to).

 

Enjoy your time on St. John!