Destination St. John: Coastal Cruise of National Park Beaches - STL2 ??

[nan607]

Can someone please explain the difference in the St Johns tours offered by the ship.

We will be on Reflection in Feb looking for excursion all inclusive that will get us the easiest way to St Johns and spend the day at the beach. Do these tours take you to the beach? or they drop you off an you still have to taxi to a beach? very confused? can anyone that has done this please explain the best way to do this, I prefer going through the cruise line to not have to worry about making it back in time for the ship.

[Fouremco]

Can someone please explain the difference in the St Johns tours offered by the ship.

We will be on Reflection in Feb looking for excursion all inclusive that will get us the easiest way to St Johns and spend the day at the beach. Do these tours take you to the beach? or they drop you off an you still have to taxi to a beach? very confused? can anyone that has done this please explain the best way to do this, I prefer going through the cruise line to not have to worry about making it back in time for the ship.

The Celebrity description of the Coastal Cruise (STL2) excursion is as follows:

 

Join a private ferry for a fully narrated scenic ride along St. Thomas’s south shore into the quaint island of St. John known as the “Emerald of the Caribbean.” Remaining onboard your tour boat is the best way to see thousands of acres of unspoiled National Park highlights. You will see beautiful famous beaches, the Caneel Bay Hotel (known as a “Rock Resort”), historical points of interest, Peter Bay, and multimillion dollar villas. Cruise along the pristine northwest shores of St. John and revel in the beauty of its National Park vistas. Pass deserted islets and hidden coves as you see the British Virgin Islands on the horizon - all from the viewing deck of your boat. Along the way, your guide will provide insights about the island’s rich history, lush, tropical foliage, and indigenous wildlife. Back along the coast, you will stop at scenic overlooks such as Cinnamon Bay, Trunk Bay, Maho Bay - right up to historical Mary's Point and Annaberg Plantation - the last working sugar cane plantation in St. John. Use the cruise to choose a beach to visit or take an island tour in one of the fun open air safari buses as you will have approximately 3 ½ hours of personal leisure time once you return to Cruz Bay, following this scenic and informative coastal cruise. Your captain and guide will be very happy to make suggestions and assist you with taxis. On the ferry return, enjoy a complimentary rum or fruit punch.

 

There are a number of variations on this 6.5 hour excursion which exclude the cruise along the shore of St. John. For example, the Self Explore St. John (ST03) provides you with the same ferry ride to and back from St. John but you get an extra hour to explore or on your own, shop or to enjoy one of the beaches.

 

The St. John Beach and Snorkel Tour (STE8) provides ground transportation and entry to Trunk Bay, but costs about $30 more and is only 4 hours in length, 90 minutes of it on the beach.

 

Unless you have an excursion that specifically includes an activity on St. John, when you disembark there you are on your own. There are plenty of taxis to take you to one of the beaches or explore the island. Taking the ST03 excursion and then a taxi over to Trunk Bay to snorkel will cost you less and give you 2.5 extra hours on the beach compared to STE8. Of course, you'll have to watch your time to ensure that you get on the return ferry, but that shouldn't be a problem.

[O2B@Cagain]

It's funny that Caneel hasn't been a Rock Resort for a long while. It was most recently associated with Rosewood, but is now independent.

[LEtue]

There are a number of variations on this 6.5 hour excursion which exclude the cruise along the shore of St. John. For example, the Self Explore St. John (ST03) provides you with the same ferry ride to and back from St. John but you get an extra hour to explore or on your own, shop or to enjoy one of the beaches.

 

Do you know if the return ferry ride is a set time? I want to do a bit of shopping in St John before returning but may not spend as much time at the beach and I may not need the entire 6.5 hours listed for this excursion.

[blue_water]

Linda if you want to spend some time at Trunk or Cinnamon Bay then shop in Cruz Bay that's a great day. The beaches are gorgeous, and Cruz has several nice shops and is much more enjoyable than shopping Charlotte Amalie.

Our favorite way to get there is to taxi to Red Hook on the East End and take the 20 min ferry to Cruz. Grab a taxi to the beach and return to Cruz, and return to the ship the same way. No queues or waiting for other sin your group, and a very nice day. You will meet many others on the ferry that do this every visit because t is so easy.

[LEtue]

Linda if you want to spend some time at Trunk or Cinnamon Bay then shop in Cruz Bay that's a great day. The beaches are gorgeous, and Cruz has several nice shops and is much more enjoyable than shopping Charlotte Amalie.

Our favorite way to get there is to taxi to Red Hook on the East End and take the 20 min ferry to Cruz. Grab a taxi to the beach and return to Cruz, and return to the ship the same way. No queues or waiting for other sin your group, and a very nice day. You will meet many others on the ferry that do this every visit because t is so easy.

 

Thanks for the advise. I have been to St john on one previous cruise and wished I had more time to see the shops. The two that I covered were very nice!

 

My only problem with going independently is - the number of ships in port. The lines to board the ferry were very long and added lots of time to the transfer. I estimate we waited about an hour in the hot sun :( Could have just been a bad day but I was hoping that the cruise excursions would run smoother. Any thoughts?

[Host Anne]

Linda ~ I just booked this excursion for our cruise next month because we are traveling with a group and like the idea of taking the ferry from the pier at the ship to St. John and back. It allows us 3.5 hours on our own which gives us a nice chunk of shopping/lunch time in Cruz Bay. Even enough time to spend an hour at a beach if we wanted.

 

I am sure that there will be a set ferry time to return to the ship. The acknowledgement I received doesn't list specific times but I'm sure there will be a designated time and meeting place if we are taking this excursion's ferry back to the ship.

 

We gone to St. John on our own numerous times. With a group (ten of us) this time, I thought we'd give the excursion a try and see how it goes. The transportation costs are nearly identical to going on your own and I love seeing the north shore beaches of St. John from the water so the cruise before free time is a bonus.

 

Nan ~ if you want to go to a beach after the cruise along the north shore beaches, you'll need to grab a taxi on your own when they drop us in Cruz Bay for our "free time" on the island. Taxi fares to the beaches from Cruz Bay range from $6 - $8 per person depending upon the beach you want to go to. If you want an hour or so on the beach, consider Hawksnest. It's the closest to town and has restroom facilities (but no chair nor snorkel rental). You'll need to head to Trunk or Cinnamon if you want to rent a beach chair or want food/beverage concessions. This excursion includes the ferry to St. John, cruising along the north shore, 3 - 3 1/2 hours free time on the island and then ferry back to the ship.

[bartoncab]

Who did you book this excursion thru? we are on the carnival valor in February and are also looking to go to Trunk Bay. Thanks cathy