Spending a Day on St. John

[O2B@Cagain]

Bambam: Check your itinerary. I believe you are going to St. John's, Antigua.:)

[bambam2972]

Bambam: Check your itinerary. I believe you are going to St. John's, Antigua.:)

 

haha! D'oh! You're right. I'll just be on my way. :o :eek:

[O2B@Cagain]

It is not an unusual mistake. When ever someone says they are going by cruise ship to "St. John's", it typically is Antigua. Only a few small ships call at Cruz Bay, St. John (no 's), VI. :D

[Host Anne]

bambam ~ Antigua is lovely too! Valley Church beach is one of our favorites on Antigua. The last time we were there we spent the entire day in the water. It was so warm and crystal clear. ENJOY!!!

[Host Anne]

Hi Host Anne. Thank you for this very useful thread. Thanks to all the information given, we have decided to take the Celebrity Self Explore St. John trip as we wanted the guarantee of the ship waiting for us!

 

The plan on St John is to take a taxi island tour and then visit Cinnamon Beach. Reading through the thread, I see there is no charge for the beach, but do you know the charge (and deposit) for loungers please? Will the taxi that takes us on the tour drop us at the beach and what is the cost of a return taxi to the dock?

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Colin :)

 

Hello Colin ~ you are most welcome for the info. I love St. John and love sharing info about the island.

 

It's been quite some time since we rented chairs at Cinnamon but they were pretty inexpensive ($6 or $7 for the day). The deposit however, was $25 which you get back when you return the chair. We gave them a credit card but the didn't put the charge through. You are correct, there is no charge to visit Cinnamon and it's a beautiful and large beach. We'll be there in a couple of weeks so I'll check on what chair rental is now.

 

Yes, the taxi will definitely drop you off at Cinnamon after an island tour. Tell the person putting you in a taxi that you want an island tour followed by being dropped at Cinnamon. They do it all the time.

 

Taxi's are always waiting in the parking lot at Cinnamon to take folks back to Cruz Bay and the ferry dock. Last time I checked it was $7 from Cinnamon to Cruz Bay. I'll check that, too.

 

Here's a photo of Cinnamon taken early evening.

 

Enjoy every moment!

[Jetlagged787]

Hello Colin ~ you are most welcome for the info. I love St. John and love sharing info about the island.

 

It's been quite some time since we rented chairs at Cinnamon but they were pretty inexpensive ($6 or $7 for the day). The deposit however, was $25 which you get back when you return the chair. We gave them a credit card but the didn't put the charge through. You are correct, there is no charge to visit Cinnamon and it's a beautiful and large beach. We'll be there in a couple of weeks so I'll check on what chair rental is now.

 

Yes, the taxi will definitely drop you off at Cinnamon after an island tour. Tell the person putting you in a taxi that you want an island tour followed by being dropped at Cinnamon. They do it all the time.

 

Taxi's are always waiting in the parking lot at Cinnamon to take folks back to Cruz Bay and the ferry dock. Last time I checked it was $7 from Cinnamon to Cruz Bay. I'll check that, too.

 

Here's a photo of Cinnamon taken early evening.

 

Enjoy every moment!

 

Anne, you are a mine of information and it is appreciated.

 

It seems that we might be bumping into you on the beach. We are there on 8th.

 

Thanks again for your help. :)

[Host Anne]

Great info!

 

As to the bolded - is this for those coming over from St. Thomas? St. Johns is one of our stops, 8-5, would we be able to visit one of the other spots?

 

Maho sounds awesome, especially the prospect of swimming with turtles. But I'd prefer food and taxis being available in case we decide to leave earlier/later than originally planned.

 

I'm also not too confident in my swimming skills, so cinnamon gives me some pause. I guess I could spend some time this summer taking swim lessons, though! :)

 

Yes, my bold comment was for cruisers visiting for the day.

 

If you catch an early ferry (9:00 AM) and get to St. John by 9:20, you can definitely visit Maho if you are comfortable (I am but we've done it many times) being dropped off at Maho and making arrangements for the taxi to come back and pick you up. Taxi's don't wait at Maho, typically. While there is no food here, you could ask the taxi driver if they'd stop at Mongoose Junction where you can run into North Shore Deli and grab a sandwhich and drinks. Here is their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/people/North-Shore-Deli/100006743508122 You could call them from St. Thomas and order sandwiches so they'd be ready for pick up. Their phone number is 340-777-3061.

 

Another snorkeling option (closer to town) is Hawknest. There is some great snorkeling here if you go to the end of the beach and snorkel out around the rocks. Hawksnest is the first of the big north shore beaches you come to (just before Trunk). There are restrooms and a parking lot but no food nor rentals. Sometimes there will be a taxi waiting here to take people back to town but again, I'd make arrangements for a driver to come back for you at a set time. Trunk and Cinnamon are the only north shore beaches were you are assured that taxis are always waiting.

 

I've found that while you may have a little wait for a taxi to leave the beach and head back to town, they don't always wait for the taxi to fill. In other words, you won't be sitting there for a half hour. We've been taken back to town in half empty taxis before.

 

Cinnamon really is a lovely beach and snorkeling there is an option but it's a long open beach. You either need to swim out to the cay or head to the end of the beach I think to get some good snorkeling. We don't typically snorkel here because when we stay on the island we have so many other snorkel options.

 

One other option to consider (we haven't done this but people love this) is to do a day pass to Caneel Bay with Virgin Island Eco Tours. This gives you access to Honeymoon Beach, snorkel and beach gear, and the ability to have food delivered to you on the beach. Here's a link: http://viecotours.com/st-john-tours/st-john-honeymoon-beach-all-inclusive-watersports-day-pass/ Caneel is even closer to Cruz Bay than all the other north shore beaches. But then you are paying for the right to use Caneel facilities. But people love this beach and the snorkeling is supposed to be good as well.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Host Anne]

Anne, you are a mine of information and it is appreciated.

 

It seems that we might be bumping into you on the beach. We are there on 8th.

 

Thanks again for your help. :)

 

DANG, Colin ~ we'll miss you by ONE day! We depart on the 7th. We are spending a week on island to celebrate our 30th anniversary. It is truly my "Happy" place. Love the island, beaches, wildlife, water, and people. Hope you enjoy it, too. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Host Anne]

Oops ~ sorry Bambam, I just realized you were the person going to Antigua :-)

 

Maybe someone else can use the snorkel info :-)

[Jetlagged787]

DANG, Colin ~ we'll miss you by ONE day! We depart on the 7th. We are spending a week on island to celebrate our 30th anniversary. It is truly my "Happy" place. Love the island, beaches, wildlife, water, and people. Hope you enjoy it, too. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Congratulations Anne. Have a wonderful stay. :)

[Host Anne]

Thanks, Colin! We will....you do the same!

[bambam2972]

Oops ~ sorry Bambam, I just realized you were the person going to Antigua :-)

 

Maybe someone else can use the snorkel info :-)

 

 

This is great for the next time I'm going to St. Thomas and want to go over to St. John, though! :D

Edited March 19, 2016 by bambam2972

[Host Anne]

This is great for the next time I'm going to St. Thomas and want to go over to St. John, though! :D

 

Happy to help anytime! Enjoy your cruise, Bambam!!! :)

[renech]

One other option to consider (we haven't done this but people love this) is to do a day pass to Caneel Bay with Virgin Island Eco Tours. This gives you access to Honeymoon Beach, snorkel and beach gear, and the ability to have food delivered to you on the beach. Here's a link: http://viecotours.com/st-john-tours/st-john-honeymoon-beach-all-inclusive-watersports-day-pass/ Caneel is even closer to Cruz Bay than all the other north shore beaches. But then you are paying for the right to use Caneel facilities. But people love this beach and the snorkeling is supposed to be good as well.

 

Thanks for all your great information, Anne.

We've been to St. John a few times, but not in a while. We have done the ship's ferry and the taxi/RH ferry. This summer we have a large (14 people) group going on the Oasis and I'm trying to work out the options and logistics. By any chance, do you know the actual times for the ship's ferry? We are in port 10am - 7pm.

 

Also, I am interested in the Caneel Bay/Honeymoon Beach tour you posted about above, but I'm not sure if the ship's ferry will give us enough time. I am not a fan of the longer ferry ride, but the convenience is hard to turn down, especially with a bigger group to move around.

 

Also, having never been to Honeymoon Beach before, how would you say it compares to Trunk and Cinnamon?

 

Thank you. :)

Edited April 19, 2016 by Host Anne

[MissRabbit]

Taxis wait to fill up at both ports but many folks who make the Red Hook trek every visit report getting to Red Hook within the hour for the next ferry as long as they aren't delayed getting off the ship. Especially on days with only 3 ships in port and the other 2 are both docked at Havensight (lucky timing!)

 

 

We are planning on visiting st.john for the first time in August. There will be only 1 other ship in port, but they don't arrive til 11am. We get to Havensight at 8am. If we are right ready to go when we clear customs, is there any chance at catching the 9am ferry from red hook? I know taxis wait til full before going but I'm hoping they'd be filling up fast first thing in the morning.

 

Also to come back from Trunk bay, do safari taxis wait to fill before leaving the beach? Or would they leave half empty in order to get back to cruz bay to not miss the ferry?

[MissRabbit]

Trunk Bay snorkeling comments:

 

Trunk has become so popular that much of the snorkeling trail has been damaged over the years by masses of people that use it. We never snorkel at Trunk any longer. My favorite cruise snorkel beach is Maho (meaning it's easily accessible for cruise passengers). The water is shallow and you have a great chance of snorkeling with turtles. If you go to the very right of the bay and snorkel along the rocks you'll see lots of fish. The only challenge with Maho is that you MUST make arrangements for your taxi driver to come back and get you as taxis do not wait at Maho. There are only restroom facilities. No food, etc.

 

If you want a nice beach where you can always find a taxi, Cinnamon is a great option to Trunk. You can snorkel here but to get to the good stuff you need to be a strong swimmer to get out to where the fish are. Not recommended for novice snorkelers. But you do have restrooms, a restaurant, chair rental, etc here. It's a nice option and just minutes from Trunk.

 

There is great snorkeling in other parts of the island but I wouldn't recommend any of them for cruisers visiting for the day.

 

 

Snorkeling is pretty important to us, but so is a beautiful sun drenched beach with calm, crystal clear water! I thought i read that if you go around the side of the island at Trunk bay (vs staying on the snorkeling tour path), youll see a lot of fish. Is this not the case anymore?

 

I'm a little nervous about arranging a time for the taxi to pick us up if we opt for Maho. Are they pretty reliable? How is the entry and exit into the water at Maho? Both my sister and I have mobility issues so we need a gentle and easy entry and exit.

[blue_water]

We are planning on visiting st.john for the first time in August. There will be only 1 other ship in port, but they don't arrive til 11am. We get to Havensight at 8am. If we are right ready to go when we clear customs, is there any chance at catching the 9am ferry from red hook? I know taxis wait til full before going but I'm hoping they'd be filling up fast first thing in the morning.

 

Also to come back from Trunk bay, do safari taxis wait to fill before leaving the beach? Or would they leave half empty in order to get back to cruz bay to not miss the ferry?

 

Yes the 9 AM ferry is easily doable.

 

At the beach they understandably also want to fill up as they can so you should allow for some wait time. Give yourself an hour to make the ferry to be safe (start packing up) and a good rule of thumb is to take a return ferry at 2 if your ship leaves at 5...

Edited March 31, 2016 by blue_water

[MissRabbit]

Yes the 9 AM ferry is easily doable.

 

At the beach they understandably also want to fill up as they can so you should allow for some wait time. Give yourself an hour to make the ferry to be safe (start packing up) and a good rule of thumb is to take a return ferry at 2 if your ship leaves at 5...

 

Our ship leaves at 6pm but we were aiming for the 2pm ferry so we could do a little shopping back at the port. Plus it gives us the 3pm ferry as a buffer just in case.

 

I figured the taxis would wait as long as they could at Trunk Bay, but leave (whether they were full or not) in time to not miss the next ferry sailing.

[blue_water]

Our ship leaves at 6pm but we were aiming for the 2pm ferry so we could do a little shopping back at the port. Plus it gives us the 3pm ferry as a buffer just in case.

 

I figured the taxis would wait as long as they could at Trunk Bay, but leave (whether they were full or not) in time to not miss the next ferry sailing.

 

yes that makes sense - enjoy!

[O2B@Cagain]

"I figured the taxis would wait as long as they could at Trunk Bay, but leave (whether they were full or not) in time to not miss the next ferry sailing. "

 

Don't expect anything from the taxi system. Especially not for them to make sense. ;) They want to make as much money as possible meaning they want the vehicle full. Just make sure you leave time to get to the ferry.

[blue_water]

If it's a busy day I'm sure many others will have the same idea and the 2PM ferry will be a lively one. But I can also see many from your ship who go to Trunk staying later to get the most time they can there. We don't have any experience with taxis from there but others who do can give you the best feedback. If nice weather be sure to get in line early for the ferry from RH so you can enjoy the short ride from the top deck. :)

[brookmill18]

We will be on the Allure in July docking there and it looks like there is a ferry right from this area--is there a reason to still take the Red Hook Ferry? We are docking at 10am and ship is leaving at 7pm. We'd like to do Cinnamon Bay and maybe a taxi tour of the island. Do you know approximately the cost of the taxi tour? Thinking we would take it after we were done at the beach and could take it on the way back to the ferry to return to the ship.

 

We'll have our 2 teenagers and a grandma with us--does this sound doable at that time of year?

 

Thank you!

[Ms411]

I think the ferry you're referring to is the one that goes to Water Island.

[LA_CA_GAL]

We will be on the Allure in July docking there and it looks like there is a ferry right from this area--is there a reason to still take the Red Hook Ferry? We are docking at 10am and ship is leaving at 7pm. We'd like to do Cinnamon Bay and maybe a taxi tour of the island. Do you know approximately the cost of the taxi tour? Thinking we would take it after we were done at the beach and could take it on the way back to the ferry to return to the ship.

 

We'll have our 2 teenagers and a grandma with us--does this sound doable at that time of year?

 

Thank you!

 

You can book a private excursion with RCI to St. John, and they have a boat that leaves right from Crown Bay.

 

At least that is what we did.

[brookmill18]

LaCaGal--do you mind if I ask specifics about your excursion? The one that we were interested in is $49 for a 6 1/2 hr tour "St John Cruise and Beaches" saying "Take a scenic ferry ride to St. John and learn about the island's history on a guided coastal trip to Cruz Bay. See national park highlights, historical landmarks, Caneel Bay Hotel, and multi-million dollar villas at stops along the way, including Cinnamon Bay and Annaberg Plantation. Use cruise time to choose a beach or an island tour for 3-1/2 hours of exploring St. John on your own. STL2"

 

Our hope was to do Cinnamon Beach and then an island tour but I'm guessing we'd have to pay an additional $14 for the taxi from Cruz Bay to Cinnamon Beach and we would want to catch the excursion transport back from Cruz Bay. Is this doable? Do you mind sharing your experience of the RCCL excursion?

 

Thanks!