Private excursion recommendation

[puppyluv1]

Can anyone recommend a private excursion in St Thomas / St John. We don't snorkel and many ship excursions are centered around this. Beach or boat oriented excursions would be ok as long as there are shady spots. Appreciate any help my experienced CC friends can offer!

[Ms411]

Kon Tiki is a boat excursion that isn't a snorkel spot. Usually takes you to Honeymoon Beach on Water Island where there is shade. Not private, though, except for very large groups.

 

Any excursion to Magens Bay Beach would not be a snorkel trip. You would get to this beach by taxi.

 

How many in your group?

[puppyluv1]

Thanks MS411. Just me and DH in this trip.

[Ms411]

So you want a private excursion for 2? Or by private do you mean not ship sponsored?

[puppyluv1]

Meant non-ship, doesn't have to be just the 2 of us.

[Ms411]

See if he's available. He has an airconditioned van and is very popular. If he isn't available I know of someone else with a van but he doesn't bave a website.

 

http://www.davidsfuntours.com/what-we-offer

[blue_water]

Since you are interested in booking an independent operator and not a private excursion you have several options.

 

For a beach you don't need a cookie cutter tour or group transportation (unless you want that?). Just grab a taxi to one of the nice beaches, there are several to choose from, most are $10pp reach way. The more popular (read crowded) are Magens and Coki, for a beach with amenities and abundant shade we'd head for Sapphire Beach on the East End. Gorgeous beach to relax on with nice water colors and island views. Small beach grill (Banana Cabana) serves great sandwiches and drinks.

 

http://www.sapphireinthesun.com

 

You can find more details on Sapphire and other beaches here -

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1993432

 

If you're more interested in a nice day sail most are snorkeling excursions, but you can just enjoy a nice day on the water and seeing other islands. A couple that are highly-rated and take only small groups are Yacht Nightwind and High Pockets.

 

And another great option is taking a taxi to Red Hook and the ferry (on your own) to St John and enjoying an island tour followed by either beach time or shopping Cruz Bay. Cost of the taxi, ferry, and island tour is about $60pp, and Cruz Bay has nice shops and restaurants to experience before ferrying back. Ferries depart Red Hook and Cruz Bay on the hour and are very reliable.

[mizLORInj]

We head to Red Hook via taxi and get on the sailboat Independence. We sail to St. John and pick up a mooring at a beach or two. Swim. Have lunch. Hang out. Drink Pat's fabulous rum punch. There is shade on the beautiful sailboat.

[puppyluv1]

Thank you everyone. I really appreciate the ideas. Lots to think about.

[Ann from SC]

Since you are interested in booking an independent operator and not a private excursion you have several options. .... ....

 

And another great option is taking a taxi to Red Hook and the ferry (on your own) to St John and enjoying an island tour followed by either beach time or shopping Cruz Bay. Cost of the taxi, ferry, and island tour is about $60pp, and Cruz Bay has nice shops and restaurants to experience before ferrying back. Ferries depart Red Hook and Cruz Bay on the hour and are very reliable.[/quote

"..........................

 

Your final option is what hubby and I are considering when we are in port this Thursday, May 18, from 11 am to 7 pm. Doable within our time frame? What is the advantage of taking the ferry from Red Hook rather than from the cruise port, assuming the weather is pleasant? I understand the time difference on the water, but won't the entire trip be about the same duration either way? When you reference an "island tour" in St John, do you mean touring on our own, or are you referring to a specific tour? Thank you for any help! Now I MUST pack...procrastinator that I am!

[blue_water]

Yes the travel time is about 1 hour each way leaving you plenty of time to enjoy STJ.

 

You can take the excursion through the cruise line or go on your own via taxi and the Red Hook ferry. As you said similar time and cost, a little cheaper for the self excursion perhaps, just a matter of preference. We prefer going on our own because it's so easy, and we prefer the taxi and ferry ride between Red Hook and Cruz but both options are good.

 

When you arrive in Cruz Bay taxis will be lined up to take folks to the beaches, and usually after you board the driver will ask if you want a tour, if so you will stay on while others get out at Trunk. The price was $25pp last I knew.

[OCruisers]

If what you want to do is go to a beach in St. Thomas, it's easy to take a taxi. You don't need to book with an independent agent. :)

[blue_water]

If what you want to do is go to a beach in St. Thomas, it's easy to take a taxi. You don't need to book with an independent agent. :)

 

Lulu I think Ann is asking about going to STJ via the cruise line ferry versus the Red Hook ferry on their own. Do you have a preference? Also, I know you've enjoyed the champagne cat option through the ship, Ann I wonder if you'd like that? Lulu can give you more details on that.

[Ann from SC]

Lulu I think Ann is asking about going to STJ via the cruise line ferry versus the Red Hook ferry on their own. Do you have a preference? Also, I know you've enjoyed the champagne cat option through the ship, Ann I wonder if you'd like that? Lulu can give you more details on that.

 

We are doing the Carnival champagne lobster catamaran tour in Antigua, so would not be interested in a similar tour in St Thomas as well. (I've booked non-ship independent excursions in the other 3 ports.)

 

I think I see where my confusion is though. I was under the impression that there are public ferries from both the cruise terminal area (45 minutes or so in duration) and from Red Hook (20 minutes). Are you saying the ferry from the cruise terminal area is only for ship's tours? I thought I had a choice of which ferry to use to get to STJ, and I was trying to make a decision about which to use. Carnival is not offering an "on-your-own" tour from St Thomas to STJ, so the plan all along was to go on our own, but the decision was which ferry to use. Forecast right now is for 19 MPH winds in STT on 5/18 which should make it fairly rough, making the shorter ferry ride preferable anyway at this point.

 

Thank you so much for your help! I am awed at the amount of information on these forums, thanks to people like you!

[Ann from SC]

If what you want to do is go to a beach in St. Thomas, it's easy to take a taxi. You don't need to book with an independent agent. :)

 

No, we want to see STJ. Plan to do a little touring/sightseeing and then visit a beach.

 

What part of SC are you from? I live in Bonneau Beach on Lake Moultrie...an hour from Charleston.

[blue_water]

Ann yes,mthere is a ferry option from Charlotte Amalie but it is very iffy and not reliable at all. So for going on your own the Red Hook ferry is the way to go.

15 - 25 min $10pp taxi from Havensight, $11 or 12 from Crown Bay, 15 min $7pp ferry, and $7 taxi to the beach. If you include the island tour for ~$25pp you just pay for the taxi back from the beach.

[OCruisers]

No, we want to see STJ. Plan to do a little touring/sightseeing and then visit a beach.

 

What part of SC are you from? I live in Bonneau Beach on Lake Moultrie...an hour from Charleston.

 

Ann, we live in Columbia. Many of our friends and family have beach houses and are into boating so we visit fairly often ... mostly, Pawley's Island and Surfside.

 

As Blue Water explained, you can also go to St. John on your own.

The information from Blue Water can be trusted completely -- always helpful and accurate. :)

LuLu