Tour + Beach excursion for 12:30pm arrival at Crown Bay

[kristap]

Hello all! I will be going on Wonder of the Seas on Sept 3 of this year, but we won't dock in St. Thomas until 12:30 (leaving at 8:00pm).  Does anyone have any tour+beach excursion recommendations?  Godfrey has not responded back to me, which makes me think he might be sold out.  I'm not really interested in a shopping stop, but I would like to go to the overlook and get a Bushwhacker or Banana Daquari, and I'd like to go to a beach for a couple of hours, preferably not Magen's Bay because of the cost with MB.  Any recommendations for tours?  Are there tour operators in port for such a thing?  Thanks! 

[Ms411]

Yes, there are taxis offering those types of tours at the dock. September is peak hurricane season so there may be fewer taxis working that month, but there will still be plenty at the dock.

[mickeychicky]

On 7/19/2023 at 11:36 AM, kristap said:

Hello all! I will be going on Wonder of the Seas on Sept 3 of this year, but we won't dock in St. Thomas until 12:30 (leaving at 8:00pm).  Does anyone have any tour+beach excursion recommendations?  Godfrey has not responded back to me, which makes me think he might be sold out.  I'm not really interested in a shopping stop, but I would like to go to the overlook and get a Bushwhacker or Banana Daquari, and I'd like to go to a beach for a couple of hours, preferably not Magen's Bay because of the cost with MB.  Any recommendations for tours?  Are there tour operators in port for such a thing?  Thanks! 

I am in the same situation as you, late arrival, different date.  I too emailed them on 7/16, facebook messaged AND sent a message on their CHAT link on the website.  No response.  I won't be using them.  If you can't take the time to respond to messages, that tells a lot about how they run their business.  And for those that say "I'm sure they are busy".....so are all the other popular companies that do shore excursions but they take the time to respond.  Sunny Liston is another one I am looking in to, and if that fails, I will just use Royal Caribbeans Shore Excursion.  I have also watched YouTube videos with people reporting the taxi's are VERY expensive just to go to Magan's Bay, like one way Per Person was $20 something dollars.  If that's true, seems like they are taking advantage.

Edited July 23, 2023 by mickeychicky

[Ms411]

The government of the VI sets taxi rates with input from taxi drivers. It is much cheaper to go to Emerald Beach or Water Island for a beach day if you're docking at Crown Bay.

[TTEllis]

$20 each way, sounds a bit high to me.

That may include the entrance fee to Magens Bay on the way in. Magens Bay AWESOME, 4 ships or more🥺.

Your late arrival to Crown Bay, by the time you got to Magens it will be 2pm, keep it simple and take the advice of the previous post. Don't go any further away from Crown Bay and your ship than those two beaches.😁

 

[TTEllis]

The taxi setup on St. Thomas is different for a lot of reasons than it is on the other island's. For the most part there are no short rides on taxi's on St. Thomas. If you want to go to a nice beach away from most of the crowds you have to go to the other side of the island or take the ferry to St. John.

Either dock, Havensight or Crown Bay, don't get in any type of hurry finding a taxi. Before you get in a taxi have something to drink with you whatever you prefer, chances are your going to be in a minivan or a safari van for a few minutes, at a bare minimum. 

 

If going down into Magens Bay in a safari van isn't bad enough coming back up out of there bumper to bumper in a safari van with no seats belts sideways straight up a mountain is twice as bad. Stick with the air conditioned 9 seat minivan WITH SEAT BELTS, bouncing around in a safari van from one side of the island to the other and back is a bit much. 

The taxi fares on St. Thomas after all is said and done are fair to everyone especially us. Always have been.

 

 

 

 

[mickeychicky]

Best bet is to stick with a cruise ship shore excursion for this trip, I think we are doing that. Can't leave without us if we do that!

Edited July 24, 2023 by mickeychicky

[Ms411]

People who get left are usually those who go off the beaten path. Taxi drivers on St Thomas go to popular destinations and let people know it's time for them to go back to their ship. If you're paying attention, you probably won't get left behind.😊

[TTEllis]

10 hours ago, mickeychicky said:

Best bet is to stick with a cruise ship shore excursion for this trip, I think we are doing that. Can't leave without us if we do that!

Nobody's leaving without you.🙄

Don't get buried up with some cornball ship tour. Get out and see the freaking island. Go to one the beaches mentioned above close to Crown Bay don't go on some cheese overpriced canned ship tour especially on St. Thomas. Your killing yourself.

[mickeychicky]

On 7/24/2023 at 5:58 PM, TTEllis said:

Nobody's leaving without you.🙄

Don't get buried up with some cornball ship tour. Get out and see the freaking island. Go to one the beaches mentioned above close to Crown Bay don't go on some cheese overpriced canned ship tour especially on St. Thomas. Your killing yourself.

I've done the ship tour before, and we enjoyed it.  We did "get out and see the freaking island" and we did "go to one of the beaches mentioned".  And as far as being overprices, yes it is, but I also don't do business with "top rated" excursion companies that don't even take the time to response to an email, direct message, or answer their phone.  Sound a bit tightly wound, perhaps a cruise would cure that.

[TTEllis]

On 7/24/2023 at 7:37 AM, mickeychicky said:

Best bet is to stick with a cruise ship shore excursion for this trip, I think we are doing that. Can't leave without us if we do that!

I couldn't agree with you more."stick with a cruise ship shore excursion". Better yet you might be better off staying on the ship. 

If your worried about paying $20 each way from Crown Bay back to Magens Bay. Stay on the ship hang out at the pool by yourself hit the bar drink you a couple of Shirley Temples and take selfies all afternoon. 

 

If a 4-5 star rated tour operator doesn't answer your phone call doesn't respond to your emails or other messages. HE'S NOT DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU.

You are NOT, not doing business with him. Your kidding yourself. 

He doesn't get back to you it's 1 of 4 things.

#1 he telling you to take a ships tour.

#2 he's telling you to stay on the ship.

#3 he's telling you he needs your money like he needs 6 more pains in his ass.

#4 he's telling you to stay on the ship AGAIN. 

 

Shirley Temples all day long for you on St. Thomas. Have a great time!!

You got this. 🥸

[Ms411]

Here's another tour operator. I saw him on youtube giving a tour to some cruisers a few months ago and put his number in my phone. There is no shortage of good tour operators on St Thomas.

 

Ivan 340 643 6963

 

[TTEllis]

6 hours ago, Ms411 said:

Here's another tour operator. I saw him on youtube giving a tour to some cruisers a few months ago and put his number in my phone. There is no shortage of good tour operators on St Thomas.

 

Ivan 340 643 6963

 

Shortage of good tour operators on St. Thomas is not the problem.