Is Trunk Bay worth it?

We are cruising to St Thomas and I had originally decided on going to St John to Trunk Bay after seeing so many gorgeous pictures of it. But upon finding out that we would need to take a taxi, then a ferry and then another taxi I started to wonder if it was worth the hassle. My dad has been to Trunk Bay though and he says its a must see. So I'm back to trying to decide if it's worth it or not. My back up plan was just to go to a beach on St Thomas, such as Magens Bay and also do the sky ride thing. Any advice on this is appreciated. If I do decide to go to Trunk Bay, would I be better off just booking the excursion through the cruise line? I'm worried about missing a ferry back or something and not getting back to the boat on time. But the cruise excursion only allows about an hour and a half at Trunk Bay :(

Help me decide! (I have a tendency to overthink everything! lol) Also, I'm travelling with 3 children. Thanks!

I took my first trip there last week. Per person (and with tips on taxis), it was $30 for transportation (we did get the local $6 fare on the ferry, but I'm not sure why), or $60 roundtrip. Currently no fee to enter Trunk Bay. We did rent chairs/umbrellas and snorkel for a total of about $30. So, for two of us, it was $150 not counting the lunch and drinks we had afterwards in Cruz Bay waiting for the return ferry.

It was absolutely worth the money. Truly spectacular, and I can't wait to go back. We'll be doing a land-based vacation to St. John within the next year, for sure.

I would never do the cruise ship excursion for this. It's so easy to get there on your own, just give yourself time. For us, we got off right at 8:00am, made the 9:00am ferry (albeit barely), and were sitting on the beach by 9:45am. We did make sure to take the 2:00pm ferry back, which got us to the ship by 3:00pm (4:30pm all aboard)...and gave us time to take the 3:00pm ferry just in case something happened. But we basically ended up with 3+ hours on the beach plus a good meal and drinks in Cruz Bay. Going on our own also allowed us to get there early and get a quiet spot before the cruise excursion showed up (luckily they stuck to one side of the beach, and us to the other, but it looked unpleasant being hoarded on one side of the beach like they were).

No worries on missing a ferry as long as you monitor your time. Drivers leaving Trunk also remind you. There is no need to take an excursion through the cruise line, the only time that makes sense is if you are interested in the champagne cat. But taxis and ferries are very reliable and self-excursions are very easy.

As to whether it is worth the required transportation, that’s a subjective answer. If we were going to STJ we would go to Cinnamon. When staying on STT it’s a nice, easy day trip to STJ. When on a cruise we would choose Sapphire Beach on the east end of STT because that’s a gorgeous beach in its own right, and we get a couple more hours to enjoy it (and save $14pp, but that doesn’t matter when time is the one concern).

If you decide to go to STJ, consider an island tour with amazing views of the north shore beaches and get dropped st the beach for a couple hours. Total cost is ~$66pp and well worth it!

[EDIT] As Zach mentioned you also waste time in queue with a cruise line excursion, and going on your own you enjoy more freedom and flexibility. Also the ship excursion ferries from near the ship and the 45 minute ride can be quite rough!

If you decide to go to STJ, consider an island tour with amazing views of the north shore beaches and get dropped st the beach for a couple hours. Total cost is ~$66pp and well worth it!

As always, good advice from "blue_water"! :)

cruisin'mom: So, for Zach, out of 8 hours, they were on a beach for three hours, at a cost of $150 for two (I believe you have 3 children also?) They were also in transit for another three+ hours. If you take Blue's suggestion you could be on a beach for much longer, go to a second spot, have lunch somewhere, shop, etc. Only you can decide if it is worth it...;) When you return for a land-based stay, you will find the logistics much better.

cruisin'mom: So, for Zach, out of 8 hours, they were on a beach for three hours, at a cost of $150 for two (I believe you have 3 children also?) They were also in transit for another three+ hours. If you take Blue's suggestion you could be on a beach for much longer, go to a second spot, have lunch somewhere, shop, etc. Only you can decide if it is worth it...;) When you return for a land-based stay, you will find the logistics much better.

True, but also it was a chance to see a good chunk of St. Thomas for the first time, and a nice boat ride between the islands, and a great drive on St. John. I personally didn't feel it was a waste of time at all...but I definitely would rather go back for a long vacation there and spend a week exploring all of the beaches, rather than just doing a few hours on a cruise stop. But we wouldn't have known that if we didn't give it a try.

And we did have lunch too, to be fair. That was about 45 minutes of food and drink overlooking the harbor in St. John, which was quite enjoyable.

Hi Lulu! Thank you so much! :*

The beauty of Trunk and Cinnamon is worth the cost and time for sure, and the trip is a nice experience for sure. The Hirt ferry ride is very nice on a sunny day. And cruising does indeed introduce us to new destinations, and we’ve returned to many islands for longer visits as a result of that initial glimpse.

I should add that we are partial to Sapphire because we stay there when visiting on a land vacation. Nothing like staying right but the water and the soothing waves at night! We also love the beautiful, sapphire-colored water and soft sand of Sapphire, this is one bay we feel oozes with character. But all of these beaches are gorgeous!

Zach we did Trunk Bay on our very first cruise to STT as well, that was a lifetime ago it seems...Looks like we’ll be cruising there again with friends on their first cruise, and we’ll accompany them to STJ if that is their choice. I make it sound like a very rough day! :rolleyes: Especially enjoying drinks at the Beach Bar before heading back...;)

cruisin’mom, your port times are also a factor, and it looks like you will have ~6 hrs of free time in port. So your family can get a nice experience on STJ and ~4 hours on the beach, or a few hours and a walk about or lunch in a Cruz Bay. The alternative (eg Sapphire, Coke, our Secret Harbor) would give you ~5 hours of beach time. So it is your choice, and you really can’t go wrong with any choice. The weather forecast when you arrive may also affect your decision. But you can definitely do Trunk and experience what your father described if you feel it!

[EDIT] One bonus of staying on STT is you can enjoy Paradise Point for the view and walk back to the ship from the aerial tram as long as the Magic docks in Havensight.

Thanks so much for your insight everyone! It is very greatly appreciated. I've ruled out the ship shore excursion now, as I can see it's not necessary. I've never done a shore excursion through the cruise line as I usually find better deals/experiences elsewhere anyway. I may just play it by ear now and see how the weather is that day. Nice weather we may make the trek to St John and if it isn't great that day then maybe just stay on St Thomas.

Hi Lulu! Thank you so much! :*

 

The beauty of Trunk and Cinnamon is worth the cost and time for sure, and the trip is a nice experience for sure. The Hirt ferry ride is very nice on a sunny day. And cruising does indeed introduce us to new destinations, and we’ve returned to many islands for longer visits as a result of that initial glimpse.

 

I should add that we are partial to Sapphire because we stay there when visiting on a land vacation. Nothing like staying right but the water and the soothing waves at night! We also love the beautiful, sapphire-colored water and soft sand of Sapphire, this is one bay we feel oozes with character. But all of these beaches are gorgeous!

 

Zach we did Trunk Bay on our very first cruise to STT as well, that was a lifetime ago it seems...Looks like we’ll be cruising there again with friends on their first cruise, and we’ll accompany them to STJ if that is their choice. I make it sound like a very rough day! :rolleyes: Especially enjoying drinks at the Beach Bar before heading back...;)

 

cruisin’mom, your port times are also a factor, and it looks like you will have ~6 hrs of free time in port. So your family can get a nice experience on STJ and ~4 hours on the beach, or a few hours and a walk about or lunch in a Cruz Bay. The alternative (eg Sapphire, Coke, our Secret Harbor) would give you ~5 hours of beach time. So it is your choice, and you really can’t go wrong with any choice. The weather forecast when you arrive may also affect your decision. But you can definitely do Trunk and experience what your father described if you feel it!

 

[EDIT] One bonus of staying on STT is you can enjoy Paradise Point for the view and walk back to the ship from the aerial tram as long as the Magic docks in Havensight.

Great thoughts! Thanks so much for your input. We may just check out Sapphire this time and enjoy a meal somewhere. We were wanting to check out Paradise Point so this scenario leaves time for that. Seems like time in port always flies by!

I will use spellcheck in the future! ;)

Yes an East End beach followed by PP is a very nice day!

We have done STT so many times I have lost count. Finally on our previous trip I said we have to get to STJ and Trunk, so we bought the bullet. It was an enjoyable trip, even in the rain, and we really enjoyed seeing the island. Was simple to do on our own. However in Jan. it was back to Megan’s for an easy beach day. STJ is beautiful and deserves to be seen but if time or cost is an issue then it is really simpler to do one of the STT beaches.

We have done STT so many times I have lost count. Finally on our previous trip I said we have to get to STJ and Trunk, so we bought the bullet. It was an enjoyable trip, even in the rain, and we really enjoyed seeing the island. Was simple to do on our own. However in Jan. it was back to Megan’s for an easy beach day. STJ is beautiful and deserves to be seen but if time or cost is an issue then it is really simpler to do one of the STT beaches.

Thanks for the advice! Since this is our first time in STT then I'm thinking we will just explore there and save STJ and Trunk Bay for a future trip.

Trunk is the beach they bring the tourists to in St. John. It's a nice beach but not the nicest beach on the island. Unfortunately on a cruise you are limited both for time and return taxis.

Personally I wouldn't waste the time if on a cruise. If you staying on St. Thomas or St. John then take a car over and see more beaches than just Trunk. I stay in St. Thomas and still don't go to Trunk when I go to St. John as there are other beaches I prefer.

Thanks for the advice! Since this is our first time in STT then I'm thinking we will just explore there and save STJ and Trunk Bay for a future trip.

Don't know how long you are in port but you could spend some time at one of the beaches and then still have time to wander around Charlotte Amalie before returning to the ship. My recommendation would be to head out to the beach first, then catch a Taxi back to Charlotte. That way you have better control of your time. From town to port can be walked or if time and energy are an issue you can get any of the taxis which continually ply the main street and will slow to ask you if you wish to be driven back to the port.

Whatever beach you choose you can have the taxi driver drop you right at PP after the beach and take the tram or taxi down. Or you can buy the round trip tram passes on the ship and get dropped at the tram station so you can ride up and back down in the gondola. Check with your excursions desk to see if they are refundable just in case you don’t want to leave the beach!

You can eat at any of the beaches, Bill can probably tell you what the options at Sapphire are now. I know they’ve added a small beach bar since we’ve stayed there. Our favorite webcam is still down since Irma, but the drone video shows Sapphire as it was pre-Irma.

Bill, how does the beach and area look today?

And if you leave time after your visits to the beach and Paradise Point and want to shop, many of the stores in town are also in the Havensight area, less the barkers and another taxi. :rolleyes:

The beach at Sapphire changes from day to day but the beach picked up a lot of sand after the storms. It looks pretty much the same but is missing a few palm trees that will be replaced soon.

The bar is being renovated but will not be done for awhile. A grill is serving the usual beach foods and has a bar. There is a live band on the beach several days a week.

Thank you Bill!

After much debate of Trunk Bay, I went to it on my cruise earlier this month. I wasn't thrilled about spending $100ish just in transportation, but I bit the bullet. Was really glad I did. It was the best beach of the 7 we went to. Wasn't too crowded, beautiful scenery, good snorkeling. The ferry ride and exploring St John were bonuses.

After much debate of Trunk Bay, I went to it on my cruise earlier this month. I wasn't thrilled about spending $100ish just in transportation, but I bit the bullet. Was really glad I did. It was the best beach of the 7 we went to. Wasn't too crowded, beautiful scenery, good snorkeling. The ferry ride and exploring St John were bonuses.

Were concessions opened back up? I understand the restrooms and chair rentals are open, but we miss the bar!!!

Were concessions opened back up? I understand the restrooms and chair rentals are open, but we miss the bar!!!

We were there May 14th this year. No concessions. Yes chairs to rent, no umbrella rental. The woman renting chairs told us she was not allowed to sell bottled water either. We did not know this beforehand or would have brought our own. Amazing beach tho. Snorkeling was good its coming back from the storm damage.

We were there May 14th this year. No concessions. Yes chairs to rent, no umbrella rental. The woman renting chairs told us she was not allowed to sell bottled water either. We did not know this beforehand or would have brought our own. Amazing beach tho. Snorkeling was good its coming back from the storm damage.

How odd, we were there on May 10 or 11 (forget which) and rented chairs with umbrellas attached. Not a big huge umbrella, but it did great to cover us while sitting in our chairs.

Blue - what tour are you referring to here: (sounds like something we would want to do!) Which beach do they stop at?

If you decide to go to STJ, consider an island tour with amazing views of the north shore beaches and get dropped st the beach for a couple hours. Total cost is ~$66pp and well worth it!

We were on a cruise in Feb that stopped in St Thomas. I had previously done Trunk Bay on our own. I thought this was a pain in the a**. We decided in Feb to do the excursion through the cruise line. I thought this was WAY better than doing it on our own. We got off the ship went to the other side of the dock and got on a boat that took us to St. John. A quick ride from there got us to Trunk Bay. I think this is way more relaxing than doing on our own. It was a snorkel excursion but when we got to beach we just went our own way and went back to the ride at the time the guide told us. We had almost 3 hours on the beach and that was good for us. They were doing construction on the facilities when we were there.

I would not do on my own again. It was much easier and relaxing to do thru the ship. When we did it on our own we had an almost 1 hour trip just to get to ferry, we then had to wait for the ferry, once off the ferry we had to get another taxi to trunk bay, we then had to pay entrance fee to the beach. We didn’t get any “local fares”. I think the snorkel excursion thru the ship was around $60 or $65 a person. When u add the 3 modes of transport and entrance fee I don’t think u save really anything by doing it on your own.

It is an amazing beach. I would suggest everyone visit it once. The hurricane damage was visible in the area surrounding the beach. I’m sure just in a few months this has already improved.

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Blue - what tour are you referring to here: (sounds like something we would want to do!) Which beach do they stop at?/quote]

 

Yes when you get off the ferry you'll see several safari taxis waiting to transport folks to the beaches. They also offer to take you on a tour of the north shore that is worth it, you just stay with them and they will drop you at Trunk after. You can then spend a couple hours at the beach.

 

We would definitely recommend a self-excursion rather than through the cruise line because it's so easy and the taxi and ferry transportation is just so reliable. Just a much nicer experience, and there's no queue at the ship waiting for others - you are on your time. You'll find a ton of threads describing this option, basically you hop a taxi at the dock going to Red Hook, get ferry passes act the terminal, and the ferries depart every hour on the hour. Normally you will get there in time for the next ferry. As noted taxis are waiting in Cruz Bay.

 

If you don't take the tour the cost is ~$48 + entry into Trunk ($20 roundtrip taxi to Red Hook/$14 roundtrip ferry/$14 roundtrip taxi on STJ). With the tour it's ~$66 ($20 roundtrip taxi to Red Hook/$14 roundtrip ferry/was $~25 taxi tour/is $7 taxi from Trunk to Cruz Bay if not included in tour). These were the prices in effect recently, they may have changed.

Enjoy!

 

[EDIT] Cinnamon is a gorgeous beach and not as crowded)

 

[EDIT II] Denversail just saw your post and the excursion through the cruise line is certainly an option. t is a longer (45 min) ferry ride through rougher seas but some folks do prefer that option. Nice to have choices!

I'm confused. Have been to st thomas many times - interested in going to st johns/trunk bay for our next cruise. we will be there 7am-7pm so a long time and ship will be at Charlotte Amalie.

What would the price be for a family of 4 to travel to trunk bay? There is a trunk bay entrance fee?

Are the prices above per person or for 2 people?