Emerald Princess excursion to St John

[ShipShapeinFL]

I already posted this on the Port of Call board but did not get any responses so I thought I would try posting it here. Has anyone been on the St John Island Tour? Do you stop at Trunk Bay or just drive by? We are going to book through Princess and are leaning toward the St John tour but are also considering the Ultimate St. Thomas tour. Does anyone have any recommendations or possibly pictures taken on either tour?

[Colo Cruiser]

I already posted this on the Port of Call board but did not get any responses so I thought I would try posting it here. Has anyone been on the St John Island Tour? Do you stop at Trunk Bay or just drive by? We are going to book through Princess and are leaning toward the St John tour but are also considering the Ultimate St. Thomas tour. Does anyone have any recommendations or possibly pictures taken on either tour?

 

I posted this on the wrong thread sorry

[jfv379]

St. Johns is really easy to do on your own.

 

Last year we took a jitney to Red Hook, ferry from there to St. Johns. Once on St. Johns you can do a taxi tour of the island and still be back in St. Thomas with enough time to shop around and wear the numbers off your credit card.

 

I know it is cheaper than doing the Princess tour.

 

Either way don't miss St. Johns

[stretchcruz]

I agree, St Johns on your own is the way to go.

[naplesam]

We did this tour just last week. You really don't "do" anything, but it is a nice tour. We did't stop at any of the beaces as we just rode by them. Howver, it was enough to make us want to go back to St. John in the future! I can 't say that for some of the other islands on the cruise!!

[KroozFoolz]

Sounds like the St. John Island Tour we did through Carnival.

Click on the photo to get to our webshots album for this tour.

 

[ShipShapeinFL]

We did this tour just last week. You really don't "do" anything, but it is a nice tour. We did't stop at any of the beaces as we just rode by them. Howver, it was enough to make us want to go back to St. John in the future! I can 't say that for some of the other islands on the cruise!!

 

Do they stop anywhere so you can take pictures?

[stretchcruz]

Why don't you just go to St Johns on your own and do what you want? That's what we did....you don't need a tour.

[Stevesan]

You'd likely find the St John trip with the boat trip more interesting, and a lot more scenic. The St Thomas tour could easily be arranged thru an independent operator such as Godfrey, or even by negotiating a tour with a taxi at the dock.

 

There are photo op stops during both island drives.

 

I'm often in favor of DIY during port stops, however:

The ship's St John tour may be a good idea for a first time visitor. You may be more comfortable not having to worry about how/where to get transportation and negotiating a tour with a cab at St John.

Besides the comfort factor, doing it on your own will cost @ $44 p/person R/T taxi fare from Charlotte Amalie to the ferry at Red Hook. Add on R/T ferry fare $12 p/p. Then you negotiate a tour price w/the cab driver.

There are "Safari" taxis on both islands which are considerably cheaper, but they obviously make numerous stops.

 

The Princess St John tour description at $65 p/person:

 

Board a comfortable tour boat for the 45-minute narrated ride to St. John, part of Virgin Islands National Park.

Meet your driver upon arrival and board an open-air safari bus for your tour of the southernmost National Park in the United States. Observe its white-sand beaches, crystalline waters, and dramatic scenery. Your tour takes in Whistling Cay, Trunk Bay, Hawksnest Bay, and Caneel Bay, which overlooks the fabled Rockefeller plantation. Stop at Bordeaux Mountain 1,200 feet above sea level while enjoying breathtaking views of the British Virgin Islands. Return to Cruz Bay for 20 minutes of shopping time prior to the ferry ride back to St. Thomas.

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about the USVI can be found at the web site VINOW. Sorry, CC won't allow a direct link, but the url is simply vinow.

[Mindy43]

I already posted this on the Port of Call board but did not get any responses so I thought I would try posting it here. Has anyone been on the St John Island Tour? Do you stop at Trunk Bay or just drive by? We are going to book through Princess and are leaning toward the St John tour but are also considering the Ultimate St. Thomas tour. Does anyone have any recommendations or possibly pictures taken on either tour?

 

Just a comment regarding the ship sponsored tour on St. John.

We usually do not book the ship's tour but chose to do so on our last stop at St. Thomas with the reason being: I was not comfortable arranging our own transportation to the island in the event we could not get back in time for reboard the ship! We had a very nice time touring St. John and knew the ship would wait for us -- being a ship sponsored tour. I would do it again especially because the scenery is so beautiful when taking the ferry back and forth to St. John. Some of what you see can only be seen from the water.

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy!

Donna

[choochella]

We have always gone to St. John's on our own. We enjoy the snorkeling at Trunk Bay and the ship's excursion isn't there very long. We have never encountered any problems getting back. Of course, we catch the ferry in Red Hook, only because the ferry ride is 20-25 minutes shorter than from Charlotte Amalie. You just need to make sure to get the ferry back to Red Hook to give you enough time for a taxi to the ship. Depending on the amount of ships in port that day, and what time of day it is, the streets can become crowded with traffic.

 

But, again, if this is your first trip, you may be more comfortable doing this through a ship sponsored tour.

 

Either way, have a great time!

 

Karen

[ShipShapeinFL]

Just a comment regarding the ship sponsored tour on St. John.

We usually do not book the ship's tour but chose to do so on our last stop at St. Thomas with the reason being: I was not comfortable arranging our own transportation to the island in the event we could not get back in time for reboard the ship! We had a very nice time touring St. John and knew the ship would wait for us -- being a ship sponsored tour. I would do it again especially because the scenery is so beautiful when taking the ferry back and forth to St. John. Some of what you see can only be seen from the water.

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy!

Donna

 

Since we are still new to cruising (this will be our 2nd) I feel more comfortable booking the ship's tour rather than booking on our own. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour and say that the scenery was beautiful. I like the time of day the tour is being offered, it will give us plenty of time to get back to the ship and relax.

[ShipShapeinFL]

You'd likely find the St John trip with the boat trip more interesting, and a lot more scenic. The St Thomas tour could easily be arranged thru an independent operator such as Godfrey, or even by negotiating a tour with a taxi at the dock.

 

There are photo op stops during both island drives.

 

I'm often in favor of DIY during port stops, however:

The ship's St John tour may be a good idea for a first time visitor. You may be more comfortable not having to worry about how/where to get transportation and negotiating a tour with a cab at St John.

Besides the comfort factor, doing it on your own will cost @ $44 p/person R/T taxi fare from Charlotte Amalie to the ferry at Red Hook. Add on R/T ferry fare $12 p/p. Then you negotiate a tour price w/the cab driver.

There are "Safari" taxis on both islands which are considerably cheaper, but they obviously make numerous stops.

 

The Princess St John tour description at $65 p/person:

 

Board a comfortable tour boat for the 45-minute narrated ride to St. John, part of Virgin Islands National Park.

Meet your driver upon arrival and board an open-air safari bus for your tour of the southernmost National Park in the United States. Observe its white-sand beaches, crystalline waters, and dramatic scenery. Your tour takes in Whistling Cay, Trunk Bay, Hawksnest Bay, and Caneel Bay, which overlooks the fabled Rockefeller plantation. Stop at Bordeaux Mountain 1,200 feet above sea level while enjoying breathtaking views of the British Virgin Islands. Return to Cruz Bay for 20 minutes of shopping time prior to the ferry ride back to St. Thomas.

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about the USVI can be found at the web site VINOW. Sorry, CC won't allow a direct link, but the url is simply vinow.

 

Vinow is a great web site. Thanks

[ShipShapeinFL]

Just a comment regarding the ship sponsored tour on St. John.

We usually do not book the ship's tour but chose to do so on our last stop at St. Thomas with the reason being: I was not comfortable arranging our own transportation to the island in the event we could not get back in time for reboard the ship! We had a very nice time touring St. John and knew the ship would wait for us -- being a ship sponsored tour. I would do it again especially because the scenery is so beautiful when taking the ferry back and forth to St. John. Some of what you see can only be seen from the water.

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy!

Donna

 

Did you make any stops along the way or are you just viewing the scenery as you're driving? Do you get any photo ops while on the island at any of the beaches or other locations. Knowing this will really help me decide. Thanks

[phabric]

I am also interested in the Princess St John's tour, any information would be helpful. I have been to St Thomas a couple of times, do not swim and will be on my own.

[Mindy43]

Did you make any stops along the way or are you just viewing the scenery as you're driving? Do you get any photo ops while on the island at any of the beaches or other locations. Knowing this will really help me decide. Thanks

 

Yes, we did make stops along the way -- several in fact! There were many photo ops and several times we got off the open-air 'jittney'. We did not stop at the beaches but we stopped up over them (way up into the hills) to get pictures. We enjoyed the tour (ship-sponsored).

D and D

[ShipShapeinFL]

Yes, we did make stops along the way -- several in fact! There were many photo ops and several times we got off the open-air 'jittney'. We did not stop at the beaches but we stopped up over them (way up into the hills) to get pictures. We enjoyed the tour (ship-sponsored).

D and D

 

Thanks, that helps. I think we are going to go for it.

[LeeW]

No one else has mentioned this one, but we took it in November. Starts with a typical "cab" (holds around 20 people) up to the various viewpoints, several hours at Magen's Bay, and then ends at Blackbeard's Castle. You wander through the castle buildings, use the pools if you like, and visit the amber museum and then head downhill into town for whatever shopping you want to do. On the hour there is a ferry back to the ship. Interesting thing is it is only $5 more than a Princess tour to Magen's Bay and includes travel into the downtown area that you would have to pay $10 round trip for.

[ShipShapeinFL]

No one else has mentioned this one, but we took it in November. Starts with a typical "cab" (holds around 20 people) up to the various viewpoints, several hours at Magen's Bay, and then ends at Blackbeard's Castle. You wander through the castle buildings, use the pools if you like, and visit the amber museum and then head downhill into town for whatever shopping you want to do. On the hour there is a ferry back to the ship. Interesting thing is it is only $5 more than a Princess tour to Magen's Bay and includes travel into the downtown area that you would have to pay $10 round trip for.

 

Did you enjoy this tour? Are the stops you make on the St Thomas tour worth seeing? What did you think of Magen's Bay? I have never been to either island and as much as I would like to tour St Thomas, I have heard that St John is so beautiful and not to be missed.