Spending a Day on St. John

[OrlandoGirl57]

Host Ann, I have read other posts that say there is a ferry near the cruise ship port to St. John. Is that accurate?

 

Nevermind- I found a previous post from you explaining the 2 ferries.

Edited February 16, 2016 by OrlandoGirl57

[kendon]

Any recommendation on which beach to go to? We were planning on trunk bay bc we've never snorkeled before and my husband wants to "try it." I just looked and over 16K cruise pax will be there that day Trunk may be a little crowded!!!

 

 

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Snorkeling at Trunk Bay is over rated...the underwater trail is in bad shape. I would take a day sail from St Thomas, private if possible, who will take you to great snorkeling spots.

Edited February 18, 2016 by kendon

[Turtles06]

Snorkeling at Trunk Bay is over rated...the underwater trail is in bad shape. I would take a day sail from St Thomas, private if possible, who will take you to great snorkeling spots.

 

We had a port call in St. Thomas a little over a week ago, and did a snorkeling excursion to Trunk Bay. The beach was absolutely beautiful and we were very glad we'd gone, but someone forgot to tell the fish they were supposed to stick to the underwater trail. :) (I was quite surprised at how few fish there were.) We had a great day nonetheless, but if you really want to see fish, that may not be the best spot. (Maybe others can say whether our experience was atypical.)

[missholly24]

Thank you so much for this. I was dreading going through all of the info!!!!!! What is your thought about children? Should we bring our 7 and 9 year old boys? I feel bad having them miss a beach day, but I also really want to see Trunk Bay.....also they love Camp Carnival ;)

[weatherboy80]

Certainly depends on the weather conditions of the day, but a similar question on the roughness of the seas on the longer ferry ride from the cruise dock (Havensight dock) to Cruz Bay in St John? My wife had a very bad experience in Alaska on a 6 hour glacier excursion where we had to cross some open water so she is very nervous about repeating any part of that experience, but wants to get back to and see St John while we are docked in St Thomas. She is fine on the big boats but tends to get seasick (fast) in the smaller crafts.

 

Actually we are not interested in staying at a beach this time (visited only Trunk Bay several years ago) around, but instead interested in having a general island tour to see some overlooks and the various sites along the way. Are there generic island tours available (on your own) from Cruz Bay? For example, I was thinking of just taking a taxi from the cruise dock to Red Hook and then taking the shorter 15 min ferry ride over versus the excursion (from Celebrity) that includes the longer 45 minute ride in choppy water then a drive around the island to minimize the time on the water. Does this sound doable?

Edited February 19, 2016 by weatherboy80

[Host Anne]

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.

[Host Anne]

Certainly depends on the weather conditions of the day, but a similar question on the roughness of the seas on the longer ferry ride from the cruise dock (Havensight dock) to Cruz Bay in St John? My wife had a very bad experience in Alaska on a 6 hour glacier excursion where we had to cross some open water so she is very nervous about repeating any part of that experience, but wants to get back to and see St John while we are docked in St Thomas. She is fine on the big boats but tends to get seasick (fast) in the smaller crafts.

 

Actually we are not interested in staying at a beach this time (visited only Trunk Bay several years ago) around, but instead interested in having a general island tour to see some overlooks and the various sites along the way. Are there generic island tours available (on your own) from Cruz Bay? For example, I was thinking of just taking a taxi from the cruise dock to Red Hook and then taking the shorter 15 min ferry ride over versus the excursion (from Celebrity) that includes the longer 45 minute ride in choppy water then a drive around the island to minimize the time on the water. Does this sound doable?

 

First, I would recommend taking the taxi from Havensight to Red Hook. There are now high speed ferries from here to Cruz Bay that cross in 15 minutes. You are correct, it is normally far calmer crossing from Havensight. It's always a bumpy ride from Charlotte Amalie or taking the cruise ship excursion from the dock (we only do this with a large party as it's easier than trying to corral folks...when it's just the two of us we almost always go from Havensight).

 

Getting an island excursion is super easy when you dock in Cruz Bay. Taxis are lined up for this. You'll typically be sharing a tax with other folks as they are safaris and hold anywhere from 10 - 20 people. Cost for an island tour averages $25 per person and normally lasts about two hours. After that, I'd recommend visiting Mongoose Junction for lunch and a little shopping if you want to pick something up from the island or wandering the Wharfside village just next to the ferry dock. There are five or six fun beach bar type restaurants along here making it a great spot for something to eat and/or drink.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions. ENJOY!

[weatherboy80]

Anne - thanks so much for the detailed response. This sounds like the better option to us especially with the shorter and faster crossing!

 

So Im assuming we just tell one of the taxi operators that we are interested in doing a general island tour without beach stop? Im assuming these island tours wil stop at the sugar plantation and various overlooks similar to the cruise line excursions?

 

I also wonder how much a several hour jeep rental would be from Cruz bay?

Edited February 20, 2016 by weatherboy80

[Host Anne]

weatherboy ~ yep.... when you get off the ferry you'll be greeted by someone helping to fill taxis. Tell him you want to do an island tour that includes the scenic overlooks and a stop at Annaberg Sugar Plantation ruins. These tours don't do a beach stop. They'll have separate taxis that are going to various beaches. If you tell them what you want, they'll get you taken care of. That's how it's always been for us. You'll have a great time.

 

It's become very difficult to rent a car for a day on St. John. Used to be easy but there are so many people vacationing on the island now that the last couple of times I tried to do a day rental I had no luck. Plus you lose about an hour on the island by renting. You have to go to the rental agency, fill out paperwork, then fill it up with gas (not easy as there is only one gas station) and take the jeep back. While it gives you the luxury of going more places (and I could suggest some), you also lose some time.

 

We also have a good friend from Melbourne who moved to the island a few years ago. I could check to see if he's available to show you the island, too. Let me know.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Host Anne

[weatherboy80]

Thanks again Anne - think we will just stick with the do it yourself taxi and ferry and then ask for the typical 2 hour taxi tour. Sounds very nice!

[Host Anne]

You'll have a great time Weatherboy....ENJOY!

[weatherboy80]

Thanks - looking forward to it!

[busynurse]

We dock at 9am.Should I take the ferry or the cruise tour. Also how far is Trunk Bay from Cinnamon Beach and is there a charge for both beaches? Is the sand and water similar at both beaches. I love Megans bay but want to try a new beach. Thanks for your input

[wish2luvcruise]

So I understand if we want to explore St. John on our own, the total cost per person, roundtrip can be about $65 (including $10 taxi to ferry port, $7 ferry to Cruz, $25 island tour, and $6 taxi back from the beach). Are all of these need to be cash? How about the food and drink at beach, do they only accept cash over there?

 

We have a group of 7 traveling together. I don't really feel comfortable carrying too much cash with me. I'd prefer using credit cards as much as I can. I'm trying to figure out how much cash I have to bring with me. Anyone can help?

[Host Anne]

We dock at 9am.Should I take the ferry or the cruise tour. Also how far is Trunk Bay from Cinnamon Beach and is there a charge for both beaches? Is the sand and water similar at both beaches. I love Megans bay but want to try a new beach. Thanks for your input

 

The time you dock as important as the time you leave. I want to spend at least five or six hours on St. John so I look at the options that allows me to do that. If we are on our own we almost always do the ferry on our own because we get off the ship as soon as they say we are cleared so we can catch the next ferry on the hour. The only time this is a problem is if you are docked in Crown Bay. It's further and the taxi drivers will not leave for the ferry until they are full. The taxis from Havensight seem to fill and leave for the ferry more quickly.

 

Trunk and Cinnamon are about five minutes apart. The sand and water are very similar at these two beaches. Both are beautiful. Cinnamon is larger; Trunk seems to get more crowded. There is no charge for Cinnamon. Only for Trunk. Both have facilities including chair rental, snack bars, etc.

 

I personally (and this is my opinion only) enjoy both beaches more than Megans Bay. Megan is very pretty but there's just something special about the north shore beaches on St. John for me (Trunk and Cinnamon are both north shore beaches).

 

If you venture to St. John, enjoy every moment!

[Host Anne]

So I understand if we want to explore St. John on our own, the total cost per person, roundtrip can be about $65 (including $10 taxi to ferry port, $7 ferry to Cruz, $25 island tour, and $6 taxi back from the beach). Are all of these need to be cash? How about the food and drink at beach, do they only accept cash over there?

 

We have a group of 7 traveling together. I don't really feel comfortable carrying too much cash with me. I'd prefer using credit cards as much as I can. I'm trying to figure out how much cash I have to bring with me. Anyone can help?

 

Here's the breakdown of fees per person (you were pretty close)

 

Roundtrip taxi to/from ferry from Havensight - $20

Roundtrip ferry from Red Hook - $14

Island Tour - $25

Beach back to Ferry Dock in Cruz Bay - $7 - 8 depending upon the beach you are coming back from

 

Since you have a group, you may be able to negotiate a little lower taxi and island tour pricing. Ask your taxi driver. If you arrange for the driver who takes you to Red Hook to come back and get you, they'll typically give you a dollar or two off the roundtrip fees. Whenever we've arranged a taxi driver to come back for us, they have. No discounts on the ferry ride but you can negotiate with the taxi drivers.

 

As for cash, sadly most of the taxis, ferries only accept cash. So you should plan for at least $65 cash per person. Don't carry it all on one person. Let a couple of people carry the cash so not everyone is carry it all. We always prefer to take a few extra dollars in cash. Plus there is an ATM in Cruz Bay.

 

Most restaurants and shops do take credit cards so if you want to eat, drink or shop, you're in good shape. :-)

 

ENJOY!!!

[blue_water]

Yes definitely go on your own via the Red Hook ferry for the utmost freedom and flexibility as Anne noted. Agree that Cinnamon and Trunk are nicer beaches than Magens and you will be happy, especially with Cinnamon if there on a busier day.

 

Another option if your port time is somewhat limited is experiencing the East End beaches of St Thomas. For example Sapphire is gorgeous and has all of the amenities you need including abundant natural shade. The round trip transportation cost is $20pp rather than $48 to Trunk or Cinnamon and you get 1.5 - 2 hours more at the beach or shopping after the beach.

But the north shore of STJ is beautiful and worth the effort to experience if you have the time.

[Arzeena]

Breakdown form February 26 when we there:

 

**Cab from dock to Red Hook Ferry $10 pp, each way (sometimes people negotiate it to $8)

 

**Round trip ferry tickets: $14 pp ($7 each way fast Cat ferry, less than 10 minutes ride)

 

**Cab to beach in St John (Trunk Bay in our case, but there are many other beaches to explore) $6 pp, each way

 

**Beach fee: $ 5 pp. Yearly pass was $12 pp.

 

**Return from Red Hook to dock: Any where from $2 pp to $10 pp, depending upon which shared van you take and is available. The $2 pp goes to down town, makes several stops and is usually for local commuters.

 

This time we took the 9 am ferry and returned via the 2 pm. We could have taken the 3 pm ferry back safely, but wanted to spend some time window shopping in downtown. Ship ws there from 8 am to 5 pm. All aboard at 4.30 pm.

 

About Trunk Bay Beach on St John:

One word description: PARADISE.

The nitty gritty:

Part of U.S parks division. Very pristine. Water is as clear as clear glass. Not rough at all. It's like a swimming pool with gentle waves. The protected coral reef has wonderful sea life. Boats are not allowed to get within a certain distance of the reef and the beach so no worries. Life guards on beach. Excellent bathroom and shower facilities, maintained by the park rangers. No umbrellas, but lot of shade available. Small beach chair for security deposit of $25 which is returned as soon as you return the chair. Snorkelling equipment for rent. Most people just spread out their towels as you would be in the water most of the time.

[blue_water]

Breakdown form February 26 when we there:

 

**Cab from dock to Red Hook Ferry $10 pp, each way (sometimes people negotiate it to $8)

 

**Round trip ferry tickets: $14 pp ($7 each way fast Cat ferry, less than 10 minutes ride)

 

**Cab to beach in St John (Trunk Bay in our case, but there are many other beaches to explore) $6 pp, each way

 

**Beach fee: $ 5 pp. Yearly pass was $12 pp.

 

**Return from Red Hook to dock: Any where from $2 pp to $10 pp, depending upon which shared van you take and is available. The $2 pp goes to down town, makes several stops and is usually for local commuters.

 

This time we took the 9 am ferry and returned via the 2 pm. We could have taken the 3 pm ferry back safely, but wanted to spend some time window shopping in downtown. Ship ws there from 8 am to 5 pm. All aboard at 4.30 pm.

 

About Trunk Bay Beach on St John:

One word description: PARADISE.

The nitty gritty:

Part of U.S parks division. Very pristine. Water is as clear as clear glass. Not rough at all. It's like a swimming pool with gentle waves. The protected coral reef has wonderful sea life. Boats are not allowed to get within a certain distance of the reef and the beach so no worries. Life guards on beach. Excellent bathroom and shower facilities, maintained by the park rangers. No umbrellas, but lot of shade available. Small beach chair for security deposit of $25 which is returned as soon as you return the chair. Snorkelling equipment for rent. Most people just spread out their towels as you would be in the water most of the time.

 

The reef at Trunk is not as vibrant as mentioned and we would recommend another beach like Waterlemon if snorkeling is important to you. If beaching is your main desire consider Cinnamon.

Leave some time to stroll Cruz Bay, nice shops and St John Bracelets is a great spot to pick up a nicely-crafted Hook bracelet. Or stop there before heading to the beach and have one custom designed while you are at the beach!

[searoses]

I had a petroglyph hook bracelet made in 90 min on the last night of our 2 week stay last month....he even asked if I wanted it hammered....love it and actually less expensive than free bird and another place we looked...

[blue_water]

Yes quality workmanship and a unique piece in no time! My wife had one made during a visit from STT and loves it, very nice piece.

Edited March 10, 2016 by blue_water

[Jetlagged787]

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 :)

[O2B@Cagain]

Not Anne, but...Cinnamon rents sand chairs, not lounge chairs. I can't remember what they charged us, maybe $8 each? There will be safari buses waiting at the entrance when you are ready to go. They will wait to fill up before they leave.

[Jetlagged787]

Not Anne, but...Cinnamon rents sand chairs, not lounge chairs. I can't remember what they charged us, maybe $8 each? There will be safari buses waiting at the entrance when you are ready to go. They will wait to fill up before they leave.

 

Thanks O2.

[bambam2972]

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.

 

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! :)