Best company for excursion

[Cruiser418Low]

I’ll be here in April. The cruise shore excursion has the following that I’m interested in. Both excursions are $75 for adults and $53 for children. 
 

1) Magens Bay, Mountain Top, Shopping

2) Magens Bay, Drake’s Seat, Skyride

The ones in bold are what I’m interested in. I would like the Skyride and Mountain Top since I hear it’s a much better view than Drake’s Seat. 
 

Any recommendations for a trusted private tour that will go to those places? I’m bringing a young child so safety is really important and prefer to be in groups with other tourists. 

Edited March 31 by Cruiser418Low

[Ms411]

What ship are you on? If you’re not on a Royal Caribbean ship, you can walk across the street from the Havensight dock (how far the walk depends on your ship's position at the dock. Dock can accommodate 3 ships) to the Skyride. Your ship may sell tickets just for the skyride since that's not a time sensitive attraction. You can go on your own either with a tickets purchased on the ship, or at the Skyride. Ship tickets MAY be a bit cheaper.

 

If you're on Royal Caribbean, you will have to take a taxi to the Skyride. At the Havensight dock there will be any number of taxis taking groups to Magens and other beaches. With a small child, the child should sit in the middle between adults. There aren't any seat belts, but the vehicles are so big and drive pretty slowly by stateside standards so you're pretty well protected.

 

There will be plenty of taxis at Magens that will take you back to your ship.

 

Taxi from Havensight to Magens is $12 each way per person (not sure if they will charge for child since the rate sheet doesn't specify). I think fee for Magens is now $7, but best to confirm. Skyride fee should be less than $30 for adults, and sorry, don't know child rate.

 

You might want to buy snacks at the dock before you set out for your destinations. There is at least one convenience store at Crown Bay, and there's a grocery store (Gourmet Gallery) at Havensight and other stores sell snacks, too.

 

I think I covered everything!

[Ms411]

The Magens entry fee is still $5. There's a $2 parking fee, but people arriving by taxi or walking don't pay that.😊

[Cruiser418Low]

On 3/31/2024 at 8:16 AM, Ms411 said:

What ship are you on? If you’re not on a Royal Caribbean ship, you can walk across the street from the Havensight dock (how far the walk depends on your ship's position at the dock. Dock can accommodate 3 ships) to the Skyride. Your ship may sell tickets just for the skyride since that's not a time sensitive attraction. You can go on your own either with a tickets purchased on the ship, or at the Skyride. Ship tickets MAY be a bit cheaper.

 

If you're on Royal Caribbean, you will have to take a taxi to the Skyride. At the Havensight dock there will be any number of taxis taking groups to Magens and other beaches. With a small child, the child should sit in the middle between adults. There aren't any seat belts, but the vehicles are so big and drive pretty slowly by stateside standards so you're pretty well protected.

 

There will be plenty of taxis at Magens that will take you back to your ship.

 

Taxi from Havensight to Magens is $12 each way per person (not sure if they will charge for child since the rate sheet doesn't specify). I think fee for Magens is now $7, but best to confirm. Skyride fee should be less than $30 for adults, and sorry, don't know child rate.

 

You might want to buy snacks at the dock before you set out for your destinations. There is at least one convenience store at Crown Bay, and there's a grocery store (Gourmet Gallery) at Havensight and other stores sell snacks, too.

 

I think I covered everything!

Hey! Thanks for the detailed response. I’ll be on MSC. Just have a few follow up questions. 
 

Are these taxis open air vans that are location specific or do they take a group of people and drop people off at different stops similar to a public bus? 
 

Is it cash only? What about tips?

 

I’m thinking of doing Magens Bay (before it gets busy) and Mountain Top first and then Skyride when I return. Is there a taxi that will stop by Mountain Top for a few minutes and then drive to Magens Bay? Or perhaps I can go to Magens Bay first and when I get a taxi to return, it can stop by Mountain Top and then the cruise port.

[Ms411]

Most of the taxi vehicles at the cruise docks are converted pickup trucks that have padded benches and canopy on the back. Some can hold 20+ people. These are the preferred vehicles for taking groups to the beach, because they are easier to clean up and dry out after taking people to the beach. If you google st thomas taxis, there should be plenty of pictures. 

 

There is a taxi dispatch a short walk from where passengers disembark. Tell the dispatcher where you want to go, and they will assign you to the next taxi taking people to that destination. The taxi leaves when it has the maximum people it can carry.

 

If you want to go to Mountain Top and then Magens, they may try to encourage you to take a tour, because some "island tours" can include Mountain Top, Drake's Seat, a harbor lookout, town, and beach drop off for about the same price as taking separate taxis to both destinations. Taxis going to Magens only use a route that doesn't go by Mountain Top.

 

If you want to take separate taxis to Mountain Top and then Magens, you might have to call VI Taxi to take you from Mountain Top to Magens. (340) 774-7457 is the dispatch number.

 

As far as tipping goes, imo, the current concept of tipping has gotten out of hand. Tipping is at your discretion.

 

 

[Cruiser418Low]

On 4/11/2024 at 5:24 AM, Ms411 said:

MIf you want to go to Mountain Top and then Magens, they may try to encourage you to take a tour, because some "island tours" can include Mountain Top, Drake's Seat, a harbor lookout, town, and beach drop off for about the same price as taking separate taxis to both destinations. Taxis going to Magens only use a route that doesn't go by Mountain Top.

I found a few tours but not sure which is the best. Leaning towards Godfrey's Tours but I read some reviews of them not being reliable. Do you have any that you recommend?

[Ms411]

Sorry, no. Godfrey has been offering tours for years, and no business is perfect. People who have an issue with a business are more likely to post reviews than people who had a good time, so I wouldn't let a few negative reviews deter me from taking a tour with a provider.

 

More taxi drivers are using Online Travel Agent sites like Viator to market their tours so it's harder to deal directly with the person actually doing the tour. 

 

You might want to check with Ivan. I watched a YouTube video posted by a cruiser who used him for a tour, and I liked what I saw so I put his number in my phone. 340 643 6963.