Best way for family of 8 to go on our own to St. John?

[Derbie]

DH and I would like to take our son and his family to visit St. John in early July.  My husband I and I did an excursion through a cruise ship a few years ago to St. John. The cruise line offers one, but $800 for us to go for 2.5 hours to the beach is pricey. I would like the kids to see St. John.  We took them to Megans last go round. Would we take a cab to the ferry and then another cab to the Trunk beach in St. John?  I am wondering if would we be any ahead of the game cost wise by doing this on our own?  Would we gain any additional time at the beach, by doing it on our own?  I realize there is lots of logistics and possible issues, with doing this on your own.  Our ship is in port 9-6. All recommendations are appreciated!

 

Thanks in advance,

[PORT ROYAL]

28 minutes ago, Derbie said:

DH and I would like to take our son and his family to visit St. John in early July.  My husband I and I did an excursion through a cruise ship a few years ago to St. John. The cruise line offers one, but $800 for us to go for 2.5 hours to the beach is pricey. I would like the kids to see St. John.  We took them to Megans last go round. Would we take a cab to the ferry and then another cab to the Trunk beach in St. John?  I am wondering if would we be any ahead of the game cost wise by doing this on our own?  Would we gain any additional time at the beach, by doing it on our own?  I realize there is lots of logistics and possible issues, with doing this on your own.  Our ship is in port 9-6. All recommendations are appreciated!

 

Thanks in advance,

No problem…. Here are the most conservative time lines..

Taxi to Red Hook say 30 minutes

Ferry crossing time - 20 minutes (just miss 1 wait 30 minutes) = max of 50 minutes 

Disembarking and taxi wait say 5 minutes)

Ride from Cruz Bay to Trunk - say 10 minutes - Reverse say 10 minutes 

Ferry Cruz to Red Hook - say 20 minutes

Ride back to ship - 40 minutes (heavy traffic)

Best to allow a comfortable 1.5 hours there and 2 hours back

Book tickets online as the ticket office queue may be long, plus the ship you are aiming for may sell out - 

Ferry Link https://stjohnticketing.com/schedules/

More Ferry info… https://www.*****/travel/virgin-islands-ferry-schedules/stjohn/

Shared taxi to Trunk  $9 pp - Think there is a price concession for 12 years and younger.

 

 

Edited April 21 by PORT ROYAL
Time lines

[Derbie]

@portroyal I received a notice that you had replied, but no quote or message on the post.  Thanks. 

[PORT ROYAL]

15 minutes ago, Derbie said:

@portroyal I received a notice that you had replied, but no quote or message on the post.  Thanks. 

Probably a CC glitch… Try again

No problem…. Here are the most conservative time lines..

Taxi to Red Hook say 30 minutes

Ferry crossing time - 20 minutes (just miss 1 wait 30 minutes) = max of 50 minutes 

Disembarking and taxi wait say 5 minutes)

Ride from Cruz Bay to Trunk - say 10 minutes - Reverse say 10 minutes 

Ferry Cruz to Red Hook - say 20 minutes

Ride back to ship - 40 minutes (heavy traffic)

Best to allow a comfortable 1.5 hours there and 2 hours back

Book tickets online as the ticket office queue may be long, plus the ship you are aiming for may sell out - 

Ferry Link https://stjohnticketing.com/schedules/

More Ferry info… https://www.*****/travel/virgin-islands-ferry-schedules/stjohn/

Shared taxi to Trunk  $9 pp - Think there is a price concession for 12 years and younger.

[PORT ROYAL]

1 hour ago, Derbie said:

DH and I would like to take our son and his family to visit St. John in early July.  My husband I and I did an excursion through a cruise ship a few years ago to St. John. The cruise line offers one, but $800 for us to go for 2.5 hours to the beach is pricey. I would like the kids to see St. John.  We took them to Megans last go round. Would we take a cab to the ferry and then another cab to the Trunk beach in St. John?  I am wondering if would we be any ahead of the game cost wise by doing this on our own?  Would we gain any additional time at the beach, by doing it on our own?  I realize there is lots of logistics and possible issues, with doing this on your own.  Our ship is in port 9-6. All recommendations are appreciated!

 

Thanks in advance,

Try in sections..

No problem…

Taxi to Red Hook say 30 minutes

Ferry crossing time - 20 minutes (just miss 1 wait 30 minutes) = max of 50 minutes 

Disembarking and taxi wait say 5 minutes)

Ride from Cruz Bay to Trunk - say 10 minutes - Reverse say 10 minutes 

Ferry Cruz to Red Hook - say 20 minutes

Ride back to ship - 40 minutes (heavy traffic)

Best to allow a comfortable 1.5 hours there and 2 hours back

[PORT ROYAL]

27 minutes ago, Derbie said:

@portroyal I received a notice that you had replied, but no quote or message on the post.  Thanks. 

Last section… Have remove a link to additional ferry information - two parts received?

 

Book tickets online as the ticket office queue may be long, plus the ship you are aiming for may sell out - 

Ferry Link https://stjohnticketing.com/schedules/

Shared taxi to Trunk  $9 pp - Think there is a price concession for 12 years and younger.

[PORT ROYAL]

36 minutes ago, Derbie said:

@portroyal I received a notice that you had replied, but no quote or message on the post.  Thanks. 

Would guesstimate the minivan taxi as being about $60 - each way - for the whole taxi -

One can time book the outward minivan taxi, or there will be plenty of taxis waiting at Red Hook

Edited April 21 by PORT ROYAL

[Ms411]

I don't think there will be minivan taxis at either dock taking cruisers to Red Hook. That's a popular destination so they usually use the bigger  open air "safari" type vehicles that can carry more people.

 

The fare from Havensight dock is $15 per person each way. The official rate sheet for Sthomas doesn't have a fare for children. I doubt that St John taxis have a kid rate.

[Derbie]

3 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Would guesstimate the minivan taxi as being about $60 - each way - for the whole taxi -

One can time book the outward minivan taxi, or there will be plenty of taxis waiting at Red Hook

Thanks so very much!

 

[Derbie]

5 minutes ago, Derbie said:

Thanks so very much!  Sorry for the double message.  I hit send, before I finished my comment.  So, given the time, cost, etc., I am assuming $95 pp through the cruise line, may not be that big of a difference, given the time, cost of taxi's so-forth?  

 

 

 

[Derbie]

1 hour ago, Ms411 said:

I don't think there will be minivan taxis at either dock taking cruisers to Red Hook. That's a popular destination so they usually use the bigger  open air "safari" type vehicles that can carry more people.

 

The fare from Havensight dock is $15 per person each way. The official rate sheet for Sthomas doesn't have a fare for children. I doubt that St John taxis have a kid rate.

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply! :0)

 

[Ms411]

Cruisers generally go to St John on their own to have more beach time. I think people stay around 3.5 hours or so if they go on their own.