blue_water

Last I knew no, just restrooms, but we haven’t been in some time so I’m sure others can answer… Lindqvist Beach (Smith Bay Park) is arguably the nicest beach, at least in my opinion. We might consider stopping at Moe’s Market in Red Hook (or a store near the dock) and grab a porta-cooler, drinks, and nice subs and find a quiet spot to enjoy the beach on our towels! Not sure what time the beach closes though… CW is next to Coki beach…

Yes Sapphire can be quite rough with sea swells from storms, we did experience that once while staying there. Most days we’ve seen it calm… One option for your late arrival may be Secret Harbour, you can inquire at AADivers three to see if they will reserve lounges/umbrellas and a spot to sit…Nice beach with dead calm water. But Sapphire is our beach if choice since we don’t snorkel much and we just want the nice beach and views… And the cruise line’s “Secret Sands” excursion to Smith Bay may be another option for your late arrival… Wherever you find your spot enjoy!

Yes indeed, sounds like you are luckier than most! Magens will still be a very busy beach of course since it is the most recommended by the cruise ship directors, drivers, etc… Are you interested in snorkeling or just relaxing? Hope you don’t mind my suggestion, but I’d consider Sapphire, or even Secret Harbor if you arrive early enough. Both offer decent snorkeling, although Sapphire adds the gorgeous water colors and nice island views for us beach bums too! Enjoy your visit! 😄

Magens Bay would be our last beach choice for a day visit to STT. Mainly because it is just boring to us…it lacks the character some beaches have. For example Doctors Cave Beach in Jamaica and some of the east end beaches of STT like Sapphire Beach and Coki just exude that “character”, or Caribbean feel. But others love Magens too, and it is dead calm with a nice, sandy bottom if that is your main criteria. She is beautiful from Drake’s Seat though!

I’ve not followed that but it was indeed an issue. The SXM forum on TTOL is quite active if someone wants more info on that island…

That would be Great Bay Beach. We spent 10 days there and it is close to the cruise ship pier…

If time permits we would consider one of the excellent cat sails, including Aristocat, Kursk, and Patouche. They offer the east option, which includes snorkeling at the Indians and the Caves with a stop at Cooper, Peter Island or the Bight on Norman, or perhaps a stop at the Willy T! Or the west which includes a stop at White Bay, Jost, and perhaps Diamond Cay or maybe Little Jost.

If you do return for a land visit I highly recommend the Sapphire Beach Resort & Marina condos, they are sea front on gorgeous Sapphire Beach. We’ve stayed on many beaches throughout the Carib, and Sapphire is one of the nicest experiences. Be sure to rent through an owner, directly or through VRBO - if you rent through the condo assn you may not be happy with the condo. The Sapphire Village condos are on the hill behind the marina and are a less expensive option! Have you ever been to the BVI? Staying there is even more amazing! For STJ, when you board a taxi to the beach, the driver will give you an option for an island tour before dropping you at the beach. Since you have so much time Inwould suggest taking advantage of that. The cost was ~$25/pp, but included your fare to the beach. And although I don’t usually recommend Trunk Bay because it is so hyped and crowded, I would in this case since you want to share that with your friends. Unless Cinnamon is a good choice, we’ve not been in some time… Going on your own is so much better than through the cruise line. The ferry is ~20 - 30 minutes and the ferry departs on the hour… Enjoy!

A great option - thanks for sharing!

I totally agree with dexddd - Tortola is a gorgeous, lush island with beautiful bays and amazing island views from above. You will find various 3 and 4 hour shared island tours in safari taxis offered at very reasonable prices (~$25/pp). You can just talk to the drivers, or the nice ladies at the info center can help. The Baths on Virgin Gorda are a unique experience. But unless you have longer port times (e.g. 10+ hours) you would be stuck (literally) with your fellow cruisers. White Bay, Jost is another favorite excursion - great beach day with fun beach bars - but again, just not the same when you are rushed. You could just taxi to Brewers Bay to enjoy a beach that still has that old Caribbean vibe with one beach bar and shared rustic restrooms. Or to Cane Garden Bay where most of your fellow passengers will end up. And the cruise lines now offer excursions to Long Bay, Beef Island, another option… But I cannot recommend a shared tour enough, and I’d recommend one with a stop in CGB just to experience that bay. Several restaurants and bars, we’ve stayed at Myett’s and would recommend that for a drink and a bite. Or you can take a shorter tour and have a drink at Pusser’s Road Town Pub which is a short walk from the pier - your choice! ☺️

I was wondering more about the beach bar, I thought it had re-opened, thanks fl. There were some used loungers when we were there but it’s been awhile! I recommended HB for a relaxing beach, but yes if wanting to swim the north shore beaches are rougher…But our choice when ships are in! You’d need to find a driver who will drop you off after Magens and he/she may return but you may need to call.. But again the Secret Sands is probably your best choice…

I understand, and you may want to consider land vacations to less busy islands for that reason since you are part of that crowd…If you have not yet tried that? We cruised for years and then started taking land vacations, then spending our time in Mexico for 8 years in a home we built for retirement. We do not miss being part of that horde coming off the ship, but we do miss cruising and going off on our own. So we’re looking at some that are smaller and avoid the busiest cruise ports. But some of these destinations like Coz have just become so overrun…

Yes this is the one instance I would suggest the “Secret Sands” cruise line excursion to Lindqvist. Then you could hit Tickles on the return as MS411 suggested…

I would also not consider Honeymoon Beach on Water Island as that can be quite busy today, and the ferry can be a hassle. Lindbergh can be a good choice for a relaxing day (other than the jets), but again the late arrival… Are you in port until 7:30 or 8?

Yes I don’t know where Coz ranks with the other major ports like STT, SXM, and SJU, but it is certainly a contender for #1! If a nice beach is desired the west coast is it for sure… There was a private home years ago if I remember that offered a nice, all-inclusive experience without the crowds. Do you remember that, and is it still an option?

You definitely want to avoid Coki (very small, beach with several vendors and a very busy vibe), and Secret Harbor (you can rent lounges and umbrellas from AA Divers in advance, but you are the last to arrive and will be in a crowded, noisy spot). Our top beach recommendation is always Sapphire, but you are arriving late and on a typically busy day so it’s hard to recommend that perfect beach for your low-key relaxation - with those amenities. But Sapphire does have space to get a quieter spot away from the beach bar. We’ve not been to Hull Bay since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated these islands. That was our beach choice while staying on Sapphire when bigger ships were in port. Perhaps someone else can tell you the current situation there, i.e. lounges, restrooms. I thought the beach bar was open but I’m not sure. Worth looking into though, and the STT forum on TripAdvisor is also a good resource!

Actually even our old favorite from 20+ years ago, Playa Palancar, is crazy busy when ships are in, and that’s ~18 km from the Ultramar ferry…The island continues to get smaller and smaller, just like the 2 or 3 other busy Carib cruise ports. That was our oasis before the huge jump in cruise ship arrivals years ago… You can probably still get away from the crowds at places like the Bob Marley Bar, which is another favorite of ours, but instead of a gorgeous beach it’s a rocky shore. But still beautiful!

Yes we’re lucky living in the Riviera Maya as we can visit Coz when there are no or few ships in port. Otherwise it is crazy…

Sapphire has the amenities you would want, including some water toy rentals. The real difference between these two (other than Sapphire being one of the snorkeling beaches of choice) is the natural beauty of Sapphire with the amazing sapphire water colors and island views… We love staying at the Sapphire Beach Resort & Marina when on island, no place else like it that we’ve experienced in our travels! Check that out if you ever decide to return for a longer visit!

Gotchya…confusing when posts are removed…

I would suggest just taking a taxi on your own to Sapphire or Coki Beach. Normally I would never recommend Coki when ships are in port, but if you are the only ship, even if a huge ship, Coki will be crowded but probably not crazy busy in the water. Sapphire offers both a coral and seagrass area for snorkeling, you may see rays or turtles in the latter. Coki is a very small beach with vendors, while Sapphire has much more room and is home to 3 condo properties, a rental center, and has a beach bar and food. Taxis return to whisk you back, and you can hit Paradise Point then. That’s a perfect day for us! 😉

Aah, yes - sorry. Great!

I’m confused…What ferry company did you contact? aah, I looked at the Speedy’s and Smith’s and I see the Sunday RT/VG was dropped…That is a real surprise! Yes then unless you hire an expensive private charter and share the cost with someone on your roll call I’m not aware of another option from the pier area, sorry…

Yes…Where are you looking? Date and port times?

Aristocat, Kuralu, and Patouche offer itineraries that include an hour or two in White Bay, or you can hire them for a private trip if you have enough people (or just enough $$$). There are also private motorboat options that obviously get you there and back much faster. But your early and relatively short port time in the BVI doesn’t give you much of a nice day in White Bay… From STT you can take a water taxi like Dolphin Shuttle. Check their site for pricing for private or shared transfers…. https://www.dolphinshuttle.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiA76-dBhByEiwAA0_s9UoDxJ0eY22KVMeVsrDLXQwbVgW-OicLkG7ucxqfI0uGwdD39EKVbxoCiGkQAvD_BwE