Nothing planned...need help asap!

[SportsMomof4]

We will be in St. Thomas on 12/30/14 & have nothing planned. We are a group of 13 (9 teens) getting in at 1 pm with 3 ships in port already.

 

What can we do? We would love to do something with the water & beach. Nervous everything will be so crowded. What would be a good plan for us?

 

Completely dropped the ball on this port. Please help with ideas. Thank you!

[Ms411]

You can easily take a cab to any of the many beaches. Teens probably want a beach with lots of options, and Coki Beach offers jet skis, banana boat, paddle boards, drinks, food, lively music, snorkeling, etc.

 

It's a small beach, so it may be crowded until 2, but should thin out by then. Taxi s/b approximately $10 pp each way.

[PORT ROYAL]

We will be in St. Thomas on 12/30/14 & have nothing planned. We are a group of 13 (9 teens) getting in at 1 pm with 3 ships in port already.

 

What can we do? We would love to do something with the water & beach. Nervous everything will be so crowded. What would be a good plan for us?

 

Completely dropped the ball on this port. Please help with ideas. Thank you!

 

You are arriving late. Yes, everywhere will be packed. Best stay on ship after stocking up on duty frees.

 

For the future of your group, if you, friends and family wish to avoid the noisy cruise heards, may one suggest a day at Jost Van Dyke (take passport). There to spend the day in a hammock or on a sun lounger on a great beach, within easy reach of a bar.

If of interest, take a look at http://www.dolphinshuttle.com/destinations/day-trips-to-jost-van-dyke

 

Worth every $ - you look over and waive goodbye to St T and St J suffering from the crowds, while you chill. :)

[O2B@Cagain]

LOL, Port Royal. If someone wants to avoid noisy cruise herds, one should avoid going on cruises! Also, I'm not sure how long ago you were at White Bay, but it is pretty over run now.

 

I completely disagree with staying on the ship. Why on earth would you take a vacation to the Caribbean and then sit on the ship?

 

Water and beach: John Brewer's Bay and Hull Bay will be off the beaten path. I agree with Coki for fun, but also teenage fun at Honeymoon Bay, Water Island (if you are docked at Crown Bay) and Morning Star Beach and Bolongo (if you are at Havensight).

[PORT ROYAL]

LOL, Port Royal. If someone wants to avoid noisy cruise herds, one should avoid going on cruises! Also, I'm not sure how long ago you were at White Bay, but it is pretty over run now.

 

I completely disagree with staying on the ship. Why on earth would you take a vacation to the Caribbean and then sit on the ship?

 

Water and beach: John Brewer's Bay and Hull Bay will be off the beaten path. I agree with Coki for fun, but also teenage fun at Honeymoon Bay, Water Island (if you are docked at Crown Bay) and Morning Star Beach and Bolongo (if you are at Havensight).

 

I chose and pay to avoid the cruise herds, it is my choice. You may chose to indulge in building a colony, to be part of the noisy Herd. It is your choice.

 

Each person on the ship does what makes their vacation a joy. Your idea of joy may not be one I wish to be a part of.

 

The OP wil arrive at the ship at 13.00 hours, and could take an hour to gain access to a stateroom. In my opinion this give little time for a good trip to a beach, and stock up on Duty Free purchases before sailing.

[2PinaColadas]

We have spent 3 land vacations on St. Thomas and are going to be there again in March while on the Jewel. There is no way we would stay on the ship. St. Thomas has many pretty beaches, our favorite being Sapphire. As others have said, they will all be somewhat crowded until about 2 or so but 3 ships in port is not that bad. With that said-- Coki offers more water sports, Sapphire has the best snorkeling, Bolongo Bay has a fun beach bar/restaurant (Iggies), Morning Star and Emerald are closer to the ports, Magen's is a favorite among many, but will probably be the most crowded and Lindqvist has less spoiled, natural beauty with little amenities making it a great place to just relax. It really depends on what you are looking for.

 

 

Just FYI--Unfortunately White Bay at Jost Van Dyke is not the calm, peaceful beach it use to be. We were there in March and had to wait on chairs, stand in line forever for a drink and hammocks were out of the question. It is a real shame-- it is such a beautiful place but has become way too crowded.

[blue_water]

I chose and pay to avoid the cruise herds, it is my choice. You may chose to indulge in building a colony, to be part of the noisy Herd. It is your choice.

 

Each person on the ship does what makes their vacation a joy. Your idea of joy may not be one I wish to be a part of.

 

The OP wil arrive at the ship at 13.00 hours, and could take an hour to gain access to a stateroom. In my opinion this give little time for a good trip to a beach, and stock up on Duty Free purchases before sailing.

 

No need to hide on the ship, and a day trip to Jost and White Bay is not a viable option unless money is no object. And yes, it's much busier there now, exp on weekends. :rolleyes:

 

Agree with O2B, for a beach there are a few options that are less crowded like Brewer's Bay and even Hull Bay, both great options for you. Our choice would actually be Cowpet Bay (Elysian Beach) which offers some amenities and a great restaurant and very few cruisers if any would be there, primarily a condo beach. And 13 ppl is a lot to manage on an excursion so it would be better to split up into 2 groups.

 

There are private operators with great day sails but most have a 6 pax max. But if interested in trying to line up something they can be found under daysails or charters at vinow dot com.

 

[EDIT] -

You can also go to Sapphire Beach and probably enjoy a very nice day there with so few ships in port. Gorgeous beach with natural shade and if you don;t need a chair you can just lay your towel under a shade tree, very cheap. Taxi is $10pp each way unless you can work with a taxi driver on an hourly rate for both transfers...

Edited December 8, 2014 by blue_water

[twolittlebirds]

We have spent 3 land vacations on St. Thomas and are going to be there again in March while on the Jewel. There is no way we would stay on the ship. St. Thomas has many pretty beaches, our favorite being Sapphire. As others have said, they will all be somewhat crowded until about 2 or so but 3 ships in port is not that bad. With that said-- Coki offers more water sports, Sapphire has the best snorkeling, Bolongo Bay has a fun beach bar/restaurant (Iggies), Morning Star and Emerald are closer to the ports, Magen's is a favorite among many, but will probably be the most crowded and Lindqvist has less spoiled, natural beauty with little amenities making it a great place to just relax. It really depends on what you are looking for.

 

 

Just FYI--Unfortunately White Bay at Jost Van Dyke is not the calm, peaceful beach it use to be. We were there in March and had to wait on chairs, stand in line forever for a drink and hammocks were out of the question. It is a real shame-- it is such a beautiful place but has become way too crowded.

 

Very helpful, thank you!

[OCruisers]

You can easily take a cab to any of the many beaches. Teens probably want a beach with lots of options, and Coki Beach offers jet skis, banana boat, paddle boards, drinks, food, lively music, snorkeling, etc.

 

It's a small beach, so it may be crowded until 2, but should thin out by then. Taxi s/b approximately $10 pp each way.

 

This would be my suggestion as well!

Absolutely get off the ship, go, and have a great time! :D

It would be a shame to miss going to the beach and having fun in St. Thomas!

LuLu

[blue_water]

Just a followup for Sportsmom -

Sapphire is our favorite beach to stay on because your patio or balcony is right on the beach and the waves lull you to sleep at night and Red Hook is nearby for evenings. But it is also a gorgeous beach for a day visit with lots of character and nice island views and a quieter vibe with the 3 condo properties there.

 

All of the popular beaches including Sapphire can get busy depending on the day, and Coki will surely be much busier with a much more lively crowd. But Coki is arguably the nicest beach on STT. Magens is very popular and in our opinion isn't quite as nice as the East End beaches but is a nice bay (looks gorgeous from Drakes Seat and Mountaintop, though). Lindqvist (now Smith's Bay Park) is not the laid back, quiet beach it once was.

 

A great alternative for someone looking for a nice quiet beach that offers snorkeling and food and drink is Cowpet Bay or Elysian Beach. Just taxi to the Elysian condo property, very few if any cruisers there. You can call a taxi for the return, or more likely have the driver return as he/she will probably also drop others off at nearby Secret Harbor.

 

Folks have posted their experiences and opinions in this thread, it's gotten a little long but the first several pages provide descriptions that are helpful in choosing a beach for the day or for just a couple hours.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1993432

 

Jost for the day is doable if your time in port allows, there's a shuttle and private operators that make that run. Foxy's in Great Harbor is a fun spot to relax when Foxy is spinning his stories. And even though White Bay has increased in popularity and gets busier on weekends (and more folks are traveling today) you can get away from the crowd at the commercialized Soggy $ Bar and enjoy other spots. Ivan's is off the beaten path, and Foxy's son Seddy at his One Love Bar is fun with his card and magic tricks. But if considering a visit to Jost, plan a land vacation to Tortola and experience the islands of the BVI the right way. You can split your time with STT and experience the difference between the BVI and USVI.

Just a thought!

Edited December 11, 2014 by blue_water

[SportsMomof4]

Thank you for all the responses. Been so busy getting ready for Christmas & the cruise that I haven't been back on. I will read all the ideas & ask any questions if needed. Thank you!

[SportsMomof4]

LOL, Port Royal. If someone wants to avoid noisy cruise herds, one should avoid going on cruises! Also, I'm not sure how long ago you were at White Bay, but it is pretty over run now.

 

I completely disagree with staying on the ship. Why on earth would you take a vacation to the Caribbean and then sit on the ship?

 

Water and beach: John Brewer's Bay and Hull Bay will be off the beaten path. I agree with Coki for fun, but also teenage fun at Honeymoon Bay, Water Island (if you are docked at Crown Bay) and Morning Star Beach and Bolongo (if you are at Havensight).

 

I agree. Definitely not staying on the ship. Just reading ideas now.

[SportsMomof4]

Just a followup for Sportsmom -

Sapphire is our favorite beach to stay on because your patio or balcony is right on the beach and the waves lull you to sleep at night and Red Hook is nearby for evenings. But it is also a gorgeous beach for a day visit with lots of character and nice island views and a quieter vibe with the 3 condo properties there.

 

All of the popular beaches including Sapphire can get busy depending on the day, and Coki will surely be much busier with a much more lively crowd. But Coki is arguably the nicest beach on STT. Magens is very popular and in our opinion isn't quite as nice as the East End beaches but is a nice bay (looks gorgeous from Drakes Seat and Mountaintop, though). Lindqvist (now Smith's Bay Park) is not the laid back, quiet beach it once was.

 

A great alternative for someone looking for a nice quiet beach that offers snorkeling and food and drink is Cowpet Bay or Elysian Beach. Just taxi to the Elysian condo property, very few if any cruisers there. You can call a taxi for the return, or more likely have the driver return as he/she will probably also drop others off at nearby Secret Harbor.

 

Folks have posted their experiences and opinions in this thread, it's gotten a little long but the first several pages provide descriptions that are helpful in choosing a beach for the day or for just a couple hours.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1993432

 

Jost for the day is doable if your time in port allows, there's a shuttle and private operators that make that run. Foxy's in Great Harbor is a fun spot to relax when Foxy is spinning his stories. And even though White Bay has increased in popularity and gets busier on weekends (and more folks are traveling today) you can get away from the crowd at the commercialized Soggy $ Bar and enjoy other spots. Ivan's is off the beaten path, and Foxy's son Seddy at his One Love Bar is fun with his card and magic tricks. But if considering a visit to Jost, plan a land vacation to Tortola and experience the islands of the BVI the right way. You can split your time with STT and experience the difference between the BVI and USVI.

Just a thought!

 

Thanks Blue Water. I think Coki is the best option for us & 9 teens!!

[blue_water]

Thanks Blue Water. I think Coki is the best option for us & 9 teens!!

 

I agree, she has it all and the teens won't be bored.

Two of the other 3 ships arrive at 8 and one at 10, and they leave at 5, 5:45, and 7 while you leave at 8. So Coki will probably be quite busy when you arrive but she will start clearing out later. Gorgeous beach and a fun spot for the teens.

 

Have a great cruise!