Beware RCI Self Explore St. John

[erniesband]

We were on Jewel and had booked the Royal Caribbean Self Explore St. John tour.

You will not get the time on St John that is advertised!

The excursion met on the dock at 9:45 AM , we were lined up with groups doing the St John National Park Tour ( 4 hours) and St. John Ultimate Island & Nat'l Park Beaches (3:30 hours). We arrived at the dock in St John at 11AM and were told to return to the ferry at 2:45. Giving us 3 hours 45 minutes on St John. Not the advertised 6.5 hours.

The overall excursion time when we booked it was advertised as over 6.5 hours on St John, when we talked to the shore excursions manager on board he tried to tell us that the 6.5 hours was total time of the excursion not 6.5 on St John as shown online when we booked it. Still, leaving at 10AM and returning to the dock in St Thomas at 3:45 is still short.

You are better off doing it on your own by going to Red Hook and using the ferries there. You can set your own schedule that way.

 

I've looked at the description of the tour that is currently on the RCI website and it now shows only 1 hour duration so once again RCI's accuracy is questionable at the least.

[Ms411]

Thanks for the heads up. I always thought the times posted for cruise sponsored tours was the total amount of time allocated for the tour including transportation to and from.

 

3.5 hours is not much time especially when you have to take a taxi to get to the beach and wait for that taxi to fill up. That could cut your beach time by another 30 minutes or so.

[janetz]

We did that tour and did realize before hand, that was the 'total" excursion time with transportation included. :) We did have a good time but I would not do it again because of the late arrival to St.John

[mitsugirly]

You will find that this is the case with most tour excursions with the cruise lines. When it list the hours, that's from start to finish and includes your ride there and back as well. ;)

[SeaBaby]

The duration shown for RCI's excursions includes the transportation to get there and back. A long boat, ferry or bus ride can really cut into the time you have when you get there. It would be helpful if they indicated the approximate transportation time, e.g. 6-1/2 hour tour sounds great but if 3 hours is spent getting there and back, it changes the appeal of the tour. I try to do a lot of research beforehand to get an idea of how long it takes to get there before booking an excursion.

[erniesband]

My point is that you don't get the amount of time advertised on the website. I've been around the block a few times folks, I know that the overall time includes transportation. This excursion is advertised as 4 1/2 hours on St John 6 1/2 hours total time. We did not get that. Any way you add it up we were short by 1 hour. That's not what we paid for.

All I wanted to do was let others know what happened and they can use that information to make their own decision.

[zqvol]

I don't know of any ship excursion that lists or promises time at a certain destination. The time listed is ALWAYS the total time for the tour including transportation to the site. With the distances to St. John, having 3.5 hours there is really more than I would expect.

 

The real truth is that unless you want to go to Trunk Bay, or wander deep into the National Park 3.5 hours is more than enough time to visit Cruz Bay.

 

I would encourage people who are not willing to go on their own but want to see St. John to book a tour like this no matter how much time you have there.

Edited February 14, 2015 by zqvol

[monicajay]

I get what the OP is trying to say and I have to agree that when I did this excursion I also noticed that it was a bit shorter than advertised. Ours left at 10 AM and was back at the ship around 3h40 so about 50 minutes shorter than the 6.5 hours advertised.

 

I remember thinking I would have enjoyed the extra 50 minutes at the beach.

 

They did have very good rum punch on the return trip and I still had a wonderful day.

 

I plan on going on my own next time (which I had planned last time too and only booked the excursion when my husband was feeling sick and decided not to join me).

[erniesband]

I get what the OP is trying to say and I have to agree that when I did this excursion I also noticed that it was a bit shorter than advertised. Ours left at 10 AM and was back at the ship around 3h40 so about 50 minutes shorter than the 6.5 hours advertised.

 

I remember thinking I would have enjoyed the extra 50 minutes at the beach.

 

They did have very good rum punch on the return trip and I still had a wonderful day.

 

I plan on going on my own next time (which I had planned last time too and only booked the excursion when my husband was feeling sick and decided not to join me).

 

Thank You , finally someone who understands the point I was trying to get across.

[soccer2010]

All's good ernie and it's going to get better as Johnny Football is comin back.

[erniesband]

All's good ernie and it's going to get better as Johnny Football is comin back.

 

I can do without the sarcasm. :rolleyes::roll eyes: Like the Bungles are any better:eek:

Johnny can go suck an egg for all I care, Conor Shaw is the answer! ;)

[Natmom]

Thanks for the heads up :)

[snorkelphile]

I would just point out that this is still a great value and way more convenient than the alternative. We have taxied/ferried/taxied to St John beaches many time when in port on a cruise ship. The cost of just the transportation to the beach is has been $100 for the two of us AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT INCLUDES NO RUM PUNCH!

Because of the ferry schedule, and the unpredicatability of the traffic, we end up getting the 3:00 ferry back to be safe anyway. And not being early risers, we have usually ended up on the 11:00 ferry over. We have always found this to be enough time.

 

So even though there is false advertising, WE'RE IN!

[Natmom]

I would just point out that this is still a great value and way more convenient than the alternative. We have taxied/ferried/taxied to St John beaches many time when in port on a cruise ship. The cost of just the transportation to the beach is has been $100 for the two of us AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT INCLUDES NO RUM PUNCH!

Because of the ferry schedule, and the unpredicatability of the traffic, we end up getting the 3:00 ferry back to be safe anyway. And not being early risers, we have usually ended up on the 11:00 ferry over. We have always found this to be enough time.

 

So even though there is false advertising, WE'RE IN!

 

we are too. I'm glad to know it might not be all I thought but I'd still rather do the ships excursion for this one

 

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[monicajay]

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT INCLUDES NO RUM PUNCH!

 

I will add that it was excellent RUM PUNCH and they served me more than one :p!

 

Being an early riser we are going to go on our own this time and will aim for the 9 AM ferry.

 

Despite the shortened trip time it was still a good deal, I'd take it again if they left earlier.