Docking-St.Thomas

[jamon]

We are going on the CB in Nov/07 and was wondering where does it usually dock in St. Thomas...at the main pier near town or the newer pier farther out?Is there any shopping at the newer pier? Is it closer to Red Hook if we wanted to take the ferry to St. John's? I know that docking is always subject to change but was curious as to what has been the recent trend> Thanks

[gatour]

CB docks at the Crown Bay (the newer pier).

[cdnguy]

All Princess ships now dock at Crown Bay, about 2 miles west of the main dock at Havesight.

From what I've heard, there's a couple of shops now open at Crown Bay. Last Oct. all the shops were still closed.

 

Red Hook is at the far eastern end of St. Thomas. That would be further than from Havensight. I believe there are ferries running from Havensight. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

[Boytjie]

We were there in February; there are a few shops open at Crown Bay but nothing too exciting. It was a short cab ride into town and I don't recall any ferries leaving from Crown Bay.

[aarep]

Princess docks at Crown Bay which is at the opposite end of town than Havensight and is on the road to the airport. Taxi fare into town is only 4.00 per person. Actually walking distance but in a busy industrial type area. There are only a few shops like Diamond International open and maybe a couple of stalls with souvenir stuff. However there is a grocery market outside of the gates to the pier about 3 or 4 blocks away on the way to town. It was very disappointing to dock there as it is nothing like Havensight.

[phillipahain]

Crown Bay is a joke and the only ones laughing are Princess with 10 years of free docking

 

"taxi is only $4" multiply that both ways for 4 in a famiy and its not actually cheap

 

If Princess dock in out of the way crummy locations they should provide a free shuttle service into town

[cbpanda]

Crown Bay wasn't that bad. True, not much is open yet, but it seemed like it will be a nice port once everything moves in.

 

But... I agree with the taxi fare being expensive when you multiply it by party members. We were a party of six going to Red Hook at $11 per person X 6 people X roundtrip = $132 in taxi fare alone

[bugsy1968]

I have to say I was very unimpressed when I found out we were docking at Crown Bay. I have only been to ST. Thomas once, but based our activities/day there on the fact that we were going to be docking at Havensight. What upsets me about this is that if you look at all of the pretty brochures, the princess ship(s) are lined up nicely at Havensight.

 

It's not a big deal, and will in no way ruin my long awaited cruise to paradise :D , but kind of feels a bit like misleading advertising. If the change was recent, they could have sent out a message to advise of this change.

[jamon]

Thanks everyone for your replies...Now, does anyone know whether the local bus/open air van runs from Crown Point? We are thinking of going to Sapphire beach, which of course is on the other side of St. Thomas...The van/bus I am referring to is run by the city...Thanks

[cruzzers]

I think we are an exception to the norm because we actually loved docking in Crown Bay. It is in the middle of nowhere but that meant no traffic, no crowds, and a really nice little marina right there. The shops will soon open and all the shoppers will be happy to have the pier so close. Looking forward to our stop again this year at Crown Bay.

[Boytjie]

I think we are an exception to the norm because we actually loved docking in Crown Bay. It is in the middle of nowhere but that meant no traffic, no crowds, and a really nice little marina right there. The shops will soon open and all the shoppers will be happy to have the pier so close. Looking forward to our stop again this year at Crown Bay.

 

I also did not mind it at Crwon bay, there were enough cabs going back and forth anyway. Then again, I never docked in Havensicht.

[Clarkk W Griswald]

Thanks everyone for your replies...Now, does anyone know whether the local bus/open air van runs from Crown Point? We are thinking of going to Sapphire beach, which of course is on the other side of St. Thomas...The van/bus I am referring to is run by the city...Thanks

 

Yes, you can get to Sapphire beach from Crown Bay, but good luck. We were on the CB in February, and got off the ship and went right to the taxi stand to get in line to get a cab to Sapphire beach. By the way, it will cost $11 pp each way to get to Sapphire beach. So when we get to the front of the line and tell the guy we want to go to Sapphire, and he tells us that Sapphire beach is closed, that there is nothing open there, and that we won't be able to get a taxi back to Crown Bay from there. We insist on going anyway and find another couple in line who also wants to go. So the guy pulls us out of line and puts us in a mini van and tells us to wait, he needs to find more people going there. After waiting over 45 minutes, we get out of the van and demand him to find us a driver. He finally gets us a driver, but he isn't happy that he couldn't convince us to go somewhere closer. After we get a driver, we realize that the taxi's want to make the quick trips back and forth to town (@ $4 pp) in the big open air taxi's which hold more people. We got to Sapphire beach, it wasn't closed, and there were plenty of taxi's waiting to take us back. This was our experience and we weren't happy about it and even went and talked to the Princess Circle rep about it. (Not that we wanted anything, we just wanted the situation to be brought to their attention) She said that she understood our disappointment in the situation, and had many other complaints, but that's the way it is with the taxi driver's and there is nothing they can do about it. The taxi's can make more money on the short, quick, trips to town than they can on the longer trips across the island. We made a lengthy statement on the comment card at the end of our cruise, but of course, it's now July, and that has never been acknowledged by Princess.

[Boytjie]

But the taxi's have nothing to do with Princess, other than they would like to have plentiful cabs available for cruise passengers; they don't have any sway over the taxis. I am not sure what kind of response you expect to get from the cruise line.

[lumpkin]

Are there any beaches that are in walking distance from this dock?

[RI_Cruiser]

But the taxi's have nothing to do with Princess, other than they would like to have plentiful cabs available for cruise passengers; they don't have any sway over the taxis. I am not sure what kind of response you expect to get from the cruise line.

 

Although I doubt he will get a response, I think the cruise line has a lot of influence with these types of issues.

Princess wants to ensure their customers have a good experience on the ship and on the island they bring passengers. The islands want the passengers and the $ they bring. If the cruise ships don't have some level of influence on the island to ensure their customers have a 'good experience' then they really need to negotiate better as they provide a whole lot to those economies they bring passengers.

[Clarkk W Griswald]

But the taxi's have nothing to do with Princess, other than they would like to have plentiful cabs available for cruise passengers; they don't have any sway over the taxis. I am not sure what kind of response you expect to get from the cruise line.

 

Since Princess doesn't seem to care how their passengers are treated at the pier where they have signed a 10 year contract, this passenger has decided to cruise to St Thomas on another cruiseline. I will not go back to St Thomas on any Princess ship, as Crown Bay is not a pier I care to return to.

[sackman]

From looking at a map, it appears that Crown Bay is actually closer to downtown than Havensight. I'm actually looking forward to the change of scenery and I'll probably just walk to town. I never really liked the shops at Havensight anyway and always thought that the port there was just a little too far to walk.

[doodlesmommy]

I think you'll need a cab to get to the beach. Unless you don't mind the walk. We ended up on a beach fairly close - a 3 or 4 minute ride. But it was off a main road and near the airport - I suggest the cab.

 

As for the pier, I thought it was nice. It is new and very clean. No there were not alot of shops - a few kiosks - but the open cabs will take you anywhere you want to go.

[beachgirl2221]

The only thing I'll miss about docking at Havensight is after going to the beach in the morning it was nice to return to the ship, grab some lunch, then walk out and over to the tram at Paradise Point. We would go up, get a drink and enjoy the view. Then if we needed or wanted anything from the shops we could grab it on the walk back. Now at Crown bay we'll have to forgo that.

[m steve]

first, passengers second. Princess could have demanded more stores there but that would be less for them to sell on the ship. How does DI get space there first and local merchants have to go thru hoops to open a store?

[djandnic]

Crown Bay is a joke and the only ones laughing are Princess with 10 years of free docking

 

"taxi is only $4" multiply that both ways for 4 in a famiy and its not actually cheap

 

If Princess dock in out of the way crummy locations they should provide a free shuttle service into town

 

Well said, I couldn't agree more!!!!

 

We will not sail on Princess on routes that stop at St. Thomas. It's not the taxi charge, it's the time to get a taxi if you're going anywhere except Havensight or town. All taxi's want to make the quick money by loading 15 people in a truck and driving them a few miles for $4 a piece. They can make $60 for a 5 minute ride, versus $22 for an hour drive to one of the beaches.

 

In February we waited 90 minutes to get a taxi to go to Sapphire Beach, and were told a whole buch of lies about the beach and getting back. When we explained all this to Princess employees, they could have cared less.

 

So that's the end for us. I know the cruise line we're now using stops at Havensight, and acutally cares about their pasengers!!

 

So anyone sailing Princee and stopping at St. Thomas, have fun!!!

[sackman]

You people act as though the cruise line is out to get you. And what's all this "Princess should have demanded more shops at Crown Bay" stuff? Like they have any control over that? Havensight can hold a maximum of three ships. Has it ever occurred to any of you that perhaps docking at Crown Bay is a means to allow people to go to St. Thomas at all?

 

Buncha spoiled children. :mad:

[pablo222]

This was our experience and we weren't happy about it and even went and talked to the Princess Circle rep about it. (Not that we wanted

Why?

 

What could he/she possibly have to do with the way cabs

are loaded in a port?

 

A friend of mine is a CC hostess. I've noticed that she gets

random questions/complaints, as her line is often the shortest.

[Clarkk W Griswald]

Why?

 

What could he/she possibly have to do with the way cabs

are loaded in a port?

 

A friend of mine is a CC hostess. I've noticed that she gets

random questions/complaints, as her line is often the shortest.

 

Why, you ask? Don't you think cruiselines want to hear how their passengers are treated is each of the ports it visits? If passengers are treated like crap, the cruiselines bring enough revenue to these places to be able to make changes. But hey, it's all good for me..I've made my own changes. I won't sail to St Thomas on another Princess ship. Enough other cruiselines go there that I won't have to deal with it again at Crown Bay. I know Princess losing out on my business won't hurt them in the least, but if enough people were to do the same, who knows? Do you think they might makes some changes then? Would they even care?

[djandnic]

You people act as though the cruise line is out to get you. And what's all this "Princess should have demanded more shops at Crown Bay" stuff? Like they have any control over that? Havensight can hold a maximum of three ships. Has it ever occurred to any of you that perhaps docking at Crown Bay is a means to allow people to go to St. Thomas at all?

 

Buncha spoiled children. :mad:

 

Voicing displeasure, and provide experiences people have experienced is not acting like spoiled children, but reacting as you have to views not shared by you, is.

 

We are all free to make our own choices, and we should use this forum to express opinions and thoughts. What you do with that is totally up to you, but if we are all expected to have the same thoughts, views, and preferences, then why have this web sight?

:confused:

 

I would never take any single point or comment as an absolute, but given enough of the same comments, it would make me think there was some truth to the condition or situation.

 

I think there has been an overwhelming view that Crown Bay is not up to the 'standard' of Havensight, and maybe it will be over time. The point is currently, Princess has disregarded their passengers port experience for a favorable monetary gain. That is, afterall, what a business needs to decide every day, when can it make more money without losing business.

 

In this case, I have chosen to take my business elsewhere, until they address the issue. If they don't I'm more than happy to support another cruiseline.

 

My business, in and of itself, will mean nothing to Princess, but as other business can attest to that are no longer in business, when enough people feel the same way, the company will need to address the root cause for the decline in revenue, or face going out of business.