HONEYMOONERS09 Posted January 10, 2009 #1 Share Posted January 10, 2009 We will be going on our first cruise on March 15th on the Crown Princess to the Eastern Caribbean. I have been reading a lot about our ship and our ports of call, but the more I read the more confused I seem to be getting about whether or not to spend our day in St. Thomas or take a boat over and spend the day in St. John. Is it possible to do both? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis Posted January 10, 2009 #2 Share Posted January 10, 2009 hard to do both, since you need to arrange your time around ferry times over and back, and spend some time over there. Just make sure of the times, since the ship will not wait for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satxdiver Posted January 10, 2009 #3 Share Posted January 10, 2009 As the previous poster stated, it is not practical to do both. I was there the end of September. I rented a jeep in St Thomas and drove it around the island stopping at interesting stops. The rental was outside the cruise ship pier which made it very convenient. The only problem is that although the USVI are part of the USA, they drive on the left side. It was not too much of a problem as there are literally signs everywhere and arrows painted on the pavement. I gather they have had a problem with people wanting to drive on the right side of the road. The port area had a lot of little shops to relieve you of your money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob & Beckys mom Posted January 10, 2009 #4 Share Posted January 10, 2009 We will be going on our first cruise on March 15th on the Crown Princess to the Eastern Caribbean. I have been reading a lot about our ship and our ports of call, but the more I read the more confused I seem to be getting about whether or not to spend our day in St. Thomas or take a boat over and spend the day in St. John. Is it possible to do both? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! St Thomas is a very busy shopping area, one shop after another of jewelry etc. Get out and go to St. John and have a peaceful day in the sun. The tours are nice, but take up almost all your time in port. Just my thoughts, but the town is just to crowded for my taste. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinCruiserMom Posted January 10, 2009 #5 Share Posted January 10, 2009 We will be going on our first cruise on March 15th on the Crown Princess to the Eastern Caribbean. I have been reading a lot about our ship and our ports of call, but the more I read the more confused I seem to be getting about whether or not to spend our day in St. Thomas or take a boat over and spend the day in St. John. Is it possible to do both? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Since it is your first time on St. Thomas, I would stay on that island and do a tour. There are some absolutely beautiful views to be seen in St. Thomas! It is such a pretty island and not only do you see a lot of things on a tour, but you also learn about the island as well. We have been with two different tour guides, both Godfrey and Air Force 1 and they are great. If you go over to the St. Thomas port of call section on Cruise Critic, you will read tons of reviews about the different tours offered. Here is the link to the St. Thomas board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=133 If you want to shop, tour the island and spend time at the beach I would use Godfrey. For a tour of the island and a longer time at the beach, I would use Air Force 1. They both cost only $25 per person. Have a great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HONEYMOONERS09 Posted January 10, 2009 Author #6 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I wanted to know if there are any good snorkeling spots on st thomas? we are not big shoppers and would prefer the beach to anything else...I've heard Magen's Bay is a beautiful beach and we could always hang out there, but would like to get in some snorkeling if possible. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjack22 Posted January 10, 2009 #7 Share Posted January 10, 2009 If you are into snorkeling, Sapphire Beach on St. Thomas is good and it is a beautiful beach and not as crowded as Magen's. On our first visit to St. Thomas we took the ferry over to St. Johns to Trunk Bay. We were glad that we did. Beautiful beach and very good snorkeling as well. I would go to St. Johns. And in the process of getting to the ferry you will see a lot of the island anyway. You can always see St. Thomas another time as most of the Eastern and Southern cruises seem to stop there. The second time I was there I took Sunny Liston's tour which also included beach time on Sapphire Beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinCruiserMom Posted January 10, 2009 #8 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I wanted to know if there are any good snorkeling spots on st thomas? we are not big shoppers and would prefer the beach to anything else...I've heard Magen's Bay is a beautiful beach and we could always hang out there, but would like to get in some snorkeling if possible. Thanks! Magen's Bay does not have good snorkeling from what I have heard. Very sandy bottom and gentle waves is how it is usually described. We have only been to Sapphire (twice) and my son and DH think it has pretty good snorkeling there. Coki Beach is the beach everyone talks about for amazing snorkeling. We are going again in March to St. Thomas on the Crown and I think I will take my sons to Coki. On Air Force 1's website, under Coki Beach he has a video of the fish at Coki: http://www.havefunwithus.net/package8.html Papa Bear (the tour director - he is a really great guy and everyone in my family enjoyed him immensely) is feeding the fish something and they are just swarming around. The video also shows a little of Coki and it looks beautiful. It all depends on how many ships are in port on the day you dock though as Coki is a smaller beach and can get very crowded. The Crown docks from 7a - 4p which is a much earlier departure time than we have had in the past (6pm both other times) That is one reason I did not recommend St. Johns as there is the worry about not making it back to the ship on time. :eek: You will have to be back onboard one hour prior to sailing or 3pm. If you aren't into shopping, then I would do Air Force 1's #1 tour which picks you up at the ship around 9:30am and takes you on a picturesque tour for about 90 mins and then takes you to the beach of your choice (Sapphire, Coki or Magen's I think) Papa Bear will make sure you are all set and then will be back to pick you up at the time you specify. Or you could just do the beach transfer listed on the Coki page above. The tour operators are very careful to get you back to the ship on time. Since it is your first time on the island, I would suggest setting up something with one of the tour guys as you will be able to relax and know they will get you back on time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serene56 Posted January 10, 2009 #9 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Since it is your first time on St. Thomas, I would stay on that island and do a tour. There are some absolutely beautiful views to be seen in St. Thomas! It is such a pretty island and not only do you see a lot of things on a tour, but you also learn about the island as well. We have been with two different tour guides, both Godfrey and Air Force 1 and they are great.! I agree- Its your first time-- so get to know St Thomas-- Im sure there will be a next time to do St Johns. St Johns is scheduled around Ferrys. Unless you do a tour with the ship this is one I would miss for a first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadiancruisers11 Posted January 10, 2009 #10 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Hey There, We were married in St. Thomas, loved Coki for snorkel...Went to St. John's for the day and rented a jeep...Drove all over the island and stopped at all the cool beaches, even the ones off the beaten path...First time, I would stay in St. Thomas, lot of great things to see and then when you return (and you will) take the ferry to St. Johns and rent the jeep...Good Luck and have a great time, it's our favourite island Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlvlaw Posted January 10, 2009 #11 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Our first Caribbean cruise, we ferried to St. John and really enjoyed the peace and tranquility on the island. It's much less developed. Our second Caribbean cruise we spent time on St. Thomas. As noted above, it's much busier and the shopping is there. It's all a matter of what you want to do. With the time lost ferrying to and fro, I think it might be challenging to get both in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaTrailer Posted January 10, 2009 #12 Share Posted January 10, 2009 First, be assured that either way you go you cannot go wrong! They are both beautiful places. Since this is your very first visit I would tend to agree with the folks that suggest staying on St Thomas. Yes, the main street shopping area gets very crowded but we find it fun just to roam around and pick up a bobble or something. You then have plenty of time to get to a beach. We really like Sapphire but again you have several great choices. If you just want to chill out, don't like shopping, crowds, etc then St John is the way to go. For a first timer it may appear daunting to get there (do it on your own not a ship's excursion) but really quite easy. Take a taxi to Red Hook (plan 30 - 45 minute ride depending on traffic); take ferry to St John; then pick up open air taxi to whichever beach you choose. Trunk Bay is by far the most popular but if there are a lot of cruise ships in port tends to get crowded. We enjoy Cinnamon Bay. For some great information check out http://www.stthomasthisweek.com Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HONEYMOONERS09 Posted January 10, 2009 Author #13 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Thanks everyone for the great responses!! I'm sure we will have a great time no matter what we decide! Thanks for the snorkeling advice, our plan is to try to get as much beach time as possible on this trip! 64 days and counting!! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasetf Posted January 11, 2009 #14 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I wanted to know if there are any good snorkeling spots on st thomas? we are not big shoppers and would prefer the beach to anything else...I've heard Magen's Bay is a beautiful beach and we could always hang out there, but would like to get in some snorkeling if possible. Thanks! My recommendation is St Johns / Trunk Bay. The snorkeling is some of the best in the Caribbean and the trip over and back is beautiful. The best is right around the island in the bay. It is a pretty full day's adventure. Here is a picture of Trunk Bay to whet your appetite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yes We Can Posted February 6, 2010 #15 Share Posted February 6, 2010 I would say that Coki Beach has the best snorkeling on St. Thomas. I wanted to know if there are any good snorkeling spots on st thomas? we are not big shoppers and would prefer the beach to anything else...I've heard Magen's Bay is a beautiful beach and we could always hang out there, but would like to get in some snorkeling if possible. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4canucks Posted February 6, 2010 #16 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Been to St. Thomas 3 times. Last winter ventured to St. John for the first time and it was well worth the tour and the change of pace and snokeling. I would suggest exploring St. T the first time so you do not feel rushed and you have an opportunity to see it. St. T is a beautiful spot and offers many great beaches..Sapphire was my fav as the other poster suggested and not to far off the beaten path...esay to get to via open air bus. quaint spot for snorkeling and time to hit the hustle bustle of the town for shopping after. Just book another cruise for next winter and check out St. John then. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dgonza Posted February 6, 2010 #17 Share Posted February 6, 2010 I agree!! First time to St Thomas, check out the sites and sounds of the island. I have been to St Thomas twice and have enjoyed it. We are not big shoppers. The first time we went diving at coki beach and it was pretty nice. The second time we toured with Sunny Liston tours and were able to see the sites and views, and had our choice to be dropped off at Magens, Sapphire, or Coki. We opted for Sapphire since we had been to Coki Previously. I like Coki Beach better than Sapphire. I will be making my 3rd trip to St Thomas next year and I will finally be going over to St John for the first time. We will be getting married on St John at Honeymoon beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinggranmama Posted February 6, 2010 #18 Share Posted February 6, 2010 We've been to both islands several times and much prefer the snorkeling and beaches on St. John. As stated before, Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay are both great snorkels with wonderful beaches too and you can drive there if you rent a Jeep. If you go to St. John, stop at Mongoose Junction near the docks for a drink and those souvenirs you missed on St. Thomas. Have a great cruise. Diana:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterbugohio Posted February 6, 2010 #19 Share Posted February 6, 2010 We have stopped at St Thomas twice. The first time we did St Johns and loved it. As far as doing both, we got an early start and did the first ferry to St Johns. Spent about 3 hrs on the beach at Trunk Bay, beautiful!!! Then we went up into town at Cruz Bay and had lunch about 1:00, took the ferry back to St Thomas and had enough time to go up Paradise Point and take a few photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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