Megans Bay or Trunk Bay in St. Thomas? Opinions?

[KKB]

I just read a report about doing a St. Thomas beach on your own (or original plan--w/ 3 kids, 10-5). It has me a bit concerned about using public transportation (especially w/ the kids)
SO I was looking at beach excursions. Megans Bay and Trunk Bay are available.
Has anyone done either of these beach excursions? Just wanna lay at the beach and play in the water. Megans Bay involves travel by land, and Trunk Bay involves travel by water (my preference).
Just looking for some of you opinions!
Thanks,
Kris
Only 23 days to go.....!

 

[jel0511]

Actually to get to Trunk, you have to travel by car, then ferry and then car again. Trunk is located on St. John and the ferry leaves from Red Hook, the otherside of ST. Thomas. If you leave on the ferry that leaves from Charlotte AMalie (where the ship docks), you're in for a rougher ride. Though I don't know what DCL does in far for their transport if on their excursion. Why are you concerned about public transport on the USVI? There are taxi's available to get you to/from the beach, not really public transport. I travel frequently to the USVI and wouldn't hesitate using a taxi.

 

[mommasita]

We have done Megan's Bay twice on our own..WOuld love to go to St. John, but the distance and time to get there and back does not make me feel comfortable..We have done it with 5 children ranging in ages of 2-9 and feel very comfortable..We save lots of money and can come and go as we please.....We absolutely love Megan's Bay..

 

[KKB]

Mommasita--did you just take a taxi to Megans Bay?
In rereading the post, the ship had docked opposite where it usually does, and there were buses to transport, and the poster was concerned about the safety of the driving.
We took a taxi in Cozumel (no kids), and were not worried at all, which is why we were just planning on taking a cab to the beach in St. Thomas.
Thanks
Kris

 

[mommasita]

Mommasita--did you just take a taxi to Megans Bay?
In rereading the post, the ship had docked opposite where it usually does, and there were buses to transport, and the poster was concerned about the safety of the driving.
We took a taxi in Cozumel (no kids), and were not worried at all, which is why we were just planning on taking a cab to the beach in St. Thomas.
Thanks
Kris

Hi, yes we took a taxi, and there are TONS of them to bring you back..Probably only took 10-15 min to get there....Went very very well..

 

[goofydadeo]

We own timeshare week at the Westin Resort on St. John and just came back from our second trip this year. Having done both Magens and Trunk Bay multiple times I would recommend St. John. After all it is part of the USVI National Park, the only one with an underwater snorkeling trail (with lifeguards - so it's great for kids in the 5-10 range) and yes you can rent the snorkel gear in the park!

It will take you about an hour each way to get to St. John vs. 30 mins. for Magens, but Magens is only a beach, a very beautiful one at that. St. John is much more charming. As described earlier you can take a taxi to Red Hook Marina (20-25 mins.), catch the ferry to St. John - Cruz Bay (20-25 minutes, departs frequently) and then taxi from Cruz Bay to Trunk Bay (10 minutes). We have done it several times and we liked St. John so much we came back to St. Thomas for a week in 2004 and then St. John for 2 weeks this year! So, get up early, be one of the first off the ship and you can be at Trunk Bay on St. John by 9am. Leave around 1:30-2:30pm and you can take a ferry from Cruz Bay non-stop to Charlotte Amalie (downtown), then you can shop for a few minutes and take a 10 min. taxi back to the ship at Havensight or Crown Bay (depending on where they dock). Got for it!

 

[Hgomes]

I (63 yr old grandmom) went on the Trunk Bay excursion with my daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren aged 10 and 5, Jan 05. The excursion was running a little late so we went straight to St John on the tender ( no problems and I felt safe) - approx 1 hr. It was a nice trip - we then took a short open bus excursion to the beach. Beautiful scenery along the way and felt perfectly safe. Trunk bay was beautiful and the highlight of our trip. There are nice rest rooms and showers there. I'm not sure these amenities are available at some of the other beaches. Instruction on snorkeling and equipment are provided if you don't have your own. Even our 5 yr old snorkeled and did very well. There was a lifeguard on the beach as well as the instructors and another lifeguard in a kyak out in the water. You can snorkel or just play at the water edge. Only drawback was, with the travel time to and back, only about 2 - 2.5 hr beach time. We went back on the ferry to Charlotte Amalie and then a short tender after a little shopping back to the ship. The ferry was very safe. Both of the trips had a guide pointing out things of interest. i.e. Madonna's house, Alan Alda etc. I had been told by many friends not to go to St Thomas without going to St John and I agree it was a beautiful place to see. There were two St John excursions on our trip the other one you go to St. John by boat and enter the water from the boat. That excursion was at the beach when we were and I was happier entering the water at beach edge. It did look like a nice schooner type boat. I don't know if it is normal but the beach was not crowded. Not many others except for our group. Hope my rambling helps. It would have probably been nice to do ST John and try a beach at St Thomas, but that trip doesn't exist.

 

[katedrew94]

I have been to both of these beaches and enjoyed myself at both as well. From what I have read and experienced, MB is a little hit or miss as to how beautiful it is because of the weather, wind, etc. TB was better in terms of an overall experience, IMHO. If they are through DCL, I would choose TB but if I was transporting myself I would choose MB due to the time constraints.

 

[DIS NURSE]

Just got back from Megan's Bay (on Eastern Nov. 12th) and we were delighted with the ease of travel and conveneince. The length of SLOW travel with young kids is what detered me from Trunk Bay, although a great place I have read so many times. I think Trunk Bay is somewhere not to be missed if and when we stay on St. Thomas and are not rushed.

The price per person to take the taxi (really an open air bus) to Megan's Bay has increased to $8, no child rate. The four of us to and from Megan's Bay did cost $60 total (with tip). So nothing is cheap anymore. Then you are charged to stay at Megan's Bay also. I think it was $3 per person.

It was a great trip up and over the hills (great site seeing) and we had a good time; weather was great and we lucked out.

 

[logan1_2000]

Magan's Bay was very easy to do, in that you step off the ship, get in a big open taxi that takes you to your destination, and then the reverse. So 1 transportation element involved. Note--I did it from Havensight Dock, DS was 6.

Trunk Bay we did from the new Crown Bay (is that the name of it? the new dock being built on the other side of downtown charlotte amalie). from that dock it was slow to fill a taxi, and a long ride to red hook that we would have missed, so we took a smaller cab after the cabbies fought (really) to downtown, got on the smaller, rougher riding ferry, then a cab to trunk bay. and upon the return, the cab from red hook made a stop first at havensight, where the majority of people were going, then to downtown where the HAL tenders were, and then finally to the DCL dock location. It just felt like planes, trains and automobiles, and it was a haul, esp. for DS, now 9.

Maybe it would feel easier from Havensight. Bu you can't just add three travel times, there is also transfer times because you dont get out of a cab just as the ferry leaves, and at least I don't like to cut things close, so maybe try to make sure there is a cushion of time. And such concerns go away if doing these treks on the cruise line's excursion.

They're both gorgeous places--I actually got rained on at Trunk Bay but I won't factor that in to any recommendations--I just feel that with about 3 modes of transportation from ship to shore at trunk bay, it is a bit much to do with children (and I admit that is a generalization). But our experience was a time to go ship to beach of probably 1 hour 45 mins. each way, and as I say some portion of that was because we were not at havensight. If St. Thomas was one of those stay in port until 10 at night, then maybe I'd feel differently, and If I was at St. Thomas for a land based vacation I'd be more inclined to make the trip because the "get back to the ship" issue would be removed, and so even w/ children you might build in a distraction of maybe getting them an ice cream in the little town by the dock at st. john--but really, didnt feel like I had time to do that while making the trip on our own.

I'm going back 3/07 on the Magic, and I plan to do one of the other gorgeous St. Thomas beaches that I have not experienced, and hopefully we will be at havensight where the cabs fill faster from more ships, compared to just the Magic and the later arriving HAL ship (was either the Zuiderdam or the Westerdam, forget which one).

 

[poohfriend]

We traveled RCCL and took a taxi from ship. We paid the taxi to stay with us while we walked the beach for an hour. (we also wanted to shop and had a short day there.) Then the taxi took us back into town...walked back to ship. This has been (gasp) almost 10 years ago. We paid about $40 then. THe driver gave us his own "tour" of the island on the way to and from the beach. It was kinda fun. We were not in one of those large open taxis described above. We were in a van..and he drove VERY fast.

I have been to a lot of beautiful beaches. This is in the top tier (Maui, and someof the Alabama, FL panhandle beaches are beautiful too...but the water at Megan's -- unbelievable.)

 

[Dis Mama]

We just got back from the Nov. 26 Eastern and fell in love with sT. jOHN. We did the beach and snorkel excursion with a family of 24 people. My children are 5 and 7 years old and they enjoyed every minute of the journey to get there and the actual beach. We were amazed that both of our children actually managed snorkeling and loved it. Any details you need to know, please ask.

My husband and I are trying to find a resort to stay at St. john for our 10 year anniversary on July 13th, 2006. Is the Westin a great place and what are the prices like? Any input would be great!!!!

 

[goofydadeo]

We just got back from the Nov. 26 Eastern and fell in love with sT. jOHN. We did the beach and snorkel excursion with a family of 24 people. My children are 5 and 7 years old and they enjoyed every minute of the journey to get there and the actual beach. We were amazed that both of our children actually managed snorkeling and loved it. Any details you need to know, please ask.

My husband and I are trying to find a resort to stay at St. john for our 10 year anniversary on July 13th, 2006. Is the Westin a great place and what are the prices like? Any input would be great!!!!

Dis Mama - we are timeshare owners at the Westin and would recommed it as a great place to stay! The other place you could consider is Caneel Bay. Both can be expensive but that's the price you pay to be on St. John, hence the reason we decided to purchase a permanent week instead of paying lots for our room each time we visit. There are also a myraid of villas you can rent throughout the island but they tend to be very expensive. One good thing you have going is that you want to travel during the off season - you might find a great deal then! Good luck!

 

[Dis Mama]

I sent you a PM goofydadeo because I didn't know if you would read this thread again or not. Thank you for the info.

 

[Jeanne B]

My husband and I are trying to find a resort to stay at St. john for our 10 year anniversary on July 13th, 2006. Is the Westin a great place and what are the prices like? Any input would be great!!!!

Many vacationers to St John rent villas so you may want to look into that. My DH, DD12 and I are spending a week on St John next June and we'll be renting a villa. We've never been so I'm really looking forward to it. If you're interested in the villa option I can PM you some of the local rental agencies on St John...we used VIVA.

 

[jel0511]

We travel to St. John frequently and always rent a villa. I personally can't recommend any of the resorts on St. John. I don't like the Westin, due to the man made beach. Caneel Bay has a funny nickname from the locals,"For the newly wed or nearly dead." So I'd avoid both places. Renting a villa will give you much more of the island experience, and by going in the summer, most villas are rather cheap, since it's summer season. I'd recommend www.cateredto.com to look for villas. The company we used to rent from, recently sold their business to cateredto.