Snorkeling In St. Thomas/st.john

[VIKKIGZ]

WE ARE INTERESTED IN SNORKELING WHILE IN ST. THOMAS/ ST. JOHN BUT WILL HAVE OUR 2 1/2 YEAR OLD SON WITH US. I KNOW THIS EXCLUDES US FROM EXCURSIONS , BUT CAN ANYONE PLEASE SUGGEST THE BEST PLACE TO GO WHERE WE CAN TAKE TURNS GOING OUT TO SEA TO SNORKEL WHILE THE OTHER IS ON THE BEACH(SAND) WITH OUR SON? ANY SUGGESTIONS?
WE WOULD LOVE TO GET SOME GREAT VIEWS
I HEARD THE SNORKELING IS GREAT THERE
THANKU

 

[rae519]

bump!

Rae

 

[jinx]

If you have time to go to St. John's, Trunk Bay is great. You can snorkel easily from the beach and they have showers, restrooms and snack bar right there for you. We did a car rental and took the car barge over, but others have said that there isn't enough time for that due to the schedule of the car barges. You can take taxis though as they are plentiful at all locations. If you haven't been to St. John's, it is absolutely beautiful. The beaches and the views there can't be beat. Have fun whatever you decide to do. Also, vinow.com is a great site with useful information.

 

[rae519]

We took the St. John land tour and Trunk Bay was breathtaking! We are hoping to do it in April as a Disney excursion. Thanks for the great review.

Anything we need to bring with us from the ship? Food/drink/towels?

Rae

 

[jinx]

You will need your own towels and the snack bar there is pretty reasonable. They have hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, chips, candy bars and soft drinks. We spent around $20 for the four of us for lunch. Spme people have taken food from the ship in a softside cooler, but I've heard it's against regulations to take food off the ship. Snorkel gear can be rented there and it is much more reasonable than Disney's cost on Castaway Cay. The water there is extremely calm and clear. We almost decided to spend a week there instead of taking a cruise this March, but decided to do the land/sea because of our kids who are 7 and 12.

 

[VIKKIGZ]

THANKS JINX FOR ALL THE GREAT INFO.

AND THANKYOU RAE FOR THE BUMP, HAVE A GOOD TIME IN APRIL

 

[rae519]

Thanks Jinx! I know that when we went on our excursion to St. John, because of my Mom and sons ages (74 and 7), we brought a food in our knapsack and a large container (quart size) of water. There were stops where refreshments and souveniers were available, but I tend to overprepare.

Looking forward to the shade at Trunk Bay!

Rae

 

[GrayFal]

But I thought it was difficult to do with the time constraints.......we would have enough time to take a ferry to STJ ......and a taxi? from ferry dock to beach....and back again. Or should we rent a car for the day at St John ferry dock and drive? We will have our own equipment.

Or should we rent a car in St Thomas to snorkel and still have time for the cable car ride? Where are the 'good' from the beach snorkel spots in STT.

I almost wish we were there for 2 days!

edit - Rae, I love your new picture of Kayla!

 

[jinx]

I did this when I was on a Norwegian and Celebrity cruises, so my time frame was different. Taxis would be quicker for you than renting a car. They are plentiful and the passenger ferry runs more often then they car barge. It's about 20 min from Charlotte Amalie to Red Hook, Then about 10 min from Cruz Bay to Trunk Bay. If you have time, ask the driver to stop for views so you can take photos.

Here is a link to the ferry schedule: http://vinow.com/general_usvi/interisland_ferry/#St. John Passenger Ferry: Red Hook to Cruz Bay

I've never done the beaches on St. Thomas, but everything that I've heard is that they don't compare to St. John's. Have fun whatever you decide to do.

 

[VIKKIGZ]

DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET FROM THE SHIP OVER TO ST. JOHN'S TRUNK BAY? WHAT THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE??
THANKS

 

[rae519]

GrayFal - thanks! That's a favorite picture of mine, she was working on the floor for our new room and it was HOT! She always looked good - even hot, tired and sweaty!!!


IF I remember right, it was about 30 minutes from St. Thomas to St. John.

Just a suggestion here - back in the 1980's we were living in Italy and took public transportation to Murano (one of the island around Venice) - they went on STRIKE and we were stuck on the island til the strike was over (about 10 hours). IF this were to happen while you were on your own (a non-DCL excursion) then the ship would NOT wait for you if you were late - they will wait or make other arrangements for DCL excursion guests if something happens.

I have done both DCL and non-DCL excursions in the past also.

Rae

 

[VIKKIGZ]

THANKYOU. I DON'T THINK I CAN INCLUDE MY 2 1/2 YEAR OLD ON THE EXCURSION

 

[QueenTrident]

If time is an issue, we snorkeled at Coki Beach in the past (didn't have time to do it this year) and it was great. You could take turns snorkeling there.

Also, just factor in getting a cab into your time table. We left the ship at 8:30 and sat in a taxi until it was full for 45 minutes. Not the best way to start the day, to say the least. It was the only taxi at that time going to the ferry/Coral World.

 

[Nesnboy]

We rented a car for $52 dollars from Budget on the other side of the Havensite Mall and drove to Coki Beach to snorkel. It was absolutely beautiful, although a bit busy, and there were tons of fish. We checked out Coral World first. There were discount coupons available at the info booth at the mall. With the discount, it was $15 for adults and $8 for children 3 or older. With admission, you can use their showers after your beach time. One point: driving on the left side in St Thomas takes some getting used to, and the roads are in great shape but they are pretty hilly and curvey (is that a word?). If you are a nervous driver, use a cab.

This day was the highlight of our trip.

 

[VIKKIGZ]

THANKU