Tendering in St. Thomas???

[goofydadeo]

I recently read about the Magic tendering in St. Thomas instead of docking at the Havensight pier. On our previous Easterns we've always docked. Having tendered on the Western in Grand Cayman, which was relatively painless, it does take a good bit longer to disembark, especially if you not on an Disney excursion!

So, I am worried since we are going to St. John on our own and want to get off early to catch the St. John ferry from Charlotte Amalie. I have been checking www.ships.vi for the schedule frequently but nothing has been posted for March or April. Does anyone know how I can find out if we will tender on the 4/5 Eastern?

 

[Señor Ferrari]

There's probably no way of knowing before they post the cruise ship schedule for April. They usually do this during the last week of the preceeding month. Doing a quick bit of research, there is one fewer ship in port at St. Thomas on Wednesday, April 9, than will be there on alternate Wednesdays in March. Unless there are other ships, which is a possibility, the Magic should be in port with RCCL's Explorer, Princess' Golden Princess, and Costa's Costa Atlantica. The Costa Atlantica has to or has had to tender for all of its calls at St. Thomas for January, February and March, so it may well have to tender for the first week of April. If that's the case, then there should be room for the Magic, Explorer and Golden Princess at the WICO pier. Since the Magic is the smallest of these four ships, I don't believe any of them could dock at the Crown Bay pier.

There's an email link on the ships.vi page. I once emailed them to ask about the schedule, but they told me that they post it as soon as they have the information from the various piers, so they weren't really able to give me any advance information.

 

[jel0511]

I just checked, and they've released the schedule for March. The Magic is scheduled for tendering in St. Thomas on March 12th, but it's next visit on March 26th, it's at Havensight. So, who knows what will happen for your cruise, but I wish you luck!!!!

 

[goofydadeo]

Thanks so much to both of you for your very helpful info!

 

[sjm]

Originally posted by Señor Ferrari
There's probably no way of knowing before they post the cruise ship schedule for April.

There's an email link on the ships.vi page. I once emailed them to ask about the schedule, but they told me that they post it as soon as they have the information from the various piers, so they weren't really able to give me any advance information.

I would not trust any cruise ship schedule. I was on the 1/25 Magic and checked several schedules, they all said we would dock. We Tendered!!

Even if you tender, you can go to St Johns. Just have to watch the time a little more closely.

sue