CA ferry vs. RH ferry?

zhawkz · Post by **zhawkz** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:47 pm

I've seen this discussed elsewhere, but I still don't understand why - in my case anyway - I wouldn't use the CA ferry vs. the RH ferry. Seems like EVERYONE says to cab over to Red Hook...why?

My flight lands at STT at 3pm. Why not just relax a bit and take the CA ferry over to Cruz Bay? Yes, it leaves at 5:30 and yes, it's more $ than the RH ferry. But otherwise you have cab fare over to RH and who knows with traffic if you'd make the hourly ferry at 4pm anyway. Tell me what I'm missing here.

And...thanks in advance. Great wealth of knowledge right here on this board. I've already learned a LOT about St. John. Only experience was passing by it on the way to the BVI's...looking forward to it!

Exit Zero · Post by **Exit Zero** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:05 pm

If the CA ferry is convenient timewise it is a great boat ride - but arriving at 3pm you may make the 4pm RH ferry but certainly the 5pm - puts you in STJ an hour earlier than the CA 530 - [some people stress over every minute of STJ time] - consider that it may be it may be important to your rental car pickup or force starting your trip by navigating the island in the dark.
The $ cost is basically a wash . It does avoid traffic, there is no comfortable terminal in town to relax , carrying luggage you won't really get to explore CA, however the more riders that take advantage of the CA-STJ ferry the more likely that they will continue it or even increase the frequency. It is very popular to take the return STJ- CA trip - the other way, not so much - cruise ship passengers do use the morning run at 10 am though.

zhawkz · Post by **zhawkz** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:15 pm

One of our trips down to the BVI's we overnighted at the Secret Harbour Resort close to Red Hook. I DO remember waiting for the ferry at Red Hook was fine...there were some good spots to hang. I did NOT know anything at all about the CA ferry terminal. Good to know.

Bigcheeze · Post by **Bigcheeze** » Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:00 pm

we are car barge folks for the past 5 years....but I prefer the CA ferry to and from STJ. The longer boat ride is a plus...the feeling of relaxing and not hurrying to Red Hook...take a few beverages on the boat and enjoy the view.

toes in the sand · Post by **toes in the sand** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:10 am

When our flight time falls in line with the downtown ferry we use the downtown. With the reduced schedule, lack of reliability of the downtown ferry coupled with the possibility of flight delays, we can always count on the Red Hook ferry.
Our preference is the downtown ferry because of the shorter taxi ride and the longer ferry ride.

zhawkz · Post by **zhawkz** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:02 am

Reliability? Is the downtown 5:30 ferry reliable? Hate to wait for it and see it cancelled...

Time on water IS >>>> time in a cab. But how does one spend the time waiting for that 5:30 ferry?

toes in the sand · Post by **toes in the sand** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:15 am

You can always know that the RH ferry will leave every hour on the hour til midnight.

jmq · Post by **jmq** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:31 am

I suppose RH seems to be the choice of a lot of folks here because most flights arrive between 12:30 and 4pm.

If we score an early arriving flight, if we can catch it, we much prefer that 1pm CA ferry to the cab ride across the island to RH.

jmq · Post by **jmq** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:38 am

zhawkz wrote:Reliability? Is the downtown 5:30 ferry reliable? Hate to wait for it and see it cancelled...

Time on water IS >>>> time in a cab. But how does one spend the time waiting for that 5:30 ferry?

In CA, you could mind the luggage while it sat next to you at a bar while the others in your party poke around the shops, and/or pop into Gladys' Cafe for some great eats including the best conch fritters and home made hot sauce you will have in STT or STJ.
http://www.gladyscafe.com/

RonUSVI · Post by **RonUSVI** » Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:51 pm

The CA ferries seem to be running on their abbreviated schedule now. If you get there, no need to wait to see as the security guard is still there and they will tell you they are not coming, so your cab can take you to RH. As stated before, if more people used it they will probably add back on the other runs to the schedule. Of course the taxis will always want you to go to RH. More $$$ for them.

cindygad · Post by **cindygad** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 7:46 am

So what are the times the CA ferry is leaving for St John these days?

Pia · Post by **Pia** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 8:01 am

The schedule is, and has been for a year, from STT to STJ 10am, 1pm and 5:30pm. I believe there is no intention to add more (ie: go back to the old schedule) or so I have been told.

Pia

cindygad · Post by **cindygad** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:58 am

Thanks Pia! I knew they had cut back but was not sure of the times.

Dome526 · Post by **Dome526** » Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:16 pm

We took Red hook on the way into STJ, and took CA on the way out. I didn't notice any difference. We enjoyed the longer boat ride on the way in. A smart thing we did was to get our 1st night in the Cruz Bay Boutique Hotel, so we wlaked off the ferry, had a drink or 2 at the Beach Bar, and wlaked over to the hotel. Had breakfast the next morning, provisioned at Dolphin market, and got a cab to Cinnamon bay. Figured it would be better to ckeck into Cinnamon while it was still daylight. Turned out to be a great move! Next time, I will also get the last night at the CB Boutique Hotel. Having to turn in the cab at 10:00 a.m. was a drag, so I will try the hotel for the last night too, to maximize our time on STJ!

Vega · Post by **Vega** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 10:03 pm

I suspect that you want to avoid the 5:30 CA ferry "if" your Jeep rental company doesn't do late pick-ups as some close at 5pm, with after hours times up to 8pm.
The other reason may be the fact that it gets dark at 6:30 virtually every day.

If you are comfortable getting to your villa (or wherever you are staying) in limited light then go for it...you may even get an early sunset ferry ride out of the deal

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