St. Thomas for a day

[Susan]

Going on a cruise, and three couples renting a minivan for the day on Wed 11/8. Not into partying...want to see as many of the sights as we can and enjoy the island. Have a full day to spend.

Ideas??

Thanks!
Sue

[Jerseyboy]

Susan, sorry for the delay, we didn’t forget about you. I’ve never been on a cruise but have been visiting STT and STJ since 1993. Many on cruise ships first go shopping in either Havensight or downtown Charlotte Amalie. Depending on the number of ships in port, downtown can get very crowded. I recommend getting an early start if you’re going downtown to avoid crowds and to find a parking spot. Beware of the parking downtown because they ticket, and it’s a major hassle to pay it! Three ships in port is not bad and I’ve seen as many as seven which means it’ll be crazy. If you start early, downtown is not too crowded yet…I think stores open at 9 am but you should check on this. Good buys in STT are liquor, perfume, cosmetics, and jewelry…not sure how good electronics or camera buys are. AH Riise is a good place to shop. Then you can catch some lunch at Cuzzins, Glady’s or The Green House. There’s also some old, historic buildings downtown and 99 Steps. Afterwards, people usually go and explore the island. Best beach (IMHO) is Magen’s Bay (small admission fee) where they have drinks and food available, a gift shop (beware of the not-so-kind ladies working there) and chairs and floats available to rent. On your way out of Magen’s, stop at Udder Delight for ice cream or an adult milk shake. Other places to visit are Drake’s Seat (nice view), Coki Beach (no fee), Coral World (fee), Mountain Top (great view, no fee, Banana Daiquiris), Atlantis Submarine, Paradise Point (sky ride, fee), and Tillet Gardens and Kilnworks Pottery for arts and crafts. Out on the East end there’s American Yacht Harbor Marina (couple of shops and Cold Stone Creamery), and Duffy’s and Molly Malone’s for drinks. There’s also parasailing and one golf course (Mahogany Run). Come back in a year or so and the new Yacht Haven should be rockin’. There’s also the option of spending the day on STJ (need to take a ferry), and there are many on this forum who recommend doing that. If you have any specific questions, you can PM me. Have fun!

[promoguy]

My recommendation would be that instead of renting the minivan, get one of the taxi's, which are vans, to give you a personal tour of the island. I think you will get more out of that than trying to find the sites on your own.

Tell the driver that you want to leave some time for shopping giving him the time you need to get back to the ship. I am sure he will drop you off and pick you up for the trip back.

The drivers are very good at this and you won't have the hassle of worrying about times. They will figure it out for you.

[mbw1024]

agree with Promoguy. in 2005 we went with a guy named Godfrey for the day and it was a great time. left the driving to him!
if you are a user of cruisecritic.com you can find Godfrey's info on the STT port of call board.