St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

I'll admit it: when our ship called at St. Thomas, I stayed on board. The view of Charlotte Amalie harbour from the deck was incredible. So this guide is built from the port authorities' own pages, the tourism board, the beach authority and the cruise lines, with every price dated. St. Thomas is American soil with US dollars, but it's a hilly island with no beach near either pier. Sort out your ride before you plan anything else.

St. Thomas at a glance

Map of the harbour

Havensight or Crown Bay: which pier you'll use

Your cruise line chooses, so look at your daily planner. On busy days both are in use.

Havensight (West Indian Company dock)

The island's main cruise dock, on the east side of Charlotte Amalie harbour, run by the West Indian Company (WICO). It takes three big ships at once. Havensight Mall is right at the dock, and the Skyride to Paradise Point is across the street. To get into town, Princess says it's about a 15-minute walk or a short taxi ride. Celebrity says neither pier is close enough for an easy walk. Both are official pages and they contradict each other, so if walking is at all uncertain for you, take the taxi. WICO is expecting 362 ship calls in its 2027 fiscal year, with maiden calls from Carnival, Norwegian, Explora and Regent ships.

Work in the harbour: WICO has contracted dredging of the channel and turning basin at Havensight, starting in September 2026 and due to finish in mid-2027. Its stated aim is to let the very biggest ships use Havensight in the future. Expect some changes to berths or the taxi area while it's under way.

Crown Bay (Austin "Babe" Monsanto Marine Terminal)

West of town, run by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. Its main dock has two berths built for Oasis-class ships, and an adjoining dock takes a third ship. Today the very largest ships, including Royal Caribbean's Oasis class, use Crown Bay because Havensight is too shallow for them. Crown Bay Center, the small mall at the dock, has shops, food and taxis. The Port Authority and Royal Caribbean have announced a $250 million redevelopment of Crown Bay, with a day resort and a new excursion dock; parts are due by 2028, and the port says it will stay open during the work.

My day in St. Thomas

How I'd spend the day

If walking is hard

From Havensight I'd cross to the Skyride for the big view. Be aware, though, that the attraction says plainly it is not handicap accessible, and NCL notes 36 steps at the entrance. If those steps are too much, a taxi tour of the island's lookouts gives you the views from the vehicle. see St Thomas island tour Mountain Top Magens Bay overlook on Viator

Beach day

One taxi to Magens Bay, one spot under a rented umbrella, and one taxi back. It has lifeguards, restrooms and a café, so you can settle in for the day. see St Thomas Magens Bay beach transfer on Viator

See the island

An island tour to Mountain Top (more than 1,500 feet up) and the Magens Bay lookout, then an hour wandering Main Street and Fort Christian in town before heading back.

Getting around

Taxis

Taxis wait at both piers. Rates are set by the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission and approved by the Legislature, and Celebrity and Princess both say the open-air safari taxis charge a set price per person. But no official body publishes the passenger fare table online. The Port Authority's advice: confirm your rate before you get in, and use official taxis (dome light, "TP" on the plate). If something goes wrong, note the plate and call the Taxicab Commission on (340) 693-4211.

Rideshare

Cruise Critic reports that there is no ridesharing on St. Thomas. Plan on taxis.

Driving yourself

You can rent a car at the pier. You drive on the left, roads are narrow, steep and winding, seat belts are compulsory and phones are banned while driving. A valid US or foreign licence is accepted.

What to see

Skyride to Paradise Point

Directly across the street from Havensight. An aerial tram climbs 700 feet in about seven minutes to a deck with harbour views, two restaurants and a Skywalk. On 24 September 2026 the Skyride's own site listed $34.95 per adult and $24.95 per child; NCL's ship-booked ticket today is from $39.99 adult and $29 child (under 5 free). It opens around 9am on ship days.

Fort Christian

The red fort on the Charlotte Amalie waterfront, finished in 1680, the oldest standing building in the territory. Its museum holds Danish-era pieces and the old prison rooms. Entry is $10, usually open 9am to 4pm on weekdays (days can change). Allow an hour.

Main Street, Palm Passage and Vendors Plaza

Duty-free shops in old stone Danish warehouses, a shady courtyard of boutiques at Palm Passage, and the open-air Vendors Plaza on the waterfront with local crafts and food trucks. Bargaining is expected at the plaza.

The 99 Steps

An 18th-century stair-street up the hill from town (it actually has 103 steps) to the outside of Blackbeard's Castle, a 1679 lookout tower that's no longer open inside. Lovely views, steep climb.

Beaches, ranked for a cruise day

1. Magens Bay, on the north coast over the hills, run by the Magens Bay Authority. $7 per non-resident over 12, children under 12 free, $2 parking. Open every day 7am to 5:30pm. Lifeguards, restrooms, showers, a café and bar, and chair, umbrella, kayak, paddleboard and snorkel rentals (prices not published). Busy on big ship days.
2. Lindquist Beach (Smith Bay Park), at the East End about a mile from Red Hook. Also run by the Magens Bay Authority: $7 per non-resident per day, under-12s free, $2 parking, open 8am to 5pm. Lifeguards, restrooms, rinse stations and chair rentals, calm snorkelling water, but no food or drink sold, so bring your own. Further from the piers, so quieter.

None within walking distance. Every beach here needs a taxi, and the ride to Magens Bay goes up and over the island's steep spine.

Where to eat and what to try

Try callaloo soup, johnny cakes, curry goat, conch, and a Bushwacker, the creamy frozen cocktail you'll see on every menu.

• Gladys' Cafe, downtown for more than 30 years: callaloo, jerk wings, curry goat and conch in butter sauce. They sell their own hot sauce too.
• Vendors Plaza food trucks: johnny cakes, jerk chicken and cold fruit drinks.
• Amalia Cafe in Palm Passage for Spanish tapas.
• At the top of the Skyride: casual food and the Bushwacker, with the view thrown in.

Money, language and local rules

• Money: US dollars. Cards are widely taken; carry small bills for taxis and the vendors' plaza.
• Documents: US citizens don't need a passport to visit the US Virgin Islands. Follow your cruise line's own document rules.
• Swimsuits stay at the beach. The tourism board asks for shirts and shoes in town.
• Drive on the left if you rent, and no phone at the wheel.
• Taxis: use official ones (dome light, "TP" plate) and agree the fare first.
• Magens Bay rules: it's a fee beach with fixed hours; leave by closing time.

What the videos don't show you

• No free beach next to the ship. Every beach day is a taxi ride and an entry fee.
• The walking argument. One cruise line says 15 minutes into town, another says it isn't an easy walk. In the midday heat, on narrow sidewalks, the second one wins.
• The fare you can't look up. Rates are official but unpublished, and overcharging is the complaint you'll read most. Confirm before you climb in.
• The hills. St. Thomas is steep. The 99 Steps are 103 of them.
• Multi-ship days. With up to three ships at Havensight and more at Crown Bay, taxi lines and Magens Bay fill up.
• Construction: dredging at Havensight from September 2026 to mid-2027, and the Crown Bay redevelopment.
• Mosquitoes. The CDC reported a dengue outbreak in the US Virgin Islands in 2024. Pack repellent.

With a cane, walker or wheelchair

Both piers are docked, so no tender. Cruise Critic notes shaded waiting areas and wheelchair access at both piers, but the port authorities publish no accessibility details. The hard parts come after: hills, the step up into open-air safari taxis, and the Skyride, which says plainly it is not handicap accessible. Neither the port nor Magens Bay publishes accessible taxis or beach wheelchairs. The territory's VITRAN Plus paratransit service needs an application in advance, so it's not a visitor option. Check with your cruise line about accessible excursions, and see Mobility & Health Needs.

More detail in the mobility section below

The biggest mistake

Planning a free beach day. St. Thomas doesn't have one within reach of either pier. Decide before you sail: a taxi to Magens Bay, the Skyride and town, or a quiet day on board with that harbour view. Making that choice on the pier at ten in the morning, in the taxi line, is the hard way.

St. Thomas FAQs