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St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
American soil, US dollars, and no beach you can walk to. Plan the transport before you plan the day.
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| Getting ashore | Ships dock at one of two piers |
|---|---|
| Havensight | The West Indian Company dock, east side of Charlotte Amalie harbour, the island's busiest. Havensight Mall is right there. |
| Crown Bay | The Austin "Babe" Monsanto Marine Terminal, west side, run by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. Two berths take Oasis-class ships. Crown Bay Center is at the pier. |
| Currency and language | US dollars and English. Most US phone plans work without roaming. |
Getting into town, and the walking disagreement
Princess publishes that downtown is about a 15-minute walk from Havensight. Celebrity publishes that neither pier "is close enough to provide an easy walk between the ship and downtown." Both are official cruise line pages and they contradict each other, so take a taxi if walking is at all uncertain for you.
Taxis, and the fare you cannot look up
Rates are set by the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission and approved by the Legislature, and fares are charged by zone, often per person in the open-air safari taxis. But no official body publishes the passenger fare table online. The Port Authority's own advice is the practical one: "Confirm your rates before getting into your taxi." The VI Taxi Association is on 1-340-774-4550.
Magens Bay
The beach most people come for, 10 to 15 minutes by road from Charlotte Amalie. The Magens Bay Authority publishes admission at $7 per non-resident, $2 parking, and children under 12 free, open every day 7am to 5:30pm. The tourism board's page says 8am to 5pm, so allow for the difference. Facilities include restrooms, showers, picnic areas, a restaurant and bar, lifeguards, and chair, umbrella and snorkel rental. Taxis wait at the beach for the trip back.
Paradise Point Skyride
Directly across from the Havensight pier, about a ten-minute walk. Published prices are $34.95 adult and $24.95 child, usually opening at 9am on ship days, with the last tram down an hour after closing. Their own FAQ answers the accessibility question plainly: "No, unfortunately, we are not handicap accessible."
Where these facts come from
- Magens Bay Authority, passes and hours
- Magens Bay Authority, FAQs
- Visit USVI, Magens Bay
- Virgin Islands Port Authority, Crown Bay terminal
- Virgin Islands Port Authority, ground transport
- West Indian Company (Havensight)
- Paradise Point Skyride, FAQ
- Celebrity Cruises, Charlotte Amalie
- Princess Cruises, St. Thomas port guide
Ports change their rules and their prices. Check the official pages above before you sail.
Independent tours usually cost less than the ship's, and are often run by the very same local operator. Look for a listing tagged Worry-Free Shore Excursion — Viator backs those with what it calls a "Back to Ship Guarantee," which is the bit that takes the worry out of booking on your own.
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- Back to Ship Guarantee on Worry-Free listings
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