Ultimate St. Thomas Port Guide for Cruise Travelers
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St. Thomas Cruise Port & Things to Do
If you are going to St. Thomas on a Caribbean cruise, you are likely wondering what to do in St. Thomas.
When you arrive at St. Thomas cruise port, you’ll notice that most people either 1) walk around the shops and go shopping, 2) take a taxi to downtown, or 3) take a taxi to the beach.
This guide on St. Thomas cruise port includes:
✓ Basic Information about St. Thomas Cruise PortPictures of St. Thomas cruise port
✓ The best beaches near St. Thomas cruise port
✓ Things to do in St. Thomas Cruise Port
✓ Information about Honeymoon Beach on Water Island
✓ FAQs about St. Thomas Cruise Port
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Basic Information about St. Thomas Cruise Port
St. Thomas has two cruise ports.
The names of the cruise ports are Havensight and Crown Bay. Both cruise ports are about 10 minutes from Charlotte Amalie.
Both cruise ports have plenty of taxis outside the gangway area and beaches within 20 minutes.
Pictures of St. Thomas Cruise Port
Below are a few pictures of the Havensight St. Thomas cruise port.
These photos were taken at the Havensite cruise port.
Best Things to Do in St. Thomas Cruise Port
The three best things to do in St. Thomas cruise port are to walk around the shops in the cruise port, take a taxi downtown to go shopping, and go to the beach.
3 Best Things to Do in St. Thomas
1. Walk around the shops in the cruise port
2. Take a taxi to downtown (shopping, restaurants)
3. Take a taxi to the beach
Downtown St. Thomas is not very walkable, so don’t even try it.
The taxi is only $4 each way from St. Thomas cruise port to downtown St Thomas.
The Shops Near St. Thomas Cruise Port
There are a lot of shops within walking distance of the St. Thomas cruise port.
The shopping is mostly the typical souvenirs you would find in any Caribbean cruise port.
Downtown St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie)
Downtown St. Thomas
Downtown St. Thomas is about 10 minutes from either cruise port.
In downtown St Thomas, you will be dropped off at a small market with about 15 vendors selling merchandise under small tents.
Around downtown, you will also find plenty of shopping and restaurants on Dronningens Gade Street.
The Best Beach Near St. Thomas Cruise Port
Many people opt to go to Magens Bay Beach in St. Thomas.
However, I prefer Secret Harbour Beach or Sapphire Beach. These beaches tend to be a little less crowded.
The Taxis in St. Thomas Cruise Port: Getting Around St. Thomas from Cruise Port
St. Thomas has open-air trucks or shuttle buses for transportation.
I’ll admit it. I’m not a fan of the taxis in St. Thomas.
The taxi drivers in St. Thomas tend to wait until their vehicle is completely full before leaving. So, expect to be crammed into a truck or taxi in St. Thomas.
When my mom and I took a taxi to Crown Bay Marina, our taxi driver jam-packed the taxi full until he had 14 people in it.
However, the shuttle buses do tend to be air-conditioned well.
St. Thomas Cruise Port Taxi Costs to the Beach
Below are the taxi rates to get to popular beaches near St. Thomas cruise port.
Overview of the Best Beaches Close to St. Thomas Cruise Port
Below are a few high-level notes about the beaches in St. Thomas from Trip Advisor, so you know what to expect.
Honeymoon Beach
Rated #1 in St. Thomas
Not easy to get to – learn how to get to Honeymoon Beach in this post
Secret Harbor Beach
Rated #2 in St. Thomas
$10 per person each way
Great for snorkeling
Relatively small beach
People prefer Magens Bay over Secret Harbour Beach
Magens Bay Beach
Rated #4 in St. Thomas
$8 per person each way
Clean beach. Most popular for cruise travelers.
$6 per person entry fee.
Sapphire Beach
Rated #5 in St. Thomas
$10 per person each way
Great for snorkeling.
Lots of rocks and seaweed on the beach.
Cocki Beach / Coral World
Rated #8 in St. Thomas
$9 per person each way
Great for snorkeling. Small beach area.
$5 per person entry fee.
Cruiser travelers prefer Magens Bay Beach.
Morningstar Beach
Rated #12 in St. Thomas
$6 per person each way
Public beach but only accessible via Marriott Hotel
Note: My mom and I visited this beach 10+ years ago and liked it. Beach appears to be closed to cruise travelers.
Bolongo Beach
Rated #16 in St. Thomas
$8 per person each way
Quiet and rocky beach. Not great for a beach day.
Magens Bay Beach Near St. Thomas Cruise Port
Many cruise travelers opt to go to Magens Bay Beach.
My mom and I have gone to Magens Bay Beach in the past. It’s a nice beach.
However, we skipped Magens Bay Beach on our most recent cruise. We went to Honeymoon Beach on Water Island instead.
Honeymoon Beach
My mom and I went to Honeymoon Beach from the St. Thomas cruise port on our most recent cruise.
Check out this post on how to get to Honeymoon Beach for cruise travelers.
You’ll also see pictures of Honeymoon Beach and get a complete review.
FAQs about St. Thomas Cruise Port
Below are some frequently asked questions about St. Thomas cruise port.
If you have a question about visiting St. Thomas, please leave a comment below. I’d love to help you out!
What are the best beaches in St. Thomas close to the cruise port?
The best beaches in St. Thomas close to the cruise port are Magens Bay, Secret Harbour, and Sapphire Beach.
Most cruise travelers say that Magens Bay is the best beach. The cost to enter is $5 per person.
Secret Harbor is near a resort and you can get two chairs and an umbrella for $40.
Sapphire Beach is popular for windsurfers. Sapphire Beach can be a bit windy, but it is a good spot for snorkeling.
Is St. Thomas port open?
Yes, the St. Thomas cruise port is open.
How much is a taxi from St. Thomas cruise port to Magens Bay Beach?
A taxi from St. Thomas cruise port to Magens Bay Beach is $8 per person each way.
Insider’s Tip: Many cruise travelers go to Magens Bay Beach, but I’d recommend Sapphire Beach Instead.
Arriving by Cruise Ships – Where Do the Cruise Ships Dock?
St. Thomas has two cruise ports, which can make it difficult to plan.
If you want to know which dock you will likely be at, check out the info below.
Where do cruise ships dock in St. Thomas?
St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie) has two cruise ports: Crown Bay Cruise Port and Havensite Dock Terminal.
If you are on a smaller cruise ship like Holland America, you will likely dock at the Havensight Dock Terminal.
If you are on a larger cruise ship like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity, you will likely dock at the Crown Bay Cruise Terminal.
Crown Bay is further west on the island.
Where does the Princess cruise line dock in St. Thomas cruise port?
St. Thomas has two cruise ports: Crown Bay Cruise Port and Havensite Cruise Port.
Princess tends to dock at the Crown Bay Cruise Port in St. Thomas.
Larger cruise ships tend to dock at the Crown Bay Cruise Port in St. Thomas. The Crown Bay Marina cruise port holds the larger cruise ships.
Where does Holland America cruise line dock in St. Thomas?
On our last cruise on the Holland America Nieuw Statendam ship, we docked at the Havensite cruise port in St. Thomas.
Usually, the larger ships dock at the Crown Bay cruise port. However, I’ve been on Holland America cruise lines multiple times to St. Thomas, and we’ve always docked at Havensite cruise port.
Where is the Carnival cruise port in St. Thomas?
St. Thomas has two cruise ports: Crown Bay Cruise Port and Havensite Cruise Port.
Carnival tends to dock at the Havensite Cruise Port in St. Thomas.
On our last cruise, the Carnival cruise ship docked at the Havensite Cruise port.
Where does Royal Caribbean dock at St. Thomas?
St. Thomas has two cruise ports: Crown Bay Cruise Port and Havensite Cruise Port.
If you are on the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas or the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas, you will dock at Crown Bay Cruise Port.
If you are on one of the smaller Royal Caribbean ships, you will dock at the Havensite cruise port.
FAQs about St. Thomas for Cruise Travelers
What is St. Thomas known for?
St. Thomas is known for its beautiful Dutch architecture.
St. Thomas is also known for being the biggest duty-free shopping capital in the world.
What should I wear in St. Thomas?
St. Thomas is usually warm and dry.
Wear a hat, shorts, and a t-shirt when exploring St. Thomas.
How far is the St. Thomas cruise port from downtown Charlotte Amalie?
Both the Crown Bay cruise port and the Havensite cruise port in St. Thomas are a 5-10 minute taxi ride to downtown.
Does the St. Thomas cruise port have free WI-FI?
The St. Thomas cruise port does not have free WI-FI, but most restaurants and coffee shops have free WI-FI for customers.
What is the main language in St. Thomas?
The main language in St. Thomas is English.
Some speak French Creole and Spanish in St. Thomas as well.
What are the best things to do in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas?
The best things to do in St. Thomas are to visit the beaches and to go snorkeling.
Are there beaches within walking distance of St. Thomas?
No, there are no beaches within walking distance of the St. Thomas cruise port.
However, you can catch a taxi to the beach for $8-10 per person.
FAQs about St. Thomas Cruise Port to the Beach
Want to head off to the beach?
Here is a summary of the taxi cost and the number of minutes to get from Havensite Dock Terminal (St. Thomas cruise port) to popular beaches.
What are the best beaches in St. Thomas close to the cruise port?
The best beaches in St. Thomas close to the cruise port are Magens Bay, Secret Harbour, and Sapphire Beach.
Magens Bay Beach from St. Thomas Cruise Port
The cost from St. Thomas cruise port to Magens Bay Beach is $8 per person each way.
The ride is approximately 17-20 minutes from the St. Thomas cruise port to Sapphire Beach.
Sapphire Beach from St. Thomas Cruise Port
The cost from St. Thomas cruise port to Sapphire Beach is $10 per person each way. The ride is approximately 20-25 minutes from the St. Thomas cruise port to Sapphire Beach.
Plan for 40 minutes coming back, as traffic in the afternoons can be bad in St. Thomas.
Secret Harbor Beach from St. Thomas Cruise Port
The cost from St. Thomas cruise port to Secret Harbor Beach is $10 per person each way. The ride is approximately 20-25 minutes from the St. Thomas cruise port to Secret Harbor Beach.
Cruise Port Guides & Cruise Outfit Ideas
Planning an entire Caribbean cruise vacation? Check out these guides to plan everything out.
Caribbean Cruise Port Guides & Cruise Guides
Holland America Rotterdam Ship Review
Cruising Tips for New and Expert Cruise Travelers
Holland America Nieuw Statendam Ship Review
The Best Hotels Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port
