One of the Caribbean's busiest cruise ports — turquoise bays, a legendary duty-free strip, aerial tramways above the harbor, and a 20-minute ferry ride to the national park beaches of St. John.
⚓ Docked (Havensight or Crown Bay)🕒 Typical call: 8–10 hrs💵 US Dollar (USD)🗣️ English
Docking
Havensight Pier (WICO) or Crown Bay Marina (VIPA)
Walk to center
15–20 min from Havensight; taxi from Crown Bay
Best For
Beach · Shopping · Snorkeling · Day trip to St. John
Don't Miss
Magens Bay, Paradise Point Skyride, or Trunk Bay on St. John
📄 Take this port with you
A printable port guide — key info, things to do & tips. Includes an editable “My Day in Port” box for your ship times & booked excursions.
Ships dock at one of two terminals — Havensight (WICO Dock), closest to Charlotte Amalie, or Crown Bay Marina (Austin 'Babe' Monsanto Terminal) a few miles west — both served by taxis and open-air safari buses.
Into Charlotte Amalie and beyond
1
Havensight Pier (WICO Dock)The main cruise terminal, managed by The West Indian Company (WICO). Havensight Mall is steps away for duty-free shopping. Charlotte Amalie's historic waterfront and Main Street shopping are a 15–20 minute walk west along the harbor, or a $4–6 per-person taxi.
2
Crown Bay Marina (VIPA)The Austin 'Babe' Monsanto Marine Terminal, managed by the Virgin Islands Port Authority, sits about 3 miles west of Charlotte Amalie. Taxis and safari buses wait dockside; the ride into town costs around $8–10 per person and takes 10–15 minutes. Paradise Point Skyride is a quick taxi ride from Crown Bay.
3
Getting around by safari busOpen-air safari buses (shared taxis) are the budget-smart way to reach Magens Bay, Mountain Top, Red Hook ferry terminal, and Coki Beach. Fixed per-person fares are posted at the pier — typically $3–7 per person per route. Private taxis cost more but offer door-to-door flexibility. Note: traffic drives on the LEFT in the USVI.
4
Ferry to St. JohnTake a safari bus to Red Hook Pier on the island's east end and catch the ferry to Cruz Bay, St. John (~$6 each way, runs roughly every 30–60 min, 20-minute crossing). Or use the seasonal Charlotte Amalie ferry dock (~$12 each way, 45 minutes). At Cruz Bay, taxi to Trunk Bay or Cinnamon Bay. Go early — Trunk Bay fills fast on multi-ship days.
💡 Pro move: St. Thomas is easy to DIY — everything is in English and USD, taxis are plentiful, and fares are fixed and posted. No currency exchange needed.
Piers & Tendering by Cruise Line
St. Thomas handles dozens of ships weekly across two facilities — Havensight (WICO Dock) near downtown and Crown Bay Marina (Austin 'Babe' Monsanto Terminal) to the west.
St. Thomas delivers beach days, island panoramas, world-class snorkeling, Caribbean rum, and the region's best duty-free shopping — often all in a single call.
Relax
Magens Bay Beach
Consistently ranked among the world's most beautiful beaches — a sheltered, mile-long arc of calm turquoise water backed by lush hills. Entry fee is $7 cash per person. Chairs, snorkel gear, food, and drink available on site. Arrive early; it fills fast when multiple ships are in port.
Ferry 20 minutes to Cruz Bay, then taxi to Trunk Bay — a National Park beach with a self-guided underwater snorkel trail, powdery sand, and remarkably clear water. One of the Caribbean's top snorkel spots. Combine with Cinnamon Bay for a quieter beach experience.
An aerial tramway carries you 700 feet above Charlotte Amalie harbor for panoramic views of the bay and surrounding islands — try the famous frozen Bushwacker at the top. Combine with Mountain Top (1,500 ft, banana daiquiris) and Drake's Seat overlook for the full island panorama circuit.
Explore 17th-century Danish colonial architecture along the waterfront, climb the famous 99 Steps (actually 103 — the Danes miscounted) to Blackbeard's Castle watchtower, and visit Fort Christian — the oldest standing structure in the USVI, now a museum.
Coki Beach, on the island's east end near Coral World Ocean Park, offers some of St. Thomas's best shore snorkeling with sea turtles, parrotfish, and colorful reef. Coral World next door has an underwater observatory, stingray encounters, shark tanks, and SeaTrek helmet diving.
St. Thomas offers one of the world's most generous duty-free allowances — $1,600 per person for U.S. travelers. Main Street and the interconnecting alleys (Hibiscus Alley, Drake's Passage, Royal Dane Mall) are lined with jewelry, watches, rum, perfume, and electronics. No sales tax.
Charlotte Amalie's compact historic waterfront is an easy stroll from Havensight Pier, connecting Danish-era alleyways, harbor views, and colonial landmarks.
Havensight to Charlotte Amalie Waterfront
~2.5 km · 1–2 hrs · easy
Walk the harbor road west from Havensight Pier past the ferry docks to Charlotte Amalie's Waterfront Highway. Duck into the historic alleys — Hibiscus Alley, Drake's Passage, Royal Dane Mall — for duty-free shops, then loop back along the waterfront to Fort Christian.
From Main Street, climb the famous 99 Steps — ballast stones brought by Danish ships, actually 103 steps total — through a hillside neighborhood to Government Hill. Blackbeard's Castle (a 1679 watchtower) sits near the top with commanding harbor views that justify every step.
From Havensight Pier, browse Havensight Mall's duty-free stores, then board the Paradise Point Skyride aerial tramway for a 700-foot ascent above the harbor. Grab a Bushwacker at the top, enjoy the view, and ride back down to the pier area.
Climate normals for St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.
Month
Avg High
Avg Low
Rainy Days
Sunrise
Sunset
Jan
79°F / 26°C
76°F / 24°C
11
6:54 AM
6:03 PM
Feb
78°F / 26°C
76°F / 24°C
11
6:47 AM
6:20 PM
Mar
78°F / 26°C
76°F / 24°C
8
6:27 AM
6:29 PM
Apr
79°F / 26°C
77°F / 25°C
10
6:03 AM
6:36 PM
May
80°F / 27°C
78°F / 26°C
11
5:46 AM
6:46 PM
Jun
82°F / 28°C
79°F / 26°C
11
5:43 AM
6:56 PM
Jul
82°F / 28°C
80°F / 27°C
14
5:52 AM
6:59 PM
Aug
83°F / 28°C
80°F / 27°C
17
6:01 AM
6:46 PM
Sep
83°F / 28°C
80°F / 27°C
17
6:07 AM
6:21 PM
Oct
83°F / 28°C
80°F / 27°C
18
6:13 AM
5:56 PM
Nov
82°F / 28°C
79°F / 26°C
17
6:26 AM
5:42 PM
Dec
80°F / 27°C
78°F / 26°C
13
6:44 AM
5:45 PM
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)
Insider Tips
🚗
Traffic drives on the LEFT. This catches many visitors off guard — the USVI inherited British driving rules despite being a U.S. territory. Take care at crossings and when stepping off safari buses.
⏰
Go to St. John or Magens Bay first thing. Both fill up fast when several ships are in port. Trunk Bay can close when it hits capacity. Take the first safari bus out after arrival.
🎟
Magens Bay charges $7 entry per person, cash only. Budget for this and bring small bills — the gate doesn't make change easily in a rush.
🚌
Use safari buses, not private taxis, for beaches. Fixed fares ($3–7/person) to Magens Bay, Mountain Top, Red Hook, and Coki Beach are posted at the pier. Don't pay private-taxi rates for shared-service routes.
🛍
Duty-free allowance is $1,600 per person for U.S. travelers — the highest of any U.S. territory. Jewelry, watches, rum, and perfume are the classic buys. No sales tax anywhere on the island.
🚢
Check how many ships are in port. St. Thomas can host 5–6 cruise ships on busy winter days. Magens Bay and Trunk Bay get very crowded — go early, or opt for Coki Beach, Sapphire Beach, or Honeymoon Beach on nearby Water Island for a quieter day.
Getting Around
Transport options from the pier — taxis, shuttles, transit passes, and whether ride-share apps work here.
🚗 Ride-share: ❌ Not available — use taxisUber and Lyft do not operate in St. Thomas USVI due to local legislation and taxi association opposition. A local initiative (VI Rider) has not launched as of 2026.🚍 Hop-on hop-off: ❌ No HOHO bus
🚕 Shared Safari Taxi
$5–$9/person
Open-air safari taxis queue at both Havensight and Crown Bay terminals. Rates are government-regulated per person: ~$5–6 from Havensight, ~$9 from Crown Bay to Charlotte Amalie.
🚌 Dollar Ride (Local Bus)
$1/person
Informal shared open-air buses run fixed routes for about $1 per ride — a local favorite for budget travelers, though routes may not always align with cruise terminals.
🚗 Car Rental
$50–$90/day
Several rental agencies operate near both cruise terminals. Drive on the left in St. Thomas — an unusual rule for a US territory.
🚌 Safari Bus Island Tour
$25–$60/person
Guided open-air bus tours depart from cruise piers and cover key stops like Mountain Top, Drake's Seat, and Magens Bay. Operators include Tropic Tours, Awesome Tours, and Godfrey Tours.
🚕 Private Taxi Charter
$30–$60 flat/group
Private taxi for your group (minimum 4-person rate applies). Useful for custom beach runs or covering multiple stops without a guided tour schedule.
Cruises Calling Here
Upcoming cruises that call at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
