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Thanks to all for the help and response here. Couple more questions.
1. When is the best time of year to visit STT. I'm considering early February. Is that too early or will it still be warm enough to swim snorkel, etc
2. When are the cruise ships the most active? I get the impression you want to schedule activities around this. Is there a time of year they are more active and are there certain days, such as on weekends?
3. Best days to take a side trip to STJ
4. I'm interested in snorkeling and will need to rent goggles. I wear glasses and I am interested in if there is anyplace people would recommed that rent prescription goggles. I used these when in Hawaii and they worked great.
Thanks
Randy
Randy:
February is just fine.....yes it will be warm enough.
You can find the cruise ship schedule in the weekly magazine or daily newspaper. Recommend you don't go downtown when 3 or more ships are in. Suggest that you stay on the East End of STT.
Ferry to St. John...anyday.
I can't help you with prescription goggles......I wear contacts and use regular goggles.
F.I.
Randy: The best time to visit depends on your needs and desires. The most popular time for visitors is when it is cold in Big America- between December and April or so. The majority of cruise ships are around then, too. People from the great white north swim in the water in February, but many locals don't. It is just too cold! BRRR. 😀 Other people come in the summer because that is when they get time off. Things are a bit quieter, fewer cruise ships, warmer weather. Hurricane season is June through November, with September being the peak, so some people avoid this time. As long as there are no storms, the weather and the water can be most pleasant then. Some hotels and restaurants close in September and October to do maintenance. Randy, the diffence in high temperature in February and September is maybe 10 degrees. We are usually cooler than most north American places in the summer and warmer in the winter.
I am pretty sure you can rent at prescription mask at most full-service dive shops, for example Red Hook Dive Center. You need to know your eye glass prescription. If you are going to do much snorkeling, you might want to buy a mask.
The best time = anytime you can get to St. Thomas. That said, it depends on what you want. Most people want to get out of the cold and snow and come in the winter. It's high season so you pay more for accommodations and there are a lot of cruise ships. I've never found the water too cold. Summer is nice, cooler on STT than in the states, still quite a few cruise ships, the water is warmer and accommodations are a bit less expensive. If you are looking to save money, late August through mid-November is the time to go. I love this time of year on island. There's few cruise ships, no crowds anywhere, cheapest rates for your stay and the weather is usually good too. Of course, there is the hurricane thing. I never bother with trip insurance, but it's a good idea just in case.
