there are rental places at the dock. in stt they drive on the left. taxis will drop you off at the beach and come back to pick you up at any time you want

Ok thank you for getting back to me so quick, we just didnt' know if it would be cost effecient to just rent a vehicle and venture out ourselves or take taxis here and there,
we were gonna let our son drive us around as he recently returned from Afghanistan where they drive all over so he would be used to the opposite side 😀

tell your son THANK YOU for his service. Budget rental cars is at the dock on the main street near hooters. They do have their own web site for stt to reserve a car or a jeep. Do it now , very busy time of year

Again thank you for such a quick response, and I will tell my son when I see him, really do appreciate all the help that this forum gives everyone and am counting down the days until we cruise out. We are soooooooooo excited, this is our 3rd cruise but never been to these Islands yet. There will be 9 of us going and we just dont' want to miss anything, at least try to get all in as much as you can in one day. again a big THANK YOU

Well hope you next visit you will stay for a week or two. 😎

Nine people won't fit in most rental vehicles here so it may be more cost efficient, and pleasurable, to hire a taxi exclusively for your group while you're in port.

Marty is right, get taxi van and it will end up easier and better priced.

For your first vist you might want o take a cab. It might cost you more but you will ony be able to see a few beaches. Start with Sapphire. Then go to Coki, the to Magen's the end it with a stop at Mountain Top.

That will keep you occupied for the day.

billd

I agree with the hire a cab for the day suggestion. More fun less stress with a big group. Also you are docking at Crown Bay. The rental place that Hotrod talked about is in Havensight across town at the other cruise ship dock.
Jay

Hiring a licensed taxi driver is a good bet to me, too... no worry about directions, driving on the left for one day or the best spots in terms of avoiding congestion, good eats and such. A good taxi driver will be like your own island friend, wanting to show you everything great.

Look for the big yellow sticker that says "Certified Tour Guide Association", as this will be a driver who has taken the time to sit for a class on customer service, Virgin Islands cultural and historical sites, and more.

Read all about this great effort on the web site: http://www.certifiedusvitourguides.com/

Benefits:

* You will receive accurate, current and historical facts from a trained and certified, University of the Virgin Islands Taxi and Tour Certification Program graduate. Your personal tour guide is waiting to show you breathtaking hidden gems of the island and explain the local customs and describe the beauty of local plants and flowers.
* You will have awesome photo-taking opportunities from the highest point on St. Thomas, Mountain Top, to the colorful and elusive underwater shots at Magen’s Bay or Emerald Beach.
* You will tour in the comfort and safety of our licensed, insured, washed and sanitized vehicles.

pattikake1 - Royal Caribbean ships usually dock at the WICO dock in Havensight. If you are anchored in the harbor then you would be tendered in to the waterfront in Charlotte Amalie; but if you dock you just walk off the ship whether at the WICO dock or Crown Bay. As mentioned there are car rental offices right across the street from the Havensight docking area. If you do dock in Crown Bay, the closest car rental I think is Amalie Car Rental; a little bit of a walk up the road. Taxis are per person, by destination so it does add up but the cost comparison to renting a vehicle (or two to accommodate your group) would depend on where you plan to go by taxi so you can figure out the total fare amount. You can find taxi rates on this site at St. Thomas Taxi Rates and can find some Taxis / Tour Guides too, if you want to contact some in advance.

--Islander

Thanks again to everyone, according to the dock schedule we will be docking, weather permitted at Crown Bay. We are gonna rent 2 vehicles at Avis. Hoping Avis is close by. We decided that we have most of the day there so would like to adventure off as much as possible, and feel it would be more cost effective to take ourselves. Taxi prices are not bad if you only have one stop to make, but we want to try a few beaches and of course off the beaten path and see St Thomas for St Thomas, not just the tourist eyes. We chose Avis as if we get there and change our minds we dont' have to take the vehicle. So of course nothing is set in stone, we leave all options open, but certianly appreciate all the help everyone has been given us. My husband and I are also Amatuer Radio operators and hoping to meet some people that also have that as a hobby, and the only way to find that is antenna looking... But who knows its a vacation so anything goes, just want to try to get the most out of it.

"...My husband and I are also Amatuer Radio operators and hoping to meet some people that also have that as a hobby, and the only way to find that is antenna looking...

It is dangerous for tourists to stop and knock on doors here, and perhaps anywhere, just because they see a familiar antenna.

Oh we were not planning on doing that, we were going to look them up before we go first...thanks for the advice, but we have been out of the country before, and trust me its not safe to do that here either...

dntw8tup, antenna looking is when the radio operator uses his/her radio to put out a call sign on an open calling frequency to look for someone to respond.

Pattikake1, there are 2 meter repeaters on STT and STJ as well. Just don't remember them off the top of my head but you can look them up on the ARRL repeater listings. Good luck!

Pattikake1, the docking schedule by West Indian Company Dock (WICO) for December 10th shows the one Royal Caribbean ship at the WICO dock which is in Havensight, so you may want to double check the information you have that indicated it was at Crown Bay.

December 10th
Triumph (WICO)
Mariner of the Seas (WICO)
Disney Magic (WICO)
Noordam (CB)
Eurodam (CB)

As for Avis; they have a few locations around the island. If you are docked in Havensight there is an Avis office in walking distance from the ship/shopping area; it's right across the street. If you are in Crown Bay, the closest Avis office likely is the one at the airport, a short drive from Crown Bay.

--Islander