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Last time I went to St. John, I was fully expecting the taxi driver to take me on the short trip from the St. Thomas airport to Charlotte Amelia, like the previous two times I was there. I love the longer ferry ride around the islands.
But this time, the taxi driver insited that he take us to Red Hook. I hated that ride! It was only 2:00 in the afternoon. I would have much rather been taken to Charlotte Amelia and waited for the next ferry, but he insisted that it would be better to go to Red Hook. He didn't really say why.
It costs more to be taken to Red Hook, and the drive is horrible. I am going back in February and I want to go to Charlotte Amelia this time. My question is this:
Do taxi drivers want to take you to Red Hook so that they can get a better fare?
Can I insist on going to Charlotte Amelia?
How do I know if the taxi driver is telling me the truth about "it is better to go to Red Hook"
I am going to arrive this time around noon in St. Thomas. Don't the ferrys run every hour out of Charlotte Amelia?
Thanks!
Dean
Some vans are heading to CA, some to RH. Let the dispatcher know where you're going and don't get in a van that's not going there. Also, before getting in, ask what the cost will be (total cost---fare, luggage, whatever). This avoids any surprises at your destination.
We usually prefer the ride to RH. I like getting a look at the island and beginning to settle into Island Time. I've also met some nice folks in the van. A couple of times the driver has stopped to drop off people at one of the resorts. We consider this a bonus, getting to see more of the island. If we miss the ferry, we don't mind. Another will come and we get to sip Caribs and enjoy the scene at the ferry dock. When there's nowhere I have to be by any particular time for a week or more. I'm definitely in no hurry. Occasionally the dispatcher does try to steer us to CA for one reason or another---less wait, earlier ferry, something or other. We go with the flow. We've done both and either ferry is fine with us.
The ferries don't run every hour out of Charlotte Amalie. The schedule for both the downtown ferry and the Red Hook ferry are on this web site under St. John - getting here. Hope this helps a bit!
You probably got into a Red Hook bound taxi by error. Make sure you tell the dispatcher Charlotte Amalie.
Your cabbie may have headed up the hills long before town so it would be impossible. You may have said St. John and they sent you to Red Hook.
RL
Dean,
Taxi fares here are regulated and a matter of public information so the taxi driver likely took you to RH because the wait for a ferry from CA would've been longer. Most folks who are headed to STJ want to get there expeditiously so taxi drivers generally take passengers to the ferry with the soonest departure, which is usually RH. As Andrea noted, you can check the ferry schedules (as well as ferry and taxi fares) by following the link at the top of this page. The taxi ride to CA is cheaper but the ferry ride from CA to STJ costs more. Conversely, the taxi ride to RH is more expensive but the ferry ride from RH to STJ costs less.. Either way you pay about the same so it's mostly a matter of schedule and RH sees much more ferry action than CA..
