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*Hi, we will be arriving via Mariner of the Seas cruise ship in April and would like to visit some of your beautiful beaches. We would like to take a day trip to Water Island to Honeymoon Beach. Can we arrange for a tour guide or can we easily find it ourselves. I know about the water taxi - but what I don't know is how close the water taxi is to the cruise ship.
Any and all info would be appreciated. We are traveling with some children and need calm waters as well as safe areas. Thank you in advance.
Karen
Hello Karen,
Your ship might dock in one of three places; Havensight is the most popular then anchored in Charlotte Amalie or docked in Crown Bay. If you are in Havensight or tendering into Charlotte Amalie you will need to take a taxi to Crown Bay Marina, ask to go to Tickles Restaurant - the Water Island ferry docks right in front of the restaurant. If you dock in Crown Bay you can walk to the ferry or if you have lots of kids in your group take a very short taxi ride. Its about a 15 minute drive from Havensight to Crown Bay with moderate traffic. About 10 minutes if you are tendered into CA and taking a taxi from there. Would take maybe 10 minutes to walk from the Crown Bay dock to the Water Island ferry.
You don't need a tour to find Honeymoon Beach - the Water Island ferry drops you at Phillips Landing on Water Island - you just walk up the hill and then down the hill at the right turn - thats it. For lunch there is a relatively new deli on island, about a 5 minute walk from the beach, they have sandwiches and pizza, snacks,drinks. If you face the water on the left side of the beach there is a natural path and wooden steps in the forested area, they lead up to a main road, at the main road turn right and walk a short way to a fork in the road -at the fork accross the street there is a sign and steps to Pirate's Ridge - the deli. Also from time to time there is a pizza boat on the beach and on most Sundays a food van. Double check the ferry schedule when you board so that you know what time to be back to the "dock" area to catch the ferry back to St. Thomas.
Have a great time.
--Islander
Thank you for the wonderful information! We have booked a shore excursion to Megans Bay but I don't think we would like the crowds, so I think we will venture to Water Island, Honeymoon Beach, now that I have your information. Our ship will be docking in Charlotte Amalie. It is reasonable to expect cabs to be waiting at the pier, and how much should we expect to pay for a trip to the Water Island Ferry dock? What about the return trip, back to the ship - will the cab return to take us back and can we rely on them?
Thanks again for your information, it is most appreciated and helpful!
Karen
Hello Karen,
If you do decide to stick with Magens Bay - you don't need to do it with the cruise ship excursion - its a really easy one to do on your own and if you do it on your own then you are flexiable with your time and how long you stay for.
Mariner of the Seas is scheduled to dock in Havensight for its days in port for March so if thats where you are at then yes lots of taxis waiting. If you do anchor in Charlotte Amalie Harbor and tender into the Waterfront then there will be taxis in the area. When you are returning to the ship, there might be a taxi or two at the Marina area where the ferry pulls in but chances are you might ask the folks at Tickles to call a cab for you OR the taxi driver that drops you off in the am ask them for their card and call them to return for you or set up a time for them to return. Taxi might be around $5 a person.
Have a great time.
--Islander
