October 15, 2026
I took cruise and hotel guests out on my parents' boats in St. Martin, to the beaches, the reefs and the islands nearby. For a cruise day, all-aboard is the number I'd build the trip around. You can find another beach, or skip a snorkeling stop. You can't plan on the ship giving you another hour because the fish were good.
St. Thomas gets plenty of cruise traffic, and a beach day still has to fit between getting off the ship and getting back on. I've sorted these things to do in St. Thomas by how much of your day each one eats.
St. Thomas has two main cruise docks. From Havensight, east of downtown, you can walk into town along the waterfront in roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Crown Bay is west of town, and I'd take a taxi from there. You'll see open-air safari taxis with set per-person rates, as well as other taxis, so agree the fare and the return pickup before you climb in.
Passports. If you're a US citizen flying in directly from the mainland or Puerto Rico, you don't need one for the US Virgin Islands, with TSA-acceptable ID such as a REAL ID license for adults, and be ready to show citizenship evidence on departure. Cruises are different. Your cruise line may require a passport anyway, depending on the itinerary, and the State Department recommends a passport book in case you need to fly home from abroad. The British Virgin Islands are a separate British territory with their own entry rules. Bring a valid passport for a BVI day trip.
Magens Bay is the famous one, a long, sheltered curve of sand on the north side. It's a public park with an admission fee for non-residents, and it gets crowded mid-day on busy cruise days. Go early or late. Going over the hill, stop at Drake's Seat for the view down onto the bay, then carry on a few minutes to Mountain Top for the wider look and a banana daiquiri. If you're adding both viewpoints to a beach trip, leave time for the stops and the drive.
Coki Point is where I'd send a first-time snorkeler who wants fish fast, because the reef starts close to the sand. It's also small, loud and sold as a package with Coral World Ocean Park next door, so it fills up when the ships are in. Coral World runs a seasonal schedule and closes some days, so check first.
If you're staying on the island, my pick is the east end. Lindquist Beach in Smith Bay Park is calm and pretty, with a small entry fee. I'd bring my own mask rather than count on rentals. Sapphire has reef along its rocky edges and a view across to St. John, and Secret Harbour is a sheltered cove that's kind to nervous swimmers. Turtles turn up at all three, though nobody can promise you one on a given morning.
Town is the easiest thing to do well on a short call. Fort Christian, the red fort on the waterfront, was built by the Danes between 1672 and 1680 and is the oldest standing structure in the territory, with a museum generally open on weekdays; check hours before going. The 99 Steps climb Government Hill on brick laid in the 1700s (people who count say there are a few more than 99). At the top is Skytsborg Tower, the old Danish watchtower better known as Blackbeard's Castle. It's been closed to visitors for long stretches, and its own site now lists daily opening with paid entry, so confirm it the week you go.
Then eat. Fish and fungi, kallaloo, a fresh pate, johnnycakes. Frenchtown, just west of downtown, is a fishing community founded by settlers from St. Barts, and for a guy from the island next door to St. Barts, that's reason enough for lunch.
If I could pick only one thing, it'd be a boat. Buck Island, off St. Thomas, is a National Wildlife Refuge closed to visitors on land. Boat trips snorkel the surrounding waters instead. Turtle Cove is known for sea turtles, and some trips add Shipwreck Cove when conditions allow.
Water Island is the easy one from Crown Bay. A small ferry from Crown Bay Marina takes about ten minutes, and Honeymoon Beach is what you're going for.
St. John is the big day. The Red Hook to Cruz Bay ferry takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The off-season schedule runs through October 31, 2026, with gaps in weekday return sailings, so check both directions. Allow at least 30 to 40 minutes for the taxi to Red Hook, more in traffic. The national park has no entrance fee, though Trunk Bay charges a small amenity fee and is now cashless. Its snorkel trail suits beginners. We're also in hurricane season until the end of November, so check schedules the morning you go.
I come from the operator side, so you'd expect me to say never book through the ship. I won't. For a St. John day on a short call, I'd book the ship's tour. Check your line's terms: on its own delayed tour, the ship may wait or the line may arrange your return to it. Independent trips don't get that protection. When the plan is a cross-island taxi, two ferries and a national park beach, that backup is worth paying for.
For a half-day snorkel to Buck Island or a few hours on Water Island, I'd book direct with a local boat. I'd look for a smaller group and ask whether the captain can change stops when conditions turn. I've worked with one-man operations in St. Martin: the captain runs the boat, comes back, cleans it, eats, and answering booking emails has to fit around that. That's why we built Junglebee to confirm bookings automatically. Either way, ask any operator whether you'll get an instant confirmation or a reply later.
Take the all-aboard time from your daily program and plan to be back at the pier at least an hour before it, more after an east end beach or a St. John ferry. Check how many ships are in that day. Then fill what's left with one beach or one boat.
That's the number I'd check before choosing a beach or booking a boat in St. Thomas. Get that one right and the rest of St. Thomas is easy.
