Gromit Newbie Tip # 6,743: Know Thy Cruise Ship Schedules

[Gromit]

Anyone who has ever made the mistake of visitng Trunk Bay on a 3+ cruise ship day knows exactly what I mean.

Since Trunk is one of the few beaches you have to actually pay to get into, I'd rather not feel like I'm in Ocean City, MD when I go.

It's always a good bet to check the cruise schedule http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/c ... ules.shtml on this forum
and plan accordingly -- since most ships offer the very popular option of an excursion to the world famous underwater snorkel trail at Trunk Bay.

If you know when and how many cruise ships are in port you can save yourself some hassle.

It's best to go when there are only 1 or 2 (ZERO is even better) cruise ships in port at STT.

On those days when there are 3+ cruise ships in we generally opt for Jumbie where we can watch the festivities from a distance and man... can that be entertaining.

Anyway, Know Thy Cruise Ship Schedules and Ye Will Be Rewarded with a GREAT time!

[MSGARMYGIRL]

Good to know Gromit! Wow I didn't know you had to get on beaches in STJ.

[pipanale]

On our first 2 trips, our house overlooked Cruz Bay. On the heaviest cruise ship day, we'd head off-island. On lighter days, we'd sit at the house and when we saw all the striped towels load onto the ferry, we'd head to the beaches and have them all to ourselves.

But, yes...know thy schedule!

[Gromit]

More on Trunk bay fees:
http://www.nps.gov/viis/planyourvisit/f ... ations.htm

Sometimes if you get there early enough in the AM you won't have to pay.

Also Miss Vie charges a small fee to use her private beach towards East End on Hansen Bay.

There are so many great beaches on STJ that you don't have to pay to get into that I rarely bother with Trunk. But it's definitely worth a visit.

[jayseadee]

I've been on Trunk as a cruise shipper, with the cruise shippers and without the cruise shippers - always a good time at a beautiful beach.

(OK - the day the loud and screaming villa family camped out next to us wasn't as great - we moved and all was good again)

Most of the beaches are free, this is one of the exceptions.

[rpplano]

We always do 1 day at Trunk per visit. Mandatory pianogrl rule. But we arrive at Trunk before 9am and there is no fee. We plan the Trunk day based on lack of cruise ships before we ever leave home. Trunk water is so much prettier without the cruise crowds, but that's how we discovered STJ in the first place. Now any dollars spent on cruising would be a horrific waste of STJ future trip funds.

That aint happening!

[Drumbiker]

We did Trunk for free 2 ways. My favorite was the day we rented a dinghy. We pulled the boat right up onto the beach, and the end marked for boat entry is so far from the park's main entrance that fewer people seem to congregate down there.

The other way, as said before, was to get there at about 7AM. We were there with about 6 other people on a Saturday morning.

[hoosierdaddy]

Don't bash the cruise shippers to much. Me and Hoosiermommy will be cruisers next April.

[Gromit]

No offense intended hoosier...

I just like being on a beach with as few people as possible and figured other folks might too

[hoosierdaddy]

No offense intended hoosier...

I just like being on a beach with as few people as possible and figured other folks might too

I may be a hipocrite. We check the schedule also and arrange our days according to the number ships in port.