USVI-On-Line

Hello All,

I have been reading some posts and great info for a rookie. We are two families traveling together with four children between 1 and 5 years old. Which ferry is going to be a better option for us? Flight gets in at 1:30 and I think we could make the 3 PM Charlotte Amalie ferry. Might be better for the kids to have a longer boat ride than taxi ride. Thoughts? Experience?

Thanks in advance for the help.

As you've probably noticed, there are many differing opinions on which ferry, when, where and how. For most of us it is a matter of preference and patience. I suspect that your initial thoughts are probably correct. After a 6 hour flight with young children it might be the better option. Check with the taxi dispatcher at the airport and tell him you need to make the 3PM CA ferry. He'll know if you can make it or not. Keep in mind that there is no terminal in CA. You will be dropped off, have to cross the road (there is a stop light) and you will meet the ferry on the sea wall. There is not a lot of shade to be had so grease the kids up good with sun screen while you wait for your bags at the airport.

We always prefer the downtown ferry over the taxi ride to Red Hook.

The advantages of Red Hook (in my book) are:
1)Reliable schedule with many more departures.
2)Nice terminal keeps you out of the sun/rain. It also provides a place to change and apply sunscreen and make the necessary phone calls to the villa and/or jeep rental. There is also a bar to expedite the transition to island mode.

The disadvantages of Red Hook are:
1)The taxi ride is longer. The taxi ride is usually a pleasant ride where we get to meet people we will be sharing the island with for the next week.

The advantages of Charlotte Amalie are:
1)More time on the water less time on the road.

The disadvantages of Charlotte Amalie are:
1)the wait in the outdoors when you have not thought to change clothes and apply sunscreen.
2)The limited schedule.
3)It may just be me but I have found the Red Hook staff to be more pleasant to work with.

I guess that decides it. A couple web sites have a 3 pm listed. Thanks for the help, Red Hook it is.

Pia, thank you for the update on the CA ferry. We'll be staying our first night with Ronnie at the Crystal Palace in March and it so easy to just run down the hill and catch the CA ferry in the AM.

With small kids go with Red Hook - a wait downtown can be fun for a couple or two, but with Red Hook you know the longest you'll have to wait is an hour in a somewhat controlled area.

Better yet, rent a car on St Thomas and avoid schlepping luggage and kids.