We are traveling to the virgin islands for the first time and im so confussed how to get around. So i checked the ferry schedule and it says the ferry from st thomas to st croix is suspended untill further notice. Please tell me how we are suppose to get from the airport in st thomas to st croix? Please help any information would help, were not traveling untill new years this december!!!

Hi. If your only destination is St. Croix, and you haven't yet bought your ticket, you may want to search for a flight directly to St. Croix. If you are visiting both islands, or if the St. Thomas route is what you already have -- then you will need to take an inter-island flight between St. Thomas and St. Croix. Cape Air goes from the St. Thomas airport to the St. Croix airport. You can find schedule and fare information on their website at [www.capeair.com]. And there is also the Seaplane, it goes from town to town (Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas over to Christiansted on St. Croix).

Thank you for the helpful information, does this mean that the ferry from st thomas to st croix doesnt run anymore?

The ferry from STT to STX does NOT run anymore. It may resume in the future, but not by the time you travel.

Here's the link to Seaborne Airlines too (the seaplane trip is quite remarkable).

www.seaborneairlines.com/

You really should change your flight, though, if your destination is STX. Whatever you've maybe saved by booking to STT rather than STX will probably be eaten up with the additional fare between STT and STX. Many don't realize that the two islands are 40 nautical miles apart! Enjoy your vacation!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2012 07:41AM by STT Resident.

Thank you very much when I book the flight I didn't realize they were so far apart but thank you very much for all the helpful information. 1 more question do residents usually take tourist from 1 island to the other or is that not something that doesn't happens.?

Hi. I am guessing that you mean whether its possible to hitch a ride with a resident that has a boat and happens to be going from St. Thomas to St. John for the day... for example. If that is what you meant... its not so common but possible. A bit more details...

St. Thomas, St. John, Water Island (all three are part of the USVI) and then some of the neighboring British Virgin Islands (Tortola and Jost) are all within pretty close proximity to each other, making day trips easy. Residents that own boats often cruise between these islands. They may also go to some of the small unpopulated islands in the USVI; or to some smaller islands in the BVI. And if its a nice day, nice water conditions they might go a bit further to some of the other British Islands (Virgin Gorda or Anegada for examples). Cruising between St. Croix and St. Thomas/St. John is less common and typically when people do it, they go for a few days.

Now whether you can hitch a ride with someone; if you happen to strike up a conversation with a boat owner at a bar in St. Thomas, or at the beach, and you guys hit it off, and get to chatting about island hopping... its possible they might say "hey chip in for the fuel, and come join us, we are going to Jost for the day this weekend".

And if you meant more along the lines of taking a boat charter or water taxi. Sure, quite a few residents are in the boating business, and there are sailing trips, powerboat trips, day charters, term charters, fishing charters, water taxis... etc. The boats based in St. Croix generally are sticking around St. Croix (day trips to say Buck Island)... and those in St. Thomas/St. John are sticking around those islands and the BVI.

Either one would work just want sure how common it was or if people even did that. I just didn't do very good research before booking our flights and come to found out our airline doesn't even fly into st croix.......just hated to get on another plane and go from one island to another.....but if that's what we have to do we will. Thanks again!

You're welcome. When researching the options for flying between St. Thomas and St. Croix, if you are trying to do it the same day you actually arrive in St. Thomas and depart, be sure to allow enough time between the flights.

Once, while I was working at the Buccaneer (STX), a guest called from the airport to complain that the taxi dispatcher did not have her name for private transport to the hotel. This occasionally happpened, so I asked to speak to the dispatcher. I apologized for the confusion and asked that he assign a taxi to bring her to the Buccaneer. He starts to laugh - "Lady, I'd be happy to, but we're at the airport on STT!!" Evidently the woman got a real good price on the flight to STT and didn't realize the logistical problem. Luckily, we were able to get her and her party on a CapeAir flight that was leaving in an hour. Unluckily, the flight from home to STX wound up being more expensive than she bargained for.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2012 03:05PM by Linda J.

Funny, LindaJ! The bottom line is that if you're vacationing on STX you fly directly into STX or alternatively into San Juan if you can find an extraordinarily good deal to SJ and likewise onward to STX. No ferry option at this time and even when the STT/STX ferry has operated, it's never been considered an option for visitors such as yourself with your final destination STX.

The stretch of water between the two islands is deep and often very rough which is why no private water taxis offer that option. Over the years that various operators have attempted to provide ferry service, the boats have been locally dubbed "Barf Barge" and "Vomit Comet" which may explain a lot!

Explore your options but, if you can, switch to a direct flight to STX. Good luck!

There will probably be a temporary ferry to service the St Croix Festival. You won't be able to plan far ahead, though.

When is the st croix festival?

Not sure of exact dates, though the dates are online, but there are festivities through the month of Dec and into the first week of January. There will probably be ferry service close to Christmas and shortly after.

St. Croix Festival 2012-2013: roughly December 1 through January 6.

If there is temporary ferry service however it will likely be only for the day of big events; so the Food Fair on January 2nd, Children's Parade on January 4th and Adults Parade on January 5th.

Just find a flight that gets you into STX if that is your final destination and save yourself all the stress and headaches.
If you want to visit STT for a day, take the seaplane over and back.

I can't change my flight it's already set to fly into st Thomas and the airline does not fly into st Croix......does anyone know for sure if they will run the ferry on January 5? Here is my thought we fly in on Dec 29 we could get a seaplane to take us to st Croix then and if a ferry is going on the 5th of January we can go back to st Thomas then. Any information on the ferry for the festival would be awesome, thank you everyone!

The ferry schedule won't be announced until Dec. It's usually announced in the paper and on local radio.

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ms411
The ferry schedule won't be announced until Dec. It's usually announced in the paper and on local radio.

The ferry takes baggage which is the main reason it's really missed. I wouldn't get my hopes up about taking it unless you live here or are staying on STT for an extended stay.

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ms411
The ferry takes baggage which is the main reason it's really missed. I wouldn't get my hopes up about taking it unless you live here or are staying on STT for an extended stay.

What paragraph above? If you mean prior schedules, they've never been online.

I think it's irrelevant anyway, because so much has changed with the economy this year. Also, I think this is St Croix's 50th festival, so there may be more demand like there was for STT carnival.

I would certainly NOT count on this ferry to get to STX during carnival. I don't think they take reservations, it's first come, first served. It is possible that you wouldn't get on.

Thanks everyone!! Our tickets are non refundable, were flying from chicago to florida to st thomas. The only reason we cant chose a different airline cause we got our tickets directly from the airline not a travel site. If you cancel them we lose all our money. I have looked into seaborne and cape air for a plane to fly us from stt to stx and its available just was trying to save some money thats all!

I would like to hear first hand stories from people about their ferry ride experience between Stt & Stx.

I would rather pay a little extra for a flight than getting seasick.