Kevin's initial note about St. John's

I checked out the following about the day of our arrival at St. Thomas and came up with this preliminary idea and the choices below.

We arrive at St Thomas at 8 AM and can be off the ship by 9 or so with no problem, earlier if Capn. Doherty has us running on HIS schedule.

St. John is one of the USVI and relatively undeveloped. Two-thirds of the Island was donated by a Rockefeller to the US Park Service. (USPS)

Comments from the internet I found: “ St John is beautiful, lots of great beaches and scenic lookouts, and the whole island is a national park, so its kept pristine.”

“ . . . the less-developed St. Johns is infinitely more pleasant in our opinion. I think that future cruise itineraries may even spend a day at each island. In any case, watch the ferry schedule closely since you need to allow time to return to the ship. The north shore beaches on St. Johns (Hawksbill, Trunk, Cinnamon) are run by the US National Park Service and are world famous. Open air taxis will take you from the Cruz Bay ferry dock to any of these for about $4 US, or you can hike from the park headquarters building to Honeymoon beach – the rangers can give you maps and specifics. Each north shore beach has good snorkeling around the peninsulas which separate them, and some have their own snorkel trails with underwater signage (but more people). The fish are protected here and are larger and more colorful than on some other islands – with luck you might even see a Hawksbill turtle or spotted moray, both of which I saw this time.”

We can take the Ferry to St. John. I vote for a short cab ride (5 miles) to Red Hook to take the 20 minute ride on calm waters from there for half the cost of the 45 minute ferry on rough waters at twice the price from Charlotte Amalie where we come into Port, and where, I suppose, the crowds will be greater. To return to the ship in time for the 5 PM push from the dock, we should get the ferry back at 3 PM, 4 PM latest.

We arrive off the Ferry at Cruz Bay and can take taxi or open air vehicles to the beaches at Trunk Bay, Cinnamon Bay or Caneel Bay. Each offer something different.

Trunk Bay is for a lazy day and has an underwater snorkel trail good for beginning snorkelers. Cinnamon Bay has more water sports and better snorkeling and also is part of a bigger USPS presence. The area has a couple of short hiking trails and some slave sugar plantation and other historic sites to see. Caneel Bay is a more resort-like area with a nice hotel on site and full amenities that you’d expect at a resort.

See some snippets below that I got from the net.

Cinnamon Bay
Swimming: CalmBeachside: Sand Food/Refreshments: Yes/RestaurantWater Sports Center: Yes Accessibility: Taxi, CarSnorkeling: Very GoodAmenities: Small Store, Archeological Site, Camp Ground, Restroom, Chairs, Showers Child Friendly: YesTaxi Availability: Almost Always, or Call Dispatcher
Cinnamon Bay, at about 1 mile, is the National Park's longest beach. This great beach offers snorkeling, swimming, volleyball and more. A watersports concession stand rents windsurfing equipment, kayaks and mountain bikes. There is good snorkeling around Cinnamon Bay Cay, a short swim from shore. The clear waters will tempt you to spend your time swimming and snorkeling, while the palm trees will call you to spread your beach blanket in the shade and relax. Across from the beach and campground entrance/parking area is a Hiking Trail through the Cinnamon Bay Plantation ruins. This is definitely a beach you can spend the whole day at.
Trunk Bay
Trunk Bay, part of the Virgin Islands National Park, is a great site for beginners. Its 225-yard, self-guided snorkeling trail is complete with underwater signs that describe the surrounding marine life. More advanced divers can head two miles out, where fantastic coral reefs bursting with sea creatures of all kinds await you.
At Carval Rock, schools of mackerel, tarpon and amberjack are common, and there are lovely coral formations in waters ranging from 20 to 70 feet. Be careful of currents on the north side: they can be quite strong during the tide change.
You can check out brightly colored angelfish, unusual puffer fish and even an occasional reef shark at Congo Bay. Depths range from 20 to 70 feet, making this a good spot for divers of varying abilities.
Off the coast of nearby Salt Island is the wreck of the Rhone, a Royal Mail packet ship that sank in 1867. Located in waters ranging in depth from 25 to 85 feet, it's now home to a dazzling array of beautiful fish.
Caneel Bay
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147411-d184543-Reviews-Caneel_Bay-Virgin_Islands_National_Park_St_John_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html
http://travel.wwte1.com/pub/agent.dll?qscr=dspv&itty=new&from=m&shtl=1&htid=16254&crti=&cadu1=2&eapid=11441-30001
Maps of the island and of Cruz Bay area are hyperlinked below:
http://www.virginislandsthisweek.com/us_virgin_islands_maps/st_john_island_map_1.html

http://www.virginislandsthisweek.com/us_virgin_islands_maps/cruz_bay_st_john_street_map.html

An article with a review of the St. John beaches I found:

http://www.virginislandsthisweek.com/featured_articles/st_john_beaches.html

FERRY INFO

Red Hook, St. Thomas to Cruz Bay, St. John: The trip takes about 20 minutes.
Departing Red Hook, St. Thomas:6:30 A.M.7:30 A.M.and then hourly from 8:00 A.M. to Midnight.
Departing Cruz Bay, St. John:6:00 AM to 11:00 P.M. hourly.
Ferry service operated by:Transportation Services 340 776-6282 and Varlack Ventures 340 776-6412