Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas)

Where ships dock

Taxi or open-air safari bus; both piers are a short ride from downtown.

• Havensight (WICO Dock, West Indian Company)
• Crown Bay (Austin "Babe" Monsanto Marine Terminal)

Best time to go

Ships call year-round. December to February is the busiest stretch; September and October are the quietest.

Winter is dry, breezy and mild. Spring (March–May) is a good balance of weather and crowds. Fall is the wettest season, usually in short bursts, and hurricane risk peaks in September and October. The USVI stays on Atlantic time all year: the same as US Eastern in summer, one hour ahead in winter.

How far from the pier

One way. Short call OK means 20 minutes or less.

• Magens BayTaxi20 min

Ship tour or go independent?

Going on your own is easy here. Taxis and open-air safari buses wait at both piers, fares are regulated and charged per person, and the town, Magens Bay and the Skyride are all reachable without a tour. A ship tour makes more sense for a day on St. John, which means a ride across the island and a ferry each way.

• Taxi fares are per person, not per car. Confirm the fare with the driver before you go.
• Taxis get busy when ships are about to sail and thin out late in the day at Magens Bay. Leave extra time.
• Some ships dock at Crown Bay on the west side of the harbor rather than Havensight on the east side. Check which pier you are at before planning rides.
• The St. John ferry leaves from Red Hook on the far east end, so a do-it-yourself St. John trip has little slack on a short port day.
• Trunk Bay on St. John stopped taking cash on October 1, 2026. Bring a card.
• The Skyride's hours change day to day and it is closed on some dates. Check its calendar for your port day.

Getting around

No rideshare

• TaxiRegulated per-person faresTaxis wait at both piers. Fares are regulated by zone and charged per person, not per car, and are posted at taxi stands. Agree on the fare before you set off. The Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission licenses taxis, but its website does not publish a passenger fare table, so no numbers here.
• ShuttleOpen-air safari buses (trucks with bench seats) run between the piers, downtown and popular spots such as Magens Bay and Coki Beach, also at set per-person fares.
• FerryPassenger ferries link St. Thomas with St. John, St. Croix and Water Island. For St. John and Virgin Islands National Park, the passenger ferry leaves from Red Hook on the east end.
• WalkDowntown Charlotte Amalie is easy to explore on foot once you're there, though the 99 Steps are steep. Havensight Mall is next to the WICO Dock, and the Crown Bay terminal is part of Crown Bay Center.

Official visitor information covers taxis, safari buses and ferries only, and cruise guides report no rideshare service on the island. Plan on a taxi.

Money, tipping & phones

Money

US dollar. ATMs are on all three islands and most businesses take credit cards, with Visa and Mastercard the most widely accepted.

Phones

Most US carriers work in the USVI. Talking on a cell phone while driving is illegal.

Must-sees

• Downtown Charlotte Amalie and Fort ChristianRide neededThe old Danish town: Emancipation Garden, the red-brick Fort Christian (finished 1680) with its museum, and Main Street's stone warehouses turned shops.
• 99 Steps and Blackbeard's CastleRide neededAn 18th-century brick stairway up Government Hill to a 1679 lookout tower. The tower is closed, but the views over town are open to all.
• Skyride to Paradise PointRide neededA cable car that climbs about 700 feet above the harbor in under 10 minutes, with views of town and the ships. It runs on a set calendar and is closed some days.
• Magens BayRide neededA calm, mile-long beach on the north shore, about 20 minutes from the piers by taxi, with rentals, a bar and grill and nature trails.
• Coral World Ocean Park and Coki PointRide neededA marine park on the east end with animal encounters, Sea Trek and SNUBA, right beside Coki Beach. Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on operating days.
• Mountain Top and Drake's SeatRide neededHilltop lookouts over Magens Bay and the islands beyond. Mountain Top is the highest point on St. Thomas.

Free & cheap near the pier

• Charlotte Amalie history walkFreeEmancipation Garden, the outside of Fort Christian, the 99 Steps and the view of Blackbeard's Castle from the street cost nothing.
• Vendors PlazaFree to browseOpen-air waterfront market with local crafts, painted gourds and jewelry, plus food trucks. Bargaining is expected.
• Magens Bay$7 per non-resident (under 12 free)A mile-long beach with calm water, restrooms and showers. Kids under 12 get in free; parking is $2 if you drive.
• St. Thomas SynagogueDedicated in 1833, with a sand floor. Open to visitors Monday–Thursday 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. and Friday until 2 p.m.

Eat like a local

• Fish and fungiFish served with fungi (say foon-jee), a soft cornmeal dish a bit like polenta.
• PatesFried turnovers filled with ground meat or salt fish.
• KallalooA local stew and one of the island classics.
• Stewed conch and rice and whelksIsland seafood dishes. The conch is pressure-cooked until tender.
• Johnny cakesSlightly sweet fried dough. The food trucks at Vendors Plaza sell them.
• RotisFlatbread wrapped around curried or stewed meat and vegetables.
• Local drinksVirgin Islands rum, frozen rum drinks at beach bars, and maubi, a lightly spiced bark drink.

Rainy-day backups

• Fort Christian MuseumDanish-era trade objects, dungeons, a courtroom and rooftop harbor views inside the 1680 fort, which served as a prison until 1983. Usually open weekdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m., but hours vary; entry is $10.
• St. Thomas SynagogueA historic synagogue with a sand floor, open on weekdays.
• Palm Passage and Main StreetShops in a converted old warehouse between the waterfront and Main Street, home of the duty-free stores.
• Havensight MallShopping next to the WICO Dock, open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Safety & scams

• St. Thomas is a US territory, so there is no State Department advisory. Dial 911 for emergencies. The main hospital on St. Thomas is Roy Lester Schneider Hospital.
• Police advice for cruise visitors: keep your belongings secure, stay aware of your surroundings, drink plenty of water in the heat and don't drink and drive.
• The VI Department of Planning and Natural Resources tests popular beaches every week and posts an advisory naming any that are unsafe for swimming. The list changes week to week, so check the latest one before you swim, and stay out of water near runoff, heavy sargassum or discolored water.
• CDC lists the US Virgin Islands as an area with frequent or continuous dengue risk, and the territory had an outbreak in 2024–2025. Use insect repellent.
• Only mineral sunscreen is allowed. Sunscreens with oxybenzone, octinoxate or octocrylene are banned.
• Traffic drives on the left. Wear a seat belt; it's required by law.
• Hurricane season runs June to November, with the highest risk in September and October.

From official government and port sources. Check the latest advisory before you travel.

Accessibility

At the pier

Ships tie up at a pier at both Havensight and Crown Bay, so there is no tender. Neither the Port Authority nor WICO publishes step-free or wheelchair details.

• Downtown is hilly. The 99 Steps are a long stone staircase.
• Magens Bay has restrooms, showers, picnic areas and parking.
• The main areas of the Fort Christian museum are wheelchair accessible.
• Safari buses have bench seats and are open-air. Ask for a regular taxi van if climbing in is hard.