St Thomas is a US territory in the Caribbean where the official currency is the dollar, the cars drive on the left, and the city begins at the pier. The crowd of American brand shops, taxis, and souvenir stands waiting outside the gangway is the practical version of “you are basically in Miami,” but a quieter walk into Charlotte Amalie, or a taxi out to one of the better beaches on this side of the Caribbean, is the more useful way to spend the day.
Off the Ship
Is the easy part. The cruise pier sits at the edge of Charlotte Amalie, the territory’s capital, and the historic downtown is about fifteen to twenty minutes on foot along the waterfront, or a short shared taxi ride for crew not wanting to walk. The streets around the pier itself are a thicket of duty free jewelry shops, surf and beachwear stalls, and a post office useful for sending things home. A supermarket sits within walking distance of the cruise terminal, helpful for restocking the cabin, though the prices on imported goods are noticeably higher than at the same chains on the US mainland.
A Note on the US Territory Status
Is worth knowing for any crew thinking about the laws in play once off the ship. St Thomas, along with St John and St Croix, is part of the US Virgin Islands, an unincorporated US territory. The dollar is the official currency, federal US law applies, the postage is US Postal Service, and the police and customs operate under US federal jurisdiction. For crew, the practical implication is that the rules a US citizen would expect ashore are in effect here, including drug possession and firearm laws, which carry US level penalties rather than Caribbean tourist warnings. For non US crew, the C1/D crew visa permits the standard shore leave with no separate clearance required.
The Left Side of the Road
Is a quirk worth knowing in the first five minutes ashore. St Thomas is a US territory where the cars drive on the left, a holdover from the Danish colonial period that ended when the United States purchased the islands in 1917. The traffic pattern was kept after the transfer, and St Thomas is the only US territory where the cars run on the British side of the road. For crew on foot, the practical effect is that crossing a street the way it is done in the US, looking left first, leaves a person blind to the direction the traffic is actually coming from. Look right first. The taxis themselves, despite driving on the left, are usually left hand drive American vehicles, which only adds to the disorientation in the first day or two on the island.
A Beach Day at Magens Bay
Is the standard recommendation for crew with a long enough port stop and the energy for a taxi ride. Magens Bay sits on the north side of the island, about twenty to thirty minutes by taxi from the pier depending on traffic, and is regularly listed among the better beaches in the Caribbean. The bay is calm, the sand is fine, and a small entry fee covers the use of the beach facilities. The taxis ashore are mostly shared open air vans, and the round trip fare is a fixed rate that drivers will quote on the way out. For crew on a shorter day, the closer beaches at Lindbergh Bay and Morningstar Beach are walkable or a few minutes by taxi from the pier respectively, and avoid the full commitment of the Magens Bay run.
Charlotte Amalie
Has the densest concentration of historic sites of any port in the Eastern Caribbean, and most are within easy walking distance of the pier.
Fort Christian. The oldest building on the island and the oldest standing structure in the US Virgin Islands, completed in 1680 during the Danish colonial period. Originally a fortification, then a courthouse, then a jail, now a museum. A National Historic Landmark, painted in the distinctive red ochre that marks it out from the surrounding streets.
99 Steps. A Danish era stairway running up the hill from the waterfront to a residential street, built in the eighteenth century from ballast bricks brought over on incoming ships. There are not actually 99 steps; the count is closer to 103, depending on which broken bottom step is counted.
Blackbeard’s Castle. A seventeenth century watchtower at the top of the 99 Steps, originally called Skytsborg by the Danes. The historical connection to Blackbeard is mostly legend, but the tower itself is real, and the view over Charlotte Amalie harbor from the top is the reason most visitors make the climb.
Frederick Lutheran Church. Founded in 1666, one of the earliest Lutheran congregations in the Western Hemisphere, with the current building dating from the early nineteenth century. A short walk from Fort Christian and free to enter.
Drake’s Seat. A viewpoint on the ridge north of Charlotte Amalie, named for Sir Francis Drake. Reached by taxi rather than on foot, and worth combining with the trip out to Magens Bay since the road runs the same direction.
Mountain Top. The highest accessible point on the island, with views over the surrounding waters that include the British Virgin Islands on a clear day. Also a taxi trip; also typically combined with a Magens Bay run.
Frenchtown. A small neighborhood on the western edge of Charlotte Amalie, settled in the nineteenth century by French speaking fishermen from St Barthélemy. Quieter than the main tourist corridor, with a small church, a working harbor, and a handful of restaurants that are calmer than what is available downtown.
St Thomas works in two halves: the historic downtown for crew who want to walk and look at things, and the north shore for crew who want a real beach day. The port hours are usually long enough for one of the two and a slow lunch in between.
