Explora Journeys in Cruz Bay (Saint John)

Saint John is the quietest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, with about two-thirds of the island set aside as Virgin Islands National Park, so the day is built around protected beaches and reef rather than duty-free shopping. Ships anchor off and tender into little Cruz Bay, the island's only real town, from which open-air safari taxis run up to the North Shore beaches.

What to do on a day in Cruz Bay (Saint John)

• Trunk Bay, the park's signature beach, reached by safari taxi from Cruz Bay, with a marked underwater snorkel trail over the reef
• Virgin Islands National Park Visitor Center, a five-minute walk from the tender dock, with maps, exhibits, and air conditioning
• Mongoose Junction, an open-air complex of galleries and shops in stone-and-wood Caribbean architecture about five minutes from the dock
• Wharfside Village, the waterfront cluster of eateries and shops right by the tender landing
• Honeymoon Beach, about a mile from town along the Lind Point Trail, a roughly 30-minute walk through park forest
• Cruz Bay's small bars and kitchens for conch fritters, local pates, and fresh fish

Getting ashore

Cruz Bay has no pier deep enough for ships, so you anchor in the bay and tender to the town dock; the town itself is walkable in minutes. One day is enough to combine the Cruz Bay shops with one North Shore beach, but build in tender-queue time and be back at the dock at least 30 minutes before the last boat.

When to book the ship's excursion vs your own →

Weather and when to visit

• December to March. Typically the driest, most stable stretch, daytime highs in the low to mid 80s F with steady trade winds, low humidity, and only brief passing showers. Calmest seas of the year.
• April to May. Typically warm and still fairly dry, highs in the mid 80s F, with humidity and shower frequency beginning to climb as the season turns toward summer.