St. Thomas Cruise Ship Visitors
Cruise ships represent the bread and butter of the St. Thomas economy. St. Thomas is the only island in the U.S. Virgin Islands that is touched by cruise ships. More than 1.6 million cruise ships passengers visit St. Thomas yearly, making it one of the most popular cruise ship destinations in the entire Caribbean. Taxi drivers, excursion companies, downtown shops, and roadside vendors depend on the constant traffic of cruise ship passengers. The cruise ship industry is credited for bringing in $650 to $700 million each year for St. Thomas. (Approximately 40% of St. Thomas’s tourism revenue) The average cruise ship party of two spends more than $550 during a day on St. Thomas. Cruise ship are and important source of revenue for the local government as well. Cruise ships pay a $7.50 head tax for each cruise ship passenger they bring to St. Thomas. Revenue from these taxes is used to finance expensive port development project required by bigger and bigger cruise ships.
Cruise Ship Weddings
Wedding Planners in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Shopping for Cruise Ship Visitors
Local shopping for Cruise Ship Visitors
Depending on how many cruise ships are in port, cruise ships drop anchor in the harbor at Charlotte Amalie and tender passengers directly to the waterfront duty-free shops, dock at the Havensight Mall at the eastern end of the crescent-shape bay, or dock at Crown Bay Marina a few miles west of town. The distance from Havensight to the duty-free ships is 1 1/2 miles (3km), which can be walked in less than half an hour, or a taxi costs $3 per person. Tourist information offices are at the Havensight Mall for docking passengers and downtown near Fort Christian for those coming ashore by tender. Both offices distribute free maps. From Crown Bay, it's also a half-hour walk or $3 per person cab ride.
St. Thomas Currency
The U.S. Dollar is the official currency of St. Thomas and St. John.
St. Thomas Telephones
It's easy to call home from St. Thomas and St. John as from any city in the United States. On St. Thomas, public phones are easily found, and AT&T has a telecommunications center across from Havensight Mall. On St. John, public phones are in front of the post office, east of the tender landing, and at the ferry dock.
