Boat rental in St John, USVI
St. John is a nature lover’s dream come true. The smallest among all the US Virgin Islands major islands, more than half of the land is protected by the Virgin Islands National Park. The rest? It’s full of beaches, seaside towns, beautiful coastline, and an abundance of sights and adventures to discover – and it’s best to do via a boat rental! Most of the activities on the island center around water - from snorkelling and diving to swimming; it's only fitting that a boat rental is the best way to enjoy everything St. John has to offer. With steady trade winds, a tropical climate, and over 35 beaches to explore, chartering a boat is an excellent way to make full use of your St. John holiday. Boating is one of the highlights of a St. John vacation, and it's a perfect way to maximize your time exploring all the beauty of this Caribbean destination.
Why rent a boat in St John?
St. John is known as an exclusive boat rental destination. It has been dubbed as the “Beverly Hills” of the Caribbean as it offers lush coastal land, breathtaking beaches, and jaw-dropping coral reefs. With the vast ocean, more beaches than you can count, a National park, a beautiful coastline, tropical weather, and steady trade winds, it comes as no surprise that a boat rental is among the best ways to get all these fantastic things about St. John into one perfect day. Boating is one of the highlights in St. John, and when you want to maximize your vacation on the island, a boat rental is an experience you shouldn’t miss. There is a wide range of yachts and boats to choose from, catering to small numbers to bigger groups of travellers. To meet your boating needs, you can choose from a powerboat, sailing catamarans, motor yachts, and superyachts. If you want to experience the nearby island of St. Thomas, rent your luxury boat for at least three days and two nights or an entire week of a St. John adventure of a lifetime.
How much is to rent a boat in St John?
Boat rental prices in St. John vary depending on the boat you rent, the duration of your charter, people on board, as well as inclusions, such as food and drinks, water toys, and other expenses. For a 29' powerboat that you charter for a half-day cruise, prices can start at $650, while for a full day, it can cost around $950. For a sunset cruise, prices average at $450. Overnight charters, where your itinerary includes two days and one night on the boat, can cost an average of $6500 for a 53' motor boat. A 4-hour boat rental in St. John is also called a half-day charter. It can consist of a sunset cruise where you start at 3 in the afternoon, cruising on the coastline and waiting for the beautiful Caribbean sunset while being served Champagne and hors d'oeuvres. Some boat charters offer an open bar or even live music on board, providing a romantic cruise for couples as they relax and unwind on calm waters. For those who want to get a taste of St. John's underwater world, a short cruise and afternoon in Caneel Bay is a must. It is located on a 170-acre peninsula on the Virgin Islands National park and is considered one of the premier holiday spots in the Caribbean. You can scuba dive, snorkel, swim, or head inland for a short hike.
Boat rental for a day in St John
With so much natural beauty, choosing your full-day itinerary in St. John can be challenging, but a visit to Trunk Bay should definitely be on top of your list. Trunk Bay boasts of being home to one of the world's most beautiful beaches. With powdery white sand, azure waters, and picture-perfect scenery, a full-day cruise and excursion here will be the highlight of your USVI vacation. The beautiful beach is part of the National Park, and it stretches for over a quarter of a mile. Aside from a picturesque beach where you can snorkel, swim, or sunbathe, the bay is also home to a 225-yard long underwater snorkelling trail. Spend your entire day at Trunk Bay and experience a memorable St. John holiday.
Overnight boat rental St John
An overnight boat hire onboard a private boat in St. John consists of 2 days of island hopping and one night on a protected harbour. Here is a sample overnight boat rental itinerary in St. John:
Day 1: Caneel Bay
Caneel Bay is the go-to spot for boat charters in St. John. A cruise is never complete without a visit here, and your day will be packed with activities, such as snorkelling, hiking, swimming, and simply lounging on the beach. Set sail to Trunk Bay, and explore other areas such as Francis Bay and Watermelon Cay. Head to Leinster Bay to anchor for the night.
Day 2: Coral Harbor
Before heading out to Coral Harbor, visit the Annaberg Ruins, the largest sugar plantation in the USVI. For lunch, head to Coral Harbour, and indulge in a serving of tacos from a fun and floating taco bar. Before heading back to the port, shop for souvenirs and quirky items at the Calabash Market in Johnson Bay.
3-day boat rental in St John
A 3-day boat rental in St. John consists of 2 nights anchored at a bay and three days exploring one area after another. Here is a sample 3-day and 2-night itinerary on board a luxury boat in St. John:
Day 1: Caneel Bay
Head to Caneel Bay, where you can enjoy a wide range of activities on the water. You can paddleboard along the shore, kayak, and swim. Next, set sail to the famous Trunk Bay, or Francis Bay or Watermelon Cay and experience the beautiful sights and activities you can enjoy on the beaches. For your first night over water, head to Leinster Bay, where you will anchor for the night.
Day 2: Coral Harbour
Before heading out to Coral Harbour, you can visit the Annaberg Ruins sugar plantation or snorkel around Leinster Bay in the morning. By lunchtime, head to Coral Harbor on the southeastern side of St. John and enjoy lunch at a fun and floating taco bar. Explore the Calabash Market in Johnson Bay, where you can revel in the pottery shops, souvenir shops, and unique clothing shops in this lively spot. Head to Hansen Bay to anchor for the night.
Day 3: Lameshur Bay National Park
On your third and last day, visit the Lameshur Bay National Park. Enjoy a hike on the Yawzi Point Trail, where you will view stunning scenery on your trek. Hop by Great Cruz Bay before you head back to the port.
4-day boat rental in St John
Explore more of St. John in a 4-day boat rental. You can include a stop in St. Thomas during this trip, exploring more of the USVI. Here is a sample itinerary for a 4-day boat rental in St. John:
Day 1: Caneel Bay
Your first stop is Caneel Bay, where swimming with sea turtles and stingrays will be the highlight of your day. Head to Maho Bay to anchor and wake up the following day with the glorious Caribbean sunrise.
Day 2: Lovano Cay
On your 2nd day, start snorkelling at Carvel Rock, famous for its magnificent school of Tarpon. You can then head out to the east end, at Newfound Bay, where you can try to catch a lobster which your crew will cook for dinner if you catch one. For lunch, head over to Coral Bay for tacos and snorkel at Hurricane Hole in the afternoon, where abundant colourful fish exist beneath the coastal mangroves.
Day 3: Magens Bay
On your 3rd day, visit Magens Bay Beach in St. Thomas. The beach has been named one of the most beautiful globally by Conde Nast and National Geographic. It is the best spot in the USVI to enjoy watersports activities such as wakeboarding, kitesurfing, jet-skiing, and more. There are on-duty lifeguards on the beach, and it’s a picture-perfect bay with stunning blue waters and pristine white sand. Your boat will anchor on the bay for the night.
Day 4: Water Island
For your last day aboard your yacht rental, visit Water Island and experience a wreck dive of the Catanza freighter. You can also head to Turtle Cove to swim with sea turtles, go fishing, kayak, or join a guided historical tour before getting back to St. John in the afternoon.
Rent a boat for a week in St John
A week-long boat rental in St. John is the ultimate experience. Get to cover most of the sights on the island, plus a few must-visit spots in St. Thomas. For this one week itinerary, we will use the 3-day boat rental itinerary for the first part of this journey, and we’ll add four more locations to the list. Here is a sample itinerary for a boat rental in St. John that covers seven days:
Day 1: Caneel Bay
Snorkel, swim, kayak, paddleboard, and enjoy a day out in the sun on your first day out in the water.
Day 2: Leinster Bay
In Leinster Bay, you can visit the Annaberg Ruins, head to the Coral Harbor, and spend an afternoon at the Calabash Market on Johnson Bay.
Day 3: Lameshur Bay National Park
For those who have the energy, a hike through the Yawzi Point Trail is an experience that will bless you with breathtaking views of the shore.
Day 4: Cruz Bay
Cruz Bay is the heart of St. John, and you can spend an entire day inland, visiting the National Park sites, shopping, and immersing yourself in the culture. You can also visit Christmas Cove on Saint James Island or scuba and snorkel on Little Saint James.
Day 5: Buck Island
This uninhabited island is part of a marine protected reserve, and thus, divers will be happy to know that its underwater marine life has quite an impressive biodiversity. You can snorkel around a wrecked freighter, swim through arches, tunnels, and passes, or if you prefer activities inland, a hike to an old lighthouse will give you spectacular views of the island and beyond.
Day 6: Magens Bay
And, of course, a yacht rental in the USVI is never complete without a day at Magens Bay Beach. One of the most beautiful beaches in the world, it is a sight to behold. If you can imagine the perfect beach, Magens Bay Beach epitomizes what a picture-perfect tropical beach looks like. This is the best spot for water sports activities in the USVI, though it’s not a very good place for snorkelling or diving.
Day 7: Charlotte Amalie
Before heading back to St. John, travellers on a luxury yacht must spend a few hours in the heart of St. Thomas. Enjoy some last-minute duty-free shopping, fine dining, and explore the beautiful Honeymoon Bay with a cosmopolitan vibe.
Rent a boat for diving in St John
Because St. John is a diver's paradise, many boat charters offer exclusive diving cruises. And since St. John and St. Thomas are close together, many of the dive spots on both islands are shared by diving charters. While there are plenty of spots on both islands, the most popular in St. John is Eagle Shoals. One of its highlights is the Cathedral cave, where its walls are encrusted with bright sponges. A diver's favourite, you can see stingrays and turtles hanging out in shallow water. Other marine life you can spot here include spotted eagle rays, queen triggerfish, and more. It's also filled with tunnels, caves, and arches.
Your diving boat rental will stop in various national parks, where you can enjoy snorkelling in secluded bays and beaches, in beautiful cays that are uninhabited, and more. Get up close and personal with marine life that's abundant in St. John, which is blessed with over 500 species of fish plus over 40 types of corals and hundreds of invertebrates. Some other popular dive spots on the island include Carvel Rock and Tektite. And because the USVI is a territory of the US, you can rest assured that the US Coast Guard inspects all dive boats in St. John for safety. St. John might be a small island compared to others in the USVI, but it packs a punch when it comes to opportunities for adventure. From trekking through national parks to hopping from one secluded cay and bay to another to enjoying a romantic sunset cruise with an open bar, St. John will meet your every Caribbean holiday expectation.
