Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Location

If you fly to the 32-square-mile (83-square-km) island of St. Thomas, you land at its western end; if you arrive by cruise ship, you come into one of the world's most beautiful harbors. Either way, one of your first sights is the town of Charlotte Amalie. From the harbor you see an idyllic-looking village that spreads into the lower hills. If you were expecting a quiet hamlet with its inhabitants hanging out under palm trees, you've missed that era by about 300 years. Although other islands in the USVI developed plantation economies, St. Thomas cultivated its harbor, and it became a thriving seaport soon after it was settled by the Danish in the 1600s. The success of the naturally perfect harbor was enhanced by the fact that the Danes—who ruled St. Thomas with only a couple of short interruptions from 1666 to 1917—avoided involvement in some 100 years' worth of European wars. Denmark was the only European country with colonies in the Caribbean to stay neutral during the War of the Spanish Succession in the early 1700s. Thus, products of the Dutch, English, and French islands—sugar, cotton, and indigo—were traded through Charlotte Amalie, along with the regular shipments of slaves. When the Spanish wars ended, trade fell off, but by the end of the 1700s Europe was at war again, Denmark again remained neutral, and St. Thomas continued to prosper. Even into the 1800s, while the economies of St. Croix and St. John foundered with the market for sugarcane, St. Thomas's economy remained vigorous. This prosperity led to the development of shipyards, a well-organized banking system, and a large merchant class. In 1845 Charlotte Amalie had 101 large importing houses owned by the English, French, Germans, Haitians, Spaniards, Americans, Sephardim, and Danes. Charlotte Amalie is still one of the world's most active cruise-ship ports. On almost any day at least one and sometimes as many as eight cruise ships are tied to the docks or anchored outside the harbor. Gently rocking in the shadows of these giant floating hotels are just about every other kind of vessel imaginable: sleek sailing catamarans that will take you on a sunset cruise complete with rum punch and a Jimmy Buffett soundtrack, private megayachts for billionaires, and barnacle-bottom sloops—with laundry draped over the lifelines—that are home to world-cruising gypsies. Huge container ships pull up in Sub Base, west of the harbor, bringing in everything from breakfast cereals to tires. Anchored right along the waterfront are down-island barges that ply the waters between the Greater Antilles and the Leeward Islands, transporting goods such as refrigerators, VCRs, and disposable diapers. The waterfront road through Charlotte Amalie was once part of the harbor. Before it was filled in to build the highway, the beach came right up to the back door of the warehouses that now line the thoroughfare. Two hundred years ago those warehouses were filled with indigo, tobacco, and cotton. Today the stone buildings house silk, crystal, and diamonds. Exotic fragrances are still traded, but by island beauty queens in air-conditioned perfume palaces instead of through open market stalls. The pirates of old used St. Thomas as a base from which to raid merchant ships of every nation, though they were particularly fond of the gold- and silver-laden treasure ships heading to Spain. Pirates are still around, but today's versions use St. Thomas as a drop-off for their contraband: illegal immigrants and drugs. To explore outside Charlotte Amalie, rent a car or hire a taxi. Your rental car should come with a good map; if not, pick up the pocket-size "St. Thomas–St. John Road Map" at a tourist information center. Roads are marked with route numbers, but they're confusing and seem to switch numbers suddenly. Roads are also identified by signs bearing the St. Thomas–St. John Hotel and Tourism Association's mascot, Tommy the Starfish. More than 100 of these color-coded signs line the island's main routes. Orange signs trace the route from the airport to Red Hook, green signs identify the road from town to Magens Bay, Tommy's face on a yellow background points from Mafolie to Crown Bay through the north side, red signs lead from Smith Bay to Four Corners via Skyline Drive, and blue signs mark the route from the cruise-ship dock at Havensight to Red Hook. These color-coded routes are not marked on most visitor maps, however. Allow yourself a day to explore, especially if you want to stop to take pictures or to enjoy a light bite or refreshing swim. Most gas stations are on the island's more populated eastern end, so fill up before heading to the north side. And remember to drive on the left!

Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Itineraries

10 Nights

Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale

Departure Date
06 Jan 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Moon
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Destination Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Itinerary
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Gustavia, Saint John's, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Saint Thomas and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

From Please Call

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

71 Nights

Grand Voyage: Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale

Departure Date
20 Jan 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Ray
Region South America
Departure Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Destination Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Itinerary
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Cozumel, Cozumel, Manta, Callao, Callao, Callao, Pisco, Arica, Coquimbo, Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Puerto Montt, Chilean Fjords, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Punta del Este, Balneário de Camboriú, Ilhabela, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia, Fortaleza, Macapa, Santarém, Boca de Valeria, Manaus, Manaus, Manaus, Parintins, Macapa, Ile Royale, Salvation Islands, Bridgetown, Bridgetown, Port Elizabeth, Bequia, Castries, Saint John's, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Saint Thomas, San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

From £45,332pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

10 Nights

Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale

Departure Date
17 Feb 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Moon
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Destination Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Itinerary
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Gustavia, Saint John's, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Saint Thomas and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

From Please Call

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

29 Nights

Rio de Janeiro to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Departure Date
03 Mar 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Ray
Region South America
Departure Port Rio de Janeiro
Destination Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Itinerary
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia, Fortaleza, Macapa, Santarém, Boca de Valeria, Manaus, Manaus, Manaus, Parintins, Macapa, Ile Royale, Salvation Islands, Bridgetown, Bridgetown, Port Elizabeth, Bequia, Castries, Saint John's, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Saint Thomas, San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

From £13,950pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

8 Nights

Fort Lauderdale to Bridgetown

Departure Date
05 Mar 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Moon
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Destination Port Bridgetown
Itinerary
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Saint Thomas, Gustavia, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Fort-de-France and Bridgetown

From £3,900pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

9 Nights

Bridgetown to Fort Lauderdale

Departure Date
23 Mar 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Ray
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Bridgetown
Destination Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Itinerary
Bridgetown, Port Elizabeth, Bequia, Castries, Saint John's, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Saint Thomas, San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

From £5,700pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

33 Nights

Los Angeles, California to New York, NY

Departure Date
09 May 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Shadow
Region Caribbean
Departure Port San Diego, California
Destination Port New York, New York
Itinerary
San Diego, California, San Diego, California, Cabo San Lucas, Puntarenas, Panama City, Cartagena, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Samaná, Oranjestad, Gustavia, Saint Thomas, Hamilton, Hamilton, New York, New York and New York, New York

From £12,600pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

15 Nights

Fort Lauderdale to New York

Departure Date
27 May 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Shadow
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Destination Port New York, New York
Itinerary
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Samaná, Oranjestad, Gustavia, Saint Thomas, Hamilton, Hamilton, New York, New York and New York, New York

From £5,200pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

12 Nights

Fort Lauderdale to Bridgetown

Departure Date
10 Nov 25
Cruise Line Silversea
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Silver Shadow
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Destination Port Bridgetown
Itinerary
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Saint Thomas, Gustavia, Saint John's, Trois-Ilets, Port Elizabeth, Bequia, Saint George's, Soufrière, Kingstown and Bridgetown

From £5,100pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

21 Nights

Caribbean

Departure Date
18 Nov 25
Cruise Line Cunard Line
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Queen Elizabeth
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Miami, Florida
Destination Port Miami, Florida
Itinerary
Miami, Florida, Grand Cayman, Montego Bay, Roatán Island, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Miami, Florida, Saint Thomas, Saint John's, Castries, Bridgetown, Sint Maarten, Tortola and Miami, Florida

From £1,599pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

21 Nights

Caribbean

Departure Date
27 Nov 25
Cruise Line Cunard Line
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Queen Elizabeth
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Miami, Florida
Destination Port Miami, Florida
Itinerary
Miami, Florida, Saint Thomas, Saint John's, Castries, Bridgetown, Sint Maarten, Tortola, Miami, Florida, Grand Turk Island, Montego Bay, Belize City, Cozumel and Miami, Florida

From £1,649pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises

12 Nights

Eastern Caribbean

Departure Date
27 Nov 25
Cruise Line Cunard Line
Cruise Type Ocean
Ship Queen Elizabeth
Region Caribbean
Departure Port Miami, Florida
Destination Port Miami, Florida
Itinerary
Miami, Florida, Saint Thomas, Saint John's, Castries, Bridgetown, Sint Maarten, Tortola and Miami, Florida

From £1,099pp

Plus substantial savings from Deluxe Cruises