St. John, US Virgin Islands Reviews and Ratings

It is the most beautiful and amazing island in the world. I went on my honeymoon cruise and I would love to go back. Gorgeous and the people there were so hospitable.

St John IS.....safe clean sand to die for water of true Azzure. People are great food is tres cool.........................WHY???? its the USA and 70% non developable National Park.....................no way at all like St Thomas................I have been there numerous times.

I've been to St.John in '65'75 & '93. In '63 Cruz Bay consisted of a long wooden dock a few scrawny filthy dogs & half a dozen shops period. The shops WERE the the town. Few private cabins hugged the hillside above the bay. A mile 'round the shore was the antithesis of Cruz B. RockResorts' paradise Caneel Bay (for the extremely well-heeled!). Its pristine beach fabulous/friendly service staff in crisply ironed blue & white uniforms a name tag below the iconic symbol for Caneel discreetly handling all needs of the wealthy on holiday. The cuisine 5-star; the grounds bursting w/color from fragrant manicured flora. Then NOTHING beyond Caneel'til you'd sailed 'round to Cinnamon Bay which had a cinderblock 10 x 20 ft building the only could find any food tanning oil bug spray fluids canned and bottled and of course the local Islands beer. The couple who ran the store were rarely there so you just paidplace besides Cruz Bay where the prolatariet vacationers for your items on the honor system making change from the metal tacklebox or cigar box now functioning as a cash drawer. There were NO other structures at Cinnamon Bay save a single wooden L shaped womens'shower(the men used the rock of an island that marks Cinnamon one could just see tbasic plumbing four-headed overhead open shower while standing on \duck-boards. Farther along were two well maintained but extremely basic (as in BYOP!)outhouses. Visible from the water out from the shore at the tiny lump of he barest hint of a pink one story cinderblock home named 'Island Fancy' by it's (named Island Fancy)atop a hill several bays up from Trunk Bay inhabited by Ethyl Mc Cully a 68 yr. old author and several 'ostentations of Peacocks' (The approp.term for a congregation of that bird.)which shreiked alarm at the approach of anyone unknown. ( continued in next review)

Ms McCully invited us (24 Explorers Scouts/8 adult advisors) to lunch at Island Fancy. We ate cold peacock meat drank fresh limeade. Quite an experienceesp. w/live peacocks struttin' 'round while you eat their kin!. We had snorkled and cleaned a full ton of trash from Francis Bay below Ms. McC's home. We hacked a new trail thru the underbrush making the trail across the island to the mills. Just feet off our trail today hikers may find the rock carving that became Caneel Bay's logo! The island as a whole was much more beautiful in 1965. Now Cruz Bay is developed with condos restaurants etc. and the hillside above is dotted with dozens and dozens of homes. Cinnamon Bay has concrete buildings run by the U.S. Park Service renting rooms w/ elect. A/C for good value. It's still campingso you do it all. In'63 we slept in tents on platforms raised inches the ground. Back then we paid $2.00/person/night. The whole trip flight included was less than $150/Explorer.I can say that the beaches today (or at least in 1993) were just as pretty as in 1963. In '93 we (two related couples) bareboat chartered a 44' Morgan for 8 days sailing around/ through the Virgins. I would recommend that adventure to anyone who has has AT LEAST ONE crew member who is completely competent in sailing. We flew food down frozen in Lg. coolers on the commercial flight needing only fresh fruit veggies and dairy to purchase locally on St. Thomas at sinfully HIGH prices on the fresh. Ouch! W/ plenty of salmon steaks chicken & beef tenderloin to grill off the stern in our small but very adequate grill plus icy cold rum drinks made in the blender we had a very memorable trip. We only 'got cleaned up' and wore real clothes one night. Same clothes we flew down and back in. You only need a swim suit a top a hat sunscreen (plenty!)and sunglasses and a good book. Honest. Just GO. St John has beautiful beaches and you can anchor in your own a private bay. Just Do It! Swoosh!!!