St. John sits surrounded by sparkling turquoise waters that entice you to relax and enjoy. Taking advantage of shoreline activities is fantastic, but nothing compares to chartering a boat to explore the wonders of the Caribbean Sea all around you.
Boat charters offer visits to pristine beaches, exploring secret coves, seeking out sea turtles, and hitting up iconic island beach bars. You can even set foot in the nearby British Virgin Islands (BVI) if you bring a passport along.
When you charter a boat in St. John with a qualified and experienced captain, all of your party members can have fun and hang out as your captain drives. You can also rent a boat if you’re an experienced skipper with credentials to prove you know what you’re doing.
Most charter companies also offer a range of half or full-day tours. A boat charter should be high on your list of things to do in St. John since for most, it’s the absolute highlight of any vacation!
Quotes for most charters are base fees, with additional fuel charges, either per usage at the tour’s end or as a separate flat rate. Also, be prepared to pay per-person customs fees to leave the US territory and visit the British Virgin Islands. Most charters provide ice & coolers, snorkel equipment, flotation devices, dry storage, and covered seating.
Palm Tree Charters
Since 2005, Palm Tree Charters has taken visitors on stellar boat cruises around St. John, St. Thomas, and the BVI’s. This boat charter company will suggest tour ideas, or you can opt for their popular “You Choose The Cruise” program letting you plan your dream day trip.
Custom private trips from Cruz Bay on St. John take place on one of their 4 comfortable catamaran vessels. Palm Tree’s 26 or 28-ft. cats hold a maximum of 8 guests, while their 36-ft Luxury Catamaran can accommodate up to 12 guests.
All the boats are equipped with comfortable seating and sound systems, with more luxury conveniences on the larger boat.
Palm Tree Charters offers half or full-day trips where you visit scenic swimming spots like Honeymoon Beach and Maho Bay, check out on the water restaurants like Lime Out VI, and snorkel in Trunk Bay and Hawksnest Bay Beach. A Palm Tree Boat Charter runs $400 for a sunset cruise, $850 for a full-day USVI tour, and $1250 for a full-day BVI day cruise. Luxury cruises run between $2000/2500 for the entire day.
The dedicated staff at Palm Tree Charters can show you a superb time! Special arrangements are also possible for larger groups or overnight trips.
Island Roots Charters
Whether you choose to stay within the waters around St. John or head out into the sea to the other Virgin Islands, Island Roots Charters will show you the best of the Caribbean.
Island Roots operates three top-of-the-line catamaran boats to take you on a private boat tour around the islands. You can charter one boat for a small group of up to 12 people or charter all three so your wedding, family, or group party can take to the sea together.
Island Roots has a dynamic and enthusiastic staff ready to fulfill your day-trip needs, plus experienced local captains who know all the islands’ well-loved spots. You can BYOB (they’ll provide the coolers!) and have loads of fun on your full-day, extended-day, or sunset cruise.
Check the Island Roots calendar to find the option that suits your interests as there’s a wide variety to choose from! A sunset cruise runs $595, a full-day USVI tour is $1095, a full-day BVI tour is $1395, with an extended BVI day tour runs approximately $1645. The BVI trips will take you to famous places like The Baths and Norman Island.
New Moon USVI
New Moon Charters offers half and full-day boat charters around the USVI and BVI on their Midnight Express 37-ft. luxury powerboat. This boating marvel can take up to 12 passengers on the tour of a lifetime, hitting all the island’s high spots like Honeymoon Beach in comfort. There’s ample covered seating onboard, a refrigerator, plus a freshwater shower for rinsing off.
All New Moon tours leave from the National Park in Cruz Bay, setting off for a fun-filled time around the islands. Your capable captain handles all the maneuvering while your party members revel in a day of snorkeling at Maho Bay to find sea turtles, lazing, exploring, and indulging at popular island restaurants like Pizza Pi and Lime Out.
Your party can enjoy music provided through the boat’s excellent JL sound system. A half-day tour is $900 on New Moon and a full day is $1450.
New Moon Charters also offers private taxi services, including luxury airport pick-up door-to-door service, plus tour pick-ups on St. Thomas for an additional fee.
Sunshine Daydream Charters
Sunshine Daydream Charters has a shining fleet of 3 World Cat powerboats, perfect for island hopping. This small owner-operated company will happily show you the tour of your dreams, with licensed captains who ensure your safety plus show you a great time.
The comfortable 32-foot boats can take up to 12 guests per cruise. All Sunshine Daydream tours are private and fully customized according to your interests. You might take a snorkel break at a remote reef near the U.S. Virgin Islands, visit a floating taco shack, or relax at a seaside resort. Pick-up can be done in both St. Thomas and St. John.
Rates for day trips are per 6 guests, with additional fees for up to 12, plus precalculated fuel and customs fees for visiting the British Virgin Islands.
Rates start at $550 for an afternoon snorkel/sunset tour, with a half-day USVI tour at $800 and a full-day run at $1050. A BVI tour will run between $1095 and $1595 depending on your itinerary.
Saint John Boat Charters
Saint John Boat Charters offers a variety of water charters on powerboats and catamarans (between 6-12 guests) and sailing vessels (up to 12 guests). You can opt to relax and enjoy isolated and beautiful beaches for swimmining and snorkeling in the coral reefs, or hit all the beach bars with Saint John Boat Charters.
This popular tour company offers water-sports tours and equipment rentals for certified SCUBA dives (including PADI-certified night dives), SUP, snorkeling, kayaking, and guided hikes through unspoiled nature and abandoned ruins.
With prior boating experience, you can rent a 16’ Boston Whaler boat for a day for $380 and personally pilot your party of up to 4 other guests around the seas on the north shore of St. John. Larger luxury vessels include open bars, coolers, snacks, and continental breakfast, while smaller boats are strictly BYOB.
Rates for a half-day USVI tour start at $699, while a full-day runs $1049-$1200, depending on the boat size and number of guests. Equipment and activity add-ons are available for additional fees.
The BVI cruises to places like Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda are full-day and are listed either per group at $1395 or per person, which for larger vessels could run up to $2664 for 12 people.
Calypso Charters
Family-owned Calypso Charters has a long history on St. John and loves showing guests the beauty of the Virgin Islands they call home. Their super-fleet of power and sailing catamarans will take you around the island or to the furthest reaches of the BVI for a day filled with incredible island fun.
On a sailing charter with Calypso, you’ll always get friendly, knowledgeable, and professional service. The company offers a variety of popular routes/set trips in their busy calendar. Most tours are priced per person, with separate adult and child fares. They include coolers with ice, an open bar, a continental breakfast, and snorkel gear.
Some trips require a minimum of 6 guests, and their largest boat has a capacity for up to 32 guests. They offer private charters plus the opportunity to join a larger group set tour.
Depending on the size of your party and the selected tour, prices range from $80/per person for a sunset 1.5-hour tour to 160/pp for a day tour. A private charter (minimum 18 people) on a 40-foot sailing catamaran will run $2,660-$4,000 for an entire day.