Best St. Thomas shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in St. Thomas is "St. Thomas: 3-Hour Mangrove Kayak, Hike & Snorkel Eco-Tour" (4.7★ from 151 reviews, from $99). The biggest saving against the ship is kayak / paddle: $157 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in St. Thomas are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Thomas: 3-Hour Mangrove Kayak, Hike & Snorkel Eco-TourKayak / paddle | $99 | 4.7★151 reviews | 5/5 |
| 2 | St. Thomas: Shopping & Sightseeing Tour with Beach OptionBeach break / beach club | $65 | 4.3★215 reviews | 3/5 |
| 3 | Coral World Ocean Park: Dolphin Splash and SwimDolphin & marine encounter | $183 | 4.7★104 reviews | 5/5 |
| 4 | Champagne Sunset Sail from Margaritaville ResortParty / sunset cruise | $117 | 5.0★49 reviews | 5/5 |
| 5 | Charlotte Amalie: Virgin Islands Small-Group Snorkel CruiseSnorkel tour | $150 | 4.4★60 reviews | 5/5 |
| 6 | Saint Thomas-St John: Snorkeling & Beach Catamaran TourCatamaran / sail & snorkel | $150 | 4.8★34 reviews | 5/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kayak / paddle | NCL | $197 | $40 | $629 |
| Kayak / paddle | Carnival | $130 | $40 | $360 |
| Party / sunset cruise | NCL | $168 | $109 | $234 |
| Scuba / helmet dive | NCL | $207 | $173 | $136 |
| Catamaran / sail & snorkel | NCL | $182 | $150 | $130 |
| Beach break / beach club | NCL | $118 | $96 | $89 |
Where the ship is cheaper
- City / island tour on NCL: $79 on the ship vs $79 independent.
- City / island tour on Carnival: $74 on the ship vs $79 independent.
- Scuba / helmet dive on Carnival: $167 on the ship vs $173 independent.
- Beach break / beach club on Carnival: $71 on the ship vs $96 independent.
- Catamaran / sail & snorkel on Carnival: $114 on the ship vs $150 independent.
- Snorkel tour on Carnival: $101 on the ship vs $150 independent.
Without a tour: near the pier
- Charlotte Amalie downtown: ~10 min by road (1.4 km).
- Magens Bay Beach: ~15 min by road (3.8 km).
- Coki Point / Coral World: ~20 min by road (6.3 km).
- Red Hook ferry to St. John: ~20 min by road (7.5 km).
Havensight is a 20-minute walk or short taxi from downtown. Taxis charge per person per destination on posted rates.
Questions
What is the best excursion in St. Thomas?
On ratings, "St. Thomas: 3-Hour Mangrove Kayak, Hike & Snorkel Eco-Tour" leads with 4.7 stars from 151 reviews. On value, kayak / paddle saves the most against the ship ($157 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in St. Thomas?
"St. Thomas: Shopping & Sightseeing Tour with Beach Option" from $65 per person (4.3★, 215 reviews).
What can you do in St. Thomas without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: Charlotte Amalie downtown (~10 min by road), Magens Bay Beach (~15 min by road), Coki Point / Coral World (~20 min by road), Red Hook ferry to St. John (~20 min by road).
All St. Thomas prices and pier guide · Carnival in St. Thomas · NCL in St. Thomas