Full-Day Private Boat Charter from St. John or St. Thomas

The best island day may be the one you design. This six-hour private charter from St. Thomas or St. John gives your group a fast, flexible way to explore the waters around St. John, with time for sea turtles at Maho Bay, snorkeling at Waterlemon Cay, calm water at Hurricane Hole, and lunch at Lime Out. I especially like the private boat for up to eight people and the freedom to adjust the route with your captain. The main drawback is cost: $1,095 per group before fuel, lunch, and a possible tip, so the value improves sharply when you fill the boat.

I also like the mix of water time and shore stops. You can snorkel, swim to a beach, look at old sugar plantation ruins, or simply settle into a quiet bay. Captains such as Vic, Bryan, Andrew, and Randy are praised for being attentive, capable, and easygoing, but your day still depends on sea conditions and the route chosen.

Quick take: what makes this charter different

• Sea turtles at Maho Bay: Calm north-shore water gives you one of the clearest chances to snorkel near turtles.
• A truly private day: Your group controls the pace, stops, lunch choice, and general feel of the outing.
• Five strong water stops: Maho Bay, Waterlemon Cay, Hurricane Hole, Lime Out, and Little Lameshur Bay create a varied six-hour route.
• Floating food stops: You can buy tacos at Lime Out or head to Christmas Cove for Pizza Pi, with food paid separately.
• Captain-led flexibility: Captains can suggest sheltered bays and adjust the day around weather and sea conditions.
• Good value for a full boat: Eight people bring the base cost to about $137 per person, before fuel and other extras.

Leaving from St. Thomas or St. John at 9 a.m.

The charter begins at 9 a.m. and ends back at the meeting point. The exact meeting location is supplied when you book, and the boat may depart from St. Thomas or St. John depending on your arrangement. If you are arriving by cruise ship, you need to arrange your own taxi to American Yacht Harbor. Cruise port pickup is not included.

The boats are 29-foot or 32-foot power catamarans. That gives you a private platform with room for up to eight people, rather than a large shared excursion with a fixed script. The total experience lasts about six hours, and travel time is included, so the captain’s routing matters. You will not spend six full hours anchored at one snorkeling site.

That time limit makes a private charter useful. You can move on when a stop has run its course, linger longer in a calm bay, or replace a stop if conditions are not right. Captains Bryan, Andrew, Vic, and Randy have all received praise for professionalism, calm service, and good judgment. Andrew, in particular, is described as informative and laid-back, while Randy has been praised for finding sheltered water when the day looked gloomy.

Maho Bay: your best opening chance for sea turtles

Maho Bay is a smart first stop because its water is calm and the bay is known for sea turtles. You get about an hour here to use the supplied snorkel equipment and explore from the boat.

This is the kind of stop that works for mixed groups. Strong swimmers can spend time looking along the reef, while less confident swimmers can stay in the protected bay and keep the boat close. The attraction is not speed or adventure. It is the simple pleasure of floating in clear water and watching for turtles.

The usual limitation is that sea turtles are wild animals, not scheduled performers. You may see them, but no captain can promise an encounter. Keep your expectations sensible, listen to directions, and give the animals space.

Waterlemon Cay and the value of a private snorkeling route

Waterlemon Cay adds a different underwater setting. The site is known for healthy populations of elkhorn coral, a critically endangered coral species. You are given roughly an hour here, enough time for a proper snorkel rather than a quick look before moving on.

This stop matters because a good private boat day should offer more than one type of scenery. Maho Bay focuses on calm water and turtles. Waterlemon Cay shifts attention to coral and reef life. If you enjoy snorkeling, that contrast gives the day more substance.

The private format helps here. You can tell the captain if your group wants more snorkeling, less shore time, or an easier pace. I would ask before departure how the captain expects to balance the stops, especially if everyone in your group has different swimming abilities.

Hurricane Hole: still water among St. John’s mangroves

Hurricane Hole offers pool-like conditions among a healthy mangrove ecosystem. After time in open water, this can be a welcome change. The mangroves create a calmer setting and give you a chance to float, snorkel, and look at a part of the Virgin Islands that is different from the exposed reef sites.

I like the way this stop broadens the day. You are not simply collecting beaches. You are seeing bays, coral, mangroves, and open coastline in one outing.

Still, the experience here is quiet rather than dramatic. If your group wants nonstop snorkeling or a long beach visit, an hour at Hurricane Hole may feel slower. That is where the private arrangement helps. You can discuss the balance with the captain rather than accept a fixed stop that does not suit your group.

Lime Out St. John: tacos served on the water

Lime Out is one of the most memorable parts of the route. It is a floating taco stand in Coral Bay, with tacos and frozen drinks available for purchase. The stop is planned for about an hour, giving you a proper lunch break without returning to land.

This is also where you should keep your budget in mind. Lunch is not included, and you pay directly for anything you buy at Lime Out. The same applies if you choose Pizza Pi later at Christmas Cove. Bring a payment method that works for your group, and remember that drinks and food are separate from the charter price.

Lime Out is a practical choice for a boat day because it keeps the group on the water. You do not need to interrupt the outing with a land transfer. At the same time, a floating restaurant stop can be popular, and the experience may feel more social than the quieter bays. If solitude is your priority, ask the captain about spending more time at a secluded cove instead.

Little Lameshur Bay combines swimming and history

Little Lameshur Bay gives you another chance to snorkel with sea turtles, but it also offers a shore option. You can swim to the beach and explore centuries-old sugar plantation ruins.

That combination makes the stop useful for groups with different interests. Some people can snorkel while others swim ashore. The ruins add a cultural and historical layer to a day that could otherwise be all fins, masks, and floating drinks.

The shore visit is not a formal guided history tour. You should think of it as a chance to see the remains on your own while the captain handles the boat and route. If the sea is rough or your group is not comfortable swimming from the boat, ask about conditions before heading ashore.

South-shore options: Scott Beach, Cinnamon Bay, and Trunk Bay

The proposed route can be changed. Other possible stops include Scott Beach, Cinnamon Bay, and Trunk Bay, along with Salt Pond Bay, Pelican Rock, and Little Lameshur. A south-shore route can give you a quieter feel and a change from the busier parts of the island.

Trunk Bay is one of St. John’s best-known beach areas, while Scott Beach offers a quieter beach stop. Cinnamon Bay gives you another broad stretch of shoreline to consider. The right choice depends on weather, sea conditions, and what your group wants that day.

You should not assume every named location will fit into one six-hour trip. Maho Bay, Waterlemon Cay, Hurricane Hole, Lime Out, and Little Lameshur already use about five hours before travel time is counted. The benefit is not checking every place off a list. It is having a captain help you choose a sensible mix.

Christmas Cove and Pizza Pi for a second floating meal

Christmas Cove provides another memorable food option: Pizza Pi, the USVI’s floating pizzeria. You can stop for a slice, but the purchase is your responsibility and the time must fit the route.

This is a good choice if your group prefers pizza to tacos, or if you want a later snack after snorkeling. It also gives the day a playful finish. Still, adding both Lime Out and Pizza Pi may leave less time for beaches or reefs. Decide early if food stops are central to your plans or simply a backup.

What is included, and what you need to bring

The charter includes snorkeling equipment, water, ice, a cooler, private transportation by boat, and an experienced captain. The cooler is useful for keeping your own drinks cold, especially since the tour allows BYOB.

You may bring alcoholic drinks, but glass bottles are not allowed on board. Lunch is not included, and purchases at Lime Out or Pizza Pi cost extra. Fuel is also not included and is billed according to usage at $7 per gallon. The booking details also recommend a 20 percent tip if you feel the captain has provided excellent service.

Because the boat day is private, the small extras can add up. Before you book, estimate fuel, food, drinks, and the possible tip. The base fare is easier to justify with six to eight people than with only two or three.

Is $1,095 a fair price for six hours?

The charter costs $1,095 per group of up to eight people. At full capacity, that works out to about $137 per person before fuel, food, and gratuity. For a couple, the per-person cost is much higher, so the private format becomes the main reason to choose it.

I see the value in three areas. First, you avoid sharing the boat with strangers. Second, your captain can adapt the route rather than follow a rigid schedule. Third, the boat gives your group access to several St. John bays in one day, with snorkeling gear and a cooler already provided.

A large shared boat can cost less, but it may offer less control and a busier feel. This charter makes the most financial sense for a family, group of friends, or celebration with enough people to divide the fare. If your main goal is simply one short snorkel stop, this is more boat than you need.

The captains are a major part of the experience

The strongest praise centers on the captains. Vic is associated with a day that included several snorkeling sites and Pizza Pi. Bryan is praised for professional conduct and strong mariner skills. Andrew is described as informative, relaxed, and willing to let the group shape the day. Randy is credited with finding calm seas and sunny conditions when the weather looked uncertain.

That tells you something useful about the charter. You are not only paying for a boat and a route. You are paying for local decision-making on the water. A good captain can help match the day to changing conditions and to your group’s comfort level.

I would tell your captain what matters most at the start. Say if you want turtles, coral, quiet beaches, ruins, lunch, or maximum swimming time. The more clearly you explain your priorities, the easier it is to shape the six hours well.

Who should book this private boat day?

This trip suits you if you want control, privacy, and several different stops around St. John. It is especially appealing for families because children can enjoy swimming and beaches while adults choose snorkeling or lunch stops. Most people can participate, and service animals are allowed, but you should contact Bonus Time Charters in advance with specific accessibility questions.

It also works well for a group that has already seen the main beaches and wants a day built around the water. The private setting lets you slow down, skip a stop, or ask for a different route.

You may want another option if you are traveling alone, dislike boat travel, or want a low-cost activity. The six-hour format also requires a full morning and afternoon commitment, and travel time counts toward the total.

Booking, weather, and practical timing

You receive confirmation when booking, and free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the 9 a.m. start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

The charter requires good weather. If poor weather forces a cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. That policy is fair for a boat trip, but it makes flexibility important when planning your vacation.

Plan to arrive ready for a full day on the water. Bring non-glass drinks, money for lunch, and anything your group needs between stops. If you are coming from a cruise, allow time and taxi fare to reach American Yacht Harbor, since port pickup is not included.

Should you book Bonus Time Charters?

Book it if you can fill most of the boat and want a personal day around St. John rather than a fixed group cruise. The combination of sea turtles, coral reefs, mangroves, quiet bays, plantation ruins, Lime Out, and Pizza Pi gives you plenty of choice.

I would be more cautious if your party is small or your budget is tight. Fuel, meals, and a possible 20 percent tip sit outside the advertised price. But for up to eight people who value privacy and captain-led flexibility, this is a strong way to see more of the US Virgin Islands in one well-planned day.

FAQ

How long is the private boat charter?

The experience lasts about six hours, and travel time is included in the total duration.

What time does the charter start?

The scheduled start time is 9 a.m.

How many people can join the private charter?

The price covers one private group of up to eight people.

Can the route be customized?

Yes. The suggested route is flexible, and customized itineraries are welcomed.

Which snorkeling locations are included in the suggested route?

The proposed route includes Maho Bay, Waterlemon Cay, Hurricane Hole, and Little Lameshur Bay. Other possible snorkeling areas include Salt Pond Bay and Pelican Rock.

Are snorkeling masks and equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment is included.

Is lunch included in the charter price?

No. Food and drinks purchased at Lime Out, Pizza Pi, or other food stops are paid for separately.

Can I bring my own alcoholic drinks?

Yes. BYOB is allowed, but glass bottles are not permitted on board.

Is fuel included?

No. Fuel is billed based on usage at $7 per gallon.

What happens if bad weather cancels the trip?

If the charter is canceled because of poor weather, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.