Honeymoon Beach St. Thomas: Is the $119 Royal Caribbean Excursion Worth It?
Is Honeymoon Beach on Water Island worth visiting from St. Thomas? We paid $119 PER PERSON through Royal Caribbean to spend the day here, and while we absolutely recommend the beach, we learned afterward that there is a MUCH cheaper way to do it. 🏝️🛳️ In this full review, I walk Honeymoon Beach and show you what it’s actually like, including the beautiful water, sand, coconut palms, seating, shade, restrooms, pickleball courts, bar, restaurant and overall vibe. The weather was perfect, the water temperature was incredible, there was plenty of room to relax, and the entire beach had a laid-back atmosphere that we really enjoyed. We booked the Royal Caribbean excursion for $119 per person. That gave us the convenience of having the transportation and beach day arranged through the cruise line, which definitely has value when you’re visiting on a cruise and want everything coordinated around the ship’s schedule. BUT… here’s what we learned afterward. 😂 You can take the Water Island Ferry from Crown Bay Marina for approximately $10 each way, or $20 round trip per person, and visit Honeymoon Beach independently. Once you’re there, you can pay separately for whatever you actually want, including beach chairs, an umbrella, snorkel equipment and other watersports. So instead of automatically spending $119 per person, you could potentially spend around $20 per person for transportation and then add only the beach amenities you want. Rental prices can change, so check current pricing when you arrive. That’s probably how WE would do it next time. The tradeoff is convenience. Booking through the cruise line takes some of the planning out of the day and gives you more peace of mind when it comes to getting back to the ship on time. Going independently can save a significant amount of money, but YOU are responsible for watching the clock and making sure you get back. As for Honeymoon Beach itself? We’d absolutely return. The restaurant is more tourist-style food than authentic USVI cuisine, and drinks are a little pricey, but that’s not exactly surprising at a Caribbean tourist destination. BOTTOM LINE: Honeymoon Beach is definitely worth visiting. Beautiful water, plenty of shade and seating, good amenities and a great laid-back vibe. We’d just seriously consider doing it independently next time and keeping some of that $119 in our pocket. 😂 Have you been to Honeymoon Beach on Water Island? If not, would you visit? And would you pay extra for the convenience of the cruise excursion or do it yourself and save the money? Subscribe to Adventures In Retirement for more real-world cruise and travel reviews, adventures, tips, people watching, humor and good vibes! #HoneymoonBeach #StThomas #RoyalCaribbean