TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums US VI and Puerto Rico Jeep Rental St. Thomas

Any advice on the best car rentals on St. Thomas?

Amalie Car Rental. Their jeeps can go to St. John. Amy is wonderful to work with - they pick up/drop off at the airport and you may be able to talk them into meeting you at a marina.

Paradise will pick up/drop off at marinas. Not sure about their inventory (type of vehicles) or policies for taking vehicles to St. John.

I believe Paradise Car Rental is who CYOA recommends. They have the added benefit of picking up the vehicle from your marina of departure, or final destination if it is other than the airport.

We will be land-based on this trip but would love to day trip to St. John.

If you want to spend a day and early evening in St John you’re better off leaving your rental at the Red Hook ferry dock and take the passenger ferry that leaves every hour and get a day rental in Cruz bay. The car ferries are slow and you’ll waste time loading and reloading your car. There’s a substantial savings taking the passenger ferry which will make the St John rental a bargain.

Thanks!! Will do!

I disagree with the day rental on St. John. The car barges run regularly now and many St. John rental agencies will not rent by the day - especially in advance. You may have to show up day of rental to see what is available.

Depending on when you are going, one day rentals on STJ can be hard to find. Be sure to call ahead. When we would stay at Caneel (pre Irma) Penns was our go-to for last minute, daily rentals. Be sure to drive all the way out to the East End, it is very scenic.

The car barges aren’t something you want to do in one day if you want to tour the island and maybe have a late lunch or dinner.
It’s much more convenient at the end of the day to just hop on the passenger ferry back to St Thomas
There are many car rental places in Cruz bay, it would be advisable to call ahead a reserve a 4WD during peak season.

Done both the car barge, once, and the ferry many times. Passenger ferry is the way to go. A lot less hassle. Rent a car or even better, call Hibiscus, with Starfish Tours. We've driven around the island with her several times when we have family or visitors on St. Thomas. She'll do a island tour or go where ever you like. Stop at the east end for lunch, Sloop Jones is on the way for some funky shopping or whatever. Then just hop on the next ferry when you want. Great day trip.

Paradise or Amalia either one do a great job. Rick has rented from Amalia for years Baard loves Paradise.

As Jay mentioned, I highly recommend Paradise Car Rental. They meet you at the airport...with a SMILE and appreciative of your business, and while your crew is waiting for bags, you complete the paperwork at their office across from the airport entrance intersection.

If departing on a charter, they'll do an unattended pickup of the vehicle for no extra charge. With CYOA, I leave it at the HL&S lot next door.

Rental price is competitive at $100 total for a minivan or Durango. I'm done with Avis - I was lately waiting at their airport counter for 30+ minutes for a vehicle to arrive, and their seaplane base location has been closed since March making returns a pain. I experienced marginally better wait times this year with Budget, but their downtown location is still a 15 minute walk back to CYOA.

Based on advice form TTOL @hotdogman and others, I used Paradise two weeks ago. One day on arrival and one day on departure from a catamaran charter. I used VIYC out of Compass Point (CYOA yachts all booked) and as mentioned with CYOA, pickup at airport and drop off at marina on way in and reverse on way out were perfect. Paradise service and vehicle could not have been any better.

We have used Paradise and Amalie both - good service with either one. We did the car ferry to St. John twice and won't do it again. Much easier to take the passenger ferry. You get to stay on St John much longer and easy to find a cab to hit the beaches.

We have six adults for a late Jan charter. for STT to Compass Point charter base and provisioning. do we need two cars, one minivan, or one car and two take a taxi?

We plan a 5night post sail villa stay on St John’s, if we take the passenger ferry to Cruz bay, are there six pax vehicles for rent on St John’s?

Thanks!

St. John's is in New Brunswick, Canada. I hope you aren't trying to go there.

Does St John’s in New Brunswick have a Cruz Bay like St John VI?

OK, blame autocorrect, lazy, or ignorance! No apostrophe or S.

So what do three couples sharing a villa do for transportation on St John?

Start calling every Car rental place on STJ NOW - If you can only get a car in STT use the car barge - with 6 people 2 cars are a big help for happy wives.