Common questions from travelers booking through WanderUSVI.
No. The U.S. Virgin Islands are U.S. territory; domestic travelers need a TSA-compliant ID (REAL ID, passport, or military). International travelers need a passport plus appropriate visa/ESTA.
December-April is peak season — best weather, smallest chance of rain, but most crowded and most expensive. May-June and November are sweet spots: warm water, fewer crowds. Hurricane season is June-November; September-October is highest-risk but actual storms are rare in any given year.
St. John has the most-protected snorkel spots — 60% of the island is U.S. National Park, with reefs at Trunk Bay (underwater snorkel trail), Maho Bay (sea turtles), and Cinnamon Bay. St. Thomas's Coki Beach and Buck Island Reef Monument off St. Croix are both strong picks too.
Ferries: Red Hook (St. Thomas) → Cruz Bay (St. John) is 20 min, runs hourly 6 AM - 11 PM. St. Thomas → St. Croix is a 2-hour seaplane or 4-hour ferry. Most travelers fly to St. Thomas first and ferry to St. John for day-trips.
Yes, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all work without international roaming charges — the USVI is U.S. soil. Coverage is good in populated areas; thin in the deeper coves and on the far east end of St. John.
U.S. dollar. ATMs are common in Charlotte Amalie, Cruz Bay, and Christiansted. Tipping is U.S.-style: 18-20% on restaurants, $1-2 per drink, 10-15% on charter tours.
2 weeks ahead during cruise weeks (Dec-April), 1 week ahead in shoulder months. Private charters and full-day catamarans book up faster than half-days. Most operators have 24-hour cancellation policies.
Reef-safe sunscreen (the USVI banned oxybenzone-based sunscreens in 2020), swimsuit, towel, light cover-up for sun, water, and a GoPro or waterproof phone case. Most operators provide snorkel gear, water, and light snacks; full-day trips often include lunch.
Some larger catamaran tours have accessibility ramps; most smaller boats do not. Check each operator's tour page or message before booking.
Seaplane from St. Thomas (2 daily flights, 25 minutes, ~$160 round trip) or ferry (2 hours each way). Direct flights from the U.S. mainland to St. Croix are also common; STX has flights from Miami, Atlanta, and Newark.