Boat charters on St. John
A private boat charter from St. John runs $995 to $3,500 for a full day for six on the operators' own rate pages as of October 2026, before fuel, tip and, for the BVI, customs paid in cash. Nearly every boat collects you in Cruz Bay; Sonic Charters uses the National Park dock. Book with the captain directly.
Written by Virgin Islands Villas · Updated Oct 2026
The operators, side by side
| Name | What | Departs from | Group size | Rates | Phone | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Roots Charters | Three 32-foot power catamarans; USVI days, BVI days and Jost Van Dyke afternoons. | Cruz Bay: National Park Visitor Center or Cruz Bay beach | up to 12 a boat; 36 on three boats | $700 sunset to $1,750 BVI extended day, plus fuel (and BVI customs) | (340) 643-5000 | Oct 2026 |
| On the Sea Charters | Two 33-foot power catamarans, private trips only. | Cruz Bay, or Sapphire Beach Marina, St. Thomas | up to 12 | From $450 sunset, $1,050 USVI day, $1,450 BVI day, for the first 6; fuel extra | 850-339-8113 | Oct 2026 |
| Sonic Charters | Six boats from a 32-foot Intrepid to a 58-foot Princess, and a Lagoon 450 sailing catamaran; based on St. Thomas. | National Park dock, Cruz Bay, or Oasis Cove Marina, St. Thomas | up to 12; rate covers 6, $50 a guest above | From $1,100 to from $2,750 a day for up to 6, plus fuel, tip and BVI customs | 833-205-9544 | Oct 2026 |
| Voodoo Charters | Two power catamarans; private trips on both and shared trips on the large one. | Cruz Bay | Vorado up to 12; Voodoo up to 49 | Vorado $750 sunset to $2,800 BVI for 6; Voodoo $3,000 to $7,100 for 25 | (340) 690-8272 | Oct 2026 |
| Ocean Runner | Self-drive Boston Whaler and Axopar rentals, and captained charters. | Bay Street, Cruz Bay | 5 to 7 self-drive; up to 12 captained | Captained from $1,395; larger yachts from $3,000 to from $5,000 | (340) 693-8809 | Oct 2026 |
| Wharfside Watersports | Self-drive dinghy, Zodiac and Medline rentals; private and group charters on request. | Wharfside Village, Cruz Bay | 4 to 10 by boat | Self-drive from $245 (dinghy) to $1,250 (Medline, full day) | (340) 201-6881 | Oct 2026 |
| Cruz Bay Watersports | Shared sails and snorkel trips, and private center-console and catamaran charters. | Westin St. John beach, Great Cruz Bay; also The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas | private boats 8 to 12, by boat | Shared Turtles & Tacos from the Westin from $129 a person; private full days from $1,275 (37-foot Whaler, USVI) to from $1,975 (VanDutch 40, BVI), fuel extra on most | (340) 244-1493 | Oct 2026 |
| Palm Tree Charters | Private power-catamaran charters on boats from 26 to 42 feet, booked online. | Cruz Bay beach, in front of High Tide | up to 7, 8 or 12, by boat | $450 sunset (26-foot) to $3,500 full day (42-foot), plus fuel | (340) 642-8522 | Oct 2026 |
| Blue Water Charters VI | Private day trips in the USVI and the BVI, booked online. | National Park finger pier, Cruz Bay | up to 8; rate covers 6, $50 a guest above | From $450 sunset to from $1,350 BVI day, for up to 6; fuel and BVI customs extra | (340) 489-1120 | Oct 2026 |
How to choose a St. John charter boat
Start with the size of the group. Island Roots and On the Sea run power catamarans of 32 and 33 feet licensed for 12; On the Sea and Sonic price six and add $50 a guest above that, as of October 2026. Above 12, Island Roots sends up to three boats, and Voodoo's large catamaran takes 49.
Each names its own pickup. Island Roots meets guests at the National Park Visitor Center or on Cruz Bay beach, Sonic at the National Park dock, Wharfside Watersports at Wharfside Village, and Cruz Bay Watersports on the Westin's beach in Great Cruz Bay.
St. John boat rental, with or without a captain
Two Cruz Bay outfits rent boats you drive yourself: Wharfside Watersports, from a $245 dinghy for 4 to a Zodiac for 8, and Ocean Runner, a Boston Whaler for 5 or a 22-foot Axopar for 7, as each publishes them in October 2026. Wharfside asks for experience on its Zodiac and Medline.
What a day on the water costs
The table's rate is the boat, not the day. Fuel is billed on top at Island Roots, On the Sea, Sonic, Palm Tree and Blue Water; Sonic estimates $100 to $650 depending on the boat. The tip, 15 to 20 percent in Sonic's words, is on top too. A BVI day adds customs, paid in cash on board: $75 a person at Sonic, $80 at Palm Tree and Blue Water, about $85 at On the Sea, which says Sundays and holidays may differ, all as of October 2026.
The tradeoff: Coral Bay has no charter we could confirm on an operator's own site. The drive to Cruz Bay is 28 minutes, and Island Roots' BVI day leaves at 8 a.m.
National Park rules for boats, and the BVI border
The National Park Service allows anchoring only in two designated anchorages, offshore Francis Bay and Lind Point, with no part of an anchor or chain touching coral; elsewhere the park lays mooring balls, the blue-and-white ones kept for commercial permit holders (its marine page, updated February 2023, read October 2026).
For a BVI day, bring the passport book. The Government of the Virgin Islands has asked for a valid one at entry since March 1, 2025, and accepts a US passport card from US citizens in its place (its release of March 20, 2025, read October 2026).
Featured villas on St. John
All villas on St. JohnListed by their owners. See rates and dates, then write to the owner.
Questions about boat charters on St. John
- Can you rent a boat on St. John without a captain?
- Yes. Wharfside Watersports and Ocean Runner, both in Cruz Bay, rent self-drive boats, from $245 for a dinghy at Wharfside as of October 2026.
- How much is a private boat charter on St. John?
- A full USVI day for six runs $995 on Palm Tree's 26-foot Palma Bella II to $3,500 on its 42-foot Top Shelf, and a BVI day starts at $1,300, on the operators' pages as of October 2026. Fuel, tip and BVI customs are extra.
- Does a BVI day on the water from St. John need a passport?
- Yes, or a passport card if you are a US citizen. The Government of the Virgin Islands has required one of the two at entry since March 1, 2025, per its March 2025 release, read October 2026.
- Can a charter boat anchor in Virgin Islands National Park?
- Only in the two designated anchorages, offshore Francis Bay and Lind Point, per the National Park Service's marine page, updated February 2023. Elsewhere the park lays mooring balls.
Sources: National Park Service (checked Oct 9, 2026) · Government of the Virgin Islands (checked Oct 9, 2026)