Native Son Ferry Photo Credit: NATIVE SON FACEBOOK PAGE
Ferry company Native Son recently launched a weekend ferry service between St. Thomas and St. Croix, providing an alternative to the QEIV ferry that runs between the aforementioned islands weekly.
Native Son, which has long operated between St. Thomas and Tortola, is a well-known brand in the territory. According to information on Native Son's Facebook page, the company has been in operation since February 1977.
The weekend service between St. Thomas and St. Croix will be a 2-hour trip on Fridays and Sundays, the company said in a statement to Caribbean Travel Magazine Carib Journal.
On Fridays, the ferry leaves St. Thomas (the Blyden Terminal) at 8:00 a.m. and arrives on St. Croix at 10:00 a.m. The return trip sees the ferry leaving St. Croix at 4:00 p.m. and arriving to St. Thomas at 6:00 p.m., according to a schedule found on the company's website. On Sundays, the ferry leaves St. Thomas at 12 noon and departs St. Croix at 4:00 p.m.
Prices are:
- Adults (ages 13 and older): $75 one-way
- Seniors (Ages 62 and up): $60 one-way
- Children (Ages 12 and under): $50
By contrast, the QEIV Ferry prices are $60 for all adults and $30 for children, according to information on the company's website.
It's long been a dream of Virgin Islanders to easily jump from island to island. The dream was once somewhat a reality, when American Eagle offered dirt-cheap prices for trips between St. Thomas and St. Croix.
The new service from Native Son provides choice for travelers and could possibly spur more interest in island hopping, which in turn would create more opportunities for commerce.
