
moderate
8 hours
Moderate fitness recommended — you should be comfortable swimming short distances and entering/exiting the water from a ladder or a beach.
Spend eight hours aboard the Aquila 36 Silver Cat for a private luxury day charter from Cruz Bay. Expect guided snorkeling at top reefs, catered breakfast, a high-end bar, and secluded stops around St. John’s National Park coastline.
The engine hum is a steady, confident heartbeat as Silver Cat eases away from the National Park dock in Cruz Bay. Salt stings your lips and the horizon opens wide: a scatter of green-backed isles, reef fringes that flash turquoise, and the faint outline of St. Thomas across a strip of blue. Onboard an Aquila 36 configured for twelve, the day unrolls like a well-planned route — breakfast laid out on polished surfaces, a high-end bar warming up by mid-morning, and a crew that knows where the quiet shallows hold the best fish and the sun-lit sand bars call for a pause.

Sunscreen is required for water activities; choose reef-safe formulas to protect coral and marine life.
Wear water shoes when boarding and on rocky shorelines — sandbars can hide broken coral and shells.
A full bar is available; alternate cocktails with water to avoid dehydration under strong sun.
Listen to safety and snorkeling instructions — local currents and reef-protection rules change by site.
St. John’s coastline carries layers of history from Indigenous Taino navigation to colonial-era plantations and modern conservation efforts in the National Park.
Operators follow reef-friendly anchoring and encourage reef-safe products; guests should avoid touching coral and feed no wildlife.
Protects skin while avoiding damage to coral and marine ecosystems.
Keeps feet safe on slippery ladders and rocky shorelines.
Keeps phone, keys and a light layer dry during dives and boat transfers.
Reduces glare for spotting fish and protects your face during open-water stretches.