Shopping in St. Thomas USVI

St. Thomas Shopping

There are a few things to know before you head out for a day of shopping in St. Thomas. First off, shop around before making any big purchases. There are many different shops, but a lot have similar, or the same things and you want to make sure you get a good deal. One of the biggest examples of this, is jewelry, so keep your eyes peeled. Also, don’t be afraid to haggle a little. Most shops are able to bring down their price if you ask. Cash will almost always guarantee a price reduction too! Another thing to keep in mind is being polite and acknowledging the sales associates with a simple “good morning” or “good afternoon”, depending on the time of day. Waltzing into the store without saying anything may be considered rude, and you will less likely to get lucky haggling with them. 

When buying things like alcohol and tobacco products, there are a few rules as well. (These rules apply to U.S. citizens) Even though the legal drinking age is only 18 in the USVI, you still have to be 21 if you want to bring alcohol back to the states. You can bring back 4 liters of any liquor, but you can add a 5th liter if it’s a product of the Virgin Islands! With tobacco, you have to be at least 21 also, and are allowed up to 100 cigars (with an exception of Cuban) and up to 5 cartons (1,000 cigarettes), duty free, per person and only if they are punched in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Don’t forget, when you leave St. Thomas, you will have to go through customs, so keep all your shopping receipts. Shopping in the USVI is the best deal in the Caribbean! It is duty free with a $1600 exception. If an item you bought is more than $25, you may need to show a certificate of origin. You will also need to declare all your gifts as well, so keep everything you got from St. Thomas organized. 

There are a few awesome places to shop while you’re in St. Thomas. 

Main Street

There’s a lot going on on Main Street! From jewelry to cameras, you can find a lot of good deals. If you are just window shopping, this might not be the place for you. It can get congested and the competition is so fierce on this street, businesses can get a little pushy. If you’re looking for some nice jewelry for a good deal though, it might work in your favor! Everyone is trying to beat out the competition one way or another. Keep your eye out for alleys too, these can hold some great shops and sometimes you can find the best deals there. 

To get to Main Street from the cruise ship docks, you can either take a safari, or, if you’re up to it, you can walk. Walking may take 30 minutes or so, but it’s a scenic trek around the water front, so you really can’t complain. Their hours are 9am-5pm monday-saturday, and the shops close at 3pm on Sunday. 

Vendors Plaza

You can’t really miss Vendors Plaza when you’re walking down the water front! Layers of blue tents are set up every day with a great selection of hand bags, sun glasses, jewelry, St. Thomas T-shirts and even hair braiding. If you’re looking for a souvenir to take home to friends and family from your vacation, this is the place for you.

To get to Vendors Plaza, it’s just about the same distance from the cruise docks as Main Street. You walk along the water front and it’s right before Main Street. Again, it’s a nice walk, but taking a safari is also understandable. They set up shop around 7:30am so they can be up and ready before the cruise ship guests start walking off. They close around 5 pm, when all the cruise ships start boarding again. Their hours really revolve around the cruise ships. 

Havensight

Havensight is located by the primary cruise ship dock and is just steps away from the ships. They have a wide selection of souvenirs, clothing, liquor, electronics, sun glasses, hot sauces, and jewelry. You will see some repeat items, so you should look around before buying, because you don’t want to over pay on something that another store has for less. Also, when you get hungry, there are a number of places you can grab a bite to eat and a cold drink. 

Click the link for more information
http://www.havensightmall.com

Yacht Haven Grande

Located right beyond Havensight, this is another shopping location that holds a wide variety of high end brands. They have high end clothing stores, beauty salon, pet boutique, and delicious food. Our bar, Da Lime in Da Coconut is located right as you walk into Yacht Haven Grande. This is a nice place to sit down and hang out for awhile because it is landscaped beautifully and doesn’t get too crowded, so you can comfortably spread out. We also have live music down at the bar on occasion, which is a nice touch before heading back to the ship. 

Click the link for more information
http://www.yachthavengrande.com

There you have it! A little shopping guide to some popular shopping destinations in St. Thomas.