See full version: St. Kitts - Nevis Ferry Services
Experience St. Kitts and Nevis like a local. The passenger ferry service between St. Kitts and Nevis is our equivalent to the subway in many big cities. It is public transportation just more interesting and with better views.
These are the ferries that go between St. Kitts and Nevis and their trip times.
- MV Patience, Caribe Express, Next Edition, and Apple Cider - 30 mins [links]
The total time from exiting the airport to arriving at your hotel on Nevis should take no longer than an hour. Hotels will usually communicate the cost of the transfer and if it is included in the price of the stay. more
The ride takes approximately 45 minutes and the ferries run between 6 am and 6 pm Monday to Thursday. With an additional 9 pm departure on Friday, and further 8 pm and 9 pm ferries on Saturday. Sunday service is limited, with just two departures in the morning and three in the afternoon. You can view the schedule here and it is updated weekly or you can text “Ferry” to “7568” to get the ferry schedule sent direct to your phone.
If you have booked hotel accommodation on Nevis it is common for guests to be met by the hotel at the airport in St Kitts. You will then be escorted to the water taxi on the southeast peninsula for transfer to Nevis. more
The Islander water taxi arrives in Nevis at the Oualie Beach pier and there are usually plenty of taxis waiting on arrival. The Blu Waves water taxi usually arrives at the Yachtsman Grill on the privately owned pier there. It is a good idea to arrange a taxi pickup in advance. Sometimes after a bad storm the pier at the Yachtsman Grill is too damaged to use so they will also arrive at Oualie Beach Pier. If you are departing from Oualie Beach Pier, then the $2US or $5XCD per person departure fee is applicable. here
Purchase tickets from a kiosk at the dock, and pay a small port tax separately at another window. Round-trip tickets require you to pick a specific departure time for the return trip, so if you'd prefer to leave your return time flexible, opt for two singles instead. more
Five ferries – the Caribe Queen, Caribe Breeze, Caribe Surf, Mark Twain and Sea Hustler – take cars and foot passengers from the ferry terminal in the capital of St. Kitts, Basseterre, to the capital and largest city on Nevis, Charlestown. The ride takes approximately 45 minutes, although in the unusual event of rough seas, it can take a little longer. These ferries run 10 times a day between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Thursdays, with an additional 9 p.m. departure on Fridays, and additional 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ferries on Saturdays. Sunday service is limited, with two morning departures and three in the afternoon.
The Sea Bridge cargo and car ferry, which also accepts foot passengers, takes a faster route between Major's Bay on the southeast coast of St. Kitts and Cades Bay on the northwest coast of Nevis. The ferry runs six times a day between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Although its limited seats are open to anyone, the Sea Bridge ferry is not designed for tourists and is less comfortable than the Basseterre-to-Charleston ferries. Also consider the ports of departure and arrival, which are both minimally developed and not regularly served by taxis. Major's Bay is a 25-minute drive outside Basseterre, and Cades Bay is about 15 minutes from Charleston, so the Sea Bridge ferry is generally only a sensible option if you're taking a rental car from St. Kitts to Nevis. Otherwise, be sure to prebook a taxi to meet you at the arrival dock in Nevis. more
Water taxis – motor boats that cross The Narrows in 10 to 15 minutes – are operated by over half a dozen private companies on St. Kitts. Water taxis depart St. Kitts from Reggae Beach Pier at Cockleshell Bay, at the southeast tip of the island, and arrive on the north coast of Nevis at Oualie Beach. These water taxi services are more expensive than ferries, but faster and more flexible. Call in advance and arrange to leave at a time that suits your schedule. Your hotel front desk or concierge can help you make these arrangements. here
Nevis prettier by far for me. [links]
Both islands are beautiful -- green and lush and hilly, sharing a volcanic past. I personally prefer Nevis; it is smaller and more laid-back; there is little cruise ship activity (mostly day-trippers coming over from St. Kitts). But that kind of laid-back is boring to some visitors. St. Kitts has a larger town (Basseterre, as opposed to tiny, sleepy Charlestown on Nevis), more choices for lodging and dining, and more beaches and beach bars.
We split our trip. I thought it was perfect, even though the trip was only a week. here
LazyTurtle is an "older villa" (built about 15 to 20 20 years ago) that's located in a residential complex of 6 or 8 other similar villas right next door to Nisbet Resort. It is set back about 100 yards or so from the beach and while it is described as "beachfront" there's actually a plot of vacant land between the end of the villa's property and the beach. Like Nisbet, it's on the Atlantic side of the island so there's always a cooling breeze coming from the ocean. Because of this the water can be a bit rough at times.