Most cruise passengers make this call at the bottom of the gangway, with a taxi driver already waving. It is an easier call to make on the ship the night before, with the real numbers in front of you.
The short answer
Take a taxi if there are three or four of you, if you are ashore for less than four hours, or if nobody in your group has ridden a scooter or motorcycle in the last two years. Take a scooter if you are one or two experienced riders who want to stop wherever you like and leave when you choose.
What a taxi costs
Taxis in St. Kitts have no meters. Fares are capped by government regulation, and the cap is per car for up to four people. From the fifth passenger on, each extra person pays a set amount. These are the maximum fares from the Vehicles and Road Traffic (Maximum Fares) Regulations, January 2021, the latest schedule we could find:
| Trip from Basseterre | Per car, 1 to 4 people | Each extra person |
|---|---|---|
| Frigate Bay, one way | US$20 | US$5 |
| Cockleshell Bay, one way | US$40 | US$10 |
| Brimstone Hill only, up to 2 hours | US$55 | US$14 |
| Southeast Peninsula tour, 2 hours | US$52 | US$13 |
| Full island tour, 4 to 4.5 hours | US$100 | US$25 |
| By the hour | US$40 | US$10 |
A one-way fare is one way. Coming back is a second fare, unless the driver waits, and waiting is free for the first 15 minutes and then US$5 for every 15 minutes after that. Fares are listed in both US and EC dollars, so agree the price and the currency before you get in.
What a scooter costs
- US$65 per scooter for the day, paid by PayPal when you book, plus PayPal’s 5.57% fee
- A US$500 refundable deposit at pickup, as a card hold or cash
- A temporary driving licence, a government fee paid to the issuing authority, not to us
- Fuel: bring it back at the level you collected it
A helmet is included. One passenger can ride with you, aged 12 or over, as long as rider and passenger together weigh no more than 350 lb. Every charge is on our scooter prices page.
Three cruise days, worked out
Two of you, a beach day at Cockleshell
By taxi: US$40 out and US$40 back, so US$80, more if the driver waits. By scooter, with one of you as passenger: US$65, plus the licence fee and a little fuel. The money comes out close. The scooter lets you stop at Timothy Hill on the way down and leave the beach when you feel like it.
Four of you, the whole island
A full island tour by taxi is US$100 for the car and takes four to four and a half hours. Two scooters cost US$130 before two licence fees. Take the taxi. Someone else drives, and nobody has to watch the clock and the road at once.
One of you, three hours ashore
Frigate Bay by taxi is US$20 each way. A full-day scooter for a short call only makes sense if the ride is the point of the day.
When a taxi is the better call
- You have not ridden a scooter or motorcycle in the last two years. We will not rent to you, and the rider requirements explain why.
- There are three or more of you.
- You are ashore for less than four hours.
- Rain is forecast for the whole day.
- You plan to have a drink with lunch. The legal limit is 80 mg per 100 ml of blood, and we do not hand a scooter to anyone who has been drinking.
When a scooter is the better call
- You are one or two experienced riders.
- You want to stop at every lookout, not just the ones on a tour.
- You would rather set your own pace than agree a pickup time with a driver.
If you choose the scooter
Get your temporary licence before you arrive. The police run an online portal, and we cannot hand over a scooter without the licence. Collection at Port Zante runs from 8:00am to 12:00pm, and the scooter is back by 4:30pm, earlier if your all-aboard time needs it. If your ship does not dock, you get a full refund or a free date change.
The cruise passenger guide covers the rest of the day. When you are ready, check availability for your cruise date.