lionindasun.com

Lion In Da Sun Charters runs two powerboats out of St. John and St. Thomas, and the choice between them comes down to how you want to spend the day on the water. The Scout 30' is the faster, more fuel-efficient twin-engine boat with a smoother ride at speed, while the Twin Vee 26' is a power catamaran built for stability, a dry ride, and easier re-boarding after swimming. Both include snorkel gear and a cooler with bottled water, so the real decision is about ride quality, shade, and how your group handles getting in and out of the water.

Quick Comparison

Choose the Scout 30' If…

• Your group wants to cover more ground and reach distant snorkel reefs, beaches, or lunch spots quickly.
• You care about fuel efficiency — it carries the best fuel consumption rating in its class.
• You want a fast, smooth ride with plenty of shade.
• You don't need a dedicated easy-entry swim ladder (the page highlights this feature only for the Twin Vee).

Choose the Twin Vee 26' If…

• You have swimmers, kids, or older guests who will be getting in and out of the water repeatedly — the swim ladder and hand rails are called out as the best for a safe climb back aboard.
• You want the driest ride, since the catamaran hull is described as super smooth, fast, and dry.
• You want a predictable fuel cost — the $99 fuel guarantee option removes fuel-price uncertainty from your day.
• You want a defined shade footprint: the 9 ft x 10 ft shaded area is larger than most boats in its class.

What Both Boats Share

• Snorkel gear included for everyone aboard.
• A cooler stocked with bottled water.
• Shade — both are described as having more shade than most comparable boats.
• The same charter structure: full-day and half-day options, with USVI and BVI itineraries.

How to Decide

If your priority is speed, range, and fuel economy, book the Scout 30'. If your priority is stability, a dry ride, easy water entry, and a capped fuel cost, book the Twin Vee 26'. For groups with mixed swimming ability, the Twin Vee's ladder and hand rails are the deciding feature.

Booking

You can reserve either boat by phone at (340) 626-4783 or online through the reservation request form, which asks for your preferred date, trip type (USVI or BVI, full or half day), and party size. The company has operated since 2003 and offers both full-day and half-day charters.

Lion In Da Sun Charters is a powerboat charter company operating out of St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Established in 2003, it describes itself as one of the longest-established boat rental companies in the St. John and St. Thomas area, offering full-day and half-day excursions to snorkeling reefs, beaches, lunch spots, and beach bars across the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. It suits travelers who want a private, customizable day on the water rather than a fixed group tour.

What the company offers

The core service is a captained powerboat charter with a flexible itinerary. The site's tagline, "Your Day, Your Way!", reflects that the day plan is up to the guest, with captains helping shape the route.

Charter options listed on the site:

• Full Day — USVI or BVI
• Half Day — USVI or BVI
• Other Possibilities — listed as a separate category, though details aren't specified in the available page content
• Local Events — also listed as a category

The boats

Two vessels are featured:

Both boats include snorkel gear and a cooler with bottled water. The Twin Vee lists a "$99 fuel guarantee option," which suggests a capped fuel cost add-on, but the site excerpt doesn't explain the terms.

Where you can go

The destinations page groups trips into two regions:

British Virgin Islands

• Jost Van Dyke
• Sandy Spit
• Norman Island
• Tortola
• Virgin Gorda

U.S. Virgin Islands

• St. John National Park
• Maho Bay
• Lime Out (Taco Boat)
• St. Thomas
• Mermaid's Chair
• Christmas Cove
• Pizza Pi (The Pizza Boat)

Note that BVI trips involve crossing into British Virgin Islands waters, which typically requires a passport and customs clearance — the page content doesn't detail these requirements, so confirm directly before booking a BVI charter.

How to book

Two channels are listed:

• Phone: (340) 626-4783, also shown as a toll-free number 340-626-4783
• Online: a "Reservation Request" form and a "BOOK NOW" link

The reservation form asks for name, email, phone, preferred charter date, trip type (USVI Full Day, USVI Half Day, BVI Full Day, BVI Half Day), party size, and how you heard about the company. Fields marked with an asterisk are required.

What to check before booking

The available page content doesn't include rates, cancellation terms, captain gratuity guidance, or BVI customs details. If any of these affect your decision, ask when you call or submit the request form. The site does include a testimonial mentioning a party of six and describing the captain as accommodating and the price as reasonable, but that's one guest's impression rather than published pricing.

For a group that wants a customizable day of island hopping and snorkeling from St. Thomas or St. John, this is a straightforward option to price out by phone.

You can book a Lion In Da Sun charter either by phone or online. Call toll free (340) 626-4783, or submit the online Reservation Request form with your name, email, phone, preferred date, trip type, and party size. The form is a request, not an instant confirmation — expect a follow-up to lock in your date. This applies to both U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and British Virgin Islands (BVI) trips, in full-day or half-day options.

Booking by phone

The site lists a single toll-free number: (340) 626-4783. Calling is the fastest path if you have questions about boat choice, routing, or availability, since the captains can talk through options directly. The company describes the day plan as entirely up to you, so a call is also the natural place to sketch a custom itinerary before committing.

Booking online with the Reservation Request form

The online form collects the following fields (asterisked items are required):

There is also a phone field used for validation, and the form notes that fields marked " * " are required.

Expected result: submitting the form sends a reservation request. Because it is labeled a request rather than a booking, treat your slot as unconfirmed until the company responds.

What to decide before you submit

Two choices shape the whole trip, and both are selected inside the form:

• USVI vs. BVI. USVI options include St. John (National Park, Maho Bay, Lime Out taco boat) and St. Thomas (Mermaid's Chair, Christmas Cove, Pizza Pi pizza boat). BVI options include Jost Van Dyke, Sandy Spit, Norman Island, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda. BVI travel involves crossing an international border, so have your documentation questions ready for the captain.
• Full day vs. half day. The site lists both as standard charter options; pick based on how much island-hopping you want.

If you are unsure, the "Other Possibilities" and "Local Events" sections suggest the captains are open to non-standard plans — raise these in the Additional Comments box or by phone.

Choosing a boat for your group size

The form asks for your party size because the fleet has two distinct boats:

• Scout 30' (Scout 1): 30 ft powerboat, twin 225 HP Mercury four-stroke engines, more shade than most boats, all snorkel gear included, cooler with bottled water.
• Twin Vee 26' (Scout 2): 26 ft power catamaran, twin Yamaha 115 HP four-stroke engines, a $99 fuel guarantee option, a 9 ft x 10 ft shaded area, and a swim ladder with hand rails for easier reboarding. Snorkel gear and cooler with bottled water included.

Both boats include snorkel gear and water, so the deciding factors are ride character (the catamaran is described as smooth, fast, and dry), shade footprint, and the fuel guarantee option on the Twin Vee.

Common snags to plan around

• The form is a request, not a confirmation. Do not treat your date as held until you hear back.
• BVI trips are a different trip type in the form. Selecting "BVI Full Day" or "BVI Half Day" signals a cross-border itinerary, not a USVI route.
• Party size matters. Give an accurate headcount so the right boat is assigned.
• Have your date ready in MM/DD/YYYY format to avoid a rejected submission.
• Want a custom day? The company markets "Your Day, Your Way," so use Additional Comments or the phone line to describe specific snorkel reefs, beaches, lunch spots, or beach bars you want included.

Lion In Da Sun Charters runs customizable powerboat charters from St. John and St. Thomas, and you can choose between U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and British Virgin Islands (BVI) destinations. The company lists specific stops across both territories, and the day plan is up to you — the captain arranges snorkeling reefs, beaches, lunch spots, and beach bars around your preferences. Full-day and half-day charters are both available.

USVI destinations

These stops sit within the U.S. Virgin Islands and are listed on the company's destinations page:

• St. John National Park — protected beaches and snorkeling within the national park
• Maho Bay — a St. John bay known for calm water and snorkeling
• Lime Out (Taco Boat) — a floating taco spot
• St. Thomas — the other main USVI island the charters operate from
• Mermaid's Chair — a St. Thomas snorkel and beach stop
• Christmas Cove — a St. Thomas bay
• Pizza Pi (The Pizza Boat) — a floating pizza boat

BVI destinations

These stops are in the British Virgin Islands, which means a different territory and, for most travelers, a passport and customs process:

• Jost Van Dyke
• Sandy Spit
• Norman Island
• Tortola
• Virgin Gorda

How the itinerary gets decided

The site states the entire day plan is up to you, and the captains build the day around what your group wants. In practice that means you can tell the captain whether you'd rather spend the day snorkeling, beach-hopping, hitting lunch and beach-bar stops, or a mix — and the route gets set from there. The reservation form asks whether you want a USVI or BVI trip and whether it's a full day or half day, so that choice comes first.

Choosing USVI vs. BVI

If your group's must-see list is entirely USVI, a USVI charter keeps the logistics simpler. If Jost Van Dyke, Norman Island, or Virgin Gorda are the draw, book the BVI option and confirm the current passport and customs requirements for your dates before you commit.

Booking

Reservations can be made by phone at (340) 626-4783 or online through the site's booking form. The form collects your name, email, phone, preferred charter date, trip type (USVI or BVI, full or half day), party size, and how you heard about the company.