Tener or dock at Phillipsburg, St. Martin ???

[cru1s1ng]

Hi all. I checked cruisecal.com, and it says there will be 7 !!! ships at St. Martin during my upcoming trip on the Maasdam.

Is there anywhere to check if we will be tendering or at a dock? I'm thinking of booking a shore excursion, and it might not be feasible if we have to tender. We are slated to be in port at 7 am and the excursion (non HAL) leaves at 9.

What has been your experience? Thanks!

[wwinfl91]

I'm pretty sure that all ships used to tender in St Martin. That was case several years ago when we were there But I just checked a couple of sites and it looks like there is a dock there now.

Here are a couple of links about the island including one from 2000 that says they were working on the dock then and it was to be completed in August and would hold 5 cruise ships.

http://www.internationalspecialreports.com/archives/00/stmaarten/11.html

http://www.geographia.com/st-martin/

http://www.caribbean-direct.com/St-Martin-Direct/Home%20Page/St-Martin-Direct.html

**************************************St_Martin/

If there are going to be 7 ships there and the dock holds 5 that means you may be tendering or you may be docked since I didn't see a sight that shows which ships get to dock.

Have a great next cruise.

[tiffnco]

I was there last January and there certainly was a dock. We were fortunate enough to only have 1 other ship in port with us that day.

I know the docks can hold AT LEAST 4 ships...possibly more. Maybe someone who's been in town with multiple ships would have a better answer.

As for a shore excursion...may I recommend the America's Cup Challenge. It was soooo much fun...and they pick you up right at the dock!

[cru1s1ng]

Thanks to both of you for the info. I called HAL and they said the only port they show us tendering at is HMC, but that is subject to change.

I was looking at the lambada cat trip, but I don't think that would work out as they leave at 9 am, and its a 25 taxi to where they leave from.

I booked the Lord Sheffield tall boat excursion, which has many outstanding reviews on the port of call boards. It looks like a winner. Short walk from the pier where we dock (or tender) and it leaves at 11 am. www.lordsheffield.com (http://www.lordsheffield.com) if anyone is interested. :D

[K&RCurt]

When we were in St. Maarten in January there were 7 ships in port that day. There were 4 ships at the pier (Carnival, RCI, Princess and the Zuiderdam) and the rest of us (we were on the Westerdam) tendered.

It seemed to me that everyone from the pier had to pay to take a water taxi to the downtown Phillipsburg tender pier, so we would not have had any more of a delay getting to town if the first two tenders didn't get their propellers fouled with lines in the water at the dock.

But if you tender you WIL NOT be near the pier where the other ships dock, you will have to take the water taxi.

[cru1s1ng]

Thanks for the info K&R/ Glad I didn't book the lambada tour, i would've never made it.