Jump to content

Why don't any ships stop here?


matj2000
 Share

Recommended Posts

We were there in 2004. We went into town and check out all the French clothing stores. Then we took a ferry or water taxi to the beach and hung out for the day the rest of the day. It was really nice but I remember it being overcast. Would love to go back again and check out the rest of the island..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

The prospects for increased cruise tourisim in Martinque isn't going to be helped by the unfortunate fact there is growing social instability there:

 

Martinique cancels yearly carnival, cites unrest

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29303058/

 

Martinique: French riot police occupy territory amid general strike and growing unrest

 

http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20090213173517464

 

French Caribbean Islands hit by drop in tourism as strikes continue

 

http://www.france24.com/en/20090214-islands-hit-drop-tourism-strikes-enter-third-week-http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20090213173517464

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I'm on the Noordam in November that stops in Martinique. I'll get off the ship with an open mind. I love to explore new places. I've been to Guadaloupe and hated the port city but loved the beauty of the island when I took a tour outside the city. Hopefully all the unrest will be over but if we miss this port it won't break my heart.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

We actually booked our first cruise because we are fascinated by volcanos, and we were delighted with the ship's tour which took us to see it, and the little museum of the great erruption.-jocap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I recently had the opportunity to sail in the French West Indies and we stopped in Martinique. We spent 2 days anchored by St. Pierre and another night by Fort du France before heading to Le Marin to drop off the boat.

 

I was apprehensive due to all the negative publicity and comments found on many of the forums but found myself pleasantly surprised by the interactions we had with the islanders. I have always found if you treat people with respect and attempt to converse in their language, most people respond well.

 

We had a delightful meal in St. Pierre at La Tartine restaurant. The hostess did not speak more than a handful of English words/phrases and our French was about as limited but we had some laughs and enjoyed a great meal in a pleasant atmosphere.

 

We were in Fort du France Sat into Sun. They roll up the sidewalks there about 1:30 Sat afternoon and don't reopen until Monday so our shopping was limited. However, some of my fellow crew members had very good interactions with the citizens of Fort du France and found them to be extremely helpful and accomodating.

 

The experience was repeated in le Marin...our meal was great, the people were friendly and accomodating, and the dock master went out of his way to make sure we had taxis, etc for our flight out the next morning.

 

I would love to return to Martinique because there is so much to see and I was there such a short time. I would NOT hesitate to return. My fears were put to rest.

Edited by sailingnurse
typos...ugh
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

We also had a lovely time in Martinique. I had huge reservations about visiting this island, but with Eruos and a sheet of general French words and phrases in hand, we got off the ship and went on our tour.

 

Here's my review I wrote while we were on our cruise...

 

We had a wonderful day in Martinique. I was a bit hesitant about visiting this island because I knew very little about it, but we came away wanting to return for a land vacation.

 

We ended up docking at the pier near the downtown area. I thought we’d be at the other one, which is not as close, but we weren’t. Also in port today was a ship that looked like a big sail boat, I believe the name on the ship was “Sea Cloud” but I am not sure about the name. I’ll have to look up the ship later and see what I can find out about it (and the line).

 

Before I mention our excursion I want to say that we found the people to be VERY friendly. I brought along $300 in Euros and I am glad I did. The people on the island for the most part will take the USD, but you get a lot more for your money with the Euro. Most of the places we went either wanted $1 Euro or $2 USD for the same item. When I told them I had Euros, their faces lit up like the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. This isn’t necessary, but it really helps. I am sure there are places that only take Euros, but we didn’t encounter any while we were shopping.

 

Another CC poster mentioned the man who sells paintings on the pier. I saw him and was going to stop on the way back, but he was gone by the time we returned. So if you want a picture, buy it when you arrive, otherwise, he may be gone when you get back to that area.

 

Also carry along a sheet with French/English basic questions and words if you don't speak French. This went a LONG way with the people on Martinique. I pretty much used my sheet all the time, from the people that greet you at the pier, to the people working in the shops. Every single person that we encountered was overjoyed that I was making an effort to communicate with them in their language. I had several who HUGGED me. No kidding. I had several people who called other workers to look at my list and they got a kick out of it. They even talked to me in French. Fortunately for me one of the phrases I had on my list in French was, “I don’t understand, please speak slowly.” They all seemed to get a charge out of that and we had a good time laughing.

 

For those that like to shop (ME), where we docked there were a few vendors selling a variety of small items. I took a look and saw most of the items (t-shirts, necklaces, paintings [big-not sure how you’d get them home], bracelets, and general souvenirs. There wasn’t a whole lot to choose from, but enough to find a few items if you are looking for that sort of thing. There’s also a duty-free shop not too far from the dock, but we didn’t have time to visit. We talked to several “Nuts” that were just going to walk around town. We’ve met two couples (both CCer’s) that are so much fun!

 

I’m a doo-dad collector. I collect refrigerator magnets and snow globes wherever we travel and the cheesier…the better. lol So…for those posters who are looking for these types of things, I thought I mention where we found them. We did HAL's St. Pierre & Botanical Gardens tour ($89 per person, but I thought it was worth the money-you travel in a big air-conditioned bus-it was very nice). You’ll have 20 minutes or so at the Botanical Garden. There’s a small gift shop on the grounds (really small-postcards, bowls, magnets…things like that) and there’s a gift shop just at the entrance of the gardens that has quite a few items. I was pinched for time (I am ALWAYS the last person on the bus, so I am working hard to fix that…lol)

 

I went to the shop just outside the Botanical Gardens and found all the doo-dads that I needed. I swept though the place like a woman on a mission. The couple that owned the place are very sweet, and again, using the Euros and trying to talk to them in French was fun and they laughed and we had a good time. The man gave me a cute little carved fish and said it was for me because I was so special. I don’t know if he says that to all the hot chicks (haha) or not, but he was a real sweetheart, as was his wife.

 

When leaving the Gardens, our guide pointed to our bus and I boarded the bus. Well, it wasn’t our bus, but it was loaded with people that I’d been on tour with all week on the other islands. They remembered me (I was always the last one on the bus) and when I looked around, they looked at me like, “Dang, we’re lucky…this isn’t your bus, girlfriend!” So back the safety of strangers that didn’t know me and my habit to be the last to board! I never made our group late to leave an area, but I was always the last. I did much better today!

 

Anyway … prior to visiting the botanical garden, we stopped at a local church. It was a beautiful Catholic church high upon the side of a mountain. We walked inside and around the grounds. You’ll have a great view of the ship (if you dock where we did). There was a lady there who was selling pastry (and by now, you know I can’t pass those by!) and soda pop/water, so I bought a pastry (a banana/berry treat). She was stunned that I had Euros and thrilled that I tried to talk to her in French.

 

After this, we went to a Volcanological (say that 5 times very quickly and you’ll probably be beamed up by Scotty). The museum was very small but very interesting. There are several vendors selling tote bags, cloth dolls, hats, shirts, bowls…things like that next to the museum. I heard one guy tell a customer that he also took USD, but because the USD was so weak, they prefer the Euro.

 

Across the street from the museum, there’s a small gift shop. This is where I saw some pretty bad behavior by a fellow cruise ship passenger. Without going into details, I witnessed something that made it clear why foreigners might be a tad bit leery of us. And naturally, I was the next customer after the rude woman. But the minute I said ”Salut,” the clerk smiled at me. And when I said I had Euros, she about came over the counter and hugged me. Seriously, if you can’t bring Euros, carry a sheet of paper with French words and phrases and you’ll be fine. And if you know French, you’re even in better shape than I was. But they seemed particularly tickled as I butchered their language. They weren’t laughing at me, they laughed with me. It was so much fun!

 

So where was I…

 

After leaving the area where the museum is located, we stopped to take pictures at a particularly beautiful overlook. Our guide was fabulous and she talked the entire time and filled us in on everything from Creole language to the history of the island. Did you know that when you want a driver’s license on Martinique, it’s going to cost you a little over a thousand Euros. Okay, the next time the State of Kansas hits me up for $13.50, I am not going to say a word!!

 

After our excursion and doing a little shopping we headed back to the ship and back to the friendly staff.

 

There was no dancing for me today. Early in the excursion, I mentioned to DH that I was not going to dance around today. His comment was, “It’s still early in the day for you.” So I showed him! Fortunately for him, we didn’t come across anyone playing music so I didn’t have an opportunity to do so.

 

Our guide told us that the French word for darling is Do Do. My hubby is now known as Do Do Hubby (DH).

 

Au revoir for now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Martinique is one port that I want to return to on another cruise.

Prior to my sailing in 2007, I received alot of less than positive replys about Martinique.

I placed it mainly because of language. Unfortunately alot of American cruisers think everyone should talk English. We are the visitors and should make the effort to go with the local customs. My French is very limited, but I had no problem in Fort-de-France solo wandering around. It was a great day and I want to return and have more time to explore the island.

Check out my review on this board!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I visited Martinique on a couple of cruises and liked it so much I booked a 2 week vacation and had a wonderful time.

 

Not all of the island is pretty or safe but where is a place that is 100% perfect?

 

Loved seeing the mountains and the volcano, but got really tired of all those bananas.

 

I just wish the flights didn't cost so much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
I would love to travel to Martinique someday, but I don't think that Princess cruise ships go to Martinique unfortunately! We love sailing with Princess so hopefully they will travel there someday!

 

I'm going to Martinique on the Sea Princess in April 2011. I was hoping to find some suggestions for excursions here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going to Martinique on the Sea Princess in April 2011. I was hoping to find some suggestions for excursions here.

 

Are you attempting to do ship excursions or on your own?

If you are attempting to do an excursion on your own, prior to leaving the gated area, there is a tourist booth staffed with people who will give yous suggestions.

Once outside the gates, there will be taxi drivers offering island tours to the beaches and other places. Be aware due to the Euro being the primary currency that the pricing will be slightly higher. Also, make sure that a final price is set before leaving. Some of the drivers can speak and understand English and others have a more limited knowledge.

If you just want to head to Fort-de-France, the more people in the van, the cost will go down. The price was about three bucks. There was a drop off stop where you can return back to the ship. This taxi stop is also near the ferries and near the center of town.

I really enjoyed my stop in Martinique and hope to return.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you attempting to do ship excursions or on your own?

If you are attempting to do an excursion on your own, prior to leaving the gated area, there is a tourist booth staffed with people who will give yous suggestions.

Once outside the gates, there will be taxi drivers offering island tours to the beaches and other places. Be aware due to the Euro being the primary currency that the pricing will be slightly higher. Also, make sure that a final price is set before leaving. Some of the drivers can speak and understand English and others have a more limited knowledge.

If you just want to head to Fort-de-France, the more people in the van, the cost will go down. The price was about three bucks. There was a drop off stop where you can return back to the ship. This taxi stop is also near the ferries and near the center of town.

I really enjoyed my stop in Martinique and hope to return.

 

Thanks for all of the good advice! I plan on bringing Euros with me to use in Martinique. Since no excursions are listed for Martinique on the Princess site, I thought I'd get some ideas of what to do there. I am intrigued about the possibility of going to St. Pierre, I just don't know how pricey it would be to get there and back. Going to Martinique was the biggest draw for me, actually, when I began looking at the Sea Princess cruise. I think it's the mystery of the island, with not many stops there compared to the other islands. Another choice would be to get the ferry and go to one of the southern beaches, but I prefer the St. Pierre idea. Princess will probably have an excursion that goes there- Holland America does- but I guess I'd prefer to go on my own.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just got back from Martinique. We went there on a HAL cruise, on the Noordam. It was wonderful! We really liked the island. We made the mistake, though, of renting a car. I say it was a mistake because we thought we could make the loop north to St. Pierre and then down the center of the island, visit the gardens, and then get down to the south to the beach. Well... the roads in the mountains are very winding, so it takes a long time to travel. We decided not to stop at the gardens because there were tour buses there, and we don't like to run into mobs of people in port. We did get down to the beach. We went to Diamant, and that was beautiful. We met a French man who moved there 2 years ago and never left; he was very nice and interesting.

 

If we ever go back, we will probably hire a driver. My best advice is don't try to do too much on Martinique.

 

Martinique is very charming, flowers everywhere, and everyone we met was charming. My husband does speak French, but really, I think the way one is treated in Europe and on Martinique depends upon the way in which one approaches those who live there.

 

Before getting back on the ship, we bought a couple of pastries from the bakery across the street from the pier and took them back to our balcony... they were fantastic!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

We stopped at Martinique last year on either Maasdam or Noordam. I can't remember which. We had been there a number of times in the past but not for years.

 

It poured all day while we were there and was steamy humid so I can't say we totally enjoyed ourselves. It was so uncomfortable it did impact our pleasure but I'd return if it happened to be offered on an itinerary we otherwise like.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

three year old thread dude . . .

 

but shame on me too for this comment:

 

We went on a cruise that DID visit Martin' and it was BECAUSE the cruise was going here that everyone had to have a passport. It was a requirement for this port. Now this was a few years back - several years back - but at the time we already had 10 Carib' cruises under our belt sailing on a BC and voter's registration. We were notified with less than 4 weeks to go that we could still sail w/out a passport but would not be able to leave the ship in this port.

 

We lived in DC and went to the main passport office for one day service . . now THAT was an adventure!

 

I've no idea if this is still the case but it was then .... btw we went on WINDSTAR and even such a small ship as this had to anchor out - no significant pier.

 

So if

 

1. Passport still required and

2. Must tender

 

I suspect fewer cruises are willing to stop here and if Mart' WANTED the cruise traffic they'd work to change one or both of these conditions.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

" We were notified with less than 4 weeks to go that we could still sail w/out a passport but would not be able to leave the ship in this port."

 

Not being able to leave the ship was a blessing in disguise.

 

It is quite apparent that Martinique doesn't choose to entertain western tourists.

 

Eastern Canadians are tolerated because most speak the language, but they are not embraced and welcomed as friends.

 

We've traveled there eight (8) times and now we never get off of the ship.

 

We were treated better in Paris than in Martinique.

 

Don't get the passport and stay on the ship. You'll be better off, or take the ship's tour where you'll be shielded from the arrogance and distrust that permeates the island toward westerners.

 

Sorry to be so blunt, but that's the real story, my friends.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

Captain BJ - Just read your post. If you think Americans should be able to swan around the Caribbean and visit foreign countries like Martinique without a passport, do you therefore believe that anyone should just show up in the USA without a passport as well?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

We found the locals unfriendly to hostil! All prices are in euros not dollars and they don't want to convert. Credit cards have to have the new electronic chips or they wouldn't take them - I must have last years version of American Express.

 

Bottom line - stay on the ship and enjoy a quiet day by the pool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

We found the people very rude when we were there back in 2003.

 

I personally watched a store clerk belittle a young cruiser and accuse him of stealing -- He had picked up the item looked at it and put it back down to look for his parents

 

The cruise we are considering stops here -- we will get off the ship -- but not sure yet what we will do -- maybe just go to the beach.

 

NOT MY FAVORITE ISLAND AND I COULD DO WITH OUT IT

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...