Best option to visit both Orient & Maho Beach

We'll be in St.Maarten/St. Martin in March on the Allure of the Seas. We are in port from 8am to 5pm. I figure we won't likely be able to get off the ship until after 9am (unless on an RCCL excursion).

We'd like to spend 2-3 hours or so at Orient Beach (10 to noon or 1pm). Then we'd like to go to Maho Beach to be there from about 1 to 2 or 2:30pm.

What are the best options for doing this? We did Bernard's tour in 2009 - that included time at Orient Beach - and at Maho - but we also stopped at a couple other places, including shopping in Marigot. We really just want to go to the two beaches.

A taxi for 2 to Orient then another to Maho then a third back to Phillipsburg, would run around $65-$75 plus tip. That's for 1-2 people. Large party would be more. Taxis are zoned, so fairs between the places are fixed. But it could be the easiest means of transportation. A rental car might work but probably cost about the same and you'll have to drive on unfamiliar roads.

I'm in the same position as the OP - will actually be in St. Maarten next Monday; we have reserved a car through Hertz (for about $66) but aren't sure whether to keep it or do something else. I've read so many conflicting things! Some say getting a rental is the best thing to do, others advise against it (mentioning, amongst other things, the bumper to bumper traffic - I'm wondering, though, if that goes more for the high season, plus we'll be there on a Sunday, which is apparently the quiet day on the island. So maybe driving would actually be ok?

My advice is to take taxis your first time in St. Martin. Once you have some knowledge of getting around on the island, it is not hard to drive around but it can be challenging the first time. We had been there many times on ports of call before going for a week and renting a car. The first time I had to drive I made every wrong turn in the book. After that first time it became easier and easier until now the only issue is the traffic. Plus, when I am there on a port of call stop now (we arrive by cruise ship for a day and by plane for a week or more), I want to be able to drink and it is not wise to drink and drive on the island, extra especially if it is your first time driving on island. And, on your first trip, you are going to want to be looking around and enjoying the island - you cannot do that in the same way if you are driving. So, particularly if your first time there - take taxis and relax and enjoy. It is not that much more to take taxis. If you get a van to Orient for first leg of trip with a bunch of people it is only $7 per person.

A taxi for 2 to Orient then another to Maho then a third back to Phillipsburg, would run around $65-$75 plus tip. That's for 1-2 people. Large party would be more. Taxis are zoned, so fairs between the places are fixed. But it could be the easiest means of transportation. A rental car might work but probably cost about the same and you'll have to drive on unfamiliar roads.

My reading of the official rate chart says $70 for that route for two, $90 for three and then up.

I think the very best reason to take a taxi instead of driving (besides parking hassels) is you can be more relaxed and enjoy having a cold one or three at the beach (or grab one for the ride back to the Cruise Facility). :)

gary

I'm in the same position as the OP - will actually be in St. Maarten next Monday; we have reserved a car through Hertz (for about $66) but aren't sure whether to keep it or do something else. I've read so many conflicting things! Some say getting a rental is the best thing to do, others advise against it (mentioning, amongst other things, the bumper to bumper traffic - I'm wondering, though, if that goes more for the high season, plus we'll be there on a Sunday, which is apparently the quiet day on the island. So maybe driving would actually be ok?

Sunday is indeed a quiet day on island - though if you plan on drinking anything with alcohol, probably best to leave the driving to taxis - very strict DUI laws on French side (where Orient is) and often Gendarmes set up check points at the roundabout leaving Orient...

VERY strict. Limit is .04 BAC.

gary

Be careful out there.

We'll be in St.Maarten/St. Martin in March on the Allure of the Seas. We are in port from 8am to 5pm. I figure we won't likely be able to get off the ship until after 9am (unless on an RCCL excursion).

 

We'd like to spend 2-3 hours or so at Orient Beach (10 to noon or 1pm). Then we'd like to go to Maho Beach to be there from about 1 to 2 or 2:30pm.

 

What are the best options for doing this? We did Bernard's tour in 2009 - that included time at Orient Beach - and at Maho - but we also stopped at a couple other places, including shopping in Marigot. We really just want to go to the two beaches.

Why won't you be able to get off of the ship until 9am unless on an RCCL excursion? Are you tendering? Other than when tendering I have never heard of having to wait for ship excursions to leave before other passengers can in St. Maarten. Maybe Rome or a similar destination where the port is far from the city center but never in the Caribbean has that ever happened to me.

St Maarten is such a popular Caribbean port and many people have been there over and over again that I don't think that there will be a mad rush to get off at 8 a.m. if the ship is cleared by then either.

We will be there in November and plan on doing this:

https://www.shoreexcursioneer.com/st-maarten/beach-bum-orient-maho.html

:D

That is way too much money to pay for taxis. Jaital tours does orient and maho for less than forty bucks.

Shore excursioner looks

great, too!

I like that Shore Excursioner is just Orient and Maho beach. We did Bernard's on our first trip to St. Maarten - and it's great for a first visit. This time, we don't care to go to the Oyster Pond or Marigot.

Has anyone taken the Shore Excursioner tour? If so - how was it?

I like that Shore Excursioner is just Orient and Maho beach. We did Bernard's on our first trip to St. Maarten - and it's great for a first visit. This time, we don't care to go to the Oyster Pond or Marigot.

 

Has anyone taken the Shore Excursioner tour? If so - how was it?

Exactly the same for us. Went to St Maarten in 2013 and did Bernard's, which was a GREAT tour. But for a second visit in December, we only want to go to Orient and Maho beaches to enjoy the sun, jet skis and planes landing so close. I also booked Shore Excursioneer's Orient/Maho Beach Bum tour, so I also look forward to hearing from anyone who has already been on it.

Just a heads up. I was just about to book Shore Excursioneer for November but I did a quick search on Yelp. Based on the reviews I'm gonna look elsewhere.

Can you give us the link where you saw the reviews on Yelp? I just searched and can't find reviews for them. I've also heard some use Amigo Tours. Have you heard of them?

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Can you give us the link where you saw the reviews on Yelp? I just searched and can't find reviews for them.

I got curious and went looking for them also... geez this is really bad:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/shore-excursioneer-m%C3%A9xico

That being said this is mostly people complaining about their tours in Belize or Mexico, so maybe the St. Martin ones aren't bad.

I have nothing but praise for Shore Excursioneers OTHER THAN - they are actually AMIGO TOURS - or at least that's who they use. Would have been good to know ahead, what signs we should look for. The driver was fantastic and the time spent on Orient and Maho was perfect. Next time, I'll call our driver directly and arrange it with him.

We will be there in November and plan on doing this:

https://www.shoreexcursioneer.com/st-maarten/beach-bum-orient-maho.html

:D

I have reserved this for January 2016. Please come back to let me know how it went and any tips/tricks :)

We booked Amigo Tours - the Orient and Maho Beach Bum - for our March cruise. It's a 9am tour - which sounds like it'll get us back to the pier about 2pm.

I will be there in April. Our ships docks at 8am. Right now the island is one hour ahead of eastern standard time which most ships remain on for the duration of the cruise. Does St. Maarten observe daylight savings? If not, then when America "springs forward" we should be on the same time. If not, we won't make the 9 am tour departure. I know this probably sounds confusing because I am very confused right now.

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In most of USA, daylight savings time begins March 12, 2017 and ends on November 5, 2017. Eastern DST is same as local time in Sint Maarten/Saint Martin.

We did the Shore Excursioneer Beach Bum tour (Maho and Orient) just last week. It was great. The driver gave an excellent narration while driving.

We drove out to Orient Beach and were given free drinks in the van (including beers and rum punch). At Orient Beach, we could rent a chair and umbrella for $5 (instead of the usual $10). Beers at the bar were around $4 each. There was a very clean bathroom to use as well. We stayed there about an hour and a half.

We again had free drinks in the van on the way to Maho. We got there around 1:15ish and our van was scheduled to leave at 2:30 but we wanted to see the Air France flight, which was delayed. Our driver was willing to wait around, but the rest of our group wanted to return to the ship. We opted to stay and paid $8/person for a taxi back to the ship after Air France landed.

We are going back to St. Maarten in June with our kids and my parents and I would definitely book this tour again. The worst thing about the tour was finding them at the port. You have to walk past all the ship tour groups, all the shops, past the taxi and bus lines, and go almost to the main road to find the guys in the dark purple shirts. They were under a pop up canopy almost at the main road.

We hired a taxi driver for about 4 hours to drive us around where we wanted for $80. They will try to get you to pay $120 if it's just 2 of you. Less if you have more people. Just negotiate the price down.

Here's why I love Cruise Critic! My husband asked me a question this morning about our upcoming cruise...he wants both Orient and Maho beaches. I said hmm, I'll have to do some research.

And here it is, all laid out for me! You guys are the best.

Can someone tell me who this Bernard is? Sounds like something we would like...a bit more than just two beaches would be more appealing for me.

Here's why I love Cruise Critic! My husband asked me a question this morning about our upcoming cruise...he wants both Orient and Maho beaches. I said hmm, I'll have to do some research.

 

And here it is, all laid out for me! You guys are the best.

 

Can someone tell me who this Bernard is? Sounds like something we would like...a bit more than just two beaches would be more appealing for me.

His tours get great reviews, but I think it depends on the actual driver. negatives tend to be related to a driver having a bad hair day. Just search this board for Bernard or check out his website.

http://www.bernardstours.com/