New Years Day

We will be in St. Maarten on New Years Day on Celebrity Eclipse and would like to know what to expect. It will be our final port (#8) and I don't know whether to plan on being exhausted and keeping it simple or to go for it and finish with an excursion. Snorkeling and shopping are preferable to sitting on the beach - I just think I will have had enough sand between my toes by then.

The bigger question is how easy will it be to not plan ahead for New Years Day - If we were to walk down to the boardwalk and into Philipsburg - will every thing be closed? I certainly won't need anything at Diamonds International or the "traditional" stores at the Port.... (I probably won't have much money left by then either!!):eek:

We have two 11 year old girls and have been to this Island 3 times, have done Bernard, an all inclusive and a Beach Day.

Any suggestions welcomed and appreciated.

We will be in St. Maarten on New Years Day on Celebrity Eclipse and would like to know what to expect. It will be our final port (#8) and I don't know whether to plan on being exhausted and keeping it simple or to go for it and finish with an excursion. Snorkeling and shopping are preferable to sitting on the beach - I just think I will have had enough sand between my toes by then.

 

The bigger question is how easy will it be to not plan ahead for New Years Day - If we were to walk down to the boardwalk and into Philipsburg - will every thing be closed? I certainly won't need anything at Diamonds International or the "traditional" stores at the Port.... (I probably won't have much money left by then either!!):eek:

 

We have two 11 year old girls and have been to this Island 3 times, have done Bernard, an all inclusive and a Beach Day.

 

Any suggestions welcomed and appreciated.

January 1st is a statutory holiday on the island. If I were you I would look into excursions and e-mail the company and ask if they are running excursions on New Years day 2015. The Christmas/New Years Holiday is a busy time on the island and you are wise to look into availability now. I have cruised twice over NY's and have found it difficult finding all the excursions that I wanted because many of the private sailboat operators were on holiday themselves. Remember that if someone was open last year it doesn't mean that they will be on the island and operating this year on NY's day.

St Maarten is great for a beach day so given that you are visiting on NY's day and this is a great island for a beach day I would plan ahead and save St. Maarten as a beach day myself. I am not 100% sure if stores would be open on Front St but it is a Statatory holiday I would think that it would not be business as usual. I will ask the next time I visit and post what I find out.