St. Maarten: Sailing, America's Cup Pix/Details!

When we arrived in St. Maarten on Feb. 18, 2015, it was easy to see that this port is busier than ever, with its main town of Philipsburg getting so many of the biggest ships.

Our ship flipped the final schedule of time here and St. Barts in order to avoid a day being tendered, having seven ships and 20,000+ passengers arriving at this location. On our revised day here, there will be "only" 14,000 passengers here. But, we are avoiding needing to compete with a 5,400-passenger "whale", among others that will be here the next day. This area has, as I understand, shopping and beaches as the primary attractions. Neither of those fit our needs that much for this day after our earlier Caribbean stops.

Our plan was to be on a sailing with one of the America's Cup ships at St. Maartens. We would have liked to see the French side, but there was not enough time to make all of that work in an easy, simple manner. This port, along with neighboring St. Martin, makes up the world's smallest island inhabited by two countries.

St. Maarten, like many other Caribbean islands, was spotted by Christopher Columbus in 1493. But the island's real history began with French and Dutch settlers who divided the island in 1648. They have lived side-by-side ever since. St. Maarten, governed by the Netherlands Antilles until 2010, is now a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (along with Aruba, Curacao and the Netherlands), while St. Martin is part of the French West Indies. It is potentially great fun that you can easily swing back and forth from the Dutch to the French sides and enjoy the best of both. After today in St. Maartens, we will make the short sailing to sample in the evening that "French-style" in St. Barts. BUT, no massive crowds or other ship for this next stop.

Below starts lots of fun and exciting pictures to share from our America's Cup sailing arranged through our ship. More details for all of our port stops in the Caribbean are available on the live/blog connected below.

In the late 1990's, Dennis Conners was the Captain for the efforts that won back the America's Cup in the 1987 competition off the coast of Fremantle, Australia. The "Stars & Stripes" ship was one of the three participating today along two other sailing craft used in those competitions.

As hopefully the below visuals reflect, it was fun and exciting. We had to do the "work" under proper direction. It was a "photo finish" with our ship being narrow nosed out to finish a sold second place.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 29,117 views for these postings.

Here are the first six views from our late-morning action while in St. Maarten doing an America's Cup racing adventure. The twelve of us from the Silver Cloud, plus UK singer Duncan from the ship's staff, were on the "True North". This ship was raced by the Canada team. Duncan is one with the muscles who had the great "look" to which those of us older might aspire! My wife is the one with the pink hat doing lots of hard work, cranking, along with me and two others, the sails up and down on the front of the ship.:

Below is the rest of the America's Cup morning action while visiting St. Maarten.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 121,502 views for this posting.

Here are the final five views of the crew from our ship passengers making this happen in our exciting and close-finishing race. In background, you can see some of the big cruise lines in port this day at St. Maarten.:

In this final picture, here is one of the luxury, private yachts sailing past our sea position as we were doing our America’s Cup competition. Pretty sleek and contemporary yacht, right? Lots of glass and a very unique style, look! In port today, there were two other super luxury yachts. One with its own helicopter. The other with smaller boats that could be stored and popped out from the rear of this custom craft. Are not all of your personal boats at home so designed and configured?:

Here are some added visuals from our visit to St. Maarten. As mentioned, we had already seen lots of beaches and shopping environments during our early Caribbean stops. The America's Cup sailing was a different type "experience" and it was nice to sample something varied and very interesting. Yes, I took these sailing pictures with my waterproof camera, but I could not be using my good Nikon D7100 as there was too much water splashing, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 204,441 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Here just two samples of the bigger boat "crowd" from St. Maarten from which we were glad to depart in the afternoon afternoon. It was nice to move to nearby St. Barts and away for so many big, big ships crowding for space and oxygen!:

This photo, not posted on my trip live/blog, shows one of the high-end, private ships in port during our day in St. Maarten. Looking nice, exclusive and requiring a big budget to fuel and operate it? Second is a closer view of that same private yacht, but with more of the beach and shopping areas showing in the background.:

Here are two more views reflecting how busy and crowded things can get in this port with the "high-rise" ships parked there.:

Here is the final grouping of my pictures from our day visiting in St. Maarten. Join in!! Share any pictures you from doing the America's Cup event and/or other interesting sights on this island. If seeking info for other nearby Caribbean places such as the Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc., check out and post on my live/blog.

From earlier pre-cruise research, below are some notes and ideas that I collected from other cruise lines and travel resources about this island.

FROM CRUISE CRITICS

St. Maarten: Independent-minded travelers probably will head for St. Maarten's famous shopping areas and casinos. But for something a little more exciting than throwing money away, sign up for the America's Cup 12-Metre Regatta. On this excursion, you'll actually race onboard a winning yacht and serve as part of the crew. The two-hour boat ride features refreshments and a rum punch party to celebrate. Although you don't need any sailing experience, this is a strenuous activity and not simply a relaxing sailaway.

From: http://www.hillmanwonders.com

St Martin and St Maarten: You experience two different cultures on a single island. The northern half is French, the southern half, Dutch.

St Martin and St Maarten differ in 8 ways:

Dining & nightlife: St Martin has the better dining, St Maarten has the better nightlife.

Shopping: St Maarten wins this crown by a big margin.

Language: St Martin speaks French, St Maarten speaks Dutch (though English is widely understood on both sides)

Sovereignty: St Martin is a French Territory, St Maarten is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

Size: St Maarten is slightly larger.

Population: St Maarten has far more tourists.

Tourism: St Maarten has far more tourists.

Hospitality: St Maarten wins by an edge.

Beaches: Both sides have good beaches. Orient is the most popular beach in St Martin while Maho Bay is the most active in St Maarten. The problem with the latter is you are noisily buzzed by low flying jet airlines landing and taking off over you.

St-Martin/Sint Maarten Lonely Planet:

Two distinct cultures, Dutch and French, share space on this smallish and very lively island. Like a brain these two hemispheres are greater in sum than in parts: the French offer holidays with reserve while the Dutch party down. Best for: Midrange-hotel holidays, daytrips into France, the Netherlands and the heart of Creole culture, the wildest airport bar on Earth

From Frommers:

Lying 232km (144 miles) east of Puerto Rico, this scrub-covered island has been divided between the Dutch (Sint Maarten) and the French (Saint Martin) since 1648. Regardless of how you spell its name, it's the same island on both sides of the unguarded border -- though the two halves are quite different. The Dutch side contains the island's major airport, more shops, and more tourist facilities; the French side has some of the poshest hotels and superior food. Both are modern, urbanized, and cosmopolitan, and both suffer from traffic jams, a lack of parking space in the capitals, tourist-industry burnout (especially on the Dutch side), and a disturbing increase in crime. In spite of the drawbacks, there's a lot to attract you here -- great beaches, the shopping (some of the Caribbean's best), the gambling, the self-contained resorts, the nonstop flights from the U.S., the nightlife, and some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean. For a day trip from here, you can fly to St. Eustatius or Saba.

]From Regent Seven Seas website:

St. Maarten is the smallest piece of land shared by two sovereign states. Legend has it that the Dutch and French boundaries of the island were determined by two men who challenged one another in a race around the island, with the Frenchman walking faster and claiming more land. Legend or not, both the Dutch and French settled here in the 1630s and despite occupancy by the British twice, the Dutch and French have lived peacefully together ever since they arrived.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 186,397 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Here is the final group of my varied visuals from being in and around St. Maarten.:

From the USA Today newspaper this past Friday, they have this headline: "Readers' Choice: Best of the Caribbean" with these highlights: "The Caribbean is a diverse region filled with adventure, bold flavors, shopping opportunities and plenty of places to party. We asked readers to name the best for adventure, food, golf, shopping and nightlife. For the past four weeks, readers have been voting daily and the results are in!"

St. Maarten did well!! Among the five categories for all of the Caribbean islands, St. Maarten was ranked seventh for nightlife and eighth in the best category for food and shopping. As noted earlier, we very much liked our day in and around St. Maarten with its nice range/offerings for its sights, activities, etc.

Full story at:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2015/11/13/10best-readers-choice-caribbean-winners/75722646/

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 32,373 views for these postings.

The sailing race was fantastic! A great excursion for sailing enthusiasts. Participate by doing one of the "jobs" on deck, or just go for the ride!

To update for those interested in exciting visuals and different locations, we are back safely from four weeks in South Africa, Botswana, etc. Very different from St. Maartens and the Caribbean!!

We enjoyed great sights, many safari/animal experiences and wonderful adventure times!! Lots of pictures on my live/blog and this trip detailing can be seen at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now over 10,300 views for this reporting that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Delta area with lions, leopards, cape buffalo, elephants, giraffes, hippos, etc., etc.

Ohio was not too bad for the time while we traveled below the Equator this year, but the weather for these southern parts of Africa was much warmer and sunnier than what we would have experienced in the Midwest during these challenging winter periods.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at nearly 138,000 views for this posting.

From the TravelPulse website earlier this month, they have this headline: "How To Save Money in Sunny St. Maarten" with these highlights: "One of the most-visited destinations in the Caribbean by cruise passengers, St. Maarten is ideal for sun worshippers and beach bums. As part of well-developed Western nations, prices on the island range toward the higher end when compared with other destinations you might visit in the Caribbean, such as in the Dominican Republic, Antigua, Jamaica and Mexico."

Here are some of their ideas to save money, have fun:

Grand Tour: A taxi shuttle tour of the island is a good way to spend a day exploring a few beaches, markets and several scenic spots and historic sites. The kiosks offering a range of these tours are located just outside the gates at the main port area. Organize a group of six to eight people on your ship interested in doing the same type of tour and negotiate a deal with a driver. We were able to get a price of $25 per person for a four-hour island tour – down from $45 – because we had seven in our group instead of just two.

Beach Deals: Look around for the beer deals, too! We snagged a bucket of six for $10. Negotiate smartly for a beach lounger, as well. Each restaurant along the boardwalk runs the loungers in front of its property. You should be able to score a bucket of beers, two loungers with an umbrella and a Wi-Fi code for about $20.

Maho Beach: The beach in St. Maarten is famous because it is located adjacent to an airport. It's not the most beautiful setting, but the spot draws hundreds of people who seek the thrill of seeing giant commercial jets swooping in so very close overhead on landings. Free!!

Full story at:

http://www.travelpulse.com/news/features/how-to-save-money-in-sunny-st-maarten.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 201,878 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Thanks for sharing Terry.

My BIL, one of the guys on our roll call, and I had a great time on True North a few years back. I used to race PHRF and IOR boats on the West Coast where we saw Connor and crew many times out practicing. And I know on of the grinders on the all women's boat,Mighty Mary, nee America cubed. so this was a real thrill for me. But it's not for everyone. Tweeners and teens and non sailors may not be so excited.

Here is a link to a piece I wrote after doing the America's Cup Challenge. Definitely worth it. http://www.tampabay.com/features/travel/americas-cup-12-metre-challenge-turns-swabbies-to-sailors/2120936

Here is a link to a piece I wrote after doing the America's Cup Challenge. Definitely worth it. http://www.tampabay.com/features/travel/americas-cup-12-metre-challenge-turns-swabbies-to-sailors/2120936

crewsweeper: Thanks for sharing Terry. My BIL' date=' one of the guys on our roll call, and I had a great time on True North a few years back. I used to race PHRF and IOR boats on the West Coast where we [b']saw Connor and crew many times out practicing[/b]. And I know on of the grinders on the all women's boat,Mighty Mary, nee America cubed. so this was a real thrill for me. But it's not for everyone. Tweeners and teens and non sailors may not be so excited.

Appreciate these great and added follow-ups and information. Wonderful summary in the Tampa Bay newspaper. Agree that this type of activity might not be for everyone, but it worked very well for us. In doing ten difference Caribbean islands, it was nice and important to have a wide variety of "difference experiences". This worked well. Plus, it was fun getting some interesting visuals with my waterproof camera. Great sharing!!

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 216,299 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

From the Washington Post in late October, they have this headline: "Visit a Caribbean island — but which one?" with this opening summary highlights: "Think 'Caribbean,' and images of palm trees, aquamarine seas and fruity drinks with umbrellas typically come to mind. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find distinctly different vibes, landscapes, weather and attractions defining the region’s more than 7,000 individual islands."

For St. Maartens, this story notes "With its busier Dutch side and more relaxed French side, the island has something for everyone. The Dutch Sint Maartin is the place to go for those who like a lively nightlife scene, bustling casinos and large resorts. The French side is more about shopping and fine dining. And if you get bored with both, there are day trips to the islands of Saba, St. Barts and Anguilla."

Lots of details in the profile for various Caribbean options. This story helps hype interest to enjoy the Caribbean, again, as the winter cold rolls into the Midwest.

Full story at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/youve-decided-to-visit-a-caribbean-island--but-which-one-heres-our-island-by-island-guide/2016/10/27/39f897e0-9168-11e6-9c52-0b10449e33c4_story.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 205,236 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Appreciate any information or details as to how these America's Cup boats fared or survived from the damages caused by Hurricane Irma. Very sad with this damage to people and these "things".

Below are links to our two latest adventures in doing the Panama Canal and the western Atlantic Coast up from Lisbon to Brittany, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Lisbon, NWSpain, Bordeaux/Brittany: Just finished June 2017 sailing from Portugal to France along the scenic Atlantic Coast, plus great pre- and post-cruise experiences. Many interesting pictures and details on history, food, culture, etc., from my live/blog at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

Panama Canal? Completed Feb. 28-Mar. 15, 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through the Panama Canal with our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Lots of fun, interesting pictures!! Those visuals start on the second page, post #26. See more at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

Appreciate any information or details as to how these America's Cup boats fared or survived from the damages caused by Hurricane Irma. Very sad with this damage to people and these "things".

 

Hi Terry, Not sure if you heard - but I did see a post on Facebook on Monday night from the 12 Metre Challenge page - they said they did take a hit, but their plan is to be sailing again by Dec 1, with more information to come. I'm assuming perhaps as a precaution they sent the boats away out of the hurricane's reach, as I can't imagine they would have survived if left on the island. Just my thoughts though, they didn't have any info either way.

We're booked with them for Feb - so really hoping they are able to get back up and running - this excursion looks amazing!

Hi Terry, Not sure if you heard - but I did see a post on Facebook on Monday night from the 12 Metre Challenge page - they said they did take a hit, but their plan is to be sailing again by Dec 1, with more information to come. I'm assuming perhaps as a precaution they sent the boats away out of the hurricane's reach, as I can't imagine they would have survived if left on the island. Just my thoughts though, they didn't have any info either way. We're booked with them for Feb - so really hoping they are able to get back up and running - this excursion looks amazing!

Appreciate this great follow-up and this added information. Glad to know that they are "surviving" and hopefully will be back in business soon. It's about a month and half till Nov. 1. You've got some time until you visit there in Feb., but they have so much work to do in order to be ready to handle the normal thousands of visitors each day during the winter season.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from this live/blog at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 34,538 views for this visual sharing including Cape Town, along South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

We did this excursion in the summer on 2015. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences that I have ever had on a cruise excursion. Hoping to do it again this summer.