Car rental at St Maarten port

Looking for info on car rental options in St Maarten. I would prefer pick up and return to be at the cruise port. Any info/experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Coastal is a reliable rental agency - they have an office at the Phillipsburg cruise terminal and will drive you about two or three minutes to pick up your car. You should book in advance to assure availability of the type you want - especially if you will be in port with a number of other ships. You should figure on paying about $60-$75 for the day.

We stayed on St Martin for one week prior to our cruise and rented a car for that time period. We picked up our car at the airport but returned it to the cruise terminal which was very easy. We used Hertz and it worked out very well.

I realize you are only looking for a day rental but we had an excellent experience with Hertz.

Looking for info on car rental options in St Maarten. I would prefer pick up and return to be at the cruise port. Any info/experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Depending where you are from, consider booking through your car association, if you are a member. My local CAA offered under $50 Cdn dollars via Hertz.

Depending where you are from, consider booking through your car association, if you are a member. My local CAA offered under $50 Cdn dollars via Hertz.

Was this from the pier location or the airport location? What time of year and if from the pier location were there more than 1 ship in? This price seems extremely low for Hertz at the pier. Several years ago we paid over $90 US at the pier but each time at least 5 ships were in port. :)

Was this from the pier location or the airport location? What time of year and if from the pier location were there more than 1 ship in? This price seems extremely low for Hertz at the pier. Several years ago we paid over $90 US at the pier but each time at least 5 ships were in port. :)

It is an prebooked online CAA quote for December. They have a regular sizable discount with HERTZ for members. It was for a pier booking. As booked ahead, it is irrelevant how many ships are in port - though I can understand an increased price for a walk in or possibly if booked with HERTZ at that location.

Right across from the entrance / exit of the port facility on your right hand side when you walk out there is a car rental, when you continue to walk that way and follow the road where you will enter the industrial / commercial complex, there are several more car rental companies. Another thing you could do is walk into Philipsburg and at the end of Cannegieter Street you will find another car rental on your right hand side.

A third option would be to take a local bus somewhere from the market square on the back side of the court house and go with a bus that says Maho or Mullet and for just 2 or 3 dollars per person you can get dropped of at the airport. The ride is probably 30 minutes and at the airport you will find several rental companies.

It is an prebooked online CAA quote for December. They have a regular sizable discount with HERTZ for members. It was for a pier booking. As booked ahead, it is irrelevant how many ships are in port - though I can understand an increased price for a walk in or possibly if booked with HERTZ at that location.

Absolutely not irrelevant if its a pier or airport rental site because most cruisers don't want to have to go to the airport from the pier to pick up their rental.

Good info re: CAA though I will look into that for my Hawaiian ports.

We have booked with Coastal a couple of times. Have found that if you prebook online their rates are very reasonable.

We rented from Hertz last fall. Pick up window was about two blocks from the pier. It was a very good experience.

Sent from my KFASWI using Tapatalk

We rented from Hertz last fall. Pick up window was about two blocks from the pier. It was a very good experience.

 

Sent from my KFASWI using Tapatalk

Isn't Hertz still at the port along with Coastal with their car lot across the main st?

I've been looking on the St. Martin Tourist Office dot org and it states, in the "Getting Around" section, that in order to drive there you must have a French Driver Licence or an International Drivers License.

Have anyone run into this problem at car rental agency's?

Driving on St. Martin / St. Maarten

On St. Martin, French traffic laws are applied and driving is on the right side of the road.

Drivers must hold a French or international driving licence, which covers them across the territory.

I also found it on the AAA dot com site.

http://www.aaa.com/Vacation/idpf.html

I've been looking on the St. Martin Tourist Office dot org and it states, in the "Getting Around" section, that in order to drive there you must have a French Driver Licence or an International Drivers License.

Have anyone run into this problem at car rental agency's?

 

Driving on St. Martin / St. Maarten

On St. Martin, French traffic laws are applied and driving is on the right side of the road.

Drivers must hold a French or international driving licence, which covers them across the territory.

 

I also found it on the AAA dot com site.

http://www.aaa.com/Vacation/idpf.html

Since the cruise pier is on the Dutch side I would suggest renting a car at the pier. Our Canadian drivers license is adequate as would be an American one as well. We always rent from the Dutch side even when vacationing on the French side. PJ airport that we fly into is on the Dutch side so we just rent a car and go.

Since the cruise pier is on the Dutch side I would suggest renting a car at the pier. Our Canadian drivers license is adequate as would be an American one as well. We always rent from the Dutch side even when vacationing on the French side. PJ airport that we fly into is on the Dutch side so we just rent a car and go.

Thank you, Karysa. Good to know there were no problems.:)

We picked up our car at Hertz at the airport since we were staying for a week in Grand Case. We were never asked about an international drivers license. Just gave them our US one and we were set.

We picked up our car at Hertz at the airport since we were staying for a week in Grand Case. We were never asked about an international drivers license. Just gave them our US one and we were set.

As I investigate more, it seems more like a suggestion according to AAA. Here is there reason they think it's a good idea:

Why Carry an IDP?

Your IDP is a valid form of identification in 150 countries worldwide and contains your name, photo and driver information. It translates your identification information into 10 languages — so it speaks the language even if you don't. Most countries highly recommend an International Driving Permit.

An IDP gives you peace of mind while you're out exploring the world - even if you're not planning to drive!

Me: It's probably a another way of tracking you. Who knows, with the things going on in the world nowadays.

Just about everyone we had contact with in St Martin spoke English so I doubt you would have any trouble on the French or the Dutch side.

And to be honest, when we traveled to Italy and Ireland and rented cars in both places we didn't get an international drivers license for those trips either.