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What do you want to know about St. Maarten/St. Martin?


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Hi. I'm headed to St. Maarten and St. Martin to board Crystal's Esprit on Sunday. I'll have a chance, pre-cruise, to take a tour of the island and also get a pre-opening look at St. Maarten's new Rainforest Adventures, which opens later this month (and I'm told was relatively unaffected by Hurricane Irma).

 

What would you like to know about the island's reparations effort? Happy to take pics and supply answers -- though please try to get your questions to me before Saturday if you can!

 

Thanks,

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Chief Content Strategist

Cruise Critic

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Hi, all. A preliminary update: Have been in Miami meeting with cruise line execs on various and sundry topics, and several, from different cruise lines, have told me that St. Maarten is about 30 days from being ready to receive the big ships. There's still lots of clean-up.

 

The cruise I'm taking out of St. Martin on Sunday -- a handful of the small ship lines, like Windstar, SeaDream, etc., have traditionally done turnarounds on the French side because the ships are so small -- is Crystal Esprit. Most folks are not doing pre- and post because the hotels are nowhere near being back. But I'm going in a day early, and touring, so will report back....

 

Carolyn

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]Hi. I'm headed to St. Maarten and St. Martin to board Crystal's Esprit on Sunday. I'll have a chance, pre-cruise, to take a tour of the island and also get a pre-opening look at St. Maarten's new Rainforest Adventures, which opens later this month (and I'm told was relatively unaffected by Hurricane Irma).

 

What would you like to know about the island's reparations effort? Happy to take pics and supply answers -- though please try to get your questions to me before Saturday if you can!

 

Thanks,

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Chief Content Strategist

Cruise Critic

 

Carolyn--we will be going back to St Martin in February. Could you please post pics of Front Street, and Great Bay Beach? We love the Phillipsburg area! Thank you!

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What is it really like going in and out of the airport at SXM? I heard they were using a tent for customs/immigration. Amount of time going through there? We get off the ship early in the morning but we don't have a flight until late afternoon so I don't know what we will do.

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Hi, cj1000. Which line/ship are you cruising on?

 

 

Yes, the airport is pretty much tents but I'm told it's pretty streamlined.

 

 

The reason I asked about your line/ship is that I'm on Crystal Esprit, starting Sunday. On our return, and I think most flights to the states are in the afternoon, the line is offering some complimentary and paid-for shore excursions so that you're not hanging out at the airport. On other cruises in other years when we departed from St. Maarten/St. Martin, you either planned your own day before the late-ish flights, or you hung out at SXM. Since I don't think there's anywhere to hang out, a tour is a good idea!

 

I'm on my way there today.

 

 

Carolyn

 

 

What is it really like going in and out of the airport at SXM? I heard they were using a tent for customs/immigration. Amount of time going through there? We get off the ship early in the morning but we don't have a flight until late afternoon so I don't know what we will do.
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Hi, cj1000. Which line/ship are you cruising on?

 

 

Yes, the airport is pretty much tents but I'm told it's pretty streamlined.

 

 

On the Espirit in December. I've heard about the airport but no first hand which is what I would like. Crystal hasn't responded yet about what we would do after we disembark. Thanks and enjoy.

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Stick with us, Cj1000, we're on the same cruise!

 

 

The airport experience is pretty streamlined. Of course I came in a day beforehand so there wasn't a big Crystal presence but am told that the majority of passengers will come in tomorrow (Sunday) and the ship/yacht/boat will depart late in the afternoon/evening to allow everyone time. If you do fly in on the day-of, Crystal is all over it, from greeting pax at the luggage area to transporting them to the ship. Even today, though, when we were all independents, it was much more sane, oddly enough, than the last time I flew into St. Maarten for a cruise (2 years ago). No duty free distractions, customs very quick, luggage delivered in front of you. Didn't mind at all.

 

Great question about the debark. Last time, two years ago (on Windstar) we just spent 5 hours in a pretty indifferent lounge. Not fabulous. Now there's no lounge :) -- but Crystal has laid on some additional tours to keep you busy. Most are complementary.

 

Heck, we haven't even boarded yet, hate to think of getting off already :)

 

Carolyn

 

 

Hi, cj1000. Which line/ship are you cruising on?

 

 

Yes, the airport is pretty much tents but I'm told it's pretty streamlined.

 

 

On the Espirit in December. I've heard about the airport but no first hand which is what I would like. Crystal hasn't responded yet about what we would do after we disembark. Thanks and enjoy.

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Hi, Just arrived at St. Maarten and will visit Grand Case, my favorite place here, tomorrow. I'm told it's not good news....

 

Carolyn

 

we always go to grand case on the french side. we heard it was devastated. just wondering if any rebuilding is underway.
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Hi, English_in-Spain. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Orient Bay, as you know it, no longer exists. There's not a restaurant left, no shops open. It will have to be massively rebuilt.

 

 

Carolyn

 

If you go to Orient Bay I would love to know how they are at Kakao Beach restaurant.

I have been there many times and it was my late husband's favourite.

 

I hope they will be able to re-open soon.

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You can, lenquixote66, but it's a bit treacherous. And there's a perfectly good ferry system that leaves right from the cruise port and takes you straight into Phillipsburg...

 

Anyone else tried to walk to town?

 

 

Carolyn

 

Is it possible to walk from the cruise port to downtown ?
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Sorry, CruiseFan0001, to be the bearer of bad news. There are no restaurants open just now in Grand Case save for lone Lolo. It may take some time....

 

We were told that some of the lolos that had food shacks in Grand Case will be moving to the Simpson Bay area; at this point there was one set-up for business there and he was drawing quite a (local) crowd.

 

Carolyn

Wondering if Serafina's has reopened - a landmark stop on the French side...
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Hi, English_in-Spain. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Orient Bay, as you know it, no longer exists. There's not a restaurant left, no shops open. It will have to be massively rebuilt.

 

Carolyn

 

Thank you for letting me know.

 

I am very sad to hear this as my late husband and I went there many times since the mid 1990s and loved it. One of the main reasons for choosing my upcoming cruise was because it called at St Martin. I will probably never have another opportunity to go there now.

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Hi, all. A preliminary update: Have been in Miami meeting with cruise line execs on various and sundry topics, and several, from different cruise lines, have told me that St. Maarten is about 30 days from being ready to receive the big ships. There's still lots of clean-up.

 

The cruise I'm taking out of St. Martin on Sunday -- a handful of the small ship lines, like Windstar, SeaDream, etc., have traditionally done turnarounds on the French side because the ships are so small -- is Crystal Esprit. Most folks are not doing pre- and post because the hotels are nowhere near being back. But I'm going in a day early, and touring, so will report back....

 

Carolyn

 

 

Hi Carolyn,

 

Would it be fair to say that the Marella Discovery will not be stopping at St Maarten on the 3rd of December?

 

Thanks

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