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Bernard's Tours, St Maartan

acesallyelton

By acesallyelton,
in St. Martin/St. Maarten

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SliceOfLife

SliceOfLife

Posted
Posted
When you were dropped off at a beach, were you able to leave things in his van ?

Was it secure? Would like to take my good camera for island tour but don't want it on the beach? Did most people swim at Orient ? or would the rest of the day feel nasty from sand and wet? Thanks

 

You can leave things in the van. On some stops I left my bag with my good camera and everything was safe and sound.

 

Most people swam at Orient Beach in our group. As long as you get out of the water a bit before you leave you should dry off quickly. Don't forget to bring your towel.

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David7621

David7621

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We did a tour with Bernard wednesday last week. He took a group in 1 bus and a group of 7 of us that were together went in a full size van by ourselves. Our ship didnt get into port until after 10 so we were only able to do some of the things that were on the itinerary. Weather was rough so we went to Maho first and then to Orient for lunch. It was nice and recomended for anyone looking to book with them.

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saxylc

saxylc

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We have been on this tour 2 times and the 2nd was better than the first which we thought was the best tour ever. We had all CC members on the bus and we had an awesome time. Mailman was our guide and he was a great host to beautiful St. Maarten. The fun just did not stop from the time we boarded until the end. You will not regret taking this tour. ;)

 

The mailman was AWESOME! Made our tour.

Word of advice, don't try to catch the sea urchin if it falls. One girl on our tour did and it wasn't pretty.

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miktek

miktek

Posted
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hi guys,

we have booked bernards tour for our cruise this june.

a couple of questions if thats ok,

 

we will be docking at 12.15 lunchtime on the day of the tour and bernard says he will meet us 30 mins after the ship arrives.

has anyone done a tour that starts at this time?

am i correct in thinking that the 'big' planes come into maho in the afternoon?

i imagine the shops will be closing by the time we get back to the ship, but are there ample places elsewhere/on the tour, to do a bit of shopping?

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popcorngal

popcorngal

Posted
Posted
We did a tour with Bernard wednesday last week. He took a group in 1 bus and a group of 7 of us that were together went in a full size van by ourselves. Our ship didnt get into port until after 10 so we were only able to do some of the things that were on the itinerary. Weather was rough so we went to Maho first and then to Orient for lunch. It was nice and recomended for anyone looking to book with them.

 

We were there and toured that day too! We were on a small bus and Junior was our driver and guide. We went the opposite direction, heading to Orient Beach first. I think they had lots of tours out that day with seven ships in port :eek: The weather at Orient was perfect but went downhill the rest of the day so that it was raining and packed at Maho.

 

I highly recommend this tour, and Junior was a real gem. DH and I have a little trouble getting around and Junior gave us the best of care. He stays right with the bus, even at Orient, so your belongings are safe. The cooler's were full and he was a great host. If we get back to St, Maarten, I will definitely look them up again!

 

And no, even though our tour lasted almost two hours longer than expected, we made it back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. Normally the tour meets a half hour after your ship arrives, so you are out and about early. Have fun!

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SliceOfLife

SliceOfLife

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We are all signed up and ready to see Bernard in Feb. My question is, how long is the tour? Our ship leaves at 6:00, will we be back in time? I'm a little worried about that.. thanks,

 

You'll be back to the ship by 2 pm. No need to worry about missing your ship.

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Putterdude

Putterdude

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Trying to decide whether to take his tour or just hang out at Orient Beach for the day. We will be there on a Sunday- so I guess not much shopping. Is the tour worth it?

 

We used Bernard last year and had a good time with him but didn't have anytime for Phillipsburg. Last month we took the water taxi into Phillipsburg ($6 pp rtn) from the cruise facility and spent the day wandering around and on the boardwalk and beach....had a most enjoyable day.

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Jesse1313

Jesse1313

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Just returned from taking my group of over 60 people on Bernard's Tours last week.

 

Professional and fantastic!! The day went so smoothly and everyone enjoyed.

 

Definitely one of the best tour guides in the Caribbean!!

 

Bernard will get back to you within 24-48 hours, he is very prompt

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geauxgirlgeaux

geauxgirlgeaux

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Okay - I have a few questions about Bernard's tours...

First off does the part of Orient Beach he takes you to have nude and/or topless folks? We are a family and don't look forward to taking my teenaged boys to a nude/topless beach lol. I mean they would probably really like it, but I being the mom would find it slightly awkward!

Is the 30 to 45 minutes enough time to shop/look around Marigot markets?

Is it better to book the private tour?

Open to suggestions!

Thanks so much!

(going in March)

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allie3490

allie3490

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Excellent information here! Can someone tell me if lunch is included in the tour? If not, at what point do you eat on the tour? We will have a couple kids with us (and a husband!) who will not make it without food for that long LOL! :p

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mommyto2girls

mommyto2girls

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geauxgirlgeaux -Bernards Tours are very family friendly the area of the beach is fine you can chose to walk to any area you want. We had plenty of time to shop at Marigot and I did plenty of shopping. I love the outdoor market there, some beautiful clothing and accessories from variuos french vendors. I would not book a private tour because half the fun is being in the group.

 

Allie3490- Lunch is on your own we ate at Orient Beach. There are also some amazing bakeries in Marigot.

 

Bernard does an amazing tour you will love it!

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Sunlover75

Sunlover75

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Posted
Okay - I have a few questions about Bernard's tours...

First off does the part of Orient Beach he takes you to have nude and/or topless folks? We are a family and don't look forward to taking my teenaged boys to a nude/topless beach lol. I mean they would probably really like it, but I being the mom would find it slightly awkward!

Is the 30 to 45 minutes enough time to shop/look around Marigot markets?

Is it better to book the private tour?

Open to suggestions!

Thanks so much!

(going in March)

 

All beaches on the French side of the island are "topless optional", so even though you will not be on the totally nude part of Orient beach, you may encounter topless sunbathers. This is true of all the beaches on the French side of the island.

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