ST Maarten

[wingman2014]

My family and I have booked the ST Maarten airport excursion, Its the bus ride into Maho beach area to view

the airplanes ,shop and grab some lunch. I know we wont be going onto the beach and that's Ok.

My question is after reading some reviews of the crowds ( it looks like there will be two ships in port ) is this

a good choice or to crowded to enjoy ?

Kids are 15 & 17 we'll be there 12/20/17 the week before Christmas.

Thank's for any help

[DonnaK]

Did you book this through the cruiseline?

 

Have a look at Bernard's tours (google it). It is the most highly recommended private tour of St Maarten, both here and on TripAdvisor. A smaller tour (like 15 people per bus) and you will see much more of the island, including the planes. Includes beverages.

[nanfromatlanta]

My family and I have booked the ST Maarten airport excursion, Its the bus ride into Maho beach area to view

the airplanes ,shop and grab some lunch. I know we wont be going onto the beach and that's Ok.

My question is after reading some reviews of the crowds ( it looks like there will be two ships in port ) is this

a good choice or to crowded to enjoy ?

Kids are 15 & 17 we'll be there 12/20/17 the week before Christmas.

Thank's for any help

 

You and your kids will love the trip to Maho Beach. The planes fly in for landing just above your heads. There are a few places to grab something to eat and all of the above are right on the beach so you can swim if you wish.

[mizzoucruiser]

Here's another plug for Bernard's Tours. Highly recommended.

 

 

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[cruiseguy1016]

Going onto the beach is the best part! You get to stand on the beach and have the planes fly right over your head. When the planes take off, you can feel the blast from the engines. The Sunset Beach Bar is at one end of the beach and is a great place to grab a bite to eat and watch the planes come and go. I would recommend Bernard's if you want to see more of the island. If you just want to go to Maho Beach to see the planes and enjoy some food and beverage, you can do that on your own. Grab a taxi in town and have them take you to Maho Beach. You can stay as long as you like. There are plenty of taxis at the beach, just grab one when you're ready to head back to the ship. I can't remember the cost of the taxi but it was VERY reasonable.

[Brigbound]

Benards was the best! Holy rum-punch!

[DISFANS3]

I will second on the "RUM PUNCH".. Awesome..

[wingman2014]

Did you book this through the cruiseline?

 

Have a look at Bernard's tours (google it). It is the most highly recommended private tour of St Maarten, both here and on TripAdvisor. A smaller tour (like 15 people per bus) and you will see much more of the island, including the planes. Includes beverages.

No, I booked it through Royal. (In case there's any problem's)

[DonnaK]

No, I booked it through Royal. (In case there's any problem's)

If you use a reputable tour company that comes highly recommended, like Bernards, there won't be any problems. They have backup plans and their livelihood depends on them taking good care of you and getting you back to the ship in plenty of time. You get a much better value when you book private tours in the Caribbean.

[matj2000]

Rent a Jeep at the dock.

 

Best way to get around.

 

And cheaper than any excursion...

[cb at sea]

You really don't NEED an excursion there...easy peezy to do on your own!

[lbjen]

The question was is it going to be too crowded to enjoy with 2 ships in port that day!

[cruiseguy1016]

The question was is it going to be too crowded to enjoy with 2 ships in port that day!

 

The last time we went to Maho Beach, there were at least two ships (I think there was actually three) ships in port. DD and I went to Maho beach and did not find it overcrowded at all. There was room on the beach to relax and we didn't have to wait for a table at Sunset Beach Bar. If the OP is not going to be on the beach, I'm not sure where overcrowding would be a problem.

[vacationlover_mn]

We used Bernard tours for this, and it was great :). We are at the beach, had a great view, and have no regrets :)

 

 

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[Tony O]

You really don't NEED an excursion there...easy peezy to do on your own!

I agree

 

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[Surfguyxxx]

Rent a Jeep at the dock.

 

Best way to get around.

 

And cheaper than any excursion...

 

That's exactly what we do every time we're in St. Maarten. I was there last July/August and the Jeep rental cost us $75 plus putting gas in before we dropped it off. You'll have some traffic getting to Maho Airport but nothing too nuts. Parking is just past the beach/airport. Then you can tool around where ever you'd like to go. Another beach, French side/Dutch side. Lot's of fun.

[janetz]

Any ship excursion will be more crowded and more expensive. See if you can get with Bernards. He is excellent.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1606589-d1840452-Reviews-Bernard_s_Tours-Saint_Martin_St_Maarten_St_Martin.html

[wingman2014]

Thank you everyone !

[matj2000]

That's exactly what we do every time we're in St. Maarten. I was there last July/August and the Jeep rental cost us $75 plus putting gas in before we dropped it off. You'll have some traffic getting to Maho Airport but nothing too nuts. Parking is just past the beach/airport. Then you can tool around where ever you'd like to go. Another beach, French side/Dutch side. Lot's of fun.

 

The only way to go..........

[Rala]

You really don't NEED an excursion there...easy peezy to do on your own!

 

..And could you give a little more information on how this easy-peezy might be done. If someone prefers not to find this info out on their own, then maybe they do NEED an excursion like others here have suggested. Sometimes spending some money on an excursion has significant benefits and is even easier than "easy-peezy". :rolleyes:

[Joseph2017China]

..And could you give a little more information on how this easy-peezy might be done. If someone prefers not to find this info out on their own, then maybe they do NEED an excursion like others here have suggested. Sometimes spending some money on an excursion has significant benefits and is even easier than "easy-peezy". :rolleyes:

 

Umm, get off ship, find taxi at port, and tell them where you want to go. $20.00. Way back, when finished, stand on street, get a taxi for trip back. $20.00. For a family of four, the cost is $10.00 a piece for round trip.

 

Grab a few beers at the bar, lay on the beach, watch the planes. This is one of the easiest things to do. Make sure you know what time to be back, and make sure you leave the area in enough time. Plan on one hour each way, because of traffic, not distance.

 

easy peezy!

[SG65CB]

..And could you give a little more information on how this easy-peezy might be done. If someone prefers not to find this info out on their own, then maybe they do NEED an excursion like others here have suggested. Sometimes spending some money on an excursion has significant benefits and is even easier than "easy-peezy". :rolleyes:

 

Get off the ship. Walk down the dock and through the area with all of the little shops. There is a place where all of the taxis pick up people. Kind of a long covered area. Inside this area there are signs on the wall and on each sign is the name of a place where people want to go. Stand underneath the sign that says Maho Beach - it has a picture of an airplane on it. A van will pull up, a guy will open the doors and motion for you to get in.

 

The cost depends on the number of people in the van. The more people, the lower the cost per person. There are signs that show the cost for each destination based on the number of people in the van.

 

When you arrive in Maho Beach you will pay the driver.

 

When you are ready to return to the ship go over to the area where all of the taxis are sitting. When they ask where you want to go, tell them you want to go to the cruise ship terminal. When you arrive at the cruise terminal pay the driver.

[bar1068]

My family and I have booked the ST Maarten airport excursion, Its the bus ride into Maho beach area to view

the airplanes ,shop and grab some lunch. I know we wont be going onto the beach and that's Ok.

My question is after reading some reviews of the crowds ( it looks like there will be two ships in port ) is this

a good choice or to crowded to enjoy ?

Kids are 15 & 17 we'll be there 12/20/17 the week before Christmas.

Thank's for any help

 

Last time we visited St, Maarten, our ship made the FIFTH to arrive in port that day. Already in port was the Carnival Sunshine, NCL Breakaway, Celebrity Reflection and Oasis of the Seas....we did the "easy peasy" method to Maho Beach...and "crowds" were more than tolerable to watch the planes..

[bigque]

..And could you give a little more information on how this easy-peezy might be done. If someone prefers not to find this info out on their own, then maybe they do NEED an excursion like others here have suggested. Sometimes spending some money on an excursion has significant benefits and is even easier than "easy-peezy". :rolleyes:

 

When we did Bernard's tours the traffic was at a stand still when we left Maho. Our tour guide said if we stayed in that traffic we would never make it back to the ship in time. so he got out of the traffic and took these back roads through neighborhoods to get us back. We even still had time for him to drop us off in town to do a little shopping before heading back to the ship. If people are out renting vehicles to go "easy-peezy" on their own and not knowing traffic conditions and back road detours to take, they stand the chance of not making it back in time, so I agree with you that there are some benefits to doing excursions!

[kevinyork]

..And could you give a little more information on how this easy-peezy might be done. If someone prefers not to find this info out on their own, then maybe they do NEED an excursion like others here have suggested. Sometimes spending some money on an excursion has significant benefits and is even easier than "easy-peezy". :rolleyes:

 

 

 

We went to Maho on our Oasis trip in March. You can walk to town in about 20 mins or take the water taxi for a fee. You need to go onto the Main Street behind the seafront then again behind that street and you will see minibuses with Maho signs in their windows just cruising by. It's a set price of $2 pp. They drop you in about 40 mins at one end of the beach. On the way back. Cross the road and grab a returning minibus. Bear in mind the big planes don't start arriving/departing till around 1pm. Before that it's just light aircraft.

 

 

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