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***Very regulated*** Prebook or take Taxi Tour

sweets2323

By sweets2323,
in St. Martin/St. Maarten

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sweets2323

sweets2323

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******Just an FYI******

 

If you are going to St. MAARTIN, the only tour you can get at the port is a taxi tour.

 

St MAARTIN was very regulated. If you want any excursions Please pre book or book with the cruise line for st MAARTIN

 

There was absolutely no one waiting around with signs inside the port.

 

Prebook island tours and excursions were the only people waiting NEXT to the ship as you walked out with signs.

 

Once you enter the port, there will be NO companies walking around at all.

 

We decided to take a taxi tour for $30 a person in a closed van. We walked to the end of the port where there was a line of taxis and the prices were on the board. No negotiation. Set prices.

 

We did the private tour so we paid $30 instead of $25 (we didn’t share the van because it was closed in and we wanted room). There was six of us.

 

I was surprised not seeing anyone waking around inside the port.

 

 

The taxi tour i think is still less than paying on the ship/

 

The tour was nice and we went to many places. I’ll post pix later. I just got off the ship Sunday

 

 

 

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rjrpar

rjrpar

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We were hoping to take a tour, either public taxi or private van, to see the beaches on the French side. Would like to see Orient, Anse Marcel, Grand Case, Marigot and then get dropped off in Phillipsburg to shop and have lunch - maybe 2-3 hours. Any advice how to arrange this?

 

 

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sweets2323

sweets2323

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The taxi are all regulated and they have buses and cars.

 

We did the taxi and we did want to share because it was 6 of us and the bus was closed in. Therefore, we paid $30 instead of $25 per person for a private van.

 

They can take you to all of the stops you mentioned in 2.5 hours.

 

 

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rjrpar

rjrpar

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The taxi are all regulated and they have buses and cars.

 

We did the taxi and we did want to share because it was 6 of us and the bus was closed in. Therefore, we paid $30 instead of $25 per person for a private van.

 

They can take you to all of the stops you mentioned in 2.5 hours.

 

 

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Did you prearranged the private van or find one at the pier and negotiate the price?

 

 

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sweets2323

sweets2323

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Did you prearranged the private van or find one at the pier and negotiate the price?

 

 

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In St. Maarten there was no negotiation with the taxi prices. The prices are printed on the board. As you walk up the operators are there and the taxis are lined up in the curb. And they pull up in order.

 

I found one at the pier/port.

 

When I walked out of the ship, the only people i saw were pre booked tours with signs.

 

Once I walked inside the port, there were no one hanging around like most ports. Very very quiet... then I walked to the side and I found the taxi set up.

 

I asked the taxi why is it set up this way, he mentioned that is set up this way to protect the tourist from being scammed etc.

 

 

 

 

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rjrpar

rjrpar

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In St. Maarten there was no negotiation with the taxi prices. The prices are printed on the board. As you walk up the operators are there and the taxis are lined up in the curb. And they pull up in order.

 

I found one at the pier/port.

 

When I walked out of the ship, the only people i saw were pre booked tours with signs.

 

Once I walked inside the port, there were no one hanging around like most ports. Very very quiet... then I walked to the side and I found the taxi set up.

 

I asked the taxi why is it set up this way, he mentioned that is set up this way to protect the tourist from being scammed etc.

 

 

 

 

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Sorry, I misunderstood your post. Thought you used a private van for your tour and paid $30pp . I guess you used a “public” taxi for your tour

 

 

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sweets2323

sweets2323

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Sorry, I misunderstood your post. Thought you used a private van for your tour and paid $30pp . I guess you used a “public” taxi for your tour

 

 

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It was a taxi but I requested a private van because I didn’t want to share.

 

So it wasn’t necessarily a tour company, but in reality it did the same thing.

 

 

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rjrpar

rjrpar

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It was a taxi but I requested a private van because I didn’t want to share.

 

So it wasn’t necessarily a tour company, but in reality it did the same thing.

 

 

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Thanks for the the clarification. One more question- how long did you use the taxi for the $30pp? We have only 4 people, guess that would add to the cost/person

 

 

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sweets2323

sweets2323

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I forgot to take a picture of the price list, but the price goes off the amount of people and $5 more for a private taxi

 

The tour was for 2.5 hours.

 

Their taxi’s but it’s a tour as well.

 

It’s cheaper to do the tour unless you want to go to more than one place.

 

 

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SnorkelAway

SnorkelAway

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While tour operators cannot meet you in the port area, if you arrange a private excursion with a private tour operator online or otherwise, you can easily meet them just outside the port gate. The exit from the port area is not that much farther from the ship than the taxi stand.

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rjrpar

rjrpar

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Highly recommend Bernard's Tours on St. Maarten if you're looking for an island tour. $40/pp and was excellent when I used them. I was a solo cruiser that trip, and only shared the tour with a couple from Germany, so it was practically a private tour. http://www.bernardstours.com/

 

 

 

They just quoted me $300 for 4 people for 3 hours.

 

 

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