Relaxing Beach

[minniemouse427]

Stopping in January (RCCL) and looking for dh and I to relax on a beach. Looking here I keep thinking I found one and then find how it is crowded, unsafe, or the food/amenities have changed/disappeared.

 

Considering:
Emerald

Water Island/Honeymoon Beach

Sapphire

Magen's

???

Just looking for a chair or a hammock, some nearby food and a good view without paying hundreds of dollars or hiking for miles.

We are doing a catamaran trip in Sint Maarten the next day so a lazy beach day is preferred.

Any recommendations?

[Ms411]

Secret Harbor.

[minniemouse427]

9 minutes ago, Ms411 said:

Secret Harbor.

What is the recommended way to get there? Cost?

According to their site they don't have day passes, chairs, umbrellas, and the pool are for hotel guests, but they invite non hotel guests to visit their restaurant and rent chairs from the dive shop on the beach. 

[TTEllis]

1 hour ago, Ms411 said:

Secret Harbor.

Good grief brilliant minds certainly do think alike.😁😎😁😁

 

Secret Harbor. 

I gotcha, here goes it. Catch a safari van I did, straight to Secret Harbor. 15 minutes max from Havensight. 

I was there on simply a cruise ship visit I didn't even see a pool didn't need a day pass, walked down there acting like I owed the place. Went up to the Sunset Grille started a tab started drinking and the rest of the day was GREAT!! 

Lot's of nice people no problems very quiet GREAT BAR!! Nice water, swim out to the platform and lay out on it, it's nice out there. 

 

Oh yeah I think between  Crown Bay and Havensight 5 ships were in port, thousands going to Magens Bay THOUSANDS!!!😱😱😱

We went right😎😎😎😎 to Secret Harbor.🌟🌟🌟🌟

Great Day. 

 

Another thing Secret Harbor needs to stay SECRET. Everybody is finding out about it, thanks to all the idiots 😁😁😁 online going on and on and on about how nice and quiet it is.

Go early start a bar tab find you a spot have fun and chill the rest of the day. 

Simple Math.🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

[minniemouse427]

If it helps any, there are three ships scheduled in port they day we visit. The Anthem, Summit, and Getaway. Total # of passengers is just over 10K.

[TTEllis]

Just now, minniemouse427 said:

If it helps any, there are three ships scheduled in port they day we visit. The Anthem, Summit, and Getaway. Total # of passengers is just over 10K.

Oh God. 

10K passenger and another hmmmm 4K crew members. I'd get off the island and take the ferry to St. John Trunk Bay. I couldn't do that last time because St. John was closed so I went to Secret Harbor. So should you.

[minniemouse427]

6 minutes ago, TTEllis said:

Good grief brilliant minds certainly do think alike.😁😎😁😁

 

Secret Harbor. 

I gotcha, here goes it. Catch a safari van I did, straight to Secret Harbor. 15 minutes max from Havensight. 

 

 

We are on RCCL so I believe we will be at Crown Bay. Hopefully it will be just as easy from there. 🙂

[minniemouse427]

4 minutes ago, TTEllis said:

Oh God. 

10K passenger and another hmmmm 4K crew members. I'd get off the island and take the ferry to St. John Trunk Bay. I couldn't do that last time because St. John was closed so I went to Secret Harbor. So should you.

Anthem 4,180
Summit 1,950
Getaway 3.962

Only there from 8am - 6pm so I don't expect that traveling to St. John would be overly relaxing which is my husband's goal for this cruise!

Secret Harbor is now at the top of my list!

[TTEllis]

17 minutes ago, minniemouse427 said:

Anthem 4,180
Summit 1,950
Getaway 3.962

Only there from 8am - 6pm so I don't expect that traveling to St. John would be overly relaxing which is my husband's goal for this cruise!

Secret Harbor is now at the top of my list!

Smart!!🌟🌟🌟🌟

[TTEllis]

23 minutes ago, minniemouse427 said:

We are on RCCL so I believe we will be at Crown Bay. Hopefully it will be just as easy from there. 🙂

Very easy I've caught more taxi's at Crown Bay than I have at Havensight no worries either pier. 

I've said this for DECADES St. Thomas has THE BEST taxi drivers EVER. 

Very nice(always), they're just nice people trying to make it just like the rest of us. If you ask them a question and they smile REAL BIG at you 

That means get in SIT DOWN STFU they got you covered. Works every time. 15 minutes later your sitting on the right beach.😎😎🌟🌟🌟🌟😎😎

Bye bye have fun. 

[blue_water]

3 hours ago, minniemouse427 said:

Stopping in January (RCCL) and looking for dh and I to relax on a beach. Looking here I keep thinking I found one and then find how it is crowded, unsafe, or the food/amenities have changed/disappeared.

 

Considering:
Emerald

Water Island/Honeymoon Beach

Sapphire

Magen's

???

Just looking for a chair or a hammock, some nearby food and a good view without paying hundreds of dollars or hiking for miles.

We are doing a catamaran trip in Sint Maarten the next day so a lazy beach day is preferred.

Any recommendations?

We love Sapphire for the views while staying there, but would choose Lindbergh Bay (aka Emerald Beach)…

If you are a bit more adventurous, Hull Bay - Great views, picnic tables and stools at the Shack, and few if any fellow cruisers…

We would avoid

Water Island/HB

Magens

Secret Harbor

Coki

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by blue_water

[blue_water]

I see Secret Harbor mentioned quite a bit here. If you choose to go there be aware that is is the longest taxi ride, you are limited to a certain sitting section, and it is quite crowded with the resort there. Nit my idea of a relaxing day, but just my opinion…

You definitely want to reserve lounges/umbrellas in advance on the AADivers site.

 
Enjoy your day wherever you end up!

[Ms411]

Any beach that the taxi drivers are willing to take you to is subject to be "crowded" at some point. The cruise lines and the islands want more and more guests, yet most islands only have so many beaches, and hotel guests want quiet, relaxing beaches, too. A lot of people looking for same thing.

 

The best way to avoid the crowds is to take an independent day sail or tour. Those guides can avoid the crowds. The beaches that are guaranteed to not be crowded are those that don't have amenities for day visitors.

 

Secret Harbor, in order to try to limit the number of day visitors, only rents a maximum number of chairs. However, they can't limit the number of visitors who either bring their own or sit on the sand.

 

There is one hotel that I know of that sells day passes that allows visitors to use their pool, but it's not on a beach. It's the Pink Palm and it's in the historic district in town. It's not easy finding a taxi that will take you all the way there, though.

[minniemouse427]

Ended up with an RCL excursion to Secret Sands/Smith Bay Eco Park. It is only 4hrs and the transportation is taken care of which is less stressful for my better half. It includes a drink and a lounger so we will be fine for a few hours. 🙂

[Ms411]

Excellent choice! 

[blue_water]

On 12/29/2023 at 7:46 PM, minniemouse427 said:

Ended up with an RCL excursion to Secret Sands/Smith Bay Eco Park. It is only 4hrs and the transportation is taken care of which is less stressful for my better half. It includes a drink and a lounger so we will be fine for a few hours. 🙂

Yes that works for someone who isn’t comfortable hopping a taxi to spend more time there…

Arguably the nicest beach and water on the island! 

[minniemouse427]

30 minutes ago, blue_water said:

Yes that works for someone who isn’t comfortable hopping a taxi to spend more time there…

Arguably the nicest beach and water on the island! 

Not uncomfortable about the taxi per se, more uncomfortable about exploring on our own further than just steps from the ship. It is our first Southern Caribbean cruise so all the ports are new to us. This is the first of four excursions. Our only RCL one, but the rest are all first thing in the morning with lots of time after before the ship is scheduled to leave!

[blue_water]

Lindbergh Bay is very close to your port with the shortest taxi ride and more amenities, but Lindqvist Beach is gorgeous. 
Enjoy your trip! ☺️

[minniemouse427]

Change of plans. Read some scathing reviews about the RCL excursion to Secret Sands/Smith Bay Eco Park so we switched to an excursion to Trunk Bay. A bit more $, but should be relaxing.

[TTEllis]

1 hour ago, minniemouse427 said:

Change of plans. Read some scathing reviews about the RCL excursion to Secret Sands/Smith Bay Eco Park so we switched to an excursion to Trunk Bay. A bit more $, but should be relaxing.

SMART!! Great choice!! The extra $ doesn't matter when it comes to Trunk Bay!!😎😁😎😁

Eco Park🙁🙄🫤😳 I wasn't going to say anything but now that you made the correct choice and are going over to Trunk Bay, Eco Park I thought you were kidding.😨

[TTEllis]

On 12/30/2023 at 12:01 PM, Ms411 said:

Excellent choice! 

🤪😳😁

[Ms411]

The Secret Sands/Smith Bay Park is a relaxing beach. I read a review I think could be the one minniemouse referred to, and it seemed to be the attendant, not the beach, that was the issue.

 

If you go to Smith Bay Park/Lindqvist on your own, I'm not sure you can rent chairs. There isn't a concession that rents them, but the park supposedly provides them for groups, but not sure about renting to individuals. Usually for ship excursions the chairs are set up before the group arrives.

 

The review was from 2022 so could be a better excursion now.

[minniemouse427]

I saw that the original post was from 2022, but a subsequent post was from this past summer that said they had a similar experience so we decided to switch.