No Rush Tour operator Beau Robinson dies of a massive heart attack

[royaloakie]

Bob4uall, I saw your post and the post from St.Maartener on Sunday. It was that information that sent me on an Internet search for more information and to the eventual decision to cancel my tour. I was surprised to see the posts gone on Monday morning. I thought it was probably because of the links to the blog. I decided to just recommend that folks do their own searches and many members have done that. For those of us with tours booked because of all the good recommendations of members on the board, the information was critical for our safety and the enjoyment of the Island. I am hopeful that the residents of St. Martin will continue to update us on this situation.

[gtaylor]

When I toured with Joyce, a couple of years ago, her pickup point was just outside the main gate at the Cruise Facility.

 

When I chatted (IM) with her recently (a few weeks ago) she talked about picking up inside the facility.

 

I wouldn't be concerned with Joyce. I've known her for 8 or 9 years, and she is a friend, as I have disclosed here at Cruise Critic.

 

I don't see how you could go wrong touring with Joyce.

 

gary

[jmcdon7230]

When I toured with Joyce, a couple of years ago, her pickup point was just outside the main gate at the Cruise Facility.

 

When I chatted (IM) with her recently (a few weeks ago) she talked about picking up inside the facility.

 

I wouldn't be concerned with Joyce. I've known her for 8 or 9 years, and she is a friend, as I have disclosed here at Cruise Critic.

 

I don't see how you could go wrong touring with Joyce.

 

gary

 

I couldn't see how we could go wrong with No Rush either....but it looks like I'm out my $70 deposit.

[st.maartener]

On st.maarten there are 3 Taxi associations- one operates in the harbor facilities, one from the new Airport and the other from Philipsburg and then there's one from French St.Martin. Joyce has a license, she may not be a part of the harbor Taxi association, hence your pick up outside the harbor facilities This fact still allows her to transport and provide tours on the island. She's insured to cover all seats in her van or bus and she's probably very good at what she does.

[ljhayes]

As of this afternoon, the website is redirecting to google, and this is the autoreply to my email... :rolleyes:

 

NoRushTours is dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E23DFKIL65I

 

 

I've tried opening a paypal dispute to see if we can get our deposit back, but I'm not hopeful. On the bright side, we've rebooked with Joyce, and feel like we're in good hands.

[2Canucks]

We also have 'rebooked' with Joyce Prince for our tour in St Maarten/ St Martin.

 

THANK YOU...

 

gtaylor...Gary for your help with that option!!:D

 

St. Maartener... also for your info concerning Joyce's licensing and the heads up concerning No Rush Tours.

 

 

We're only out the $20 Paypal deposit...but that's OK... if we are now in safer hands to see this Island.

 

Pat :)

[2Canucks]

We also have 'rebooked' with Joyce Prince for our tour in St Maarten/ St Martin.

 

THANK YOU...

 

gtaylor...Gary for your help with that option!!:D

 

St. Maartener... also for your info concerning Joyce's licensing and the heads up concerning No Rush Tours.

 

 

We're only out the $20 Paypal deposit...but that's OK... if we are now in safer hands to see this Island.

 

Pat :)

[2Canucks]

Sorry for the double post!!

 

Boards have been ACTING UP again today!! :(

 

Pat :)

[gtaylor]

On st.maarten there are 3 Taxi associations- one operates in the harbor facilities, one from the new Airport and the other from Philipsburg and then there's one from French St.Martin. Joyce has a license, she may not be a part of the harbor Taxi association, hence your pick up outside the harbor facilities This fact still allows her to transport and provide tours on the island. She's insured to cover all seats in her van or bus and she's probably very good at what she does.

 

I just received an e-mail from Joyce. She says that she does have a pass to enter the Cruise Facility.

 

gary

[RzrLens]

Hey Everyone,

 

I was actually one of the first to post about Beau's death... we wasted about 3 hours in St. Martin on our cruise waiting around for him at the port. Anyway, I was reading through all of these old post, and have to admit this is very bizarre. So I did some googling... and I found this weird site. I guess it wouldn't be that weird if I hadn't had noticed the actual url. Check it out:

 

http://stores.lulu.com/beauwrobinson

 

Take from it what you will. I am starting to suspect we've all been majorly duped.

[ljhayes]

Their website is now forwarding to a youtube video of Psycho Circus by Kiss. They seem to be amusing themselves with the whole thing.

[redtop101]

Just another twist to this thickening plot. According to the Private Eye blog on SXM http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/12135#comment-17506 and the TODAY newspaper there, they have tracked down the "owner" of NoRush Tours as Alicia Chavanon, who just happens to be the owner of the Paradise View restaurant overlooking Orient Bay. This is the restaurant that Beau was always promoting as having great food/good views etc (which it did), but, of course, it now turns out he had a specific financial interest in it.

 

I just don't understand exactly why there is all the mystery about his alter ego, switching identities etc but I just know the most important thing as far as we tourists to the island were concerned - we traveled in his van with a driver who had no legal papers, no license to operate on the Dutch side (or maybe even the French side for that matter) and most importantly for us - no insurance.

[angelkisses]

Just another twist to this thickening plot. According to the Private Eye blog on SXM http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/12135#comment-17506 and the TODAY newspaper there, they have tracked down the "owner" of NoRush Tours as Alicia Chavanon, who just happens to be the owner of the Paradise View restaurant overlooking Orient Bay.

 

Alicia is the one who replied to my email the other day inquiring about our group cruise in Janauary. She stated that they still had our reservations but was not accepting anything new. Naturally, with the circumstances I did not want to be a part of that tour so I switched my booking to Bernard. Out of courtesy I sent Alicia a reply today that due to recent circumstances involving No Rush Tours I wanted to cancel our group in January. The instance automatic reply I received was as follows:

 

NoRushTours is dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E23DFKIL65I

 

The link goes to some orchestrated funeral music which I don't get. It's a shame that he did so much to build up his name ... guess it was all a scam but I really wish the truth behind all this would be uncovered. I think I will have to scratch paradise restaurant off my places to visit too!

[JP46]

Does anyone know if Bernard has a license and insurance for his business?

[jmcdon7230]

The instance automatic reply I received was as follows:

 

NoRushTours is dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E23DFKIL65I

 

The link goes to some orchestrated funeral music which I don't get. It's a shame that he did so much to build up his name ... guess it was all a scam but I really wish the truth behind all this would be uncovered. I think I will have to scratch paradise restaurant off my places to visit too!

 

The funeral music is Wagner....Hitler's favorite composer. Bodo/Beau is a German and is apparently a neo/National Socialist German Workers' Party member who is having fun with us. I hope he enjoys my $70.

[sunandsalt]

Yesterday (Wed. 12/6) we toured St. Martin with Junior from No Rush Tours. I haven’t been following the boards since we left home on Friday, 11/30. So I was unaware of the latest turn of events in the “Beau Robinson Saga”.

 

I had received the Bodo Muth e-mail and sent my condolences and confirmed that I would keep our scheduled tour with a guide to be assigned the morning of our tour. After disembarking from Freedom of the Seas, we were met by Junior. As we began the tour I mentioned we were shocked to hear of the death of Beau. He than proceeded to tell us the story that has been unfolding here on the boards.

 

Upon arriving at Paradise View Restaurant for lunch. We met Claudette Davis, who identified herself as the owner of both the restaurant and “New No Rush Tours”. She immediately began telling us the story of Beau. She brought us the newspaper “Today” that had the story of Beau Robinson, who is pictured and identified as “Bodo Muth – white supremasist”. The article states he is currently being sought by authorities. Claudette stated that Beau/Bodo had been the person responsible for booking tours for the company. His behavior had become increasingly difficult and bizarre. When she tried to relieve him of booking responsibilities, he refused to give her the password to access reservations. After lunch, we paid Claudette the balance we owed for the tour. She asked if she could make copies of the e-mails we had received from Beau/Bodo. She asked that we post that she alleges Beau/Bodo is trying to destroy No Rush Tours, as well as damage the island’s reputation.

 

We then left for Orient Beach, where we stayed for about 1-1/2 hours while Junior stayed with our stuff in the van. He then took us back to the shopping district near the docks. We tipped him and ended our tour there. We were satisfied with Junior’s services.

 

As another interesting thing. The day before our No Rush Tour, we were in St. Thomas. We enjoyed the company of lovely couple who we met for the first time on a sail boat tour. We were talking about what we were doing the next day and mentioned that our scheduled tour guide in St. Martin, Beau Robinson, had passed away. They were surprised because they had toured with him about a year ago. But they also mentioned that they became uncomfortable with him when he made racist remarks.

 

So, after reading all this, and taking the tour, I still don’t know what to think. The whole thing is a little bizarre. It’s very unsettling to think that we almost spent a day being driven around in a van with a white supremacist.

 

Probably will have to limit time on the boards until I return home, because of the high cost of the wi-fi connection onboard FOS. (Sure do miss the unlimited Cybercabin, even if it was painfully slow!)

[bradlkm]

The piece that Wagner is playing in the video is Götterdämmerung, which roughly translates as referring to "a disastrous conclusion of events". I'm out $20 in this deal, but I have to admit that's pretty funny.

 

Ah, Bozo. Thanks for the laughs. :rolleyes:

[royaloakie]

Originally Posted by redtop101

Just another twist to this thickening plot. According to the Private Eye blog on SXM http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/12135#comment-17506 and the TODAY newspaper there, they have tracked down the "owner" of NoRush Tours as Alicia Chavanon, who just happens to be the owner of the Paradise View restaurant overlooking Orient Bay,

 

Now according to sunandsalt the owner of No Rush and the Paradise View restaurant is calling herself Claudette Davis. Makes you wonder who's who ??? And who do you suppose Junior is?? This is reading like a cheap novel!!!

[J_Sullivan]

They could write a Soap Opera out of this stuff. We had booked with Bozo, Beau, Bodo whoever he is. After we learned of the fictional death I sent of another e-mail to insure we would still have a tour waiting for us when we got there. Bozo wrote back that they had to change out tour guide to a Lynette Douglas but assured us that they would be there. Well I dont want to use their services any longer. I have since re-booked this tour with the St. Martin Taxi Association. All day whatever we want to do and cost was $30.00 each for 8 of us. Maybe as we all tour we should stop and have lunch at the Paradise view and when presented with the check take your deposit out of whats owed.:D

Think it will work:confused:

[st.maartener]

Mr Davis is the owner of Paradise view and it's been in operation before Beau or Bodo came to St.Maarten.She's legit. As for Alicia, I think this person is Bodo himself or his girlfriend. There's nothing amiss with Paradise view restaunrant, it's actually situated on a great piece of property overlooking Orient beach.

Just some real background which will make the Novel more strange: Bodo Muth came to St.Maarten with a tent. He was sleeping on private property before he was forced off for trespassing. He went to visit a local enviromental group to look for work. When one the members of this group asked him why he was so red faced and why his skin looked like fish scales, he confided in them that he did not take bath for a couple days and that the sun had its way with his skin. He didn't have a cent in his pocket.

Also the US government deported Mr Muth, you can looked that fact up, and somehow he found his way to the friendley island.

St.Maarten is very small. you scam the locals and hurt our Tourist industry and we will expose you eventually.

[flvol77]

Mr Davis is the owner of Paradise view and it's been in operation before Beau or Bodo came to St.Maarten.She's legit. As for Alicia, I think this person is Bodo himself or his girlfriend. There's nothing amiss with Paradise view restaunrant, it's actually situated on a great piece of property overlooking Orient beach.

Just some real background which will make the Novel more strange: Bodo Muth came to St.Maarten with a tent. He was sleeping on private property before he was forced off for trespassing. He went to visit a local enviromental group to look for work. When one the members of this group asked him why he was so red faced and why his skin looked like fish scales, he confided in them that he did not take bath for a couple days and that the sun had its way with his skin. He didn't have a cent in his pocket.

Also the US government deported Mr Muth, you can looked that fact up, and somehow he found his way to the friendley island.

St.Maarten is very small. you scam the locals and hurt our Tourist industry and we will expose you eventually.

 

It would seem your info is true about Alicia Claudette Chavanon considering I sent an email and got an automatic reply from her.

 

NoRushTours is dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E23DFKIL65I

[gtaylor]

On st.maarten there are 3 Taxi associations- one operates in the harbor facilities, one from the new Airport and the other from Philipsburg and then there's one from French St.Martin. Joyce has a license, she may not be a part of the harbor Taxi association, hence your pick up outside the harbor facilities This fact still allows her to transport and provide tours on the island. She's insured to cover all seats in her van or bus and she's probably very good at what she does.

 

Joyce is definitely licensed. She notes this link to a photo on her website showing her with her van outside the Prince Car Rental Business location across from the airport.

 

The van carries a "T-25" designation. The "T" is for Tours. On island, you will see "M" and "P" plates for local residents, "R" for rentals, and "Taxi" and "Bus" plates as well.

 

gary

[MonaCD]

I have been following this with interest. I'm surprised nobody has said this already in this thread and I may be flamed for doing so, but this scenario is just one more reason why I like to book my excursions through the cruiseline.

[ljhayes]

I have been following this with interest. I'm surprised nobody has said this already in this thread and I may be flamed for doing so, but this scenario is just one more reason why I like to book my excursions through the cruiseline.

 

No flaming here. We almost always book our excursions through the cruiseline, and usually we have a hard time deciding what to do. For some reason, though, the tours being offered on St. Maarten either didn't really seem to interest us or they were not well rated by others. But I agree, this is definitely more likely to make us second guess booking our own tours in the future.

[sunandsalt]

I have been following this with interest. I'm surprised nobody has said this already in this thread and I may be flamed for doing so, but this scenario is just one more reason why I like to book my excursions through the cruiseline.

 

I can certainly understand your feelings about non-cruiseline tours. But we still will continue to book private tours. We have had only positive experiences with the many private tours we have taken. The highlight of our cruise was the private sailing tour we took in St. Thomas on Wednesday.

 

We were fortunate that the No Rush tour we took last Thursday was not with Beau/Bodo. As I posted earlier, our tour was satisfactory. That's not meant to be an endorsement for others to book with them. There are still many things that need to be resolved before confidence in them can be restored.

 

I have learned from this that I need to do even more investgation of the tour operators than I have done in the past. Until now I usually booked after several good reviews from respected members on this board.

 

But even cruiseline tours have gone wrong. One even ended tragically last year.