Great Bay Beach - St Maarten ???

[danjulia]

Thinking of spending the day here on our upcoming Magic cruise. I know they rent chairs, unbrellas, etc. BUT do they have restroom facilities convenient to the beach? Thanks.

 

[Señor Ferrari]

I didn't actually use any, but there are restaurants all along the beach, so finding a restroom shouldn't be a problem.

 

[3GuysandaMom]

We were just there last week. We walked down a little ways on the beach and didn't rent anything. There were chairs there.

Just to let you know, it was very windy and the sand pelted us with the strong wind. Don't know if we just happened by on the wrong day, but it was pretty windy and the sand hurts your legs/arms/face when it hits you.

 

[sandee]

We were here in September and there is a lot of competition to rent chairs. One very friendly man saw us reading the sign with his competition's rates and dropped his own $2. We got 2 chaise lounges, 1 umbrella and 2 margaritas and use of the bar restrooms for a grand total of $8. My biggest complaint here were the women selling stuff. They were very polite and would walk away when you said no thanks, but 3 mins. later the same woman was back trying to sell again. I know that we had to be approached 100 times by the same 5 or 6 women. It really detracted from enjoying the day. We were joking that when we go here again we're bringing a sign on a stake and driving it into the sand next to our chairs - "NOT INTERESTED IN BUYING ANY JEWELRY OR BEACH WRAPS...NO THANK YOU!"

 

[3GuysandaMom]

I think because we were further down on the beach we were approached by only one woman. She went away, but I did buy a beach wrap. I love it.

 

[sandee]

You were lucky then, because this really made what should have been a great day ,something we joke about now. We were out in the water waist deep and my sister saw a woman displaying her many beach wraps to some other people sitting along the shore. The wraps were pretty and my sister saw one she thought would look good with her bathing suit. She saw my DGDtr. heading back to the shore and asked her to find out how much the green and blue wrap was. Maggie asked and then yelled the price out to us. My sister yelled to the woman that she was just curious about the price,thank you, and forgot about it. The woman sure didn't she locked onto us like a smart bomb locked onto a target in Tora Bora.....20 mins later the woman was still standing there, ankle deep in water just staring at us. I finally told my sister to PLEASE go buy it so we don't feel guilty, making that poor woman just stand staring at us in the hot sun. She did but the woman was back in 5 mins. to try and sell her a bracket We didn't have this problem at all at Magen's Bay the next day.

 

[Sheree]

Sandee:
which bar was this in front of! That's a great deal!

How were the restrooms?

We're probably heading there as well on our upcoming cruise.

Did Dawn Beach last time, but like the idea of the short water taxi ride

 

[SingingMom]

In July, we rented chairs, umbrellas, had rum punches, and lunch in front of "Olgie's Perogies" beach stand. She allowed us to use the restrooms in her bar/stand. DH said there was only one, but it was very clean!

The "beach ladies" were selling their wares, usually a "No, thank you" was all that was needed to send them on their way. I did buy a beautiful wrap for myself and terrific $5 tote bags for family souveniers!

The "braiding ladies", on the other hand, were a bit bothersome. That's why I'm thrilled to hear that DCL is offering hairbraiding on board. I can't wait to have DD hair done BEFORE we stop at the islands next time! Maybe that will curb the "braid your hair, lady, braid your hair?" mantra!

 

[sandee]

Sheree, can't remember which bar, but the restroom was very clean. As you walk along towards an area of the beach you want to sit in, you'll find lots of great deals. Ask if you can see the restroom. I know we went to a casino too and the bathroom there looked like a breeding ground for the black plague. It was actually an indoor outhouse! It makes you remember real quick you're not in the USA. (not that there aren't some pretty raunchy public restrooms in the US too..lol!)