Martinique

[Jess_S]

I've tried posting this question on a couple of Caribbean specific forums that I frequent and have gotten zero responses. I'm hoping that someone here can help since this is technically a question about my upcoming DCL cruise.

We're doing the Southern Caribbean next year and I'm hoping to visit St. Pierre on our Martinique day. I don't want to do an organized group tour because my 4 year old needs time to linger when he wants and rest when he wants to avoid meltdowns. Has anyone done Martinique on their own? I'm trying to figure out if I need to book a private tour guide or if I will be able to hire a taxi to take us to St. Pierre when we arrive in port. I like the idea of a taxi if it's feasible because we won't be tied to a specific departure time.

If anyone has been to St. Pierre, I'm curious as to whether a professional tour guide is going to add significant value over a taxi driver that may or may not know interesting tidbits about St. Pierre. For those who have visited Martinique regardless of where you went, can you comment on the availability of taxis at port?

Thanks everyone.

 

[MUN]

Are you visiting the volcano?

 

[Jess_S]

I was hoping to see the ruins and Musee Volcanologique. I wasn't necessarily planning to visit the volcano itself, though I'm certainly open to suggestions.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Tour guide (DCL excursion to volcano museum, St Pierre and a rum distillery that was right at the foot of the volcano, some of the best rhum around) didn't give us many tidbits. She was a university student. Really, I knew most of it because I read a book about the eruption, and she didn't give us very much at all.

The museum is VERY VERY SMALL. Like, one room. Lots of photos though. At least some of the signage was in French. It won't take much time to go through. Not sure how it would be with an easily bored child. It was also very hot.

You do have to keep up with the group although a friend and I went to visit the jail (the cell where the guy who survived the eruption was incarcerated). It wasn't someplace the group went, they were all next door at the theater. Really, google some photos so you can see what these buildings looked like before the eruption in 1902. I don't know if a group tour would work for your child, if you must keep to his schedule. It is not a short drive to St. Pierre from Fort-de-France. And there are mountains in between them.

Didn't take a taxi. Most everybody speaks French. I don't know if there are a lot of English speakers. I would book ahead for an English-speaking tour guide rather than hire a taxi. There must be some, see if there are any reviews on TripAdvisor maybe. If you speak French, that might change things.

 

[Jess_S]

Thanks so much for sharing your first hand experience. For whatever reason, the information on Martinique as a cruise port is very limited.

My son is currently interested in volcanoes, but it's hard to know ahead of time what will and will not grab his interest. I should have mentioned in my original post that I do speak French, though I'm somewhat rusty at this point.

I'm curious about the book you read before visiting. I'm a big fan of doing themed reading before my trips.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

He's only four. How much is he going to understand about what happened there? It's one of the greatest disasters of all time and it's very sobering to see it. The reason it happened, though, is because the citizens and the politicians didn't take the volcano seriously and evacuate the city. You know your child though.

The book is The Day The World Ended, the authors are Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts.

 

[Gigi22]

What day of the week will you be in Martinique? Reason I ask is, of all the islands n the Caribbean, it is the one that seems to close down its attractions and shops the most. It is almost pointless to tour on a Sunday, for example. Ditto, any religious holiday.

 

[Jess_S]

Our cruise is Sunday to Sunday, so none of the port stops will be on a Sunday fortunately.