St. Maarten excursion

[Amazonparrot]

Just a note to say I should have listened to 'Disney Fantasy' who posted his recommendation that we
go on our own, & hire Bernard's Tours for the day at St. Maarten. It was my sister's first time cruising
so she wanted to stay with the Disney excursion. We were disappointed in several ways, the water on
Orient beach was so rough you couldn't swim in it, plus there was a big drop off as you waded in. Also the vendors selling their wares were nonstop. It was a continuous stream of them for the entire time we were there. Also the buffet lunch that we looked forward to, turns out you could only go through the line once. We're not big eaters, she's skinny as a rail, but she didn't like what she chose the first time and then there was no chance to go through again to choose something else. Besides all that, by the time we left the beach, it was too late to get over to Maho which we had wanted to do. We will know the next time but I wanted to post how it went in case others were considering it. Maybe someone else doesn't mind the rough water, kids were playing at the waters edge, but I wish we had known some of these details. Oh one last thing, my sister brought my niece to use the facilities, she said it was very unpleasant, nothing like the spotless facilities at Castaway, which we loved.

 

[disney debi]

Which excursion did you do?

 

[bumbershoot]

We were disappointed in several ways, the water on
Orient beach was so rough you couldn't swim in it, plus there was a big drop off as you waded in. Also the vendors selling their wares were nonstop. It was a continuous stream of them for the entire time we were there.

FWIW, beaches are iffy like that.

Everyone talks about the amazing sand at Castaway, but on our first time there the beach (dry and underwater) was downright painful to walk on. A big storm had passed through a couple months before, and it had totally changed the beach. Temporarily.

And vendors in areas like that are going to be a given. Not really the fault of the Disney excursion.


That said, I've never heard a bad thing about Bernard's (also for Joyce Prince's tour services), and hope you get a chance to do it someday.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Just a note to say I should have listened to 'Disney Fantasy' who posted his recommendation that we
go on our own, & hire Bernard's Tours for the day at St. Maarten. It was my sister's first time cruising
so she wanted to stay with the Disney excursion. We were disappointed in several ways, the water on
Orient beach was so rough you couldn't swim in it, plus there was a big drop off as you waded in. Also the vendors selling their wares were nonstop. It was a continuous stream of them for the entire time we were there. Also the buffet lunch that we looked forward to, turns out you could only go through the line once. We're not big eaters, she's skinny as a rail, but she didn't like what she chose the first time and then there was no chance to go through again to choose something else. Besides all that, by the time we left the beach, it was too late to get over to Maho which we had wanted to do. We will know the next time but I wanted to post how it went in case others were considering it. Maybe someone else doesn't mind the rough water, kids were playing at the waters edge, but I wish we had known some of these details. Oh one last thing, my sister brought my niece to use the facilities, she said it was very unpleasant, nothing like the spotless facilities at Castaway, which we loved.

Thank you for the name check, I am sorry it didn't work out for you. I post to help people get the most out of their vacations.

Bernard's is second to none in St Marten and for anyone's time there well worth it. If one bit like the beach isn't good that day you can move on.

 

[Amazonparrot]

Which excursion did you do?

It was called French Riviera beach rendezvous, started around 10a, left there around 1, something like that.
I just think for the money, we could've done better with a private tour.

 

[Amazonparrot]

Thank you for the name check, I am sorry it didn't work out for you. I post to help people get the most out of their vacations.

Bernard's is second to none in St Marten and for anyone's time there well worth it. If one bit like the beach isn't good that day you can move on.

You're right! Next time will be better. We loved the ship, beautiful! Like you said, it's addictive!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

You're right! Next time will be better. We loved the ship, beautiful! Like you said, it's addictive!

Agree!!!