What to do on St.Maarten?

[WLmom]

We are on the 3/24 sailing of the Fantasy which stops in St. Maarten (changed from Tortola). The only excursion we were interested in doing was the Beach Day (beach, swimming etc) - it was completely booked by the time we were able to start scheduling our excursions. Are there any other options for visiting a beach and swimming? Does DCL ever open more spots?

 

[FigmentSpark]

Do you mean SM56? We're doing that, but our sailing still has spots. Interesting. Also, I think they just go to the beach that's right at the port. The fee is pretty much for the ride there and back and the lunch. If it opened up for us, I'd be doing SM62 or SM 63, as they go to Simpson Beach, which is right beside Maho Beach... the one with the airport.

 

[Cheerio]

We just got back off the Fantasy last weekend and we booked a private charter in St Maarten, it was amazing and so much fun. We did it with 35 people from our ship - the locals appreciated us spending $ there PM me if you want details. The beaches are pretty bad for snorkeling right now, so much debris and sand, we just stopped in a quiet cove and swam for a while.

 

[KristiMc]

http://www.soualigadestinations.com/soualiga_destinations/Welcome.html

 

[owensamo]

On our last trip, we did a shared tour with Bernard's, and saw more of the island. But you don't need to book an excursion if you just want to go to a beach - the taxis are all fixed price to the beaches, and they're right at the port.

Our first few stops in St Maarten, we didn't schedule anything - just got a cab from the port to Orient Beach, snagged chairs at one of the restaurants there (I think it was $25 for 2 chairs, an umbrella, and 2 rum punches, and we also paid a la carte for lunch there). Grabbing a cab back to the port wasn't difficult, and at least one we just arranged for our driver to pick us up at a specific time. We were back on the ship shortly after lunch, got cleaned up, and still had time in port to grab the water taxi over to Phillipsburg to do some shopping before All Aboard.

 

[starvenger]

If I'm reading things right (https://www.cruisetimetables.com/visitingphilipsburgstmaarten-27mar2018.html) Harmony and another ship are in port, so I don't know if that affects the excursions. It will affect the beaches - expect them to be crowded.

 

[MUN]

We are on the 3/24 sailing of the Fantasy which stops in St. Maarten (changed from Tortola). The only excursion we were interested in doing was the Beach Day (beach, swimming etc) - it was completely booked by the time we were able to start scheduling our excursions. Are there any other options for visiting a beach and swimming? Does DCL ever open more spots?

I recommend taking a taxi to the beach. Find out which beach the DCL excursion is going to and go there.

A few years back, we went to Orient Bay beach and hung out at a place called Orange Fever. It was a small beach club cafe that rented chairs/umbrellas and sold food and drinks. It was a great place to spend the day. They were wiped out by the hurricane and I don't think they are up and running yet. However, I bet there are some places at Orient Bay beach that are back in business. Perhaps someone on disboards knows.

 

[JPTexan82]

Watch or join the the people with No tans lines at Orient Bay.

 

[minniemouse1]

Watch or join the the people with No tans lines at Orient Bay.

Been there done that it was horrifying!! The watching that is. There was no joining. And it was them walking down on the clothed end of the beach with their "jewels" in a pouch. You cannot unsee that!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Kids these days...

When I was a wee lass (of 7) my mama taught me you don't stare at people on the clothing optional beach, and that some people are comfortable that way and if you aren't you should firstly wear swimwear, and second, not judge them for being okay with themselves.

Come now.

 

[ChicosWife]

with their "jewels" in a pouch

I think I am going to regret asking this, but... What do you mean pouch? I get the "jewels" part. Are you talking about Speedos?

 

[minniemouse1]

I think I am going to regret asking this, but... What do you mean pouch? I get the "jewels" part. Are you talking about Speedos?

Not a speedo. Speedo would of been awesome. It is literally like a small cloth open top purse with 2 long strings. They put their junk and jewels in the purse and tie it around their waist. It is like nothing you are ever seen and never want to see again. That is their idea of "clothed" when they walk past the rocky divide to the family end of the beach. My older girls squealed in horror.

On our first trip to Orient beach, there were no pouch experiences on our first trip, my then 5 year old daughter saw a women walking down the beach topless. DD must of thought the lady didn't know she was exposed and she yelled very loudly "hey lady your boobs are hanging out!". So funny but I almost died of embarrassment at the same time.

 

[ChicosWife]

Not a speedo. Speedo would of been awesome. It is literally like a small cloth open top purse with 2 long strings. They put their junk and jewels in the purse and tie it around their waist. It is like nothing you are ever seen and never want to see again. That is their idea of "clothed" when they walk past the rocky divide to the family end of the beach. My older girls squealed in horror.

On our first trip to Orient beach, there were no pouch experiences on our first trip, my then 5 year old daughter saw a women walking down the beach topless. DD must of thought the lady didn't know she was exposed and she yelled very loudly "hey lady your boobs are hanging out!". So funny but I almost died of embarrassment at the same time.

- Pouch

- your daughter's reaction to the topless lady!

 

[mareed]

Definitely no going to Orient for quite some time since everything was leveled there during the hurricane. I was in St. Maarten last week for the first time on the Wonder and we did a tour with Bernard's that took us around the island. He substituted Friar's beach for the usual Orient beach stop. We saw no nudity at Friar's beach during our 1.5 hour stop there.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Did you see how any of the other beaches were faring? How about the town of St. Philipsburg?

 

[Cheerio]

Philipsburg is hit and miss. Some places are open, others are running on generators and many are still closed. Lots of debris, but those we came in contact with were very thankful the ships are back and happy to share stories about the hurricane. St Thomas was much better, they said many locals went out to help the smaller islands since they didn't get hit as bad. I'll try to add a photo here, you can see how far up they said the water went on the hill.

They have a ton of containers, some still unopened - they aren't sure where they came from. Others are ripped open like tin cans.

 

[WLmom]

Do you mean SM56? We're doing that, but our sailing still has spots. Interesting. Also, I think they just go to the beach that's right at the port. The fee is pretty much for the ride there and back and the lunch. If it opened up for us, I'd be doing SM62 or SM 63, as they go to Simpson Beach, which is right beside Maho Beach... the one with the airport.

Yes that’s the one. I was able to get 2 of our 6 people registers but it’s not letting me register anyone else?? Wondering if they ever open more spots?

 

[MUN]

We saw no nudity at Friar's beach during our 1.5 hour stop there.

Better luck next time.