St Maarten excursion SM56

[FigmentSpark]

Caribbean Beach Day.

In case anyone's interested, I contacted DCL about this cruise. They said that the 'beach' is the Philipsburg Beach, but is subject to change, which is why it's not listed in the write-up on the DCL page. My problem with that is that is the beach that pretty much right beside the ship, but I'm paying for an excursion (well that better be a good lunch!)



It would be nice if there was another 'beach day' type of excursion.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Well, $7 gets you the water taxi there and back, per person, if you want to just go on your own and pick your own lunch.

 

[FigmentSpark]

That's what I was thinking. Still, that's $14 plus lunch and the excursion costs $49 for lunch, transportation and piece of mind.

Have you been? Is it a nice beach?

 

[lklgoodman]

Thanks for posting this, I have this booked for our March cruise. I was wondering why the beach wasn't listed. They had 2 excursions to Orient Bay Beach for our cruise date, but they were both already sold out when our booking time(silver) came. I keep going back and forth about whether or not I want to keep this booked for our excursion. Hopefully someone on here can give a review of the beach.

Added later: I just looked at some pics of the beach on trip advisor, it gets good reviews there. However, when I'm at a beach, I like it to be in a remote area. This has a board walk right by it with lots of buildings, doesn't look very relaxing. I guess it could be good if you want to go shopping, but I think I'm going to switch to something else. We already have a beach day booked at San Juan and of course will be going to CC.

 

[jrabbit]

grab a taxi over to orient beach and back again. That's what we did many years ago when 3 different excursions were cancelled out from under us once we got onboard (weather conditions made snorkeling visibility very bad was the reason - obviously the weather changed and impacted more of the island as we were sailing south)

I assume that Orient Beach is still lovely. Sometime after we visited there, one of the many hurricanes over the last 15+ years trashed it - but I assume that man and mother nature has worked to restore it's great sandy beach.

Our taxi driver arranged for a pick up time to return to the port and was waiting for us when the departure time arrived. We shared the taxi van with another family - the cost was not too bad.

 

[phinz]

We just walk to Philipsburg and back. I can't imagine paying $49 just for a trip into Philipsburg. That's nuts. I guess it includes food and a trip over to Ft. Amsterdam, but seriously...

Edit: I'm reading "stunning vistas of Ft. Amsterdam" which tells me they point it out to you from the deck of the ship before you disembark to jump onto a shuttle.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Thanks for posting this, I have this booked for our March cruise. I was wondering why the beach wasn't listed. They had 2 excursions to Orient Bay Beach for our cruise date, but they were both already sold out when our booking time(silver) came. I keep going back and forth about whether or not I want to keep this booked for our excursion. Hopefully someone on here can give a review of the beach.

Added later: I just looked at some pics of the beach on trip advisor, it gets good reviews there. However, when I'm at a beach, I like it to be in a remote area. This has a board walk right by it with lots of buildings, doesn't look very relaxing. I guess it could be good if you want to go shopping, but I think I'm going to switch to something else. We already have a beach day booked at San Juan and of course will be going to CC.

Which excursions went to Orient Bay? I'm with you about relaxing on a Boardwalk beach, across from my ship for $49.

 

[bumbershoot]

That's what I was thinking. Still, that's $14 plus lunch and the excursion costs $49 for lunch, transportation and piece of mind.

Have you been? Is it a nice beach?

It’s a beach. Restaurants all along the way (though it’s possible some aren’t open), shopping nearby. Pay some money to a restaurant there to use their lounge chairs and maybe an umbrella, it usually comes with beer...nice casual way of spending a day.

The ship isn’t *right there* but you can see ships from there, and it’s a walk, taxi, or water taxi ride away.

I would rather do my own excursion there than do my own excursion to Orient.

 

[Shaggynamos]

Having been to SXM 3x for vacations and spending weeks on Orient Beach it's my favorite spot. But be aware that they suffered absolute devastation and are trying to rebuild the best they can. Philipsburg beach is nice, definitely a boardwalk feel and touristy. Orient was more of a bar/restaurant and water sports beach. If I was headed down I'd do the taxi thing to Orient and support what is open there to help them get back on their feet. There are other travel boards that have updates about SXM and what is open. If you have any questions I can point you in the direction of folks who may be able to answer them.

 

[bumbershoot]

If I was headed down I'd do the taxi thing to Orient

Given that the OP mentions “piece of mind” as being what she’s paying for for the close-by excursion, I hesitate suggesting she go to Orient on her own.

And I totally get the “piece of mind”
part!! But $49 pp for something that can done so much cheaper and if all else fails you can walk back in 30 minutes...

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I continue to kind of side-eye the whole "we will skip Tortola and go to SXM because it's in such better shape" when reports really suggest otherwise.

 

[lklgoodman]

Which excursions went to Orient Bay? I'm with you about relaxing on a Boardwalk beach, across from my ship for $49.

They aren't shown anymore on the general Disney pe list, however they have them on the My Actvities section for pe for my March cruise. It makes me wonder why they aren't listed for the cruises that have been switched to St Maarten.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Now DS has asked if we can go to Maho Beach, which is where the planes come in. He says it's famous and wants to see it, even if there aren't planes coming in. Anyone know anything about that?

 

[phinz]

And I totally get the “piece of mind”
part!! But $49 pp for something that can done so much cheaper and if all else fails you can walk back in 30 minutes...

Bonus for us: Walking back, you can stop at the little trailer, at the first marina, that sells bottles of water. It supports the local Humane Society. We always stop there on the way back for water and a couple of license plates (they sell old Sint Maarten license plates) to hang in my tiki bar's bathroom. We also usually stop for Conch Chowder at Greenhouse. I'll probably also stop at the Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor store, as well as Chesterfields, in February.

 

[phinz]

Now DS has asked if we can go to Maho Beach, which is where the planes come in. He says it's famous and wants to see it, even if there aren't planes coming in. Anyone know anything about that?

Yes. They got clobbered by Irma. There was video all over the news of the wind and then the destruction of the camera. I don't know if they've fixed everything. There are a lot of people there and most are drinking at the bar.

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/09/maho-beach-before-and-after-irma/

http://www.mahobeachcam.com/


I don't know if they've done anything to fix the beach yet.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Yes. They got clobbered by Irma. There was video all over the news of the wind and then the destruction of the camera. I don't know if they've fixed everything. There are a lot of people there and most are drinking at the bar.

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/09/maho-beach-before-and-after-irma/

http://www.mahobeachcam.com/


I don't know if they've done anything to fix the beach yet.

Oh yeah. Getting there with a family outfitted for beach time and finding it not available would not be very good. Good point.

 

[kenthanson]

Now DS has asked if we can go to Maho Beach, which is where the planes come in. He says it's famous and wants to see it, even if there aren't planes coming in. Anyone know anything about that?

You can check videos but it seems like a nightmare when planes take off, sand and beach stuff everywhere. And sometimes Darwins finest try to hold onto the chain link fence and some have gotten hurt and even died doing that.

 

[FigmentSpark]

You can check videos but it seems like a nightmare when planes take off, sand and beach stuff everywhere. And sometimes Darwins finest try to hold onto the chain link fence and some have gotten hurt and even died doing that.

You are right. I did watch some videos. I don't really think there's much beach to speak of, even now. Maybe Simpson Beach (which would be safer, but still near the airport). I saw videos of Orient Beach and Grand Case, as well. Nothing looks good, even now. It makes me wonder how much worse Tortola must be that DCL chose St. Maarten as the alternate.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You are right. I did watch some videos. I don't really think there's much beach to speak of, even now. Maybe Simpson Beach (which would be safer, but still near the airport). I saw videos of Orient Beach and Grand Case, as well. Nothing looks good, even now. It makes me wonder how much worse Tortola must be that DCL chose St. Maarten as the alternate.

The weird thing is that pictures of the Tortola beaches look better than this. I suspect it's that some of the excursion boats have replacement delivery dates outside of Disney's comfort zones. A lot of the Tortola pleasure fleet was trashed.

 

[firsttimemom]

From what I've read, Orient Beach has no facilities- no bars, food or restrooms.