TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin First cruise ship back on November 11

They don't mention a ship name, so maybe this is a be ready date and a boat has agreed if ready.

All they need is a working pier berth in my view. All the little shops, fences are all nice to have.

I figure our first return, if in the next year, will be via boat for a day.

Yes, I'm not sure any cruise lines have agreed to come back yet, but they think that some will agree.

I disagree on fences, those are absolutely REQUIRED for security purposes.

Interesting...this is the first I've seen the causeway mentioned:

"The Simpson Bay Causeway sustained technical damages. This prohibits the bridge swing from opening. Technicians have assessed damage and repairs will be executed as soon as their advice is received. Light poles and traffic lights on the Causeway were also damaged."

Yes, there was a lot of information in that story, aside from the date for ships to come back.

Guards can replace fences in the mean time.

Many ports around the world have nothing but bike racks lined up for access to the pier. And a dude to check cruise cards.

And in the old days at st thomas and nassau you used to be able to walk up to the gangplank and get a tour of the boat.

Used to be no big deal to walk the piers but times have changed.

I guess thers always somone to be afraid of.

I disagree with you on that one. Security is a MAJOR issue these days. Ships will not come back without proper fencing. In the old days, you could just walk onboard. Not now.

Agreed. Just because the port states it's ready, doesn't mean the cruise lines will agree to resume docking there.

There is also probably a lot of debris in the water. A typical cruise ship would not be inclined to want to hit that stuff. The pier is just one aspect of the situation.

Good point, Eric.

Seems the government and most likely the businesses is pushing for bringing people back (and their tourism dollars) ASAP. While at the same time many on this board (who have no skin in the game) are pushing for people to not go back for the foreseeable future because you will just be in the way of the rebuilding and you will do more harm that good (I've read a bunch of posts echoing that sentiment and by multiple posters).

The government (or the port, not sure which or if they're the same) gets a fee for every cruise passenger. I think they get that whether or not the passenger disembarks in port. That alone would increase revenue, not to mention whatever provisioning the ship does while there. Neither of those activities would tax the island's infrastructure to the extent that overnight guests do. Just my opinion. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

What has the government done in pre-Irma with those passenger fees??? Who is to say how they will use the fees post Irma? A lot of them have big pockets.

Actually I THINK those cruise pax fees go to the PORT of St. Maarten, not to the government.

So if all those cruise passenger fees go to the Port Authority and NOT the government, where do all the airport fees go, and are these 'authorities' not connected to the government? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Although I am not certain, I believe that the airport fees again to go the airport authority. Both of them are technically owned by the government, but they are separate companies.

Amongst other things, I think part of those fees built the causeway.

Ok, they'll anchor and tender in. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Have you been on one of those 5,000 pax ships?? If they can't dock, they won't come.

They are gonna need a smaller boat.......from Jaws.

No i draw the line at the just over 3k limit. Emerald princess size. Actually no line drawn just havent been on one bigger. But i have been on much smaller, like 500.

I did tender into phillipsburg on the celebrity constellation a few years ago .......aboutt 2000 pax........ Wasnt that bad. Just like an out island or grand cayman. Just get all the boats going in a merry go round.

Grand cayman didnt have any real security on the landside dock. Just a dude looking at cruise cards before you boarded the life boat in lines we all established ourselves on the return.

The dock the princess tender hooked up to in grand cayman wasnt all that big. Plus i remember twoo other ships at anchor that day including one of mickey mouses.

Just saying all the modern trappings might not be fully in place and a little improvisation might need to be in order to get things going.

Same with the airport. You dont need a jetway. In fact i have never used a jetway in st martin. Always air stairs. Ive gotten wet luggage all arounf the U.S.

Maui used to have open air baggage claims under a roof.....polynesian island feeling.

Again, im talking interim measures until all can be repaired to what we are accustomed to.

Good thing im not making any real decisions <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

I'm seeing some interesting and insightful comments from island residents, who don't want cruise ships conducting "island devastation tours". Think about it. I fully understand the need to get tourism up and contributing to the island economy as soon as practical. Practical, not possible, is the operative word. Again, just my opinion. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I certainly wont interfere, but i will come asap when i know it will be enjoyable, safe, and helpful.

I think it will take time but I think we may be surprised how quick they can bounce back. The island is 20 years more sophisticated and better off than the were. More to get working for. Probably better insured. Better laborers, better/chaeper supply chains.After all folks have to just keep living. I certainly wont be on a devestation tour but heading to whatever accomodation, beach, restaurant the is open. Im sure i will see things along the way. But, we see that every time we go, grand places that havent been rebuilt and i ask did that fancy place start crumbling in 1935, 55,75, or 1995.

I went to Haiti in 1979 on the Skyward. Took a 14 mile roundtrip donkey ride up the mountain on a donkey crap covered path to see Citadel Laferierre. AWESOME. The roads from Cap Hatien to the base of mountain were like bombed out craters. Saw unstaged christian voodoo taking place alongside the trai. All part of the cultural adventure. Folks lived in grass huts.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citadelle_Laferrière


SXM will never be that bad.

I draw the line at ~12. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Update on Cruise port. Now it will have room for 2 ships this November.
http://www.soualiganewsday.com/local/sou...lls-on-shore-ex,-retailers-and-restauranteurs-to-be-ready-for-november-11-first-commercial-cruise-call.html

The title of this thread is misleading.

Until they actually announce the name of the ship and when it is actually going to arrive, this is all pure speculation and/or wishful thinking, or well intentioned propaganda.

_{and yes, I did read all the links posted}

Has anyone figured out what ship it is???

NO. Because such a scheduled stop does not exist yet!

" Discussions are currently underway with a number of cruise lines with respect to itinerary planning for November."

There are no official announcements of any cruise ship actually arriving and when.

My feeling is that the SXM port authority will make it happen--like waive the port fees, if necessary. They need ships to come back..

We shall see what they can accomplish by what date, I wish them well.

However, the claim of Nov. 11th is completely fictitious at this point. It may be a target date they are trying for, and a motivational date for business owners, vendors, etc. There is no announced date for an actual cruise ship arriving.

Maybe the first ship will be Nov. 21st?, or sometime in December? It is still speculation at this point, and as I said, the title of this thread is misleading.

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-philipsburg-st-maarten.html

This is a pretty good site. It shows planned cruises and also shows "cancelled" next to some.

I'm sure this data is legging reality but it is better than many sites including the cruise lines which appear to be selling their old itineraries and will substitute the stops (some announced) when the time comes.

Carnival Vista is not currently cancelled for 12 October. Not sure what, if anything, to read into that as other Carnival boats before/after are cancelled. Maybe whole cruise cancelled out of San Juan.

I'll believe it when the Port of SXM announces in a Press Release the name of the Cruise Line, the name of the ship, and the actual date it is going to arrive.

This is like the airlines selling tickets for flights that won't be allowed to land (and therefore will never take off).

Your link is not new information, actually it is old information ....
That is how this whole thing started....
does not mean anything is confirmed or actually going to happen on that date...... as I've already stated in my previous opinions, if you read this whole thread from the beginning.

BUT, I just noticed on your link, that they are now claiming that they will have 2 Cruise ship berths ready for Nov. 1st. However, until they actually announce the name of the ship and the actual date it is going to arrive, I feel this is all well intentioned motivational propaganda on their part.

Seems irresponsible on many levels to be talking about dropping cruise ships into SXM this early. Not good for the residents and not good for the passengers. Frankly, I don't think the governments should allow it. They need to counterbalance commercial "interests".

It seems that people are forgetting one big fact. It is not just the Govt/Port Authority that is going to make this decision alone. You have the cruise lines that will make the final decision.

And they are not just going to accept an arbitrary date that says they can port. They will want an evaluation by their own people. That will include is it safe to port their ships, what are the security issues, what is the status of facilities that these ships need in port, what is the ability to move/transport their passengers in a safe manor and where. If they want to offer a beach excursion for example what are the facilities available to serve their passengers. If none exist then they are not going to let it happen.

That evaluation alone is not going to happen in a few days and until they are assured by their own evaluation they are not going to port in SXM.

Cruise ship passengers do not have any negative effect on residents. In fact, it will be quite a POSITIVE effect when the first ships come. It means MONEY, you know, what they use to pay their bills?? They don't need to be housed, for the most part they don't need to be fed, but they will start putting some tourist money back into the economy. Now, just because the government says the ships CAN come, doesn't mean they WILL, because the cruise lines will make their own determinations as to whether SXM will be able to provide a good enough product for their passengers, but that's something that they are in a lot better position to make that determination than we are.

To Eric's point, there is a major amount of consideration by the Cruise Company to insure the safety of the ship and the passengers. Also they have to consider their passengers. What is there to offer them while in Port. Where are they going? What are they going to do there? Are the roads passable? If they are, are the beaches inhabitable? Are they just going to offer a Visit Devastated St Martin/Sint Maarten excursion?

To Carol's point, the effects will be very positive. Getting tourist money flowing again will be very helpful without the burden of housing and feeding 3000 visitors. But there has to be something for them to do and see.

Like being between a rock and a hard place. Time will tell

Its easy to see both points of view between tourism starting ASAP or having time to rebuild. Interesting conversation on Laser 101 yesterday by a representative of the Windward island's bank. He stated the business owner's are pushing the government for a Nov 1 date to allow tourist. Basically the need tourist dollars to keep the open business operating and in turn bring back and pay there employees so that they can rebuild their own lives.
Personally I know its not ideal but I think that its the only way they can get started.
Whatever your views I know we all want our Island "families" to rebuild and prosper. If going to the island and spending a few dollars with those open and drinking a beer from a cooler on the beach helps put a roof on a house I am happy to do it!

And again, there is a BIG difference between cruise ship pax and stayover visitors, in terms of what services they need. Cruise ship pax don't need that much. IF they can go to a nice beach which is CLEAN (which is another issue), and rent a couple of chairs and an umbrella and get a couple of beers, they can be happy with that. You don't have to worry about the airport, you don't have to worry about housing them, for the most part they don't eat that much on island, don't go to grocery stores, use either busses or taxis for transportation, so they don't have that big of footprint. True, many of them don't spend that much, but baby steps to get SOME money back into the economy is what SXM needs.