TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin When will you book your next trip to SXM?

We aim to visit SXM every 3 years and otherwise enjoy ski/snowboarding in the winter.

This summer, despite NY's ridiculous quarantine rules, we flew to California, then drove 2300 miles in an RV and flew back from Nevada. We were all safe with simple masking wearing, enjoying the outdoors and sanitizing ... (We got norovirus we *think* originating from a Sonesta Maho guest a few years back and since then, we ALWAYs fly with Clorox Healthcare wipes)

At one campground in Colorado, we met a virologist who works with Dr Fauci. She shared info and we discussed how we are safe and how I maintain safe practices in my private practice.

But here's the reality. Vaccine will be likely available to all in late 2021.

When are you booking your next SXM trip?

1) as soon as my airline has flights and testing available?
2) once a vaccine is available?
3) I'll go tomorrow and take my quarantine slap on the wrist.
4) not booking until this all blows over.

Personally, Im 4. my states rules are even more ridiculous (Even the virologist had negative things to say about the trip state approach). I probably won't even ski/board this winter as reservations are needed at mountains....

Lastly, thanks to those out there still traveling and posting TRs. kudos for you resuming normalcy!

All booked for July. Planes seem to be relatively safe compared to a lot of other confined spaces. In SXM we sit on the beach, at the pool, or in our unit. So not much extra exposure for us.

Booked for 4 weeks in May come hell or high water.

I’ll be sleeping my first night on the island in 2020 in 7 days.

Booked for mid-January. Definitely not worried about the flight but once on Island it will be up to me to protect ME....as long as we survive the shuttle bus ride from the plane to the terminal which, I think, is symbolic of how the Island protects those who went through the hoops to get there

We'll be on the island for our usual three weeks in just over two weeks from today.

We walked to the plane when we left a few weeks ago. They gave you a choice.

Excellent! Thanks for that....

All booked for January. It seems flying is no greater risk than going to the grocery story - and if everyone on the flight has tested negative, probably less so. SXM seems to be doing as well, if not better than the US dealing with the virus, so with reasonable precautions, I'm feeling pretty comfortable. My only concern would be the rate of mask wearing on the island. Almost everyone here in MA masks up while in public, and I'm hoping it's the same in SXM.

We are booked for March 2021. Hopefully it happens, as we have missed our last 3 trips.

Booked for Feb/March 2021 if all goes well.

Arriving on November 16 for 3 weeks. Will take extra precautions as we do here at home.

We should be there now, but all set for April and next November!!!

All great news. Soldier forth!

You will all be fine and staying healthy is easy.
We did through 2500 miles of flight and 2300 miles driving.

Only barrier now for us are NY quarantine rules...

We arrive in two weeks, for three weeks and then back in Mid April.

We would like to go In April, but still playing the wait and see game.

I applaud all you people going back. I am too afraid of getting sick on the island. We won’t be back until February 2022 but have 5 weeks planned. It will be a long cold winter here in New England.

Hi, Captain,

First of all, I feel like I know you and maybe your family, too? But probably not.

In any event, our immediate plans are all systems go for three weeks from Saturday to spend two weeks at our favorite island abode - assuming AA or COVID 19 don’t toss us anymore curve balls. But if they do, we’re booked for our usual April stay and booked for next November, too.

We didn’t give up on SXM after Luis or Irma or any of the smaller storms in between the two so we’re not about to now!

Booked for May.

We are scheduled to arrive on November 28th for 2 weeks. We are planning to visit again in May/June and November/December of 2021.

Four weeks in June and five weeks starting late October.

Jazzgal--did you cancel your trip for this year? If so, sorry, I missed you saying that.

After cancelling our May trip than August trip we decided to come now we are here at Royal Islander I’m thinking about 20% occupancy we have been to Orient the last 4 days excluding today but what I can tell you there where about 20 to 30 people on the beach those 4 days the restaurants are not busy as you may expect but under the circumstances I can see why everywhere you go they either spray your hands with sanitizer or there is an applicator to do it yourself , roads are quite empty as you can imagine the weather has been good today some rain but other than that it’s been nice there are some restaurants that aren’t open but you can always find a place to eat the beauty of the island a lot to choose from so far our best restaurant was La Rosa another thing you have to send your temperature results to Government every morning enjoying our time away from alls going on back home!!

Have trips booked for April and August of next year. Will go unless things get significantly worse or St. Maarten makes it too difficult to get there.

if everything goes to plan, we arrive on 10 Nov and anticipate another trip in March 2021 to include a 17 March stay and corned beef and cabbage at Fat Tony"s

Are most people masked-up in public? I'm heading down to the Royal Islander in January - I assume they are doing their usual outstanding job! Is the Tortuga open?

Richie--would appreciate it if you could post a trip report at some point.

I may not have announced it here, but yes. It was the right thing FOR ME at this time: PRC hassle, three legs on AA with an overnight in MIA, and then I am concerned about all the pictures on Facebook of folks not wearing masks. Granted, they are dining so I assume it's different when not in restaurants. But I just didn't feel comfortable traveling at this time. I do envy friends who aren't as nervous about traveling and who are going. I will have to live vicariously through their pictures.

Thread break: I updated my next trip on Ticker Factory and copied the info to my profile. Wondering what's with the gigantic font size?

I understand. This year has just been really tough for everyone to know what to do.

Don't know on the tickerfactory question.

It’s possible. Heck, on my honeymoon, an old classmate (from a class of 500) recognized me at a tiki hut in Tahiti while on layover from Australia, so anything is truly possible!

We’re Long Islanders, where do you think we’ve met?


Btw, I think it was Jazzgal, don’t let pics fool you. You wear your mask, carry your sanitizer and you will be golden. You can own your space , and still be safe. The mental effects of quarantine are greater than the fear of living.

Just bought a portable UV filter on Amazon. Intend to bring it to dinner if we dine indoors.

Booked for 5 weeks beginning Feb. 28. Hoping and praying that we can actually go.

I've been looking to book a trip with Sunwing in Canada as I have a credit with them from my last cancelled booking ( that's another story!).I have watched their first flight in go from Oct. 29 -Nov19-Dec17, now Feb 18. Looks like I may go to D.R. instead.

We are booked to be there Dec 6-14. Fingers crossed. We live about 10 minutes from Dulles airport, but have to drive to Newark for our flight - United cancelled our original flight out of Dulles. I don't care. I'll jump through alot of hoops to get my SXM fix. :-D

Hamilton! I was there once for a wedding! Visited and signed the car up at Dodge!

I will be coming to the island for one week in May. Later in the year will be going to Aruba.


Don

We cancelled our December trip and booked 1 week in June 2021 then back in December of 2021. Let's hope all will work out.

Sorry, I don't understand the Dodge part.

As I mentioned in a previous post, we cancelled our Aug/Sept 2020, April 2020 and January 2021 trip. Holding out hope for our April, 2021 three plus week trip. Right now, I would give it a 50/50 as to whether we go or not. Not interested in coming down with Covid-19 in ANY foreign country. This is really hard for a world travel junkie. As to any particular reason that you listed, all of the above.

As soon as my employer drops quarantine requirements we will re-book.

our trip was just 27 days away and United cancelled our 12/5 from Chicago due to covid. Reluctantly decided to cancel it all. So sad. Hopefully things will get turned around in 2021.