TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Trip Report 2-27 thru 3-6

I have read many trip reports over the years, so I thought I would give it a go. This is my first.

The biggest hurtle that we encountered was the COVID Test prior to leaving. I scheduled the Antigen Test the Thursday before our Saturday morning flight. We arrive at CVS for the Antigen Test and they told us we were scheduled for the PCR Test. Beware, with CVS, if you schedule a COVID Test for travel, and their Antigen Test schedule is full, they will automatically switch you to have the PCR Test. No where on CVS's website do they tell you this. They also charge you $139.00 for travel testing which we were prepared to pay, but we should have been told which test we were to receive. It was too late for the PCR Test at this point. After explaining our situation to a kind nurse at the minute clinic, she got us appointments for the Antigen Test on Friday morning. On Friday after we tested negative, I submitted the results along with the health form into the EHAS for approval. I submitted my information first, then my husband and sister-in-law. Within an hour, my husband was approved, then my sister-in-law. I waited another 2 hours without approval. I finally called down to Sint Maarten at EHAS and talked to a kind man, and within an hour I was approved. We printed out our negative COVID Test results and the EHAS approval. This was valuable information I learned from TTOL. It made our process at the airport in Pittsburgh, Ft. Lauderdale and in Sint Maarten quick and painless. We flew on Spirit Airlines. One flight into Sint Maarten on Saturdays and one flight that afternoon back to Ft. Lauderdale. The cost seemed great, but I don't think we would fly again on an international flight with Spirit. You get what you pay for and if you have an issue, once you are out of the country, good luck. The phone number listed on their website was not in service. They gave you a text number, and I could have gotten more information from my 7 year old Granddaughter.

Once outside of the airport Leslie Bruce was waiting for us with our car rental from Kenny's Car Rental. Leslie is great and within 10 minutes we were on our way to our villa. We do try to stay in different resorts, villas, or apartments on each visit. This year we decided to stay on Simpson Bay at Coco's Beach Club right beside Mary's Boon. We loved it. I am very hesitant to mention these Villas because I loved it so much. We did use ShopNDrop and it was great to have what we needed for our arrival. We also had items supplied by IRE, the rental agent. We were right on the beach and close to everything. Loved going to Mary's Boon right next door for drinks and lunch.

We also went to Mullet and Orient Beach. We limited our travel due to my husband's foot surgery in January. So we took it easy. Mullet was beautiful. We went to Leon's for lunch. Drinks were great and his restaurant is very nice, but his ribs and chicken are not as good as Rosie's. On Friday we went to Orient. It was a perfect Orient day. Very little seaweed and calm waters. The wind was perfect, just a slight breeze to keep you comfortable. We went to Kontiki because Orange Fever wanted to give us the cheap seats. Tony at Kontiki was very attentive, the drinks great as was the food.

I don't have food pictures. We went to Simpson Bay Yacht Club twice for dinner and it was good. Once at Toppers, which was fair. We ate large lunches, so we ate in a lot which we loved. Very relaxing and can't get a better view. Normally we eat out most nights, but this isn't a normal year.

I scheduled our Antigen Tests for our return trip at Medwork in Simpson Bay. We were there for about 15 minutes and had our results in less than 2 hours. Seamless.

I will mention that they are desperate for visitors. Everyone we encountered were polite and welcoming. They take hand sanitizing and wearing masks serious. But they do need tourists. Only 39 people on our flight from Ft Lauderdale to Sint Maarten. About the same going back. We felt very safe everywhere we went, but we also have been vaccinated. If you can go, try to go. They needs us!!

I feel if you have any concerns about travel it might be during customs in the US. That is still a mad house. If you have global entry, good for you. That is the way to go.

I will provide pictures once I figure that out:)

Thanks for posting.

For a first time trip reporter you handled it like a pro. Thank you for sharing and looking forward to your photos. Good to know the testing on the SXM side of the trip sounds so simple.Again, thank you. 😊😊

Great to hear that you Folks had a good time. Stay safe till next time.

Great report for a first-timer. Looking forward to the pictures.....

Thanks for the report. In regard to customs, I think it is hit or miss. I have global entry, but others in my group did not. It was only the people from our flight when we arrived in Philadelphia and we were on our way in no time.

thanks for posting. Looking forward to those pictures!

Sounds like an enjoyable and relaxing trip. Thanks for sharing the report!

Thanks for your posting. You did a great job for your first report. We arrive on May 29 to Mary's Boon and can't wait to walk out of our room and let the
sand gravity begin.
Bob

Thank you for the trip report. It gives me hope that my wife and I will get back down, maybe this year! We'll be fully vaccinated this month. The fact that they want and need tourist is an impetus toward making a trip work for us soon. Thanks again.

Did the nearby music late night and into the morning bother you at all where you stayed?

Suzie, I forgot to add to my reply that in Rhode Island if you went through state site you paid nothing for the testing. Also my cousin tested at CVS and the reason given was he thought he had come into contact with an infected person. He wasn't charged anything.

If you have the receipt attempt to submit to your health insurance and they might pay. We will try to do this for our SXM test because one year we had to visit the ER on the Dutch side and we had to pay up front but our health insurance reimbursed us.

After the mix up at CVS, we had a nurse that put our tests through our health insurance. CVS did not charge us. That was the only good thing about the day we were tested. To schedule the tests for CVS it is all online. Never state it is for travel. There is a glitch once you state it is for travel. They don't send you to the rapid antigen testing schedule. It sends you to the PCR schedule, which is different. After the fact, it worked in our favor.

Where we stayed was very quite. Mary's Boon did play music Sunday night, but I think it stopped after 10:00 or close to that. I didn't hear any music late at night. It was very peaceful and everyone who stayed in our facility were great. We plan to go back next year to the same complex. But I'm sure you will agree, the island is not the same. We have stayed at Mary's Boon for a day or two during a weekend in the past and never bothered by noise. Maybe we have been lucky.

Thanks for taking time to post a report. We all appreciate current info and conditions.