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Most Online3,755 Sep 23rd, 2024
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Joined: Aug 2000
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Those are certainly days to avoid Maho Beach, that's for sure.
Looking at the scheduled for TODAY, it looks like maybe there are four (small) ships that are currently homeported in SXM?? There are 4 ships that are in port today, a Saturday, from like 6 am to 7 pm. I have always wanted to do a cruise out of SXM. Maybe need to look at that some more. Spend a few days on island before, to avoid arriving on a Saturday (horror!), and then go home after..
Carol Hill
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 286
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We think it's absolutely wonderful for all these cruise ships and their passengers to stop in SXM; all of the shop owners, employees, taxi drivers, restaurants, beach set up folks, tour drivers need all of this activity to make ends meet from all of the terrible times in the past years. It's just like all of the shore towns in the Northeast part of the USA with only about 5 or 6 months to make as much money possible.
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,214 Likes: 1
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I am happy for the St. Maarten economy and businesses that benefit with the arrival of all these cruise ship passengers. But it's also O.K. for me to dislike the crowded and congested conditions they bring. One of the reasons I tend to visit St. Maarten during the slow season. And those same businesses are very happy to see me that time of year.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 301
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As for the ships homeporting on St. Maarten, for the last 3 weeks there have been maybe 50 guests that arrive at Oyster Bay Beach Resort on a Friday and depart by bus for the cruise port about 2:00. I think they may be on the Wind Surf. I'm sure others arrive on Saturday and go straight to the ship. Obviously good for the economy.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19,342 Likes: 2
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We think it's absolutely wonderful for all these cruise ships and their passengers to stop in SXM; all of the shop owners, employees, taxi drivers, restaurants, beach set up folks, tour drivers need all of this activity to make ends meet from all of the terrible times in the past years. It's just like all of the shore towns in the Northeast part of the USA with only about 5 or 6 months to make as much money possible. 👍👍👍
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 348
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Sorry if this sounds negative, but this is the first time looking at TTOL in a few weeks and WOW is it nice to see it looking normal, and without all of the COVID information. (All extremely helpful but so glad to not have to see)
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 412
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Great for the island tourism, no doubt. Just it’s wild. By conservative estimates, the island population is about 42k
And it nearly doubles, in. A. Day. Unreal.
Yep, those are days I’m at the secluded beaches or on our boat charter!
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 18,600 Likes: 1
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Island population closer to 80k
If only the infrastructure would catch up.
Elaine ********************************* God Bless the broken road....
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,095
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It's always good to know the schedule ahead of time to plan out your day! It's nice that Carol and Eric TTOL provide this link!!
Sand Gravity, got to love it!
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,847 Likes: 3
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Mikel--thanks for the info.
Carol Hill
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 47
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I'm heading to the island, for the first time, next month. What areas should I avoid on heavy pod people days? (and recommendations for places to visit) are appreciated.
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Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 167
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Joined: Sep 2022
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Avoid Maho beach anrea and Phillipsburg.
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 186
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 186 |
Avoiding Maho and Philipsburg is good advice. As first-time visitors, it's probably helpful if we were a shade more descriptive. "Maho" refers to the area around the airport. near the end of the runway (beach and the area around it). Philipsburg refers to... um... Philipsburg! Which is where the cruise ships dock. Here is my favorite site to go to check cruise ships at Philipsburg. I focus on the passenger count; this is more important than the ship count (look at Feb 11 - two ships: 808 pax. The next day, Feb 12, just one ship, but 2,074 pax! --> it's not about the number of ships, it's the number of passengers). Avoid Philipsburg on high-passenger count days.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19,342 Likes: 2
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I like it when the ships are in port. My time to hit Philipsburg. I like the activity.
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 299
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Joined: Jul 2012
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We were on island then. That day we stayed put at Dawn Beach but the next day (also with 6 ships in port) we had to take our friends to the airport. Took a detour to check out the beach at Maho, it was CRAZY! There wasn't a square inch of sand without a body standing or sitting on it. I've seen the beach busy before, but this was unreal.
LeAnn url=https://www.tickerfactory.com] [/url]
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,799 Likes: 1
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I like it when the ships are in port. My time to hit Philipsburg. I like the activity. Since Covid and somewhat prior to it, town was not nearly as busy as it used to be on days when a lot of ships were in port.
J.D.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,095
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Going to be a very busy day today! FIVE ships in port !! 31-01 Tue 06:30 - 18:00 VOYAGER OF THE SEAS CPS-NE 31-01 Tue 06:45 - 19:30 SX230556 MSC SEASIDE CPN-NW 31-01 Tue 07:15 - 17:00 SX230365 NIEUW STATENDAM CPS-SW 31-01 Tue 07:45 - 18:00 SX230292 VISION OF THE SEAS CPS-SE 31-01 Tue 08:00 - 19:00 SX230291 SYMPHONY OF THE SEAS
Sand Gravity, got to love it!
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 186
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I did the math: the total capacity of today's ships is 21,300. Gonna be busy in Philipsburg... and all over the island!
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