TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin 7 ships in port on New Year's Eve!!

Wow, is that the maximum. I've never seen/heardthat many.

That's gawdawful! I was on a cruise a couple of years ago when there were six in port. Talk about trying to get a cab to where we wanted to go (Kokomo) if we weren't going to Orient or Marigot. It was impossible! We finally took the water taxi to Philipsburg and snagged a cab there. I wouldn't wish that much cruise traffic on anyone.

There were 7 in port on March 5 of this year and 7 scheduled for Feb. 4 2016.

Check the Cruise/Port Schedule for more information.

Last December there were 8 or 9. I forgot. Some people had to be tendered to shore.

The Ship Schedule is pretty accurate but always subject to change.

Hey, back in the old days when we used to take 3 cruises a year we ALWAYS had to tender! Of course, back then the ships were a lot smaller.

That strikes a nice memory of some of our very early island visits, Carol.

Years ago, and I'm thinking perhaps the early 80's, we used to go into town early in the morning so we could snag a convenient parking spot on Front or Back Street.....a very different P'berg then, I might add.

We would usually head to a place on the waterside of Front Street called Pinocchio's (which has been long gone for at best guess, at least twenty years or more...) where we and the girls would enjoy breakfast (usually warm freshly baked croissants included in it...) while we waited for the shops to open at their leisurely pace, and where we could watch the tenders bringing their passengers into Wathey's pier. The people always looked so carefree and happy as they came down the pier...... And we loved to see the ships anchored out a bit and swinging in the currents.....

I haven't really noticed lately, but I wonder if they still do the tenders........i know they were going to bring people to the newer pier at the other end of town, but I can't say I've ever really paid attention.....

Tendering in SXM is a thing of the past on the Dutch side, except for exceedingly busy days, like a 7 ship day AND except for the Queen Mary II, I think. The QMII had too deep a draft to dock in SXM, a year or so ago. She was built as an ocean-going vessel, unlike how they build the new ships today. Don't know if they had dredged the harbor deeper for her now or not. It's funny, the little tiny ships that we used to sail on in the old days had deeper drafts in many instances than do the behomeths today. I guess that works out ok, most of the time..

Carol and Pat,

Yes the tenders are still running when needed, but nothing like years ago. As I sit on the balcony at our Divi unit that faces P'Burg I get views of the new pier and the large ships. Years ago the view was of the ships dropping anchor and then moving in parallel swings during the day and all passengers would line up and wait for the bouncy boats (tenders). A few years ago, after the new pier was built, I saw some tenders going around the point at Divi and wondered where they were coming from. A couple of weeks earlier than our arrival I saw a story on morning tv about the new Queen Mary 2 when she was in NYC and being shown off. Since I couldn't see where the tenders were going to and coming from, I hiked up the hill to the Fort and then I saw the QM 2 and let out a big laugh. Those folks paid a dear price for the cruise and they ended up being the farthest from P'Burg.
Even with the double piers, on busy days some ships drop anchor and even the same when there appears to be room for them. I suspect contracts or Port fees or scheduled leaving times.
I never get tired of watching them enter and leave.

Carol,

Your post beat mine re: QM 2 etc.

Does she still have to tender, do you know? Of course, she doesn't come to SXM that often.

Haven't seen her in several years. Been going in mid-March and once in late April the past 3 years.

OK

She'll be in port on nov 17. Perhaps a TTOL scout could report on where she Parks.

Yup, Nov 17: Queen Mary II, Norwegian Spirit, Grandeur of the Seas, Carnival Conquest.
Really like the adventurous ones that make it to Orient for a skinny dip, or in my case a Chunky Dunk.
Speaking of lucky 7, my schedule shows 7 in port Nov 19.

My good news?
Wife and I are back on a cruise ship to St Marteen, which means a third visit to Club O. YIPEE

Bad news:
We are one of the seven ships on Nov. 19. OMG
If we are one of the first ships to port, we are making a bee-line for the taxis, and straight to Club O.
If we are one of the later ships to dock, I'm afraid we may have to do something else, especially since we are first ship out of port at 3:00 PM

If we should make it to Club O, stop by and say Hi. We'll be the naked couple with Holland cruise towels..... :-)

Wow, that's an awful early leaving time!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> Hope it works out for you!

We just miss it...We are staying on Orient March 7-17th....Can't wait.

Actually, check out the Port of St Maarten webcam . She's on the dock!

By the way, not sure if others have noticed the ship locator at the bottom of the screen, it shows you which ships are where. Pretty cool!

Followup, (for anyone who was dying to know ;-)
We were 3rd ship to dock, so we decided to try Club O.
We were the first 2 people off our ship, and pier was already empty from the previous ships. We headed straight to taxi stand, where I requested an immediate taxi for 2. We arrived Club O around 8:45 AM, and easily found an unclaimed pair of chairs and umbrella about half way between Perch and Papagayo.
Interesting note on the taxi ride. I asked the taxi driver (female) about the road to Paradis Pic, but she replied the taxis are not allowed to go up there anymore, due to the increased likely hood of getting stopped and robbed.

We had a beautiful day at Club O. Ended up sitting next to 'Mayor' Dennis and his wife. He kept my wife and I entertained the whole time. There are so many great people to meet in paradise.
We stayed about as long as we dared for our 2:30 ship deadline, boarding a taxi at Pedro's at 1:30 for out trip back to port. Turns out we could have stayed until 2:00 :-(

Glad to hear you had a great day!!!