lboiv001

As someone else pointed out, Phillipsburg is not the best place to stay. St. Martaan is one of our favorite islands. The food is amazing. You might want to consider the French side, St.Martin as well.

Where is your favorite place to stay? I am only familiar with Phillipsburg, since I had a limited time on the island during the cruise, and would be content in one of the hotels facing the water there. I loved my jet ski experience in the bay.

Simpson Bay sure looks good, as does many other potential spots. My daughter will want to shop for sure, so I think I will take her to the Marigot market before she spends all of her money in Phillipsburg.

Doing a land vacation to a place that you've visited on a cruise ship is a completely different experience and I highly recommend it. We've taken land vacation to several places that we've visited on cruise ships and this has allowed us to really get to explore and see what that place is truly about. Cruising allows you to take a tiny bite. A land vacation allows you to have the full entree.

I concur with this. I see a cruise as a really fun, vacation-esque scouting trip for future planned ventures, giving you a lot of small tasty bites of varied places in a relatively inexpensive way.

I only wish I could fly or ferry to JUST HMC, but that is not possible (unless anyone here knows how to do that....might be a new subject thread).

Where are you finding $750 a night rooms in St.Maarten? without an "s". Simpson Bay Resort is about $150 a night and beautiful. I don't even think the Westin or Ritz Carlton are over $400 a night

That price includes hotel AND flight for 2 people, the bundle.

I should ALSO probably mention that St. Thomas is not out of the question as well... I really liked that island, too.

not quite sure I am following the OP's logic. You can easily stay a week in St. Martin for same price or less than a cruise. Unless you take an inside cabin, don't drink and don't go on excursions.

That's not what I am finding....but then, I wouldn't want to cruise without doing the excursions and sipping rum. ;)

I found on Kayak.com that it would be around $1500 for 2 nights with hotel, and that doesn't include food or any activities. The average price for 2 in an interior cabin was $1150, and of course all the good food is included.

If we are talking 2/3 nights in St. Martin vs, 5 to 7 night cruise then my vote is a cruise.

This is true...AND it would also be cheaper. I am just worried about not getting there because of weather after getting her hopes (and mine) up and the anticipation....I won't get a refund for not making it, and I don't care about Nassau and Freeport at all.

Just being on a cruise at sea is very cool, but I could show her that in a shorter, much cheaper trip just to get a taste of the cruising bug.

Did I mention how many amazing beaches there are in St. Martin? IMHO, Great Bay is one of my least favorites. Venture further and you will be amazed!! Have fun whatever you decide!!!! :)

Really? That would be very good news, since I was highly impressed with Great Bay. What are your favorite beaches there?

I have been to St. Maartens and St. Thomas and loved it enough to want to fly to St. Maartens for a weekend. Half Moon Cay is at the top of my list to cruise to next but I need opinions from cruisers who have been to both, because right now I can only afford either a cruise (to HMC) or a weekend in St. Maartens, but not both, and I need to decide which one to take my 20 year old daughter to this summer, who has never done a cruise nor flown to the caribbean.

Great Bay in St. Maartens seems to have the same emerald green water and soft sand (best jetski experience in my life!!!) as what I see on youtube at HMC, though I could be wrong here. I am also concerned about the fact that cruises sometimes skip HMC due to weather or water conditions, and I would hate to miss this golden opportunity for her to see this place because of that fact.

I am leaning towards flying down to St. Maartens for the weekend, maybe going in Mid-June. Is it way too hot down there for this timing?

Thanks in advance.