Hire a cab for the day in St. Martin

[barberesr]

Has anyone just hired a cab for the day? We have done that on Barbados, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and Grenada. We liked the tour guide and that we didn't have to look for parking.

[Host Faith]

Yes DH and I did this is October. We took the water taxi to the shopping area and approached a cab driver in the middle of that area. He asked for $80 for the day, we told him we would give him $70 and he took it:cool:. It was a nice day, we got to go at our own pace, and it was nice to hear a local's perspective regarding the island.

[barberesr]

Thanks for the information. Did you notice if there were any that were vans? We will have a foldup wheelchair to stow.

 

Thanks again.

[Pipster1]

Yes DH and I did this is October. We took the water taxi to the shopping area and approached a cab driver in the middle of that area. He asked for $80 for the day, we told him we would give him $70 and he took it:cool:. It was a nice day, we got to go at our own pace, and it was nice to hear a local's perspective regarding the island.

When you hired the cab for the day, did you spoend time at beach, etc and how were you sure the cab was going to be where you wanted them to be at a certain time.

[Host Faith]

Thanks for the information. Did you notice if there were any that were vans? We will have a foldup wheelchair to stow.

 

Thanks again.

 

Yes, actually most were vans. I think the drivers there anticipate that for the most part, groups will want to tour the island. It was nice to have the whole van to ourselves, just the two of us. Plenty of room. :)

 

Pipster, we spent maybe 20 minutes at the beach, mostly because we wanted to get back to the port for shopping and enjoying the ship itself. The driver did say that he offers the opportunity to give you time to enjoy the beach (Orient Beach) for a few hours, and return for you at an agreed upon time. We didn't pay him until the end of the day, so I would consider doing that the next time we go.

[broberts]

Has anyone just hired a cab for the day? We have done that on Barbados, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and Grenada. We liked the tour guide and that we didn't have to look for parking.

 

Licensed taxis in St Maarten are quite regulated. The taxi stand at the cruise terminal is well organized. Just tell a dispatcher your needs and they will match you up with an appropriate vehicle and driver. Four of us, one in a folding travel chair, hired a van taxi for about four hours, $80. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave us a very nice tour that was semi directed by us. The map here shows the taxi stand location - zoom in using the satellite view.

[Pipster1]

Thanks this helps us in planning. Sounds like the way to go to see what we want, in a timely manner and assuring us to be back at the ship on time. Sandy

[barberesr]

Thanks all for the information. I have done this on other islands and I have talked to so many people that would love to, but are so unsure about it that they usually back off.

 

Thanks so much, I appreciate it and others will too.

[tobecool]

Licensed taxis in St Maarten are quite regulated. The taxi stand at the cruise terminal is well organized. Just tell a dispatcher your needs and they will match you up with an appropriate vehicle and driver. Four of us, one in a folding travel chair, hired a van taxi for about four hours, $80. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave us a very nice tour that was semi directed by us. The map here shows the taxi stand location - zoom in using the satellite view.

 

Hi, Broberts,

 

may i have a question if you don't mind: let's say if we rent a car (are they all vans? how many people can be sit max.?) form the terminal to orient beach and spend 2 hours there and ask the cab to Maho beach to see the plane in one hour and back to the port, how long will it take the whole trip? and how much does it cost?

 

thanks in advance

[broberts]

Hi, Broberts,

 

may i have a question if you don't mind: let's say if we rent a car (are they all vans? how many people can be sit max.?) form the terminal to orient beach and spend 2 hours there and ask the cab to Maho beach to see the plane in one hour and back to the port, how long will it take the whole trip? and how much does it cost?

 

thanks in advance

 

There are several different size vehicles used as taxis. I know the mini-van we were in would seat six reasonably comfortably. You can make arrangements to be dropped off and picked up at a later time. Do this with the dispatcher and confirm with the driver. I don't know what the total time would be, part of calculation would involve traffic at the various times of day that you are on the road. No id on the cost.

[ozysanj]

Licensed taxis in St Maarten are quite regulated. The taxi stand at the cruise terminal is well organized. Just tell a dispatcher your needs and they will match you up with an appropriate vehicle and driver. Four of us, one in a folding travel chair, hired a van taxi for about four hours, $80. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave us a very nice tour that was semi directed by us. The map here shows the taxi stand location - zoom in using the satellite view.

 

Hello Broberts,

i was wondering how did you spent the 4 hours with taxi.And are the taxi drivers really reliable when it comes to pick you up from where they left you when it is time to go back?

thanks..

[broberts]

Hello Broberts,

i was wondering how did you spent the 4 hours with taxi.And are the taxi drivers really reliable when it comes to pick you up from where they left you when it is time to go back?

thanks..

 

Licensed taxis in St Maarten are regulated. In fact our driver was telling us all about it, including grousing about the insurance premiums on the large amount of liability they have to carry.

 

If you go to the taxi stand at the cruise terminal you will be getting into a licensed taxi. First you talk to a "dispatcher", this is the person that approaches you and asks you what you want to do. Tell him/her what you want. She/He will discuss options and prices. Once that is settled he/she will call over a driver and introduce you.

 

From everything I've heard pickups are quite reliable. Also most of the drivers know each other. So get the name of your driver, (I also like to take a picture of them standing beside their cab - helps my memory), and if there is a problem you can always ask another driver. If you are going to a busy beach like Orient and your pickup doesn't show you shouldn't have a problem grabbing another taxi.

[ozysanj]

Licensed taxis in St Maarten are regulated. In fact our driver was telling us all about it, including grousing about the insurance premiums on the large amount of liability they have to carry.

 

If you go to the taxi stand at the cruise terminal you will be getting into a licensed taxi. First you talk to a "dispatcher", this is the person that approaches you and asks you what you want to do. Tell him/her what you want. She/He will discuss options and prices. Once that is settled he/she will call over a driver and introduce you.

 

From everything I've heard pickups are quite reliable. Also most of the drivers know each other. So get the name of your driver, (I also like to take a picture of them standing beside their cab - helps my memory), and if there is a problem you can always ask another driver. If you are going to a busy beach like Orient and your pickup doesn't show you shouldn't have a problem grabbing another taxi.

 

Thank you very much Broberts!! :)

[ebrasl]

Licensed taxis in St Maarten are quite regulated. The taxi stand at the cruise terminal is well organized. Just tell a dispatcher your needs and they will match you up with an appropriate vehicle and driver. Four of us, one in a folding travel chair, hired a van taxi for about four hours, $80. The driver was very knowledgeable and gave us a very nice tour that was semi directed by us. The map here shows the taxi stand location - zoom in using the satellite view.

Hi Cool Cruiser,

You wrote this response a while ago but wanted to know if you thought it was still accurate. We will be traveling with 4 adults and 3 kids and would like this option so we could have our car seats in the cab and then not have to take them out for the beach etc.

 

Thanks!

[broberts]

Unfortunately I haven't been back to St Maarten for several years.

[yummymummy99]

Hi, not sure if this any help but there are heaps of taxis available when you get off the water taxi at the port. But we found the price (last yr) to Maho beach to be (what we thought) expensive and it is not far from the port. I reckon it was going to be about $90 although there are 6 of us (incl 2 kids!). You may think this is an ok price but on top of our other excursions, it was too expensive. We have toured with Bernard's tours and it was fab and much better value for money we felt! St maartens is so lovely, can't wait to go back this year!

[gtaylor]

Hi, not sure if this any help but there are heaps of taxis available when you get off the water taxi at the port. But we found the price (last yr) to Maho beach to be (what we thought) expensive and it is not far from the port. I reckon it was going to be about $90 although there are 6 of us (incl 2 kids!). You may think this is an ok price but on top of our other excursions, it was too expensive. We have toured with Bernard's tours and it was fab and much better value for money we felt! St maartens is so lovely, can't wait to go back this year!

 

A taxi from the Cruise Facility to Maho Beach for 6 should be $48 each way.

(click)

 

Regarding the earlier (much older) comments about having a private taxi tour of 4 hours for ~ $80, I don't think you'll find anything like that now. A driver could make that much in fares with just one full van trip to Orient and be done in about 30 minutes.

 

Perhaps in the lowest of low season, and it certainly wouldn't hurt to ask, but don't get your hopes up. :)

 

I think Bernard told me that his smaller vans use $100 of fuel for an island tour. :(

 

 

gary

[Pharmd98]

Looking for a driver that has good recommendations for St. Maarten for April 7th. Does anyone have a recommendation and phone number of a specific person?

[ritraveler]

hi...we are a group of 10 adults going to st maarten for the day off the Equinox...would like to go together to Orient Beach and then depending how much we like it there will depend on how many other stops we make until Maho to see some planes land...maybe stop at Mullett Bay for a while before Maho if there is time...and then stop to shop a bit in town before getting back on the ship by 5. I have communicated with Jo Junie tours who is offering to pick us up at 9:00 with a cooler full of drinks(beer, rum punch, soda,water) and takes us anywhere we want to go for the day...he will stay with us and we can leave our stuff in the van...then will take us back to the ship...he gave us a price of 40 or 45 per day...anybody have any opinions or other suggestions....i really like the idea of someone being there to take us somwhere else if we decide we don't want to stay in a certain place...what do you think..thanks!

[gtaylor]

In the $400 - $450 range you're at the price that Joyce Prince charges for a private tour. You'll see her mentioned here quite a bit.

 

Check out her website here.

 

She also offers the cooler full of refreshments and even throws in a free phone call back home.

 

gary

[syr101]

Take Noel's Tours. He is fantastic!!!!