Grand Case with 7 ships in port

[Jen & Kim]

We will be in St. Maarten on 02/29 and there will be 7 total ships in port (5 of them large ships...including the Oasis).

 

We were planning on taking a taxi to Grand Case and renting a chair/umbrella.

 

Can anyone tell me how busy this beach usually gets on busy port days? We are the last ship to arrive and have to tender so I don't want to risk getting to the beach and not having a place to sit.

 

Thanks!

[Karysa]

We will be in St. Maarten on 02/29 and there will be 7 total ships in port (5 of them large ships...including the Oasis).

 

We were planning on taking a taxi to Grand Case and renting a chair/umbrella.

 

Can anyone tell me how busy this beach usually gets on busy port days? We are the last ship to arrive and have to tender so I don't want to risk getting to the beach and not having a place to sit.

 

Thanks!

What is your scheduled port time. If you are 9-7 or 11-7 you may actually be better off in terms of traffic congestion. I have never been on the island with 7 ships in port but knowing where Grand Case is compared to port I would think that it would not be overly busy. The most important trip will be the one back to port and if you leave Grand Case at 5 that gives you an hour and a half to get back. By the time you have to leave the beach the cruisers departing the island at 6 will want to be in town or at least by the pier. I think that your port time is an advantage at this stop with so many ships in.

[Karysa]

Sorry forgot that you are tendering. You may need to be at the pier 1 hr instead of 1/2 hr prior to departure.

[Jen & Kim]

Thanks for the info. We are there from 10-6.

 

If we left Grand Case at 3:30 would that give us enough time to get back and get on the ship?

[Karysa]

Thanks for the info. We are there from 10-6.

 

If we left Grand Case at 3:30 would that give us enough time to get back and get on the ship?

 

I think that you will be fine. I would have a plan B though just in case it takes you a long time to get from your ship to the pier. It would be so much better if your ship left at 7.

[yknot13]

Jen and Kim,

My partner and I plan to explore Grand Case during our upcoming Allure Cruise on 2/23/12 on the recomendation of a freind. I will report back if you would like on how the travel was. We plan to take a cab over and spend the day at the beach. We here there is a realy terrific stand that sells crepes with fillings so we will try and check that out as well.

We are hoping this location will let us escape the crowds as well.

Regards, John

[yknot13]

Jen and Kim,

My partner and I plan to explore Grand Case during our upcoming Allure Cruise on 2/23/12 on the recomendation of a freind. I will report back if you would like on how the travel was. We plan to take a cab over and spend the day at the beach. We here there is a realy terrific stand that sells crepes with fillings so we will try and check that out as well.

We are hoping this location will let us escape the crowds as well.

Regards, John

 

Sorry we will be there on 2/9/12 not 2/23/12

[Jen & Kim]

That would be wonderful John! Thanks so much.

 

Will you post your experience here on this thread?

[CorinneDcruiser]

Hi, am new to this board & will be visiting St. Martin. How do you find out how many ships will be in port on a given day? Thanks, Corinne

[JustUs275]

Hi, am new to this board & will be visiting St. Martin. How do you find out how many ships will be in port on a given day? Thanks, Corinne

 

I go to cruisett dot com.

 

yknot13 - I too would love to hear your report about Grand Case, we are thinking of doing a similar day there - will be there about 3 weeks after you :D

[The Big Booper]

Hi, am new to this board & will be visiting St. Martin. How do you find out how many ships will be in port on a given day? Thanks, Corinne

 

The Port of St. Maarten maintains a complete schedule of cruise ships docking which is very accurate and even lists what pier the ship will dock at.

 

http://201.220.14.27/sxmonline/VesselScheduleCruise.aspx

[yknot13]

I go to cruisett dot com.

 

yknot13 - I too would love to hear your report about Grand Case, we are thinking of doing a similar day there - will be there about 3 weeks after you :D

 

Sorry all, but we did not make it to Grand Case. We met some wonderful people on the first couple of days on the cruise who wished to check out Maho Beach so we "hosted them" for the day. We arived at Maho at 9:15 and it was empty. Began to pick up around 10:30 and with 7 ships in port the beach was packed around 1:00 pm so we headed back to Philpisburg which suprisingly took only around 20 minutes. We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and enjoying local beverages.

Not a bad day at all.