shawne71 Posted March 30, 2013 #51 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Bernards also offers a "Maho Beach Tour" on his website if you are not wanting to do a full island tour. This is what we booked and it is $25 per person. It allows you to spend more time at Maho Beach. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned11 Posted March 30, 2013 #52 Share Posted March 30, 2013 For a first timer and who only wants to go to Maho Beach, is it better to go with Bernard's Tour or just go by taxi? Your thoughts would be much appreciated. :) It's the place I haven't sorted out yet. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelerThom Posted March 30, 2013 #53 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Generally the largest plane coming over Maho into SXM is Air France 3510, an A340 from Paris, scheduled at 1:20pm local time [ship time may vary] everyday. Thom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NorbertsNiece Posted March 30, 2013 #54 Share Posted March 30, 2013 It's very easy to go on your own. Grab a cab at the pier and you can arrange for them to come and pick you up at the same place at a nominated time. Allow for traffic on your return. Did that last time and it worked a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned11 Posted March 30, 2013 #55 Share Posted March 30, 2013 It's very easy to go on your own. Grab a cab at the pier and you can arrange for them to come and pick you up at the same place at a nominated time. Allow for traffic on your return. Did that last time and it worked a dream. Thanks for that. How long does it take to get back? My ship arrives in at 12pm and leaves at 9pm. What time would be best to leave? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NorbertsNiece Posted March 30, 2013 #56 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Thanks for that. How long does it take to get back? My ship arrives in at 12pm and leaves at 9pm. What time would be best to leave? Thanks again. It may leave at 9pm but all aboard will be earlier. Are you planning to be back for dinner? I don't know how early it gets dark there but a few hours in that sun will probably be all you need!! See how long the drive there takes and get advice from the driver. Then add some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelerThom Posted March 30, 2013 #57 Share Posted March 30, 2013 ... How long does it take to get back? My ship arrives in at 12pm and leaves at 9pm. What time would be best to leave?...I assume from your posts that you are in Sint Maarten 22 April. Given that the US is now on Daylight Time, and EDT is the same as AST, it seems certain that ship and local time will match [but always check that]. It is 5 miles or less from the pier to Maho, but it usually takes from 30-45 minutes to get there, as the traffic almost always exceeds the road capacity [could be longer if the Cole Bay drawbridge is up]. If you hurry off the ship and snag a taxi you might make it by 1:20 when the A340 from Paris is due in [but it is often late]. The sun sets at 6:30, so you could even stay for sunset and still have almost two hours to get back to the ship, but that's longer than I'd be likely to stay. enjoy Thom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shopping is fun Posted March 30, 2013 #58 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Bernard's = Fabulous. We chose the tour which did NOT include a long, dedicated beach time, but we did visit Orient Beach for about 20-30 minutes, as part of our amazing tour of the island. There were several other stops to see the sights, shop, etc. We also got our passports stamped by both French and Dutch authorities! Our tour guide, Mailman, was funny, informative and accommodating, as he allowed us to stay at Maho Beach longer than planned to wait for the big Air France plane. We did see planes of all sizes coming in every 3-4 minutes! Our 12 and 15 y/o daughters took these videos of the low-flying planes from the beach area: and Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emdia43 Posted March 30, 2013 #59 Share Posted March 30, 2013 We took a taxi there and back, and the driver waited for us- no extra charge. It took about 25 minutes to get there and 45 to get back in traffic.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dog Posted March 31, 2013 #60 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Generally the largest plane coming over Maho into SXM is Air France 3510, an A340 from Paris, scheduled at 1:20pm local time [ship time may vary] everyday. Thom The largest regular plane is KLM 745 - 747-400: Landing Departing a couple of hours later Air France A340 from the other direction, also shows the Sunset Bar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trickie Dickie Posted March 31, 2013 #61 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Hello All: We sail out of Port Canaveral this Sunday (first cruise) 7 day Eastern Caribbean. I think it is St. Maarten where the planes fly over a beach. Will we be able to see this at that port of call? We are on FOS. Thank you, Darryl I can't resist! This is one of my favourite places on the planet!! :D Here are some of my videos! Enjoy! Me and a rather low flying A340 A340-300 Landing - Beautiful day last summer! 747 landing on a cloudy day 20 minutes of take offs and landings Enjoy! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pscruzinboyz Posted March 31, 2013 #62 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I am soooooo Excited...we leave on the Freedom next Sunday, April 7th.....Plus we got upgraded to a JS today....Love RCCL and St Martin! :) Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned11 Posted March 31, 2013 #63 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I assume from your posts that you are in Sint Maarten 22 April. Given that the US is now on Daylight Time, and EDT is the same as AST, it seems certain that ship and local time will match [but always check that]. It is 5 miles or less from the pier to Maho, but it usually takes from 30-45 minutes to get there, as the traffic almost always exceeds the road capacity [could be longer if the Cole Bay drawbridge is up]. If you hurry off the ship and snag a taxi you might make it by 1:20 when the A340 from Paris is due in [but it is often late]. The sun sets at 6:30, so you could even stay for sunset and still have almost two hours to get back to the ship, but that's longer than I'd be likely to stay. enjoy Thom Thanks for the info. :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelerThom Posted March 31, 2013 #64 Share Posted March 31, 2013 The largest regular plane is KLM 745 - 747-400:I agree that this plane is larger, but I haven't seen it at SXM for years. According to FlightAware.com KL 745 last landed at SXM 9 Dec 2003 (almost 10 years ago). KLM merged into Air France shortly after that date, and as far as I can tell the only scheduled KLM flights AMS-SXM are code shares on the AF A340. That is why I said the A340 was "Generally the largest plane". I can't prove that FlightAware is correct, but is your photo 2003 or earlier? Thom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd555 Posted March 31, 2013 #65 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I can't resist! This is one of my favourite places on the planet!! :D Here are some of my videos! Enjoy! Me and a rather low flying A340 A340-300 Landing - Beautiful day last summer! 747 landing on a cloudy day 20 minutes of take offs and landings Enjoy! :D Thanks! Sending these to my fellow travellers to show them what to expect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellwingri Posted March 31, 2013 #66 Share Posted March 31, 2013 This is one of our favorite ports. Relaxing on the beach and being entertained at the same time is great! The rush you get from being able to almost touch the landing planes is amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eng23 Posted March 31, 2013 #67 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Here's a picture I took at Maho: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NorbertsNiece Posted March 31, 2013 #68 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Here's a picture I took at Maho: Wow. Beats any of mine!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dog Posted March 31, 2013 #69 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I agree that this plane is larger, but I haven't seen it at SXM for years. According to FlightAware.com KL 745 last landed at SXM 9 Dec 2003 (almost 10 years ago). KLM merged into Air France shortly after that date, and as far as I can tell the only scheduled KLM flights AMS-SXM are code shares on the AF A340. That is why I said the A340 was "Generally the largest plane". I can't prove that FlightAware is correct, but is your photo 2003 or earlier? Thom Photo was last year (really close to almost exactly a year ago). And if you go to the KLM site you can book one of the 3 or 4 flights they run a week round trip from Amsterdam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dog Posted March 31, 2013 #70 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Here's a picture I took at Maho: I posted a US Air flight landing at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=33229542#post33229542 Part of the same photo stream there is a picture where I can make out my reflection in the belly of the plane while taking the picture. Unfortunately, it wasn't a great picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eng23 Posted March 31, 2013 #71 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I posted a US Air flight landing at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=33229542#post33229542 Part of the same photo stream there is a picture where I can make out my reflection in the belly of the plane while taking the picture. Unfortunately, it wasn't a great picture. That's a great shot of a US Airways 757. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prayfordaylight Posted March 31, 2013 #72 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Just booked Bernard for the Maho tour on our Oasis trip. Thanks for the recommendations everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned11 Posted March 31, 2013 #73 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I think I'll wait and get a taxi there and back. Thanks everyone. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelerThom Posted April 1, 2013 #74 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Photo was last year (really close to almost exactly a year ago). And if you go to the KLM site you can book one of the 3 or 4 flights they run a week round trip from Amsterdam.Obviously I have not been there a day it was running - I now see it in the schedule some days - I stand corrected. Nice photo BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dog Posted April 1, 2013 #75 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Obviously I have not been there a day it was running - I now see it in the schedule some days - I stand corrected. Nice photo BTW. There was, and may still be an Al Italia 777 charter that also flew into SXM. It was later in the day, and caught me by surprise, so all I have is a tail photo. I took maybe 500 photos that day, and most are ordinary at best. But being able to take 3 frames a second allows for choosing the best of the photos. The one of the US Airways 757 I personally liked the best. The photo of it right above me was sort of cool, but not a good frame, and a pinch out of focus (after all, it is traveling about 140knots). A note to people wishing to take photos of planes taking off: Wear sunglasses: the jetwash kicks lots of small projectiles, and can severely damage eyes. Don't use an expensive camera, or make sure there is an inexpensive filter: same problem as the previous, and the "sandblast" will damage camera lenses. Stand on the beach, and not by the fence: if you get blown over, the sand is much more forgiving than the concrete barrier. Better yet, get the photo from either side (the Sunset Bar and Grill side will have the best sunlight). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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