What time do shops open?

[puzzums]

What time do the main shops open in the Front Street area? Is it easy to get there by foot from the dock (Philipsburg)? Is it easy to find (for the directionally challenged)? How long a walk is it, or is it quicker to take a taxi. Need to maximize our time to get some shopping done and get to Maho Beach about mid day and back again in time to be back on board for a 4:00 pm sail time.

 

There will be two other cruise ships in port that day (Dec.9/16) so I'm guessing traffic could be bad and we should allow a good 40 minutes, each way, for Maho Beach?

 

Lastly, are taxis easy to get from Front St to Maho Beach, and easy to get for the return trip?

 

Sorry for all the questions - I'm a bit nervous about the day as we've never gone off on our own at a port and I have a huge fear of getting back too late and watching the ship sail off into the sunset without us! lol!

[Ashland]

What time do the main shops open in the Front Street area? Is it easy to get there by foot from the dock (Philipsburg)? Is it easy to find (for the directionally challenged)? How long a walk is it, or is it quicker to take a taxi. Need to maximize our time to get some shopping done and get to Maho Beach about mid day and back again in time to be back on board for a 4:00 pm sail time.

 

There will be two other cruise ships in port that day (Dec.9/16) so I'm guessing traffic could be bad and we should allow a good 40 minutes, each way, for Maho Beach?

 

Lastly, are taxis easy to get from Front St to Maho Beach, and easy to get for the return trip?

 

Sorry for all the questions - I'm a bit nervous about the day as we've never gone off on our own at a port and I have a huge fear of getting back too late and watching the ship sail off into the sunset without us! lol!

 

I believe the shops many of them open between 9-10...when there are ships in.

 

Take the water Taxi (easy to find and clearly marked) it will drop you off right at the pier in town and walk straight ahead for the shopping...you'll find the 2 blocks of shopping easy to navigate...a favorite place of mine to shop.

[Karysa]

It's about a 15 minute walk to the start of Front St from the ship. Just follow the signs and the crowd.

 

For Front St and Back St shopping, 9-6 Monday to Saturday with some shops open on Sunday is the norm.

 

Taxi's are easy to find both on Front Street especially across the street from the Courthouse and there will be plenty of taxis around Maho beach to get you back to town or the port.

Edited September 23, 2016 by Karysa

[Karysa]

40 minutes will usually be enough time to get back to port from Maho in mid-afternoon however, with an all aboard time of 3:30 I would leave Maho at 2 to make certain that I would be back in time.

[gtaylor]

Agree, karysa, and remember that there is a bridge opening at 3:00.

 

gary

[Robinola]

My suggestion is to allow way more than 40 minutes back from maho. Traffic is unpredictable and of course...the bridge. I would not risk it by allowing only 40 minutes.

[Ashland]

My suggestion is to allow way more than 40 minutes back from maho. Traffic is unpredictable and of course...the bridge. I would not risk it by allowing only 40 minutes.

 

^^^ This.

[champagne123]

Just my opinion. I would do the REVERSE of your stated plans. I would go to Maho beach FIRST and be back in port safely with enough time to shop for a few reasons.

The shops do not open early. I cannot remember if it was 9 or 10, so you are wasting time waiting for them to open.

There are three ships in port, so getting back to the ship on time from Maho, may prove difficult and timely.

If you shop first, you will be lugging around shopping bags for the rest of the day.

Edited September 25, 2016 by champagne123
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[Karysa]

Just my opinion. I would do the REVERSE of your stated plans. I would go to Maho beach FIRST and be back in port safely with enough time to shop for a few reasons.

The shops do not open early. I cannot remember if it was 9 or 10, so you are wasting time waiting for them to open.

There are three ships in port, so getting back to the ship on time from Maho, may prove difficult and timely.

If you shop first, you will be lugging around shopping bags for the rest of the day.

 

You make a lot of good points here. There's only one downfall and that's the plane schedule. Until noon Maho just has the smaller jets. The KLM from Amsterdam between March and November is scheduled around a 11 but in the winter months including the OP's Month of December it lands around noon. In the winter months noon to 3 is the best time for Maho to me.

 

The Phillipsburg store hours are generally 9-6 Monday to Saturday. The best thing that I ever purchased in Phillipsburg was something that I walked out of the store wearing :D so if you keep your purchases small going to Maho right after may not prove to be a problem.:)

[champagne123]

You make a lot of good points here. There's only one downfall and that's the plane schedule. Until noon Maho just has the smaller jets. The KLM from Amsterdam between March and November is scheduled around a 11 but in the winter months including the OP's Month of December it lands around noon. In the winter months noon to 3 is the best time for Maho to me.

 

The Phillipsburg store hours are generally 9-6 Monday to Saturday. The best thing that I ever purchased in Phillipsburg was something that I walked out of the store wearing :D so if you keep your purchases small going to Maho right after may not prove to be a problem.:)

 

:) Yes, I thought of that. We spent the day (about 9 to 1) on the beach/Sunset Grill, watched the smaller planes in the morning (there were quite a few that day)....and then watched 2 of the larger planes, a little after 12pm. If you've seen one, you've seen them all...lol. So if they stay until 1, get back to the port by 2 (also avoiding the bridge at 3), they still have plenty of time to do a bit of shopping. I would rather be safe than sorry. I hate taking chances. :D:D:D

[Karysa]

:) Yes, I thought of that. We spent the day (about 9 to 1) on the beach/Sunset Grill, watched the smaller planes in the morning (there were quite a few that day)....and then watched 2 of the larger planes, a little after 12pm. If you've seen one, you've seen them all...lol. So if they stay until 1, get back to the port by 2 (also avoiding the bridge at 3), they still have plenty of time to do a bit of shopping. I would rather be safe than sorry. I hate taking chances. :D:D:D

 

It's definitely an option but I don't think that any large planes would take off by then so they would miss the " fence surfers" (that's when folks hold on to the fence and get blown while the engines are revved and the take off occurs). For some people the take offs are as much fun as the landings. Personally 60-90 minutes with the biggest jets landing and taking off is sufficient for Maho but timing is everything IMO.:)

Edited September 25, 2016 by Karysa

[doones2]

I would definitely give myself more than 40 minutes. I know you want to see the big jets, so I would get a cab at the ship to Mayo in the morning, spend time on the beach and at the sunset bar watch the big jets come in 12 or 1 then catch a taxi to front street. Do some shopping then grab the ferry back to the ship. The planes are a fun thing to see, but you don't want to miss the ship.

[puzzums]

Thanks for all the great responses everyone! I'm specifically shopping for jewelry so lugging around large bags shouldn't be a problem if we shop first, then go to Maho. Hopefully there's a place close to the dock to quickly get some Guavaberry Rum on the way back to the ship - that would be my largest sized purchase.

66 days to go - can't wait!

[Karysa]

Thanks for all the great responses everyone! I'm specifically shopping for jewelry so lugging around large bags shouldn't be a problem if we shop first, then go to Maho. Hopefully there's a place close to the dock to quickly get some Guavaberry Rum on the way back to the ship - that would be my largest sized purchase.

66 days to go - can't wait!

 

Sounds like a good plan. Here's an idea. Why not e-mail or stop in to the Guavaberry Emporium on Front St. and ask them if they deliver to the ships. :)