Carnival 'French Beach Break' excursion - which beach is this?

[DollyJ]

Has anyone taken this Carnival excursion? Can you tell me which beach this goes to? I've read the reviews on Carnival's site, and they all say it's a beautiful beach, but I can't find one that says which beach it is. Thank you.

[SnorkelAway]

Cannot be sure, but most ship excursions to a "french-side beach," go to Orient Beach. In any event, you can do better by simply taking a taxi to Orient and picking a beach spot.

[Karysa]

Do a search on cc reviews - your cruise line : port of St. Maarten and my guess is you will find reviews on this excursion that mention the name of the beach

[DollyJ]

Do a search on cc reviews - your cruise line : port of St. Maarten and my guess is you will find reviews on this excursion that mention the name of the beach

 

Thanks, good suggestion. All I could find was a couple of older (2+ yr) posts that mentioned Orient Bay Beach. I've asked Carnival Tour Operations, but so far they've only quoted back what's on the web site. :rolleyes:

[Karysa]

Thanks, good suggestion. All I could find was a couple of older (2+ yr) posts that mentioned Orient Bay Beach. I've asked Carnival Tour Operations, but so far they've only quoted back what's on the web site. :rolleyes:

 

Did anyone post a picture in their review? There are Orient fans on here who would be able to tell you exactly which beach bar it is probably just by the view or the beach chairs. :)

[gtaylor]

I volunteer to look at such a photo. :)

 

gary

[gtaylor]

Found a review of this tour:

 

What a beautiful beach!!!! No stones or rocks and no sea shells to step on! Water is so clear. The lunch was real good and plenty to eat. Our tour guide was quite informative, told us more on our way back to the ship than on the way. Will do this excursion again. It was a clothing optional beach and only saw 3 or 4 women topless.

The ONLY clothing optional beach on the island is Orient.

Which beach bar they stop at is still a mystrey.

Photos, anyone?

gary

[Karysa]

Now look what you started OP?:D:')

[DollyJ]

:'):D

I had a reply from Carnival that this was indeed Orient Bay Beach.....then today, I had another reply from Carnival that it is Marigot Bay Beach.:confused:

 

When i responded that I'd already been told a different thing, their response was: "Orient Bay ( nude beach ) its 5-10 min walking from Marigot Bay."

I don't have great interest in a nude beach:cool:, however, I can't fine a 'Marigot Bay Beach' on a map a 5-10 minute walk from Orient Bay Beach. Am I missing something here?

[SnorkelAway]

Ignore and forget the reference to "Marigot" or "Marigot Bay Beach," as it makes absolutely no sense. The excursion almost certainly is going to Orient Beach, Orient Bay, Orient Bay Beach - all the same thing in this context. No one - at least no cruiser - walks from Orient Beach to Marigot.

 

You could ask them where on Orient Beach, which is 1.3 miles in length - the excursions goes. The ship excursion desk will know where once you get on board, I would think.

 

Orient Beach is NOT a nude beach. The southern part of Orient Beach - where NO cruise ship excursion goes - is a clothing optional beach, which is Club Orient's beach. The cruise ships contract for their ship excursions to go to one of the bigger beach bar/restaurants/beach concessionaires which are well north of the clothing optional beach. I think Waikiki and KKO used to have the most cruise ship deals but La Playa, Bikini, and Kon Tiki may get ship excursions - I do not know. I do not think Coco has ever contracted for ship excursions. Others may be able to correct me.

[DollyJ]

Thank you, I did not think it made any sense at all either; of course, I wonder why they bothered to reply, again, to my original email 2 months later with contradictory info. O well, if I don't like what I get, I'll just make lemonade. :p

 

I appreciate all the info; we really liked St. Martin our last visit and really look forward to returning.