Will we have enough time?

[dltaeg]

I know this isn't the easiest question to answer but here goes.

 

We dock at Saint Maarten at 8am

 

Our excursions to Maho beach is from 10.30am - 2.45pm

 

Our ship leaves at 5pm

Now I have a huge thing for visiting Hard Rock Cafe's and have just learnt there is one at Saint Maarten about a 20min walk from the port (there is the taxi/ water taxi option too).

Do you think we will have enough time AFTER our excursion to visit the Hard Rock Cafe?? I'll be gutted if we don't get to visit but don't want to miss our ship either.

[drunkfish3]

I guess it depends on what time you actually get back from Maho. 

[schmeed]

The all aboard will be 4 or 4:30pm.  Take a taxi directly from Maho to the Hard Rock, then back to the port.  If you booked an excursion through RCI, grab a taxi when you get back.  I wouldn't recommend walking it given you won't have a lot of time.

[Merion_Mom]

24 minutes ago, dltaeg said:

I know this isn't the easiest question to answer but here goes.

 

We dock at Saint Maarten at 8am

 

Our excursions to Maho beach is from 10.30am - 2.45pm

 

Our ship leaves at 5pm

Now I have a huge thing for visiting Hard Rock Cafe's and have just learnt there is one at Saint Maarten about a 20min walk from the port (there is the taxi/ water taxi option too).

Do you think we will have enough time AFTER our excursion to visit the Hard Rock Cafe?? I'll be gutted if we don't get to visit but don't want to miss our ship either.

 

8 minutes ago, schmeed said:

The all aboard will be 4 or 4:30pm.  Take a taxi directly from Maho to the Hard Rock, then back to the port.  If you booked an excursion through RCI, grab a taxi when you get back.  I wouldn't recommend walking it given you won't have a lot of time.

 

No, the all aboard will be at 4:30.  (not "4 or 4:30")

[kernow]

The walk from the ship to Hard Rock is a lot longer than 20 mins. We were there last Nov, DH is also a big Hard Rock fan and has to visit wherever we go. Hard Rock is a couple of minutes walk from the Water taxi drop off on the beach. If it were me I would skip the excursion, get a taxi to Maho and then leave earlier in a taxi to Hard Rock. You can then get back to the ship on the water taxi. 

[schmeed]

15 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

 

No, the all aboard will be at 4:30.  (not "4 or 4:30")

 

Well, you are stating that based on experience and past history, but the captain can change it if needed...so I think it would be more appropriate to say "in all likelihood it will be 4:30pm".  🙂

[hancock]

Take the water taxi into town, walk straight back to Back Street.(It's the street behind Front Street)  Catch a bus (it's a van marked to Maho or Mullet Bay.)  Enjoy Maho.  Catch a bus/van back to P'Burg.  walk to Hard Rock then back to water taxi.  Much cheaper day than taking the tour.

[mets123]

Most excursion operators will give up the option of dropping you off near front street, or take you back to the ship. If they don't, ask. A small tip should do the trick. Hard Rock is right on the water and two minutes to the ferry. The ride back is five minutes and costs $7.00.

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, mets123 said:

Most excursion operators will give up the option of dropping you off near front street, or take you back to the ship. If they don't, ask. A small tip should do the trick. 

I was going to say this same thing. 

If you're just not comfortable doing Maho on your own, ask if they'll drop you off in town instead of at the ship.  Then it's an easy taxi or watertaxi ride back to the ship.

[SRF]

Cancel your excursion.

 

Take bus/taxi to Maho for a while, then to Hard Rock.

 

If you would rather book ahead, try Bernard's tours.   See if they will do a custom tour for you.

[island lady]

We had full tally of huge ships during the last visit to St. Maarten.  Trying to board the water taxi was a nightmare, both ways.  Long, long line of people waiting for the taxis.  I would count that fact in, in case same thing with your cruise  visit, if you decide to use the water taxi. Gets especially busy later in the afternoon with pax trying to get back before final boarding.  We had several pax that came close to being left behind.  It was nuts in port.  

[mets123]

Use cruisecal.com to see how many ships are scheduled to be in port that day, or just take notice when you arrive. If just 2 of 3 ships you  be fine.

[TinkBellaMom]

This is just my opinion but I think 2 hrs at Maho is long enough.  It was so crowded when we were there a few months ago, hardly enough room to put down a towel on the beach.

We took the water taxi to town and grabbed a taxi, the driver took us to Maho and arranged to come back for us in 2 hours.  He brought us back to the ship, skipping the water taxi.  You could negotiate a ride from Maho to the Hard Rock.  We have found that if you negotiate with the taxi drivers beforehand they are very accommodating.  Our day cost us $32.00 including tip.

 

[not-enough-cruising]

Cancel

yoir excursion and do Mahonon your own at your own pace, taxi direct  to HRC from Maho at an appropriate time. 

[beerme1]

1 hour ago, TinkBellaMom said:

This is just my opinion but I think 2 hrs at Maho is long enough.  It was so crowded when we were there a few months ago, hardly enough room to put down a towel on the beach.

 

 

Two hours at Maho is plenty to me as there are so many beaches that are much better than Maho. Maho to me at least is for a drink and plane watching more than enjoying the beach but like you, that is just my opinion. The drop off was severe and you better be a good swimmer if you go in the water at Maho as it goes from knee deep to real deep in a second and we weren't comfortable with that.

 

One thing to watch out for at SXM is ship time vs local time and when we were there Maho was our last stop and the driver was concerned about leaving early enough to beat the drawbridge. If we don't get out before the drawbridge we won't make our ship he told us. We made the bridge and I have no idea if it still the same way now or not. 

But our tour left before us at the start due to a misunderstanding on the time. It was a new tour and booked on Viator but they made up for it and made our day great!

We did Orient and Maho that day. I can't wait to return in December.

[dltaeg]

Thanks so much for all the replies.

 

We have already booked the Maho excursion but we are looking at cancelling it and trying to book a taxi.

 

There is 6 in our party so we can't really just jump in one.

[kernow]

Lots of the taxis are vans so you will all fit in one. There is a stand in the area where you leave the ship that will be filling vans to go to Maho.