Rental Cars in St. Martin

[cminatl]

My wife and I will be on our first cruise on the Glory 9/13/08. We want to do a lot on St. Martin and are considering a rental car. I am looking for suggestions from some of you experienced cruisers about this option. Looking for ease of getting around and how the rental companies on St. Martin are to deal with. Any help will be appreciated.

[travelbugs]

We were there in June. When we got off of the ship we walked down the pier and at the end and to the right were a few rental agencies. I can't remember the name of the company we used but it was the one all the way to the left ( they are all lined up in a long shack type building). It was $56 for the day. The island is easy to navigate. One thing I would recommend is doing your exploring on the French side first and make your way back to the Dutch side before traffic gets heavy in the afternoon. We've rented every time we've gone (either Vespas or cars) and have never had any trouble with them. Do a thorough walk around and make notes of any dents (we just take pictures with the date and time on the screen) and do the little doodles on the rental picture of the car. Have a wonderful time, there's so much to enjoy there that you can't do on a ship excursion! Have a safe trip! ~Travelbugs

[cminatl]

We were there in June. When we got off of the ship we walked down the pier and at the end and to the right were a few rental agencies. I can't remember the name of the company we used but it was the one all the way to the left ( they are all lined up in a long shack type building). It was $56 for the day. The island is easy to navigate. One thing I would recommend is doing your exploring on the French side first and make your way back to the Dutch side before traffic gets heavy in the afternoon. We've rented every time we've gone (either Vespas or cars) and have never had any trouble with them. Do a thorough walk around and make notes of any dents (we just take pictures with the date and time on the screen) and do the little doodles on the rental picture of the car. Have a wonderful time, there's so much to enjoy there that you can't do on a ship excursion! Have a safe trip! ~Travelbugs

 

I appreciate the info. My wife and I are really excited about the trip.

 

Anyone else have any input?

[138east]

I enjoyed renting a car on St. Martin. However, I felt the need to reserve it ahead. Bad move. I picked the only car company that was not actually right at the port. The internet information is sketchy. The port is never listed as a rental car site. However, they do bring cars over there because they know they can rent them to the cruise passengers.

 

However, if you want a car, you should plan to get off the ship first thing and go and arrange it. Otherwise they might run out.

 

I would go counterclockwise around the island. This means that you get through Phillipsburg first before it gets clogged with traffic. You can wander up to Marigot and then down the east side and stop at Orient Beach. It's easy driving and hard to get lost. No crazy drivers, you drive on the right, and the island is not too hilly with hairpin turns.

 

If you feel you also want to wander around Phillipsburg, I would return the car and take the water taxi over there. You do not want to get caught with a car later in the day downtown - the traffic is gridlock and there is almost no place to park. Add a little tropical heat and it makes for a bad experience.

[The Big Booper]

I would go counterclockwise around the island. This means that you get through Phillipsburg first before it gets clogged with traffic. You can wander up to Marigot and then down the east side and stop at Orient Beach. It's easy driving and hard to get lost. No crazy drivers, you drive on the right, and the island is not too hilly with hairpin turns.

 

I would disagree with this. First of all if you want to you can bypass all the bad Phillipsburg traffic and avoid Front and Back Streets by going to the road along the Great Salt Pond (Pond Fill road). This is the road with the only two traffic lights on the island. A link to an island map showing all the population centers.

 

http://www.sint-maarten.net/St-Maarten-Maps/stmaarten_Maps.html

 

You would make a left on Pondfill and shoot all the way past Phillipsburg and on to Marigot and Maho. After finishing there go up to the north end of the island (by Gran Case) and head to the East Coast and past Orient Beach (worth a stop). Then head back to Philipsburg. If you want to shop you can park in the city lot. Coming down from Orient make a right at Pond Fill and then a left at the first traffic light to the city lot.

 

The clockwise rotation is wiser since you don't want to be at Marigot or Maho in the afternoon when the traffic to get back can be insane (drawbridge and sheer volume). By using Pondfill Road you skirt the crazy traffic in Phillipsburg in all cases.

 

The map at the posted link is the very best map of the island. You get an overall view and a detailed set of town maps.

[SCCAcruiser]

We just got back from a week on St. Maarten, and I would respectfully disagree with ALL of you. Yes, we rented a car for the week, and I have an excellent sense of direction, but the first time that we went to each and every place, we took wrong turns and had to double back. Not at all a problem when you've got a week to explore, but I sure wouldn't want to be wasting time when it's a one day cruise stop.

 

In addition, the roads on St. Maarten are poorly marked and you have to rely on spotting signs on a pole that say, for example, "Marigot >", but that sign will be bunched with six others advertising all of the jewelry stores! As far as maps, the one that you would get from the rental car company is far better than anything on line (trust me, I searched and searched on line before going there), but even that is just "lines" on a page, with no names of roads. Almost anyplace on the island can be reached by taking two (not one, not three!) different paths, but you'll be halfway down one alternative before finding out that it turns into an UNPAVED path for some distance (happened to us when we wanted to explore the second alternative route to the Oyster Bay Beach Resort from Phillipsburg).

 

Please, take my advice (and I'm not one of those timid people), you'll get to see all that this beautiful island has to offer much less stressfully if you hire a driver, rather than renting a car.

[The Big Booper]

The above poster is correct, when you arrive at an intersection look for a sign pointing to a town/area to figure out where you have to go.

 

The map I linked to in my earlier post has detailed town maps of Phillipsburg, Marigot and Gran Case showing every street.

 

My attitude on maps, if I can find 10 different maps I take all ten. Every map has good and bad points. The more info the better.

 

In addition to 10 daily stops on ships we also have stayed on the island several times, a week at a time.l

[kal]

There are very good maps available on the island. It shows every named road. Here is a small section of the map:

 

[travelbugs]

GPS's work there too!

[The Big Booper]

There are very good maps available on the island. It shows every named road. Here is a small section of the map:

 

 

Where did you get this map, KAL?

[gtaylor]

I got mine from a real estate agent while we were looking at island properties.

 

It's great; even has the names of the little steegies downtown.

 

(click)

 

gary

[kal]

I got it at the Shipwreck Shop

[cminatl]

I really appreciate all of the good information. I think this will help me make a good choice when I get to the island. Keep the information coming....

[gtaylor]

Originally Posted by 138east

I would go counterclockwise around the island. This means that you get through Phillipsburg first before it gets clogged with traffic. You can wander up to Marigot and then down the east side and stop at Orient Beach. It's easy driving and hard to get lost. No crazy drivers, you drive on the right, and the island is not too hilly with hairpin turns.

 

 

I would disagree with this. First of all if you want to you can bypass all the bad Phillipsburg traffic and avoid Front and Back Streets by going to the road along the Great Salt Pond (Pond Fill road). This is the road with the only two traffic lights on the island. A link to an island map showing all the population centers.

 

http://www.sint-maarten.net/St-Maarten-Maps/stmaarten_Maps.html

 

You would make a left on Pondfill and shoot all the way past Phillipsburg and on to Marigot and Maho. After finishing there go up to the north end of the island (by Gran Case) and head to the East Coast and past Orient Beach (worth a stop). Then head back to Philipsburg. If you want to shop you can park in the city lot. Coming down from Orient make a right at Pond Fill and then a left at the first traffic light to the city lot.

 

The clockwise rotation is wiser since you don't want to be at Marigot or Maho in the afternoon when the traffic to get back can be insane (drawbridge and sheer volume). By using Pondfill Road you skirt the crazy traffic in Phillipsburg in all cases.

 

The map at the posted link is the very best map of the island. You get an overall view and a detailed set of town maps.

 

Where to begin so that our first time visitors don't get too confused?

 

First off, I believe that the original poster, 138east, simply mis-spoke about the 'counterclockwise' approach. They said the same thing that you did -- get through Philipsburg to Marigot, then down the East side with a stop at Orient.

 

The road along the salt pond is, indeed, known as Pond Fill Road, but the proper name, as indicated on signs and on many maps, is Walter J A Nisbeth Road.

 

As for the two traffic lights, in a word, NO. The second traffic light is long gone. The only remaining light is at the Prinz Bernard Bridge intersection. To get to your Pond Fill road, you don't make a left onto it, leaving the cruise facility. There is a roundabout at that intersection, so you proceed about 75% around the circle to pick up Pond Fill.

 

Shooting over to Maho and/or Marigot are probably two distinct choices that our drivers will need to consider, but we'll leave that open to questions from the possible drivers.

 

Getting back into Philipsburg from Orient, you will (probably - there are two alternative routes) hit that roundabout again to get you onto Pond Fill road. Take the first exit to the right, but after that, there is not a traffic light to alert you, but another roundabout, where, again, you would go about 75% around the circle to get to the (pay) government lot.

 

As an alternative, there are many, perhaps close to 200?, free parking spots along the Salt Pond, before and after the mentioned roundabout. There are even more spots if you turn into the University of St. Maarten area, the first exit from that same roundabout. Even parking out there, it is only about a seven minute walk to Front Street and shopping.

 

Obviously, the linked map is not the very best map of the island, but if you look at the map (on that website) for Philipsburg, you can see the roundabouts that have replaced the traffic lights and turns that you reference.

 

After all of that has been said, I have previously recommended here that first time visitors enjoy the comfort and stressless environment of a taxi or personal tour of the island so that they can kick back with a cold beverage of choice, watching the island go by, asking questions, taking pictures at every opportunity without juggling maps and having to watch for street signs that might not be so obvious. Let someone else worry about the maps and traffic. Just please, don't book a ship's tour!

 

gary

[m steve]

I have stayed on St. Martin 3 times for a week and have visited by cruise ship 5 times and have never had a problem driving around. If you miss aturn, the island is so small you can correct the error and continue. I have found many interesting places just turning off the main roads. As far as renting, I book ahead with Budget (at the pier) and if they don't have my car available there are 5 others who will get me a car. Not all are brand new as on other islands. The small map they give you is fine. The only problem I have is parking in Philipsburg. There is a big lot in town but it's usually filled and street parking is difficult. Not so in Marigot. Plenty of parking near the Port Royale and you can walk from there.

[FL_Cruiser64]

In regards to car rentals:

 

I am a Gold Club Member with Hertz and could use some points for a free rental. The location is listed as Phillipsburg Pier (Airport Road). Phillipsburg Pier sounds great (I sure don't know if we dock there but it sounds like a docking space :D) but I am confused with the "Airport Road" part.

 

Where do cruise ships dock in regards to Airport Road/Phillipsburg Pier?

 

Thanks.

[m steve]

to get to Hertz as it's close to the airport. Be sure that they honor all the benefits of being a gold member. They have a rep of overcharging and not being cooperative. I no longer rent from them.

[FL_Cruiser64]

to get to Hertz as it's close to the airport. Be sure that they honor all the benefits of being a gold member. They have a rep of overcharging and not being cooperative. I no longer rent from them.

 

Thanks. I had no problems with them so far. But regardless of membership and benefits I don't want to waste time to go to and from from the pier on a one day port day.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Have you heard of Empress Rental Car?

[westwingjazz]

You guys...with one day in St. Martin, do I absolutely need a rental car. Can you visit the entire island by foot, cab, etc. Please advise...thanks you guys.

[The Big Booper]

Hertz has a booth right at the pier, along with Budget and 3 local operators. You can reserve on the web and specify "cruise ship pier pickup" in the comment area.

[The Big Booper]

We haven't rented a car here since 2006.I see we missed some changes including my beloved :) traffic lights. The Explorer in 2007 got in after 12 PM so we just cabbed to OB. We will probably rent in Nov off the IOTS since that is an 8-6 stop.

 

Baywatch here we come. Got some new signs for them too!

[FL_Cruiser64]

Hertz has a booth right at the pier, along with Budget and 3 local operators. You can reserve on the web and specify "cruise ship pier pickup" in the comment area.

 

Hey BB. Thanks for that info.

 

I'll reserve it tomorrow.

 

Happy sailings to you.

[TNVolTD]

We have rented from Arthur twice with pleasant experiences and plan to do so again on our next trip. For our first trip to St. Martin, we made reservations with Budget. Many of the booths at the pier are shared by multiple vendors. When we went to the Budget, etc. booth, we were told that the Budget guy hasn't been in for a few days, but that we could rent from him for $x (more than we reserved with Budget). Several of the vendors there were very aggressive pitchmen. We didn't like that experience and went with the suggestion of other CC'ers to try Arthur for our next trip.

 

Arthur's office is not "within" the pier area, but it is a very short walk. Just walk to pier gate, turn right and walk less than 100 yards around the bend. A Google search for Arthur's car rental in St. Martin ought to yield some contact info.

 

Standard disclaimer - no affiliation, just a happy customer.

 

PS - We have found the island quite easy to navigate and always work in some time at the Sunset Beach Bar to watch planes land in the afternoon.

[SCCAcruiser]

Since you've mentioned it, just wanted to let you (and everyone) know that Sunset Beach Bar CLOSED two weeks ago, due to failure to pay approx. ONE MILLION Guilders (same as dollars, essentially) in taxes. A St. Maarten e-news letter that I subscribe to indicates that no doubt, new owners will get it open at some point, but no telling when.

[The Big Booper]

Since you've mentioned it, just wanted to let you (and everyone) know that Sunset Beach Bar CLOSED two weeks ago, due to failure to pay approx. ONE MILLION Guilders (same as dollars, essentially) in taxes. A St. Maarten e-news letter that I subscribe to indicates that no doubt, new owners will get it open at some point, but no telling when.

 

There have been several threads here and on the cruise line boards about this bad news (including one I started). I linked to an article stating that the hotel would put a new operator in immediately.

 

Does anyone who has been there in the last two weeks know what has happened? The SBB website was still functioning a couple days ago.

 

And you can always go there and sit on the deck of the SBB even if it closed to get the elevated angle for the pictures of the plane landings. Or go to the bar on the other side of the beach.