Be careful with water taxi's!

[redridinghood123]

We've just got back from Ventura and had a rather stressful time getting back to the ship in St Maarten!

 

We bought a return ticket on a water taxi into town as it was a rainy day and we just wanted to go for a walk and a drink. We were due back to the ship at 5.30 and so we checked what time the boat's ran until (they said 5.30). As the ship was in sight and not very far, we left it until 5 to return to the ship. We got to the jetty to catch the taxi back but they had stopped running, thankfully there was someone nearby who shouted over to us that we should jump into a cab. We made it back to the ship in time (just!) but were very annoyed that we had to pay another fare and there was not even a notice to say the water taxi's had stpped. The weather was not so bad to justify them stopping, so my advice would be to not risk the water taxi's in St Maarten.

[Aplmac]

Don't you think you left it a bit late?

to wait until the very last moment 5 p.m to make your exit?

 

I wouldn't have done that

but then I live in these islands and take nothing they say too seriously

particularly things involving reliability or punctuality

- or shutting the shop early, becoz it's been a slow day

and/or they just feel like it! :)

 

 

 

People, there's nothing wrong with the water taxi!

 

If you want to spend that much time on the island

I suggest you book yourself a one-week stay in a hotel

where you don't have to be back on no darned ship

by any particular time!

[redridinghood123]

Gosh some of you people on here are bloody rude!

 

I was simply relaying my experience in the hope of helping others, this has happened in another thread where basically I've been insulted because my views don't fit in with someone elses.

 

I worked on the ships for 6 months and I never had a bad expereince with unreliability of taxis before, this was a unfortunate experience that I don't want anyone else to have.

[Hurry&Wait]

I don't think the prior poster (Aplmac) was rude but was actually realistic. I thought the same thing when I read your post.

 

He just pointed out that 'island time' maybe somewhat different than the time the rest of us are used to. Nothing rude about it.

 

I think it was very nice of someone to help you out and think quickly enough to use a taxi to get back to your ship. I will stick with the 4:00 taxi for a 5:30 sail away;)

[lancashire_cruisers]

I think little red riding hood is referring to me:D. There I was at lunchtime munching on a sandwich and doing some research for my upcoming Caribbean cruise and what do I find? Three separate ports of call in a row (St Lucia, St Maarten and Tortola) where the poster apparently had a 'terrible' time:eek:.

 

I merely asked if the poster worked in the tours office whilst a crew member;).

 

I apologise for any offence I may have caused the dolphins in Tortola by referring to them as 'fishy'.

 

Debbie:)

[Hurry&Wait]

Debbie, How dare you refer to your fellow mammal/dolphin as "fishy":)

 

I am sure that's what set the OP off and certainly ruined her entire 3 port experience;)

 

Have a great upcoming cruise.

 

Kenny

[Karysa]

Gosh some of you people on here are bloody rude!

 

I was simply relaying my experience in the hope of helping others, this has happened in another thread where basically I've been insulted because my views don't fit in with someone elses.

 

I worked on the ships for 6 months and I never had a bad expereince with unreliability of taxis before, this was a unfortunate experience that I don't want anyone else to have.

 

I think it was your title that made the claws come out. Perhaps if you would have offered some advise on how to avoid being put in the position that you found yourself in people would have been more open to your situation and your post.

[Langley Cruisers]

...my advice would be to not risk the water taxi's in St Maarten.

 

Sorry you had a stressful time with the water taxi, but I feel your experience is no reason to condemn the whole system. Our time on the water taxi in St. Maarten was wonderful, no complaints. Sorry but I agree, you did leave it too late and you cut it way too close. St. Maarten is great - hope you won't think twice about going back, but you have to remember that Island time is a bit slower. You need to leave more than 30 minutes to get back to your ship (obviously, you know that now).

[Aplmac]

.

Play nicely, children! :)

 

 

.

[Spurs Fans]

I will keep my mouth shut! :D

[island pat]

I have never had a problem with the water taxi..its is the way I will get to the mainland this January

[gtaylor]

This makes no sense.

 

When you get off the ship and walk off the pier, you are already on the 'mainland', the island.

 

The Water Taxi would take you from one point there to another, still all on the island, or the 'mainland'.

 

gary

[cruiseawaits]

this makes no sense.

 

When you get off the ship and walk off the pier, you are already on the 'mainland', the island.

 

The water taxi would take you from one point there to another, still all on the island, or the 'mainland'.

 

Gary

 

and exactly what is the point of your being so critical?

[Aplmac]

Play nicely, children!

 

.

[FLACRUISER99]

We've just got back from Ventura and had a rather stressful time getting back to the ship in St Maarten!

 

We bought a return ticket on a water taxi into town as it was a rainy day and we just wanted to go for a walk and a drink. We were due back to the ship at 5.30 and so we checked what time the boat's ran until (they said 5.30). As the ship was in sight and not very far, we left it until 5 to return to the ship. We got to the jetty to catch the taxi back but they had stopped running, thankfully there was someone nearby who shouted over to us that we should jump into a cab. We made it back to the ship in time (just!) but were very annoyed that we had to pay another fare and there was not even a notice to say the water taxi's had stpped. The weather was not so bad to justify them stopping, so my advice would be to not risk the water taxi's in St Maarten.

Is it possible that "Ships Time" and Island time was 1 hour different?

[hylasgirl]

While it is simply fine to state your experience, it's another to advise people of not using the water taxi. Many people use these all the time and with success.

[Aplmac]

I was just there (again!) on Dec. 3rd.

to discover there's a second water taxi service now in operation!

 

 

The new guys run yellow boats, so with some competition now in place

maybe the time thing will be taken a bit more seriously? ;)

 

 

.

[not2old]

Good Grief folks, the point isn't the number of water taxis, it's all about time! While it's nice to linger somewhere until the last minute, you must plan accordingly, especially in an area that has a slower, relaxed lifestyle! (Island residents probably never get stomach ulcers! :-) The moral here is, never wait til the last minute to return to your ship, or you might be the next person on YouTube climbing up a rope ladder!

[Stacey779]

I was just there (again!) on Dec. 3rd.

to discover there's a second water taxi service now in operation!

 

The new guys run yellow boats, so with some competition now in place

maybe the time thing will be taken a bit more seriously? ;).

 

This is good info. Do you know if they run back and forth to the same places as the other water taxi service? Also, do they have the same prices as the other one? Thanks!

[Aplmac]

This is good info.

Do you know if they run back and forth

to the same places as the other water taxi service? ===> Yes.

Also, do they have the same prices as the other one?

The yellow water taxis were running parallel routes to us in the blue boats

that much I can tell you

- they were stopping where we stopped,etc.

(there's only 3 water taxi docks available to any service!

- soon to be 4.. )

 

 

As for what they charge, I should imagine it's the same $6 return/all-day fare

but cannot be at all sure of that.

 

Maybe someone who's used the Yellows recently can verify?

.

[Stacey779]

The yellow water taxis were running parallel routes to us in the blue boats

that much I can tell you

- they were stopping where we stopped,etc.

(there's only 3 water taxi docks available to any service!

- soon to be 4.. )

 

 

As for what they charge, I should imagine it's the same $6 return/all-day fare

but cannot be at all sure of that.

 

Maybe someone who's used the Yellows recently can verify?

.

 

Thanks so much! We'll just check the prices when we get there. It's good to have choices. :)

[mercedesmom]

We will be in St Maarten on March 31, 2010:D and my biggest concern is that there will be 6 other ships in port that day with over 10,000 visitors:eek:I think I would like to go to the beach, should I take the water taxi or venture to a different beach via ground taxi:confused:

[Karysa]

We will be in St Maarten on March 31, 2010:D and my biggest concern is that there will be 6 other ships in port that day with over 10,000 visitors:eek:I think I would like to go to the beach, should I take the water taxi or venture to a different beach via ground taxi:confused:

 

So many beaches and too little time given that you're only in St, Maarten for one day to spend it at Great Bay beach. I vote, venture to a different beach!

[The Big Booper]

We will be in St Maarten on March 31, 2010:D and my biggest concern is that there will be 6 other ships in port that day with over 10,000 visitors:eek:I think I would like to go to the beach, should I take the water taxi or venture to a different beach via ground taxi:confused:

 

Orient Beach. And don't hang out at Bikini Beach Bar or Kontiki Beach Bar, that is where the cruise ship tours deposit their masses.

[dvan68]

Orient Beach. And don't hang out at Bikini Beach Bar or Kontiki Beach Bar, that is where the cruise ship tours deposit their masses.

 

Can you recommend another area? Is there any snorkeling available at Orient?

 

Thanks!