A Great Time on the Explorer, without breaking the bank….…..

[johneeo]

Question: does the Junior Suite on the Explorer have a coffee maker or hot water kettle?

 

teddie

 

Ours did.

 

Don't know if it worked, as we never used it.:rolleyes:

[yankeechick78]

We are doing this cruise in June....the shuttle....would it be difficult for an older person with a cane to get onto the shuttle? We are taking my 72 year old mother (and father...but question is about my mother). They must have some strategy for handling mobility issues....but maybe it won't be an issue.

 

The steps to the bus were quite high, but there are people around so they will help her on the shuttle.

[lovelife]

Thanks for your review. Can't wait for my turn in March.

 

Were tickets required for the ice skating show or did you just show up?

[yogimax]

 

Note: our GPS did not get us to the Pier. It tried to take us down a road that has closed….

 

 

 

Ha! Map Quest also didn't work. It took us to a dead end street in the middle of Bayonne!

[Bakrubb1]

Hi. We are driving up from VA. Can you give me a heads up on parking at the cruise parking lot. Cost Transport from lot to ship. etc.

Thanks :) :):)

[johneeo]

Hi. We are driving up from VA. Can you give me a heads up on parking at the cruise parking lot. Cost Transport from lot to ship. etc.

Thanks :) :):)

 

$19 per day.

 

Here is the web site for the cruise terminal info.

[sugarking]

Although there is a step to get on the bus, the bus has a ramp that the driver lowers and you can easily on. Also, I have a scooter and the bus is accessible.

[The P]

Yes, a cruise ship is quite different than a restaurant on land. You call a land restaurant and request a table for two on a Saturday night, you might get the response they are booked, go find another restaurant.

 

As for lunch and breakfast in the MDR, I have really never done it. But, knowing the logistics, imagine 500 people showing up for breakfast with the attitude they were all going to get a table for two and would accept nothing else.

Luckily in both scenarios, there will be other places to get a meal. Nobody goes hungry from a lack of restaurants on or off a cruise ship. I'm looking forward to checking out all the eating "establishments" on the Explorer. The pix I've seen of the dining room are beautiful!

[NoName]

#1 We did have a coffee pot in our cabin. We do not drink coffee so we never attempted to use it

 

#2 Regarding taking the bus back from Sunset beach bar back to the ship. When we were ready to leave, we simply crossed back over the road and waited for a bus to come by. When we saw a bus, we asked if he was heading back to "back street" he said, "yes" and we jumped on. The bus ride took about 45 minutes. Probably only about 5 minutes of this time was for stops.

 

#3 How to get to "front street" in St. Maarten....there are two ways to get there. One way is to take the short shuttle ferry from the pier. I did this a few years ago before I realized what a short walk it is to town....now I save my money and walk. I don't remember how much the ferry is, I think something like 5 dollars a person????someone else will respond i am sure. However, if you can handle a 10 minute walk..just walk past the taxi stands to the first main road you come to. turn left and keep walking until you get to town. You will go past a bike rental shop...a little road side food vendor etc. Once you get to town ask a local how to get to "back street"...it is literally just one street over...this is where you pick up the bus.

 

#3 Number of ships that were in St. Marrten when we were in port. I can't remember for sure, but my husband said there were a total of 4 ships in port. i just remember it being busy....

 

#4 parking own car....the cost was 19 dollars per day. You don't need transportation from parking to the ship....you just walk a few yards to check in. Just a hint, try to park as close to the fence as possible. You want to park as close to where you drop off your luggage as possible. This made it VERY easy to get back to our car after the cruise....(when you are fully loaded down with luggage!)

 

#5 regarding the free trolley in San Juan and someone with limited mobility....This is the third time I have enjoyed the free trolley. I have never used the "enclosed" bus like trolley because I enjoy the open air for taking pictures and a nice breeze...If a person is able to walk up one step, I think they would be able to get on and off the open air trolley. The drivers are really good about being patient with us tourists...so if it takes an extra minute or two...no big deal. I would bet the bus like trolley would be more difficult as he/she would have to walk down a traditional aisle....but I have no experience with this

 

#6 Tickets were required for the ice show. This really sucked having to remember to go wait in the line for tickets...but it was only a minor annoyance and the show was worth the wait.

 

Hope I didn't miss anyone's question...if so...let me know!

 

Kim

[av8tr21]

Our plans for St. Maarten were to go to Maho beach and see the planes coming in. However, hoping to save a few bucks, we decided to skip the local taxis and take the bus. We simply walked over to back street and asked the 1st bus we came to if that bus went to Maho. He said yes, so we jumped in. The fee for the bus is $2.00 a person, the total trip cost us only 12 dollars round trip! Can't beat that. The walk was easy and enjoyable. He dropped us off right across the road from Maho beach. the trip was about 40 minutes and the bus stopped a few times on the way.

 

We had lunch at the Sunset beach bar. My 18 was excited because the drinking age is 18. So he ordered a Miami Vice and really enjoyed it! the portion sizes are quite large at this bar. My husband and I shared a burger and fries and had plenty of food. My son had a HOT DOG! He hadn't yet found these on the ship and was excited to have one....(I know...kids....)

 

Watching these planes come in was amazing. I would highly recommend making a trip over to see Maho at least once in your life. Oh, and it was a pretty cheap day. The bus costs total 12 dollars round trip. Our lunch and drink tab for the afternoon was $40.00 + 10 dollar tip made our grand total $62.00 for 3 people to have a GREAT time.

 

We stayed until about 1:30 and then headed back. We were able to see 1 huge jet land and many smaller ones. Oh, I almost forgot...the beach bar has a speaker that allows you to hear all of the communications between the planes and the control tower...again real cool...

 

Also, for those of you who smoke....(I don't but I was a mule for my sister). A carton of Marlboro Lights 100 is $18.00.....I guess they are almost $100 a carton in NY......

 

Here's a real cost savings tip: Quit Smoking!:)

 

I'm going to St. Maarten in May basically to hang out at Maho Beach for a long weekend. I'm a private pilot and commercial aviation fanatic! Nice to see someone head there from a cruise to spend the day!

[NoName]

I'm going to St. Maarten in May basically to hang out at Maho Beach for a long weekend. I'm a private pilot and commercial aviation fanatic! Nice to see someone head there from a cruise to spend the day!

 

My son has spent hours and hours on Microsoft flight simulator.....so he loved hearing the communication between the pilots and the tower. He would explain to us what all of the "code' talk meant. I am not a plane enthusiast, however I still found this to be a WONDERFUL day.

 

I would go back....good lunch...good food...sandy beach...and cool planes just above your head!

 

Kim

[teddie]

On our past cruise in Sept/Oct we were in a JS and had both a tea kettle & coffee maker. The only problem with the coffee maker is that they gave you the right size coffee pods for decaf coffee but they gave you the bigger size (almost 4-cup) coffee pods things for regular coffee. If you liked to make your own I would suggest the sensio pods to use.

 

Pat

 

Thanks for this info, Pat. I've been considering bringing my plastic french press maker, but only if I can get really hot water for the brewing. I've gone back and forth on this topic, since I'll have a coffee pot to wash out :( , but it makes such a good cup of coffee.

 

I may just bring the Senseo pods in case I am feeling extra lazy....

 

Teddie

[Goof3]

Our plans for St. Maarten were to go to Maho beach and see the planes coming in. However, hoping to save a few bucks, we decided to skip the local taxis and take the bus. We simply walked over to back street and asked the 1st bus we came to if that bus went to Maho. He said yes, so we jumped in. The fee for the bus is $2.00 a person, the total trip cost us only 12 dollars round trip! Can't beat that. The walk was easy and enjoyable. He dropped us off right across the road from Maho beach. the trip was about 40 minutes and the bus stopped a few times on the way.

 

 

This is exactly what we want to do in St. Maarten. Did they take US$ on the bus and at the restaurant?

 

Thanks for a great review and great tips!

[NoName]

This is exactly what we want to do in St. Maarten. Did they take US$ on the bus and at the restaurant?

 

Thanks for a great review and great tips!

 

 

Yes...all US $ on bus and restaurant.

 

Kim