Best Shopping Port

[JaniceB]

Where would you prefer to shop St. Thomas or St. Maarten? I doubt I can get my DH to shop both days so I need some help picking my shopping port.

[Uri1961]

I have heard St. Marteen has better shopping.

[JaniceB]

Thank you Uri1961.

[Ashland]

Shopping is great at both ports...St Maarten has more shop style stores and St Thomas has the tent vendors that I personally enjoy. Luckily my DH comes along to carry my loot :D

[mrsfuzzmo]

St. Thomas! My favorite port for shopping...BUT definitely go downtown and not the mall areas by the ship docks. It's a really cool place to wander the back alleys for some wonderful island finds!! There are the standard jewelery shops, perfume shops, T-shirt shops at both, but I've found some really cool "unique" clothing, sandals, artwork, etc. in Charlotte Amalie. My very favorite shopping place.

[blue_water]

We've done both several times and we prefer Philipsburg on St Maarten over Charlotte Amaile on St Thomas just because St Maarten is not as crazy with diamond stores and hawkers trying to get you in. But on St Thomas we do like shopping Tillett Gardens which is a taxi ride from port but great little art and pottery shops there. We also like shopping Cruz Bay on St John, there are great shops there (jewelry, clothing, art and collectibles) and no crowds like in CA. However if your idea of shopping is looking for cheap jewelry then St Thomas is your port.

If you do shop St Maarten you can still hit the stores that are at the St Thomas dock as well.

Good Luck!

[JaniceB]

I figured one day of shopping for my DH will be enough and a great idea to hit the port in St. Thomas. I can send him to the ship and shop till the ship leaves, hopefully with me on it!:)

[pbrady]

St. Martin hands down. Having been on both over 20 times, there is no comparison for me. If you are not talking jewelry, prices are much better in St. Martin. All the souvenir type stuff much cheaper; liquor much cheaper, we don't smoke but our neighbor does ($36 St Thomas & $17 in St. Martin).... Don't forget St. Thomas is a US port so prices are US. However, because it is US, you can buy more there (under the Duty). I agree about the jewelry hawkers in St. Thomas. There are some in St. Martin but not in front of every store. As for jewelry prices, you have to fine the people you are comfortable with. My only advice is to deal with the private jewelry stores where the owner is there & has the authority to deal. We have one store on St. Thomas & one on St. Martin we use exclusively. The St. Martin one is by far my favorite & and has been good to us for over 15 years. Last bit of advice, shop, shop & shop, do not buy right away. The prices vary greatly on the same items. If you shop for souvenir type stuff in St. Martin, try Rimas. It is a few block walk, but worth the savings.

[satbeachbill]

Bad news for Rimas. They are closing in September. :mad: What jewelry store do you favor in St Maarten? We frequently shop at Dazzling Gems and Ballerina.

[JaniceB]

Wow, Rima's is closing. Do you know the reason?

[sail7seas]

St. Maarten IMO

St. Thomas shopping has diminished greatly through the years.

[satbeachbill]

Wow, Rima's is closing. Do you know the reason?

 

I thought I read something about Rimas going into the wholesale distribution side of things, and closing the retail store. Supposed to be mid September as I recall.

 

I see you are cruising on the Dream 2 weeks before us, same itinerary. Good choice!

[JaniceB]

My friend spends 4 weeks in St. Maarten and always visits Rimas, she will be upset.

 

The Dream sailing I am on has been a very good choice, many price drops too.

[pbrady]

Satbeachbill - We have shopped at Royal Jewelers on Front St for probably 16 to 18 years. About 10 to 12 years ago we bought a tanzanite & diamond bracelet from them & when we got home, wore it once, and noticed one tanzanite and one diamond missing. I emailed them. They had me mail it & they replaced the stones and re-did all the settings - no charge. They are privately owned and everything I have bought from them has appraised here for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times as much in the States. We have been more than happy with them & now won't shop anywhere else. I even buy all my daughters Christmas gifts there now. If it is the wrong size, or not quite what they want (one is super picky), no problem, bring it on your next trip. I bought their Christmas presents there in February but will be giving it to them at Thanksgiving because we are going on a family cruise that week & just in case we need sizing, color change... we will be stopping there anyway.

I do love St. Martin but I am very sorry to see Rima's is closing.

[JaniceB]

Making a note of Royal Jewelers. I am trying to decide what I want for my christmas present on our November cruise.;)

[satbeachbill]

Making a note of Royal Jewelers. I am trying to decide what I want for my christmas present on our November cruise.;)

I know what you mean. We usually take a hand towel with us to wipe the our drool off the displays from looking at all offerings. :D We could spend the whole day just going from one jewelry store to the next.

[JaniceB]

Love it!:cool:

[blue_water]

Making a note of Royal Jewelers. I am trying to decide what I want for my christmas present on our November cruise.;)

 

Just do some "research shopping" at home before your cruise to get a good sense of the quality you will be buying in CA. The unhappy buyers are those who do not understand (until later) what they are buying for the price point.

You can find quality at some stores for sure, but buyer beware.

We've only been buying in the Caribbean for 13 yrs and Cardows is the store we have come to trust when in STT. You will find yours over the years too.

[JaniceB]

Thank you blue water. I usually do not buy jewelry when we are on a cruise. I have a few things I want this time, so since it is so close to Christmas I may splurge. I will make a note of Cardows.

[PeanutBudder]

Satbeachbill - We have shopped at Royal Jewelers on Front St for probably 16 to 18 years. About 10 to 12 years ago we bought a tanzanite & diamond bracelet from them & when we got home, wore it once, and noticed one tanzanite and one diamond missing. I emailed them. They had me mail it & they replaced the stones and re-did all the settings - no charge. They are privately owned and everything I have bought from them has appraised here for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times as much in the States. We have been more than happy with them & now won't shop anywhere else. I even buy all my daughters Christmas gifts there now. If it is the wrong size, or not quite what they want (one is super picky), no problem, bring it on your next trip. I bought their Christmas presents there in February but will be giving it to them at Thanksgiving because we are going on a family cruise that week & just in case we need sizing, color change... we will be stopping there anyway.

I do love St. Martin but I am very sorry to see Rima's is closing.

 

Thank you...making a note...its our 10th anniversary...I foresee a nice anniversary present. :)