Afternoon tour for 1 pm-8 pm itinerary?

[vabeachfundeals]

We're coming to Phillipsburg on Royal Caribbean on June 8 but the ship is only docked from 1 pm to 8 pm, and all the tours I've found leave in the am. Does anyone have suggestions for afternoon tours to see Maho Bay, Marigot, and Orient Beach? I'd settle from Maho Bay and Marigot if we could figure out how to do it. I've heard the cruise lines are coming in at weird hours like this specifically so people are forced to pay for their expensive excursions.

[mrpayroll]

Tour operators know when your ship arrives and will usually schedule their tours around the arrivals. There will be plenty of tours available at the pier when you are getting off. They aren't going to miss a chance to make some money. :)

[gtaylor]

We're coming to Phillipsburg on Royal Caribbean on June 8 but the ship is only docked from 1 pm to 8 pm, and all the tours I've found leave in the am. Does anyone have suggestions for afternoon tours to see Maho Bay, Marigot, and Orient Beach? I'd settle from Maho Bay and Marigot if we could figure out how to do it. I've heard the cruise lines are coming in at weird hours like this specifically so people are forced to pay for their expensive excursions.

 

If you're thinking of 'Tours' like may be offered through the ship's excursions desk, that you could just walk up and book upon arrival, then I doubt that you'd find much at the Cruise Facility.

 

In fact, I don't remember any Tour Operators at the pier other than those booked through the cruise lines.

 

You can always just walk to Taxi Dispatch and book an island sightseeing tour, or you can just book point-to-point taxis to get to your choice of destinations.

 

For a true island tour with this schedule I would suggest booking a private tour with someone like Joyce Hanley-Prince or perhaps Bernard, but any private tour might be pricy.

 

FYI, if you arrive at 1:00, the earliest you could get to Maho is probably close to 2:00 and most of the bigger planes landing will have already arrived.

 

If you're thinking of Marigot solely to visit Sarafina's, as many do, there are several very nice bakeries on the Dutch side, between Philipsburg and Maho. Consider The Taste Factory, Zee Best and La Sucriere.

 

Orient beach really pretty much starts shutting down around 4:30, so if you're looking for action you might be a little disappointed.

 

gary

 

p.s. Never read anything to support the idea that cruise ships manipulate their schedules to sell excursions onboard.

[Gocuse 44]

We're coming to Phillipsburg on Royal Caribbean on June 8 but the ship is only docked from 1 pm to 8 pm, and all the tours I've found leave in the am. Does anyone have suggestions for afternoon tours to see Maho Bay, Marigot, and Orient Beach? I'd settle from Maho Bay and Marigot if we could figure out how to do it. I've heard the cruise lines are coming in at weird hours like this specifically so people are forced to pay for their expensive excursions.

 

 

I believe Bernard's Tours does an afternoon tour of the island. They have a solid reputation on these boards and on Trip Advisor.

Also, not sure that the cruise lines are coming in at weird hours for any other reason than they have to travel a longer distance to get to the Caribbean (I'm assuming your departing from NJ and not Florida?). We're in St. Maarten with the same time frame as you and have found private tour operators who will take us.

[Life is Good Cruising]

We have done numerous cruises on RCI Explorer of the Seas and had the same time you have in St. Maarten 1-8 pm (ugh). There were times we took Bernard's which would go to Maho first, other times spent the day at Mullet Bay and other times we wouldjust taxi over to Maho for the day. Also enjoyed spending the day in Marigot. Have also done a few RCI excursions. What are you interested in doing for the day, beach, sightseeing, etc?

[Jiffymom]

We are going to rent a car and just go from beach to beach. Well guess I must stop at one bakery. Isn't that a requirement

[Karysa]

We're coming to Phillipsburg on Royal Caribbean on June 8 but the ship is only docked from 1 pm to 8 pm, and all the tours I've found leave in the am. Does anyone have suggestions for afternoon tours to see Maho Bay, Marigot, and Orient Beach? I'd settle from Maho Bay and Marigot if we could figure out how to do it. I've heard the cruise lines are coming in at weird hours like this specifically so people are forced to pay for their expensive excursions.

 

If cruiselines started planning 1-8 pm port stops on all islands the tour company's would start offering their tours to accommodate.

 

I for one would love a noon to 9 stop in St. Maarten. I would then be able to have 2 meals, get to a beach and hit Front St and the boardwalk. That would be the perfect port stop to me.

 

Head straight to Maho as the shops in Marigot are closed in the early afternoon.

[vabeachfundeals]

Thanks for all the recommendations! I contacted Joyce Price and she said she can tailor a tour to our needs and time period. She seems very accommodating and is highly recommended.

 

If anyone has any other must-see's or recommendations for what we should see on the island, I'd appreciate your thoughts!

[Karysa]

Thanks for all the recommendations! I contacted Joyce Price and she said she can tailor a tour to our needs and time period. She seems very accommodating and is highly recommended.

 

If anyone has any other must-see's or recommendations for what we should see on the island, I'd appreciate your thoughts!

 

I love the views from the fort in Marigot and having a cocktail between 5-6 ( happy hour 2 for 1) at the Sunset Cafe in Grand Case.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Karysa

[KelJ]

We are on the same sailing as the OP. We booked Tour #2 through Bernard's. We are getting picked up at 1:30.