St Kitts or St Maarten beach day?

[k1koala]

We are going with a large group and are only choosing one of these 2 as our beach day... the group wants to do the beach excursion on st kitts for like $55pp, is it worth it?

My question is, if my daughter and I want to do our own beach day, which port would be the best beach day? And should we go on our own or through RCL??

Thanks for your help, its our first cruise with them and this itinerary.

[Clarea]

We go to Cockleshell Beach on St. Kitts on our own (not a cruise line excursion), and it is much less than $55 per person. Beautiful beach with a view of Nevis in the distance and an picturesque taxi ride.

[dcgrumpy]

We go to Cockleshell Beach on St. Kitts on our own (not a cruise line excursion), and it is much less than $55 per person. Beautiful beach with a view of Nevis in the distance and an picturesque taxi ride.

ITA

 

We paid about $40 including tip each way for 5 of us this past August.

Edited February 18, 2016 by dcgrumpy

[niko40]

I wouldn't use the RCI excursion $55 is a rip off you can get local taxis for about $9 - $12 each on both islands as to which island you choose to do your beach day on is really down to what you want best thing to do is check beaches out on internet and decide.

 

If you want a bar and aeroplanes landing over your head go to Maho Beach St maarteen or if you want nice white sand and nice bars go to Orient beach

 

St Kitts I like Shipwreck beach bar great bar and restaurant and you can see the monkeys and mongooses beach is black sand but its pretty and you can get beds and umbrella's for about $10

 

This is just my opinion before I'm shot down lol:)

[Clarea]

ITA

 

We paid about $40 each way for 5 of us this past August.

So that's about $16 per person, round trip.

 

You can get two loungers and an umbrella for $20, so that's another $10 per person.

 

So around $26 per person to do Cockleshell on your own.

Edited February 18, 2016 by clarea

[DonnaK]

On St Maarten, there is a beach within walking distance of the ship (or you can take the water taxi for a few dollars). It may not be the most gorgeous beach in the Caribbean, but it's still fun, and the main shopping district runs directly behind the beach, so you can combine some shopping time with your beach time. There is an interesting Catholic church right on the beach too.

[DaddyBytes]

Here is what I like to do in St. Maarten. A mix of everything.

 

- Take a taxi to Mullet Bay Beach ($10pp one way)

- Spend approx 3 hours at Mullet Bay. Love the beach and quieter vibe of Mullet. You can rent lounges and an umbrella there if you like. There is also a place to get food and drinks (Rosie's). There is a bit of coral on the left side where you can snorkel and see a few fish (not much though).

- Walk from Mullet Bay to Maho beach. About a 10 minute walk.

- Have a drink or two and watch a few planes land at Maho. (About 30-45 mins)

- Take a taxi from Maho to Phillipsburg ($9pp one way)

- Check out some shops, walk the boardwalk, have a drink, snack, and enjoy the views of Great Bay. Maybe connect to wifi quickly.

- Then walk back to ship (about 10-15mins) or take water taxi back ($5pp one way).

 

Note: You could also cut costs a bit by taking the bus instead of taxi. $2pp and they are almost as quick as a taxi.

 

You can get more details on all of this at St Maarten Forum

Edited February 18, 2016 by DaddyBytes

[sg4crzn]

DaddyBytes that sounds like a great plan. Thanks. I'm filing that for future reference.

[cb at sea]

No need to book excursions for beach days!!!!

[George C]

No need to book excursions for beach days!!!!

 

I agree

 

We always do orient beach every time we do St Marten, less than 10 each way for taxi, great beach with loads of restaurants and bars, can rent umbrella and chairs also.

[Russ Lomas]

Here is what I like to do in St. Maarten. A mix of everything.

 

- Take a taxi to Mullet Bay Beach ($10pp one way)

- Spend approx 3 hours at Mullet Bay. Love the beach and quieter vibe of Mullet. You can rent lounges and an umbrella there if you like. There is also a place to get food and drinks (Rosie's). There is a bit of coral on the left side where you can snorkel and see a few fish (not much though).

- Walk from Mullet Bay to Maho beach. About a 10 minute walk.

- Have a drink or two and watch a few planes land at Maho. (About 30-45 mins)

- Take a taxi from Maho to Phillipsburg ($9pp one way)

- Check out some shops, walk the boardwalk, have a drink, snack, and enjoy the views of Great Bay. Maybe connect to wifi quickly.

- Then walk back to ship (about 10-15mins) or take water taxi back ($5pp one way).

 

Note: You could also cut costs a bit by taking the bus instead of taxi. $2pp and they are almost as quick as a taxi.

 

You can get more details on all of this at St Maarten Forum

We have done almost the exact thing as listed above. It was a fantastic day. Loved Mullet Bay which was relatively quiet and beautiful. Got the excitement of Maho without being stuck there the entire day in the crowds (definitely worth seeing though close up). Still had a couple hours to shop in Phillipsburg or just enjoy Great Bay with the kids, which is right there part of town, while the wife did some shopping steps away from us at we enjoyed the 3rd beach of the day.

[ToddMnIT]

On St Maarten, there is a beach within walking distance of the ship (or you can take the water taxi for a few dollars). It may not be the most gorgeous beach in the Caribbean, but it's still fun, and the main shopping district runs directly behind the beach, so you can combine some shopping time with your beach time. There is an interesting Catholic church right on the beach too.

 

Can you swim in Great Bay? I keep seeing posts saying the water there is polluted, but then I see pictures with people in the water.

Edited February 18, 2016 by MNCoolDad

[DaddyBytes]

Can you swim in Great Bay? I keep seeing posts saying the water there is polluted, but then I see pictures with people in the water.

 

I will not swim in it. See this and this.

 

Much more discussion on this in the St Maarten forum

[DonnaK]

Can you swim in Great Bay? I keep seeing posts saying the water there is polluted, but then I see pictures with people in the water.

WE've always swam there. Sometimes there is a lot of sea grass, so I like to wear water shoes, but I never saw a pollution warning any time I was there.

[Firefighterhoop]

I'm not really a beach person, but I still do love the Airport (maho) beach in St. Maarten. Well worth the time if you have never been there.

[MattInFLL]

Since this is all subjective opinion :) - St Maarten is a better shopping/ sightseeing port than a beach day.

 

St Kitts has some beautiful beaches, and I was not as impressed by the other sights and shopping area.

 

But it's all subjective.

 

You should also check out the Ports of Call boards on here for the locals from each island who give advice.

 

Also, for those who may not have been to St Maarten in a while, the Maho beach is basically gone as far as a beach goes (or at least it was this past Fall). People were either going to the bar over there or taking a boat excursion that sits under the landing path.

Edited February 18, 2016 by MattInFLL

[k1koala]

Thank you all for the information!! I will put it all together for a great plan :)

it seemed like a lot of money for a RCL beach day!

[whitshel]

IMHO St Martin beaches are way better than St Kitts. We found the beaches in St Kitts more like here in San Diego, nice but not that OMG!! I agree with the Mullet bay, absolutely awesome!! A few pics

 

 

 

 

[DJLDRUMS]

Absolutely right...St. Maarten's beaches beat St. Kitt's . Orient beach is a couple of miles long and for $20.00 you can rent 2 lounge chairs and an umbrella. While on the Sugar Cane Train in St. Kitt's we went along the sides of the hills and the guide told us that the Atlantic side of the island...no one including the locals go to any beaches there because how rough and unpredictable the water is. However on the Caribbean side the water is calmer and the choice of many.

But...my choice is the French side of St. Maarten.

[riclop]

We are going with a large group and are only choosing one of these 2 as our beach day... the group wants to do the beach excursion on st kitts for like $55pp, is it worth it?

My question is, if my daughter and I want to do our own beach day, which port would be the best beach day? And should we go on our own or through RCL??

Thanks for your help, its our first cruise with them and this itinerary.

 

We love St Maarten.

[jes Scott]

St kitts - Carambola Beach Club is awesome. we will be taking a taxi there for the day in 2 weeks (we went there last year as well) it does get a bit busy, so this time we have emailed them for reservations (found them on Facebook) so we have chairs and beach bed reserved. I also loved their food. Some people have said they thought it was too high...we thought prices were fine for excellent food. We paid about the same in St Martins for some pretty sub par shrimp.

one of my fav beaches.

 

[queenL]

Of all the places I've travelled to, I believe that St. Maarten has among the most beautiful beaches. If you've never been to a beach in St Maarten... I'd do that. Orient is my favorite.

[MattInFLL]

Like I said. It's all subjective. :) for me there are so many other options of great things to do in St Maarten. While on St Kitts I just didn't find that to be the case. If one day was going to just be beach I'd still choose st Kitts. It's a Caribbean island. It's not like the beach will be bad :)

[Keith1010]

You can easily do beach days on your own at both of these ports.

 

Keith

[k1koala]

Whitshel, are those pictures from Mullet Bay Beach?? They are beautiful!! I dont know why our TA (part of our party) is booking a beach day on St Kitts and not St Maarten???!!