Something strange is going on with Taxi service from the Cruise Facility

[gtaylor]

:confused: Don't know for sure what is happening, but will continue to monitor.

 

Article

 

AIRPORT:— Several tourists were seen stranded and making noise on Thursday afternoon when they could not find a taxi working for the Dutch St. Maarten Taxi Association (DSTA) to take them back to the cruise facility in Pointe Blanche. The tourists that were seen in a video which is posted under this article bought the band offered by DSTA to take them to Sunset Beach Bar. The package that is sold on board cost $16 per person. However, only members of the DSTA could take the tourists back to the cruise ship since the $16 covers fare to go to Sunset Beach and return. It appears that the DSTA members dropped off the tourists at Sunset and then went on tours where they make more monies and basically abandoned those they took to the other end of the island.

gary

[traveler279]

It gets more interesting. There were taxis at the location that refused to take people back. All part of an ongoing dispute between these DSTA members and non-members.

 

This article has video.

 

http://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/25420-tourists-stranded-at-sunset-beach-dsta-taxis-missing-in-action.html

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[marti2282]

Appreciate updates. We're planning a visit to Sunset Beach Bar in a couple of weeks.

[Karysa]

So the cruise lines want a piece of the Maho action! That's what this is right? The ride pretty much WAS $8 pp each way wasn't it?

 

Cruise ship is not selling tickets for no cut and that means drivers get less wouldn't it?

 

Am I interpreting this right?

 

Were the taxis allowed to take passengers that didn't pre pay the fare on the ship?

 

Did all lines get together and do this?

 

If you ever get stuck at Maho without a ride go to one of the resorts or Casinos at the nearby Maho entertainment district. It might cost you an extra $10 bucks or so to get back but you WOULD get back and then you can pick your fight with the cruise line or taxi dispatch but you will at least be back at the port.

 

 

Please keep us posted Gary. This one is really interesting!

[gtaylor]

As far as I can tell, this IS a Cruise Ship originated problem.

 

Purchase the tour on board and receive a wristband to get you round trip.

 

Apparently some taxi drivers don't want to wait around at Maho when they can make some more money elsewhere.

 

I would suggest foregoing any Cruise sponsored 'tour' and just buying the One Way ride to Maho, or elsewhere, and then grabbing another taxi for the return.

 

(click)

 

No idea how this will play out, but not good for the Island' PR campaign.

 

gary

[Karysa]

As far as I can tell, this IS a Cruise Ship originated problem.

 

Purchase the tour on board and receive a wristband to get you round trip.

 

Apparently some taxi drivers don't want to wait around at Maho when they can make some more money elsewhere.

 

I would suggest foregoing any Cruise sponsored 'tour' and just buying the One Way ride to Maho, or elsewhere, and then grabbing another taxi for the return.

 

(click)

 

No idea how this will play out, but not good for the Island' PR campaign.

 

gary

 

I think if this was not decreasing the money the drivers were making they would have been at Maho picking up the cruisers.

 

They MUST be losing money and I don't blame them for being angry. If I made $4 for something last week and make $2 today for the same thing I would be more than a little upset.

 

I don't see this as bad PR for the island myself. I see it as cruise lines pushing the little guy around AGAIN. Just like they did with the tender operators in Belize several years ago.

 

Maybe I will be proven wrong but I think this is greediness by the cruise lines.

[gtaylor]

When videos like this are posted, it is bad for the Island.

 

gary

[Karysa]

When videos like this are posted, it is bad for the Island.

 

gary

 

For a while until the truth comes out.

 

It usually comes out.

[cruzincraven]

This is concerning- we have booked the Maho Beach Experience with RCCL in just a few weeks! However, It didn't say anything about it being a taxi ride.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[navybankerteacher]

Hard to be sure, but it sounds as though buying the wrist band supposedly gives you pre-paid point to point transport - which indicates that people with the band will not want to pay out of pocket for the return trip. Of course, only those drivers who participated in the program would want to pick up passengers who would not expect to pay out of pocket. It seems to be a poorly-thought-out program - on the part of the lines as well as the passengers who bought into it.

[c-leg5]

I am not sure this is a problem originated by the cruise ships

http://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/25243-taxi-drivers-plans-to-take-action-if-government-does-not-intervene-and-safeguard-their-livelihood.html

[PAcruiser19372]

Is the taxi situation back to normal or still an ongoing issue. We will be there on Good Friday and had planned on taxing to Orient and then to Maho for lunch and then a taxi back to the port terminal. Don't want to have to worry about this trip with my wife and grandkids with us. Is there any reason to worry?