Maho beach ship excursion

[MarkE]

We will be on the Allure March 24 and my grandsons want to go to Maho to see the planes.  Cruise line offers an excursion a bus ride to there and back for $41 it will last 4 hours.  I know you can take a taxi or pile into a van does anyone know the cost of those?  We dont want to stand in line or be packed into a small van, ship tour states a bus to beach.  Anyone done this tour or any recommendations of best way to get there.  Is the bar,restaurant still right there next to the beach does it still have a pool for the kids?  Thanks  

[cruiseguy1016]

We have always taken a taxi to Maho Beach. I think it's $8 per person. There is a bus that's even cheaper but I don't know any details on that. There are two bars at Maho beach, one at each end. We prefer to get our drinks at the Driftwood Boat Bar at the north end of the beach. The Sunset Beach Bar (with the pool) is at the south end.

[cello56]

If you take a taxi, just be absolutely sure that  you leave in plenty of time to get back to the ship before sail away. There is basically only one road between Maho and the ship, and if there is a crash that closes the road you will be SOL. At a Captain's corner one of the Captains said that Maho beach is the reason that St. Maarten has the highest number of passengers left behind of all the Caribbean ports. 

[Clarea]

The bus was $2 per person, each way, the last time we were there.

[LBumb]

It is a must imo. Take a taxi. Leave with plenty of time to get back. 

[B&J_Pgh]

We learned both the scary and expensive lesson that the actual taxi drivers last call is 2:00.  If you chose to stay longer you get a jitney.  If the people we shared the van with didn't know this, we would have been left behind.  Jitney drivers aren't allowed into the port so he tried insisting on dropping us at the ferry which was another $7 per person.  He earned enough on 5 of us that the leader of our group told him he'd better be buying his wife a lobster dinner because that was what we were having for dinner that night for Valentine's Day. 

[RAYSWIN]

Take the ship tour...peace of mind. No white knuckling on Maho Beach. Enjoy...it is a special spot!! ❤️

[LBumb]

I’ve started out early. Gotten taxi and done Maho and orient beach. 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

There is really not that much sand on Maho beach to spend hours there. JMHO.  . . . but, a very interesting spot to visit.  I can see spending time at the beach bars.  

 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by DragonOfTheSeas

[mhafod]

Better if you take a tour that goes around the island (french and dutch side) with plenty of stops (orient beach, maho beach, etc.). I would recommend bernards tours and I am sure they will get you to the ship before it leaves :)

[twangster]

I usually just taxi.

 

Research plane schedules, often the larger ones don't land in the morning, but lots of small planes do.  Around lunch and early afternoon it seems the larger planes begin reaching there.  The largest of the planes are not flying as frequently as they used to so it's mostly 737, 757, A320, an A330 once in a while but a lot of island hoppers - single/twin engine prop or turbo prop.  

 

This site will give you an idea of a typical day of planes using SXM:

 

https://flightaware.com/live/airport/TNCM

Edited February 16, 2019 by twangster

[KelJ]

We used Bernard's Tours and had a great, stress-free time.  Bernard knows the scheduled times of the big planes coming into Maho, and he will curtail the stops on his tours to make sure you experience the planes.  The website is bernardstours.com, and Bernard has garnered rave reviews on Cruise Critic and Trip Adviser.  I haven't read of anyone missing a ship when on one of Bernard's tours.  He offers group tours and private customizable tours.  I recommend that you consider this as an option.

[rkkunk]

If you just want to go to Maho, I would do a taxi or van to get there. Much quicker and less expensive. Just make sure that you have plenty of time to get back to the ship when you leave to come back.

 

If you want a tour of the island, which will also stop at Maho, I would also recommend Bernards’s Tours. 

 

We have have done both with no problems. Enjoy your cruise!!