Taxi for six at the cruise dock

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

We are a party of six and have been to St. Martin before.  I am wondering if we can get off the ship and hire a taxi for the day to go to just the places we want to go.  Mainly Maho Beach for lunch and then some shopping.  Do they have taxi vans that will accommodate 6 people?  TIA

[murphfam4]

5 minutes ago, WhenIsOurNextCruise said:

We are a party of six and have been to St. Martin before.  I am wondering if we can get off the ship and hire a taxi for the day to go to just the places we want to go.  Mainly Maho Beach for lunch and then some shopping.  Do they have taxi vans that will accommodate 6 people?  TIA

We are 6 also and want to do the similar.  We would like to stop at a nice beach for a while also. 

[crewsweeper]

You can probably find a van taxi at the pier, but these guys do a great job, take you anywhere and pick you up.

https://www.bestpricetaxisxm.com/

[Ashland]

Just walk to the Taxi stand...fees and destinations will be posted. The van usually holds up to 12 people. We tend to do a round trip to Maho Beach (to see the planes and have lunch at Sunset Bar/Grill)...Then when we're ready to return you will be directed to a taxi-van (not the same that brought your there)...this is a busy place with taxi-vans coming and going.

We opt to be dropped off in town to spend time (no price difference) We then pay the separate fee for the water taxi to return to the ship. Enjoy !!!

[Maplemoose]

On 9/29/2019 at 1:45 PM, Ashland said:

Just walk to the Taxi stand...fees and destinations will be posted. The van usually holds up to 12 people. We tend to do a round trip to Maho Beach (to see the planes and have lunch at Sunset Bar/Grill)...Then when we're ready to return you will be directed to a taxi-van (not the same that brought your there)...this is a busy place with taxi-vans coming and going.

We opt to be dropped off in town to spend time (no price difference) We then pay the separate fee for the water taxi to return to the ship. Enjoy !!!

 

Can I presume the taxi is filled to capacity or near and then departs? How much appx. would you pay pp then to get to Maho and back? 

[Ashland]

On 11/5/2019 at 3:14 PM, Maplemoose said:

 

Can I presume the taxi is filled to capacity or near and then departs? How much appx. would you pay pp then to get to Maho and back? 

It's a shared taxi van...We were a group of 7 and for the round trip from the taxi stand near the port to Maho and back was $8.00 pp....buy the roundtrip.

 

They fill the van quickly (going there and back)...they added 2 more people to ours as the vans hold approx 10-12 people. We had the option to being taken back to the ship or dropped off in town. From town we used the water taxi (a separate fee $4.00pp paid to the water taxi nothing to do with the land taxi) to return to the ship.

[raesive]

On 9/29/2019 at 11:45 AM, Ashland said:

Just walk to the Taxi stand...fees and destinations will be posted. The van usually holds up to 12 people. We tend to do a round trip to Maho Beach (to see the planes and have lunch at Sunset Bar/Grill)...Then when we're ready to return you will be directed to a taxi-van (not the same that brought your there)...this is a busy place with taxi-vans coming and going.

We opt to be dropped off in town to spend time (no price difference) We then pay the separate fee for the water taxi to return to the ship. Enjoy !!!

 

We will be another party of 6. So is there another taxi stand by Maho beach where you are directed to your return taxi? 

If I wanted to stop off somewhere on the way to Maho (Specifically looking at La Sucriere near Simpson Bay), would that be possible if there are extra people put in the taxi apart from our group? I would want to stop quick to get a few pastries to bring to the beach with us. 

[Redwing55]

Curious.  We'll have 6 plus  a two year old.  Does anyone know if these "taxis" allow a 2 year old to sit without any child seat?  In St Thomas, they are essentially bench seats.  Not sure what St Martin has.

 

Also, another one, interested at a brief stop at the Maho beach.. then on to some shopping.  Is that easily doable too?  

TIA.

[Ashland]

On 12/6/2019 at 2:20 PM, Redwing55 said:

Curious.  We'll have 6 plus  a two year old.  Does anyone know if these "taxis" allow a 2 year old to sit without any child seat?  In St Thomas, they are essentially bench seats.  Not sure what St Martin has.

 

Also, another one, interested at a brief stop at the Maho beach.. then on to some shopping.  Is that easily doable too?  

TIA.

Yes....no car seat required. They are large vans (seats not just a bench)...much like you would see everyday in your home town.

We had a 3 year old with us and there was no problem just seat belting him in. We had the van drop us off into town after Maho for shopping...just remember that then to take the water taxi back to the ship you will pay for this on your own...nothing to do with the taxi you used.

[Redwing55]

2 hours ago, Ashland said:

Yes....no car seat required. They are large vans (seats not just a bench)...much like you would see everyday in your home town.

We had a 3 year old with us and there was no problem just seat belting him in. We had the van drop us off into town after Maho for shopping...just remember that then to take the water taxi back to the ship you will pay for this on your own...nothing to do with the taxi you used.

Good info. I'm a bit confused about the order you mentioned above.. and maybe great news for us.  So did you take a taxi to Maho?    And I should have been clear.  We'd like to go to the FRENCH side too.  So, ideally a 3 spot stop:   Cruise port (shopping before or after),  Maho beach, and French side shopping.  I think I recall that one can grab a water taxi from somewhere near cruise port to get back to ship or going into town instead of walking/short cab?  But Maho is clearly cab and French side is clearly cab.  Right?

 

If I confused you, so sorry, but I thought I'd throw this out there.  Thanks again for your comments though.

[Ashland]

On 12/8/2019 at 5:59 PM, Redwing55 said:

Good info. I'm a bit confused about the order you mentioned above.. and maybe great news for us.  So did you take a taxi to Maho?    And I should have been clear.  We'd like to go to the FRENCH side too.  So, ideally a 3 spot stop:   Cruise port (shopping before or after),  Maho beach, and French side shopping.  I think I recall that one can grab a water taxi from somewhere near cruise port to get back to ship or going into town instead of walking/short cab?  But Maho is clearly cab and French side is clearly cab.  Right?

 

If I confused you, so sorry, but I thought I'd throw this out there.  Thanks again for your comments though.

On one of our visits we did a private group tour with Bernard's that went to Orient Beach, Marigot & Maho Beach...all adults on that particular trip.

On another trip we had extended family that included our 3 yo grandson. We opted to just take the roundtrip taxi to Maho Beach.

[hal2008]

On 12/8/2019 at 8:59 PM, Redwing55 said:

  We'd like to go to the FRENCH side too. 

 

 

I am sure you are aware about the current turmoil and existing travel advisory by the state department for the French side.

 

In any case, your ship captain and excursion desk wil warn about it if the turmoil still persist during your visit.

 

Taking taxis in St. Maartin is no different than doing it in any carribbean port.

You can hire to go from point to point with availibility depending on popularity of the spot.

Maho beach is very popular.

Currently, French side is not due to the turmoil.

Shopping is not worth spending your precious vacation time

(most items are imported from China any way)

 

Alternatively, you can hire a taxi for your entire trip (muti stop trip with car /driver waiting for you)

Island is small and tourist business is highly sought after

[Redwing55]

50 minutes ago, hal2008 said:

 

 

I am sure you are aware about the current turmoil and existing travel advisory by the state department for the French side.

 

In any case, your ship captain and excursion desk wil warn about it if the turmoil still persist during your visit.

 

Taking taxis in St. Maartin is no different than doing it in any carribbean port.

You can hire to go from point to point with availibility depending on popularity of the spot.

Maho beach is very popular.

Currently, French side is not due to the turmoil.

Shopping is not worth spending your precious vacation time

(most items are imported from China any way)

 

Alternatively, you can hire a taxi for your entire trip (muti stop trip with car /driver waiting for you)

Island is small and tourist business is highly sought after

No, I wasn't aware.  Thanks so much for posting that.  I'll be checking that out more.  It looks like things have quieted down, but since it's our entire family, I'm not as risky.. so I guess we'll stay on the Dutch side!   

[Ashland]

14 hours ago, Redwing55 said:

No, I wasn't aware.  Thanks so much for posting that.  I'll be checking that out more.  It looks like things have quieted down, but since it's our entire family, I'm not as risky.. so I guess we'll stay on the Dutch side!   

Agree completely to stay on the Dutch side. Even during years past we have only gone to the French side once and that was on a private tour with Bernard's. Glad we saw it but no interest for us to return...turmoil or not.

[Redwing55]

20 hours ago, Ashland said:

Agree completely to stay on the Dutch side. Even during years past we have only gone to the French side once and that was on a private tour with Bernard's. Glad we saw it but no interest for us to return...turmoil or not.

We may actually book a tour with Bernard's.  We've used them before.  Only DW and I have been to French side, so it's mostly for the kids(young adults.)  I'm torn to "push" the others to go on this tour.  It hits the sites I think they'd like and it's a good price.  I'd really push if the issues on French side are settled. (looks like things have completely calmed down.. for now??)   But, knowing how my kids aren't great planners, we may just wing it and grab a cab for a short visit to Maho, then maybe another beach to chill, then some Dutch side shopping.  It would be really easy, but we'll have our 2 year old gdaughter.    I'm a bit of the more daring type and gets appointed as the one to set up things to do.  So, I tend to push things a bit and all have enjoyed the choices... even though they likely wouldn't have booked it themselves.  So thanks for all the comments!