Public Restrooms in Philipsburg, St. Maarten and Old San Juan

[Beukeboom]

My wife and I will be on a cruise soon with stops in St. Maarten and Puerto Rico. We are not going on any excursions at either port and just plan on walking about. My wife is concerned about finding a public restroom either in general or in a restaurant. We need advice and information on where there are restrooms near the Boardwalk and Front Street in Philipsburg (which is where we will be mostly) and also in Old San Juan. I expect most restaurants in Old San Juan would have public restrooms and I would make some sort of purchase (drinks and an appetizer most likely) prior to using it. Am I correct to assume that most restaurants around the Boardwalk and Front St. in Philipsburg have restrooms available for customers? Are there some that require a fee (coin operated)?

 

Also are there public restrooms in both locations that are not in a business?

[neverbeenhere]

Google knows

[stevea36]

40 minutes ago, Beukeboom said:

My wife and I will be on a cruise soon with stops in St. Maarten and Puerto Rico. We are not going on any excursions at either port and just plan on walking about. My wife is concerned about finding a public restroom either in general or in a restaurant. We need advice and information on where there are restrooms near the Boardwalk and Front Street in Philipsburg (which is where we will be mostly) and also in Old San Juan. I expect most restaurants in Old San Juan would have public restrooms and I would make some sort of purchase (drinks and an appetizer most likely) prior to using it. Am I correct to assume that most restaurants around the Boardwalk and Front St. in Philipsburg have restrooms available for customers? Are there some that require a fee (coin operated)?

 

Also are there public restrooms in both locations that are not in a business?

Try the Caribbean ports of call board: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/456-caribbean/

 

[BillHana]

The water taxi landing on Front St. in Philipsburg has a free public restroom.

[mets123]

San Juan is tight, but both the CVS and Walgreens have them. So does Senor frogs.

[DaniDanielle]

St. Martin has a few right off the cruise ship.  They have a nice shopping area before you board the water taxi.  The boardwalk area has plenty especially near the beach.

Mets123 is right about PR

[Joseph2017China]

5 hours ago, Beukeboom said:

My wife and I will be on a cruise soon with stops in St. Maarten and Puerto Rico. We are not going on any excursions at either port and just plan on walking about. My wife is concerned about finding a public restroom either in general or in a restaurant. We need advice and information on where there are restrooms near the Boardwalk and Front Street in Philipsburg (which is where we will be mostly) and also in Old San Juan. I expect most restaurants in Old San Juan would have public restrooms and I would make some sort of purchase (drinks and an appetizer most likely) prior to using it. Am I correct to assume that most restaurants around the Boardwalk and Front St. in Philipsburg have restrooms available for customers? Are there some that require a fee (coin operated)?

 

Also are there public restrooms in both locations that are not in a business?

Been in 38 different countries, and only did I have an issue in Paris finding a place to use.  

[Getting out there]

I needed to use a restroom in Old San Juan. The resturant I went to wouldn't let me because I wasn't a customer. They pointed me down the street to a public bathroom. You're supposed to tip, but don't have to.

[Baron Barracuda]

In St. Martin many of the jewelry stores will offer beverages and bathroom access if they think you might buy something.  There is also the casino.  

[Justalone]

Are you ok with using squat toilets?

Edited January 28, 2020 by Justalone

[Tulsacoker]

Are not both City's next to the water?    just sayin' 

[Beukeboom]

On 1/28/2020 at 4:51 PM, Tulsacoker said:

Are not both City's next to the water?    just sayin' 

 

That's no help! LOL!

[Beukeboom]

BTW, thanks for all the useful info. We figure we could stop at one of the restaurants in both ports and order an appetizer and drinks so my wife could use their restroom and the restaurant wouldn't have any issues. That sound reasonable, fellow travelers?

[bizeemom4]

On 1/26/2020 at 1:21 PM, Beukeboom said:

My wife and I will be on a cruise soon with stops in St. Maarten and Puerto Rico. We are not going on any excursions at either port and just plan on walking about. My wife is concerned about finding a public restroom either in general or in a restaurant. We need advice and information on where there are restrooms near the Boardwalk and Front Street in Philipsburg (which is where we will be mostly) and also in Old San Juan. I expect most restaurants in Old San Juan would have public restrooms and I would make some sort of purchase (drinks and an appetizer most likely) prior to using it. Am I correct to assume that most restaurants around the Boardwalk and Front St. in Philipsburg have restrooms available for customers? Are there some that require a fee (coin operated)?

 

Also are there public restrooms in both locations that are not in a business?

They have some inside the fort if you are going to be touring that in OSJ.