car rentals in St. Martin and St. Barts

[jjjsfish]

Help, We are trying to book a car rental for the day in St. Martin.Everyone seems to either not pick up or rent a car after 6pm. We are in port until midnight! Anyone have experience or suggestions. We are on the Jan. 5th cruise out of St. Thomas docking in St. Martin on the 7th. Also is ther anywhere to rent a car on St. Barts. The ship seems to dock far from anywher. Any help on these matters much appreciated! Thanks:)

[MGC]

On St. Martin, we had arranged (via e-mail) a rental in advance with a company, and specifically mentioned that we wanted to return the car 'after hours', and were told 'no problem'. (Unfortunately, we either were stood up or otherwise missed our meeting point - we never did get the car from that company.) Instead, we simply went to one of the many rental agencies that are in Marigot (on the left after you leave the pier), and selected one of them pretty much at random. We told them when we wanted to return it (we were planning on eating dinner in Grand Case) and made arrangements for someone to meet us back at the agency kiosk at a certain time that evening. He was later than agreed, but he did indeed show up. This was in December 2006.

 

Sorry, can't help with St. Barth, although from a cruise long ago, I seem to remember that there is a rental agency within walking distance of the pier.

[Finzup1]

Hi,

We are on Windstar Feb 2nd.. I have a rental at ever port except Jost Van Dyke. St Barts & St Martin we went with Budget Car rental. I think they are both close to the ports.

[whatnot]

We sailed on Sea Dream last January and stopped in St Barths. We docked in the harbour and were tendered into town. There was a Budget car rental right across the street from where the tenders dock. We had no problem renting without a reservation but it would never hurt to have one. The cars were at the airport, so they took you there to get the car. You returned it to the airport and they brought you back to town. It's a great island to explore on your own!

[jjjsfish]

Hi, can anyone explain to me how to get the rental cars? In St. Martin ,Windstar told us we dock at AC Wathey which is near Philipsburg. However, from posts here people talk about renting at the dock in Marigot. Also, on St. Barts ,Windstar says we dock in Columbia Bay which seems on the map to be away from everything! People talk about getting off the tender and picking up their car. Can someone who has been on this ship and route make this less confusing please? We are going on Wind Spirit , St. Thomas for the first time.Thanks

[MGC]

We tendered into Marigot last December on the Wind Spirit, and when we were on the island earlier this month, the Wind Surf was moored in the harbor at Marigot. I'm kind of surprised that that you are coming in on the Dutch side, but it does look like that's where you'll be. If you are indeed docking at Wathey in St Maarten, check the Ports information on this site for St. Martin for more than a few dozen posts on car rentals.

 

Too bad, Marigot is a much nicer place to be than Philipsburg. At least there's not a few tons of big ships in port that day.

 

(As an aside, one of the things we absolutely loved about this itinerary last year was the fact that we did come in on the French side of the island -- since we have no desire to do anything on the Dutch side except leave it. This change just feels bad to me - somehow taking away from the 'out of the ordinary' mystique of the cruise line and doing what all of the other cruise ships do - and it's just one more thing that's making me a little leary of Windstar for future cruises.)

[KarlS]

When we sailed on Surf (way back in Feb '04) on this itinerary, we just whimped-out and rented a car for St. Martin and St. Bart through the onboard travel desk. I know it probably cost us double by the time everybody took their markup, but we never had a problem getting to/from the rental car. As they say, though, your mileage may vary. Cheers!

 

...Karl

[KathyA]

Well if one doesn't know if one is docking in Phillipsburg or Marigot, it would be difficult to book a car in advance!