St. Martin Beach Rendezvous with Royal Caribbean

[ThysFamily]

Hi - Has anyone done this excursion? What bar/restaurant area do they bring you to? Any information is appreciated.

Thanks!

Nadine

Less than 2 weeks away:) :) :) :) :) :)

[DiannaInVA]

I'm signed up for this too! I'd love to know how it is...since I'm going solo I wanted to take an ship excursion rather than going on my own and this seemed to have a good amount of time at the beach.

[obsessedsc]

a. our tour bus broke down on one of the narrow streets

b. the food at the beach hut wasn't good beach food

c. the bathrooms/shower were disgusting

d. saw too much nudity

e. not my favorite beach- too crowded and people come up to you the entire time to try to braid your hair and sell you things.

 

in st. thomas i would highly recommend the tour that takes you to st. john though. trunk bay was more my style.

 

i would do more research and get more opinions but i would consider a different beach or excursion.

[obsessedsc]

a. our tour bus broke down on one of the narrow streets

b. the food at the beach hut wasn't good beach food

c. the bathrooms/shower were disgusting

d. saw too much nudity

e. not my favorite beach- too crowded and people come up to you the entire time to try to braid your hair and sell you things.

 

in st. thomas i would highly recommend the tour that takes you to st. john though. trunk bay was more my style.

 

i would do more research and get more opinions but i would consider a different beach or excursion.

[ThysFamily]

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me which "beach hut" the tour brought you to? I know that there are several along the beach. Nudity doesn't bother me but dirty restrooms will. The hairbraiding thing...well, we could decline very easy because hubby is bald and I have very short hair!:eek:

[kal]

Most of the cruise tours bring excursions to Bikini Beach and herd the people together on the beach. They charge high prices and provide cheap food. The beach vendors really target this area and pester people much more than elsewhere on the beach.

 

If you like to go places on a large bus, be on someone else's schedule, and pay 200-300% more than what it would cost on a "do-it-yourself" basis, the excursion is perfect. Otherwise grab a taxi-van and just go to Orient Beach yourself. It's drop dead easy.

 

For bathrooms, there's a facility near The Pirate that has an on-duty custodian. You might pay a small fee, but many beach bars will give you free coupons with a lounge rental.

[DiannaInVA]

Most of the cruise tours bring excursions to Bikini Beach and herd the people together on the beach. They charge high prices and provide cheap food. The beach vendors really target this area and pester people much more than elsewhere on the beach.

 

Have you actually been on this particular excursion through RCI or are you speaking of generic cruise excursions and assuming all are the same?

 

For what it's worth I'm going solo, so I won't just wonder up to a random cab and get in, so, for me, a cruise excursion is safer. Maybe not for you.

 

And what exactly would I be buying that would be so much more expensive than what someone else who took a cab that is sitting right next to me is getting?

 

And isn't it all one beach? Why aren't I capable of walking a few minutes down the beach? Since you're saying that nothing is included (ie no beach chair), then I could use the excursion to get me there, and walk down the beach to wherever I want (and I don't care if I'm in the nude section).

 

When I read this thread it seems to be asking for someone with real-life experience with this particular excursion. That way those going on it can make a decision as to whether it is worth it for them.

[birthdaysurprise]

Hi - Has anyone done this excursion? What bar/restaurant area do they bring you to? Any information is appreciated.

Thanks!

Nadine

Less than 2 weeks away:) :) :) :) :) :)

Hey Nadine I'm on the same ship as you and for what it is wort we are going to Orient via cab. Just thought it would be easier to not be tied down to a tour. Lots of people swear by Orient so I figure give it a shot. Hope to meet you on board.

take care

 

Monica

[obsessedsc]

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me which "beach hut" the tour brought you to? I know that there are several along the beach. Nudity doesn't bother me but dirty restrooms will. The hairbraiding thing...well, we could decline very easy because hubby is bald and I have very short hair!:eek:

 

it was kako beach....they served us ribs...i love ribs but when i'm out in the sun all day and swimming i don't want ribs.

[kal]

Dianna - If there is any route to go solo, it's to Orient Beach. You can join 7-8 other people in a van and be perfectly safe. The price will be about $6-$7/person each way.

 

For pricing you can easily find a beach bar that meets your preferences and pay $5-$8 for a lounge, umbrella and drink. They will most likely include free bathroom coupons too.

 

For meals, the sky's the limit. Except for the five most expensive bars on the beach, the prices are reasonable and the food is excellent. As an example, you can get pork egg rolls for $9 or escargot in hot garlic butter for $11. A good lunch should run about $9-$16.

 

Most importantly, you can operate on your own schedule and sit where you like. Excursions will almost always herd the people together at a specific beach bar.

[estreetbandfan523]

i have done this excursion twice with royal caribbean and it was excellent, great guides on the buses and the food is not bad, they do bring you to bikini beach and from my experience the bathrooms we clean, i think the fact that we did it twice in two years speaks for itself

[DiannaInVA]

i have done this excursion twice with royal caribbean and it was excellent, great guides on the buses and the food is not bad, they do bring you to bikini beach and from my experience the bathrooms we clean, i think the fact that we did it twice in two years speaks for itself

 

Thanks for the review! I'm easy to please, so seeing at least one good review makes me feel better. As long as I'm on a beautiful beach (and hopefully it won't be raining), I'll be happy.

[SC_Sam]

Thanks for the review! I'm easy to please, so seeing at least one good review makes me feel better. As long as I'm on a beautiful beach (and hopefully it won't be raining), I'll be happy.

 

Dianna, it's the Caribbean, so even if it's raining, give it a few minutes and it may not be. In fact, on our last trip to OB, it rained for about 30 minutes when we first got to the beach. We waited it out, and the weather cleared off to be a perfectly gorgeous beach day.

 

I have never taken a cruiseline excursion to OB, so I can't comment on that. Each of the 3 times we have been to OB, we have caught a van taxi with other folks from the ship. I think with around 6 or more, it's only $6 per person.

 

The taxi will usually let you out about mid-beach, and you can choose to go to the more crowded (and more clothed) side of the beach (to the left) or head to right less crowded (and less clothed) side.

 

Where we go, it costs $20 for two loungers and an umbrella (including tip). I think it's actually $6 each.

 

Taxis have always been readily available for the return to the ship. Again, the depends on how many are in the taxi with you. (We usually don't want to wait for others and just pay a little more for the 2 of us.) Although the return journey only takes about 25 minutes, we always leave extra early (usually 2 hours before we're supposed to be aboard), just in case there were a mechanical problem.

 

This is our favorite beach in all the world. I hope no matter how you get there, you enjoy it as much as we do.

[maxs mom]

Orient is easily one of our favorite beaches and that's all we do....is beaches.

 

We have been on this particular excursion a number of times (mainly because we are lazy). It goes to a different place each time. We have been to Kakao, Waikiki, and Bikini. They pretty much alternate between these and maybe one more. You get two very comfortable chairs, but will need to pay a few dollars extra for an umbrella. You will receive a welcoming rum punch drink when you get there. Lunch is at your leisure......it has always been very nice.....usually fish, chicken, or ribs.....and has always been very good with the exception of the last time that we were there. You will also receive one free drink with lunch. We are usually at the beach for around 3 and a half hours. The guide that takes us there is always good. You can be let off at Front Street back in Phillipsburg on the way back if you want to go shopping. That is what we usually do since this is our favorite place to buy liquor and jewelry.

 

So we've done this excursion at least 5 or 6 times and it has been very nice each time. Our next trip to St. Maarten will be this summer. We just might go it alone and compare. The main reason I like the excursion is that you don't have to make any decisions except what lunch you want and what drink you will have. Everything is done for you.

[metairiegal]

Any recent reviews of this excursion?