As for the scubaman timeshare debate and gratitude, all need the show gratitude to the cruisers. Cruisers provide fresh fish for the island who will eventually come by air and possibly buy a timeshare.

Repeatedly on cruises we have asked shipmates what they did on SXM and some have been lured to spending the day at a timeshare presentation.

Have heard similar discussion at airport when leaving including a guy in Jan 2011 who couldn’t get over his new good deal at caravanserai.

Timeshares began as a way to stabilize resort hotels from ups and downs in occupancy.

They did this to the Maui Marriott after our many stays. During our last stay, they pitched us a low level garden view, fixed week, for double what we’d paid for ocean view. We have been back to Maui but not to the Marriott since.

Scuba is right, many of those places would be closed if not for timeshares.