First, Thank you for an informative and entertaining trip report.
Second, Biblically speaking, you and your wife have been nominated for the "Job&wife of the year" award.
To experience what you endured and describe it as your "best vacation" tells me that past travel may have included light hearted romps through Mexican and Turkish prisons.
I envy your patience and cool headed attitude toward disappointments generated by people who should know and do better. One of the reasons that fewer of us spend time on the French side, even before Irma, is the attitude by some towards Americans, some admittedly valid, but unfortunately felt by some that do not deserve the "Ugly" title.
You have also reinforced our decision to sell our SXM timeshares, which we did in January that opened up lots of options for our annual 2-3 week vacation. Likely we will be back to SXM but without some of the time and location restrictions we had to adhere to in the past.
To prevent being labeled negative, I should mention that my son and daughter completely enjoyed the Tijon classes that they attended both this year and last.
"Life is what you make it" comes to mind and you certainly live that adage.