Oh wise ones (TTOLers) i realize it will be a mess for a long time, but who remembers how long or how soon cruise visits resumed to phillipsburg after Luis?

Weeks, months, years?

Wed like to get back as soon as they do so whenever that is

At this point it is a wait and see, as everything must be shipped onto the island just to start the rebuild. (building materials, labor force, equipment, food and water just to name the tops) this will take time.

With this being said, we are tentatively planning on 2 years to be able to return, although we hope it will be sooner! But 2 years is more realistic.

I do not remember for sure, but I think that cruise ships were returning to SXM after Luis within about 6 months - I know they were by end of 1996. We first were back in SXM after Luis in March 1997 and the needs of tourists were being met very well by then, as I recall. Getting tourism going again is absolutely critical to the island and I want to believe that it will not be more than a year at the absolute most before the island is wanting people to come back. Of course, that does not mean that people on the island are back to any kind of good normal by then. I think it took at least 10 years after Luis before the economy really was back to any kind of pre-Luis level. And, I don't really know of course, but my impression (wild guess) from what I am seeing and hearing is that Irma was worse than Luis - especially the break down of civil order - I don't remember hearing anything like what we are hearing now with regard to criminal behavior post-Luis - maybe there was some, but I sure don't remember it being a big issue.

Our first visit to St. Martin was the November the next year after Luis. We hadn't realized that they had a hurricane until we arrived. The trees were still basically leafless and landscape not very colorful, yet. We stayed at Maho Beach Hotel, the current Sonesta. The main build was fine, but the adjoining one, which is now the upscale all-inclusive, was still in ruins. Orient Beach wasn't very developed,yet, but they did have a few beach bars/restaurants, and it was great.
We still had a wonderful time. It was when we fell in love with the island and have returned every year since.
Development was very limited back then. It was a simpler life, and the people were charming and friendly.
Seeing the horrible looting and lack of order, currently, I am very worried about the island's future. Tourism is the island's economy. Those helping themselves to whatever they can grab should think ahead to what their lives will be like if they scare away the tourists.
I agree with the assessment of at least two years to be ready for tourists since Irma has been so much more destructive than Luis. We would love to return, too, but will just have to wait and see.

I think everyone is being overly optimistic. A year or 2 seems impossible from the pictures I am seeing. Phillipsburg has been badly damaged. Marigot is too. What would there be for a cruise passenger to see? Take an excursion to see the aftermath of the worst hurricane in recent times? And sadly Louise is correct. Tourism is the Island economy. We have been going since 1993 and I can honestly say have never been afraid. After what we are reading and seeing we are. There is a reason we have never been to Jamaica or the DR. I don't want to be on vacation and feel I need to be locked up in a compound to remain safe.

I bought into my timeshare at Sapphire Beach Club in October 1994, I arrived back on the St. Maarten October 1995 after 'The three most notable storms during the season were hurricanes Luis, Marilyn, and Opal. ' Orient Beach was destroyed and many of the huts were gone and vegetation was gone and looked similar to Irma destruction but many other places on the island started to grow and develop but on 'island time' slow and steady. I believe that it took about 2-3 years to see actual changes all over the island. By October 1999, I recall being there for Hurricane Jose Category 2.
Having been a time share owner for 23 years and having only miss about 3 trips and being involved in 4-5 hurricanes on the island from Category 2,3,4 and several tropical storms and tropical waves. Time of repairs seem to take longer for repairs with higher Category strengths from several months to 2-5 years to rebuild. The French side was fixed quickly compared to Dutch side. But over the years, both sides seem too help each other with repairs. But in all those years, never has the air port sustained the destruction of this recent hurricane Irma nor the loss of the shipping ports too. Usually with in days or weeks the Island started to rebuild and infrastructure was fixable. My second home at Sapphire Beach Club was of 5% that is still standing and working.

We were supposed to come in April. We will cancel...but I am hoping with every fiber of my being to go back in April 2019. Optimistic? You bet I am. Will it be perfect? Nope. Will everything be back to normal? Probably not. The scars will remain for a long time. But If Club Orient has a room and papaguyo has food...We will be back

Understand, we were booked for 2 weeks in the middle of October 2017. We have decided to not go back this year for safety reasons and health reasons. You may want to check back in several months because or at the first of the year to see the progress. Because both governments on the island want a quick recovery and or economic factors may increase the process. I was on St. Martin right after Hurricane Louis in October 1995, and at the airport was almost sent to Puerto Rico because the island was not accepting tourists but as an owner the airport contacted Sapphire Beach Club and the woman who sold us the timeshare brought our deed and contract and we were admitted. Not many places were opened but our staff and managers took my wife and I and friend with other owners on catamaran trip and we drank Dom Pérignon champagne with a decendant of Dom Pérignon who owned a jewelry store on the island.

I agree. Philipsburg looks like Detroit.

I for one hate what the cruise ships have done to the Caribbean way of life. Having said that, I doubt that there will be any around for a few years. The devastation of the infrastructure will be a monumental task in itself. Maybe sailors will restore the simpler ways, but the looting that has been going on says that the islands will not be safe for a long time. Martial law is in effect in Tortola...yeah who ever thought those lazy louts would surface.
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