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St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg #210828
12/09/2019 06:50 PM
12/09/2019 06:50 PM
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,882
B
Bahston Offline OP
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Bahston  Offline OP
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,882

SXM Sponsors
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210830
12/09/2019 07:03 PM
12/09/2019 07:03 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,476
Ohio
ruralcarrier Offline
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ruralcarrier  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,476
Ohio
Pretty sad. Sounds like Diamond International must have made a sweetheart deal with someone.


J.D.
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210833
12/09/2019 07:16 PM
12/09/2019 07:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 383
U
Uksimonusa Offline
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Uksimonusa  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 383
And they wonder why the cruise ship days are dropping

Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210834
12/09/2019 07:23 PM
12/09/2019 07:23 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,568
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Online content
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SXMScubaman  Online Content
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Posts: 18,568
Auburn, WA
Interesting article. Wasn't aware it's gotten that bad. Last May I didn't encounter anything like that.

Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210836
12/09/2019 07:27 PM
12/09/2019 07:27 PM
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 656
Maine
SXMbeacher Offline
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SXMbeacher  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 656
Maine
That is an unfortunate situation for some of the tourists as well as the vendors. We were cruisers in 2012 and stopped in St.Thomas. By the time we left, we were kind of stressed out from all the huck and jive we experienced there. Next stop was St. Maarten. We were really impressed with the port, and mostly the organization of the taxi's and that we were not pressured at all. That experience led us to return and see more, and have been coming back since. It's all about first impressions and hopefully this doesn't turn everyone off enough that they don't care to experience the rest of the island some day.



Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210862
12/10/2019 07:17 AM
12/10/2019 07:17 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,495
Anguilla, British West Indies
NeilRooney Offline
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NeilRooney  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,495
Anguilla, British West Indies
sad


Another Day On Planet Earth
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210864
12/10/2019 07:50 AM
12/10/2019 07:50 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
kim Offline
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kim  Offline
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Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
36 years of trips and November was probably the last trip I will make into town until they do something about the face cream folks. Pushy beyond belief - they make the hustlers in Times Square seem like nothing. They don’t take the simple “no thank you”. I actually got “walked into” a store after saying no. Man and women ever so nicely hooked my arms to have a look. Sure they were being “cute” but it was over the top!

Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: kim] #210865
12/10/2019 07:54 AM
12/10/2019 07:54 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,476
Ohio
ruralcarrier Offline
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ruralcarrier  Offline
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Posts: 17,476
Ohio
You have that 100% correct. The "miracle salve" people were beyond pushy and far worse than anything else in town or anywhere else for that matter. I noticed they seemed to rotate between stores (we were in town way too much!) but they all had the same annoying pushy behavior.


J.D.
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210867
12/10/2019 08:26 AM
12/10/2019 08:26 AM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 685
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lcote Offline
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lcote  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 685
the miracle salve people are easily rebuffed. Say, I have anaphylactic allergies. They didn't bother me yesterday after I said that

Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: kim] #210868
12/10/2019 08:31 AM
12/10/2019 08:31 AM
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 656
Maine
SXMbeacher Offline
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SXMbeacher  Offline
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Posts: 656
Maine
last trip we got offered a free cream sample on front street and a quick sales pitch, but just walked away and that was it. The time share folks near the marina were super pushy, but again we just walked away after a few no thanks you's. They sometimes say you can't afford to miss out on this free blah blah blah, and i tell them i can buy that, but i can't buy back my vacation time lost.



Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: kim] #210890
12/10/2019 12:26 PM
12/10/2019 12:26 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
BeachKitten Offline
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BeachKitten  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
Kim....how on earth did that happen to you?! lol

I must have my Super B**** face on when they come near me. No way they are gonna get me...ha ha.

I shoot out of that alley near their store and avoid them like the plague. They have smart a** mouths on them now too. frown
A woman in front of me said she lives on the island and they kept challenging her..it was awful.


"It is good to do nothing all day, and then to rest" wink
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: BeachKitten] #210891
12/10/2019 12:31 PM
12/10/2019 12:31 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,568
Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman Online content
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SXMScubaman  Online Content
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,568
Auburn, WA
And we are sometimes referred to as the ugly Americans. Lol. Talk about calling the kettle black.

Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #210899
12/10/2019 02:01 PM
12/10/2019 02:01 PM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,929
Connecticut
The_Lurker Offline
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The_Lurker  Offline
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Posts: 2,929
Connecticut
Now that we are discussing this, I don't feel comfortable walking down the street with all the jewelry
ladies stopping you every two feet.

Kim, those cream people are a pain here in the states too. They refuse to take no for an answer.

Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: The_Lurker] #210906
12/10/2019 03:26 PM
12/10/2019 03:26 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
BeachKitten Offline
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BeachKitten  Offline
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Posts: 3,278
Maryland/DC Metro
Originally Posted by The_Lurker
Now that we are discussing this, I don't feel comfortable walking down the street with all the jewelry
ladies stopping you every two feet.

Kim, those cream people are a pain here in the states too. They refuse to take no for an answer.


They sometimes grab you from a mall kiosk. Trying to put something on your hand or whatever...ack!


"It is good to do nothing all day, and then to rest" wink
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: BeachKitten] #210924
12/10/2019 05:30 PM
12/10/2019 05:30 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
kim Offline
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kim  Offline
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Posts: 4,673
Newtown, CT
Originally Posted by BeachKitten
Kim....how on earth did that happen to you?! lol


Morning after a night at Hole in The Wall!!! 🤭🤦🏻‍♀️ Was not on my A game!!!

Last edited by kim; 12/10/2019 05:31 PM.
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: ruralcarrier] #210925
12/10/2019 05:44 PM
12/10/2019 05:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,580
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MotownTim Offline
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Reversalife. We are here in San Juan PR and they are harassing my wife and I every time we pass by. We cross the street to avoid them.

I think there is one in Maho.

Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #211070
12/12/2019 08:47 PM
12/12/2019 08:47 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,917
New England (home), St. Maarte...
jmbcomms Offline
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jmbcomms  Offline
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Posts: 5,917
New England (home), St. Maarte...
The skincare people are the worst, not taking no for an answer. Was researching that this week and am writing about it now for my newsletter. Annoying doesn't begin to describe them.


Jeff Berger
Visiting SXM Since 1978
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: Bahston] #211132
12/13/2019 11:45 AM
12/13/2019 11:45 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 295
Lake Orion, MI
gomer36 Offline
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gomer36  Offline
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Posts: 295
Lake Orion, MI
Now there's a skin cream store with super aggressive hucksters in Maho. Step in front of you, block your path and curse at you if you won't bite on the pitch. Really slow here this trip..slowest I've ever seen it. This sort of thing won't help. Many first timers stay in Maho, and it really gives the wrong impression IMHO.


"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came." ~ John F. Kennedy
Re: St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg [Re: gomer36] #211482
12/15/2019 10:14 PM
12/15/2019 10:14 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,917
New England (home), St. Maarte...
jmbcomms Offline
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jmbcomms  Offline
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Posts: 5,917
New England (home), St. Maarte...
They're at SBR and BBH selling their stuff too. Very tiny container $150. Uh, no.


Jeff Berger
Visiting SXM Since 1978

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