Traveltalkonline.com Forums


SXM Cruise Schedule TTOL Sponsors SXM Travel Calendar
Forum Statistics
Forums39
Topics38,433
Posts310,114
Members26,538
Most Online2,218
Jan 21st, 2020
Top Posters(30 Days)
RonDon 115
pat 42
Todd 40
jazzgal 40
Member Spotlight
wendyk
wendyk
falmouth,MA
Posts: 1,040
Joined: July 2004
Show All Member Profiles 
Today's Birthdays
LONGISLANDSHARON, Sca2la
Who's Online Now
17 registered members (deputydog1157, SteveH, Tom, IWIWSE, Jc1925, tradewinds, Zanshin, Memphré, Colour1, BillR, 7 invisible), 1,065 guests, and 69 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal #93206
04/06/2016 08:47 AM
04/06/2016 08:47 AM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
mdmf52 Offline OP
Traveler
mdmf52  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
I was wondering if this has happened to any of the posters on this forum. Last night my wife went to dinner with a friend that about a month ago been on a cruise to St. Martin with her entire family, totaling close to 21 people, about 8 of them children of various ages. They were able to get two van cabs at the cruise dock where they requested to go to a beach with very calm waters because of the different swimming skills of the children. The drivers took them to Dawn Beach that was having one of it's wild & crashing surf type of days and when they again told the drivers they obviously couldn't stay there both just looked at them and began rubbing their fingers together in the universally known motion of " more money ". After some bickering back and forth they resigned themselves to the obvious and begrudgingly agreed to pay an extra sum to be driven to a calmer beach. Their thinking was at the time that if they sent the vans away without paying this Island form of highway robbery that they would be stranded so to speak and be unable to secure two other vans large enough to transport every one. I have no idea where they finally were able to settle in for a few hours but by all accounts it was a beautiful beach that suited their needs and they were able to arrange 3 cabs to get them back to the cruise terminal well in time. Has any one heard of this happening and if so is this a new way for rogue/gypsy drivers to extort $$ from people they know will be off island before the sun sets. in all the times we have been to SXM either on a cruise or weeks long stays at the Esmeralda we have never encountered this attitude, granted we usually rent a car but still it makes me wonder, what is going on here lately, <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

SXM Sponsors
Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: mdmf52] #93207
04/06/2016 08:58 AM
04/06/2016 08:58 AM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,477
Ohio
ruralcarrier Offline
Traveler
ruralcarrier  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,477
Ohio
Did the vans have actual "TAXI" license plates on them? That assures a licensed taxi. If they were working inside the secure area of the pier, chances are they were legit. If they caught the van outside the secure area then all bets are off.

Taxi rates are pretty much set and if in doubt there should have been a dispatcher at the pier who would have provided the rate. An island tour can be more costly than just a trip to the beach and any destination beyond the initially agreed upon destination would obviously result in more cost.

It is always best to negotiate and agree to any fare that is not set in advance. Most of the drivers should know what the fares are and when asked should provide them to the customer.


J.D.
Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: ruralcarrier] #93208
04/06/2016 09:25 AM
04/06/2016 09:25 AM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 685
L
lcote Offline
Traveler
lcote  Offline
Traveler
L
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 685
Michael and I were on a cruise in Antigua once where we asked the taxi driver to get us to a good beach for snorkeling. Michael had done some research prior and the beach that the cab driver wanted to take us was the same one that was highly recommended by tour guides.
Is Dawn beach EVER good for young people? I've never seen it really calm.
My point being that it is always good to know where they are taking you and have done some research beforehand. That does not, however, help your friends on this trip.
The cab drivers we have come into contact with in St Maarten have always been super helpful and conscientious. I certainly hope that this is not a trend in St Maarten.

Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: mdmf52] #93209
04/06/2016 09:29 AM
04/06/2016 09:29 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,482
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,482
Central Florida!
As JD said, people need to ensure that the plate says "TAXI" before they get into a cab, to make sure it is a licensed taxi. From the description of what seems to be basically a rip-off, somehow I doubt these people were licensed, especially if they caught the cab outside the cruise terminal gates. I think they are not likely to be able to gain access inside the cruise terminal gates.

For someone who knows ahead of time that they will need a taxi, especially a large van, they might want to consider making arrangements with TTOL sponsor Wilfred Brooks ahead of time. He has a US phone, has a large van, and everyone that I know of that has ever dealt with him, including us, have been very satisfied with his services.


Carol Hill
Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: mdmf52] #93210
04/06/2016 10:45 AM
04/06/2016 10:45 AM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,193
Virginia
Snorkeller Offline
Traveler
Snorkeller  Offline
Traveler
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,193
Virginia
Your post says they got the vans "at the cruise dock" - which suggests that the vans were in the port area within the gates and were licensed - but then you refer to "rogue/gypsy drivers," so that suggests maybe these were not licensed taxis and that the vans were hired outside gates. The way that the attitude of the drivers is described makes it sound like gypsy drivers to me but that is just an impression from this telling of the story. Did they get the license numbers to be able to make a report - they should have if they really thought they were being "ripped-off"? Whether gypsy drivers or not, the real question is what the original agreement was and how the drivers acted to get the group to a "very calm beach." Dawn can be very calm or rough, of course. Did these drivers choose Dawn in good faith or did they go to Dawn knowing that it would be unsatisfactory - setting up a bigger fare? What was the original fare - how much more was given to get to another beach? We once got into a gypsy taxi by mistake - I was not paying attention - and were overcharged a little - and I just let it go and paid -- since then I have made sure I was dealing with a licensed taxi - never had any trouble or any misunderstanding with any licensed driver.

Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: Snorkeller] #93211
04/06/2016 03:19 PM
04/06/2016 03:19 PM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
mdmf52 Offline OP
Traveler
mdmf52  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
As of right now I can't be 100% certain exactly where in proximity to the cruise ship that the 2 vans in question were hired. One thing I am certain of is the adults that comprised this group are more alert than a lot of people I know and are very experienced travelers, that said, knowing the grandfather who would have stepped up to calm everyone down was no doubt more interested in keeping peace rather than engaging in a no one wins type of situation. As I previously said they undoubtably had asked for and were told no problem concerning the beach request. Are we to think that 100% of the taxi's at the cruise terminal would never ever think of taking the long route or charge a bit more than an other taxi.Remember these are not people staying on SXM for a week or longer but their time on Island is countedin hours. Had I known prior to their leaving on vacation that SXM was a destination I definitely would have given them Wilfred's contact info as we have used him like many people here. He is the best. From what I just read to my post, is seems that our friends should be vilified for what happened to them, strange indeed

Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: mdmf52] #93212
04/06/2016 03:24 PM
04/06/2016 03:24 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,477
Ohio
ruralcarrier Offline
Traveler
ruralcarrier  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,477
Ohio
Until all the facts are known, nobody is vilifying anyone. Being aware and informed is paramount when it comes to things like this.

You asked a question and several people have addressed the situation.

I am not saying what happened is right at all but I was not there, only know what you have posted and can only go on that information.


J.D.
Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: mdmf52] #93213
04/06/2016 03:31 PM
04/06/2016 03:31 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,482
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,482
Central Florida!
Sorry, I certainly did not intend to vilify your friends, and I don't think that anyone else did either. They were the victims in this situation. Undoubtedly, not EVERY taxi is 100% honest, but I think that most of them are. Sorry your friends had this experience.


Carol Hill
Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: Carol_Hill] #93214
04/06/2016 06:28 PM
04/06/2016 06:28 PM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
mdmf52 Offline OP
Traveler
mdmf52  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
Carol I absolutely did not mean either yourself or Rural, I myself felt that the true meaning of the post was lost, and that will be it. Many years ago Saint Martin was to us a Caribbean paradise, but as of late the multitude of changes going on have in my opinion dulled the sparkle of the island. If not the cookie cutter buildings on Orient to the over building of condos, "civilization" has taken a foothold. Again Carol no malice meant, <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: mdmf52] #93215
04/06/2016 06:55 PM
04/06/2016 06:55 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,625
United States of America
bdeeley Offline
Traveler
bdeeley  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,625
United States of America
Quote
mdmf52 said:
Carol I absolutely did not mean either yourself or Rural, I myself felt that the true meaning of the post was lost, and that will be it. Many years ago Saint Martin was to us a Caribbean paradise, but as of late the multitude of changes going on have in my opinion dulled the sparkle of the island. If not the cookie cutter buildings on Orient to the over building of condos, "civilization" has taken a foothold. Again Carol no malice meant, <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />


I believe that is how Native Americans feel about the United States.


Be Happy! Simply because you deserve to be. 😁
Re: Cab drivers from the Cruise Terminal [Re: bdeeley] #93216
04/06/2016 07:03 PM
04/06/2016 07:03 PM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
mdmf52 Offline OP
Traveler
mdmf52  Offline OP
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 74
Boston, MA
And now they build casinos


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.1