When was Your First Time?

I mean in SXM... Our was 1997, 2 years after Luis. Why did you come?

1999. We fell in love with it after 5 cruise stops.

october 1999...we arrived and hurricane jose came ....22 inches of rain in 2 days...2 people died in mud slides.
We came back the following April.

Our 'first' time was November, 1973 and it's been an annual event ever since. There really are some habits you don't want to break and this would be one of them..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

1983, dragged by my parents, my sister and I wanted to go to Disney or Wildwood for spring break!!!

1991 or 1992. cant remember which one it is.

1996, bareboated. was looking for a change from the bvi.

In 1980 we spent 8 days in St. Maarten and one day on Saba on our honeymoon. We returned in 2007 and purchased a time share and come every year since. This year we will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary and we will be coming down the end of August!!! We love St. Maarten!

1985, having chosen the island at random for our honeymoon. We haven't been back every year - I think our upcoming trip will be our 21st.

1985. Stayed at the Summit. Returned in 1995, bought into The Towers.

1991 on a cruise. Went back in 1994 and stayed at Divi. Many return trips since and more planned.

1981 on a cruise, stayed on island for the first time in 1991.

Pretty sure my first trip was in March '94, and I haven't missed a March trip since.

My Dad was the guest of friends who owned at Royal Islander La Plage, and he ended up buying three weeks there (8-10). My sister and I bunked in his unit for few years, we rented a unit for several more, and we grabbed our own two weeks at RILP in 2012.

We have no desire to go to another island. SXM has everything we need to decompress after a lonnnng Winter, and we're good to go once we unpack. Easy peasy. So nice getting caught up with the "March Gang" year after year - definitely a big draw for us <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

1983, stayed at Little Bay, just had met my wife, our first trip together.

1979 Honeymoon Great Bay Hotel. Skipped a year went to Aruba and decided SXM was "our" place and have come back almost every year (missed last one.)

Can't wait for this March one week Divi Little Bay, one Grand Case Beach Club.

Won a trip from Xerox in mid 80's. Stayed at Dawn Beach. Have gone every year since. Bought TS at Belair a few years later (I wanted to buy @ Dawn Beach, wife liked Belair). Belair survived Luis/ Dawn Beach didn't. SXM has been annual family vacation for us.

Feb, 1978. Eastern airlines had a deal for $300 where you could fly anywhere in their system for a month. I did SXM for a week, Antigua for a week, and the keys via MIA for a 3rd week than back home to JFK. I've been to around 30 island in the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda in my time but SXM is still my fav!

February of 1984 - a Winter vacation on an AA 4 day, 3 nite package. Our ground accomodations were at Cupacoy in the units across the road. We were given a studio lockout unit, but found that the lockout wasn't locked - so had use of the entire unit. Bought a timeshare at Pelican (Simpson Bay) and have returned almost every year since and still love it.

We visited off a cruise ship in 1999 after hurricane Lenny. After a visit to Grand Lido Braco in 2000, we returned to SXM in 2001. We love the combination of beach and food and have returned yearly since. We've gotten to know some awesome people over the years. This year will be our 15th visit and hope to continue our habit.

1999 on a cruise stop was our first time there. I had researched what I wanted to do, so we grabbed a taxi and spent a beach day in front of one of the beach bars that was in the recent demolition. We did 8 more cruise stops here before finally coming for a weeks stay in 2008. We have been coming every year since. This year we will be staying 15 nights celebrating 40 years of marriage.

1973 and have been every year since. Started at Mullet Bay until it was destroyed. Stay at BSV since. Twice a year now.

1985 with my first wife. Returned in 2005 with my second wife, and been there every year since.

Our first time to the island was on the Carnival Celebration. I think it was 87. We shopped all day and never left Front Street! My how things have changed for us--I never go downtown now! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

After many more cruise stops in SXM and other places, our first time staying on the island was February 95, stayed at Green Cay Villas. Seven months later, Luis came along. We visited next in February 96, stayed at L'Hoste. Club O was still in tatters...

I had to do a little math to figure it out, but I think it was in 2004. We went in February to celebrate our anniversary, and stayed at Le Meridien in Anse Marcel. We spent nearly every day on the beach there, only finding Orient the day before we left. The next February we stayed at Cap Caribes, and spent every day at Waikiki, until the last day, when we discovered Kakao. Every evening during both of those trips, we had dinner in Grand Case, and being the foodie that I am, I was hooked.

We then decided that we should look into timeshare because we were paying almost $3,000 for a one week stay on the French side. We saw an ad for La Vista, "Timesharing Done Right: No Gifts, No Gimmicks", and decided to go talk to them. After spending about an hour with Caribbean Al, we purchased two weeks at La Vista Beach. A couple of years later they had a half price sale, and we were fortunate enough to get a third week in our same unit, so now we spend three glorious weeks in our ocean front unit. We love knowing exactly where we'll be staying, and not having to move once we check in.

Lucky you, Georgia. We had been visiting basically the same time of year for about fourteen years before we finally bought our time. Twenty-five years plus now and still no regrets. Best island purchase I ever read made!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Oct 93 on the NCL Norway, many changes since 93. Pictures taken in 93 showing large sections of vacant beach compared to shops and rows of beach chairs. Pictures of Orient Beach taken by others in 83 reminds me of Happy Bay.

1978 on a cruise for me which I mostly spent shopping & drinking on Front St. Then in 1990 it was Don's 1st time on a cruise. Then in 1997, a friend couldn't afford her annual timeshare maintenance fee, so we paid it for her cuz she could trade into SXM. We lived in Utah at the time so it was a trek for us to get there for only 1 week, which we spent at the now Simpson Bay Resort. We were hooked, spent 2 weeks the next year & then purchased 2weeks at the Flamingo. We've tried other islands, nothing matches SXM for us, so we're back for 2-3 weeks every March.

October 1990 was our first. The last several years are almost annual, with many more to come. Traveltalk helps the months in between pass! Thanks all!

It may have been 1984. We were at Nettle Bay when it opened. After that Treasure Island, Cupocoy Beach Club, a private condo, Mary's Boon, Caravanserai (1), The Summit and now BSV. Once or twice a year....... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />

1986 at Mullet Bay, as well as Cupecoy, Orient and Mullet Bay beaches.

Continued every year since for 2 to 8 weeks per year.

We love SXM...............

Seeing these stories just shows me what an SXM newbie I am!

It is amazing the number of people here who have been coming to SXM for 30 or 40 or more years!

Georgia - we are "newbies" like you & David - our first trip to SXM was May, 2004 - stayed at La Plantation - have returned every year since, except for one (that year we did an obligatory family reunion trip to Myrtle Beach!). Just wish we have "discovered" SXM way before 2004.

April 1987 – While at Guadeloupe the previous year, we met one of the few Americans having just returned from Club Orient. While we enjoyed Guadeloupe, they were not and recommended St Martin. So, our next trip was to Club Orient. For us a perfect option; we were so impressed that we approached Club Orient management if they would like us to represent the resort – they agreed and that has been our calling and enjoyment for the past 28 years! … Jim and Mary

Our cousins/best friends from Australia visit us for three months every spring, and we take a 2-week vacation with them. We'd been loving Aruba, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, but wondered about a change - the recommendation came from an Australian friend of theirs who had heard good reviews! Went in 2011 and have been back every year since! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

We are one of the newbies it looks like. We didn't discover paradise until 2001 and have been coming back every year since. Some years we make it twice and one time we arrived three times. We now stay for 3 weeks and hope to make it a month soon. That seems like its the only way to ever catch up with some of the old-timers.

Aug. 1989, stayed at Sea Palace, haven't missed a year since, purchased timeshares at Belair first, then Divi and Royal Palm. I've since given up Royal Palm as the maintenance got to be ridiculious, but continue to enjoy Belair & Divi. St. Maarten is truly my home away from home!!!

2000, before the road to GCBC was even paved. The only hotel we've stayed in 15 years of visits.

Off a Carnival cruise, 1994. Went to Mullet Beach. The resort was still there.
The view coming down Cole Bay hill was unforgettable. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

1985. When we told our then 13 year old son we were going to St. Maarten over winter break, he said, "I'm not going to a Catholic school for vacation!" Oh, little did he know! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" /> Stayed at the old Mullet resort, then bought timeshare at the Towers sight unseen the same week the office opened.Like Pat, we've never regretted this decision. Now we stay for the month of February! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Our first trip was 1984 for our tenth anniversary. We returned in 1993 and have been back every year since. At some point we started going twice a year.

Nov 1996 for us, on a ts exchange to the Towers. As you can imagine, arriving at night and driving through the devastated grounds at Mullet Bay I truly wondered what I had gotten us into. Turns out it was paradise!

Our first trip to St. Martin was in November, 1991. After going to the Dominican Republic and then Mexico we decided we wanted to try a European based island. We found a deal for La Flamboyant in Nettle Bay, which was all-inclusive...a big attraction for Canadians at the time. Since our first trip we returned annually for the next 19 years staying largely on Orient Beach at L'Hoste and Club Orient. Sadly, we have not returned to St. Martin in the last four years, we have fallen in love with another Grand Lady of the Caribbean...Jamaica. St. Martin is still very dear to our hearts and another trip is on the bucket list. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

John <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

January 1996 and the island still looked like a war zone. We made a time share trade and got a place at the Pelican. This was made before Luis hit. When the storm was close we watched the Weather Chanel all the time and got all the gory details about the destruction. After it passed I tried to call the Pelican but phone service was out. II was of no help. I kept trying and trying and finally in late December, just a couple of weeks before our trip, I got through and they told me that most of the resort was closed but they could put us up in D building. When we got there a telegram from II (remember that form of communication?) was waiting telling us that they found a place for us at the Royal Islander and they tried to phone us at home that morning but got no answer ( They must have been watching too much Star Trek.). We had a great time and have been going back once or twice a year ever since.

First trip was in 1989. We stayed at La Belle Creole. Been every year since except for 1996 (the year after Luis). We arrived after dark on our first trip. We took a cab from the airport to La Belle Creole. In 1989 you had to travel on some (desolate) dirt roads to get from the airport to La Belle Creole. When we hit the dirt roads we were convinced the cab driver was taking us to some remote spot to rob us.

Winter 1987. Got a deal through American Airlines, although it took us 4 connections to get to that small airport on SXM. One funny aspect of our 1st visit is that we were not allowed to rent a car at the airport. A rental car was brought to our hotel our 1st morning on the island.

Spent the week exploring mainly the French side, and we stayed on Great Bay. The internet could have made things easier to deal with, but it was an experience.

Did a day sail to St Barts and most of our island visits over the years have been to SBH.

January 1977summit resort and spent 90%, of our tr @Mullet BAy Beach Resort

January 1996- 25th anniversary, once in a lifetime stay at a villa like the rich and famous. Did not go in 1997 but have been at least once a year ever since. Thank you SXM!

1998, now 26 trips later, still love it in spite of changes.

After spending about a decade being, like many couples, far more mom and dad than husband and wife, after a couple of years of weekend getaways, in 2012 we decided the kids were old enough to leave with the grandparents for an extended stay while we went on vacation. We looked for places with good flights and narrowed it down to St. Martin and Puerto Rico. I had put together a one week getaway for my wife and her friends to Puerto Rico earlier in the year, so St. Martin won.

We will be going back for year 4 in 56 days. The island holds a special place in our heart because it is truly our place where we are able to be a couple.

December 2002. We were looking for an easy trip with our then 1 year old daughter. I wasn't expecting to fall in love, but it was the perfect island for us. We have been returning annually ever since.

2012 for us and we were hooked. Visited island 3 times that year. We wanted to honeymoon in 1996 but our travel agent advised against it because she said the island hadn't recovered from the hurricane. We listened and it took us 6 years to get here

First visit was in 1984 when we stayed at Treasure Island in Cupecoy - now long gone. Then the Summit for many years usually each March, and most recently the Cliff. Always loved Cupecoy beach. Unfortunely since those early days the Cupecoy area has changed dramatically. No buildings existed from the Cupecoy beach club up to La Samanna, except Stu Leonard's villa which was torn down eventually. The chimney rock was standing tall.

1985 it cost us $ 399.00 per person and we were the only Americans at the hotel we were on the French side , the San Tropez at one time it must have been a real big place . We had breakfast at Zbest and my wife asked for butter and the waitress said butter ,butter you american put butter on ever thing and walked away she tried the croissant and she was hooked . We have been back every year ,for the last 20 year 2 week in early November we now stay in Villas with 3 other couples and love it . Sometimes we also go in early March . Just love this place
,

For us, June 1994. Used a timeshare week from my parents (they own in Tahoe) and traded to Royal Palm knowing absolutely nothing about the island other than we could sit on the beach for a week. We ended up discovering Club O, and getting talked into a timeshare at The Towers. (Tried to give it back and the guy said "F off!". Real class.) Hurricane hit in 1995 and when we went back for an anniversary trip in December 1995, it was really surreal, but we were quite happy we bought at The Towers, which was pretty much all up and running. I believe we've been now 9 times, though we have stayed at RI (and a little at Club O) because our trips are shorter and its just easier there. Last trip was about a year and change ago, and hoping to get back later this year or early next for our 25th.

In 1998 my wife's oldest brother died and on our way home from the funeral she turned to me and said "we have been talking about taking a cruise for twenty years now...let's just do it!

My travel agent at work also handled non-business trips from her home evenings and weekends so I asked her to pick a cruise line and an itinerary for us and book it. She put us on NCL out of Puerto Rico with 5 islands in 7 days. SXM was our last island.

We did the America's Cup 12 meter adventure, had an early lunch, and then visited the Jewelry stores on Front St. She picked out a small ruby and a small emerald and asked which stone she should get set in a ring. In a RARE moment of insight I smiled and said "Gee Sweetheart, why don't you get BOTH?

She gave me the same adoring look that she had given me as she walked down the aisle 21 years earlier on our wedding day.

As we left the store she took my hand and said "I've changed my mind...let's go check out this "Club Orient" thing you read about on the ship."

We took a cab to Pedros and walked to the Perch and asked Willie if day visitors were allowed. She said "of course, just pick any two chairs with no tags on them and the beach boy will be around after a while to collect the rental fee. What can I fix you to drink?"

Ten minutes later we were skinny dipping in that crystal clear 82 degree blue water and laughing like kids again. On the tender back to the ship we were already planning the next summer's week long stay at club O...the first of many annual stays!

Friend told us of his vacations in the 80's to St Martin so we thought we would one day give it a try. After the kids were grown we found we had some extra money and could take a winter vacation. So in 2000 we set off for Le Hoste and have been back 15x. Try to stay longer each time.

Mutsa been around 1991 or 1992. A wonderful couple, both of whom are now gone, invited us down. They knew the island inside and out; they spent at least 6 weeks or so there each year. They invited us a second time, and we decided to buy a time share. I'll never forget Mitch telling me that St. Martin never got hit with hurricanes. That would have been in 1994.....

Came on a cruise ship in 2005, loved it so much we had our first "real" trip in 2006. Cannot wait to return the end of December!

First Visit February 2001. Our first out of the country Travel. We stayed at the old St. Tropez. Our flight was late by 8 or 9 hours, they lost our luggage (we arrived on Friday, luggage got to us on Sunday), rental car guy was not there, we spoke no French. It was Dark, but we were hooked by day 2, didn't get back until 2005. We found TTOL August of 2000 (member 403 or something like that)met may friends and got good advice ever since. We have our 9th trip schedule for January.

1998 on a cruise... Bob almost made us miss the "boat" because he didn't want to leave.. we have not been on a cruise since... 11th trip back to SXM in April 2006

This is a great topic, and reading all the responses, I see that a large percentage first made a cruise stop, liked what they saw, and returned as guests. I've found this to be especially true as to the guests at Club O, and is why I don't mind the "cruisers" when we are there.

My first time was actually on a cruise in 2000. The only catch is that it was not until recently that I figured out that St. Maarten was a port of call on that cruise, so the cruise didn’t leave me with that great of a first impression. I was flipping through pictures last year and I saw the ‘Welcome to St Maarten” sign at the old cruise port. That is when I figured out I was actually there before.

What I consider my first real visit to St Martin was a few years ago when we were looking a vacation destination that we could use our hotel points at. We found the Radisson Blu in Anse Marcel. We reserved our room for a week and booked our plane tickets on Delta. We had a wonderful vacation and enjoyed it so much that we booked again for the following year (on points again).

We have been going back every year ever since. We no longer stay at the Radisson. We now rent a condo thru VRBO in Mont Vernon. We absolutely love our time on island and can’t wait for the following year to come around again. I am sure that once we can get more time off of work that we will extend our time to probably 2 or 3 trips per year. Only time will tell though.

1990. A friend gave us her timeshare week at Pelican for President's week that year. We had never heard of SXM until then. We just knew it was warm. Back then you could switch airline tickets to other names at no charge, so we had her tickets and off we went. We decided to listen to a timeshare promo inexchange for a snorkel trip. Bought two winter weeks at Pelican and have been coming here two to three times a year ever since.

1992 on a cruise ship for our honeymoon. Fell in love with the Island. There have been some years when we were able to return at least 5 times (I worked for an airline at the time). ...so enjoy being there <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Wow, thanks all for the great responses! It looks like "Pat" and "Wingman" are the lucky folks who discovered SXM first in 1973. The greatest concentration of "firsts" is 1984-85 with 10.

Honestly, I can't even imagine how cool the island would have been in the 70's and 80's. It was still fairly "quaint" when we arrived in the 90's!

2001 My sister & brother in law had been coming for years but we never had the money or a baby sitter. With one child out of college, one in college, & one in high school we finally got there with the oldest & youngest. We all fell in love & have been back every year. The youngest daughter got married on the beach this past Feb.

A co-worker went to SXM in 1997, and came back with stories of seeing naked people on the beach, and even having lunch sitting beside some naked people in a beach shack. Imagine that! Just had to check it out for myself. We stayed a week at Mont Vernon in March 1998. Walked down the beach, and spent most of that week at Club O. We were hooked. Next year we stayed at Club O for a week. That was not enough. In 2000 we stayed for 2 weeks. That was when we met Cathyg and Steve, who had just arrived, luggage AWOL! What you remember! Two of many we have met over the years. Since then we have been back every year, sometimes twice a year, shifting to November. Last year we added another week. As others have said, the island is wonderful, the people we have met even more so!

We are definitely 'newbies', but we have jumped in with both feet. We first visited the island in June of 2007 on a cruise. We had just each lost a parent, and decided that we should grab our 'someday' now, as you never know if you will have those. We sailed the route of Nassau, St Thomas and St Martin. We were honestly very excited about St Thomas, having heard about it forever growing up, and frankly hadn't given St Martin a thought. After being very disappointing by St Thomas, we were ready to see St Martin the next day. We fell in love immediately, and talked that night about needing to return. Which we have, at least twice a year since then. Our stays have grown from what is now laughable 5 days, to 18. This year there will be three trips, as we just returned from 10 days on the island with two of our boys. It was their first stay on the island after many cruise days, and they too are hooked. We've been to many other islands, but this one is home.

Our first trip to SXM was in 1984 on our honeymoon. We stayed at Great Bay Hotel and Le Galion Hotel. Everything was so different then, as there was nothing on Orient Beach except for Pedro's small snack shack and Club Orient. Since that first trip, we have been back to SXM for six other trips, usually staying in the Orient Beach area. Our next trip is booked for February, 2016.

Yes I can relate to this, although we did not see anything on Orient when we went the 1st time in 1987, except for trees and sand and water.

We probably stayed in Great Bay Hotel (don't really remember the name) and our 1st night there we wanted to go see the beach. The gate to the beach was locked, which was a really odd experience for us.

On the island now, year 27, the fun started in 1987. We did spend one year in Aruba because of hurricane Luis or it would be 28!

1981 on a cruise. Then 1990 on a cruise, and since 1997 every year for a long stay (and several times twice a year), except for 2000, as Lenny took out the villas at Beachside. We have been staying at Beachside Villas since 1997.

First time was in February, 1995, and we were at the late Dawn Beach Hotel. Another guest there asked if we had been to Orient yet, but we said "no" we had not. He told us how to get there--we drove there the next day and we were hooked after that first time.

We did not return in 1996 because of Hurricane Luis, but we have been down almost every year since, always in February and now for three weeks. And since our return in 1997, we have stayed at one place or another on Orient Bay. No more driving to the beach! We walk it every morning!

We have made friends with dozens of people who come down during the same time slot--not least of whom is the inimitable Contessa and our good buddy Bart Simpson. We often meet up with our SXM friends during the rest of the year, and look forward to our annual reunion with all of them on the island.

By sheer coincidence, just yesterday we bought our tickets for this coming February. We arrive on the 7th, depart the 28th.

1994

June 1989 been going back ever since.

1985 Rented a Villa from the Villa Lady. Been 33 times and counting since. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Our first visit was 1976, we stayed at Mullet Bay, we believe it was a Marriot; bought a condo in '84. We guess that we are past the 70 mark for visits.

There is nothing new about the topic of this thread. However, I don't think I have ever seen more replies and more interesting replies. Think we should have one of those "back in the old days" threads speaking to how things have changed on the island for those who have a lot of experience.

2000.. 3 couples wanting a vacation together.. one couple had been to sxm for their honeymoon and recommended. We rented a villa and have pretty much done that for every trip .. on multiple visits we have rented time shares . We all love the island and go back yearly at least once and some multiple times.. We have all since also gone to Mexico,Jamaica and Hawaii.BVI'S etc.. . and we do like visiting other areas ...we always come back to sxm.

1971 . Mullet Bay resort was just built.

You've got some serious island time and history under your belt, bbenni. Our first trip to MBR&C in '73 they were just starting the Building 90 area and they were well under way up at the Hillside. It was an awesome place back in the day..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

May 2014 via cruise with a repeat May 2015. Found Orient Beach while on a Bernard's Tour and fell in love with the place. We (Ruth and I) are flying to SXM Sept 12, 2015 for a 2 week stay at Orient Beach. Didn't know about the renovations/demolitions when we booked but I'm sure it'll be fine.

I had to dress up at night with Jacket and tie and my wife would wear evening dresses at night to be able to go into casino which first was located ocean front at Mullet Bay Resort and Casino. Later on they moved the casino and many nights they would have buffets set up on the beach. It was an elegant resort. Also the Maho hotel was originally the Concord built by the Concord in NYState. It was boycotted by the local workers and never got off the ground then it became Maho Hotel. Many of the roads were dirt and almost nothing else built in the area at all.

Our memories of MBR&C are the same. It was such a wonderful classy place back then.......

Looks like badbenni is the new smartest person around! Hearing about the dress codes reminds me of early cruises...not all bad! When I first started working, 40+ years ago, you were expected to wear a suit, top coat and hat when visiting the corporate office.