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Port preparing to home port more ships
#184541
02/18/2019 12:03 PM
02/18/2019 12:03 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,022 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,022
Central Florida!
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Daily Herald linkWe've never taken a cruise which started out of SXM before. Would love to do that someday.
Carol Hill
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Re: Port preparing to home port more ships
[Re: SammyM]
#184560
02/18/2019 01:56 PM
02/18/2019 01:56 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 83,022 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
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Posts: 83,022
Central Florida!
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There are already some ships that are home ported in SXM. But they are trying to expand those to include larger ships. Not the mega ones, but up to 1,500 pax.. The ones that are there now are pretty small.
Carol Hill
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Re: Port preparing to home port more ships
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#184606
02/18/2019 09:52 PM
02/18/2019 09:52 PM
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 933
SammyM
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 933
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1,500 capacity is still a pretty decently sized cruise ship. Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, and several other luxury cruisers use ships up to this size. However, those cruise lines are not cost effective for a wide variety of people. If St. Martin is going to be successful with this it will be imperative that they offer affordable cruises along with luxury cruises. I hope that will become a goal for them, because I see a lot of potential for expanding this cruise port.
As for the cost of flying to SXM, I suppose that will factor in somewhat. But, when someone takes a Mediterranean cruise (for example) it definitely costs more to fly to Rome, Barcelona, Athens, etc. than it does St. Martin. If the cruises are attractive, unique, and priced well people will get there. And, they'll especially get to St. Martin to do this. I know I will!
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Re: Port preparing to home port more ships
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#184613
02/18/2019 10:34 PM
02/18/2019 10:34 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507 Florida
RobT
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507
Florida
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About 10 years ago I took the Star Clipper on a 7-day cruise out of St Martin. That is a 150 passenger sailing ship, but they offered free air fare and the trip was not that expensive. We went to some of the smaller islands. We started it off with a week at Orient Beach which made the trip even better. Checking in was on board the ship, so they did not needs a large port facility to manage the passengers getting off and on.
Beach Hunter
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Re: Port preparing to home port more ships
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#184682
02/19/2019 01:43 PM
02/19/2019 01:43 PM
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,241 New Hampshire, USA
WayneB
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,241
New Hampshire, USA
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In 2015 we took an Island Windjammer ( http://www.islandwindjammers.com/ ) 7 day cruise out of St. Maarten, and it was great. Stayed at Holland House a few nights before, and then at our timeshare at Divi the week following. This was a small, 24 passenger cruise, so not a large cruise ship, but it did allow me into the cruise ship terminal, for the first time.
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Re: Port preparing to home port more ships
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#184714
02/19/2019 05:01 PM
02/19/2019 05:01 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 507 Florida
RobT
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Traveler
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Posts: 507
Florida
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Some of the stops for the Star Clipper then were St Barts, Antiqua, Nevis, and stops in the Isles de Saintes. We sailed all night from St Martin to St Barts. That is a rough ride and I was so glad to be on dry land. I think the Star Clipper goes out of another port now.
Beach Hunter
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