St Maarten News - Hustled and Harassed in Philipsburg

Article published by St Maarten News:

https://stmaartennews.com/business/hustled-harassed-philipsburg/

Pretty sad. Sounds like Diamond International must have made a sweetheart deal with someone.

And they wonder why the cruise ship days are dropping

Interesting article. Wasn't aware it's gotten that bad. Last May I didn't encounter anything like that.

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.

sad

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!

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.

the miracle salve people are easily rebuffed. Say, I have anaphylactic allergies. They didn't bother me yesterday after I said that

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.

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.
A woman in front of me said she lives on the island and they kept challenging her..it was awful.

And we are sometimes referred to as the ugly Americans. Lol. Talk about calling the kettle black.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.

They're at SBR and BBH selling their stuff too. Very tiny container $150. Uh, no.