suetibu

Hello,

How difficult/easy is to transfer from SXM (Dutch St.Martin) to St.Barts via ferry. There is no way my husband would survive the plane ride to St.Barts so the ferry is our only option. We will have a 6 mo old baby with us and want to make sure this is not foolish, especially with issues like 1) plane being late, 2) missing the first ferry. We will be traveling non-stop from NYC (~4 hours).

Thanks,
S

RoamsAround

Ferrys from SXM leave from either Marigot or Philipsburg. Go here for schedules and links to ferry websites:
http://www.sbhonline.com/St-Barts-Tr...-Schedules.htm

You'll have to take a cab from SXM airport to the respective ferry docks. If memory serves me right Marigot is about 30 minutes from the airport, the dock in Philipsburg is probably a 10 minute drive.

FYI - ferry ride can be a bit "lumpy" and uncomfortable for those prone to motion sickness and sometimes even those who are not. The ferry isn't dubbed the "vomit comet" for nothing!

Plane ride is actually pretty fun (landing on St. Barts is a little like a roller coaster ride) and only takes about 12 minutes. Give it serious consideration unless your husband has a major fear of flying. My mother who was 85 at the time got to sit in the co-pilot's seat and simply loved the flight (especially the landing) and wanted to do it again.

DavidSXM

Hi suetibu

Your best bet, in my view, is probably to depart from Marigot.

Make sure that the cab driver takes you via Sandy Ground, then 30 minutes should be OK.

I think that the 10 minutes from PJIA to the dock in Philipsburg quoted above is highly optimistic, particularly as the traffic through the Simpson Bay area is notoriously unpredictable, and that usually means slow.

If your husband is allergic to small airplanes or to 'interesting landings', don't even consider flying to St Barts !

By the way - though it would not be a good option for you as you will be coming from PJIA - the 'vomit comet' also runs out of Captain Oliver's Marina in Oyster Pond.

Any route by ferry to St Barts can be bumpy. I have done the trip on numerous occasions and never had a problem, but a couple of times I did notice some passengers turning slightly green !

suetibu

Hello,

Yes we are definitely not going to be flying..So ferry is it.. We have taken ferries in Cape Cod - to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket several times and never had a problem. Is this ride from St.Martin very different?

Yes we are considering between Marigot and Oyster Bay.

DavidSXM - why do you think that Oyster Bay is not a good option from SXM airport?

Our flight arrives at 4:22 and the next available ferry is 6:45 from Oyster pond. I believe that is more than enough time. We could probably eat a light dinner in Oyster bay before the ferry.

Our return flight is not until 5:45 but Voyager is suggesting the 10:45 from St barths. Any recommendations on what we can do while we wait for the flight? We're thinking a leisurely lunch at a beach front hotel/resort. We like quiet over crowded. ANy recommendations?

Thanks,
S

RoamsAround

it's a much different kind of ferry between SXM and SBH. The ferries from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket are all very large (like ships) and thus much more stable. The ferries between SXM and SBH are small "people carriers" (think of an enclosed boat somewhat like a cabin cruiser maybe 60' to 75' long). The "ride' will definitely be DIFFERENT - because the boats are small you'll experience much more wave action. To give you an idea of what the boats look like and their relative size to the "ship ferries" that you've taken on Cape Cod go to these websites and look at the photos:

http://www.sbhonline.com/St-Barts-Tr...-Schedules.htm

http://www.sbhferry.com/Great-bay-express.html

DavidSXM

RoamsAround is dead right !

There is absolutely NO comparison between the ferries to and from Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod and Nantucket and the much smaller catamaran type ferries to and from St Barts !

The reason that I said that the 'vomit comet' from Oyster Pond was not a good option for you is because it takes longer to get to Oyster Pond from the airport, but bearing in mind your timings, it actually would be a good alternative.

You could have an early dinner at Captain Oliver's nice Restaurant, right on the dock from where the ferry leaves, and on the way back, I would suggest that you return via Marigot and have lunch on pretty Marina Royale before heading off to the airport.

My favorite restaurant there is La Tropicana (check their website), but book in advance, and ask for a waterside table. It is quite a small establishment, with excellent food, but only a few waterfront tables.

I hope this helps.

suetibu

Yes, Thank you.. This all helps. Supposedly the trip via Oyster Pond is only 30 mins so hopefully we will be ok..Especially the baby

Unfortunately, we have to return via Oyster Pond too (because of the timings). So if you have any other suggestion for what we can do between 11:30 and 5:15 (flight time), we'd appreciate it.

And thank you!

DavidSXM

Hi again suetibu

I suggest that you could perhaps take a taxi to Marina Royale in Marigot and have lunch, as I suggested, and then take another taxi from there back to the airport for your flight, as the timings fit quite nicely.

The only problem might be what to do with the luggage which you will certainly have.

You might find it more practical to rent a car for the day, to be waiting for you when you arrive back at Oyster Pond, which could then be returned at the airport - but make absolutely sure that, if you do, your luggage is well hidden when you park up - wherever - at lunchtime.

suetibu

Thanks David.. That sounds like a good plan.

Because our flight arrives at 4:22 and the last ferry is at 6:45, we are considering staying the first night in St. Martin.

Normally we would'nt think twice about this, but with a baby we want everything to go as smoothly as possible. Or are we overthinking this? We are considering the Radisson Blu. This is our first trip to the caribbean and we think it would be a good first impression. We are concerned about the transfer costs - though. Airport to Hotel and Hotel to Oyster Pond..

Any advice?

elisemf

If you stay at the Radisson Blu, they have a water taxi transfer http://www.radissonblu.com/resort-st.../water-shuttle. It will be easy to get a taxi to either ferry you choose from there. The watertaxi is fun, and saves a lot of "wear and tear".

suetibu

Any other input on whether we should stay the first might in St.Martin? We would like to book flights today. It will cost an extra $400 (hotel + transfers) to add that 1 night (we have St barts booked).

Any advice?