Seems alot of the E.Carib cruises stop here. Advice, opinions, where to go/do, what's the town like? Thanks!

Actually, St. Maarten is two "islands" (actually, the island is split in half). One half is St. Maarten, a Dutch protectorate, the other is St. Martin, which is French. Personally, I preferred the French side. It's much better kept up. (I think the French spend more money there than the Dutch.) I'd take the tour given by the cruise ship; it takes you all over the island, both sides. The director on the tour I took had quite a few good stories. And the shopping on the French side was really good. Not too bad in Phillipsburg (Dutch) wasn't too bad either. As I remember, there were some good beaches, but I'm not a beach person. It was interesting to just walk around and look at the differences in the two sides, especially the architecture.

We stopped at St. Maarten in December, the first weekend after they reopened after devastating Fall 2000 hurricanes. The Dutch side was hit the hardest, but the shopping area was fine. We took a taxi with another couple to the French side to Orient Beach. It has a clothing and a clothing optional side. We went to the option side for a first. Surf naked has nothing on me. I now snorkel naked! My wife was more impressed with the counter person in the snorkeling rental shop on that side. The standing joke upon return to the landing to catch a shuttle back is: "I didn't recognize you with your clothes on!" Seriously, we loved it. There is even a liquore unique to St. Maarten. You can get samples in a shop. Have fun.

We loved Dawn Beach they rent nice lounge chairs and umbrellas. It was not a clothing opitional beach. Theres even snorkeling but it's kind of far from shore.

Spent a week in St. Maarten. WIll return. <BR> <BR>Your cruise ship will undoubtedly bring you into downtown Phillipburg, one long pedestrian mall, all shoops vying for your US greenbacks. The restaurants on the waterside usually have a terrace and beach access where you can rent floaters, etc. Great for kids... <BR> <BR>Saw three bottles of Bacardi rum advertised for 15 USD... <BR> <BR>We tool a catamaran sail to St Barts...an all day affair. Good experience...need Dramamine for the ride there...next time, I'd rent a vehicle to explore St Barts...many fellow passengers did and enjoyed it... <BR> <BR>On the French side, we found croissants and pastries as good as we'd had in Paris. If you are a frequent European traveller, bring French Francs...cheaper... we had Amex FF travellers cheques... <BR> <BR>Cupecoy beach is a nude beach...loungers available for rent at %USD pp. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip! <BR> <BR>