m/v Carribean Explorer II - Any Views???

[DandyDon]

Booked this trip for this fall around Thanksgiving. Going to St Martin two days before I board the Carrib II on that Saturday l need a place to stay for two nights in St Martin, do not want to rent a car and want to walk to A town and restaurants. Any thoughts?

You'll get more responses if you start a new thread in Caribbean Forum: "Need hotel in St.Marteen."

I can tell you that you fly into the Dutch side, but the action is on the French side.

 

[terri]

Just got my latest copy of "Undercurrent" and it's the best one yet, I think. The lead story was a article about a week on this boat - sounds great.

I hope to go early in 2005, but I'd like to see some reports here on SB...? :jump013:

don :yl2jump:

:fish: Hi Don,
My husband and I did ths trip a couple of weeks ago, from St. Maartin to St. Kitts. So here is my take on it if you are interested.
There is not a better liveaboard crew anywhere. Captain Bob, Divemaster/instructors Baucus & Noah; Aimee, Michelle, Sandra & Engineer Bill, are incredible people. As hard as they all work, they still take time to become friends you will never forget. You will eat with them, dive with them, and spend time just sitting around talking with them. Baucus and Noah are a wealth of information. Don't let them fool you, both are extremely intelligent people, more comfortable in the water than out. Get to know Bill, he has some fantastic stories to tell. Aimee and Sandra? Need something, just ask for it. (Both seem to be telepathic, you may not even have to ask. Somehow, they always knew.) Michelle is an incredible chef, the food is great. You will never be hungry. Capt. Bob... he is great. He will go out of his way to make this the best trip you've ever been on. A very nice, capable person.
I start with the crew, because as you probably already know, they can make or break a trip.
The boat is great. Quarters are tight, but comfortable. Who spends time there anyway? I slept better than I have in a long time, the bed was surprisingly comfortable.
In Saba, you will be told of the 'Allspice rum', I do not recommend it. It is comparable to the old time laxatives our mothers used to force down our throats as children. But try it, so you can say you did. However, the banana and vanilla rums are pretty good. In case you have never been to the Antilles, do not expect things to be cheap. And they do not jew, except in the open market in St. Kitts.
If your trip ends in St. Kitts, insist on going to the Sprat Net Bar and Grill for dinner on the last night. You will enjoy the best ribs in the world, the lobster is not bad either.
The diving; well...(The South Pacific has me a little spoiled, so far nothing can compare to that.) There is current, a lot of macro, saw three reef sharks, lots of sea turtles and sting rays, no experiences with jellies. Reefs seem mostly healthy. Mediocre? My attitude is that anytime you can push your deflator button and go down, the world is a better place.
Vis was good. Diamond Rock was a great dive, try to do it if you go.

I give the 'thumbs up', and would definately make this trip again. Say 'Hello' for us if you should go.

Terri Bernard

 

[DandyDon]

Hey Terri - Thanks!

 

[domino22]

:fish: Hi Don,
My husband and I did ths trip a couple of weeks ago, from St. Maartin to St. Kitts. So here is my take on it if you are interested.
There is not a better liveaboard crew anywhere. Captain Bob, Divemaster/instructors Baucus & Noah; Aimee, Michelle, Sandra & Engineer Bill, are incredible people. As hard as they all work, they still take time to become friends you will never forget. You will eat with them, dive with them, and spend time just sitting around talking with them. Baucus and Noah are a wealth of information. Don't let them fool you, both are extremely intelligent people, more comfortable in the water than out. Get to know Bill, he has some fantastic stories to tell. Aimee and Sandra? Need something, just ask for it. (Both seem to be telepathic, you may not even have to ask. Somehow, they always knew.) Michelle is an incredible chef, the food is great. You will never be hungry. Capt. Bob... he is great. He will go out of his way to make this the best trip you've ever been on. A very nice, capable person.
I start with the crew, because as you probably already know, they can make or break a trip.
The boat is great. Quarters are tight, but comfortable. Who spends time there anyway? I slept better than I have in a long time, the bed was surprisingly comfortable.
In Saba, you will be told of the 'Allspice rum', I do not recommend it. It is comparable to the old time laxatives our mothers used to force down our throats as children. But try it, so you can say you did. However, the banana and vanilla rums are pretty good. In case you have never been to the Antilles, do not expect things to be cheap. And they do not jew, except in the open market in St. Kitts.
If your trip ends in St. Kitts, insist on going to the Sprat Net Bar and Grill for dinner on the last night. You will enjoy the best ribs in the world, the lobster is not bad either.
The diving; well...(The South Pacific has me a little spoiled, so far nothing can compare to that.) There is current, a lot of macro, saw three reef sharks, lots of sea turtles and sting rays, no experiences with jellies. Reefs seem mostly healthy. Mediocre? My attitude is that anytime you can push your deflator button and go down, the world is a better place.
Vis was good. Diamond Rock was a great dive, try to do it if you go.

I give the 'thumbs up', and would definately make this trip again. Say 'Hello' for us if you should go.

Terri Bernard

thanks for the info looking forward to the trip. Have heard different ideas on the French side and the Dutch. Will be in St Martin only two nights and one full day.

 

[rcohn]

I can tell you that you fly into the Dutch side, but the action is on the French side.

I'll second that. We stayed on the Dutch side in Philipsburg, near the CE dock. The French side was much nicer, if we went again we'd stay in Marigot. There are also resorts on the beaches on the French side if that's more your taste.

We also hit a number of traffic jams, it wasn't an Island on which we enjoyed the driving.

Ralph

 

[smokey braden]

dear domino22,
my wife and i arrived a day early in st martin before catching the boat.
we stayed at a nice hotel at the edge of town.
eveything is real close and did not need a car.
in fact we stayed in the same hotel our last night instead of the boat.
that way we did not have to get up early in order for the crew to get her ready for the next bunch of divers.
you will have a grfeat time!
best regards,
smokey

 

[domino22]

dear domino22,
my wife and i arrived a day early in st martin before catching the boat.
we stayed at a nice hotel at the edge of town.
eveything is real close and did not need a car.
in fact we stayed in the same hotel our last night instead of the boat.
that way we did not have to get up early in order for the crew to get her ready for the next bunch of divers.
you will have a grfeat time!
best regards,
smokey

Thanks for all the input it was helpfull. I went with a place called "Pasanggrahan Royal Guest House"
It was ocean view with balconey under $100 a night before tax. If you stayed there and liked it let me know. If you stayed there and did not like it "Do Not" let me know because I already paid for it.