New Liaison Direct Port SBH - Princess Juliana via Voyageur

cassidain

Senior Insider
Voyager va desservir l’aéroport Juliana directement
A partir du 5 février, la compagnie propose une rotation supplémentaire quotidienne. Entre Saint-Barth etl’aéroport Princess Juliana, via le lagon de Simpson Bay. Et retour.

Descendre du ferry pour Saint-Martin. Etpénétrer dans le hallde l’aéroport Julianaquelques minutes plus tard àpeine, après quelques passeulement. Ce sera bientôtpossible grâce à la nouvelleoffre proposée par la compa-gnie Voyager. Une dessertedirecte de l’aéroport PrincessJuliana, au départ de Saint-Barth. En passant par lelagon de Simpson Bay, pourrejoindre l’embarcadère joux-tant le parking de l’aéroport.Départ de Saint-Barth :10h15. Retour : 16h15.Temps de traversée à bord duVoyager III, incluant le pas-sage du nouveau pont Cause-way : une heure. La compa-gnie a fait un premier essai àblanc, mercredi 29 janvier.«Essai concluant», se féliciteJean-Claude Latournerie,gérant de la compagnie. Lapremière liaison commercialesera réalisée ce mercredi 6février. «Pour les résidents deSaint-Barth, mais aussi pourles touristes, ce sera unepetite révolution», promet leresponsable de Voyager. Encours d’aménagement, unchemin piétonnier permettrade rallier l’aérogare. «Lespassagers auront exactement140m à faire», a mesuréJean-Claude Latournerie. «Lamême distance que s’ilsavaient laissé leur voiture auparking», souligne-t-il. Pourceux qui ne peuvent, ou nesouhaitent pas, faire cette dis-tance à pied, parce que tropchargés, la compagnie aprévu une petite navette entrele débarcadère et l’aéroport.D’ici peu, la compagnie aura également installé sa propreguérite pour recevoir saclientèle à ce point d’embar-quement et de débarquement.Attention, «il faudra se munird’un passeport pour franchirl’immigration», à Sint Maar-ten. Car des agents de SintMaarten se chargeront ducontrôle à l’arrivée et audépart, comme ils le font parexemple à Philipsburg. Cou-plé avec son offre «businessclass», un service d’assis-tance VIP est égalementprévu par la compagnie. Ellepermettra de prendre encharge les passagers qui le désirent. De les transporterjusqu’à l’aéroport et de leurépargner formalités d’immi-gration et d’enregistrementde leurs bagages. A vec leshoraires proposés, arrivée àJuliana à 11h15. Départ deJuliana à 16h15, l’offre auto-rise la correspondance avecla plupart des vols vers l’Eu-rope ou les Etats-Unis.Comme dans l’autre sens,vers Saint-Barth, la plupartdes vols atterrissant à SintMaarten en début d’aprèsmidi. «Si quelqu’un doitprendre un avion à Julianaplus tôt, ou arrive plus tard
parce que son avion estretardé, il pourra toujourscompter sur nos autres rota-tions», précise Jean-ClaudeLatournerie. Car la compa-gnie maintient ses autres liai-sons. Seuls les horaires vonts’en trouver un peu modifiés.Mieux, la compagnie Voya-ger souhaite même ajouter àson offre une desserte deMarigot par la route en bus –payant - depuis le débarca-dère à Juliana. Une offrequ’elle réserverait à sesclients.

​Leave Port SBH 10:15 arrive Princess Juliana 11:15. Leave Princess Juliana 16:15 arrive Port SBH 17:15
 
I hope Win Air doesn't also pile on against . . . this should be a very nice alternative to the Win Air zinger fares, especially if you're a family of four or five and don't dislike boats.
 
They do this for ferry and cruise ship customers now. Most if not all of the rental companies would be happy to meet you at the quay. Some hand you the keys, some drive you to pick up your car at another location. I've seen Odile from Gumbs doing rental paperwork in the municipal parking lot.
 
1497280_595774277169322_1456503582_n.png
 
I hope Win Air doesn't also pile on against . . . this should be a very nice alternative to the Win Air zinger fares, especially if you're a family of four or five and don't dislike boats.

Well, I don't think Winair is unionized...:devillaugh:

This oughta be fun! I mean, the euro-types are worst than we are with bowing to union BS.
God forbid something of great benefit to the customers should be allowed to happen. Don't you know the taxi drivers have a right to your money, and at the same rate and volume as ever?

I'm tempted to apply for the Uber franchise for SXM....That oughta fire a rocket up their you know whats.....
 
wow, this is huge!!!! thanks so much cass for letting everyone know. after my horrible taxi experience, I cringe each time I need a taxi in st. maarten.
 
Well, I don't think Winair is unionized...:devillaugh:

This oughta be fun! I mean, the euro-types are worst than we are with bowing to union BS.
God forbid something of great benefit to the customers should be allowed to happen. Don't you know the taxi drivers have a right to your money, and at the same rate and volume as



I'm tempted to apply for the Uber franchise for SXM....That oughta fire a rocket up their you know whats.....

That's exactly what I mean, Fred.

As much as I do love every touch down at Juliana, since it means we are on our way to St Barths (including the useful but "rule skipping" expediters, for example) . . . I have serious doubt that there is ample systemic integrity to make room for a genuinely good idea based on the concept of "merit", anywhere within a one kilometre radius encircling this airport.

It's a shame, too, because the ferry guys probably are significantly outmatched, even if they go in knowing that they must "fight for their right."

Still . . . maybe if they are determined and have at least some irrefutable leg to stand on, maybe, just maybe, they might get there eventually. It's definitely a good idea.
 
That's exactly what I mean, Fred.

As much as I do love every touch down at Juliana, since it means we are on our way to St Barths (including the useful but "rule skipping" expediters, for example) . . . I have serious doubt that there is ample systemic integrity to make room for a genuinely good idea based on the concept of "merit", anywhere within a one kilometre radius encircling this airport.

It's a shame, too, because the ferry guys probably are significantly outmatched, even if they go in knowing that they must "fight for their right."

Still . . . maybe if they are determined and have at least some irrefutable leg to stand on, maybe, just maybe, they might get there eventually. It's definitely a good idea.

<<Minister Richardson made sure to stress the fact that Voyager does not have a licence to operate. "This does not mean that my strategy/policy is to stop or interrupt free trade, especially not when it concerns different industries. Taxi is travel by land, Voyager is by sea and Winair is by air," he said.>>


There may be hope....never needed or wanted ferry, but for some people this will be great.

How long is/was the taxi ride to the other port? And how much $$?
 
<<Minister Richardson made sure to stress the fact that Voyager does not have a licence to operate. "This does not mean that my strategy/policy is to stop or interrupt free trade, especially not when it concerns different industries. Taxi is travel by land, Voyager is by sea and Winair is by air," he said.>>


There may be hope....never needed or wanted ferry, but for some people this will be great.

How long is/was the taxi ride to the other port? And how much $$?

Last time we took the ferry the cab ride was about 50 stressful minutes (not including wrangling the cab and loading) due to heavy, heavy traffic and just arriving in time (with modest running), and the fare was about $20-$25 pp, since there were other passengers in the same minivan (a first for them and they were REALLY worried!). If I remember correctly we did this on purpose because the trip was super last minute and there were no seats available to fly and this option was easily preferable to staying overnight on St Maarten. Our inbound flight was late, and so exacerbated this choice, but nothing we weren't used to from time to time.

We have also had several other better and more advanced planned trips where we freely chose this option, or had to take a taxi to Grand Case for SBC, and the main issues are that it introduces one more step of significant timing uncertainty into the process, plus cost and hassle. Sometimes if you're in a hurry the taxi driver still won't depart until he also finds other passengers to fill his van, and loads them, learns all their needs as well, etc.; and in this case then the shared pricing formula also becomes decidedly more vague and subject to mutual negotiation with not much passenger recourse. So a family of four might be $75 or more, or even slightly unknowable, per traffic, at the outset of the trip. Also, just recalling this, no matter your order of boarding the cab, you might not be the first stop, depending on your co-passengers destination(s). So this entire step goes completely away if instead we have the option to merely walk out the airport door, and a few hundred yards to the same boat.
 
Top