Martinique still around?

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mel47

Guest
We've heard many people say that when they stopped in Martinique the people there were extremely rude and they didn't have a good time. Also heard that Martinique is becoming less and less of a cruise port - ships aren't stopping because of all that.

Is what I hear true? What's been your experience?
 
C

Cruise cutie

Guest
Went to Martinique in 1996...first of all..the island is gorgeous,BUT the shop keepers were really rude,I speak French (but I had not said anything in French).. and they made snide comments about cheap skate tourist Americans....I wanted a couple of Hair Scrunchies..they were sparkly and my daughter took dance and did recitals for 10 years..,I picked up a couple post cards ,and that's when the comments were made at the check out.well I snapped off a brisk couple of comments and jetted out of there!!!.I detest people who make snap judgements about what you have to spend, or what you should spend,.So I paid and left and went to another boutique and was browsing and the same $%#^ thing happened AGAIN....=grrr..after walking around the down town to cool off as I was STEAMED!!, what happens..go past a bunch of open air markets shops with windows open..with fish,chicken and meat hanging..Flies all over the meat>>YUCK.,and the stench!!...I'm outta here.I'm a nurse and that gave me the willies...:blah...so IF I get off the boat at Martinique..I head to a beach ,or make it an extra sea day..I cannot abide RUDE ARROGANT people!!!...JMHO and my =twocents...:(..Joanne
 
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Darlene

Guest
We stopped there in 1998. We went to an open air market. Didn't notice any rudeness. Then we took a ferry to a beach. My husband did say that the lady at the bar didn't seem to want to wait on him but, I didn't notice any rudeness.
 
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kruznut

Guest
:wave Well, i guess each persons experience may be different, but we enjoyed Martinique and thought what we saw of the island was quite beautiful. I think the only store i went in was Roger Albert and we bought some perfumes. All in all we enjoyed the island. =COOL =COOL
 
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Natalia

Guest
Its still on a few itineraries... Ive heard the same, over and over... RUDE.

Joanne, I would have given a piece of my mind, and then NOT purchased a thing!
 
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mel47

Guest
This is interesting. Is Martinique unaffected by the amount of industry a cruise port brings in? Although the desperation of the merchants in some ports is upsetting to some, at least they WANT you there. This sounds to me like some of the locals would rather cruise passengers NOT be there.

Do they think the amount of tourists coming in erodes the beauty of their land or perhaps are they a wealthy economy independent of cruise lines? Is it the culture?

I don't know, I haven't been there. But it is apparent people are having quite a different experience with the locals of Martinique than with most other ports. Just wondering what's up.
 
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lainie

Guest
I LOVED Martinique! Took the jeep safari tour with a great guide. Everyone was very friendly. Check out my review of the Carnival Legend from Febryar of this year!!!
 
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tg_lindo

Guest
I was in Martinique last October. Several other passengers, without me asking, said how much the island exceeded their expectations and that they had heard bad things.

One man raved about a continental style lunch he had in a pleasant restaurant in Ft de France.

I do not know if this is true, but another passenger explained to me that France's trade policies are choking local businesses. It's cheaper to fly to Martinique from Paris than from Miami!!

As such, they have realized it is in their best interests to be welcoming to American cruise passengers. A smile and a "bon jour" served me very well (despite knowing virtually no French).

Buying things with euros was always more smooth. This IS a department of France after all.

Between the agent at the tourism office kiosk, currency exchange, 2 "taxis communes" drivers, restaurant staff, cashier at Volcano Museum (a must-see in St Pierre), young woman on street who gave directions to taxi stop, convenience store clerk, gift shop cashier, and staff of 2 liquor stores, nobody was what I would call rude. The convenience story guy charged a little premium because I paid in dollars and he could not make change....but I'm not going to obsess over a few cents.
 
A

Al

Guest
It appears as if the only ship stopping there regularly is the Carnival Legend. I checked the other sites, and the virtually unanimous conclusion is to tour the island by cab. It's a bit expensive ($35pp average), but the drivers are very courteous, and most speak English, at least to an understandable degree. Many posters raved about the island, especially the rain forest, the volcano (St. Pierre), and the overall beauty of the landscape. The icebreaker seemed to be a smile and a "bon jour," even if that's all the French one knows. I'm seriously considering a cruise on the Legend, and Martinique was my only concern (I've been to St. Maarten and Barbados numerous times). Based on the infomration I gleaned today, the 8-day cruise is a distinct possibility.
 
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tg_lindo

Guest
It was Oct 28, 2003. Martinique was very warm, but not as oppressive to this spoiled Californian as San Juan. Big puffy clouds formed against the highest peaks, and there were patches of blue sky.

We had 2 sea days, before and after Aruba, and both days were completely overcast. There was one brief downpour late in the afternoon on the first of those days.

Sometimes I think the captains run serpentine between the showers at sea.

San Juan had downpours the night we arrived, the morning of embarkation, and right before our flight.
 
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MDXter

Guest
I was there in Sept.04 and it was not too bad. A minor negative was that they had very limited selection as far as shore excursions. A positive was that the beach where we went to, a few women sun bathe topless. Overall the island is very lush and beautiful.
 
H

Hillcrest

Guest
Well...St. Thomas and St. John just love Tourist. They are more than welcome to come here.
 
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Missmissypie068

Guest
I've only been to Martinique once and that was enough. I decided then and there that if I ever took a cruise that stopped there, I'd stay on the boat. I'm sure like most places, your opinions are based on what you did and the people you encountered. We took a tour from hell with a crazy taxi driver ( this was a Princess tour and the last leg of the tour divided people up into taxi's) and I was not only car sick from this guy's CRAZY driving, but seriously scared! Plus, we looked for the goodness in others, but only met rude people. They're everywhere, I know. But, this was one port I didn't enjoy at all.
 
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