Hello - what's Pinel like? My friend says to chill there for one day excursion from cruise. He says there a couple beach bars and the beach itself is awesome.

I'm just curios how to get there and if there is enough time from ship.

thanks
zeke

Hi Zeke,

We spend at least a day or two on Pinel each time we vist St. Martin. There are boats leaving from Anse Marcel every half hour and it only costs $6 round trip per person. It's a quick 5 minute boat ride to/from the island. I think the last boat back is around 5pm, so that should give you plenty of time to relax. The two restaurants are both great and there's a little gift shop to browse through as well. You can also rent snorkel gear, although it's not the greatest snorkeling spot, it's still a nice break from sunbathing, etc.

Have fun!

Sorry but's NOT Anse Marcel. It IS French Cul De Sac!!!!!!!!!!

Just Another Ho Hum Day On D Planet

yes, it is French cul de sac. and to answer your question, Zeke, Pinel is a nice place to spend the day. Many cruise ship visitors do that.

Well excuse me!! We're used to turning at the "Anse Marcel" sign when getting there from Orient Beach. You don't have get all snippy over it.

Not snippy, just accurate info for newbie folks.

Just Another Ho Hum Day On D Planet

As long as the cab driver knows how to take us from the cruise dock to the Pinel ferry, that's all I want. About how long can you stay over on the Island? Is there a last returing ferry at a certain time? I don't think we want to stay past say 5 pm anyway since the ship departs at 8 pm.

thanks
z

I think the last boat leaves at 5 PM. they come back and forth regularly throughout the day so you can hop on when you feel like it.

Thanks Barbara. Will we be fine with cash and credit cards? No need for travelers checks I hope. Only spending money on food, drinks and maybe some souvenirs.

zeke

Zeke,

The Karibuni restaurant is one of your two choices for food on Pinel. I highly recommend it. They offer an excellent upscale menu (seafood, salads, etc.), beautiful seaside setting, and possibly the best infused rum in St Martin. You'll get a free sample after your meal and you can buy it by the bottle to go. They don't take credit cards though, so take extra cash.

mc

Zeke,

And if I'm remembering correctly, as mc suggested bring lots of extra cash. It's been a while since we ate there but the last time we did, as I recall, it was very expensive. Very good but very expensive.

pat

Karibuni is really good. The really expensive item is the lobster, which I believe works out to nearly $30 per pound. If you stick to the other staples on the menu, you should be able to stay under $30 pp. including a beer or two. In February, I had shark kebabs that were outstanding.

Thanks!

Can we just wear our suits and shirt at Karibuni?
z

Zeke,

In a word, YES!!

pat

Bring lots of cash. That place is ridiculous!!! $100 for a lobster, 1 Carib, and a bottle of water and it wasn't very good. Poor service as well. We didn't like it and will not go back. We were stupid and didn't ask what a 2 pound lobster would cost-they do it by the gram. Consequently, we were shocked at our bill and mad at ourselves for not asking. We don't mind paying for a good lunch but $100 for that is crazy.