DAY 7: ST MAARTEN vs SAINT MARTIN

Now I have always wondered what the difference between St Maarten and Saint Martin. Saint Martin is the French side and St Maarten is the Dutch side. I found this article, which I thought was interesting:

Saint Martin is known as “the friendly island,” a Caribbean paradise amiably split between the French side (Saint Martin) and the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) since 1648. There’s no border patrol, customs, or fences between the two independently governed territories. The two sides say they’re friends, but after 366 years of being neighbors, don’t doubt for a minute that each part of the island has a few things it would like to say about the other one. Both the French and the Dutch are convinced that their portion of the island is really the best place to visit, live, and play. So here’s a smackdown of what each side of Saint Martin would say about each other if they weren’t quite so friendly.

St Martin:

The French side of Saint Martin is what island life is all about: a laid-back attitude, fine food, pristine beaches, unspoiled nature, and an appreciation for the finer things in life. There’s no need for the cruise ships, casinos, and nightclubs of the Vegas-meets-Caribbean Dutch side of the island. We have culture, nature, French and local cuisine, outdoor fun, and, oh yes, topless beaches. Want McDonald’s and soulless time shares? Go to St. Maarten, or just stay home. If you want to experience a unique taste of France flavored with some hot Caribbean spice, come to Saint Martin.

So obviously this article was wrote by someone that lives on the Saint Martin side.

This was another day that the ship pulled in by 7am. However, since this is also a place that we had actually "booked" something for the day, we still didn't have to be up early and wasn't supposed to be at our meeting spot until 8:30am.

Once again, up at 6:45am and got the crew together, made my obligatory phone call to Kendra's room to tell her to get moving. We headed to breakfast and obviously we ate the same thing and I didn't feel the need to repeat a photo, therefore I didn't take one.

Around 7:40am, Kendra came strolling up to the buffet and once again, I gave the "you're late" mom look and told her I was heading to my room early because our room steward had collected our wet beach towels the day before and did not give us clean ones.

I headed back to the room and for the first time, I was unable to find our room steward roaming the halls. So, I called housekeeping and told them our towels had not been replaced and we needed some so that we could get off the ship. I did mention that we had a tour planned and needed to get there to meet them (hoping they would rush the towels and hear the urgency in my voice). That didn't work. You know you've waited too long when Kendra is able to scarf down breakfast, go to her room to pick up her bags and meet me at my room and is waiting too.

After waiting awhile, I went looking for my room steward again. Once again, he was no where in sight, so I approached another room steward who immediately got them for me and off we went.

Off the ship and we allowed the paparazzi to take 1 photo of us and then headed for the port exit.

The port was dead and it's so weird to not see anyone out this early.

So today, we have decided to kayak over to Pinel Island. I had read a lot of good things about the island and seen pictures and it looked lovely. There are two ways to go over...by ferry or by kayak. Of course I picked the hardest thing and what an adventure it was. To read all about our crazy day, click the following tab:

After arriving back to the port, we did a little shopping and I bought Sakari a magnet to add to her collection.

That kayak must have not worn out Kendra too much...she was sprinting to get to the ship.

Or either I was really tired and dragging. Man everyone is ahead of me.

When we returned to our room, we had this waiting on us. This is a first and honestly, although we may go to the casino every night, we don't spend a lot there. I actually spent $20 total on the first 3 days before I put another $20 in. So, I was shocked but yet grateful. Another thing I found out this cruise is that once you reach 500 points, they give you a free $5 to play.

MACADAMIA NUT!!!! Yes please!

I got in the shower and by the time I got out...we had more gifts. This time from our wonderful TA. He spoils me rotten.

We also received this card as well. I didn't use it of course and I'm beginning to think they give this to everyone.

While I sat around munching on the goodies, I was busy packing as well. I seriously hate this day and this was even worse since we had just spent an entire day on the island and had worn ourselves out. I always enjoy that last sea day being able to pack a little, go play, pack a little more, go play. But not this time. It was a race against time and I was forced to do most of it now, otherwise I would be in a frenzy that night.

After packing as much as I could stand, we headed out to go check out the rest of our pictures from Pixels. We located all of them and put them in the very bottom, last row, with a bright orange outline on the top so it could be easily spotted. We decided we would buy them after we returned from the casino because I didn't want to carry them around with me and I sure didn't feel like going back to the room with that mess and luggage thrown across the bed calling my name.

We dropped the munchkin off at the kids club and we headed to the casino. We stopped by the bar and received our free "gold member" drink. I feel like I have been upgraded.

I did not do too good at the casino tonight. I played all my favorite games that had treated me so well during the cruise and not a one of them paid me any respect tonight.

We left the casino and went out to find the kiosk to see what our balance was. We still had $68 on the account. Well, that was supposed to be casino money so the plan was to head back to the casino and we would split the money and play a game we never played before.

The hubby and I ended up along a wall with some games that honestly didn't look that interesting to me, and quite honestly, I hadn't seen one person on them at any time that I had been in there. I picked the one at the end and he sat next to me. I put my money in and was spinning over and over and didn't hit one thing and I had spent $5 so far. Not one. Not even a nickel. I was not happy. I told the hubby "I hate this game and want to move"...pushed the button and hit the bonus. Well, it's about time. I walked away with a $146 win. Ok, I'm done and away I went to cash out.

We headed back to Pixels to buy our photos AND THEY WERE GONE!!! This seems to happen a lot with Carnival. It has happened to me several times, it has happened to Kendra. Are people just mean and move your stuff? Do they walk by and decide to pick your pictures up and throw them away? I can guarantee that my pictures where not anywhere on any of the walls and it had only been about 2 hours since I put them there. The staff (2 of them) looked at EVERY picture on every wall and behind them all. They were gone. So then I was forced to look at this small screen on their hand-held computer and pick out all of our pictures so that I could order them. It took awhile (and Kendra had to do the same thing), but we found them, ordered them, and paid for them and received even more free stuff (made it to 20 pictures total for the cruise between Kendra and I). I was now the owner of a free black bag that you could put pictures in it on the outside. I purchased my scrapbook as well. They let me know that I would have to pick up my pictures in the morning before getting off.

We headed out to pick up Sakari and she was busy watching a movie at the kids club. They were watching Hercules and even though she had seen it before, she was really into it. So, we stepped out and went to the comedy show instead. Once it was over and we went back, of course there was a mile long line.

The kids club people gave the kids a special cookie, that was decorated, as a goodbye gift. How nice. We had also brought her a "Goodbye" gift...her drink for becoming a gold member.

We decided to head to the back of the ship and get a sandwich before I had to endure some more packing. After all, we had not even ate dinner yet. Anything I could think of to postpone having to do this, I thought of.

I had a grilled cheese and the hubby had a turkey wrap.

We headed back and our bed was completely made and turned down and I think our room steward is a wizard at this point because it looked like our luggage and stuff spread out all over the bed hadn't been touched. It's too bad he didn't decide to wave his magic wand and finish packing for me.

Sakari ate her special kids club cookie.

I finished packing and set my bags out by 11pm, finished off our wine from our TA, and reluctantly went to bed. Even though our cruise was over tomorrow and we would be forced to get off the ship...our vacation was still going strong and we had a day in Old San Juan tomorrow and still needed our rest. ZzzzZzZzzzZz