Sunsail – St. Martin

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St. Martin - Essential Holiday Information

Sunsail St. Martin
Captain Oliver’s Marina
Oyster Pond 97150
St. Martin
Tel: 00 590 295050
Base Manager John Sinke

Please note this number is NOT staffed full time.

St. Martin is an island of dual nationality, the Northern section is French and known as St. Martin and the Southern section is Dutch and known as Sint Maartin

LANGUAGE
• French and Dutch are the official languages although
English is also widely spoken.

TIME
• Time difference between the UK and St. Martin is - 4 hours

PASSPORT & VISAS
• Please ensure your passport is valid for the period of travel and for six months after you return.
• Your passport name must match the name on the flight ticket otherwise you may not be able to travel and insurance may be invalid.
• Non-British passport holders should check with their local Consulate direct.
• If your child is not already included on a valid British Passport they are required to hold their own passport.

VACCINATIONS
• There are no compulsory vaccinations for the Caribbean.
• Please refer to the Department of Health's 'EHIC and health advice for travellers' web page at www.dh.gov.uk or consult your family GP for further details.

FLIGHTS
• Gatwick Information 0870 000 2468
• Heathrow Information 0870 000 0123
• Manchester Information 0161 489 3000
• Luton Information 0158 240 5100
• Glasgow Information 0141 887 1111
• Luggage allowance is 20kg per person. Only one item of hand luggage per person is allowed and this must not weigh more than 5kg. For storage aboard we recommend traveling light and using folding luggage.
• Lost or damaged luggage whilst flying is the responsibility of the airline and is not covered by your travel insurance, however First Choice Airways has no liability for loss or damage to valuable or fragile items packed in hold baggage however caused. You must not include in Checked Baggage money, jewellery, precious metals, computers, personal electronic devices, negotiable papers, securities or other valuables, business documents, passports and other identification documents or samples.
• If an incident occurs, immediately report it to airport officials and ensure Property Irregularity Reports (PIR) are completed. Claims will not be considered once you have left the airport.
• If you are taking our First Choice Charter flights and wish to enquire about pre booking seats please call the airline direct on 0870 757 2757. Group seats are available for pre booking through Sunsail. Call the team for more details.
• SAVE UPTO 30% when you book your airport parking with BCP through Sunsail. Call the team for more details quoting Sunsail reference BN545

CUSTOMS & IMMIGRATION
• Before leaving the airport, you will have to clear Immigration and Customs.
• A landing card will be given to you on the plane, along with a Customs declaration form. It is not possible to take fresh food into most Caribbean islands and airlines will assume no liability for perishable articles that may be confiscated by Customs.
• The airport on St. Martin is Princess Juliana Airport. The facilities at the airport include a restaurant, some small shops and snack bars and a bureau de change.
• There is a departure tax of US$30.00 per person.

FLIGHTS AND TRANSFERS
• If your Sunsail Holiday includes our charter flight, a Sunsail representative will meet you at the airport and escort you to your transfer.
• If your holiday is flight exclusive, we request that you send your travel arrangements to us so we can assist with transfer details where required.
PLEASE NOTE: Guests arriving separately should bring a copy of the charter contract / invoice.
• The approximate fare to our base is $25 for up to 3 people, plus $5-$8 per extra person one-way with 2 bags free per person and $1 for each additional item. (Taxi drivers should be paid direct)
• Please note: Guests arriving separately should bring a copy of the charter contract.
• Please note: First Choice are unable to provide a Priority check-in service for your inbound flight. This service operates at London Gatwick only.

CURRENCY
• US dollar (US$) and Euro are standard.
• US$ and US$ travellers cheques are accepted.
• Credit cards can be used for payment in larger establishments and restaurants.
• Banks are open 9am-3pm, weekdays only Please note that you can change money at the base
• Currency can be exchanged commission free at any high street First Choice Retail travel agent on production of your Sunsail invoice. You can pre-order your currency from a First Choice travel agent by telephoning them in advance on 0870 9005154 to find your nearest branch.

BRIEFINGS
• The personalised chart briefing given on your arrival describes the cruising area and any potential hazards.
• The yacht briefing introduces you to your yacht, it’s systems and rigging. It is carried out individually for each yacht. It is important that all systems and equipment are fully understood. Briefings are mandatory.

SAFETY
• All yachts are equipped with life jackets and a harness for everyone on board. We leave it up to you to decide when personal safety equipment should be worn.
• We suggest that children who are not strong swimmers should not be allowed in a dinghy without a life jacket or buoyancy aid and that they should wear a buoyancy aid or harness when on deck.
• Children under the age of 16yrs should not operate an outboard engine.

Illness or injury
• Contact a member of Sunsail staff as soon as possible on either a lead boat or at Sunsail base or Club.
• If you need to make a claim for curtailment due to illness, ask the base manager for assistance and contact your insurer’s emergency medical service immediately.
• Your insurance company will assist with travel arrangements, advice and payment of bills.
• Obtain receipts for any medication, treatment or transport you have to pay for and submit with your claim.

PROVISIONING
• You can provision online before you depart. The provisioning pages will confirm the latest order date for your chosen destination.
• It is possible to self provision, however, please be aware that the nearest comprehensive supermarket is 15 minutes away by taxi - return taxi fee varies ($40-$80) according to the number of persons, plus waiting time which is $20 per hour.
• If required, there is a supermarket accessible by dinghy, in St. Barts.
• Shops open 8am-6pm (Mon/Sat), however, most are closed on Sundays. Supermarkets open 9am - 1pm on Sundays.
• Please note all shops are DUTY FREE!

BOARDING/DEPARTURE
• Your yacht will be ready at 1800 hrs for boarding. Please be aware that the yacht and chart briefings will be arranged on your arrival. At the end of your charter your yacht will need to be vacated by 0900 hrs so we recommend that you return to the base the day before.

THE MARINA
Facilities adjacent to the base include:
• Showers /toilets
• Restaurants
• Bars
• Small gift shops
• Convenience store
• Dive shop
• Grocery store
• Electricity - 110V (60Hz) in Sint Maarten; 220V (60Hz) in St. Martin. 12V is standard on all yachts.

EQUIPMENT ON THE YACHTS
Sunsail yachts are equipped with just about everything you will need for a safe and enjoyable holiday.
• A deposit is required for dinghy, outboard engine, windsurfer, ocean kayak, cruising chute and GP.
• A refundable security deposit of £300 (regardless of number of items booked) is payable by credit card or Travellers Cheques at the Sunsail base against the loss or damage of these items, whether included in the basic holiday price or as an extra.
• You will be given a checklist on arrival to make sure you have all the items listed on the inventory.
• Please inform the base manager before you leave the base if anything is missing as it is not always possible to replace or exchange items once you have departed on your cruise. Stolen items must be immediately reported to Sunsail management and the local police. An incident report will be completed for insurance purposes
• Any problems with, or damage to, your yacht must be reported to the local staff immediately. If not we cannot be held responsible.
• Each yacht is equipped with two pairs of snorkelling equipment, linen and bath towels and navigation equipment. Please bring beach towels with you. We advise you not to bring self-inflating life jackets or buoyancy aids fitted with gas-cylinders as they may not be allowed on the aircraft.
• Clothing – In Sunsail locations dress is informal, but we ask you to respect local etiquette. Wet weather gear and fleeces are advisable for early and late season.
• is provided on board.

MOORING FEES AND TAXES
• A cruising permit for Anguilla will cost US$40 per day. Entry charges, harbour fees and local taxes range from $4 to $12 and you are advised to check these locally on arrival at the base.

CHARTS AND PILOT BOOK
• All the charts and pilot books you will need for the sailing area are on board the yacht. Charts and pilot books can be purchased in advance from www.imray.com or www.kelvinhughes.com

EATING OUT
• Restaurants tend to close at approximately 11.30pm

CAR AND JEEP HIRE
• Car hire costs are from US$40 per day dependent on type and time of the year. Please note you will require a current valid driving licence and you must be 25+ years old.

WEATHER
• Hurricane season June to November can involve quick but heavy downpours of rain, tropical storms and very occasionally, a hurricane.
• The base will contact you on board with information of any predicted storms and which marina to head for - in the event of a hurricane we will book you into shore-based accommodation.
• Daily weather updates are available on the radio.
• Tidal range is approx. 18 inches.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
(F=French, D=Dutch, B=Both)
New Year’s Day January 1 B
Mardi Gras Feb F
Mi-Careme March F
Ash Wednesday Mar F
Good Friday Apr 14 D
Easter Monday Apr 17 B
Queen’s B/Day Apr 30 D
Ascension Day May 25 F
Schoelcher Day May 27 F
Labor Day May 1 D
Whit Mon F
Bastille Day July 14 F
Schoelcher Day July 21 F
St Barths Day Aug F
Antillean Day Oct 21 D
All Saints Day Nov 1 F
Armistice Day Nov 11 F
Sint Maarten Day Nov 11 B
Kingdom Day Dec 15 D
Christmas Day Dec 25 B
Boxing Day Dec 26 B

LOST PROPERTY
• If any valuables are left behind in your base, please contact the relevant base as soon as possible after the loss.
• Our base staff will endeavour to locate your property and will contact you with the result of their search.
• Return of property to you will normally be by DHL. The cost of the courier service plus a £15 charge will have to be taken by credit/debit card.
• If goods are left on the plane you will need to contact the airline direct. For First Choice Airways this number is 01293 507160. The office is open between 10am and 4pm. If there is no reply leave and message and they will return your call.
PLEASE NOTE SUNSAIL DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY GOODS THAT SUBSEQUENTLY GO MISSING DURING TRANSIT TO THE UK

PLEASE NOTE
• If you feel that a problem may adversely affect your holiday, you must give our staff the opportunity to resolve it for you. If the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction, please ensure that you inform the base manager and it is essential that you complete a holiday report form.
• Unfortunately, claims made for problems not reported first to the base staff and then to the manager locally, cannot be considered.
TO REITERATE THE HOLIDAY BOOKING CONDITIONS, ANY COMPLAINTS OR CLAIMS MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THE END OF YOUR HOLIDAY.

SUNSAIL – RESPECTING DESTINATIONS
• Sunsail remain committed to looking after the environment and supporting the cultures where we operate and over many years you have helped us to ensure that our presence does not negatively impact these areas. Please continue to assist us to leave these areas ‘As good or better than we found them’

PLEASE NOTE: Times and prices are correct at the time of publication, but are subject to change without prior notice.
St. Martin Information Sheet last updated 02.07.07