Have you visited St. Maarten by cruise ship recently? Then you know one day is just not enough for St. Maarten's 37 breathtaking beaches, the shopper's paradise of Duty Free bling and luxury goods, exciting casinos, entertainment and nightlife -- not to mention the glorious food in this culinary heaven.
Take advantage of the new “Bounce Back” rate, exclusively for former cruise passengers offered by Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino or Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino. A jaw-dropping $150 per night! Call toll free, 1-800-223-0757, or click here to print out the coupon offer.
U.S. Customs Guide & Savings
Customs For Returning U.S. Citizens
Recent changes in customs regulations have made shopping on St. Maarten/St. Martin even more attractive. Loose gemstones, for example, are exempt from customs duties. That means unset precious stones (diamonds, tanzanite, rubies, sapphires, emeralds) do not count toward the allowance total. Spend as much as you like on a loose diamond, for example, and you won't pay a penny of duty.
Customs Guides: Know Before You Go
Returning from the Netherland Antilles (St. Maarten) your allowance includes $600 per person exemption, ie; $2,400 for a family of four.
Included in the exemption are a max of two liters of alcoholic beverages, (as long as one of the liters was produced in the Caribbean Basin Countries). Guavaberry Liqueur is a good example of a locally produced alcoholic beverage. And 200 Cigarettes - 1 carton.
To get complete details and an online Know Before You Go Guide from U.S. Customs, please visit the official web site.
How Much Am I Saving?
St. Maarten/St. Martin is the Caribbean's only true
duty-free destination. What does that mean? It means the
price you pay does not include all those government taxes
imposed on imported foreign luxury items. How much can you
save by buying duty-free items? Below are typical savings
on St. Maarten/St. Martin, compared with U.S. retail prices
of major brand-name products.
St. Martin Savings on Watches:
Baume & Mercier
15-20%
Cartier
15-20%
Citizen
44%
Gucci
20%
Movado
35%
Rado
20%
Raymon Weil
20-25%
Seiko
30%
Swiss Army
15%
Tissot
20%
St. Martin Savings on Crystal:
Baccarat
20-30%
Lalique
25-30%
Orrefors
25-30%
Waterford
20%
You can spend days shopping in St. Maarten/St. Martin and not visit the same store twice! So much to buy - so little time... visit our Shopping Guide and get full details about each merchant before you go. Print our shopping maps and take them with you.
Shop for GUCCI, ORIS, Hamilton fine timepieces. Diamonds International was established nearly two decades ago and has grown to more than 100 locations. Diamonds International is now one of the largest jewelry retailers in the world! Shop in St. Maarten at 68 Front Street & Princess Juliana International Airport.
Jewels By Love
Five generations of traditional jewelers. A splendid collection of meticulously selected, masterfully cut diamonds and gems. Exquisite and rare timepieces by Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Sohne, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Hublot, Breguet and Tiffany & Co.. Marigot and Philpsburg locations.
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Have you visited St. Maarten by cruise ship recently? Then you know one day is just not enough for St. Maarten's 37 breathtaking beaches, the shopper's paradise of Duty Free bling and luxury goods, exciting casinos, entertainment and nightlife -- not to mention the glorious food in this culinary heaven. 
Shop for GUCCI, ORIS, Hamilton fine timepieces. Diamonds International was established nearly two decades ago and has grown to more than 100 locations. Diamonds International is now one of the largest jewelry retailers in the world! Shop in St. Maarten at 68 Front Street & Princess Juliana International Airport. 
Five generations of traditional jewelers. A splendid collection of meticulously selected, masterfully cut diamonds and gems. Exquisite and rare timepieces by Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, A. Lange & Sohne, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Hublot, Breguet and Tiffany & Co.. Marigot and Philpsburg locations. 
