Private Charter From St Martin

Before you book: Every boat for this trip leaves from Paper Boat Charter, Marina Anse Marcel, Saint Martin, not from St Barts. Runs year-round.

Overview

This is a full-day private charter, eight hours on the water with Paper Boat Charter, running from St Martin over to St Barth. Only your group is aboard. The operator supplies a professional guide, fuel, unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks, snorkelling gear and a giant floating mat, so the practical extras are largely covered before you leave the dock.

The shape of the day is loose. One reviewer described setting out without a fixed plan and letting the captain help decide the itinerary. In practice that has meant shopping on St Barth, lunch at a beachside spot such as Eden Rock, and snorkelling with sea turtles. Another group that hit strong winds was offered a switch to Anguilla instead, which suggests the route flexes around conditions rather than following a locked schedule.

Who suits it? Travellers who want the St Barth crossing without ferry logistics, and who like a day that mixes swimming, snorkelling, food and wandering rather than a scripted tour. It works for families, since infants can sit on laps and strollers are allowed, but it is not wheelchair accessible. Bring a valid passport, as one is required on the day of travel, and note that lunch and gratuities are not in the price.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Paper Boat CharterThe listing shows a 10 minute stop at Paper Boat Charter, listed as free admission. Transportation to and from this point is not included.
2. Crossing to St BarthThe boat runs over to St Barth for the day. One reviewer reported the crossing being bumpy and wet in windy conditions, so conditions on the day can affect the ride.
3. Island time on St BarthThe schedule is built with the captain. Past groups have used this window for shopping on St Barth and lunch at a restaurant such as Eden Rock, with lunch paid separately.
4. Swim and snorkel stopsSnorkelling equipment and a giant floating mat are on board, and stops have included snorkelling with sea turtles and general swim breaks. Drinks on board are included.
5. Return to St MartinThe return leg closes out the eight hour day. Transportation to and from the dock itself is not included.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again in the listing and in traveller reviews.

• Passport required. A current valid passport is required on the day of travel, since the crossing involves another island. The listing is explicit about this, so check documents before booking rather than on the dock.
• Loose itinerary. One reviewer said they had no fixed plan and the captain helped shape the day. Go with a rough idea of what you want, whether that is beaches, lunch or shopping, and discuss it on board.
• Weather flexibility. The crossing can be bumpy and wet in wind, as one group found, and the captain may suggest an alternative such as Anguilla. The experience requires good weather, and weather cancellations come with a different date or a full refund.
• Food and drink. Beer, wine and soft drinks are unlimited and included, along with a professional guide and snorkel gear. Lunch is not included, and reviewers have eaten at places like Eden Rock and Da Vida, so budget for that meal and for gratuities.
• Group feel. This is a private charter, so only your group participates. The listing allows infants on laps and strollers on board, and one reviewer described a family day on the water.

Common issues. The boat is not wheelchair accessible, which is the main access limit. Lunch, gratuities and transportation to and from attractions are excluded, so the headline price does not cover the full day out. Weather matters: the crossing needs decent conditions, and one reviewer reported a windy day that prompted a change of destination entirely. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure receive no refund, though operator weather cancellations offer a new date or a full refund.

Common Questions