Funtime Platinum Price Misleading

by Melissa
(NJ, US)

My husband and I vacationed to Anguilla for the first time at the end of January.

We had heard that in lieu of taking the ferry from St. Maarten over to Anguilla, one can charter a boat to take you round trip. Since I was over 6 months pregnant this option seemed ideal.

I reached out to Funtime Charters since they were advertised quite a few times on the Websites I checked out. Their Website quoted $350 for a private charter for up to 4 adults. Through e-mail, I was also told it would be $350 which would include transfers from the docks to your hotel (which we did not need since we rented a jeep). The trip was seamless and everything worked out fine.

However, when we got back home, I discovered that Funtimes had charged my credit card for $720.00!

I sent them an email questioning the charge and got no response. I finally was able to get someone on the phone days later who then explained that the $350 is only one way and the extra $20 is the charge for transfers that we never even needed or used. Not only did I point out that their confirmation e-mail was very misleading, but they should also revise their advertisement online.

I was very disappointed that they did nothing to appease me other than tell me that that was just what they charge.

Needless to say, we will not be using Funtimes the next time we visit Anguilla.

Nori's Reply: Funtime's site isn't very clear, I agree. Generally, ferry prices are one-way, but if you don't know that, it's easy to get the wrong idea. It's clear on my page on Funtime boat tours. Most of the time, groups of 4 or more use the private boat charter service. It's too expensive for most couples.

When it comes to the $20 extra charge, you are right. It's just good customer service to refund that. I feel for you and have heard of other complaints about Funtime and unsatisfactory customer service. In general, we find the private ferries/boats from SXM have become less reliable over the years. We now routinely book the 8 minute flight to Anguilla, airport to airport. It is so much simpler.

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Feb 21, 2011
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Boat service from St. Marteen
by: Jim P.

Thanks Jim.....I will give the air options you recommended a try ...... next trip, which I hope is soon!

Feb 21, 2011
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Our inexpensive and fastest way to Anguila
by: Jim Stevens

From one Jim to another,

Gotcha are good people, Jim. We hav gone out with them, but never tried them as a boat service from SXM.

After may years of flying to Anguilla from NYC, the fastest and cheapest way to get to Anguilla from NY (and much of the NorthEast probably) is Jet Blue or other non-stop charters to SInt Maarten (SXM) and then Carl's Anguilla Aviation Services.

(Nori, we agree about Carl. He and his pilots and all his staff are aces.)

For $80 to Anguilla, AAS saves me and the family:

1) finding the guy from the ferry after we disembark and get our luggage

2) waiting for the taxi to take us to Customs

3) waiting for Customs to process all the passports

4) often waiting for other jets to arrive (this one REALLY bugs me - you may have booked the ferry for 4 but if the flight from another city is 2 hours late, you're going to be 2 hours delayed)

5) ferry potentially not showing up (we have had to go to Marigot once due to this, and we once stayed in St. Martin since it was too late to catch the ferry from the french side).

6) slow boat ride across, often bumpy.

7) wait at Blowing Point for luggage and customs again.

I'd rather never leave the SXM airport until I step off the plane at AXA. If you're a group, by the way, book a charter with Carl and fly across in a few minutes.

NO, I'm no "shilling" for them, just think it's a great way to make Anguilla easy to reach.

Feb 21, 2011
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Boat service from St. Marteen
by: Jim P.

My wife and I returned to Anguilla last April and instead of flying in on connecting flights to Anguilla from Philadelphia, we took direct flight to St. Marteen and chose to get private boat from Princess Juliana airport to Blowing Point. It was the Gotcha II, and the pricing was the same as you experienced. However, compared to the pricing for flight or inconvenience of taking the taxi/public ferry route, it was worth it. Our transfer was arranged through the agent we rented the villa from (Zebra - highly recommend it)but it was a taxi we paid direct. Our rental car was at the villa an hour after we arrived.
Unfortunately, I haven't found an inexpensive, convenient way to get to Anguilla!!

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