Royal Islander Club Great Bay

About Royal Islander Club Great Bay

Royal Islander Club Great Bay is an independent timeshare resort affiliated with RCI, set in Philipsburg on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten. Its location in the island's capital puts owners close to the harbour, the shops along the boardwalk, and the beach itself, rather than tucked away on a quieter stretch of coast. It's a straightforward fit for anyone who wants their week to double as a base for exploring the town on foot.

Philipsburg and the island

Philipsburg is Sint Maarten's commercial and cultural centre, and it shows: cruise ships call regularly, the waterfront boardwalk is busy with restaurants and shops, and Great Bay Beach sits right in the middle of it all. A short drive takes owners to Mullet Bay Beach on the south coast for a quieter alternative, or over to Marigot on the French side for a change of pace, different food, and a bit of European-style shopping. The island's Dutch-French split is part of what makes a week here interesting — two cultures, two currencies in practical use, and two very different beach scenes within half an hour of each other.

Selling or renting a week here

If you own a week at Royal Islander Club Great Bay and are thinking about moving it on, BidMyTimeshare.com works as a straightforward owner-to-owner marketplace: you list the week yourself, set your own asking price, and buyers contact you directly through the platform. There's no commission taken on the sale — sellers simply pay a one-time listing fee to get the week in front of buyers.

Because this is an independent resort, resale transfers typically go through the resort's own owners' association or on-site management rather than a brand-wide resale desk. Before agreeing a price with a buyer, it's worth asking management directly for the current transfer fee, whether the association holds a right of first refusal on resales, and what the current annual maintenance fee is — these details aren't standardised across independent resorts and need confirming case by case. A resale buyer should expect to take on the usage week itself and the ongoing maintenance fee obligation; they should not assume any loyalty perks, upgrades, or points balances carry over unless the seller and management confirm it in writing.

Renters, meanwhile, are generally looking for confirmation of the exact week or dates, unit size and sleeping capacity, and proximity to the beach and boardwalk — all things worth having to hand before you advertise a week for rent rather than sale.

RCI exchange

Royal Islander Club Great Bay's RCI affiliation means owners aren't limited to using their week on-site. Weeks can be deposited into RCI's exchange network and traded for stays at other affiliated resorts worldwide, which is worth mentioning to prospective buyers as part of the week's flexibility — alongside, not instead of, the usual resale practicalities above.

Practical notes for a visit or stay

Sint Maarten's dry season runs December to April and is the most reliable stretch for weather, while hurricane season (June to November) is worth covering with travel insurance regardless of which side of the island you're staying on. Philipsburg sees heavy cruise-ship traffic on port days, so owners and renters alike tend to plan beach time around the ship schedule. US dollars are widely accepted on both the Dutch and French sides, which simplifies day-to-day spending even though each side has its own official currency.