Exploring the Unique Duality of Philipsburg, St. Maarten Cruise Port
About the Port St. Maarten Cruise Port
St. Maarten is a unique Caribbean island governed by both France and the Netherlands, so there are two spellings: The French side is “Saint Martin,” while the Dutch side is “Sint Maarten.” The cruise port is in Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side, and named “Port of St. Maarten”, or just St. Maarten for short. Cruise ships dock at the AC Wathey Pier & Port Facility in Port St. Maarten, which can accommodate up to six cruise ships, although on busy days, some ships may anchor in Great Bay and tender passengers directly to the center of town.
The official languages of St. Maarten are Dutch and English, and the local currency is the Antillean Guilder or Florin, although most of the vendors and shops accept US currency, credit, and debit cards. They may not, however, accept US currency if the bills are overly worn, contain marks, or are in any way torn or damaged, and they may provide change back in the form of the local currency.
Port St. Maarten Cruise Terminal
After exiting the ship, cruisers will walk down one of two short piers into the port area, where they will find colorful buildings and shops. The port area is new and clean, with local steel drum musicians playing to greet visiting cruisers. There is a colorful “St. Maarten” photo opp and several bars and restaurants (the legal drinking age in St. Maarten is 18). If you have a prearranged cruise excursion, the meeting areas are clearly marked at the port, and if you choose to venture off on your own, hang a right out of port to the taxi stand area.
Free Things to Do in St. Maarten
St. Maarten’s capital city and Philipsburg’s center are about a mile from the port. Cruisers can take a free self-guided walking tour around town to enjoy the monuments, buildings, and architecture. The main drag of Philipsburg is Front Street, where cruisers will find shops, restaurants, and casinos. The Philipsburg Boardwalk runs down the Great Bay waterfront and makes for a scenic stroll. There are also free public access beaches, although some of the most popular ones will require a taxi.
St. Maarten Cruise Port Beach
St. Maarten is the only country in the world with a beachside capital, and one of the city’s beaches, Great Bay Beach, is just a 5-10 minute walk from the St. Maarten cruise port. There, cruisers can rent beach chairs and umbrellas from locals and enjoy an easy beach day without having to pay for transportation. Cruisers who want to visit the world-famous Maho Beach, or “airport beach” on the Dutch side, or Orient Bay Beach on the French side will need to either take a taxi or arrange an excursion. There are many great beaches in St. Maarten, but some of the lesser-known ones are much less crowded. Note that some of the French side beaches have clothing-optional sections.
On a recent stop in St. Maarten, I visited Maho Beach. While it was a unique and fun experience and one that I’m glad I did, I wouldn’t do it again because it took about 40 minutes in traffic each way to get there and back from the cruise port, and the beach was much smaller and more crowded than I expected. The water was incredible, though, and watching huge aircraft fly so close overhead while in the water was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
St. Maarten Port Taxis
Once at the port, cruisers can hang a right to the taxi stand, where taxis will be lined up waiting to take cruisers to the area’s most popular beaches. You’ll decide your location, and an employee will take your money in advance, provide you with a wristband, and direct you to your shared taxi. The process is smooth and efficient, and prices are affordable.
Best Excursions in St. Maarten
St. Maarten is a small island known for its beaches, so many of the top excursions in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, involve beach days. But if you’re looking for something different to do in St. Maarten, here are some top-rated activities:
- Speedboat, Snorkeling & Beach Tour
- ATV Tour of Dutch/French St. Maarten
- Catamaran Day Sailing
- Topper’s Rhum Distillery Tour
- Jet Ski Experience
Philipsburg, St. Maarten Cruise Port Ship Schedule
As with most cruise ports, I recommend using Cruisemapper to access the ship schedule for the St. Maarten cruise port.
St. Maarten Time Zone
Keeping track of time zones can get complicated when cruising, especially for itineraries with multiple time zone changes on one sailing. Your captain will make announcements during the cruise to update you on these changes, but it’s good to be aware of these differences ahead of time when planning your stop at the port, especially for excursions.
Most cruise lines operate on “ship time” set to the time of its departing port, so for sailings off the eastern coast of the US, this is Eastern Standard Time (EST). St. Maarten’s time zone is Atlantic Standard Time (AST), and they do not observe Daylight Saving Time, so the AST time zone may differ from EST — or it may be the same — depending on the time of year.
