Cruise port · Sint Maarten · Eastern Caribbean
St. Maarten cruise port guide
St. Maarten is a two-nation island, Dutch in the south and French in the north, and its Philipsburg cruise port puts you a short walk or water taxi from Great Bay beach and Front Street’s duty-free shops. Most visitors split the day between a beach, the planes skimming Maho Beach and a lunch of French food or island barbecue on the French side.
- Beaches
- Duty-free shopping
- French food
- Plane spotting
Photo: Clavius66, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Country
- Sint Maarten
- Region
- Eastern Caribbean
- Type of stop
- Cruise port
- Language
- English is spoken everywhere. Dutch and French are the official languages on their respective sides.
- Currency
- Dutch side: the Caribbean guilder, but U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere. French side: the euro, though dollars are widely taken.
- Best time to visit
- January–December
- Average highs
- 80–85°F through the year
About St. Maarten
Few Caribbean islands pack in this much variety. Sint Maarten, the Dutch side, is the busy commercial half, with Philipsburg’s jewelry stores, casinos and a long town beach. Saint-Martin, the French side, feels different within minutes of crossing the unmarked border: baguettes and rosé in Marigot, beach clubs at Orient Bay, and the roadside grills of Grand Case.
Philipsburg can host several megaships at once, so Front Street and the nearest beaches get crowded. The island rewards a little planning. Pick one or two areas rather than trying to circle the whole island, and give traffic, which can crawl around Simpson Bay and Marigot, plenty of slack.
Where cruise ships dock in St. Maarten
Ships dock at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility on the eastern edge of Great Bay in Philipsburg. From the pier it’s about a 15- to 20-minute walk along the waterfront to Front Street, or you can take one of the water taxis that shuttle across the bay all day. Taxis and minibuses wait at the terminal and charge set rates per person by destination. Maho Beach is about 30 minutes away, Orient Bay and Marigot around 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. Philipsburg itself takes two or three hours; plan a full day for the French side.
Best things to do in St. Maarten on a cruise
- 1
Maho Beach
adventure
A small beach at the end of Princess Juliana International Airport’s runway, where incoming jets pass just overhead. Plane spotters line up with cameras, and beach bars post arrival times on boards. Jet blast from departing aircraft is dangerous: stay well back from the fence and keep phones and hats secured.
- 2
Orient Bay
beach
The French side’s best-known beach, a long sweep of pale sand with beach clubs renting chairs, umbrellas and water toys. The water can be breezy and lively, good for kitesurfing. The far southern end has a clothing-optional section, which is worth knowing if you’re traveling with kids.
- 3
Marigot and Fort Louis
culture
The French side’s capital has a waterfront market, a marina lined with cafés and patisseries, and a steep path up to the ruins of Fort Louis for views over the bay. It feels noticeably slower and more European than Philipsburg. Allow two to three hours, plus traffic each way.
- 4
12 Metre Challenge
adventure
A popular, hands-on sailing excursion aboard former America’s Cup racing yachts. Guests grind winches and trim sails in a short race around the bay, guided by professional crew. No experience is needed, but you should be steady on your feet. It fills up early, so reserve ahead.
- 5
Front Street and Great Bay
shopping
Philipsburg’s main street runs parallel to the beach, packed with duty-free jewelry, electronics and liquor stores, plus the Guavaberry Emporium for the island’s signature liqueur. Great Bay beach behind it has chair rentals and bars, so it’s easy to mix shopping and swimming without a taxi.
- 6
Grand Case
food
A small French-side village known as the island’s food capital. Its open-air lolos grill ribs, chicken, lobster and johnnycakes at local prices, and fancier French restaurants line the main street. It’s a great lunch stop on a French-side tour, about 40 minutes from the pier.
- 7
Pinel Island
beach
A tiny, car-free islet reached by a short ferry from Cul-de-Sac on the French side. Calm, shallow water, a couple of beach restaurants and easy snorkeling make it a relaxed half-day. Check the last return ferry times before you settle in.
St. Maarten weather by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F (°C) | 8027 | 8026 | 8026 | 8127 | 8228 | 8329 | 8429 | 8529 | 8529 | 8529 | 8328 | 8127 |
| Low °F (°C) | 7826 | 7825 | 7825 | 7926 | 8027 | 8228 | 8228 | 8328 | 8328 | 8328 | 8127 | 8027 |
| Rain in (mm) | 0.922 | 0.821 | 0.513 | 1.231 | 1.742 | 1.334 | 1.948 | 2.359 | 2.871 | 4.1103 | 3.794 | 1.127 |
| Daylight (hrs) | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
What to eat and drink in St. Maarten
Grand Case’s lolos are the place for barbecued ribs, chicken and lobster with rice and peas. Marigot’s bakeries turn out croissants and pain au chocolat, and its market sells spices and accras (salt cod fritters). On the Dutch side, try johnnycakes and a guavaberry colada made with the local guavaberry liqueur. French-side restaurants are pricier but excellent; Dutch-side bars on Great Bay are quick and casual.
Tips for your port day
- Traffic is the main thing that makes people late; on a French-side trip, aim to start back at least 90 minutes before all aboard.
- Prices on the Dutch side are in U.S. dollars almost everywhere; on the French side, ask whether a dollar price is one-to-one with the euro before paying.
- Never stand directly behind the Maho Beach fence during jet takeoffs; people have been injured by jet blast.
- The water taxi across Great Bay is the easiest way to reach Front Street and saves the walk in the midday heat.
- Bring a passport or the ID your cruise line requires; there’s no border check between the two sides, but you’re visiting two different countries.
Cruise lines that visit St. Maarten
Often on the same itinerary
St. Maarten cruise FAQs
Can you walk from the St. Maarten cruise port to Philipsburg?
Yes. Front Street is about a 15- to 20-minute walk along the waterfront from the cruise pier. Water taxis also cross Great Bay to town all day for a small fare.
How far is Maho Beach from the St. Maarten cruise port?
About 30 minutes by taxi or minibus, depending on traffic around Simpson Bay. Taxis at the terminal charge fixed per-person rates; agree on a return time if you want the same driver.
Do I need a passport to visit the French side of St. Maarten?
There’s no border control between the two sides, so you can drive straight across. Carry the ID your cruise line requires; a passport is the safest choice if you ever need to fly home.
Is St. Maarten safe for cruise passengers?
Generally, yes. Philipsburg, the main beaches and the French-side towns see heavy tourist traffic. Petty theft from cars and beaches happens, so don’t leave bags unattended and use licensed taxis.
What is the best beach in St. Maarten for cruise visitors?
It depends on what you want. Great Bay is easiest because it’s walkable from the ship, Orient Bay has the best beach-club scene, and Maho is about the planes rather than the swimming.
What currency should I use in St. Maarten?
U.S. dollars work fine. They’re accepted everywhere on the Dutch side and at most businesses on the French side, where prices are often listed in euros. Cards are widely accepted.
Updated November 2026 by the BookMyDreamCruise editorial team. How we research and fact-check.
Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, NASA POWER climate data.