St. Maarten on a Cruise
Dutch Philipsburg, French Marigot and a famous runway beach, all in one day.
Get St. Maarten QuotesOne Island, Two Countries
St. Maarten is the Dutch half of an island it shares with French St. Martin. Ships dock at Philipsburg on the Dutch side, but the border is open and unmarked except for a monument, so in one day you can lunch in a French village and swim off a Dutch beach.
The cruise pier sits on the eastern side of Great Bay. From there, Philipsburg’s Front Street — the main shopping street, lined with jewelry and electronics stores — is a walk along the bay or a short water-taxi ride. The town beach runs right along the boardwalk, so even travelers who never leave Philipsburg can have a swim between shops and lunch.
Popular Ways to Spend the Day
Maho Beach
Jets pass just overhead as they land at Princess Juliana Airport. Watch from a safe distance and obey the warning signs about jet blast.
Simpson Bay and the lagoon
Marinas, superyachts and waterfront restaurants around the big lagoon between the two halves of the island.
Great Bay and Philipsburg
The beach and boardwalk at the foot of town, plus duty-free shopping on Front Street.
On the French side, Marigot has a market and a hilltop fort, Grand Case is known for its restaurants, and Orient Bay is the island’s best-known long beach. Taxis use set fares by destination; agree the price before you set off. For bookable tours, see St. Maarten shore excursions.
Sailing and Island-Hopping
St. Maarten is a sailing hub. Popular ship and independent tours include catamaran trips around the island, snorkel stops, and the America’s Cup-style racing yachts that let guests help crew. Ferries also run to Anguilla and St. Barts, but a round trip on a single cruise day is tight; only consider it on a long call and with a tour that guarantees your return.
Money and language: the U.S. dollar is accepted almost everywhere. English is widely spoken on both sides, though French is the official language in St. Martin and Dutch in St. Maarten.
Making It Work With Your Itinerary
St. Maarten appears on nearly every seven-night Eastern Caribbean route from Florida, usually the day after or before St. Thomas. Because both are shopping-heavy ports, many travelers plan one as a beach or sailing day and the other as a town day. If you are still deciding which week to take, our routes page compares the patterns, and First Time Cruise explains how port days work if this is your first cruise.
A simple plan that works for many first visits: take a morning catamaran or island tour while the beaches are quiet, come back to Philipsburg for a late lunch on the boardwalk, and leave an hour for Front Street before walking back along Great Bay to the pier. Travelers who have been before often skip town entirely and spend the day on the French side, where Orient Bay and Grand Case feel a world away from the cruise area.
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