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The store offers a great choice of cheeses at very reasonable prices, as well as a wide selection of wines to pair with. Cruise ships dock at Harbour Point Village – a lively area full of duty-free shops, jewelry stores, market stalls, bars, and a restaurant. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. Grand Case Beach is a less popular, but very beautiful beach on the French side of the island. The beach is well known for it’s clear waters (more clear than on the Dutch side).
Welcome to the Philipsburg St Maarten / St Martin Cruise Port!
The beach is ideal for people who want to avoid the bustle of busy beaches. One of the easiest ways to spend the day while visiting St. Maarten on a cruise is to take the water taxi into town. While you can walk to downtown Philipsburg from the cruise port, it will take about 30 minutes or longer.
Mullet Bay (Dutch Side)
Keep in mind that the roads on the Island will be quite busy when several cruise ships are in port. Transportation options into the town of Philipsburg, local beaches and popular sights are conveniently located at the cruise terminal. Some people travel St. Maarten via minibus or rental car, but you’d need an international driver’s license to drive here. While stopped in on cruises to St. Maarten, however, most cruise passengers explore the town on foot or rely on taxis to get around.
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The Philipsburg Courthouse will be part of your walking tour, even if it’s informal. In addition to the charming building, you’ll find picturesque churches and hotels with interesting architecture. This pretty garden pathway is worth walking through as you’re shopping and sightseeing in the town. The Guava Berry Liquor is made from the rare guava berry fruit, which is native to the island and known for its rich and distinctive flavor.
Located in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Great Bay beach is easily accessible by water taxi. This pretty beach is minutes away from the cruise port, which makes this one of the most popular and best beach for cruise passengers. From here you can pick up shuttle transportation to popular tourist spots including Maho Beach, on the Dutch side of St. Maarten and Orient Beach, in St. Martin, on the French side. Named for its founder John Philips, Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side, has some excellent international art galleries, thumping discos and popular casinos. Farther afield are beautiful beaches and a seemingly endless array of nature conservancies.
Water taxi / ferry to Walter Plantz Square pier
It is a clean, sandy beach with crystal clear aquamarine water and soft sandy bottom. It is equipped with beach bars and restaurants serving delicious food for a very reasonable price, showers, changing rooms, and restrooms. You can also rent an umbrella and beach chairs for an affordable price. For a different kind of tour, you can book a bicycle tour or e-bike tour where you’ll drive through the streets of Philipsburg, St. Maarten. You can also book a tour that will allow you to explore more of the island, including St. Martin. You can check the cruise line excursions as well as excursions with Viator, Shore Excursions Group and other local tour providers.
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SIMPSON BAY LAGOON
Philipsburg is home to Fort Amsterdam, a historic fort built by the Dutch during the 17th century. The Parotte Ville Bird Sanctuary gives visitors an up close and personal experience with a variety of exotic species. You can feed the gentle, friendly birds and pose for vacation photos. Two popular hiking trails are Froussards Trail (Sentier des Froussards) and the Fleming Property Trail. Froussards Trail is a smooth, family-friendly hike that lets you experience St. Maarten wildlife. Fleming Property Trail to St. Peters Hilltop is a moderate hike where adventure-seekers can enjoy sweeping views of Simpson Bay, lush hillsides and the lagoon.
St. Maarten/St. Martin Island Tour
Throughout history, the building served as a jail, a fire station, and a post office, and nowadays it houses the court of law. Fort Amsterdam is a historic stone fort constructed by the Dutch in the 17th century for defense purposes and consists of several ruins and old cannons. From the hilltop, you can admire magnificent views of Great Bay, Little Bay, Philipsburg, and the cruise port.
Best Things to Do in St. Maarten on a Cruise [Cruise Port Guide]
Each side of the island has a unique vibe and history that shaped it into the popular destination it is today. St. Martin is well-known for its beaches, shopping and fine dining establishments. In contrast, St. Maarten is celebrated for its more lighthearted vacation vibes of nightlife, stunning beaches and duty-free shopping.
St. Maarten cruises often range from nights providing cruisers with a variety of different entertainment and dining options. Popular amongst many cruise lines including Seabourn Cruise Line, Silversea, and Star Clippers. This small island is unique, as it encompasses two countries, Sint Maarten (Dutch) and St. Martin (French). However, there is no border and people can move freely around the island.
The St Maarten cruise ship terminal is located in Philipsburg, the Dutch part of the island, around 2.4 km/1.5 miles away from the city center. It boasts an impressive infrastructure that can accommodate a couple of cruise ships simultaneously, including the world’s largest cruise ships. You can purchase one way or round trip water taxi tickets to downtown Philipsburg and Great Bay Beach. The water taxi is one of the easiest and most common way cruise passengers go from the cruise port to Philipsburg.
Most shark species around the island are found in the Man of War Shoal Marine Park. Book a diving excursion through Ocean Explores to get closer to Caribbean marine life. It’s also possible to book comfortable tours in SUVs or electric buggies. Whatever you decide to do on your Philipsburg cruise visit, see below a simple map explaining the area seen from the port.
It consists of a small stretch of white sandy beach located next to the runway of Princess Juliana International Airport. Once you get there, you’ll spot a small roundabout with plenty of taxi vehicles waiting for the cruise passengers to take them to Philipsburg city center or elsewhere. It is a semi-secluded, gorgeous sandy beach offering a lot of privacy for all visitors. There is a beach bar at one end where you can grab some food and drinks, as well as rent beach chairs and umbrellas. The amenities including lounge chair and umbrella rentals are available, as well as beach bars and restaurants.
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Cruisers can also experience the French culture of St. Martin, on the South side of the island. Boat tours travel around the island and allow you to experience hidden coves, the best beaches, and some even visit nearby islands. Most catamaran tours include food and drinks and come at premium prices. Explore the island of St. Maarten with an experienced guide who can share the island's local history and show you to the hotspots. As one of the top things to do in St. Maarten, it’s a great way to get better acquainted with the island. There are many ways to familiarize yourself with the island and its cultural history, but the top two ways are on boat or ATV tours.
