St MaartenCruise Port Guide
Ships tie up at Pointe Blanche, a harbor walk from Philipsburg and Great Bay. Plan a half day or a full one, with real prices on every tour.
Welcome to St Maarten
Pro Picks
Island tour · 6 hrsTop Ten Highlights Island Tour
A guided loop of the island in an air-conditioned vehicle that leaves from the cruise facility, with about ten stops across the Dutch and French sides, including a Coralita Bay photo stop. Cruise guests pick a 9 or 10 AM start when booking, so match it to when your ship docks.
From $61.54/ person
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Half-day · 4.5 hrsFrench and Dutch Sides Half-Day Tour
A 4.5-hour drive in a loop that crosses the border between the two halves of the island, with a stop at Orient Beach and time to shop in Marigot. The guide meets you at the information center in the main terminal building, and the tour needs at least 8 guests to run or you're refunded.
From $53/ person
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Beach & planes · 5 hrsMaho Beach Plane Spotting
Five hours at Maho Beach watching jets come in just above the sand, with round-trip transport from beside the port, a rum punch shot and gratuity included. Stay clear of the airport fence: jet blast there has seriously hurt people.
From $28/ person
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Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
St Maarten in 4 hours
ATV
Guided ATV Island Tour
Drive your own ATV on a guided four-hour run with stops at the French-Dutch border marker, Marigot and Orient Bay. It starts at the Greenhouse parking lot in Simpson Bay, so allow for a taxi from the port, and bring a driver's license.
From$135
Time required4 hours
Zipline
Sentry Hill and Flying Dutchman Zipline
Ride the Sky Explorer chairlift up Sentry Hill, then zip back down on the Sentry Hill line and the Flying Dutchman, billed as the steepest zipline in the world. It meets at Rainforest Adventures in Rockland, and transfer isn't included, so arrange a taxi.
From$129
Time required3 hours
St Maarten in 7 hours
Catamaran & Snorkel
Prickly Pear Cays Catamaran Sail
A day sail from Simpson Bay to the Prickly Pear Cays, with snorkeling, an open bar, snacks and a chicken-and-ribs lunch included. The sail across takes about 1 hour 45 minutes each way, and 7.5 hours plus the trip from the port is close to a whole port call.
From$135
Time required7.5 hours
Sailing & Snorkel
Trimaran Sail with Snorkeling and Lunch
A dinghy takes you out to a trimaran anchored in Simpson Bay for a sail along the southwest coast, a swim and snorkel stop and a sandwich lunch with fruit. It meets near the Simpson Bay Draw Bridge, so add taxi time, and it has only 31 reviews so far.
From$149
Time required5.5 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Seven stops in Philipsburg along the harbor, 0.7 to 0.9 miles from the cruise terminal. Guides put the walk at 15 to 20 minutes with little shade, and a water taxi covers the same stretch.
Marina & water taxi · 0.7 mi · ~16 min
Bobby's Marina
A marina on the Philipsburg waterfront, where the Boardwalk begins and one of the water taxi stops from the port.
Eat · 0.8 mi · ~17 min
Chez Delphine Boardwalk Cafe
A restaurant on Speetjens Steeg, by the Boardwalk and a short step from the museum.
Museum · 0.8 mi · ~18 min
Sint Maarten Museum
A museum on Speetjens Steeg in Philipsburg. Opening hours aren't confirmed here, so check the door before you plan around it.
Shopping street · 0.8 mi · ~19 min
Front Street (Voorstraat)
Philipsburg's main street (Voorstraat), which Cruise Hive measures the walk from the pier to.
Town square · 0.8 mi · ~19 min
Wathey Square
The town square, marked on the map at Cyrus W. Wathey Square.
Beach · 0.8 mi · ~19 min
Great Bay Beach
The long town beach along Great Bay, with the Boardwalk beside it. There's no beach at the terminal, so this is the nearest swim.
Church · 0.9 mi · ~20 min
Methodist Church (Voorstraat)
A Methodist church on Voorstraat, close to the western end of Great Bay Beach.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in St Maarten.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in St. Maarten, and which cruise lines use it?
Cruise ships in St. Maarten dock alongside at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility at Pointe Blanche, so it isn't a tender port. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Celebrity and Princess usually call here, along with other lines such as Disney and Holland America. The facility has two piers that share one terminal area, Harbour Point Village, and no line has an assigned berth, so check your ship's daily program for which pier you get. Larger Royal Caribbean and Carnival ships tend to use the double berths at Pier 2.
Can I walk from the St. Maarten cruise port to Philipsburg?
Yes: Philipsburg is about 0.8 miles from the St. Maarten cruise terminal, and Port St. Maarten says the walk takes 15 minutes. Expect 15 to 20 minutes along the harbor with little shade, out through the port gates and along the road to the Bobby's Marina area, where the Boardwalk starts. A water taxi covers the same stretch if you'd rather ride. The stroll map shows what's along the way.
Is there a beach near the St. Maarten cruise port?
There's no beach at the St. Maarten cruise terminal; the nearest is Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg, about 0.8 miles away. It's a 15 to 20 minute walk or a 5-minute water taxi ride, and the Boardwalk runs alongside it. Other beaches, such as Maho, need a taxi. The stroll map puts Great Bay Beach in context.
What is there to do at the St. Maarten cruise port?
Yes for most people: the terminal's Harbour Point Village has duty-free and souvenir shops, market stalls, bars and restaurants, and Philipsburg's waterfront and Great Bay Beach are a 15 to 20 minute walk away. Walking in costs nothing, and a water taxi covers the same stretch for about $7 all day. Tour pickups and a cab stand are in the same area, so you can stay close or go farther. See the favorite tours.
Is there a water taxi from the St. Maarten cruise port to Philipsburg?
Yes: water taxis run from the terminal area at Philipsburg Marina to the Philipsburg waterfront, with stops at Captain Hodge Wharf, Walter Williams Jetty and Bobby's Marina, according to Port St. Maarten. The all-day pass is about $7 per person and the ride takes about 5 minutes. Fares change, so confirm the price before you board.
Beaches & water
How do I get from the St. Maarten cruise port to Maho Beach?
Take a taxi: the posted fare from the St. Maarten cruise port to Maho Beach is $25 for one or two passengers, or $9 per person for three to five, according to the St. Maarten tourism site. Fares are fixed by zone rather than metered, and there is a cab stand at the terminal. The Maho plane-spotting tour meets at the EDC parking lot just north of the port and includes round-trip transport; see the favorite tours.
Is it safe to stand at the fence at Maho Beach when planes take off?
No: standing at the fence at Maho Beach when jets take off is dangerous. A 2017 CBS News report on a woman killed by jet blast said hundreds of tourists ignore the warning signs at the airport fence, less than 200 feet from the beach, and a police spokesman called it "very dangerous". Watch the landings from the sand instead.
Tours & time ashore
What are the best shore excursions in St. Maarten?
In the listings we checked, the most-reviewed shore excursions in St. Maarten are the Top Ten Highlights Island Tour (698 reviews), the French and Dutch half-day tour (534) and the Orient and Maho Beaches half-day (338). The first two start at the cruise terminal; many boat, ATV and zipline tours start in Simpson Bay or Rockland, so allow for a taxi. See the favorite tours.
Where do St. Maarten tours meet, and do they start at the cruise port?
Not all of them. The Top Ten Highlights tour leaves the cruise facility, the French and Dutch half-day tour meets at the information center in the terminal building, and the Maho plane-spotting tour meets at the EDC parking lot north of the port. The Prickly Pear catamaran, trimaran sails and sunset cruises start in Simpson Bay, the ATV tour at Simpson Bay's Greenhouse parking lot, and the Sentry Hill zipline at Rainforest Adventures in Rockland, with transfer not included. See the 4-hour plans.
What time do cruise ships arrive and leave Philipsburg?
Most ships in Philipsburg arrive around 8 am and leave around 5 pm, according to 2026 schedule listings, with a few arriving at 11 am and leaving at 7 pm. Your own ship's itinerary is what counts. Royal Caribbean puts it plainly: "The ship will not wait for any guest faring on their own."
Getting around
How much is a taxi from the St. Maarten cruise port?
Taxi fares in St. Maarten are fixed by zone, not metered. From the cruise port the posted fares for one or two passengers are $10 to Philipsburg, $25 to Maho Beach and $25 to the airport, according to the St. Maarten tourism site, with lower per-person fares for groups of three or more. A 25 percent surcharge applies from 10 pm to 6 am. Port St. Maarten says over 100 cabs wait at the terminal; confirm the fare before you get in.
Money, documents & safety
Can you use US dollars in St. Maarten?
Yes: US dollars are accepted on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, and the St. Maarten tourism site's taxi guide lists both US dollars and Caribbean guilders at $1 to 1.80 guilders. Cash is preferred for taxis, so keep some on you. Most prices are quoted in dollars.
Do I need a passport for St. Maarten on a cruise?
US Customs and Border Protection says US citizens on a closed-loop cruise can re-enter the US with a birth certificate and government photo ID, but it warns that the countries you visit may still require a passport. If you miss the ship and have to fly home from St. Maarten, you need a passport book under air rules, so a passport is the safer thing to carry.
Is St. Maarten safe for cruise passengers?
St. Maarten is generally a safe destination for travelers, according to the US State Department, which rates it Level 1, "Exercise normal precautions". It says petty crime is most likely in popular tourist locations, to beware of overcharges and scams in tourist areas, and that you may meet aggressive vendors.
Is St. Maarten on the same time as my ship?
St. Maarten is on Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4) all year and has never used daylight saving time, so its clocks never change. Whether that matches your ship depends on the clock your ship runs, so check the time in your daily program. Tour start times are local island time.