⚓ Cruise Port

Philipsburg

Currency
Dutch side runs on USD freely; the French side uses the euro — but USD is taken island-wide.
Language
Dutch, French, and English are all spoken; English is universal in tourism.
Time in Port
Typically around 8am–5pm.
Pier Location
Pier at Point Blanche; a water taxi or short taxi reaches the Philipsburg boardwalk.
Best For
Beaches, duty-free shopping, plane-spotting, and French-Caribbean food
About Philipsburg

Philipsburg is the Dutch-side capital of St. Maarten/St. Martin, a single island shared by the Netherlands and France. The cruise pier sits on Great Bay, a water-taxi ride from a mile-long boardwalk of beach bars and duty-free shops, while the rest of the island offers 37 beaches, a French market town, and the famous plane-spotting beach at Maho. Two cultures, two cuisines, and a lot of sand in one easy port.

💡
Insider Tip

For the famous Maho jet blasts, check the day's flight schedule (posted at the Sunset Bar) so you're there for the big arrivals — and stand well clear of the fence during takeoffs, where the jet wash is genuinely powerful.

Highlights
🏖
Great Bay & the Boardwalk
Philipsburg's town beach and a lively boardwalk of bars and shops — a short water-taxi from the pier.
✈️
Maho Beach
The legendary beach right under the airport approach, where jets roar low overhead — about 25 minutes by taxi.
🥖
Marigot (French side)
The French capital with a waterfront market, patisseries, and a hilltop fort, roughly 30 minutes away.
🤿
Orient Bay
A long French-side beach with water sports, plus snorkeling around offshore Pinel Island.
🍹
Beach-bar hopping
Dozens of beaches, each with its own bar scene — easy to sample by taxi or a beach tour.
Local Food & Drink
  • Dutch-side johnnycakes and Caribbean BBQ ribs.
  • French-side croissants, baguettes, and fresh seafood in Marigot or Grand Case.
  • Guavaberry liqueur, the island's signature spirit.
Shore Excursion Ideas
1 Maho Beach plane-spotting + island tour.
2 Orient Bay beach day.
3 Pinel Island snorkel.
4 French-side Grand Case food tour.
5 Twelve-beach island highlights drive.
Sailings to Philipsburg
Upcoming Royal Caribbean & Celebrity cruises that visit Philipsburg
View all →
Ships That Visit Philipsburg
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships with sailings to Philipsburg in our database

Track Prices for Sailings to Philipsburg

Monitor beverage packages, specialty dining, and excursion prices for cruises visiting Philipsburg. Get alerted when prices drop.

Start Tracking Free →