--- title: "Philipsburg Cruise Port" url: https://cruisello.com/destinations/caribbean/philipsburg description: "Two nations, one island, infinite beaches" --- # Philipsburg 🇳🇱 · Sint Maarten · Caribbean > "Two nations, one island, infinite beaches" ## At a Glance - **Avg. Ships/Day:** 1.9 - **Avg. Time in Port:** 9.5h - **Departure Sailings:** 2 - **Visiting Sailings:** 1,501 - **Cruise Lines:** 13 ## Photos - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-pixabay-2951268.webp) © [neufal54 / Pixabay Content License](https://pixabay.com/photos/caribbean-st-maarten-philipsburg-2951268/) - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-unsplash-0wu8nafd648.webp) Photo by [Scott S. Bateman](https://unsplash.com/photos/a-boat-sitting-on-top-of-a-sandy-beach-0WU8NAFd648?utm_source=cruisello&utm_medium=referral) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=cruisello&utm_medium=referral) - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-pixabay-1135658.webp) © [photosforyou / Pixabay Content License](https://pixabay.com/photos/philipsburg-st-maarten-caribbean-1135658/) - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-commons-131974060.webp) © [Thank You (23 Millions+) views / CC BY 2.0](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Welcome_to_St_Maarten.jpg) - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-pixabay-2726430.webp) © [neufal54 / Pixabay Content License](https://pixabay.com/photos/st-maarten-philipsburg-caribbean-2726430/) - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-pixabay-4710452.webp) © [5075933 / Pixabay Content License](https://pixabay.com/photos/philipsburg-saintmartin-beach-water-4710452/) - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-pixabay-2726434.webp) © [neufal54 / Pixabay Content License](https://pixabay.com/photos/caribbean-st-maarten-philipsburg-2726434/) - ![Philipsburg, Sint Maarten](https://cruisello.com/img/ports/caribbean/philipsburg/philipsburg-pixabay-2726435.webp) © [neufal54 / Pixabay Content License](https://pixabay.com/photos/caribbean-st-maarten-philipsburg-2726435/) ## Peak season Dec – Mar 1,514 sailings over the next 12 months Busiest months: Dec (297 sailings), Jan (261 sailings), Feb (234 sailings) ## About Philipsburg Philipsburg is the capital of Dutch Sint Maarten, on an island shared with French Saint-Martin. Ships dock at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility, and the town's main strip, Front Street, runs parallel to the beach. The boardwalk is right there, with Great Bay Beach steps away from the shops. Duty-free shopping is a main activity, with electronics, jewellery, and liquor available. Maho Beach on the western side of the island is famous for planes landing directly over sunbathers at Princess Juliana International Airport. Orient Beach on the French side has beach clubs and restaurants. The border between the Dutch and French halves is unmarked and freely crossed. The French side has better food (French and Creole cooking), while the Dutch side has more nightlife and casinos. The Aruban Florin and US dollar are both accepted on the Dutch side. The euro is used on the French side. ## Your day in Philipsburg Walk the harbour road into town, about 20 minutes. A paid water taxi crosses the bay. ### Map - **Cruise terminal**: Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility, north pier, south-east quay edge (18.01161, -63.04880) - **Bus to Maho Beach**: Emmaplein bus stop, 13 min walk (18.02294, -63.04269) Walking times from the cruise terminal: - Within 15 min: Great Bay Beach, Front Street, Sint Maarten Museum, Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit - Within 30 min: Philipsburg Courthouse Map data with the walking areas: [GeoJSON](https://cruisello.com/api/day-in-port/eecd62c2-d79d-4fb4-a8c0-1c08c3065a7b.geojson) ### What to see #### Great Bay Beach Town beach along the whole waterfront, with the 2006 boardwalk behind it. 10 min walk. (18.02109, -63.04299) #### Front Street Main shopping street, parallel to the boardwalk and the beach. 13 min walk. (18.02282, -63.04398) #### Fort Amsterdam Dutch fort of 1631 in ruins, with old cannons and a view over the harbour. Hike up, about 55 min. (18.01612, -63.05926) ![Fort Amsterdam](https://cruisello.com/img/places/Q5470723/49a8d24d9f5a5a7b-1440.webp) Photo: alljengi from Edinburgh, [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/), [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lord_Sheffield_in_Little_Bay%2C_St_Maarten%2C_Oct_2014_(15037894784).jpg) #### Philipsburg Courthouse Dutch colonial courthouse of 1793, with a pineapple on its clock tower. 16 min walk. (18.02382, -63.04573) #### Sint Maarten Museum History museum, pre-Columbian finds to Hurricane Luis. Closed Saturday and Sunday. 11 min walk. (18.02154, -63.04259) #### Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit Small museum with props and creatures from Nick Maley's film work. 12 min walk. (18.02207, -63.04313) Tours: [Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit (Hologram Tour) and Star Wars Celebrity](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/viator/17420P2?via=markdown) from €23 ### Day trips Based on 9 h 30 in port, with 1 h spare before all aboard. - **Maho Beach**: Bus from Emmaplein, 30 min. About 3 h 30 round trip, 1 h 30 at Maho Beach. Tour: [St Maarten Shore Excursion Orient and Maho Beach Half Day Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/viator/5755PRTSXMBEACH?via=markdown) from €50 - **Marigot**: Car or tour, about 30 min each way. About 6 h in Marigot. Starting prices per person. We may earn a commission when you book through our partner links, at no extra cost to you. ## Quick facts - **Currency:** Netherlands Antillean Guilder (ANG) · €10 ≈ ANG 20 - **Language:** Dutch - **Timezone:** America/Lower_Princes (UTC-4) - **Tipping:** 10-15% if not included in bill ## Location Coordinates: 18.0114, -63.0486 - [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/cruise+terminal+Philipsburg/@18.01143,-63.04863,13z) - [Open in Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/?q=cruise%20terminal%20Philipsburg&ll=18.01143,-63.04863&z=13) ## Things to do in Philipsburg Top-rated shore excursions that fit a typical ~10h port call | Tour | Rating | Duration | Times | Fits Port Day | From | Provider | |------|------|------|------|------|------|------| | [UTV / ATV Guided Tour in Philipsburg (Hotel & Airbnb Guests)](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/317c0f62-87ca-42fd-aa29-cb6b099f48fd?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (585) | 3h 30m | 9:00 AM–12:30 PM, 1:00 PM–4:30 PM | Fits your port day | €109 | Viator | | [Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit (Hologram Tour) and Star Wars Celebrity](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/2addd69a-7b0a-4e2a-8808-aa2112a1d0ad?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (248) | 1h | – | Fits your port day | €23 | Viator | | [Big Bastard's Ultimate Great Bay Beach Day for 2 - Row 2/3/4](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/81bb77b8-77cb-4fb6-aa05-54fb2c7a9567?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (75) | 5h | – | Fits your port day | €62 | Viator | | [4 Hour ATV Guided Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/0d69677b-cd13-4bda-9193-edd2461d2878?via=markdown) | 5.0★ (125) | 4h | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM | Fits your port day | €109 | Viator | | [Yoho Pirates Premium Self Drive Speedboat Tour in St. Maarten](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/7cc66a18-5e87-4b81-87f1-4790d70e00ac?via=markdown) | 5.0★ (42) | 2h | 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, 2:00 PM–4:00 PM | Fits your port day | €180 | Viator | | [Colorful Species Of Birds](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/71d7e499-281c-4e06-9abf-6134a773c57f?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (113) | 2h 30m | 10:15 AM–12:45 PM | Fits your port day | €45 | Viator | | [The Best of St Maarten Private Sightseeing Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/c1ce6c09-52b7-45e9-a0b6-7d0463174c04?via=markdown) | 4.9★ (588) | 7h | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM, 12:00 PM–7:00 PM | – | €385 | Viator | | [Sun & Fun Combo Jetski/ATV](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/c48c7238-1ace-4efc-ac34-a7dd44d6a45d?via=markdown) | 4.7★ (85) | 4h | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM | Fits your port day | €182 | Viator | | [St.Martin/St.Maarten Magical Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/366bf22b-15f6-4de8-8cd2-b6fa6f206f12?via=markdown) | 4.7★ (44) | 5h | 9:00 AM–2:00 PM | Fits your port day | €73 | Viator | | [Luxury Private Picnic in Paradise Beach](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/a9228148-7d6e-432b-a119-a0ee2d275c36?via=markdown) | 4.4★ (9) | 3h 30m | 11:00 AM–2:30 PM | Fits your port day | €230 | Viator | | [ATV / Buggy / Jeep - island Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/1f4bd8d5-2757-45f4-bdfc-fad9a53d1d56?via=markdown) | 4.6★ (71) | 3h | 9:00 AM–12:00 PM, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM | Fits your port day | €100 | Viator | | [30 Minutes Jet Ski Experience in St Maarten with Beach Chairs](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/c84e517d-1f0d-4eb4-8c6d-e26c1467c8da?via=markdown) | 4.6★ (9) | 30m | 11:00 AM–11:30 AM, 12:00 PM–12:30 PM, 1:00 PM–1:30 PM, 2:00 PM–2:30 PM, 3:00 PM–3:30 PM, 4:00 PM–4:30 PM, 5:00 PM–5:30 PM | Fits your port day | €82 | Viator | Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. Starting prices per person. We may earn a commission when you book through our partner links, at no extra cost to you. ## Nearby ports - [Basseterre](https://cruisello.com/destinations/caribbean/basseterre.md): 87 km (47 nm) · Saint Kitts and Nevis - [Virgin Gorda Island BVI](https://cruisello.com/destinations/caribbean/virgin-gorda-island-bvi.md): 154 km (83 nm) · British Virgin Islands - [St. John's](https://cruisello.com/destinations/caribbean/st-john-s.md): 161 km (87 nm) · Antigua and Barbuda ## Cruise lines stopping here - [AIDA Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/aida-cruises.md) - [Carnival Cruise Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/carnival-cruise-line.md) - [Celebrity Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/celebrity-cruises.md) - [Costa Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/costa-cruises.md) - [Disney Cruise Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/disney-cruise-line.md) - [Holland America Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/holland-america-line.md) - [MSC Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/msc-cruises.md) - [Norwegian Cruise Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/norwegian-cruise-line.md) - [P&O Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/p-o-cruises.md) - [Princess Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises.md) - [Royal Caribbean](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/royal-caribbean.md) - [TUI Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/tui-cruises.md) - [Virgin Voyages](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/virgin-voyages.md) ## Cheapest Available Sailing **[View this cruise →](https://cruisello.com/cruises/3-night-cruise-from-fort-de-france~COSTA-FAVOLOSA-20261230-3.md)** - **Price:** €285 per person (€570 total for 2 guests) - **Cruise Line:** [Costa Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/costa-cruises.md) - **Ship:** [Costa Favolosa](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/costa-cruises/costa-favolosa.md) - **Duration:** 3 nights - **Departure:** 2026-12-30 - **Itinerary:** 3 Night Cruise from Fort-de-France ## Cruises from Philipsburg Prices are per person, two sharing. | Cruise | Ship | Line | From | Departure | Nights | Price | |------|------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Caribbean Escape – St. Maarten & Antigua](https://cruisello.com/cruises/caribbean-escape-st-maarten-antigua~RCL-RHAPSODY-20261114-7.md) | Rhapsody Of The Seas | Royal Caribbean | 🇵🇷 San Juan | 2026-11-14 | 7 | €449 | | [Caribbean Island Hop – Tortola, Antigua & St. Lucia](https://cruisello.com/cruises/caribbean-island-hop-tortola-antigua-st-lucia~NCL-PRIMA-20261115-7.md) | Norwegian Prima | Norwegian Cruise Line | 🇵🇷 San Juan | 2026-11-15 | 7 | €588 | | [Exotic Escape – San Juan & St. Thomas](https://cruisello.com/cruises/exotic-escape-san-juan-st-thomas~CCL-MAGIC-20261128-8.md) | Carnival Magic | Carnival Cruise Line | 🇺🇸 Miami | 2026-11-28 | 8 | €443 | [See all Philipsburg cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruises.md?stopoverPorts=philipsburg) ## Ready to sail to Philipsburg? 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