Overview The Caribbean island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is divided in two sections by the two countries that govern it. The southern half of the island is the Dutch side, as it's part of the Netherlands Antilles. The northern half of the island is the French side, as it's an overseas collectivity of France. The Dutch side is known as St. Maarten, while the French side is known as St. Martin. Philipsburg, the main cruise port of St. Maarten, is located on the Dutch side and is the Dutch side's main city. Marigot is the main city of the French side of the island.
St. Maarten/St. Martin is considered to be a part of the Eastern Caribbean and is included in many cruise itineraries. Since this island is duty (tax) free, shopping is very popular among tourists. It's a truly exotic island, with excellent weather, amazing beaches (some of which are clothing optional), casinos and nice dining options.
The typical temperature in St. Maarten/St. Martin is quite perfect (usually in the mid to upper 80's during the summer, and in the lower 80's in the winter).
Destinations Philipsburg is included on several Caribbean cruise itineraries.
Cruise Lines Departing Here
Philipsburg is not a cruise departure port.
Currency The official currency of St. Maarten (the Dutch side of the island) is the Netherland Antilles florin or guilder (NAF), while the official currency of St. Martin (the French side of the island) is the Euro. US dollars are accepted at many tourist locations. ATM machines are available, but make sure you use one that works with the card you're using. ATM machines will usually give you a better exchange rate than a hotel. Using a credit card is a great way to avoid having to exchange currency.
Language The official language of St. Maarten (the Dutch side of the island) is Dutch, while the official language of St. Martin (the French side of the island) is French. English is spoken by most of the locals, regardless of which side of the island you're referring to.
Tourist Attractions Since the entire island is duty free, shopping is a very popular thing to do. The most popular shopping area on the Dutch side of the island is on Front Street. There are also numerous alleyways with various shops, running between Front Street and Back Street. There are also many shopping stores located right at the pier. The best shopping area on the French side of the island is in Marigot, at the West Indies Mall. This island has many high quality items for sale, at great prices.
Some of the best restaurants on the island are La Vie en Rose (a French restaurant in St. Martin), Le Santal (another French restaurant, also in St. Martin) and Temptation (a Caribbean restaurant located in St. Maarten, at the Atlantis World Casino).
Like most of the Caribbean cruise ports, there are tons of beautiful beaches to enjoy while in St. Maarten/St. Maarten. The dress code on some of the St. Martin beaches is very liberal (in fact, they have nude beaches). Some of the more popular beaches in St. Maarten/St. Martin are Mullet Bay Beach (on the Dutch side), Simpson Bay Beach (a more private and relaxed white-sand beach on the Dutch side), Little Bay Beach (also on the Dutch side, is a great option for snorkelers) and Orient Beach (a party beach, located on the French side, that has a optional nude section).
The night life on St. Maarten/St. Martin is quite good, as can be expected of a tropical Caribbean island. All of the island's casinos on the island are on the Dutch side, St. Maarten. The largest casino is Casino Royale, located in the Maho Beach Hotel. Many of the resorts are the home to popular night clubs and restaurants. It's not uncommon to see a beach barbeque at one of the resorts. Some of the most popular hot spots on the island are Amnesia, Indiana Beach and News Music Cafe.
Port Location Cruise ships usually dock in Great Bay, at the A.C. Wathey Pier in Point Blanche. This pier is only about a mile from Philipsburg's downtown area (it's about a 15 minute walk). Some ships will anchor offshore (rather than actually docking) and use tenders to transport passengers to and from downtown Philipsburg.
There are usually many taxis at the pier, ready to take you wherever you want to go. A taxi from the port to downtown Philipsburg should run about $2, while one to Marigot will be about $10 (Taxi costs listed here are estimates that are subject to change without prior notice).
