St. Maarten (Philipsburg) Cruise Ship Schedule
St. Maarten & SXM cruise schedule hub — compare 2026 and 2027 Philipsburg ship calls, Maho Beach timing, and Orient Bay excursion planning from the Dr. A.C. Wathey terminal.
This St. Maarten schedule hub — the SXM cruise port many itineraries list as Sint Maarten or Philipsburg — connects published 2026 and 2027 call data at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility. Start here to see how many ships share Great Bay on your pier day before booking Maho Beach plane-spotting, Orient Bay clubs, or a Dutch-and-French island loop.
Choose a Schedule Year
Open the year that matches your sailing for monthly arrival and departure tables. Compare both years from this hub if you are still choosing between 2026 and 2027 itineraries.
Why Cruise Passengers Use This St. Maarten Schedule
- ✓SXM sits on Eastern and Southern Caribbean routes — this hub links to 2026 and 2027 monthly tables so you can compare Philipsburg call volumes before committing to French-side dining or Maho Beach transfers.
- ✓Multi-ship Great Bay days strain taxi availability to Orient Bay and Grand Case — schedule data shows overlap before you sail.
- ✓Dual-nation excursions need realistic return buffers; docked Dr. A.C. Wathey berths simplify logistics versus tender ports, but island traffic still varies by pier-day volume.
- ✓Water taxis to downtown Philipsburg and beach clubs run on passenger demand — knowing your departure column helps operators guarantee on-time return to the cruise terminal.
Planning Your Day In St. Maarten
Choose 2026 or 2027 from this hub, then build around one signature experience — Maho Beach aviation, Orient Bay swim, or a Dutch-and-French highlights loop — sized to your published departure time.
What passengers typically do
- Morning Maho Beach visit for aircraft landings when arrivals are early
- Orient Bay beach club afternoon on longer port windows
- Front Street Philipsburg shopping walkable from the cruise terminal
- Grand Case lunch on the French side via taxi on six-hour-plus calls
Top attractions
- Maho Beach — aircraft approach over Maho Bay
- Orient Bay — wide Atlantic beach with clubs and water sports
- Philipsburg — duty-free Front Street shopping
- Grand Case — French-side dining capital
Recommended excursion types
- Maho Beach and island highlights combo on standard-length calls
- Orient Bay beach break with fixed return transfer
- Dual-nation circle tour covering both Dutch and French districts
Timing considerations
- Maho Beach crowds peak when multiple ships discharge simultaneously — check monthly tables
- French-side dining runs slower; allow extra return time for Grand Case lunches
- 2027 imports may expand beyond 2026 coverage — compare both years when choosing sail dates
Return-to-ship guidance: Be back at the Dr. A.C. Wathey terminal 45–60 minutes before published departure. Docked arrivals avoid tender queues, but island traffic between Orient Bay, Maho, and Philipsburg can delay taxis on busy pier days.
St. Maarten Port-Day Essentials
Most popular excursions
Maho Beach Experience
2–3 hours
Watch aircraft land over Maho Bay — St. Maarten's signature thrill.
Orient Bay Beach Day
4–5 hours
Atlantic beach clubs with loungers, lunch, and water sports.
French Side Island Tour
4–5 hours
Marigot market, Grand Case dining, and Orient Bay on the Saint Martin side.
Cruise terminal information
Cruise ships dock at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility on Great Bay in Philipsburg (Sint Maarten). A water taxi or 15-minute walk reaches Front Street duty-free shopping. The terminal handles large mega-ships with direct gangway access — itineraries may list St. Maarten, Sint Maarten, or SXM, but ships berth on the Dutch side.
Tender vs dock
St. Maarten is a dock port — passengers walk ashore at the Dr. A.C. Wathey terminal without tenders. Water taxis to the Philipsburg boardwalk are optional; most excursions use pier-side taxi ranks for Maho Beach, Orient Bay, and French-side transfers.
Typical time in port
~9.8h average (published calls) — derived from published schedule data at this port.
Best excursion timing for St. Maarten
- Reach Maho Beach within 90 minutes of gangway opening on multi-ship days
- Book Orient Bay transfers early when monthly tables show two or more large vessels
- Schedule French-side lunches only when departure is 4:00 PM or later
Related Planning Resources
All Ports by Year
Compare St. Maarten with every other top Caribbean port on the master year hubs.
2027 Cruise Planning Tools
Compare call volumes across the Caribbean and review seasonal sailing patterns before you pick excursions for St. Maarten.
Also sailing in 2027?
St. Maarten has 503 published ship calls listed for 2027 and 225 for 2026. Compare both years if your itinerary spans seasons or you are choosing between sail dates.
Browse by excursion type
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SXM in relation to the St. Maarten cruise schedule?
SXM is the airport code for Princess Juliana International Airport on Sint Maarten — travelers often search 'cruise ship schedule SXM' when planning Philipsburg port days. This hub lists ship calls at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility in Great Bay, not flight arrivals.
Does St. Maarten use tenders or a cruise dock?
St. Maarten is a dock port. Ships berth at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility in Great Bay near Philipsburg with walk-off access. No tender boats are required under normal conditions.
How does the St. Maarten schedule help with Maho Beach timing?
Maho Beach experiences peak crowds when several ships are in port. Open your 2026 or 2027 year page and count vessels on your sailing date — early arrival lets you reach Maho before afternoon aviation crowds build.
Can I visit both Dutch and French sides in one St. Maarten port day?
Yes — the island is compact with no border controls between Sint Maarten and Saint Martin. Use your schedule's departure time to size a dual-nation tour: allow at least five to six hours ashore for Orient Bay plus Philipsburg or Grand Case combinations.
Where do I find the 2026 versus 2027 St. Maarten ship schedule?
This hub links to dedicated year pages with monthly Philipsburg tables. Open the year that matches your sailing — both 2026 and 2027 published schedules are available for excursion planning.