PORT ST. MAARTEN – The first five cruise ship day took place on Thursday, November 6, 2025, signaling we are now in high season 2025-2026. The ships in port were the Azamara Quest, Star Pride, Valiant Lady, Star of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas, bringing thousands of visitors to the shores of the island stimulating much-needed economic activity.
The launch of the St. Maarten 2025-2026 cruise season is an incredibly exciting milestone for the destination, marking the beginning of what promises to be a robust period of recovery and growth for the islands tourism sector.
There is a full schedule of major cruise lines and vessels set to visit Port St. Maarten for the 2025-2026 season which can be found on the newly revamped website of Port St. Maarten (www.portstmaarten.com).
St. Maarten is not just welcoming ships; we are welcoming an essential engine of our local economy.
The next five-ship day will be on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, the country’s national day. The vessels in port on that day will be Britannia, Mein Schiff 2, Celebrity Reflection, Caribbean Princess, and Icon of the Seas.
The first six-ship day will be Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Britannia, Mein Schiff 2, Icon of the Seas, Renaissance, Carnival Magic and Carnival Vista.
This influx of visitors signals the continued trust major industry players have in the nation’s port facilities and in the unique, friendly experience that the destination offers.
The focus now shifts entirely to ensure this momentum translates into tangible prosperity for every corner of the island.
This busy season brings immediate and significant economic benefits directly to the core of the island’s business community. Every cruise passenger who steps ashore is a potential customer for our taxi drivers, a client for our tour operators, a diner for our restaurants, and a shopper for our stores and boutiques.
This revenue boost is vital for small and medium-sized enterprises, helping them to sustain jobs, invest in their operations, and, ultimately, improve the quality of life for families across St. Maarten/Saint-Martin. The collective success of the cruise season is measured by the performance of every single business interacting with our visitors.
However, maximizing this benefit requires more than just high passenger volumes; it demands an unwavering commitment to service excellence across the entire island.
Our entire service sector—from the greeter at the pier to the retail clerk and the excursion guide—serves as the face of St. Maarten. We urge every stakeholder to be fully prepared. This means ensuring timely, professional, and courteous interactions, maintaining clean and attractive establishments, and providing authentic, high-quality products and services.
Providing five-star service ensures that our guests leave with positive memories, leading to high satisfaction scores, repeat business, and, most importantly, positive word-of-mouth recommendations that sustain our future growth as a cruise destination.
“I have immense confidence in the professionalism and passion of our island’s workforce. Let us unite to deliver an unmatched visitor experience throughout the 2025-2026 cruise season. The port has done its part in securing the business; now, let us all do our part in delivering the service that justifies our reputation as the premier #1 leading Caribbean port destination.
“We look forward to a rewarding and prosperous season for every resident and business owner who contributes to the vitality of St. Maarten’s thriving cruise tourism industry,” Port St. Maarten Group (PSG) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alexander Gumbs said on Thursday.