Last year, St. Maarten was one of the ports hit hard by Hurricane Irma, and earlier this year, the cruise industry united to tell cruisers that the Caribbean was recovering well. It seems that the message was heard loud and clear, as St. Maarten’s port ended 2018 with its busiest day of the year.
How Many Cruisers Passed Through St. Maarten
On December 26, seven ships sailed into the port… bringing with them a staggering 36,800 passengers and crew members. This was proof positive that the island has bounced back from the effects of the hurricane.
The Cruise Ships in Port On December 26:
- Adventure of the Seas
- P&O Britannia
- Celebrity Edge
- Celebrity Silhouette
- Harmony of the Seas
- Marella Explorer
- MSC Seaside
Before being impacted by the storms, St. Maarten boasted one of the best economies among cruising ports, ranking No. 1 in cruise passenger spending and No. 2 in spending among cruise ship crews. The Caribbean port is confident that they will continue to move one step closer to their renewed success in the coming cruise year. (If you’ve ever wondered just how much a port takes in as a result of cruise ship visits, here’s a statistic for you: During the 2014/15 cruise season, passengers spent approximately $423 million in St Maarten alone.)
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“The destination is expected to maintain a certain standard across the board to continue to grow the cruise tourism product in 2019,” the port’s management said on Wednesday. “It is essential that visitor appeal is maintained by our destination partners, stakeholders and the population at large in order to continue the success of cruise tourism. Being hospitable to our guests and always displaying that ‘Friendly Island’ smile that they have become accustomed to will continue to move cruise tourism and the destination forward.”
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Not only did the port see an increase in visiting ships, but its visitors included some of the most exciting cruise ships in the industry right now, including Celebrity Cruise’s newest ship the Celebrity Edge. The Edge was one of three ships lucky enough to stay in port late into the evening, giving passengers and crew the opportunity to enjoy St. Maarten’s nightlife offerings in Philipsburg and along the Beach Promenade.
Will you be making a stop in St. Maarten for your upcoming cruise?
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