GREAT BAY – St. Maarten is preparing for a busy four-month period of cruise tourism, with several days between November 2026 and February 2027 expected to bring five, six and potentially seven cruise ships to the island. December is shaping up to be the busiest month for vessel calls, while January and February will also feature days when several major cruise liners are scheduled to visit Philipsburg.
A review of Port St. Maarten's published November schedule and cruise-line itineraries compiled for the following three months identifies Thursday, December 3, 2026, as one of the busiest scheduled days, with seven vessels expected.
Several other dates in December and January show six scheduled ship calls, including days featuring some of the world's largest cruise vessels. The concentration of arrivals is expected to provide business opportunities for retailers, restaurants, taxi operators, tour companies and other businesses that depend on cruise tourism.
The schedules also provide an early indication of when Philipsburg and surrounding tourism areas could experience increased pedestrian activity, transportation demand and road traffic.
November: Multiple Five-Ship Days
The high season is already building in November, with Port St. Maarten's official schedule identifying several days with five scheduled vessel calls.
Wednesday, November 11, is expected to feature Adventure of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Celebrity Xcel, Majestic Princess and Victory II.
Friday, November 13, and Monday, November 16, also show five scheduled vessels, while Wednesday, November 18, is another five-ship day.
The final full week of November is particularly important for businesses preparing for the holiday shopping season.
On Tuesday, November 24, Queen Mary 2, AIDAperla, MSC Meraviglia, Icon of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas are scheduled to visit.
Wednesday, November 25, is also expected to be busy, with AIDAbella, Coral Princess, Sky Princess, Allure of the Seas and Vision of the Seas appearing among the scheduled vessels.
The presence of large-capacity ships such as Icon of the Seas and Allure of the Seas makes these dates significant for businesses serving cruise visitors.
December: Seven Ships Scheduled for December 3
December is expected to produce some of the heaviest cruise activity of the four-month period.
A cruise-line itinerary compilation updated on November 2 lists 105 ship calls for December, although actual totals will depend on subsequent itinerary changes and the port's final berth arrangements.
Thursday, December 3, stands out with seven vessels listed: Azamara Journey, Brilliant Lady, Celebrity Beyond, Coral Princess, Star Pride, Star of the Seas and Viking Sea.
The following day, Friday, December 4, is also expected to be busy, with six vessels scheduled, including Norwegian Gem, Queen Elizabeth, Seven Seas Grandeur, Valiant Lady, Norwegian Prima and Rotterdam.
Other dates showing six calls are December 17, December 22, December 26 and December 31.
Tuesday, December 22, could be particularly significant in terms of passenger volume, with six large cruise ships expected: Carnival Vista, Enchanted Princess, Icon of the Seas, MSC Meraviglia, Rhapsody of the Seas and Carnival Magic.
Unlike some multi-ship days that include smaller luxury vessels, the December 22 lineup consists of major cruise ships with substantial passenger capacity.
New Year's Eve, Thursday, December 31, is also expected to bring significant cruise activity, with Norwegian Bliss, Brilliant Lady, Seven Seas Mariner, Star Pride, Star of the Seas and Emerald Sakara appearing on the November 2 itinerary schedule.
The December concentration is expected to create opportunities for businesses during one of the most important commercial periods of the year.
January: Six-Ship Days on the 13th, 14th and 19th
The busy schedule is expected to continue into January 2027, with an itinerary-based compilation listing 88 cruise calls during the month.
Wednesday, January 13, features six scheduled ships: Carnival Vista, Celebrity Xcel, Costa Favolosa, Vision of the Seas, Seven Seas Prestige and Viking Sea.
Thursday, January 14, also shows six vessels, including Aurora, Brilliant Lady, Celebrity Eclipse, Star Pride, Star of the Seas and Explora III.
However, Tuesday, January 19, may be one of the most commercially significant cruise days of the month because of the size of the vessels expected.
The scheduled lineup includes MSC World Europa, Azamara Journey, Harmony of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, MSC Meraviglia and Rhapsody of the Seas.
The presence of Harmony of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, MSC World Europa and MSC Meraviglia on the same day could generate considerable demand for taxis, excursions, shopping and other visitor services.
January 5 and January 28 are also among the dates showing five scheduled calls.
February: Six Calls Scheduled for February 3
February 2027 is expected to maintain a busy cruise schedule, although the number of vessel calls is projected to be lower than in December and January.
The November 2 itinerary compilation lists 73 calls for February, with Wednesday, February 3, identified as the busiest scheduled date, showing six vessels.
These include Disney Destiny, Queen Mary 2, Celebrity Xcel, MSC Meraviglia, Resilient Lady and Emerald Sakara.
Not all six vessels are scheduled to be present simultaneously, as Emerald Sakara is listed for an evening arrival. Nevertheless, the day represents one of the month's largest concentrations of scheduled ship movements.
Monday, February 8, is another busy date, with five vessels expected, including Britannia, Norwegian Prima, Celebrity Ascent, Rhapsody of the Seas and Explora III.
Additional four-ship days appear throughout February, including February 16, 20, 22 and 24.
Business Opportunities and Traffic Considerations
The concentration of cruise calls over the four months is expected to benefit a range of businesses across St. Maarten.
Front Street retailers, restaurants, beach vendors, taxi drivers, water-sports operators, excursion providers and transportation companies are among those positioned to benefit from increased visitor activity.
However, the number of ships scheduled on a particular day does not necessarily indicate how many passengers will come ashore.
Actual passenger volumes depend on each vessel's capacity, occupancy, arrival and departure times, and the number of passengers choosing to disembark.
Days featuring five or six large ships may consequently generate more passenger activity than days with a greater number of smaller vessels.
The busy cruise calendar also reinforces the importance of traffic management and coordination between the port, taxi operators, excursion providers and other tourism stakeholders.
Increased demand for transportation to Philipsburg, Maho, Orient Bay, Marigot and other visitor destinations can place additional pressure on road networks, particularly during periods when visitors are returning to their vessels.
Businesses may also benefit from reviewing staffing, inventory and opening arrangements ahead of the busiest scheduled dates.
Port St. Maarten has previously identified Tuesdays through Thursdays as traditionally the busiest days during the cruise high season, a pattern reflected in several of the upcoming multi-ship dates.
While the published schedules provide an indication of expected activity, cruise itineraries remain subject to change because of weather conditions, operational requirements, itinerary adjustments and berth availability.
The figures should therefore be regarded as planning projections rather than confirmed arrivals, with the latest Port St. Maarten schedule remaining the appropriate reference for final vessel movements.
