Key Aspects:
- The Minister of Justice in Philipsburg, St. Maarten has issued a new public-order to protect cruisers from being harassed by local vendors.
- Vendors will now be fined $190 USD if they attempt to offer services without proper authorization.
- The order will be in effect from December 1, 2025, until April 30, 2026, which coincides with the peak cruise season.
As many Caribbean destinations do, Philipsburg, St. Maarten’s economy relies heavily on tourism in order to stay afloat – much of which comes from the more than 1.5 million cruise guests that visit the port each year.
But in order to keep the cruise lines coming back, it’s important that passengers have a good experience while visiting St. Maarten’s capital.
Of course, being harassed and heckled at the cruise port by pushy vendors is not the key to a good time.
In light of recent events in which tourists have been approached in an aggressive or intimidating manner, the Minister of Justice has issued a Ministerial Decree establishing strict public-order controls at the island’s waterfront entry ports.
Any vendor who approaches guests, disturbs the peace, and/or attempts to offer services without proper authorization will be fined $190 USD.
Prohibited activities include renting cars and bicycles, offering tours or excursions without permits, providing services like hair braiding and massages, and persistently approaching visitors to solicit business.
Read Also: 11 Most Dangerous Cruise Ports You Should Be Extra Cautious About
This order is not meant to penalize lawful business operators who have the necessary permits, but rather to reinforce safe commercial activity within the tourist hubs.
Why Now?
Now that the Atlantic Hurricane Season has come to an end, it’s officially the peak cruise season in the Caribbean.
With this in mind, the order will be in effect from December 1, 2025, until April 30, 2026, which covers the port’s busiest months.
During this time, Philipsburg will welcome dozens of ships every single week from brands like Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and more.
While in place, the public-order will protect the entrance of the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facilities and the access points to the Captain Hodge Wharf and the Walter Plantz Wharf on the Boardwalk.
Cruisers Celebrate the News
The public-order, which was announced on the Facebook page for the Government of Sint Maarten on December 4, was met with gratitude from the cruise community.
“Good call! I have never wanted to go on a cruise ship holiday because I have witnessed from the shore how cruise passengers get “attacked” by vendors the instant they step off the ship,” one person sounded off in the comments.
“Great news, these people what they do is scare the tourists, I understand they want to work and be nice, but definitely is not the way to market or promote a business,” another past visitor reacted.
Enhanced security measures have also been taken at other major cruise ports, such as Nassau in the Bahamas.
This is another location where locals can come off a bit too strong when trying to solicit business.
In 2023, the entire cruise port got new fencing and controlled entry/exit points for passengers, which was another welcomed change.
Only approved vendors are allowed to set up shop inside, which prevents unwanted interactions with the locals while guests are inside the port itself – and guests don’t necessarily have to leave the fenced area to have a good time.
