Home / Ports / Philipsburg / Dec 4, 2026

A Little Crowded

Philipsburg Cruise Crowd Forecast — Friday, December 4, 2026

A Little Crowded day in Philipsburg — 6 ships representing ~12,631 estimated cruise passengers, 22% below a busy day.

Some cruise traffic, but likely manageable. Popular areas may be busier around the middle of the day.

  • 6 shipsin port
  • 12,631est. passengers

Quieter than 20% of scheduled cruise days at this port.

Morning rush: 5 ships arrive within the same hour — expect crowds at the terminal and excursion meeting points.
Provisional — schedule may change

🧭 How to play this day

CROWD-TACTICAL

Maho still works if you go early — chairs sell out and the beach fills by late morning on busier days. See the planes, then move on: Orient Beach on the French side has far more room, or cross to Marigot for a very different, more relaxed scene. Leave generous time for the return — traffic builds through the afternoon.

Why is this a little crowded?

6 ships are scheduled today, representing approximately 12,631 passengers of combined capacity. 5 of them arrive within the same hour, concentrating the morning rush.

Compared with other cruise days: Well above average for this port.

Ships in port

ShipCruise lineArrivalDepartureBerthCapacity
Queen ElizabethCunard Line07:0018:00—2,092
Norwegian GemNorwegian Cruise Line07:0018:00—2,394
Rotterdam—08:0017:00—1,404
Valiant LadyVirgin Voyages08:0017:00—2,770
Seven Seas GrandeurRegent Seven Seas Cruises08:0018:00—750
Norwegian PrimaNorwegian Cruise Line09:0018:00—3,221

Arrival timeline

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Queen Elizabeth
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Norwegian Gem
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Rotterdam
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Valiant Lady
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Seven Seas Grandeur
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Norwegian Prima
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Bars show each ship’s scheduled time in port (6 AM – 10 PM port time).

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Shore day advice

Independent exploration works well today — book the most popular attractions ahead, and expect the midday peak near the port.

Looking for a quieter day?

See Philipsburg’s crowd calendar →

Data & accuracy

  • Schedule source: Port St. Maarten
  • Data last fetched: Nov 5, 2026
  • Forecast date: Dec 4, 2026
  • Provisional: this date is more than 7 days out — cruise lines adjust itineraries for weather and operations, so the schedule may change.
  • Estimates are based on published ship capacities, not actual bookings or how many passengers go ashore.