Home / Ports / Philipsburg / Nov 18, 2026

A Little Crowded

Philipsburg Cruise Crowd Forecast — Wednesday, November 18, 2026

A Little Crowded day in Philipsburg — 5 ships representing ~8,800 estimated cruise passengers, 45% below a busy day.

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

  • 5 shipsin port
  • 8,800est. passengers

Quieter than 38% of scheduled cruise days at this port.

Morning rush: 4 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?

5 ships are scheduled today, representing approximately 8,800 passengers of combined capacity. 4 of them arrive within the same hour, concentrating the morning rush.

Compared with other cruise days: Above average for this port.

Ships in port

ShipCruise lineArrivalDepartureBerthCapacity
Victory II—06:0015:00CPN-NWn/a
AidadivaAIDA Cruises07:0018:00—2,070
Marella VoyagerMarella Cruises08:0018:00—1,912
Vision of the SeasRoyal Caribbean International08:0018:00—2,048
Brilliant LadyVirgin Voyages08:0018:00—2,770

Arrival timeline

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Victory II
6:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Aidadiva
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Marella Voyager
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Vision of the Seas
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Brilliant Lady
8:00 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: Nov 18, 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.