Alarming statistics have revealed the countries where cruise passengers outnumber locals.
The tiny Caribbean island of Sint Maarten takes the top spot in this ranking. It has a population of less than 43,000 permanent residents – but it hosts a staggering 844,000 cruise ship tourists a year, according to the UN tourism report (UNWTO) data, meaning that ship visitors outnumber locals by a ratio of 20 to one.
The Caribbean ranks high in the ratio ranking, which is based on 2023 data. The Bahamas is second on the list with 13 cruise ship tourists for every resident, followed by the British Virgin Islands (third) and the Cayman Islands (fourth), which have passenger-to-resident ratios of around 11 to one.
St. Kitts and Nevis comes in fifth (10:1), while the rest of the top 10 also hail from the region: Bermuda (sixth, 6:1), Aruba (seventh, 5:1), Antigua (eighth, 3.85:1), Curaçao (ninth, 3.45:1) and the US Virgin Islands (tenth, 2:1).
What is it that draws so many cruise passengers to the shores of Sint Maarten? For starters, it is One of the only cruise ports in the world that can accommodate the largest ships on the planet, it recently welcomed the largest cruise ship in the world: Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. – a gigantic ship with capacity for more than 7,000 people.
Sint Maarten is a Caribbean paradise where cruise ship tourists outnumber residents by 20 to one.
Lonely Planet says: ‘Sint Maarten’s sun-drenched paradise is a magical oasis with white sandy beaches and azure waters’
More than 844,000 cruise ship tourists visit Sint Maarten each year, according to UNWTO data.
Then there is the sheer beauty of the 13-square-mile (20-square-kilometer) island, which is the Dutch side of a tiny 37-square-mile (95-square-kilometer) island that is divided with the French (St. Martin).
Lonely Planet says‘The sun-drenched paradise of Sint Maarten is a magical oasis with white sandy beaches and azure waters.’
The sun-drenched paradise of Sint Maarten is a magical oasis of white sand beaches and azure waters.
Although small, Sint Maarten has 37 beaches and 35 dive sites.
Simpson Bay is said to be one of the best spots on the island for snorkelling, while the sandy Great Bay Beach stretches for miles. Lonely Planet recommends visiting Indigo Bay for a “secluded retreat” or Maho Bay for something more “lively”.
Beware, though, as unsuspecting tourists may be in for a surprise at Maho Bay: the beach lies directly beneath the flight path of Princess Juliana Airport. Planes often pass within 30 metres of the ground, and the spectacle is so popular with tourists that bars and restaurants display arrival and departure times for plane spotters.
Unsuspecting tourists to Sint Maarten are in for a treat at Maho Bay, as the beach lies just below the flight path of Princess Juliana Airport.
Sint Maarten is now one of the only cruise ports in the world capable of accommodating the largest ships on the planet.
Cruise ships docked in Nassau, Bahamas. Cruise passengers outnumber residents by 13 to 1.
Two cruise ships near George Town on Grand Cayman Island. Cruise ship passengers outnumber residents by a ratio of 11 to 1.
The Riviera and Costa Magica cruise ships docked in the British Virgin Islands. Cruise passengers outnumber residents by a ratio of 11 to 1
Tourists can also trek through the island’s rainforest to ride the Flying Dutchman zipline, the “steepest zipline in the world,” which can reach speeds of 90 kilometers per hour. Visitors travel strapped into a chair for an adrenaline-filled experience.
While some cruise passengers prefer to stick to the ship’s buffet, Lonely Planet says foodies “will love Sint Maarten for its diverse and acclaimed cuisine, which reflects its many cultures, from Pacific Islanders to Europeans, Asians and various Caribbean nations.”
For a local treat, try Carnival Cruise Line Recommendation for snails and dumplings: sea snails served with fluffy cornmeal dumplings. Pork ribs cooked on the islands’ barbecues are another popular tourist choice.
If you need something to accompany your sea snails, you can always try Sint Maarten’s national liquor: Guavaberry. It’s a centuries-old rum made from wild berries found in the island’s forests.
Luxury stores in Sint Maarten are duty-free, so goods are about 30 percent cheaper than in the U.S.
Shopping may be the last thing on your mind on a paradise island, but for many American tourists it is one of the main attractions of Sint Maarten. That’s because the island’s luxury stores are duty-free, so goods are about 30 percent cheaper than in the United States.
Brands such as Armani, Pandora and Michael Kors can be found next to Philipsburg’s cruise port, while Amsterdam’s quirkiest cheese and liquor store is a nod to the island’s Dutch culture, with vacuum-packed Gouda and Edam on sale.
The peak tourist season in Sint Maarten is between December and April, but if you want to avoid the influx of cruise ship passengers (in December they can arrive as many as 23,000 per day), check out the low season, from June to November.
The island’s tropical climate means there is good beach weather for most of the year with at least eight hours of sunshine a day. Although hurricanes are rare, Lonely Planet recommends keeping an eye out for storms. National Hurricane CenterOff-season updates.