Revealed: The top 10 countries where CRUISE SHIP visitors outnumber residents each year – with ship tourists in one small country outnumbering local tourists by 20 to 1
Surprising statistics show in which countries the number of cruise passengers exceeds the number of local passengers.
The small Caribbean island of Sint Maarten tops this list. It has a population of less than 43,000 permanent residents – but according to UN Tourism welcomes as many as 844,000 cruise tourists per year (VNWTO) data, which means that the number of ship visitors is 20 times greater than the number of local visitors.
The Caribbean ranks high in the ratio rankings, based on 2023 data. The Bahamas ranks second with 13 cruise tourists per resident, followed by the British Virgin Islands (3rd) and the Cayman Islands (4th), which have a passenger-to-resident ratio of approximately 11 to one.
St. Kitts and Nevis ranks fifth (10:1), while the rest of the top 10 also come from the region: Bermuda (sixth, 6:1), Aruba (seventh, 5:1), Antigua (eighth, 3.85:1), Curacao (ninth, 3.45:1) and the US Virgin Islands (10th, 2:1).
So what draws such large numbers of cruise passengers to the shores of St. Maarten? For starters, it’s one of the few cruise ports in the world that can accommodate the world’s largest ships. It recently welcomed the world’s largest cruise ship – Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas – a gigantic ship with a capacity of more than 7,000 people.
Sint Maarten is a Caribbean paradise where cruise tourists outnumber residents by 20 to 1
Lonely Planet says: ‘The sun-drenched paradise of St. Maarten is a magical oasis of sugary beaches and azure waters’
According to UNWTO data, more than 844,000 cruise tourists visit Sint Maarten annually
And then there is the sheer beauty of the 20 km2 island, the Dutch part of a tiny 95 km2 island shared with the French (Saint Martin).
Lonely Planet says: ‘The sun-drenched paradise of Sint Maarten is a magical oasis with sugary beaches and azure water.’
The sun-drenched paradise of Sint Maarten is a magical oasis of sugary beaches and azure waters.
Sint Maarten is small, but has 37 beaches and 35 dive sites.
Simpson Bay is considered one of the island’s best diving spots, while the sandy Great Bay Beach stretches for miles. Lonely Planet recommends visiting Indigo Bay for a “secluded hideaway” or Maho Bay for something “more lively.”
Be warned, though, unsuspecting tourists may be in for a shock at Maho Bay – the beach is directly under the flight path of Princess Juliana Airport. Planes often pass within 100 feet of the ground, and the view is so popular with tourists that bars and restaurants display arrival and departure times for eager plane watchers.
Unsuspecting tourists from Sint Maarten will be in for a shock at Maho Bay, as the beach is located directly under the flight path of Princess Juliana Airport
Sint Maarten is now one of the few cruise ports in the world capable of receiving the world’s largest ships
Cruise ships docked in Nassau, Bahamas. Cruise ship passengers here outnumber residents by 13 times
Two cruise ships at George Town on Grand Cayman Island. Cruise passengers here outnumber residents 11 times
Cruise ships Riviera and Costa Magica are docked in the British Virgin Islands. Cruise ship passengers outnumber residents 11 times here
Tourists can also venture into the island’s rainforest to ride the Flying Dutchman, the “world’s steepest zipline,” which can reach speeds of 56 miles per hour. Guests are strapped into a seat for the adrenaline-pumping experience.
While some cruise passengers prefer to opt for the onboard buffet, Lonely Planet says foodies “will love St. Maarten for its diverse and acclaimed cuisine, which reflects the many cultures of the Pacific Islands, Europeans, Asians and various Caribbean nations.”
For a local treat, try Carnival Cruise Line’s cruise ships recommendation of conch and dumplings – sea snails served with fluffy cornmeal dumplings. Spareribs cooked on island barbecues are another popular tourist choice.
If you need something to wash down your sea snails, there’s always St. Martin’s national drink: Guavaberry. It’s an age-old rum made from wild berries found in the island’s forests.
Sint Maarten’s luxury stores are duty-free, making goods 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 St. Maarten. That is because the island’s luxury stores are duty-free, so goods are about 30 percent cheaper than in the U.S.
Brands like Armani, Pandora and Michael Kors can be found near Philipsburg’s cruise port, while the quirky Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor Store is a nod to the island’s Dutch culture, with vacuum-packed Gouda and Edam cheeses on sale.
The peak tourist season in St. Maarten is from December through April. If you want to avoid the cruise ship crowds (as many as 23,000 arrive per day in December), visit during the off-season, from June through November.
The island’s tropical climate means that there is good beach weather most of the year, with at least eight hours of sunshine a day. Although hurricanes are rare, Lonely Planet recommends that you travel National Hurricane Centerupdates during the low season.
