In December 2016, four Celebrity Cruises ships (Eclipse, Equinox, Reflection, Summit) docked here. The other 'Dutch Antilles' islands are in the Leeward Antilles - the ABC islands ( Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao). St Maarten Island has total area 34 km2 (13 mi2) and is one of the Dutch islands in the Lesser Antilles archipelago - together with Saba Island and Sint Eustatius.

It functions as a commercial center of Saint Martin Island, whereof St Maarten encompasses the southern half. Philipsburg (population around 2,000) is located on a narrow stretch of land between the Great Salt Pond and Great Bay. From that time are two historic fortifications guarding the port town - Fort Amsterdam and Fort Willem (to the north). Philipsburg was established in 1763 by John Philips (Scottish Captain serving in the Dutch Navy) and soon became a major port and center of international shipping trade.

The island was discovered by the Europeans in the late-15th-century (first sighted in November 1493 by Christopher Columbus). On the French part (Saint Martin) is Marigot. Since 1648, St Maarten it is divided 60 / 40 between France (northern part, 53 km2 / 20 mi2) and Holland (southern part, 34 km2 / 13 mi2). Port Philipsburg (locode ANPHI) is the country's principal port and largest city, with population around 2,000. The island is approx 300 km (190 mi) east of Puerto Rico (USA). Philipsburg is a port town and the capital of Sint Maarten - an island country in the Dutch Antilles, one of The Netherlands' overseas territories.

Philipsburg st maarten cruise port map