Port St. Maarten joins regional talks on improving cruise visitor experience

GREAT BAY--St. Maarten was represented this week at the second Shore to Ship Symposium & Workshop in Curaçao, where regional tourism and cruise stakeholders gathered to examine how Caribbean destinations can strengthen the experience of cruise passengers from the moment they come ashore until they return to their ships.

Representing St. Maarten at the event was Port St. Maarten Group CEO Alexander Gumbs, who took part in the regional exchange alongside tourism and port officials from Curaçao and Aruba. The two-day symposium was held September 21 and 22 at the Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort and brought together approximately 95 participants from across the cruise and tourism sectors.

The event was organized by the Curaçao Tourist Board in collaboration with the Curaçao Ports Authority under the theme “Where Experience Creates Impact.” St. Maarten’s presence placed the country among the regional destinations contributing directly to the discussion on how to improve cruise guest satisfaction and increase the value destinations derive from cruise tourism.

A key feature of the symposium was a panel discussion titled “The Captain’s Table: A Conversation From Expectations to Destination Value.” Gumbs represented Port St. Maarten Group on that panel, which also included representatives of the Aruba Ports Authority, Curaçao Ports Authority, Curaçao Tourist Board and other tourism stakeholders.

The discussion focused on how cruise passenger expectations are changing and what destinations must do to remain competitive. That includes not only providing the necessary port infrastructure, but also ensuring that the visitor’s overall experience on land is smooth, memorable and reflective of the destination’s identity.

Caribbean Tourism Organization Secretary-General and CEO Dona Regis-Prosper delivered the keynote address, titled “The Future Cruise Guest: Expectations, Experiences & Destination Value.” Her presentation explored how destinations must adapt to meet the needs of today’s cruise passenger, particularly in areas such as authenticity, convenience and the overall quality of the shore experience.

For St. Maarten, the issues raised during the symposium are especially relevant. As one of the region’s established cruise destinations, St. Maarten’s cruise product depends not only on the capacity of Port St. Maarten, but also on the quality of transportation, excursions, attractions, customer service and the overall visitor experience once passengers step off the vessel.

The symposium also included practical workshop sessions led by the Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence. Those sessions focused on areas such as diversity and inclusion in guest experience, handling visitor challenges and the art of storytelling, all aimed at helping frontline tourism stakeholders better engage cruise passengers and create stronger destination connections.

St. Maarten’s participation through Alexander Gumbs ensured that the destination was part of a broader regional conversation on the future of cruise tourism in the Caribbean. The symposium underscored that success in cruise tourism is no longer measured only by the number of ships arriving, but increasingly by how effectively destinations convert those visits into meaningful, memorable and economically valuable experiences.

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