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If you booked a standard 3, 4, or 5-night Bahamian sailing, skip this one. It does not apply to you yet. But if you have been eyeing the Disney Destiny’s 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary, Disney Cruise Line just made that trip more interesting: the Disney Destiny made its first call to Philipsburg, St. Maarten on July 1, 2026, and the island’s tourism ministry announced days later that more calls are coming.
This is a new stop for most families in this generation of DCL cruisers, even though Disney ships called on St. Maarten regularly in years past aboard the Disney Magic and Disney Fantasy. Here is what the port actually involves if a toddler is coming with you.
| Port | Philipsburg, St. Maarten (Dutch Caribbean) |
| Sailing | Disney Destiny, 7-Night Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale |
| Inaugural call | July 1, 2026 |
| 2026 calls | 3 total, expanding to roughly 14 in 2027 |
| Dock | A.C. Wathey Cruise Facility, Philipsburg (docked, no tender) |
| Typical port hours | Around 6:00 or 7:00 AM to 5:15 or 5:45 PM |
| Best toddler beach | Divi Little Bay Beach Resort day pass |
Why This Port Is Suddenly on the Map
The Disney Destiny’s 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing already visits Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and San Juan, Puerto Rico. St. Maarten is the newest addition, sailing between San Juan and the run back to Fort Lauderdale. Sint Maarten’s Minister of Tourism, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, confirmed publicly that the island expects roughly 14 Disney calls in 2027 and further growth in 2028 as Disney’s fleet expands, which suggests this is the start of a real rotation rather than a one-off stop.
For families, the practical takeaway is narrower: right now, St. Maarten only shows up on the longer 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary, not the short Bahamas trips most families with a toddler book for a first cruise. If you are choosing an itinerary and a week away from home with a two-year-old feels like a lot, that is worth weighing before you book based on this port alone.
Getting Off the Ship: Dock, Not Tender
Disembarking here skips a step other ports do not: the Disney Destiny docks directly at the A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facility in Philipsburg, so there is no tender process to manage with a stroller and a diaper bag. That is one less logistics headache than a port like some Alaska stops require.
From the pier, downtown Philipsburg and its boardwalk are roughly a mile away, about a 15 to 25 minute walk depending on your pace and how many stops a toddler demands along the way. Water taxis also run between the pier area and the boardwalk for travelers who would rather not walk it, particularly in Caribbean midday heat with a small child in tow.
The Toddler-Friendly Beach Option: Divi Little Bay
Divi Little Bay Beach Resort is the option most families point to for a straightforward beach day with a toddler. It sits near the boardwalk end of Great Bay, within walking distance of the pier or a short taxi ride, and day passes typically include loungers, umbrellas, and access to snorkel gear and kayak or paddleboard rentals. The bay itself is protected, so the water tends to be calmer than open-ocean beaches on the island, which matters when you have a toddler who is more interested in wading than swimming.
One caveat worth knowing before you go: Divi Little Bay does not staff lifeguards, and posted rules generally require anyone under 16 to be with an adult in the water. That is standard for a lot of Caribbean resort beaches, but it is a different safety setup than a supervised pool deck on the ship, so plan your own supervision accordingly.
What to Skip With a Toddler
St. Maarten’s most famous beach, Maho Beach, draws visitors specifically to stand near the runway fence and feel jets pass low overhead on final approach to Princess Juliana International Airport. It is a fun novelty for older kids and adults. It is also loud in a way that startles small children, offers little shade, and is not walkable from the pier, which makes it a lower-priority stop on a port day built around a toddler’s schedule.
Orient Beach, on the French side of the island, is well regarded generally, but sections of it are clothing-optional. If you want to go, confirm with your taxi or excursion operator that you are headed to a family section before you arrive, rather than finding out once you are there.
Should You Book This Itinerary for a Toddler?
How much this port matters to you depends more on the itinerary length than on St. Maarten itself. A 7-night cruise is a bigger commitment than the 3 or 4-night Bahamas sailings most families do with a first toddler cruiser, both in cost and in how long a young kid needs to hold together a routine away from home. If your family already does well on longer trips, the addition of St. Maarten alongside Lookout Cay and San Juan makes the Destiny’s Eastern Caribbean run a varied week. If you are still finding your footing with a toddler on a ship, the shorter Bahamas itineraries remain the easier starting point, and you are not missing much by waiting.
Once you book the Eastern Caribbean sailing, the Disney Destiny guide for toddler families covers the ship itself, and the Lookout Cay guide covers the first port day on the same itinerary. For help deciding between DCL-sponsored and independent excursions once you are off the ship, the port adventures breakdown walks through that decision in more detail, and the cruise cost calculator can help you weigh a 7-night sailing against a shorter one before you book.
