In December 2023, we stopped in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten as part of our Celebrity Silhouette cruise around the Caribbean.
Naturally, I’d already planned ahead to fit in some diving. Sint Maarten isn’t the most dramatic dive destination, but it has a friendly, laid-back vibe that suits the island perfectly. The morning I spent underwater here was full of colourful marine life, warm water, and even a few surprises… not least the lesson I picked up along the way.
The waters around Philipsburg and Sint Maarten’s southern and southeastern coastlines offer around 17 dive sites, all within easy reach of the marina. Most are just a short boat ride from shore, which makes it simple to fit in a couple of relaxed dives even if you’re only visiting for the day.
The underwater scenery here is colourful and full of character. You’ll explore a mix of old coral gardens, sandy gullies and natural rock formations encrusted with vibrant corals, sponges and hydroids. Many of the reefs are shallow and calm, so you have plenty of time to look for smaller creatures tucked into the cracks and crevices. The sites are ideal for underwater photography too, thanks to the bright light and clear conditions.
What really stood out for me was the marine life. You can spot Caribbean reef sharks and nurse sharks cruising gracefully through the water, and there’s a good chance of seeing green or hawksbill turtles gliding lazily over the reef. Schools of snapper, jacks and wrasse dart around the coral, while colourful angelfish and parrotfish graze busily nearby. There’s always something to catch your eye if you take it slow.
The warm, clear water and relatively shallow depths make Sint Maarten a brilliant destination for building confidence, practising skills or just enjoying some no-stress diving. You won’t find dramatic walls or big currents here, but what you do get is laid-back, enjoyable diving in a friendly, welcoming Caribbean setting. It’s a great choice for all levels, especially if you’re visiting on a cruise and want to make the most of a short stop.
As with all the dives on this trip, I booked ahead after researching dive shops online. I chose Dive Sint Maarten, partly because of their good reviews and also because they’re just a short walk from the cruise port.
On the day, we arrived to a warm welcome from the team, who quickly sorted our equipment and loaded everything onto the boat. The boat itself was well set up, and the crew were fun and professional. Communication throughout was excellent, which always makes things feel more relaxed before getting in the water.
This was another two-dive morning. Unfortunately, my first dive didn’t exactly go to plan. Back on my very first open water course in Bali, I picked up an ear infection that lasted for ages after I got home. Not wanting that to happen again, I’ve used an IST Proline Pro Ear mask ever since. It’s brilliant at keeping my ears dry and equalised… but on this day, it completely fogged up for the first time.
I tried to flood and clear it, but I completely forgot about the one-way valves over the ears. They behaved differently than I expected, and that really threw me off. In my fluster, I got it wrong and couldn’t sort it out properly. Before I knew it, I was panicking and burning through my air far too fast.
Thankfully, one of the dive masters spotted me and came over straight away. She calmed me down, helped me regain control of my breathing and showed me what to do. I still had to finish the dive early because of how much air I’d used. Luckily, the group wasn’t affected, as there were plenty of dive masters looking after everyone.
I didn’t take many photos this day, but I did come away with a really useful tip that I still use now. The dive master taught me a better way to defog the mask underwater… just lightly pinch the top of the mask to let a little water in slowly, then clear it as usual. Simple, effective and much calmer than what I was trying before.
Every dive really is a learning experience, even for something as small as a fogged mask. Importantly, it didn’t put me off in the slightest. The second dive went much better, and I came up smiling.
A big thanks to the team at Dive Sint Maarten for being so professional and calm throughout. If you’re stopping here on a cruise, they’re a great choice.
After the dives, we hung around the shop for a while as they closed up. We grabbed some beers from the liquor store next door, then sat outside with the dive team, chatting and laughing as the sun went down. The atmosphere was brilliant… plenty of banter and a proper relaxed Caribbean vibe. It was the perfect way to end the day before heading back to the ship.
Apologies for the lack of photos in this section… thanks to my mask drama on the first dive, I didn’t get the chance to take many shots underwater this time. But the memories (and lessons) from this day more than made up for it!
