Philipsburg was abuzz on Thursday with news about a walk through by representatives of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL). Several stores opened their doors to signal their readiness to open when cruise ships return to Port St. Maarten. Cruise line representatives, who were on their second visit to the country in two weeks, stopped to chat with some store owners. They were also observed taking notes about the general situation in town ranging from reconstruction work to security. The latter was very visible through uniformed security guards, some with K-9 companions. This section of Front Street, seen in photos, includes stores that have reopened already for business and others who were busy fine-tuning their preparations.
