India, March 26 -- I'm a huge fan of onboard cruise experiences, but if I've learned anything, it's that an epic cruise can hinge on its ports of call. Hopping off the ship to explore powder-white beaches, local culture, or singular moments you can only experience in a particular destination can give any cruise itinerary a boost, but still, cruise-lovers have their favorite locales.

Curious about which ports stand out to those who cruise for a living, we asked five cruise experts to name their favorites. Their answers spanned the globe-but for two, St. Maarten reigned supreme.

"If you could have two destinations for the price of one, you'd take that deal every time," Chris Gray Faust, executive editor of Cruise Critic, told Travel + Le...