Many things have changed over the years:

1) more people are cruising and are repeat visitors to each port
2) the stores and duty free deals are no longer what they were in St Thomas and St Maarten in the 70s
3) you have the internet to get the best deals and selection from someone that takes returns
4) while we know there are good jewelry shops the popin cruiser doesnt know that but they still spend
5)most families dont want all the junk tshirts and trinkets mass produced somewhere else anymore
6)we always eat and drink ashore and drinking is way cheaper ashore. Wed eat dinner to but the boat sails.nQqq
7) there are beaucoup bucks being made on excursions
8) i think cruisers drop alot of money on the island but it just stops at dinner time
9) st maarten is still an interesting port in our book. Better than almost all others