Antigua and Barbuda sets the tone for 2025 with record-breaking cruise season, bringing 12,000 passengers

The cruise industry of Antigua and Barbuda kicked off the new year with a remarkable start, bringing more than 12,000 passengers to the twin-island nation. Around five cruise ships docked at the shores of the country on Thursday, bustling the ports with excitement and entertainment.

Out of all these five vessels, four of them docked at St. John’s Harbour, while the remaining one was berthed at Falmouth Harbour. The ships that were docked at St. John’s Harbour, included, the Enchanted Princess from Princess Cruises, the Resilient Lady from Virgin Voyages, the MSC Virtuosa from MSC Cruises, and Azamara Journey from Azamara Club Cruises. Meanwhile, Star Flyer from Star Clippers graced the shores of Falmouth Harbour, bringing hundreds of cruise passengers.

2025 began on positive note for Antigua and Barbuda's Cruise Industry

Shedding light on the cruise industry, the tourism authority said that after an impressive and record-breaking 2024, they are determined to mark remarkable and significant achievements in the current year as well. The Tourism Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Charles Fernandez also aimed at surpassing all the previous records set by them in 2019, which is considered as the best tourism year on record.

As per reports, five cruise ships are scheduled to arrive in Antigua and Barbuda in the next three days, from Friday to Sunday. The cruise schedule for the upcoming three days includes:

·         Friday: SeaDream 1 (Falmouth); Sea Cloud Spirit (Nevis Street Pier)

·         Saturday: Viking Sea and Marella Explorer

·         Sunday: Mein Schiff 2  

Cruise Passengers welcomed with vibrant performances

Passengers onboard in all the five vessels were warmly welcomed with vibrant and lively performances, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Antigua and Barbuda. The tourism authority provided plethora of experiences to all the passengers, making their arrival to the nation memorable and comfortable.

The tourism authority expressed their excitement on welcoming more passengers to the country and said that they love seeing all the smiles and excitement as travelers step ashore. He highlighted about the offerings of Antigua and Barbuda and said that whether a person is seeking to shop, explore or just relax with an island breeze, then, the twin-island nation is the perfect option for that.

“You’ve just discovered the perfect port of paradise! Step ashore and enjoy the vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors of Antigua,” said Antigua Cruise Port.

Antigua and Barbuda welcomed 800,000 cruise passengers in 2024

Antigua and Barbuda welcomed more than 800,000 cruise passengers in 2024, exceeding the records set in 2019. The authorities also welcomed more than 1.1 million visitors in 2024 across three key sectors of the tourism, marking a remarkable surge of 15% in comparison to 2019. The tourism minister referred 2024 as an ‘exceptional year’ and aimed at breaking all the records and achieving new milestones in 2025.

Antigua and Barbuda also concluded the year 2024 with arrival of more than 10,000 passengers on the final day of December, 2024. The vessels including, Costa Fortuna, Marella Voyager, AIDAperla and Norwegian were the cruise ships that berthed at the shores of the twin-island nation.