Carnival UK to homeport in Antigua, to bring 19k passengers in 2024-25 cruise season

Antigua and Barbuda: Carnival UK is all set to return to Antigua and Barbuda for homeporting season and is aiming to bring over 19,000 passengers to the country. The cruise ship will increase the growth of the sector by 150% since the first season, which was held 2 years ago.

Along with that, the luxury ship SeaDream II will also begin its third homeporting season, growing the appeal of Antigua and Barbuda as a premier tourism destination among the international travellers.

The General Manager of Antigua Cruise Port, Gasper P George and Minister of Tourism, Charles Fernandez praised the achievements of the country. They also shed light on the importance of strategic investments, collaboration, and the economic benefits of homeporting operations.

They shed light on their commitment to solidify the position of Antigua and Barbuda as a premier Caribbean cruise destination by enhancing its facilities and services. The authorities said that they are committed and dedicated to offer a plethora of experiences to all their visitors, providing them an experience like no other.

Antigua and Barbuda officially kicked off their Homeporting Season on Saturday, 16^th November, 2024 with the arrival of P&O Arvia and SeaDream docked in the Saint Johns Harbour. The General Manager of Antigua Cruise Port, Gaspar George shed light on the home porting exercise and explained its importance for the tourism industry of the country.

Manager George said that it is a huge opportunity that they should really leverage on. He further said that they are making continuous efforts and working collaboratively with the government of Antigua and Barbuda to build on what they have achieved over the past 3 years.

He added that the opportunities have really expanded far beyond just the ports and employment, addressing an unemployment gap of the country. The Manager said that they are aiming to provide citizens with an opportunity to generate revenue and enhance the economy of the island nation.

The Antigua Cruise Port General Manager, Gaspar George also shared about the first day of the Homeporting Season. He said that it was truly exciting and engaging to see various stakeholders engage in such important activities.

He added that the cruise homeporting season will turn out to be highly beneficial for taxi operators, keeping them busy in transporting passengers between the ports.

The Operations Manager at Pier Services, Rawle Reynolds also compared the projects for the current season to the previous cruise season. He said that they have already reached the calendar count of over 600,000 passengers which is truly record-breaking.

He added that they are aiming to mark the arrival of around 860,000 passengers, aiming to surpass the amount of the last year. The cruise season 2024-2025 of Antigua and Barbuda is expected to witness an immense growth in the tourism sector, leading the twin-island nation towards growth and development.