St Kitts and Nevis welcomes three major cruise ships

St Kitts and Nevis: Port Zante in Basseterre welcomed three large cruise ships - the Caribbean Princess, Disney Magic, and Celebrity Beyond, with thousands of cruise passengers arriving to experience the island’s rich history, culture, and warm hospitality. The port was alive with action as local vendors, taxi operators, and tour guides flocked the streets to serve the travelers with energy and color.

The docking of these three ships in St Kitts and Nevis will help boost the local tourism sector and businesses. A steady rise in cruise arrivals is strengthening the Federation’s position as a more prominent player in the region. Also, the island’s development into a premier Caribbean destination, offers unforgettable and enjoyable experiences for guests from all over the world.

Caribbean Princess

Caribbean Princess is a grand-class cruise ship, which is owned and operated by Princess Cruises. It has a capacity to accommodate over 3,600 passengers. She was the largest vessel in the Princess fleet, until the new Royal Princess was launched in June 2013. This cruise ship has 900 balcony staterooms and a deck of mini-suites.

Caribbean Princess has a slightly bigger size than other cruise ships (Star Princess, Golden Princess, and Grand Princess) in her class, due to an extra deck of cabins named the “Riviera” deck. It was originally designed to be a year-round Caribbean cruise with no-sliding roof over the pool for shelter in bad weather.

Disney Magic

Disney Magic is part of Disney Cruise Line, a division of The Walt Disney Company. She was the first in the fleet and was followed by the introduction of the Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, and Disney Treasure. Disney Magic features 11 public spaces, has a capacity for 2,700 passengers in 875 staterooms, and also has a crew of around 950 members.

The ship is an Art Deco design. It has 20 bright yellow lifeboats, which also has black, red and white paint of the ship, matching Mickey Mouse. Along with other cruise ships in its fleet, the ship’s horn plays a few notes from “When You Wish Upon a Star” at blow out. Disney Magic’s “godmother” is Patricia Disney, the ex-wife of Walt Disney’s nephew, Roy E. Disney.

Celebrity Beyond

Celebrity Beyond is operated by Celebrity Cruises and is owned by Celebrity Beyond LLC, a part of the Royal Caribbean Group. It is the third vessel in the Edge-class and was built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard. Celebrity Beyond went into service in April 2022. From 2022 to 2025, the ship was captained by Kate McCue.