Cruise season has officially begun in Tortola, home to the Caribbean’s newest cruise port.

The season kicked off with a visit by the P&O Cruises Aurora cruise ship to Tortola, which is positioned for major growth following the debut of its new Tortola Pier Park.

The new facility is home to 47 operational stores, with several more retail outlets slated to debut by the end of this year, according to officials.

It includes a 60-foot-wide, 1,312-foot-long pier that can berth ships up to 180,000 GRT.

The British Virgin Islands agreed to deals with two major cruise operators, Disney and Norwegian, that have significantly ramped up passenger numbers in the territory since the beginning of 2016.

— Caribbean Journal Staff