Cruise giant Carnival Cruise Line has made its return to the island of St Maarten.
The company’s Carnival Freedom arrived at Port St Maarten this week, the first Carnival call on the island since the onset of the pandemic — after a 19-month hiatus.
“As we continue to move our country forward, it’s milestones like this that we need to acknowledge and celebrate,” said St Maarten Tourism Minister Roger Lawrence. “It is a pleasure to welcome the fun ships backs to our shores.”
Through the fourth quarter up to the end of next year, St Maarten is expecting 125 cruise ships to call on Port St Maarten.
That includes the resumption of another major brand, MSC Cruises.
“As a port, we are in a transition phase to becoming a key cruise destination again as the industry continues to bring more vessels online as more travelers book a cruise,” said Alexander Gumbs, CEO of Port St Maarten Group.
— CJ