Its location in the far southern Caribbean means that Trinidad will likely never be a Caribbean cruise powerhouse. 

But the destination continues to see growth, with officials now projecting a more than 80 percent increase in cruise arrivals for the 2023-2024 cruise season. 

The island has already topped 20,000 cruise passenger arrivals, with projections for nearly 90,000 passengers and 30,000 crew to visit the island this season. 

That includes almost 14,000 passengers that have disembarked, with 25 percent opting for curated, organized tours to destinations like the Caroni Bird Sanctuary and ever-popular Maracas Beach (home of the country’s legendary bake ’n shark sandwiches). 

Cruise giant MSC’s Seaside ship just made its inaugural visit to the island this week.

“The arrival of MSC Seaside not only amplifies our country’s allure but gives us a chance through our activities specially put on in the capital city to underscore the significance of our culture and heritage,” Tourism Trinidad said in a statement.