It’s one of the most fascinating stops on the Eastern Caribbean cruise circuit: Dominica, the lush, adventure-filled “nature island” that’s got everything from a boiling lake to the region’s longest hiking trail.
This year, the island is expecting what officials described to Caribbean Journal as a “vibrant” cruise season, with a projected total of 375,000 cruise passengers.
The season began in earnest this week with the arrival of Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Summit — one of 12 ships that will be making their inaugural calls to the island in the 2024-2025 cruise season, from brands like MSC and Princess Cruises, among others.
Last year, Dominica’s cruise industry welcomed 306,601 visitors to its port in Roseau, an 11 percent jump over the same period in 2022-2023 — and a 62 percent increase over 2019, before the onset of the pandemic.
The question, as it is for every destination that attracts cruise visitors, is what kind of impact are all these cruise passengers making?
For Dominica, last seasons’s cruise visitors generated $20.4 million for the local economy, with half of those passengers taking organized tours to top attractions.
“Each visitors gives us a chance to showcase Dominica’s rich culture, stunning scenery and genuine hospitality,” Discover Dominica CEO Marva Williams told Caribbean Journal.
Of course, Dominica is an even more captivating destination for stayover visitors – those who wish to spend a few days or a few weeks taking advantage of its myriad natural wonders.
We’re big fans of the hotels in the northern part of the island: the ultra-luxe Secret Bay, home to a collection of spectacular resort villas; and the InterContinental Dominica, a signature beach resort overlooking the beautiful town of Portsmouth.
Even better? Dominica will soon be welcoming its first-ever flights from the northeastern United States, with plans for a nonstop from Newark on United.
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