Cruise Arrivals Keep Climbing in St Kitts, Hitting a New Post-Pandemic High

St Kitts saw another big climb in cruise passenger arrivals in the just-concluded peak cruise season, with more travelers heading to the island’s Port Zante. 

In all, the island welcomed nearly 750,000 cruise passengers between October of last year and the end of last month, an 8 percent increase compared to last season. 

That was a “healthy increase,” St Kitts Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson said in a statement provided to Caribbean Journal. It was fueled, she said, by a combination of factors including improved port facilities and a better guest experience.

We’ve visited Port Zante countless times, and there’s a reason it’s one of the fastest-growing ports in the Caribbean, and a large part of that is its excellent design and some of the best shopping opportunities in the Eastern Caribbean. 

Another result of all this growth? More local companies involved, including local tour operators who have been able to bring their packages to customers more easily thanks to improved insurance coverage. 

So which cruise lines visit St Kitts the most? Royal Caribbean is the biggest player, with ships like Oasis of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas visiting St Kitts. That’s along with popular lines like Norwegian, Celebrity, Carnival and MSC, among others. 

St Kitts isn’t just finding success in port, though; the island’s combination of eco-tourism, romance, hiking and luxury is drawing more travelers, too.