By the Caribbean Journal staff

Its intoxicating blend of French-Caribbean flavors, world-class rum and unmatched gastronomy have turned Martinique into the Caribbean’s hottest cruise destination right now.

The destination is reporting record breaking arrival growth for the 2017-2018 cruise season, with ann addition of 151 calls to the already scheduled 214 calls for this season, a whopping 70 percent increase from the initial forecast.

Martinique has 12 rum distilleries, with the Depaz rum distillery in the town of St. Pierre one of the most popular.

Martinique also hit a major milestone in December, when 120,000 cruise passengers visited the island, with a total of 511, 174 passengers for the year.

The 511,174 passengers represented a 34 percent increase over the 2016 calendar year.

And the 2017-2018 season will have an expected total of 667,061 passengers, an 85 percent increase over the same period in 2016-2017.

The growth is centered around the destination’s major cruise port in the capital of Fort-de-France, one of the region’s more fascinating cities.

“We are elated to announce that the island of Martinique is welcoming thousands of new cruise passengers every year during the peak cruise seasons,” said Karine Mousseau, Martinique Tourism Commissioner. “Through strategic partnerships, we have been able to position the island as a cruise destination of choice in the U.S. and European markets. We are committed to continuously improving amenities, facilities and infrastructure. Our island is the perfect destination for the discerning traveler whether one’s interest lies in eco-tourism, superb gourmet food, prestigious rum, exciting water sports, events, culture or just simply pampering. The welcome is warm and we are eager to share our unique French-Caribbean Creole culture with our American guests.” –