Cruise guests want to see more of Jamaica, and they’re not shy about saying so! The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and Jamaica Vacations Limited recently sponsored a survey of cruise passengers and crew members, with surprising and encouraging results.
The survey was conducted from October 2023 through May 2024, during which time 1,426,485 cruise travelers visited Jamaica and of those, 81% debarked their ships to enjoy the island.
Of all visitors, 73% said it was their first visit to the island. The Caribbean island has also generated $197.8 million from the cruise industry during the 2023/2024 season.
“We have seen tremendous growth in our cruise tourism sector,” said the Honorable Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica. “In 2023, we welcomed 1.26 million cruise passenger arrivals which was 48.3% above 2022 figures.”
Bartlett explained that the tropical island nation is committed to continuing to welcome cruise guests with amazing experiences and opportunities they may not find elsewhere.
“To keep up with demand, we work diligently to ensure our ports and services remain updated so cruise lines, crew members and passengers have an outstanding experience from arrival to departure – including the enjoyment of our famous beaches, historical sites and adventure experiences in between,” he said.
Donovan White, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, echoed with similar sentiments about the island’s commitment to working with cruise lines for exemplary experiences.
“The cruise industry has played a major role in our tourism growth,” said White. “We have welcomed over three million visitors this year so far, and that is largely due to our operators, vendors, and suppliers who work diligently to ensure the entire visitor experience – for those arriving by air or sea – is smooth sailing.”
Cruise lines visit five different ports in Jamaica. By far, the most popular is Falmouth, followed by Ocho Rios. Those two ports are only about 40 miles apart on the island’s north shore, and are frequently visited by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages, and more.
Montego Bay, also on Jamaica’s north shore but further west, is third most popular with visits from Carnival Cruise Line, TUI Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, and P&O Cruises, among others.
Both Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, as well as Port Antonio on the northeastern end of the island, have fewer ship visits but can accommodate smaller ships such as those from Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Star Clippers, Windstar Cruises, and other luxury lines looking for more exclusive destinations.
Jamaica is often featured on Western Caribbean itineraries from various US homeports. Cruise arrivals, however, can be impacted by hurricane season when storms cause diversions and cancellations, which are problematic for all Caribbean destinations that rely on tourism.
Cruising’s Economic Impact on Jamaica
Altogether, cruise visitors spent roughly $136.7 million (USD) on shore tours, accommodates, restaurants, retail purchases, and other spending during the survey period. This is approximately $118 per person.
On shore, survey respondents indicated that the majority of their spending was on shore tours, which can offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as the Jamaican bobsled mountain coaster, climbing Dunn’s River Falls, tubing adventures, and much more. Top souvenirs included watches and jewelry, both of which can be fantastic bargains in the Caribbean.
Cruise ship crew members also enjoy Jamaica, with 166,790 crew members reporting going ashore when possible during their Jamaica port visits and spending nearly $8.1 million on tours, crafts, food, and other items.
Read Also: Jamaica Cruise Ports – Full List and Overview
Furthermore, cruise lines are spending more and more in Jamaica, including port fees and taxes for more frequent visits along with navigation services from harbor pilots, utilities while docked, and other supplies.
“Cruise lines have expressed keen interest in sourcing more of their global product needs from Jamaica,” continued Barlett. “Through the Tourism Linkages Network, we are working to increase opportunity for Jamaica’s farmers, manufacturers, artisans, and other enterprises to offer these services.”
In total during the 2023/2024 cruise year, all cruise lines combined spent $49.7 million on such goods and services, making the island the fifth highest Caribbean and Latin American port for cruise line spending.
Together, cruise line, passenger, and crew member spending all helped support direct jobs for 3,920 Jamaicans with more than $36 million in wages. As cruise interest in Jamaica continues to grow, even more Jamaicans are sure to benefit from employment, infrastructure development, and other related improvements.
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