For the second year in a row, Nassau, Bahamas, has set a new record for the annual number of cruise guests visiting the Bahamian port, surpassing the previous high by more than one million passengers. 

In 2023, the busiest port in the Bahamas welcomed 4.4 million passengers – surpassing the total of 3.2 million cruisers who visited in 2022 and setting a new annual record.

But the Nassau Cruise Port isn’t done shattering records. Now that the new year has begun, the final numbers have been tallied and port officials have announced that 5.6 million guests stepped onto the sunny shores of the capital of the Bahamas in 2024. 

“We are incredibly proud to reach this significant milestone for the second year in a row. This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and collaboration of our talented team, our valued partners, and the Bahamian people,” said Mike Maura, Jr., CEO of Nassau Cruise Port.

While the news is exciting, it’s also not all that surprising to see the cruise port smashing records once again. Nassau already has six operational cruise berths that can accommodate three of Royal Caribbean’s massive Oasis-class ships at once – with each capable of carrying nearly 7,000 passengers per sailing. 

On March 12, 2024, the port also welcomed seven ships in one day – setting a new record for the most number of cruise ships that have ever been docked in Nassau at once. 

“We could not have reached this point without the unwavering support of our stakeholders, including the Government of The Bahamas, our cruise line partners, local businesses, and the community at large. Together, we are shaping the future of Bahamian tourism, and I am excited to see the continued growth of Nassau Cruise Port as a gateway to The Bahamas and a source of opportunity for all,” continued Maura. 

Notably, the growth seen in 2024 has contributed to $2.6 billion in annual tourism revenues, benefiting the local economy and bolstering businesses like retailers, restaurants, tour companies, and even artisans. 

The surge in revenue has also led to the creation of more jobs in both established sectors and emerging industries. 

Nassau Looks Forward to Continued Growth

If all goes to plan, the upswing Nassau is currently experiencing won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Indeed, the port still has ambitious plans to expand and foster future growth. 

“Our success story is far from over. The future promises even more growth for The Bahamas and its residents, and more incredible Authentically Bahamian experiences for our visitors from around the world,” Maura asserted.

The cruise port has been actively working on ways to improve the visitor experience with downtown-centered projects.

Nassau officials have also been working on plans for enhanced cruise facilities and better guest transportation to areas of interest throughout New Providence, offering more family-friendly recreational experiences, and opening new dining venues – with sustainability always in mind. 

Read Also: Nassau Cruise Port: Piers, Getting Around and What’s Nearby

The port, which is known as the gateway to the Bahamas, has already been given a more than $300 million upgrade – which was completed in May of 2023.

The four-year project revitalized and expanded the cruise port on Prince George Wharf – adding a new berth in the process, refurbishing and repairing all existing piers, and placing a new focus on cultural expression, entertainment, and the heritage of the historic city.

However, this was only the first phase of a bigger project. The next step is the construction of a $35 million water park that has been designed with family fun in mind. 

The new venue, which is slated to open at the end of 2025, is expected to create around 350 jobs and increase visitor spending on the island – further boosting the local economy.

Here comes the bride! Puerto Plata, often hailed as the “Bride of the Atlantic,” is experiencing a very happy new year as it starts 2025 with an increase in cruise ship arrivals.

This January, the northern province in the Dominican Republic, featuring over 60 miles of coastline, is set to welcome a total of 81 cruise ships across its two major ports, Amber Cove and Taíno Bay. This surge in vessels means a surge in passengers anticipated to bolster the local economy.

Said Carlos Athahualpa Paulino, the northern regional director of the Ministry of Tourism, “The positive impact that this generates for the development of Puerto Plata is invaluable, consolidating it as a key pillar in the growth of tourism and the country’s economy.”

Since their openings in 2015 and 2021, respectively, Amber Cove and Taíno Bay have played pivotal roles in Puerto Plata’s emergence as a leading cruise destination. 

Amber Cove, owned by Carnival Corporation and located in Maimon Bay just west of Puerto Plata city, will see 27 cruise ship arrivals in 2025 while Taíno Bay, in the heart of the city, will welcome 54 larger passenger vessels.

Puerto Plata saw its first arrivals on January 1, 2025, as Holland America Line’s 2,666-passenger Nieuw Statendam and MSC Cruises’ MSC Seaside, carrying up to 4,132 guests, both arrived on 14-night roundtrip Caribbean voyages from Fort Lauderdale and Miami, respectively.

The vessels were joined by the 5,282-guest Mardi Gras by Carnival Cruise Line.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Equinox, with up to a total of 5,760 passengers, and Costa Cruises’ 3,780-guest Costa Fascinosa arrived the following day, with the latter continuing to additional Dominican Republic ports in Samana, Catalina Island, and La Romana on January 3, 4, and 5, respectively.

Read Also: Amber Cove, Dominican Republic – Everything You Need to Know

On January 3, Puerto Plata hosted Oceania Cruises’ Insignia, Explora Journeys’ Explora II, and Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas simultaneously, welcoming up to 3,584 visitors.

The burgeoning cruise activity in the province is reflective of a broader tourism boom across the Dominican Republic. In 2024, the country reported over 11 million tourists – a record achievement.

This tourism influx has spurred the creation of 949,000 direct and indirect jobs and contributed approximately 26 billion dollars to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), accounting for nearly 20 percent of the national GDP.

New Port Also Seeing Influx

Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic’s new Cabo Rojo port, located in the nation’s southwestern province of Pedernales, also celebrated a promising start to the new year. The port welcomed its first ship of 2025 – and its sixth ship to dock since officially opening in January 2024 – on January 2.

The first vessel of the year was Holland America Line’s Rotterdam, bringing 2,593 passengers and 976 crew members.

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader highlighted the call on his social media, posting, “I am happy to start the year seeing how the dream of tourism development in the south becomes a reality that benefits the whole region and the country.”

He continued, “We continue working for a future full of opportunities for Pedernales and the entire Dominican Republic.”

The port expects to receive an additional 25 visits from Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Costa Cruises in 2025. Its next visit will be the 2,376-passenger Norwegian Jewel on January 7.

The Dominican Republic is also home to cruise ports in Punta Cana and Santo Domingo.

Thanks to the quick action of first responders and two Tampa Bay Harbor pilots, a situation that could have easily ended in tragedy got a happy ending. 

On January 4, 2025, two people and their dog found themselves caught in a cruise ship’s wake – which ultimately sank their smaller boat and left them clinging to a buoy near Gadsden Point in the Tampa Bay.

It’s unclear which cruise ship was responsible for the disastrous wake, but both Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas were in Florida’s Port Tampa Bay that day. 

Michael Stutevoss and Dan Hammer are professional pilots with Tampa Bay Harbor, who were guiding one of the two ships out of the port around sunset when the incident unfolded.

Guests onboard the same ship spotted the duo and their canine companion in distress and notified the crew – but it takes a long time to slow a massive cruise ship. 

“Our ship was going very fast when we sighted these people, so by the time we were able to communicate to the crew of the cruise ship and get the ship stopped, we were a good way past the victims in the water,” Hemmer told FOX 13 News. 

Acting as quickly as possible, the cruise line deployed its “man overboard” team to search for the stranded boaters while the two pilots contacted the St. Petersburg Sector of the US Coast Guard. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was also notified. 

Shortly after 6 p.m. EST, first responders found the people and their dog clinging onto the buoy about 200 yards away from the debris left behind by their boat.

Watch the moment the stranded boaters were found below:

“Our team’s coordinated response with other agencies led to the successful rescue of two people who desperately needed help. We will continue to work together to protect lives on our waterways,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

The two passengers suffered unspecified injuries – but they were rescued successfully, along with their dog.

The boaters were able to converse with first responders and confirm they were the only ones in need of rescue. They were then taken to a local hospital to receive treatment.

A Dangerous Rescue

When people are stranded in the open water, there is unfortunately, a lot that can go wrong. In this case, certain factors made the speed of the rescue extra important – with time very much of the essence. 

First, the time of day made it more difficult to spot the stranded trio – with the lack of light making it feel a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack. There was a chance that rescuers would not find the people at all, or not see them until it was too late to avoid another accident. 

“The sun had already set. It was twilight. They were basically like shadows in the water. Though I was on scene looking for them, I was afraid of running them over as well,”  Matthew Riley, who was piloting a smaller cargo ship nearby and got involved in the search, told FOX 13 News.

Read Also: From Mishaps to Maydays – Cruise Ship Accidents

Although the weather in Tampa has peaked at a comfortable 73 degrees Fahrenheit thus far in January 2025, the water is still cold enough to lead to hypothermia. 

“The water is 64 degrees here. Hypothermia can set in very quickly. Even though we are in Florida, hypothermia can set in,” added Michael Stutevoss, one of the two Tampa Bay Harbor Pilots.

This incident ultimately serves as a grim reminder of how dangerous cruise ships can be to smaller vessels in the wrong circumstances. 

Their wakes are particularly dangerous due to their large size and power, which can violently rock – and even capsize – smaller vessels who come too close. And of course, the bigger the cruise ship, the bigger the wake.

The intense rocking caused by the wake may also throw passengers of these smaller vessels off balance or cause injuries to those onboard – which adds to the risk of losing control of their boat while caught in the wake.

Wakes may also extend further than they appear to the naked eye – with more turbulent water hidden beneath the surface that may continue to disturb the depths long after a cruise ship has passed.