The winter cruise season in the Caribbean has kicked off and the island of St. Lucia is gearing up for an unprecedented influx of passengers.
The port expects to welcome nearly 34 percent more passengers and 74 percent more cruise ship calls than it witnessed in 2023-2024’s season, which runs from October through March.
Saint Lucia Cruise Port celebrated its season’s launch with a ceremony at Port Castries, accompanied by cultural performances and attended by local and industry officials.
Minister of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture, and Information Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire, spoke of the port’s optimistic outlook, reporting it expects 823,132 passengers on 459 calls this year, as opposed to 2023-2024’s 614,980 passengers aboard 264 calls.
This would set a new record for the port, topping its pre-pandemic best of 790,000 set in 2019.
“The start of this cruise season presents us with a wonderful opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to enhancing the guest experience, supporting our cruise line partners, and collaborating with local industry stakeholders to ensure our mutual success,” said Lancelot Arnold, general manager of Saint Lucia Cruise Port.
Read Also: St. Lucia Cruise Port – Piers, Getting Around and What’s Nearby
“We are looking forward to a busy and exciting cruise season with a positive outlook for our company and community,” he continued.
The kickoff ceremony included Captains Evangelos Saitis and Per Olov Mathias Sebom from Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Summit and Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas as each ship arrived in Castries on October 10 during Caribbean sailings.
The 2,158-passenger, 91,000-gross-ton Celebrity Summit called in Castries during its 8-day, one-way repositioning voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Meanwhile, the 78,878-gross-ton Rhapsody of the Seas, carrying 2,416 passengers on a similar route, arrived in Castries from San Juan on a 7-night journey.
Celebrity Summit has since returned to Castries three times as it began its series of 7-day roundtrip itineraries from San Juan, which also called in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Johns, Antigua; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Roseau, Dominica.
It will visit Castries again on November 5, 2024, and will sail the same route through January 4, 2025.
Rhapsody of the Seas has also been back on three sailings and will next arrive on November 7, 2024, as it continues its string of 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan through April 6, 2024.
The Saint Lucia Cruise Port is also receiving ships from Seven Seas Cruises, P&O Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Explora Journeys, Oceania Cruises, Viking Oceans, TUI Cruises, Holland America Line, AIDA Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Saga Cruises during what will be its busiest year.
Cruise Port Expanding
Not only is Saint Lucia Cruise Port poised for a record-breaking season, it is undergoing expansion under the management of Global Ports Holding, which officially took over operations in early 2024.
Currently accommodating ships at its Pointe Seraphine and La Place Carenage cruise ports, the expansion plans include upgrading existing infrastructure to accommodate larger ships and boost passenger flow.
Pointe Seraphine, about a 20-minute walk from downtown, will expand one cruise ship berth to welcome larger cruise ships, while the smaller La Place terminal will be adding two berths, along with a new boardwalk to provide easy access into town.
Additionally, Global Ports Holdings is adding a new vendor arcade and ferry facility at Banannes Bay’s Fishermen’s Village.
