Port St. Maarten Group (PSG) is forecasting a substantial increase in cruise passenger arrivals, with more than 1.5 million expected in 2025. The projection reflects a strong rebound in the cruise industry post-pandemic.
“We are on track of growth as international cruise industry figures show that cruise tourism is resilient and rebounding faster than other forms of travel and tourism,” said PSG CEO Alexander Gumbs.
Despite the promising numbers, St. Maarten still falls short of its pre-pandemic numbers of 1.63 million cruise passengers in 2019, and its peak of 1.66 million in 2016. Following that surge, the island experienced devastation as Hurricane Irma struck on September 6, 2017, forcing the island to rebuild.
Still, in 2023, St. Maarten recorded a steady increase in both cruise and stay-over tourist arrivals. More than 1.3 million cruise passengers arrived in 2023 with a total of 491 cruise calls made to the island in the first half of the year. That number was up from 451 from the same period of 2022 and 190 in 2021.
Gumbs added, “Since the pandemic, our cruise numbers have been growing annually and this is a great rebound. It shows confidence that the cruise industry has in us as a destination.”
Minister of Tourism, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, echoed the sentiments and emphasized the importance of revitalizing and enhancing St. Maarten’s tourism offerings.
“As a cruise destination, we need to continue to offer new services and revitalize and enhance the product on a continuous basis,” she said. “We are strengthening the relationship between public and private sectors to keep ahead of our competitors.”
Projected Growth Aligns with Global Industry Trends
The projected growth in St. Maarten aligns with broader trends in the global cruise industry, which saw a significant rebound in 2023 with 31.7 million passengers. This number surpassed 2019 levels by 7 percent.
Looking ahead, the industry is forecasted to continue expanding, with cruise capacity expected to grow by 10 percent from 2024 through 2028. By 2027, the global cruise passenger volume is projected to reach nearly 40 million annually.
For St. Maarten, the upcoming Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Cruise Conference & Trade Show is set to take place in October and will be a crucial event for the island.
Providing a platform to showcase the destination’s offerings to approximately 800 industry representatives, the event is expected to further solidify the nation’s position in the global cruise industry.
Meanwhile, mega cruise operators, including Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland America Line, are transporting eager guests to the Dutch island.
Read Also: S t. Maarten Cruise Port: Piers, Getting Around and What’s Nearby
Norwegian Cruise Line’s 3,804-guest Norwegian Joy and Royal Caribbean International’s 5,734-passengerWonder of the seas each call on August 22 and follow with the 2,004-passenger Norwegian Sky and Icon of the Seas, the world’s biggest cruise ship with 5,610 passenger capacity, on August 26 and 27, respectively.
Another simultaneous day features Royal Caribbean’s 1,998-passenger Rhapsody of the Seas and Carnival Cruise Line’s 3,690-guest Carnival Magic and 3,934-passenger Carnival Vista arriving on August 28.
Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess rounds out the remainder of August with a visit scheduled on August 19.
