Barbados records busiest cruise day of winter with 11,472 arrivals on Sunday

Barbados: Five massive cruise ships arrived in the Port of Bridgetown on Sunday and brought just under 11,500 visitors to the island nation in one of the busiest single days recorded so far this winter season.

The tourism authority of Barbados reported that all traditional berths were occupied which is why the Marella Explorer was accommodated at the newly commissioned Berth 6. They further added that full homeporting operations were carried out at Berth 6 including the disembarkation and embarkation of passengers along with loading of supplies.

The other vessels which made the call at port included Crystal Serenity, Celebrity Ascent, Carnival Venezia and Costa Deliziosa, all on transit calls. It was noted that the total passenger arrivals for the day stood at 11,472 which was the highest recorded for any single day so far this winter season.

Notably, the Port of Bridgetown in Barbados is projecting 438 cruise ship calls for the current season which is an increase from the 388 recorded during winter 2024-2025. Of the total expected this season, 205 are scheduled as homeport calls which is also an increase from 199 homeport calls last winter.

With the arrival of hundreds and thousands of passengers to the island nation, Barbados is thriving with a major booth in the overall cruise tourism season as the visitors directly or indirectly inject into the economy by going on scheduled tours, using local cabs, hiring tour guides and buying the various goods and services available at Port Bridgetown.

At present, the Barbados cruise season for 2025-2026 is in full swing, with the peak high season running from December to April and offering vibrant Caribbean experiences with many lines like Cunard, Marella, MSC, and Celebrity sailing to or from Bridgetown.