Antigua makes history, records 2nd highest all-time cruise arrivals of 15,605

Antigua and Barbuda: The Antigua Cruise Port made history once again on Tuesday as it welcomed another five cruises simultaneously, recording a second highest all-time passenger arrivals figure of 15,605 cruise passengers. Earlier on March 12, Antigua welcomed 15,808 passengers, setting a new passenger arrivals record. Talking about this day, the port authorities said that the Antigua Cruise Port welcomed five cruises while a sixth ship docked at Falmouth Harbour. [caption id="attachment_69838" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Visitors exploring the Antigua Cruise Port on Tuesday[/caption]

Costa Serena, Enchanted Princess, Costa Pacifica, Aida Perla and Explorer of the Seas docked into the capital, while Sea Dream II docked at Falmouth Harbour in Barbuda on March 12. The six ships delivered an astounding 15,808 passengers to the twin-island nation.

This significant record was made as the country approached the end of an extremely successful Cruise Season 2023-2024, with P & O Cruises’ Emerald Sakara, Arvia, Royal Clipper and Sea Dream Yacht Club choosing Antigua as their home port of choice.

Notably, in January 2023, the Antigua Cruise Port received four home port calls for P & O Cruises Arvia, and this season, the port operated 24 home port calls and will end the season with 27 turns.

In addition to this, the port also recorded 309 transit calls to date, recording 35 more calls than during the same period in the last season. [caption id="attachment_69839" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Local performs entertaining the cruise visitors in Antigua[/caption]

The development was shared by Financial Controller and Officer-In-Charge, Cynthia Jacobs Browne, who remarked that with these incredible passenger numbers, the authority is on its way to achieving another record-breaking goal, welcoming an anticipated more than 800,000 passengers to Antigua and Barbuda by December 2024.

Till date, the country has received 299,803 cruise visitors for the year and anticipated to have welcomed over 400,000 guests by the end of this season in April.

She further continued to say that gratitude is a must to the port and cruise community, including harbour pilots, port authorities, tenants, stevedores, taxi drivers, tourism partners, tour operators and the hardworking team of Antigua Cruise Port for making this day flow so seamlessly.