St Kitts and Nevis welcomes over 11000 cruise visitors on Boxing Day

St Kitts and Nevis announced a significant achievement as the island nation welcomed six cruises simultaneously with a total of 11,334 passengers on Boxing Day (December 26, 2024).  

The arrival of these cruises pushed the festive spirit of Christmas and Carnival season to new heights.  

The tourism officials called it a historic moment as the island was bustling with activity with Port Zante welcoming one of the largest influxes of visitors in the history within a single day.  

These cruise visitors arrived on Wind Surf, Viking Sea, Star Flyer, Rhapsody of the Seas, Island Princess and Enchanted Princess.  

The passengers were seen participating in parades and witnessing the rich culture and tradition of St Kitts and Nevis.  

Leaders call it a ‘tremendous’ success  

The development was also shared by Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew through his official Facebook account.  

He called it a ‘tremendous’ achievement and said, “Today marks one of the highest numbers of people on the island ever, due to the high number of returning nationals, high hotel occupancy rates, and cruise ship passengers.” 

PM Drew also expressed his gratitude to Commissioner Sutton and the members of the police force along with Acting Commander Sutton and the members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, for keeping everyone safe on a day that welcome over 11000 cruise passengers and a very large Jouvert morning celebration.  

“They must all be recognized and deserve our full commendation for a job well done. We must also thank all our people for their cooperation with the security forces to ensure a safe and enjoyable day for all,” he added.  

Apart from the cruise ship passengers, St Kitts and Nevis is also experiencing high hotel occupancy rates and a significant number of returning nationals all of which are contributing to the carnival and holiday celebrations.  

Talking about the numbers, Minister of Tourism, Marsha Henderson said that the remarkable visitor number is a testament to the growing appeal of the island as a leading Caribbean destination. She added that the combined excitement of the carnival and Christmas celebrations provides a unique chance to showcase the culture as well as hospitality of the locals. 

St Kitts and Nevis expects a very successful 2024-2025 cruise season with more than one million passengers arriving to the island’s shores.