St. Kitts and Nevis welcomes 14,000 cruise passengers in off-season surge

St. Kitts and Nevis welcomed two cruise ships on Thursday, May 28, as Star of the Seas and Celebrity Beyond docked at Port Zante in Basseterre during their Caribbean voyage. Their arrival brought over 14,000 passengers and crew to the island nation during the off-season.

The two vessels made their final stop in St. Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands, before docking in St. Kitts and Nevis. Their arrival strengthened the country’s position as a growing destination for major cruise lines.

Star of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean International under the Royal Caribbean Group, made its second docking at Port Zante with approximately 7,161 passengers and 2,500 crew members. The vessel is part of the Icon Class family, which also includes some of the world’s cutting edge cruise ships like Icon of the Seas and Legend of the Seas.

Celebrity Beyond, operated by Celebrity Cruises, arrived in St. Kitts and Nevis with around 3,400 passengers and 1,417 crew members. The Edge Class cruise ship is known for its modern outward-facing design and the world’s first “Magic Carpet,” which moves up and down between decks and can be used as a restaurant, bar, and boarding area for small boats.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew said that the arrival of the ships is a major achievement, especially during the off-season cruise tourism. “This is a tremendous achievement, especially during what is traditionally considered the off-season. This level of cruise activity brings continued growth to our economy and provides many job opportunities for our people,” he stated via an official Facebook post.

He also lauded Minister of Tourism, Marsha T. Henderson and the Ministry of Tourism for their continued efforts to position St. Kitts and Nevis a preeminent cruise destination in the Caribbean.