St. Kitts welcomes 7,000 Cruise passengers despite rough weather

St. Kitts and Nevis: Thousands of passengers arrived in St. Kitts on Saturday, March 7, 2026, as three cruise ships docked at Port Zante in Basseterre. The vessels arrived on the island despite rough early morning weather.

St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) said that the cruise vessels were guided safely by experienced harbor pilots. The vessels that arrived on Saturday were Queen Victoria, Costa Fascinosa, and Norwegian Sky.

“Despite strong winds earlier this morning, our skilled harbour pilots safely and successfully guided Queen Victoria, Costa Fascinosa, and Norwegian Sky into Port Zante,” shared SCASPA via their official Facebook page.

Costa Fascinosa departed Guadeloupe with 2,095 passengers. Norwegian Sky came from Saint Lucia with 2,172 passengers. Queen Victoria docked at St. Kitts from St. Maarten with 1,901 passengers onboard. This brought the total passengers to 6,978 in just one day.

Many tourists visited Basseterre and also explored popular tourist sites in St. Kitts. This also increased business for taxi drivers, craft stores, tour guides, shop owners, vendors, hotel owners, and restaurants.

Passengers also shopped at stores in Port Zante and purchased local crafts, souvenirs, perfume and jewelry. Some joined scheduled guided island tours by taxi, while others used the St. Kitts Scenic Railway.

Some of the places that the tourists visited included the UNESCO-listed Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, Romney Manor and Batik, and Black Rocks. Those seeking a leisurely break, visited the island’s beaches, where they took a dip in the sea and enjoyed the sun.

The Berkeley Memorial at the Circus, St. George’s Anglican Church, the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral, Independence Square, the War Memorial, and Palms Court were some other most visited sites.

Other cruise passengers tried exciting activities such as nature trails, snorkeling, golfing, gambling, and dining at local restaurants and bars. The tourism authorities said that cruise ships are very important in boosting the economic activity on the island.