St Kitts welcomes over 7,600 cruise passengers as 5 vessels call in single day 

St Kitts and Nevis: St Kitts was once again buzzling with high cruise activity on Thursday as five vessels arrived simultaneously with three cruise ships docked at Port Zante and two anchored off Carambola. A total of 7,620 passengers arrived in the island within a single day with most of them coming ashore and indulging in the various local offerings of the destination.

The Marella Explorer arrived from St. Maarten with 1,869 passengers, the Marella Discovery came from La Romana in the Dominican Republic with 1,764 passengers, Seaborne Ovation anchored off Carambola with 584 passengers; also anchored off Carambola was the SPV Star Flyer with 126 passengers and docking at Port Zante on arrival from St. Thomas was the Celebrity Beyond with 3,272 passengers.

The influx of visitors provided a major boost to the local economy which benefitted taxi drivers, tour guides, beach vendors, restaurants and retail outlets across Basseterre and surrounding communities. Several of the cruise guests explored historic landmark, relaxed at South Friars Bay and Cockleshell Beach and enjoyed scheduled tours showcasing the island’s scenic railway and lush rainforests.

The 2025-2026 cruise season in St. Kitts officially began on October 6, 2025, with the arrival of the Celebrity Reflection at Port Zante. The season is projected to bring over one million passengers to the federation, featuring 13 inaugural cruise calls, including the first visits from Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady and Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas.

February 2026 is noted as one of the busiest months as the island often sees 4 to 5 ships docked simultaneously at Port Zante. During this season, high-capacity ships like Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Celebrity Beyond, and Arvia are scheduled for regular or inaugural stops.

The thriving cruise season will mean a major boost for the overall cruise tourism season of the island, with everyone involved in the sector benefitting highly. The tourism officials are looking forward to welcoming more guests as the season continues.