Trinidad sees cruise boom as arrivals surge 36%

Trinidad and Tobago: The island nation recorded a very successful cruise season 2025-2026, as it welcomed thousands of guests. This boosted business for local companies like hotel owners, restaurants, tour guides, taxi operators, and local vendors like craft stores and food stalls.

Around 15,799 cruise ship passengers arrived at the Port of Spain Cruise Complex, with each visitor spending approximately US$59 on average. This brought the total onshore spending to US$932,142.

Trinidad welcomed 23,962 cruise passengers who arrived during 14 ship visits between October 2025 and February 2026. A total of 10,723 crew members also came on shore during these visits.

According to official reports by cruise tourism authorities, the number of passenger arrivals increased by 36% as compared to the last season. A rise in local tour participants has also been recorded, which went up by 17%. The total number of people that went on tours was 6,521.

Many large cruise ships also docked at Port of Spain Cruise Complex during this period. This included cruise ships from Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, and Swan Hellenic.

Some cruise vessels also visited the island for the first time. These included SH Vega, Coral Princess, and Hebridean Sky. Brilliance of the Seas accommodated 200 passengers, who were starting their voyage from Trinidad.

Most of the travelers onboard these cruise ships were from the United States, which accounted for 66% of the total passengers. Canada recorded 17% travelers, 6% were from the United Kingdom, 4% from Germany, and 1% from other Caribbean nations. The remaining 6% was from other regions.

Tourists went to places like Port of Spain, Maracas, Caroni, Paramin, and the Asa Wright Nature Centre. They also enjoyed beach getaways, bird watching, and cultural shows.

Officials said that this increase in cruise tourism also stimulated the local economy. This provided income for vendors, artisans, and tour operators. The authorities are also working with their partners to increase the level of tourist spending in local communities.