A visitor favourite amongst many cruise ship guests, Antigua is proving to be extra in style than ever. For the upcoming winter Caribbean cruise season, the port expects a document variety of cruise ships and guests to the island.
This season may even be the primary time that P&O Cruises’ latest cruise ship, Arvia, will homeport in Antigua, the primary time an Excel-class cruise ship homeports within the Caribbean island.
Antigua Cruise Port Stays a Well-liked Cruise Port
With its easy-going vibe, a wealth of various eating places and bars, a on line casino close by the port, and among the most lovely seashores within the Caribbean, Antigua has all the time been a top-rated vacation spot for cruise ships.
Though the island struggled in the course of the international pause in operations, the cruise port expects document numbers of company and ships within the upcoming 2022-2023 winter cruise season. Between October and December, the interval which is often considerably quieter, 182,120 cruise ship guests are anticipated to reach in Antigua.
From January, document numbers are anticipated. Seventy-nine cruise ships will go to in the course of the first month of the yr, anticipated to deliver 135,810 passengers with them.
A number of days may have as many as 5 cruise ships in port. On January 5, Ambassador Cruise Line’s Atmosphere, Azamara Onward, Marella Discovery, Silver Daybreak, and AidaPerla will go to.
February appears to change into the busiest month, with 101 cruise ships anticipating to reach, that includes at some point when seven cruise ships might be in port the identical day. Enchanted Princess, Celeb Millenium, Costa Fascinosa, Celeb Summit, Sea Dream 2, Viking Sea, and Royal Clipper will deliver over 10,000 passengers to St. John on February 21.
Over your entire season, which runs by April 2023, 354 cruise ship calls might be made, bringing 616,419 company to Antigua. To make sure all these guests may have a optimistic expertise, the native authorities has been busy offering free coaching to all port customers, together with taxi operators, distributors, tour operators, safety officers, restauranteurs, and retailers.
Dona Regis-Prosper, Basic Supervisor of Antigua Cruise Port: “We proceed to spend money on the success of the port group and business stakeholders. We consider in genuine, open dialogue and see it as our obligation to help everybody; from our colleagues to our tenants to port group members to attain success. Towards this backdrop, we proceed to supply complementary coaching to the port group.”
Excel-class Cruise Ship Homeports in Antigua
This yr, Antigua cruise port may even be the homeport for 2 ships, Star Clipper and P&O Cruises Arvia. It will likely be the primary season an Excel-class cruise ship, the LNG-powered ships owned by Carnival Company, will homeport within the Caribbean, outdoors Florida.
“The port will have interaction in homeporting operations starting with Star Clipper of Royal Clipper Cruises in December 2022 and persevering with with the Arvia, Carnival’s largest cruise vessel from January 2023 till March 2023,” Dona Regis-Prosper continued.
Round 800 company might be embarking and disembarking the vessel in the course of the Arvia homeport calls, offering an enormous enhance for native companies resembling accommodations, eating places, and taxi operators.
The 5200-guest, 180,000 gross tons Arvia will sail from Antigua on seven-night cruises that conclude in Barbados or 14-night cruises returning to Antigua. Ports of name embody Tortola, La Romana, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Martinique, and Castries, St Lucia.
