The Cayman Islands crushed its tourism aim for 2023! After a return to cruise tourism in March of 2022, the western Caribbean cruise vacation spot set a aim to succeed in 70% of 2019’s pre-pandemic customer numbers in 2023, which equates to about 1.2 million cruise passengers.
With over 1 million cruisers crusing to the favored vacation spot in 11 months throughout 2023, it’s secure to say that not solely did the Cayman Islands meet its aim, but it surely has efficiently rebounded from the COVID-19 closures.
Cayman Island Cruise Tourism Grew Considerably in 2023
2022 exceeded cruise customer expectations within the Cayman Islands. November 2023 has set the bar even larger, bringing the variety of annual cruise guests again to numbers the Caribbean vacation spot hasn’t seen since earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the journey business.
For the primary time since 2019, greater than 1 million cruise ship passengers visited the islands by way of November 2023, assembly the Cayman Islands Division of Tourism’s aim of welcoming not less than 1.2 million cruisers to the islands in 2023.
That is again in step with pre-pandemic numbers when roughly 1.4 million cruise passengers visited Grand Cayman yearly.
In 2022, cruise tourism exceeded expectations, with 743,394 cruise passengers visiting the islands by the tip of the yr. This was notably spectacular contemplating the islands banned cruise ships till March of 2022 on account of remaining well being and security measures carried over from the pandemic.
The expansion seen by the Cayman Islands can be mirrored all through the Caribbean and can probably assist push the momentum into 2024. All through 2023, cruise arrivals almost doubled for the US Virgin Islands, with greater than 1 million cruisers additionally visiting St. Thomas.
On the identical time, the Dominican Republic skilled a document variety of guests in 2023. In December 2023 alone, the Caribbean port welcomed lots of of hundreds of cruisers throughout 104 ships.
In the meantime, within the Bahamas, Nassau broke its all-time document for probably the most cruise passengers to go to the island in a single yr. The earlier document of three,859,183 vacationers was set in 2019. Nonetheless, the port broke the document by November of 2023 with a depend of three,869,003 passengers.
Cayman Islands to Stay a Standard Port For 2024 Cruises
The Cayman Islands are a British Abroad Territory that encompasses three islands within the Western Caribbean Sea. Grand Cayman within the Cayman Islands is likely one of the hottest cruise ports on the western Caribbean cruise route and residential to the capital, George City.
There isn’t any scarcity of cruises crusing to Grand Cayman in 2024. Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Celeb Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean all supply itineraries from January 2024 by way of your complete yr.
Two of the 5 ships in Disney’s fleet are slated to go to the islands starting in January 2024. Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy might be crusing to the islands as a part of five-night and seven-night Western Caribbean Cruises, respectively.
Learn Additionally: Seven Mile Seaside, Grand Cayman – Issues to Know
Carnival additionally has a number of ships stopping by starting in January 2024, together with Carnival Glory, Carnival Dawn, Carnival Satisfaction, and Carnival Paradise. The cruise line is providing 5 to seven-night Western Caribbean cruises. Relying on the ship, some additionally sail to Panama and Mexico.
Like Disney and Carnival, Celeb Cruises may even be a frequent customer of Grand Cayman. Celeb Ascent, Celeb Apex, Celeb Past, and Celeb Constellation will all be calling on the island in early 2024 as a part of seven to 12-night Caribbean sailings.
