Cruise arrivals could hit 840 000

Barbados’ cruise tourism arrivals are projected to reach around 840 000 by the end of December.

This figure represents a slight increase over last year when there were just over 826 000 arrivals for transit and homeporting cruise passengers combined.

But though the director of cruise tourism at Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, Cheryl Franklyn, said the statistics indicated a “flat-lining” in performance when compared with last year’s, she explained it represented a pattern of sustained growth since 2016, when only 725 000 arrivals were recorded.

The 2019/20 cruise season began officially last week, and yesterday four vessels from major cruise lines called at the Bridgetown Port bringing more than 12 000 visitors. In port were the Azura with 3 102  passengers; the Norwegian Gem with 2 328; Freedom of the Seas with 4 178 and Carnival Fascination with 2 535. The Gem was docked next to the Barbados Flour Mill.

Franklyn said yesterday’s arrivals represented an increase in numbers anticipated with larger ships from the major cruise lines which ordinarily called at Barbados, having greater passenger capacity. (GC)