The upcoming 2022/2023 season looks very promising with 182,120 passengers projected between the months of October and December 2022. Antigua Cruise Port is expected to welcome 354 calls for a total of 616,419 passengers by the end of its peak cruise season, while the remainder of the season will attain maximum heights as January 2023 is set to be the busiest month with 79 calls and 135,810 passengers.
Dona Regis-Prosper, General Manager of ACP, highlights some of the expectations for the upcoming season. “In comparison to the modest summer months of 2022, May – September 2023 will see a total of 18 cruise ship calls depicting the growth and development of Antigua’s cruise industry. In addition, the port will engage in homeporting operations beginning with Star Clipper of Royal Clipper Cruises in December 2022 and continuing with the Arvia, Carnival’s largest cruise vessel from January 2023 until March 2023.”
An estimated 800 passengers are projected to be accommodated for each operation of the Arvia, providing the twin-island nation with consistent business for all relevant stakeholders such as taxi drivers, hotel workers, shipping agents, and restaurants alike. Homeporting operations for Arvia are expected to resume in November 2023, along with the start of full weekly operations from Emerald Cruises. Multiple cruise calls days will also be significant as Antigua Cruise Port will encounter several days with more than one ship in port at once. December 2022 will embrace 5-ship days, with January 2023 also pinpointing 5-ship days and one 6-ship day. February 2023 will earmark one day with 7 ships in port simultaneously: a cause for celebration.
Antigua Cruise Port is currently offering complementary Port Security training for all port users including, taxi operators, vendors, tour operators, security officers, restauranteurs, and retailers. “We continue to invest in the success of the port community and industry stakeholders. We believe in authentic, open dialogue, and see it as our duty to assist everyone; from our colleagues to our tenants, to port community members to achieve success. Against this backdrop, we continue to offer complementary training to the port community and thus we have identified port security as one of the priority areas,” continues Regis-Prosper.
