Over 11,600 passengers arrive in St Kitts onboard four cruise ships

St. Kitts and Nevis: A total of 11,675 passengers from four cruise ships docked at Port Zante on Monday, highlighting the continued positive impact of cruise tourism on the local economy.

While some went on pre-booked island tours with stops at Bloody River, Caribelle Batik/Romney Manor, Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the Eco Park and Black Rocks, others headed for the popular beaches at Frigate Bay and the South East Peninsula.

Some walked around beautiful Basseterre stopping at places of interest - The Berkley Memorial at the Circus, the St. George's Anglican Church, the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral, the Cenotaph and Independence Square.

Snorkeling, sailing to Nevis, golfing, casino gambling, shopping and patronizing local bars and eating places on the island were among the activities for others.

The Norwegian Breakaway had 3,782 passengers on board. The Ariva, 5,306 passengers, the AIDAmar, 1,935 and the Silver Ray with 652 - all sailed later for their respective destinations.

The crew in blue from the AIDAMar performed environmental duties Monday in partnership with the St. Kitts Tourism Authority (SKTA), the St. Christopher Air & Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA), and the Department of Environment.

Crew members among the 620 onboard the P&O ship, joined the local contingent in removing an undetermined pound of garbage along the Eastern portion of the Newtown Bay Road and the C. A. Paul Southwell Industrial site.

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority (SKTA) in a news release said the clean-up demonstrated "our shared commitment to environmental responsibility and the protection of St. Kitts’ natural beauty.  Together, we’re preserving our coastlines for generations to come."

The visit to St. Kitts' Port Zante on Monday, 8 December is part of a 43-day round-trip cruise which started from Hamburg, Germany on November 9th. Earlier stops were Dorset and London, England; Portugal, Bermuda, St. Maarten, Santo Domingo, Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Kitts.

The AIDAmar, which has 1,935 passengers and 620 crew members onboard is on its way to the Canary Islands. It will make stops in Spain and France before returning to Germany on December 22, 2025.