Over 44k passengers arrive in St Kitts aboard 22 cruise ships this week

Two cruise ships, carrying a total of 5,831 passengers, docked at St. Kitts' Port Zante on Saturday, bringing the total number of cruise passengers this week to 44,307 across 22 ship calls.

On Saturday, December 13, the Costa Fascinosa arrived from Guadeloupe with 3,215 passengers and sailed later for Tortola. The Grand Princess arrived from Tortola and sailed for Puerto Rico with 2,616 passengers.

The parade of ships began on Sunday, 7th December, with 6,832 passengers onboard three ships, the Azamara Onward, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Getaway.

The visit by the Ariva, AIDAmar and Silver Ray brought 7,893 cruise passengers on Monday 8th December. On Tuesday 9th December Celebrity Ascent and Marella Discovery 2 with 4,892 cruise passengers docked at Port Zante.

The four ships docking on Wednesday 10, were the Marella Explorer 2, the Celebrity Apex, Britannia and the Mein Schiff 2 with 11,023 passengers.

It was a five-ship day on Thursday 11th, with Celebrity Beyond, Seaborne Ovation, Marella Discovery, Emerald Azzurru and Star Flyer with a total of 5,585 passengers. Some 2,251 passengers were onboard the two ships - Coral Princes and Wind Surf on Friday December 12th.

Most of the passengers on both ships came ashore to keep the taxi drivers, tour operators, vendors, restaurateurs and other persons in the tourism industry busy.

Some headed for the beaches at Frigate Bay and the South East Peninsula, while others walked around beautiful Basseterre stopping at places of interest including - The Berkley Memorial at the Circus, the St. George's Anglican Church, the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral, Independence Square,  the War Memorial and Palms Court.

Passengers shopped for locally-made craft, souvenirs, perfume  and jewellery on Port Zante, while others went on organized and selected island tours and trails of St. Kitts via taxis and the St. Kitts Scenic Railway.

Others made stops at Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, Romney Manor and Batik and Black Rocks.  Some passengers went to Mount Liamuiga and enjoyed the trails, snorkeling, sailing to Nevis, golfing, casino gambling and shopping and patronizing the local bars and ate at places on the island.