Last Updated on February 26, 2025, 1:50 AM AST by Anthony Morris
St Kitts and Nevis welcomed almost 13,000 visitors aboard four cruise ships that docked at Port Zante in Basseterre on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025. The four cruise ships that arrived were Marella Voyager, Celebrity Apex, Icon of the Seas, and AIDAbella.
These cruise ships brought a great boost in the tourism sector, leading to overall growth of the economy while also profiting local businesses like street vendors, hotels, taxi operators, and your guides.
Moreover, Foreign Minister Dr Denzil Douglas thanked Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson and her team for continuously working to help St Kitts and Nevis become a premier destination among the international travelers.
Visitors aboard the cruise ships
- Marella Voyager – Accommodating approximately 1,886 guests
- Celebrity Apex – Hosting around 3,405 passengers
- Icon of the Seas – Brought in up to 5,610 guests
- AIDAbella – Carrying over 2,050 passengers
Marella Voyager
Marella Voyager is a century-class cruise ship, operated by Marella Cruises. The cruise ship has been renamed four times – Mercury (1997 – 2008), celebrity Mercury (2008 – 2011), Mein Schiff 2 (2011 – 2019), Mein Scheff Herz (2019 – 2023), and Marella Voyager (2023 – present).
With 77,302 gross tonnage, the cruise ship has 12 decks and a capacity to carry 1,912 passengers.
Celebrity Apex
Celebrity Apex is operated by Celebrity Cruises and is the second edge-class cruise ship, first being Celebrity Edge.
The cruise ship has a gross tonnage of 130,818 and has 14 decks. It has a capacity to carry 3,405 passengers and has a crew of 1,320 members.
Icon of the Seas
Icon of the Seas is a top icon-class cruise ship which is operated by Royal Caribbean International.
It features 20 decks, with a gross tonnage of 248,663 and a capacity to accommodate 5,610 passengers (double occupancy) and 7,600 passengers (maximum capacity). The cruise ship has 2,350 crew members.
AIDAbella
AIDAbella is a sphinx-class cruise ship, operated by AIDA Cruises. It has a total of 14 decks and a capacity to carry 2,500 passengers. The cruise ship has 646 cruise members.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
