A 4.6 per cent growth in cruise passenger arrivals to the country has been reported by port of St. Maarten for January through April. This translated into a total of 833,755 passengers via 324 ship calls. The destination received 796,957 cruise passengers in the same period in 2016. That year ended with the destination receiving close to 1.7 million cruise passengers via 602 ship calls. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) recently released its first Cruise Industry Consumer Outlook of 2017 that revealed traveller insights, outlooks and attitudes regarding cruising and land-based travel. Cruise travel is becoming more popular and awareness more favourable among all types of travellers. Of those asked, nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) said their overall awareness of cruise vacations has improved within the last two years.

Content Courtesy Caribbean Gems