Antigua currently welcomes more than 700,000 cruise line passengers annually, making it one of the most beautiful and ultra-modern ports in the Eastern Caribbean.

Cruise traffic has grown dramatically during the last decade. Investment in pier and other shore side facilities has enabled port operators to develop and maintain their share of the growing cruise market despite competition.

Antigua’s success in developing and retaining its cruise business has been driven by the Antigua Pier Group (APG), the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority (ABTA), and Antigua and Barbuda Cruise Tourism Association (ABCTA), the collective representing port and tourism stakeholders on the island, and responsible for marketing the Antiguan cruise product around the world.

Figures underline the success that has been achieved in attracting more vessels and their passengers and crew. In 1998, according to data provided by the Ministry of Tourism, total cruise passenger numbers reached 342,000. The 712,000 annual total milestone was reached in 2008 and growth is continuing.