Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Strong Cruise Growth in US Virgin Islands

Fort Christiansvaern in St Croix. Photo: CJ
Caribbean Journal

The United States Virgin Islands saw strong growth in cruise tourism in 2013, according to data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Cruise passenger visits to the USVI grew by 4.9 percent last year, with a total of 1,998,579 cruise passengers.

That was among the largest improvements of any Caribbean destination with complete annual reporting from 2013.

It was also a marked improvement over the previous year, when the US Virgin Islands experienced a 5.2 percent reduction in cruise tourism compared to 2011.

In 2012, the USVI welcomed 1,904,468 cruise passengers, according to CTO data.

4 Responses to “Strong Cruise Growth in US Virgin Islands”

  • no shame! (26/02/2014, 16:20) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    I hope they are working on completing the Fort Christian in St. Thomas (a sad eye sore) the gov't need to be shame of themselves to have allowed such a landmark to REMIAN unfinished UNTIL NOW!!.........no shame is guess!!
  • pat (26/02/2014, 23:46) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    just because St Thomas has over 1 mil passengers does it mean it is good for BVI too? they have the shopping malls, streets, and infrastructure to handle them. But they don't have the charm, history, character of BVI. This is not a good model for BVI.
  • @pat (27/02/2014, 17:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Statistics show that they spend far less than the repeat over night tourist we get in the BVI. Bare boat tourism contributes to taxi, supermarkets for provisioning, hotel to accommodate until sail date, and the many bar, restaurants on the smaller islands and beaches. It is up to us Virgin Islanders to ensure we maintain a product to sell and keep them coming back. Some have been coming to the BVI for over 15 years.
    • pat (28/02/2014, 11:47) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      agreed. STT is no model for us. They also are part of a functioning government with rules and laws. Those return visitors who rent villas, cars, boats, restaurants, etc do not want to compete with day trippers off the boats and the crowds they produce. This article glorifies the ships. STT is a bigger port with more infrastructure. I wish BVI would think of a more balanced approach instead of selling out to Disney behind closed doors.


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.