Norwegian Cruise Lines says it will increase cruise calls to SXM

PORT ST. MAARTEN – In a significant development for St. Maarten’s cruise tourism sector, senior executives from Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) recently met with Port St. Maarten Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alexander Gumbs and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunication (TEATT), Grisha Heyliger-Marten. The meeting focused on deepening the collaboration between NCL and Port St. Maarten, aiming to increase passenger arrivals and services.

Representing NCL were Juan Kuryla, Senior Vice President of Port Development and Construction Management, and Matthew Weintraub, Director Port Development, who expressed the company’s interest in increasing cruise calls to St. Maarten.

NCL shared insights into their upcoming fleet expansion plans, including the debut of NCL Aqua just this month and highlighting a new class of vessels set to debut soon. This initiative aligns with Port St. Maarten’s goals to diversify its cruise offerings and enhance passenger experiences.

Minister Heyliger-Marten expressed enthusiasm about the growth prospective, stating that Port St. Maarten’s role as a testing ground for NCL’s new initiatives presents a significant opportunity to boost the island’s cruise tourism sector.

Gumbs noted that discussions commenced during the FCCA conference hosted in St. Maarten in October 2024 and thereafter follow-up ongoing engagements with NCL have paved the way for this potential collaboration.

Gumbs emphasized the potential economic benefits, citing current average passenger expenditures of $161 and crew expenditures of $117.

Strategically this also fits within the framework of improving the off-season months between May and October while improving berth occupancy during the high season, particularly on Fridays through Monday. Typically, Tuesdays through Thursdays are the busiest days during the high season.

The Port St. Maarten Group comprises of 13 companies responsible for most of the country’s maritime activities. The operations at Port St. Maarten Group can be summarized into four pillars of Cruise, Cargo, Yachting and Real Estate. The Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facilities catered to over 2 million cruise passengers in 2014, and has since 2010 been receiving more than 1.5 million annually. The cargo facilities have led to a steady growth in containerized business making the island a hub for the North-Eastern Caribbean where it concerns transshipment services. The port caters to the Giga yachts and vessels providing berthing and fueling services to this sector.

The Port St. Maarten Group also owns and manages a wide range of commercial real estate across the country.

Port St. Maarten is a modern, well equipped and secure port facility that is operated and managed by a dedicated professional staff. Visit our website for further information www.portstmaarten.com or call +1 721 542-8503 or 8504, email: commercial@portstmaarten.sx