Aruba saw a sharp increase in summer traffic in 2014, up nearly 30 percent year-over-year, mainly attributed to year-round operations by Pullmantur and additional calls by Carnival.

For 2015 the port authority is predicting another bump in passenger arrivals to some 600,000. Carnival will contribute at least 150,000 passengers, making it the biggest caller. Both Royal Caribbean and Princess are set to bring over 100,000 passengers each over the course of the year.

New markets are driving Aruba’s cruise profile. For 2012-2013, the port said 90 percent of cruise traffic was originating in the North American market, with the balance from Europe. Thanks in part to Pullmantur, 22 percent of the cruise market in Aruba is now being sourced in South America.