The Antigua Cruise Port celebrated a milestone on December 23, 2025, hosting over 12,000 guests and five ships in St. John’s.

According to the port’s schedule, the Marella Discovery 2, the Valiant Lady, the Celebrity Eclipse, the Norwegian Epic, and Ilma from Ritz-Carlon visited the port.

The vessels were joined by a sixth ship, the Emerald Sakara, which called at the Falmouth port on the same day.

Offering cruises to the Southern Caribbean departing from Puerto Rico, the Norwegian Epic was the largest ship in port. The Norwegian Cruise Line vessel can carry up to 4,200 guests.

Other highlights of the lineup include the 456-guest Ilma, which entered service for Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection in 2024.

Global Ports Holding, which operates the cruise port, said that the calls highlight Antigua’s “capacity and effective coordination during peak cruise activity.”

“These calls are bringing significant movement and vitality to the capital and surrounding communities, supporting local businesses and the wider tourism ecosystem,” the operator added in a social media update.

“Antigua & Barbuda continues to build momentum in cruise tourism, with record passenger volumes contributing to economic growth and increased demand across the destination,” Global Ports Holding continued.

Antigua Cruise Port is now getting ready to welcome a record-breaking number of guests on January 23, 2026. The port operator said that over 17,000 cruise passengers are expected to arrive.

“This performance reflects the growing strength of Antigua Cruise Port as a key cruise hub in the Caribbean and the positive impact of cruise tourism on the destination and its economy,” it added.

In addition to hosting vessels at the ports of Antigua and Falmouth, the country also welcomes smaller ships at the island of Barbuda.

The ports welcome some of the industry’s main cruise lines, including brands from Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, MSC and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.