POINTE BLANCHE--The one-million-cruise-passenger mark was reached early again this year – Tuesday morning when cruise ship Disney Fantasy arrived at Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facilities.
This is the earliest the milestone has been reached in the past 11 consecutive years that St. Maarten has hosted a million or more passengers.
The total cruise arrival figure for May was 994,280. The difference in cruise passenger numbers to bring the figure over the million-mark was made up between June 1 and 5, according to St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies. Last year the one-million mark was attained in late July.
The cruise arrival projection for the year is tagged at 1,550,264 by the harbour group, but that "conservative" figure is expected to increase based on additional cruise calls and repositioning of some cruise ships in the coming months, assuming no cancellation due to storm threats.
Harbour Group of Companies CEO Mark Mingo said the continued early attainment of the million-passenger mark was a testimony of St. Maarten's prominence in the cruise industry and its allure to cruisers.
Mingo said local partners in the cruise industry – stores, restaurants, on- and offshore excursions – should be happy with the country's continued standing in the cruise sector. He urged them to be creative and inventive in the coming months to keep cruise passengers talking about what the country has to offer.
As many as 57,150 cruise passengers are projected to visit here this month. However, that number can increase, as was the case in May, which saw a tally of 76,476 cruise passengers – 20.1 per cent (63,651 cruisers) more than originally projected.
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