Durrant Pate/ Contributor

Jamaica is hitting new milestones in cruise shipping as world-renowned ships like Disney Treasure and Celebrity Ascent make their inaugural calls to the island, underscoring its rising prominence as a premier cruise destination in the Caribbean.

These landmark visits reflect Jamaica’s growing appeal on the global stage, as it reaches exciting new heights, driven by enhanced port infrastructure, strong tourism partnerships, and the destination’s unmatched cultural and natural attractions. These developments in cruise tourism are a key component of Jamaica’s broader strategy for the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

The government’s strategies for expanding cruise tourism and strengthening local supply chains are designed to create a more sustainable and inclusive tourism model. With the “Local First” initiative at the forefront of the plan, Jamaica is positioning itself to capitalise on its growing cruise industry whilst ensuring that more of the economic benefits stay within the country.

These efforts reflect the administration’s commitment to fostering a competitive, resilient, and equitable tourism sector that will continue to benefit Jamaica for years to come. The Ministry of Tourism is actively working to expand the cruise tourism sector, acknowledging its significant role in Jamaica’s growing number of international visitors.

Capitalising on cruise travel

Cruise tourism has proven to be an invaluable part of Jamaica’s tourism industry, bringing thousands of tourists to the island each year. Recognising this, the Ministry of Tourism, led by portfolio Minister, Edmund Bartlett, is focusing on capitalising on the increasing popularity of cruise travel. As such, cruise tourism is a major focus within this new tourism framework, reflecting the government’s commitment to enhancing the sector’s overall impact.

Minister Bartlett is pointing to the vital contribution of renowned cruise lines to Jamaica’s tourism, particularly highlighting recent inaugural calls to the island from esteemed vessels such as Disney Treasure and Celebrity Ascent. The arrival of these high-profile ships underscores Jamaica’s rising stature as one of the Caribbean’s leading cruise destinations.

Building on these efforts, the government also plans to focus on enhancing the island’s port facilities and strengthening connections between international cruise lines and local businesses. A key part of the strategy is to provide Jamaican businesses with the tools, resources, and incentives they need to meet the demands of the growing cruise tourism market. 

This includes expanding the range of local products and services available to cruise passengers, ensuring that more revenue from tourism stays within the country. In addition to expanding cruise tourism, during his recent Sectoral Debate presentation emphasised the importance of improving Jamaica’s overall tourism offering. This involves not only upgrading facilities but also promoting sustainable tourism practices that will benefit both visitors and local communities. 

Through this comprehensive approach, the Ministry of Tourism aims to position Jamaica as a global leader in sustainable tourism while ensuring that the local population benefits from the expanding tourism sector. As the tourism sector grows, the focus will be on ensuring that its benefits are felt by a wider cross-section of the Jamaican population, ensuring that all Jamaicans are able to share in the success of this vital industry.