PHILIPSBURG- Tuesday marked the largest cruise single day for the 2022-2023 cruise season, a record for destination St. Maarten when Port St. Maarten welcomed 30,349 passengers and crew from six cruise ships.

The ships in port were the Anthem of the Seas, Arvia, Celebrity Constellation, Grandeur of the Seas, MSC Seaside and Symphony of the Seas, brought in 21,723 passengers and 8,626 crew.

PSG Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alexander Gumbs said on Thursday: “This is a significant development for the destination when we look back at what we and the region, and the world had to endure with the pandemic and the shutdown of the cruise industry for 15-months.

“We are on a healthy track for the 2022-2023 season where we see vibrancy in various sectors. We have much to celebrate, but at the same time we must keep putting our best efforts forward in making sure we give our guests the best island experiences each and every day as they visit our shores.”

New vessel

Port St. Maarten, one of the destinations in high demand in the Northeastern Caribbean welcomed another new vessel for the season, namely Arvia, P&O Cruises’ second Excel-class ship which made its inaugural call on January 17. Arvia has been described by P&O Cruises as a symbol of optimism for the future of the industry.