The official cruise tourist season in Barbados began on October 15, and the beautiful island nation is expecting more than 700,000 cruise travelers to visit in the next five months, with ports of call scheduled from more than 25 cruise lines.
Cruise Season Begins, Runs Through March
Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Millennium is the first ship to visit Barbados in the “official” winter cruise season, which began on Saturday, October 15. The 91,000-gross-ton vessel was in Bridgetown, Barbados – the country’s busiest cruise port and the nation’s capital city – on Thursday, October 20, 2022.
The beginning of cruise tourism in Barbados coincides with the mild Caribbean “winter” that runs from mid-October through the end of March. While this time is technically the winter season, it is an ideal window for visiting Barbados and taking advantage of the country’s mild climate – a vast difference from the freezing temperatures, ice storms, and heavy snowfall of northern regions.
Celebrity Millennium was the first ship to call on Barbados during the official tourist season, but Celebrity Equinox has actually made two calls on the country already, on September 3 and again on October 1. MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia visited on October 7, and luxury line Seabourn’s Seabourn Venture visited on October 12.
In the next five months, the eastern Caribbean country, actually the easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles, is expecting more than 700,000 cruise passengers to arrive via more than 25 cruise lines.
“We are ecstatic to welcome cruisers back to Barbados, whether they’ve visited us before or are experiencing our destination for the very first time,” said Tia Broomes, Cruise Barbados’ Senior Business Development Officer.
In addition to the three lines already to have visited Barbados in the past few weeks, ships from Viking, TUI Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Regent Seven Seas, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Marella Cruises, Cunard Line, and other lines are all scheduled for ports of call in the next few months.
Options for Cruise Visitors
Not only do cruise travelers have a wide selection of cruise lines to choose from if they hope to visit Barbados, but the small island also offers a diverse array of amazing options for visitors to experience.
“Barbados offers unforgettable experiences for even the most discerning of travelers, from extensive tours of Harrison’s Cave to rum tastings at Mount Gay Distillery, afternoons spent at Copacabana or private boat tours to swim with turtles,” said Broomes.
“We also are pleased to celebrate the return of many wonderful destination events this year, along with some unique new tours and activities.”
Barbados has received many accolades in recent years for its pristine beaches, authentic cultural engagement, and delicious culinary options that showcase its rich history and exotic blend of cultures.
Returning this fall is the Barbados Food & Rum Festival that will be from October 27-30, ideal timing as Celebrity Millennium will be in port on October 27, Celebrity Equinox on October 29, and Mein Schiff 2 on October 30. Together, the three visiting cruise ships will introduce more than 7,000 passengers to the unique festival.
