Dominica defied the odds of the COVID-19 pandemic as the destination boasted a successful 2021/2022 cruise season. Dominica received over 200 cruise calls and welcomed 144,781 passengers. A total of 79,344 cruise passengers basked in the destination’s cruise offerings. Eleven cruise ships made inaugural calls to Dominica. Ceremonies to include plaque exchanges were held at the Roseau Bayfront. Cruise lines calling to Dominica for the 2021/2022 cruise season included Seaborne Cruises, TUI Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, P&O Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Holland America Cruises and others.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, health and safety protocols were placed for observance by all tourism service providers and visitors alike. For heightened safety, cruise activities were conducted within a tourism bubble which limited visitors co-mingling with the local population. This was lifted on April 4th to allow visitors to freely roam the streets of Roseau and undertake activities with minimal restriction. Monitoring was done throughout the season to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for cruise visitors. Spot checks were undertaken at cruise sites and cruise ports to ensure that service providers adhered to the tourism standards and health and safety protocols.
Dominica’s participation at Seatrade Cruise Global 2022 heightened the destination’s optimism for increased cruise calls for the 2022/2023 cruise season, especially as improvements to the island’s tourism product for visitor satisfaction are being pursued. As of May 5, 2022, the projection for the upcoming 2022/2023 cruises season is 211 cruise calls. This translates to approximately 280,000 cruise passengers. It is anticipated that these figures will increase by the start of the 2022/2023 cruise season in October, considering the recent productive meetings held with the cruise lines.
DDA looks forward to the 2022/2023 and solicits the cooperation of all tourism stakeholders in ensuring a welcoming and enjoyable experience for the cruise visitors. The Government of Dominica will continue its effort in promoting Dominica as a desirable cruise destination to increase cruise calls to Dominica.
