Cruise Port Hits 97% End-May Occupancy

• Passenger occupancies on vessels at Nassau Cruise Port in the final week of May exceeded 97%, signalling that the sector is closing on full recovery from COVID-19’s ravages. Michael Maura, the Prince George Wharf operator’s chief executive, recorded 51,402 passengers during the last seven days in May - a number that was just shy of the combined 52,798 maximum guest capacity on the vessels at the port. 
• Comparing 2022’s performance year-to-date to 2019, the vessel occupancies and passenger volumes at Nassau Cruise Port are up by 24% and 4.8%, respectively. 
• Nassau Cruise Port was also highlighted by its 49 percent controlling shareholder, Global Ports Holding, as being one of two facilities - Antigua being the other - that produced the greatest increase in passenger volumes during the three months to end-March 2022. 
• Disclosing how Nassau is a key component in its growth strategy, Global Ports Holding said: “Long-term, the outlook for the cruise industry continues to be positive.” The passenger capacity of the industry is forecasted to grow by 45% by 2027 from 2019 levels, driven by the 75 cruise ships currently in the cruise ship order book and due for delivery by 2027. This would in turn positively impact the country’s bread-and-butter, tourism, which would spill over into other sectors and overall economic growth.

(Source: The Tribune)