Over 100,000 passengers in Tobago for 2023 cruise ship season

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Tourists disembark a cruise ship at the Port of Scarborough. – File photo

TOBAGO House of Assembly Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation says an estimated 102,516 cruise ship passengers visited Tobago during the 2023 season, which culminated on April 21.

In a statement on May 16, the division said the figure represents a 110 per cent increase in the number of cruise ship passenger arrivals over the 2022 cruise season.

The 2023 cruise season began on November 11 in Scarborough with the arrival of the Celebrity Silhouette and the super yacht Seadream II was the final departure from Charlotteville.

The division also said Tobago got a total of 64 calls from 15 different cruise lines, representing a 60 per cent increase over the 40 calls received in the 2022 season and a 166 per cent increase on the 24 calls of the 2019 season.

It said seven new cruise ships – Celebrity Silhouette, Jewel of The Seas, Marella Voyager, Silver Shadow, Zuiderdam, Norwegian Sky and the Seven Seas Splendour – had maiden voyages to the island during the 2023 season.