Jamaica’s cruise industry is back up and running, with all four major cruise ports reopened after Hurricane Melissa. Port Royal, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, and Falmouth have all welcomed ships again, marking the return of cruise activity across the island.
This quick turnaround was made possible through the combined efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, its agencies, JAMVAC/Jamaica Cruising, the Port Authority of Jamaica, Destination Assurance Councils, local authorities, emergency teams, and industry partners. While some restoration work is still underway, cruise operations have officially resumed and core systems are in place.
The restart of cruise operations also came with a notable milestone: the arrival of the Vasco da Gama as the first homeporting vessel to operate out of Kingston since the reopening of the Port Royal/Kingston gateway.
The Vasco da Gama is a mid-sized cruise ship known for longer itineraries and premium onboard offerings. Its arrival marks Jamaica’s move into cruise homeporting, where ships begin and end their voyages in the destination rather than stopping only as a port of call.
Homeporting brings added economic benefits, from increased spending by passengers and crew to higher demand for flights, hotels, transportation, restaurants, and tours. It also supports port services such as bunkering, provisioning, waste removal, and technical operations, while encouraging visitors to spend more time in the destination before or after their cruise.
With all four ports now open and homeporting underway in Kingston, Jamaica is strengthening its role as a competitive cruise destination in the region. Despite recent challenges, the cruise sector is moving forward with steady momentum.
