Cruise ships continue to grow on St. Thomas. West Indian Company Limited has released its cruise itineraries for fiscal 2027. 359 cruise calls, approximately 1.25 million passengers October 2026 to September 2027 is another strong year for one of the Caribbean’s busiest cruise destinations.
Itineraries include ships from nearly every major cruise brand operating in the region, from Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line to Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Viking Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
The headline numbers are impressive in and of themselves. The lineup is the same.
Five vessels are scheduled to enter WICO docks for the first time during the fiscal year. Carnival Festival, Carnival Florence, Explora III, Norwegian Aura, Seven Seas Prestige.
“The continued growth of our cruise industry means more than passenger arrivals,” said Joseph Boschulte, WICO President and CEO. “This supports the Virgin Islands economy and the many small businesses that help make our destination unique, from taxi operators and tour operators to restaurants, retailers and other local entrepreneurs.”
Port continues to attract new ships
The arrival of the first five ships is as exciting as St. Petersburg’s for the Caribbean cruise market as expected by passengers. It says a lot about Thomas’ stature.
Carnival’s latest Excel class ship, carnival festivalVisits to St. Thomas are scheduled to begin in June 2027, with additional calls expected throughout the summer. Sister ships in Carnival’s fleet already have a strong presence in the destination, but the addition of Festivale adds another major new ship to Virgin Islands itineraries.
Another first call is: carnival florenceWe plan to visit from March 2027. These ships join a Carnival distribution that already includes Carnival Celebration, Carnival Vista, Carnival Venezia, Carnival Magic, Carnival Pride, Carnival Dream, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Conquest and Carnival Freedom.
Luxury cruises are also gaining popularity.
Navigation IIIExplora Journeys’ newest ship, the , is scheduled for multiple visits starting in October 2026. This vessel joins Explora I and Explora II, which are already scheduled to visit the region during the fiscal year.
new Seven Seas Prestige Multiple calls are also scheduled from January 2027, providing another ultra-luxury option for St. Thomas.
Then there norway auraScheduled for June 2027, you will quickly become a regular summer customer.
The biggest names in the cruise industry are coming
Aside from being first to arrive, itineraries seem to indicate who the modern cruise industry is all about.
Royal Caribbean’s icon of the sea Returning throughout the season star of the seaAnother member of the line’s next-generation fleet. The itinerary also includes Harmony of the Seas, Charm of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas and Call of the Future. hero of the sea.
Norwegian Cruise Line ships Norwegian Aqua, Norwegian Luna, Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Pearl, and Norwegian Sun. and Norwegian Jewel, among others, have the strongest presence on the calendar.
Disney Cruise Line is disney treasureswhile disney destiny It will also appear on your calendar later.
MSC Cruises is represented by: MSC Meraviglia and MSC CityVirgin Voyages plans visits to both locations. brave woman and brilliant lady.
Luxury cruises remain a growing sector
Some of the most interesting names on the schedule came from the luxury segment.
Vessels scheduled to call are as follows: crystal symphony, silver nova, silver ray, silver shadow, silver spirit, Azamara Tourism, Oceania Vista, Oceania Allura, oceania marina, oceania emblem, viking sea, Sea DreamⅠ, SeaDream II, emerald sugar Several ships from the Explora fleet.
These ships bring different types of visitors to their destinations. Although passenger numbers are lower than those of the industry’s larger ships, passengers who enjoy luxury sailing often spend huge sums on private excursions, charters, shopping and dining experiences ashore.
Strong winter season ahead
The busiest schedule is the traditional Caribbean cruise season.
December and January are frequent visits by Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas, Disney Treasure, Norwegian Aqua, Carnival Celebration, MSC Meraviglia and a variety of premium and luxury ships.
Holiday season visitors can also see ships such as Queen Mary 2, Silver Nova, Silver Shadow, Seven Seas Grandeur, and Crystal Symphony on their schedules.
The winter season remains the backbone of Caribbean sailing and St Thomas continues to receive calls from both high capacity ships and premium brands.
What it means to St. Thomas
Cruise tourism remains one of the most important drivers of economic activity in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Passengers arriving at the WICO dock will be taken to Charlotte Amalie’s shops, restaurants, attractions and tourist businesses. Taxi drivers, catamaran companies, fishing charters, beach merchants, water sports operators and tour guides all benefit from cruise transportation.
Many visitors spend a day at attractions such as Magens Bay, Coral World Ocean Park, and Paradise Point, or take the ferry to St. John.
That economic activity extends beyond the coasts. Every ship call generates spending across multiple sectors of the local economy.
The 1.25 million passengers expected in fiscal 2027 highlight how important the cruise sector is to the region.
Looking into the future
The fiscal year 2027 schedule covers arrivals from October 2026 to September 2027 and reflects the St. Thomas market’s continued confidence in the cruise line.
An expected 359 calls, five first ship visits, increased luxury cruise traffic and regular appearances by some of the world’s largest cruise ships combine to mark another significant year for St. Thomas in Caribbean cruise travel.
Long one of the region’s most important ports of call, the destination’s updated itineraries show no signs of slowing down.
