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24 LOCAL NEWS AWEMainta Dialuna, 9 October 2023
Carnival Cruise Lines to Increase
Passenger Volume by 30% in 2024
DURING the past week, Minister Oduber paid a visit to Carnival Cruise. Aruba is expected to receive over 210,000
Carnival Cruise Lines and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Lines Carnival passengers this year, marking a significant increase
Association (FCCA) alongside APA’s CEO, Mr. Figaroa, APA’s compared to 2022.
COO, Mr. Arends, and Mr. Melchiors, who represented ATA.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss the cruise passenger Looking ahead to 2024, they informed the delegation that
fee (CPF) and present all the ongoing and planned product Aruba is expected to experience a 30% increase, surpassing
upgrading projects in Aruba. The CPF is the fee that cruise 250,000 cruise tourists from Carnival Cruise Lines alone.
ships pay to APA for each passenger entering Aruba. These We were delighted to hear that Carnival Cruise Lines, like
revenues are invested by APA to enhance the cruise tourists’ Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Disney Cruise Lines, Princess
experience. Cruise Lines, Holland America, and Ritz Carlton, plans to
increase their number of calls and passengers for 2024.
During this meeting, they visited Carnival Cruise Lines and Aruba remains a highly favored destination for cruise tour-
FCCA to address this crucial issue and share the direction ists, and this is attributed to the continuous investments
that Aruba is heading. They also presented an extensive made to enhance and elevate the Aruban product. They
overview of all the ongoing infrastructure improvement and consider ongoing investments as extremely positive for their
upgrading projects, both those in execution and those in the visitors.
pipeline.
Ms. Michele Paige, CEO of FCCA, informed us that Aruba
Carnival Cruise Lines also provided an update for 2023 and is considered a high-quality destination for cruise lines
their projections for 2024. Additionally, they shared their and mentioned that Aruba remains ‘high in demand.’ She
guest satisfaction ratings from their passengers when they expressed her gratitude for the partnership, the political
visit Aruba. stability Aruba provides, and all the investments made to
offer a better experience for cruise tourists. It was certainly
For the year 2023, this was exceptionally positive for a highly successful week for cruise tourism in Aruba.
