Minister Furbert On 2024 Cruise Ship Season

Minister of Transport Wayne Furbert provided an overview of the 2024 cruise ship season, stating that ”comparing the 2023 season, which saw 183 calls and 41 cancellations with 525,413 passengers, to 2024, we project a marginal increase of 22,651 passengers or 4.3%, and a small decrease in the number of cruise calls by 6 or 3.2%.”

The Minister’s full statement follows below:

Mr. Speaker, every great accomplishment begins with a vision—a dream that seems unattainable at first, but through perseverance and dedication, becomes a reality. Vision is not just about seeing what is possible; it is about believing in the potential of what can be. It is about setting a course for the future that others may not see and having the courage to pursue it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my Honourable colleagues the status of the 2024 cruise ship season, provide a snapshot of the projections for the remainder of the year, and compare last year to this year.

Mr. Speaker, the 2024 season began with a projected 190 calls. Subsequently, a few additional calls were added following the Budget Debate in March, making 2024 an average cruise ship season. The year started well with 14 cruise calls during the winter months of January, February, and March, bringing 42,715 passengers to our shores. There were 6 cancellations, 4 of which were due to weather events.

Mr. Speaker, during the second quarter, from April to June, Bermuda received 60 cruise ship calls with 192,075 passengers and 5 cancellations, 3of which were due to weather events.

Mr. Speaker, July and August which are part of Quarter 3 statistics, these months, saw 46 calls and 1 cancellation due to weather, bringing 170,201 passengers to Bermuda.

Of note: on July 6th, two ships arrived in port for one day only with 9,227 passengers combined, both ships left at the same time, testing our transport infrastructure to its maximum. However, thanks to pre-planning and increased transport options, the day went well.

Also, Mr. Speaker, you may be interested to know that the greatest number of passengers arriving on the same day was on Thursday, August 29th, with 9,975 passengers. Our transport infrastructure managed well compared to the larger ship days we had in 2023. This was due to having more public buses, ferries, and minibuses in service in 2024. Additionally, the well-coordinated efforts of all the transportation teams on the ground, working together from one end of the island to the other, made a significant difference. The queues for transportation were much shorter and more manageable than in 2023. One area identified this season that needs improvement is the queuing system for passengers getting back onboard their ships at the same time, particularly on leaving days, and solutions are being worked out for future calls with individual cruise lines.

Mr. Speaker, policies have been put in place this year to ensure that cruise ships do not arrive or depart at the same time during peak periods going forward for part of 2025 and all of 2026 going forward. This measure will alleviate the pressure on transport availability, especially on departure days, allowing ground transport operators sufficient time for turnarounds, especially for beach runs, ensuring shorter queues and that passengers can return to their ships before departure.

Looking ahead, Mr. Speaker, from September to December, providing there are no more cruise ship cancellations other than the 3 known in advance due to scheduled changes in Quarter 4, we are projecting 57 more cruise ship calls with an estimated 143,073 passengers. This brings the total projected number of cruise calls to 177, with 15 cancellations and 548,064 passengers by the end of the year.

Mr. Speaker, comparing the 2023 season, which saw 183 calls and 41 cancellations with 525,413 passengers, to 2024, we project a marginal increase of 22,651 passengers or 4.3%, and a small decrease in the number of cruise calls by 6 or 3.2%.

Mr. Speaker, and Honourable Colleagues, you will be aware that Senator the Honourable Owen Darrell, JP, MP, Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sports, joined me to engage with the St. George’s Mayor, East End MPs, Bermuda Chamber of Commerce, Bermuda Tourism Authority, and local St. George’s stakeholders to help breathe some life back into the old town this summer. It was noticeably clear after listening to our cruise line partners and local stakeholders that significant efforts were needed to help increase guest satisfaction and the overall guest experience in St. George.

At the beginning of this season, The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce stepped up with a plan of action to help find resources and funding, and to create Cruise Ship Activations to host a mini vendor market in Kings Square, called Breeze Markets, six days a week, with live music and some buskers along Water Street and or in Kings Square. The key objectives were to invigorate and rejuvenate the town, stimulate the local economy, attract visitors, and foster pride and ownership through the active involvement of residents and businesses. Midway through this initiative, the Breeze Market, which began at the end of May with 27 vendors, was touted as being successful and had already reached its first goal to help rejuvenate the town. People could feel that the town was alive again, through increased visitation by hotel guests, residents, and cruise passengers arriving by government bus and ferry, NCL tender, taxi and minibus tours.

This initiative also allowed the collection of accurate data on passenger flows into the Square and what days were the busiest for example Mondays and the slowest for example Sundays and what times where the busiest in the Town such as 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. I know a final report will become available at the end of the year, and will highlight more specifics, but I wanted to share the great progress to date. Marine

&Ports have also been running a ferry five days a week, Monday to Friday, and will continue that service through to November 2nd.

Mr. Speaker, as we reflect on the achievements, that this Government has made, it is important to acknowledge the hard work that has brought us here. Success does not come overnight. It is the result of countless hours of dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance. It is the culmination of the efforts of everyone who has contributed to our collective goal.

Mr. Speaker, while we can’t reveal the exciting projects we’re developing with our cruise ship partners, I can say that if successful, they will enhance Bermuda even more, as a cruise destination.

Mr. Speaker, we will not rest on our laurels. This Government will continue to strive for excellence, to push the boundaries of what is possible, and to pursue our vision with the same passion and dedication that has brought us this far. The journey is far from over, and there are still many milestones to achieve and many victories to celebrate.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to extend my gratitude to the dedicated individuals in the transport sector, including bus and ferry operators, minibus, taxi, NCL tender crew, and teams, who have worked together harmoniously to ensure the smooth movement of our guests. Their professionalism and commitment to customer service played a pivotal role in creating a positive impression of Bermuda from the moment our visitors arrived.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the invaluable efforts of our team in the Ministry of Transport, Transport Control Department [TCD], Department of Public Transportation [DPT], Marine & Ports [M&P], the West End Development Corporation [WEDCO], Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA], Meyer Agencies, the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce [BCC] teams, the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation [BEDC], Visitor Service Centres’ [VSC], and those stakeholders, service providers, and attraction teams on the front line who go ‘above and beyond’ to help make our visitors, and for the purposes of this statement, our cruise visitors, feel welcome, have a great experience and a wonderful time, and want to return again and again.

Mr. Speaker, thank you.

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