‘Advance Bermuda’s Cruise Tourism Objectives’
Bermuda’s delegation has concluded a successful participation at Seatrade Cruise Global 2026, held from April 13–15 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Florida, under the theme “Beyond the Horizon: Leveraging Cruising’s Strength and Scale to Drive Innovation.”
A Government spokesperson said, “The delegation was led by the Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport, The Hon. Owen K. Darrell, JP, MP, and included Deputy Permanent Secretary Carlita O’Brien and Stacey Evans of the Ministry of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport. Throughout the three-day conference, the group engaged with senior cruise executives, port authorities, and global tourism stakeholders to advance Bermuda’s cruise tourism objectives.”
Minister Darrell highlighted the importance of the annual event to Bermuda’s tourism strategy, stating: “We look forward to this event every year, and Seatrade Cruise Global 2026 once again proved to be an important and valuable opportunity for Bermuda. Over the three days, we held productive meetings, strengthened key industry relationships, and gained useful insight into the future direction of global cruise tourism.”
A Government spokesperson added, “On the conference’s opening day, a meeting was held with Norwegian Cruise Line. Minister Darrell was introduced to Mr. John W. Chidsey, recently appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Discussions were also held with representatives from the Port of Baltimore and the Maryland Port Administration to explore opportunities to grow cruise business from this key U.S. East Coast homeport.
“On Tuesday, April 14, the delegation attended the State of the Global Cruise Industry session and participated in meetings with NYC Economic Development Corporation [NYC/EDC], which represents both the Manhattan and Brooklyn cruise homeports.
“The Minister also had the opportunity to interact with Mr. Charles Chou, Director General; Mr. Yung-hui Chou, Chairman of Taiwan International Ports Corporation; and officials from the Taiwan Tourism Administration.
“Further strengthening Bermuda’s industry relationships, productive meetings were held with Royal Caribbean Group, Carnival Corporation plc, and Disney Cruise Line. In addition, Minister Darrell met with Explora Journeys Cruise Line, a new entrant to the Bermuda market, as part of ongoing efforts to diversify cruise offerings. Bermuda looks forward to future calls from this new partner.
“The Minister also engaged with regional colleagues from the Caribbean Tourism Organisation [CTO], including representatives from Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and others.
“Throughout the conference, the delegation attended panel discussions focused on maximising the benefits of cruise calls, including enhancing passenger time ashore, increasing visitor spending, fostering cultural connections, and advancing port infrastructure and development initiatives.
“Bermuda’s cruise sector continues to demonstrate strong performance. The 2026 season began with 194 scheduled cruise calls, which increased by one additional call. Despite four weather-related diversions, 191 calls currently remain on the schedule. Looking ahead, 210 cruise calls are scheduled for 2027, and deployment schedules for 2028 have now been received from contract partners, with remaining berth space open to occasional callers.”
Reflecting on these outcomes, Minister Darrell added, “I am very pleased with these strong numbers and the positive economic outlook for Bermuda, both today and in the coming years.”
