Ground has officially broken on a purpose-built new cruise terminal at Port Zante in St Kitts, marking a major milestone for both the Caribbean island’s tourism sector and UK-based cruise line P&O Cruises. When construction wraps up in late 2027, the facility will become a new turnaround home port for P&O’s two largest cruise vessels, the Iona and Arvia, for their Caribbean itineraries starting that November.
Under the agreement, the capital city of Basseterre’s new terminal will also add an additional turnaround option for Iona on fly-cruise routes that combine pre- or post-cruise air travel with the sea voyage. The project was developed to accommodate the rapid growth of St Kitts’ cruise tourism segment, which is projected to welcome more than 950,000 cruise passengers during the current travel season.
According to St Kitts’ official tourism authority, the new terminal will be outfitted with cutting-edge security screening and digital immigration processing systems, engineered to speed up embarking and disembarking for passengers and create a seamless arrival and departure experience.
St Kitts and Nevis Tourism Minister Marsha Henderson emphasized the collaborative nature of the infrastructure project during the groundbreaking ceremony, noting that the physical construction is the culmination of years of relationship-building, dialogue and trust between stakeholders. “This project reflects the collective efforts of the government, our public sector agencies, technical experts, financial advisors, and private sector partners, all working toward a common goal: advancing the future of St Kitts and Nevis,” Henderson said. She added that the investment in cruise infrastructure is designed to strengthen the national economy, generate new employment and business opportunities for local residents, and boost the country’s global competitiveness in the fast-growing international cruise industry.
Paul Ludlow, president of Carnival UK, which owns P&O Cruises, echoed Henderson’s enthusiasm for the partnership. “We are delighted to see this significant investment in St Kitts’ new cruise terminal at Port Zante, our additional turnaround port for Iona and Arvia from autumn 2027,” Ludlow said. He added that the new terminal milestone reinforces St Kitts’ growing status as a key hub in the Caribbean cruise market and confirms the destination’s commitment to delivering high-quality, memorable experiences for P&O Cruises passengers.