Martinique welcomed the first ship of the season on Sunday, October 8, 2023, with the arrival of the Seabourn Pursuit.

The ship arrived at Pointe Simon cruise terminal carrying 231 passengers onboard.

In addition to the Pursuit, several other Seabourn ships are scheduled to call in Martinique this cruise season, including the Quest, Sojourn and the Ovation.

The port authority said in a statement that it expects a total of 240 calls around the island, representing a 28 percent increase in calls when compared to last season. An estimated 180 ships will call in Fort de France and 60 calls are expceted in Trois-Ilets, Anses-d’Arlet, Le Marin and Saint Pierre.

Overall, the island expects to welcome approximately 421,000 passengers, compared with 338,154 visitors last season. Additionally, six cruise lines will be homeporting at Les Tourelles including MSC, Costa, Club Med, Aida, Le Ponant and Sea Cloud Cruises.

The 2023-24 season will also see the expansion of Saint Pierre, city of Art & History, with 32 cruise calls scheduled and 13, 000 passengers.

For the first time, the city of Saint Pierre will also host the Cruise Friendly program. Initially launched in 2013 by the Var Provence Cruise Club in the Ports of Toulon Bay, the “Cruise Friendly” certification is granted to local tourism providers that meet specific requirements for cruise passengers.