Anguilla has confirmed a busy schedule of luxury yacht and cruise ship visits for the new season, with vessels from leading international brands expected up to April 2027.
The line-up includes vessels operated by Emerald Cruises, Four Seasons Yachts, Orient Express, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises and Windstar Cruises.
The season began on 5 November with the inaugural Anguilla visit of Explora III, which anchored outside Road Bay and brought 650 of its 784 passengers onto the island.
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Orient Express’ Silenseas yacht is the next to arrive on 11 November, before Explora I, one of the other boats in the MSC Group series operated by Explora Journeys, makes a call on 13 November.
Throughout the season, vessels are expected to anchor at Road Bay or Prickly Pear Cays, giving passengers access to the island’s beaches, restaurants and other attractions.
In a press release on 10 November, tourism minister Cardigan Connor said the visits are expected to create opportunities for local businesses.
“Anguilla has built a strong reputation as a luxury destination, and we want our cruise tourism sector to reflect that same commitment to quality,” he said.
“These visits should create tangible opportunities for Anguillian taxi operators, tour guides, restaurants, retailers and other businesses.
“Working with our cruise industry partners, our priority is to deliver a rewarding experience for visitors while ensuring that our people and our island benefit.”
According to the press release, cruise tourism has been part of Anguilla’s visitor economy for more than three decades.
Jameel Rochester, director of tourism for the Anguilla Tourist Board, said the scheduled vessels are consistent with the destination’s tourism strategy.
“The ships visiting Anguilla are well aligned with our tourism product and the experiences that distinguish our island,” he said.
“Our beautiful beaches, exceptional culinary scene, boutique accommodations and personalised hospitality appeal to travellers who value quality and authenticity.
“We welcome the opportunity to introduce more visitors to these experiences while creating meaningful opportunities for our local tourism partners.”
Kendisha Hall-Prentice, chief marketing officer of the Anguilla Tourist Board, added that the visits represent an important opportunity to introduce travellers to the island.
“Every cruise visit gives us an opportunity to make a lasting impression,” she said.
“Many of these guests are already familiar with luxury travel, and Anguilla offers the kind of intimate, personalised destination experience they appreciate.
“Whether they discover a favourite beach, enjoy an exceptional meal or connect with our people, we want them to leave inspired to return and explore more of what Anguilla has to offer.”
Details of cruise and yacht visits to Anguilla including dates and times have been published by the Anguilla Tourist Board here. The cruise ship schedule is also available on the CruiseMapper website here.
