GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – Tourism Minister Gary Rutty is promising a new era for cruise tourism over the next few years, with the sector already beginning to enjoy a rebound although voters emphatically rejected the need for cruise piers in April’s referendum.
Gary Rutty – Tourism MinisterDespite the fears from within the industry that the territory could say goodbye to cruisers without berthing facilities, the arrival of the Celebrity Xcel, which made its inaugural call to Grand Cayman last Friday, marks the beginning of a transformative partnership between this destination and Celebrity Cruises.
The cruise line’s newest ship and the fifth in their Edge Series ships set sail last month, and is set to visit the Cayman Islands once a fortnight during peak season, bringing up to 3,260 guests.
“This magnificent new ship represents the future of premium cruising, and her arrival demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Celebrity Cruises and their confidence in our destination,” Rutty said. “As we continue to enhance our cruise tourism and visitor experience, partnerships like this with Celebrity Cruises are essential to ensuring the Cayman Islands remains a premier Caribbean destination.”
According to Rutty, having recently met with cruise line executives at the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association Conference, “our cruise sector is not disappearing”. During a dozen meetings, cruise executives reaffirmed Cayman as a high-demand port of call, with positive passenger forecasts from most major cruise lines.
By the end of the year, more than 1.1 million cruise passengers will have visited Grand Cayman. Next year, the number is expected to increase to 1.3 million passengers, and as many as 1.7 million in 2027. Rutty also said he was exploring the possibility of more cruise ships calling at Cayman Brac.
Cruise passengers visiting Cayman spent an average of US$116 per person in 2023-2024, making it an important contributor to the economy. Cruisers are expected to have contributed over US$129.2 million to our economy by the end of this year, which is expected to rise to US$159.6 million in 2026.
“This is in addition to the passenger fees collected by the Port Authority that cruise lines submit for every passenger aboard their ships. Economic contribution is an important measure of success, but it only tells part of the story.
“The true value of tourism lies in how the revenue translates into training, development and opportunities for our people — opportunities that strengthen the industry, make it more inclusive, and ultimately enhance the experience for our visitors,” he said as he promised to ensure that tourism works for Cayman and Caymanians who work in tourism.
Rutty is also promising investment in new tenders and attractions, as well as improvements to existing ones.
He said tendering remains the most significant operational challenge, particularly for larger vessels and during peak arrivals, which is why, with the pier project off the table, local tender operators can safely invest in more new boats.
