Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian account for over 84% of cruise passengers in the Dominican Republic

Three major cruise companies—Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, and Norwegian Cruise Line—accounted for more than 84% of all cruise visitors to the country.

Carnival remained the leading operator with 751,717 passengers, representing 45.5% of total arrivals. However, its passenger volume declined 7.4% year over year following the opening of the Celebration Key cruise destination in the Bahamas. The shift also contributed to a nearly 16% drop in arrivals at Amber Cove, while nearby Taíno Bay became the country’s busiest cruise port for the second consecutive year, receiving 693,369 passengers.

Royal Caribbean posted the strongest growth, bringing 344,966 passengers, up 34% from the previous year as it expanded operations in the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line transported 293,102 passengers, a 3.1% increase that continued its steady growth in the Dominican market.

A total of 22 international cruise lines have operated in the Dominican Republic over the past four years, underscoring the country’s growing importance as a Caribbean cruise destination.