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Basseterre St Kitts (Port Zante)

Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news

Rating:
Basseterre St Kitts cruise port

Region
Bahamas - Caribbean - Bermuda

Local Time
2024-11-23 07:48

min: 83 °F (28 °C) / max: 84 °F (29 °C) 83°F
28.6°C
Wind: 100°/ 6.1 m/s Gust: 6.1 m/sWind: 100°/ 6.1 m/s Gust: 6.1 m/sMod. breeze
6.1 m/s
Min / Max Temperature84 °F / 29 °C
83 °F / 29 °C
  Port Map

Port Basseterre St Kitts cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Basseterre St Kitts, Port Zante. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

DayShipArrivalDeparture
13 August, 2024
Tuesday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineIcon Of The Seas08:0018:00
21 August, 2024
Wednesday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineRhapsody Of The Seas08:0017:00

Port Zante (Basseterre's cruise port) serves the capital city of Saint Kitts and Nevis - an island country in the West Indies (Caribbean Sea). Port Zante is located in a bay on St Kitts Island's southwestern coast. The other cruise port of the country is Charlestown (on Nevis Island).

Basseterre City (population around 13,000) is one of the oldest in the Eastern Caribbean. It was established by France in 1627, under Pierre Belain d'Esnambuc (1585-1637). Port Basseterre is one of Leeward Islands' major commercial seaports.

For the season 2015-2016, Port Zante reported a total of 373 cruise ship calls and 913,716 passengers. Season 2016-2017 was a record-breaker - with 1,125927 million passengers and 569 ship calls. For the season 2017-2018, Port Zante had scheduled 596 ship calls with 1,500993 million passengers.

On January 12, 2017, Saint Kitts Island was visited by 6 cruise liners with total passenger capacity over 16,000. These vessels were RCI-Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas, Princess Cruises Regal Princess, AIDA Cruises AIDAluna, Marella Cruises Marella Discovery, and also the mega-yacht SeaDream (docked at Nevis Island).

In 2018 started construction works on Port Zante's new (second) cruise pier which was completed in 2019 and officially opened in November. With the new (2-berth) dock the cruise port now has berthing capacity of 3 of the world's largest passenger ships (of RCI's Oasis-class) simultaneously.

On July 16, 2018, St Kitts received its 1-millionth cruise passenger with the arrival of Freedom of the Seas. The liner docked in Port Zante at 8 am. The lucky cruiser received a free island tour, while all other arriving tourists received complimentary T-shirts. On December 11, 2018, Port Zante handled the Oasis-class liner Symphony of the Seas (LOA length 362 m, max capacity 6370 pax plus 2400 crew). Symphony OTS visited on a 7-day Eastern Caribbean itinerary roundtrip from PortMiami.

Date / TimePort
08 Dec 16:30Departing from Miami, Florida
11 Dec 09:00 - 18:00Port Zante-Basseterre, St Kitts Island
12 Dec 07:00 - 16:00Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas Island USVI
14 Dec 10:00 - 16:00Nassau, Bahamas
15 Dec 06:00Arriving in Miami

For 2018-2019, two other Oasis-class ships (Allure and Harmony) were also included in Port Zante's schedule. The season had all 8 Royal Caribbean liners visiting 85 times. On December 16, 2019, Port Zante reported a single-day record handling 10629 passengers on 4 ships - Anthem of the Seas, P&O Britannia, Celebrity Summit, Seabourn Odyssey.

Popular tourist destinations on the island visited on shore excursions from Basseterre include Carambola Beach Club (South Friar's Bay), Fairview Great House and Botanical Gardens, Caribelle Batik (Old Road Town's Romney Manor), Palms Court Gardens & Restaurant, Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, St Kitts Scenic Railway (3-hour / 30-mi / 50-km train tour encircling the island).

In 2023, the cruise port had scheduled a total of 364 ship calls, including 9 maiden/first-time visits - by the ships Carnival Spirit, Voyager of the Seas (RCI), Arvia (P&O UK), Seabourn Venture, Silver Dawn (Silversea), Ocean Explorer (Vantage Travel), Azamara Onward, Spirit of Discovery (Saga UK), Albatros (Phoenix Reisen).

Port Zante's largest cruise vessel so far is Wonder of the Seas (Nov 2022), while the ever-largest will be Icon of the Seas (Jan 2024).

 

Basseterre St Kitts cruise terminal

Cruise ships to St Kitts Island dock (anchor) at Basseterre's Port Zante. Deep Water Harbour (Port Basseterre) is capable of both berthing and anchorage of cruise vessels and cargo ships. It is located in Bay's extreme East.

Basseterre Bay also serves regularly scheduled ferries between Charlestown (Nevis) and Basseterre, with numerous daily crossings. The route is served by 6 ships. Ferry service between Oranjestad (Aruba Island), Statia (Sint Eustatius Island) and Basseterre, as well as to Philipsburg (St Maarten) is also offered, but with irregular crossings.

Port Zante (on the photo below) is located in the center of the Bay. This pier is only used for docking by cruise ships. Port Zante can accommodate the world's largest cruise vessels and also has a yacht marina.

On October 6, 2018, was inaugurated the new Basseterre Ferry Terminal (building). The USD 1,4-million project included 6 months of construction works, carried out by Public Works Department and local contractors.

Second (new) cruise ship pier

In September 2016 was announced that by the end of 2016 starts the construction of a new (2nd) cruise pier at Port Zante. The formal agreement for the USD 48-million project was signed in 2015.

Two independent proposals were presented to St Kitts and Nevis Government. The Canadian Commercial Corporation was contracted for the project. Before the new pier's construction, during peak season additional cruise ships had to dock at the container terminal in Bird Rock, and all cargo vessels coming into port had to wait before docking - until the cruise liners leave the terminal.

In November 2017, SCASPA (port authority) and Canadian Commercial Corporation signed the contract for the second cruise ship pier construction. Works started in early-2018 and the project was completed within 18 months (in November 2019).

The new docking pier is located west of the old pier and south of the Port Zante Marina. Local subcontractors were hired for the building project. The new pier allows simultaneous berthing of two Oasis-class vessels, which are currently the world's biggest (LOA length 360 m, GT tonnage 227,000 tons, max capacity 6780 passengers plus 2390 crew).

The initial pier design was for only one Oasis-class ship (project cost USD 32 million) but was later lengthened and widened (new project cost USD 48 million). The upgraded design also included a larger Amina Craft Market with a dedicated parking area (for taxis and tour buses), as well as a tug boat (for docking assistance).

Basseterre St Kitts tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Carambola Beach

Booking.com