Key Aspects:
- P&O Cruises will homeport Iona in Basseterre, St. Kitts, starting in November 2027.
- The move expands P&O Cruises’ fly/cruise program beyond Barbados.
- St. Kitts is fast-tracking new cruise terminal infrastructure at Port Zante to support Iona’s operations.
P&O Cruises is expanding its Caribbean operations with a new homeport in St. Kitts, where passengers will be able to begin and end voyages beginning in November 2027.
The cruise line confirmed that its 184,000-gross-ton Iona will use Basseterre as an additional port as part of its Caribbean fly/cruise program from the UK.
The move adds a second embarkation point in the region beyond Barbados, where the cruise line’s Britannia and Arvia are currently offering roundtrip voyages from Bridgetown.
While P&O Cruises has called on St. Kitts on previous itineraries, select sailings will now homeport on the island known for its rainforest-covered mountains and historic sugar plantations.
Passengers will fly directly to the island and board the ship to set off on 7- and 14-day roundtrip Caribbean voyages.
“We are delighted to be adding St. Kitts as an additional turnaround port for Iona, marking an exciting evolution of our Caribbean fly/cruise program from autumn 2027,” said Paul Ludlow, president of Carnival UK & P&O Cruises.
The deployment of Iona will bring up to 5,200 passengers per sailing, as well as 1,800 crew members, and Ludlow said the move gives P&O Cruises guests more access to “one of the region’s most beautiful and culturally rich destinations.”
Government officials in St. Kitts confirmed the agreement and praised the move. Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew said, “The introduction of homeporting in St. Kitts marks a pivotal moment in our nation’s progress. Each ship that docks brings new opportunities for our people, our economy, and our culture to flourish.”
Added Tourism Minister Marsha T. Henderson, “By November 2027, the destination will move beyond a port of call to a transition port. This represents meaningful growth for our nation and it is growth that our people will feel.”
The addition comes as St. Kitts continues to post steady tourism growth. The destination recorded approximately 748,000 cruise passenger arrivals during the 2024-2025 season, and is already experiencing a record-breaking March 2026 as 68 cruise ship calls are expected to bring more than 130,000 guests to the island.
St. Kitts Port Upgrades Underway
The homeporting plan is part of a wider push to expand tourism capacity in St. Kitts ahead of 2027. Officials have linked the P&O Cruises agreement to broader development goals that could significantly increase visitor volumes over the next several years, with projections indicating tourism activity could double by 2027.
Government-backed projects extend beyond cruise homeporting to new cultural attractions, along with fast-tracked infrastructure upgrades at Port Zante in Basseterre.
Authorities are developing a new cruise terminal designed to handle embarkation and disembarkation traffic more efficiently, including improved connections between the port and Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport.
The project is being led by the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority and the Urban Development Corporation. Officials said the rollout will be phased ahead of the November 2027 launch to ensure the port can support turnaround operations tied to Iona.
The island expects an increase in demand for hotels, transfers, and pre- and post-cruise stays tied to Iona’s presence, though the scale will depend on sailing frequency and deployment plans, which have yet to be revealed.
