The US Virgin Islands was voted Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine’s Reader’s Choice award for the Best Caribbean Cruise Destination. The prestigious awards have been a cruise industry staple since 1998, with voting by thousands of loyal readers.
The USVI is one of the largest cruising destinations in the Caribbean, and before the pandemic, cruising brought in over $300 million to the local economy. With the recovery efforts in full force the USVI expects almost 1.4 million cruise passengers in 2023. Most cruise voyages are now sailing with 100 percent occupancy, and a full cruise industry recovery is expected in the new year.
Recently, the U.S. Virgin Islands announced a partnership with the Florida- Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) that will focus on increasing the destination’s overall economic impact from cruise tourism.
“We are thrilled to have been recognized by Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine readers. We have been focusing on transforming cruisers to overnight guests, which allows us to highlight the amazing experiences a visitor can expect across the islands and helping us to grow the market by creating repeat stays,” noted the USVI Department of Tourism Commissioner, Joseph Boschulte.
“I always look forward to seeing the results of our Readers’ Choice Awards because our readers are discerning travelers who have stunningly high standards for every part of the cruise experience,” said Bill Panoff, publisher and editor-in-chief of Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine. “For the US Virgin Islands to be voted the Best Caribbean Cruise Destination in the 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards speaks volumes about the hospitality of the USVI’s people, the natural beauty of the place, and the ability of the islands to exceed our readers’ expectations.”
About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands is a United States territory located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. It’s three main three islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, where the capital Charlotte Amalie is located. Perfect for leisure or business travel, the US Virgin Islands feature breathtaking, world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry.
