Over 60 Cruise Ships Coming to Newport This Year, and Economic Impact is in the Millions

Over 60 Cruise Ships Coming to Newport This Year, and Economic Impact is in the Millions

It was recently announced that there are over 60 cruise ships scheduled to arrive in Newport Harbor this year.

“Over the last 30 years. we’ve evolved and grown as a cruise destination,” Discover Newport President and CEO Evan Smith told GoLocal. “Prior to that, New England and Canada weren’t really on the cruise scene. I think a lot of credit can be given to those ports for driving interest for these itineraries.”

Smith pointed to industry data that shows the financial impact that cruise ships have on port destinations. 

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According to the Cruises Lines International Association’s “State of the Cruise Industry” report for 2023, cruise passengers on average spend $750 in ports over 7 days, which is just over $100 per person per port. 

In addition, Newport gets a per-passenger port tax. 

“Here in Newport we have an $8 per person port tax that goes to the City of Newport,” said Smith. “On a national scale that fee is actually lower than the average, but then again we don’t have a high level of operational service that some terminal ports do.”

Newport Mayor Xay Khamsyvoravong said the city is "looking forward" to this year's slate of cruises. 

"Newport continues to raise the bar as a top cultural destination," said Khamsyvoravong. "This year the City is looking forward to welcoming guests from around the world, with an exceptionally strong lineup of ships for the season.”

Growth of Industry 

“It didn't happen overnight,” said Smith, of the growth of cruise ships in Newport harbor. “We grew from five to ten [cruise ships], and then ten to twenty, and so on.”

Smith said that pre-COVID, the number of cruises coming to Newport some years neared eighty — and he noted that not all “ships” are the same. 

“We have big and little cruise ships. By little, I mean 150 to 200 — those ones dock at Fort Adams. Large is anything over 700, and up to six or seven thousand,” he said. 

And just like the ships, Smith pointed out that not all cruise ship passengers are the same when they arrive in port. 

“40% might buy a [tour] package, 40% might wander around and eat. The restaurants actually do pretty well despite the fact that food’s included on the cruises,” said Smith.  “And 20% never get off. Some people like to enjoy the ship to themselves when the other passengers are off. And if it’s rainy people, might not want to go to shore.”

Smith said like most aspects of the tourism industry, cruising is working to come back from the devastation of the pandemic. 

“Before COVID, cruising was the most popular and fastest-growing trend in travel, bar none,” said Smith. “Then they go from king of the hill to bottom of the heap. They’re building back up. A lot of companies have struggled with workforce are just getting their ‘sea legs’ back.”

And Smith said when passengers find a destination they like in particular — they return. 

“When they find a place like Newport that they like, studies show they’re likely to come back,” said Smith. “We know people who say I came here ten years ago [on a cruise] and I wanted to come again.” 

According to Discover Newport’s schedule, 3 of the over 60 cruises have come to the city so far in 2023, with the majority slated to arrive in the “shoulder” season in September and October. 

“I just want to remind folks it is subject to change. If there’s bad weather — there could be a change in schedule,” said Smith.