Puerto Rico sets new cruise passenger record in May

Preliminary projections from the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. indicate that the island is on track to finish the fiscal year with roughly 100,000 more cruise passengers than the previous record.

By THE STAR STAFF

Puerto Rico set a new cruise passenger record in May, surpassing the previous high established in 2019, according to the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC).

PRTC Executive Director Willianette Robles Cancel announced that by the end of May, the island had welcomed 1,827,010 cruise visitors at the San Juan piers and the Port of Ponce. The figure exceeds the 1,814,157 passengers recorded at the close of fiscal year 2019, marking a new milestone for the sector.

Preliminary projections from the agency indicate that Puerto Rico is on track to finish the fiscal year with roughly 100,000 more cruise passengers than the previous record.

“We are extremely proud of this achievement, which reflects the hard work we’ve put in to reach this goal,” Robles Cancel said. “This historic mark in cruise arrivals demonstrates the positive results of our collaborative efforts with public and private sector partners to keep Puerto Rico at the forefront of the international market. It represents a significant boost for the tourism sector and the island’s economy.”

Robles Cancel emphasized that the gains align with the strategy advanced by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón to strengthen tourism as a key engine of economic development and expand business, investment and job opportunities for Puerto Ricans.

The surge in cruise activity adds to a series of strong tourism indicators recorded in recent months. Those include JetBlue’s expansion of routes, Iberia’s historic increase of 14 additional frequencies on its Madrid-San Juan service, Puerto Rico’s selection as the Main Partner for FITUR 2026, and the movement of 13.6 million passengers through the island’s main airports in 2025.

The sector has also seen higher hotel occupancy rates during traditionally slower seasons and has hosted major global events, including the World Baseball Classic, the Puerto Rico Open, and the upcoming Clásico Internacional del Caribe 2026 at Camarero Racetrack in Canóvanas in December.