St. Thomas Cruise Harbor Dredging to Start in September 2026

The West Indian Company Limited is projecting 362 cruise calls and about 1.2 million passengers at its Havensight dock in fiscal 2027 as it prepares to dredge Charlotte Amalie Harbor for larger cruise ships. The St. Thomas cruise facility operator has awarded the dredging work to Orion Marine Construction, with work scheduled to begin in September 2026 and finish by mid-2027.

Havensight can berth up to three large cruise ships. WICO recorded 302 ship calls and 946,199 passengers through May 31 of fiscal 2026. Its fiscal year runs October to October.

Dredging targets the largest-ship constraint

“We have the dock space and the berthing space to take a large ship,” said Joseph Boschulte, president and CEO of WICO. “However, we didn’t have the depth of the channel and the turning basin to allow the largest vessels to come in safely. After this dredging is done, that changes.”

Oasis-class ships currently berth at Crown Bay Cruise Center, the island’s second cruise port, which is operated by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. Those ships run roughly 1,187 feet long, measure about 225,000 to 237,000 gt and draw about 30 feet, 6 inches, with typical double-occupancy capacity around 5,400 guests.

Orion Marine’s dredging work includes mechanical and hydraulic projects for channel-deepening, maintenance dredging and port expansion. Boschulte said WICO is confident in the contractor’s planning and execution for the St. Thomas project.

Five maiden calls are scheduled for fiscal 2027

WICO’s fiscal 2027 schedule includes first calls by Carnival Festivale, Carnival Firenze, Explora III, Norwegian Aura and Seven Seas Prestige.

“I’m a firm believer in diversification,” Boschulte said. “All economic levels benefit the island and all the ancillary industries that depend on cruise traffic.”

He cited Disney Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line as examples of how different operators generate different spending patterns ashore. Disney passengers are more likely to have shore excursions booked before arrival, he said, while Carnival brings more independent passengers who use local taxis, smaller tour operators and other island businesses.

“If you talk to our taxi concession, they deal with more non-pre-paid clients,” Boschulte said. “Those smaller businesses invest in themselves because they are competing for that business.”

Private-island competition remains part of the strategy

Boschulte also pointed to cruise line private-island products as a competitive issue for Caribbean ports, naming Carnival’s Celebration Key, Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day collection and MSC’s Ocean Cay.

“Private islands have been around for a while, but now they are offering bigger and more spectacular resort-style packages,” Boschulte said. “They offer a controlled solution, but there are still thousands of people who still want something that is really authentic about their experience they can find on their own.”

WICO’s response, he said, is to continue developing more interactive local experiences tied to food, shopping, beaches and independent movement around the island. “We have to adapt, and we have to continue to thrive on both fronts,” Boschulte said.

Board sets the fiscal 2027 budget

WICO’s board recently approved the company’s fiscal 2027 operating budget and reviewed several related business items, including a 2024 independent audit completed with no major findings and renewal of insurance coverage for the upcoming fiscal year.

“Our FY2027 budget reflects our commitment to responsible fiscal management while advancing the initiatives that support sustainable growth and continued economic impact for the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Boschulte said.

Directors also reviewed progress on requests for qualifications and proposals for development of more than 13 acres of upland property at Havensight, along with planned upgrades to WICO’s water distribution system. Boschulte said the property work creates room to rethink the passenger arrival experience at Havensight, including possible hotel and hospitality uses beyond the cruise call.