Aruba welcomed 64,547 cruise passengers in September 2026, up 35.5% year-on-year. The increase was accompanied by six additional ship calls, although passenger traffic growth over the first nine months of the year remained more moderate.
Cruise activity picked up at the Port of Oranjestad in September, with passenger numbers rising from 47,630 a year earlier to 64,547. According to the latest figures from the Aruba Ports Authority, the port received 20 cruise ship calls during the month, compared with 14 in September 2025. The additional visits coincided with a recovery in passenger traffic following a weaker August, when both ship calls and passenger numbers had declined year-on-year.
The number of ship calls rose by 42.9%, outpacing the 35.5% increase in cruise passengers. Consequently, the average number of passengers per call fell from approximately 3,402 to 3,227. The comparison indicates that more frequent ship visits played a central role in September’s growth, rather than an increase in the average number of passengers handled per call. Crew traffic also rose, reaching 23,186 people compared with 17,081 a year earlier.
September Rebound Follows a Weaker Summer
The September performance followed two months of declining year-on-year passenger traffic. In July, Aruba handled 39,247 cruise passengers, compared with 42,085 in July 2025. The decline became more pronounced in August, when passenger numbers fell by 21.5% to 38,096, while the number of cruise ship calls dropped from 15 to 13.
September brought a notable change. Passenger volumes increased by more than 26,000 compared with August, accompanied by seven additional ship calls. The result was also well above September 2024, when Oranjestad welcomed 30,179 passengers across nine cruise ship calls.
The monthly figures highlight the variations in cruise activity throughout the year. Although September delivered a strong year-on-year increase, the pattern was not consistent across the preceding months. The comparison between passenger volumes and ship calls provides a more complete picture of the port‘s activity than passenger growth alone.
Nine-Month Traffic Shows More Moderate Growth
Between January and September 2026, Aruba received 693,058 cruise passengers, compared with 653,083 during the corresponding period in 2025. This represents an increase of 6.1%, considerably below September’s individual growth rate. Over the same nine-month period, cruise ship calls rose from 241 to 260, an increase of 7.9%.
The difference between the monthly and cumulative results is significant. September contributed to the territory’s overall increase in passenger traffic, but the nine-month figures also reflect periods when volumes were below their 2025 levels. Across January to September, the average number of passengers per call declined slightly from approximately 2,710 to 2,666.
For comparison, Aruba ended 2025 with 970,803 cruise passengers and 376 ship calls. With the final quarter of 2026 still to be reported, the available statistics show that the port is handling more cruise passengers and ship visits than at the same stage last year, although growth has varied considerably from month to month.
Learn More: Aruba Ports Authority — Detailed Cruise Statistics
FAQ
How many cruise passengers visited Aruba in September 2026?
Aruba received 64,547 cruise passengers in September 2026, representing a 35.5% increase compared with the same month in 2025.
How many cruise ships called at Aruba in September 2026?
The Port of Oranjestad recorded 20 cruise ship calls, compared with 14 a year earlier, an increase of 42.9%.
How did Aruba’s cruise traffic perform during the first nine months of 2026?
From January to September, Aruba welcomed 693,058 cruise passengers across 260 ship calls, increases of 6.1% and 7.9%, respectively, compared with 2025.
