Martinique asserts its ambitions at Seatrade Cruise Global 2025
From April 8 to 11, 2025, Martinique shone at the Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, the world’s largest trade show dedicated to the cruise industry.
Through the voice of the Grand Port Maritime, the Comité Martiniquais du Tourisme, Marship – Antilles Shipping Services, and the CODERUM, the island has set itself a clear goal: to strengthen its position in the Caribbean cruise ecosystem, by combining operational excellence, tourism strategy and heritage enhancement.
The Grand Port Maritime de la Martinique: a hub in full transformation
For Bruno Mencé, Chairman of the Board of the Grand Port Maritime de la Martinique, the Seatrade is “the place to be”.
In a Caribbean region that accounts for 38% of the world cruise market, it was essential for the port to assert its projects and investments with European and American companies.
The major challenge? The impact of the new European environmental tax (ETS), which penalizes both air tickets and sea fares. ” The impact on air fares can be as much as 180 euros per passenger, which is a real brake on our development as a port base,” explains Bruno Mencé.
In the face of these challenges, Martinique is counting on the unity of its players: the port, shipping agents and the Comité Martiniquais du Tourisme (Martinique Tourism Board) are moving forward together with a common vision. This collective approach has been hailed by companies as a guarantee of reliability and attractiveness.
🎯 If Bruno Mencé had a magic wand, he would above all like to ” lighten the impact of the ETS to preserve the development of cruising in Martinique”.
The Comité Martiniquais du Tourisme: positioning the island as a territory of excellence
For Bruno Brival, CMT General Manager, Seatrade is a strategic opportunity to prepare for future seasons and attract new companies.
” We still have a lot under our belts, as they say. Now it’s up to us to structure offers that are more rooted in the authenticity of the region, to transform this potential into a differentiating offer. “he stresses.
Today, Martinique is highly rated by cruise lines, but must continue to innovate. The region is moving towards year-round cruise tourism, beyond the high season, with jobs that will become less seasonal.
Bruno Brival recalls the four pillars of the island’s tourist identity:
Seaside and water sports,
Historical and memorial heritage,
Gastronomy and spirit tourism,
Nature and biodiversity.
🎯 If he had a magic wand, Bruno Brival would like to ” structure a more immersive, authentic and sustainable tourism offer “.
Photo credit @Comité Martiniquais de Tourisme
Marship - Antilles Shipping Services: guaranteeing operational excellence for the cruise industry
Present in Guadeloupe and Martinique for over twenty years, Marship and Antilles Shipping Services are the full representatives of shipping companies, whether cruise or cargo.
” Our role is to coordinate everything: customs formalities, provisioning, technical assistance, passenger reception, waste management “, explains Catherine Defontis, Branch Manager.
Their unobtrusive but essential work ensures that every port of call runs smoothly.
Marship works with a wide range of companies: MSC, Virgin Voyages, Mein Schiff, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Compagnie du Ponant, and many others.
However, several obstacles remain:
Cumbersome administrative procedures compared with other Caribbean territories,
The financial impact of the ETS, which makes French stopovers more expensive than those of their English-speaking neighbors.
🎯 If the Marship team had a magic wand, they would ” do away with the ETS, increase the number of stopovers, and continue to strengthen links between all players in the sector”.
CODERUM: promoting authentic Martinique through spirit tourism
Célia Sainville, tourism manager at Habitation Clément represented CODERUM at Seatrade.
Her mission: to defend the spiritourisme, a cultural showcase for Martinique rum.
” Spiritourism adds a strong cultural dimension to our tourism offering,” she reminds us.
Visiting historic distilleries, tasting rums and discovering the region’s built heritage are all experiences that enrich the stopover and leave a lasting impression on cruise passengers.
🎯 If Célia Sainville had a magic wand, she would like ” every cruise passenger, after discovering our sites, to want to come back for a real stay in Martinique “.
Coeur des îles: Martinique's experience earns international acclaim
Another strong signal for Martinique is the international recognition of the Martinique-based incoming agency Coeur des îles, recently awarded a prize by Azamara Cruises in the “Best New Tour Operator” category – a first for the Antilles. Behind this award lies the in-depth work carried out by the Julian’s group since 2022, with a qualitative, immersive and sustainable approach to tourism.
By focusing on small groups, off-the-beaten-track tours (cocoa, vanilla, Creole garden) and a coherent blend of physical activity, culture and gastronomy, Coeur des îles is responding to a growing demand to give meaning to the experience. This strategy appeals as much to North American cruisers – on the rise with 11 weekly flights to Canada in high season – as to longer-stay travelers. With more than 80,000 visitors a year, the agency proves that it is possible to combine high operational standards with local roots.
Martinique charts its course towards an ambitious maritime future
At Seatrade 2025, Martinique demonstrated its collective spirit, its capacity for innovation and its determination to assert its Caribbean identity.
By combining port excellence, an authentic tourism offering and a strategy of unity between stakeholders, the island is gradually establishing itself as a benchmark cruise destination in the Caribbean.
The challenge remains great, between regional competition, regulatory adaptation and constant innovation.
But one thing is certain: Martinique is moving forward with conviction towards an ambitious and sustainable maritime future.
