Guernsey cruise traffic falls as cancellations weigh on visitor numbers

Guernsey recorded 38,456 cruise ship visitors in 2024, down from 85,541 a year earlier, according to the Guernsey Travel and Visitor Annual Report. The approximately 55% decline came as only 53 of 77 scheduled cruise calls went ahead, with weather-related cancellations cited as a major factor.

Analysis prepared for the private-sector tourism forum IoD Guernsey estimated that the reduction in cruise traffic removed £4 million from the island’s gross domestic product during 2024. Total visitor numbers declined by about 14% to just under 275,000, the annual report and later summaries indicated.

The latest second-quarter figures showed 7,212 cruise visitors, 40% fewer than the 11,982 recorded in the corresponding period a year earlier. Visit Guernsey’s bulletin said the total was also 78% below the 32,819 cruise passengers reported for the second quarter of 2023.

Overall visitor numbers between April and June reached 96,045, including cruise passengers, an increase of 6%. Excluding cruise traffic, the total rose 13% to 88,833. For the season to date, about 25,000 cruise passengers had disembarked, with 39 of 46 expected ships completing their calls.