Royal Caribbean Group, parent company to Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises, apparently sees a big future at Crown Bay, one of two cruise ports on St. Thomas.

The company has signed a pact with the Virgin Islands Port Authority and Cruise Terminals International to redevelop Crown Bay, turning it from a small retail mall and welcome center into a tourist hub with cultural venues, commercial outlets, and recreational sites.

An announcement on December 18, 2025 detailed the signing of the agreement the day before, with plenty of VIPs on hand, including USVI Gov. Albert B. Bryan, Jr., Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach, and several cruise line and port officials.

The accord was signed at the Austin “Babe” Monsanto Marine Terminal in Crown Bay. However, details about the actual redevelopment are scarce. There was no timeline for the project, for instance, and no price tag.

Royal Caribbean Group has experience redeveloping ports. One of its most ambitious projects, where it worked in partnership with local authorities, was at Falmouth, Jamaica, which was developed into a spacious marketplace with local vendors, high-end luxury shops, eateries, and other commercial outlets in 2011.

Royal Caribbean Group also has invested in several private destinations, most notably Perfect Day at CocoCay, in the Bahamas, the soon-to-open Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, and planned destinations at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Santorini, Greece.

Crown Bay on St. Thomas is particularly important to Royal Caribbean because the docks can accommodate the line’s Oasis-class vessels. The class includes Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas. Another is expected to debut in 2028.

The Oasis-class ships are just shy of 1,200 feet long, a length not many Caribbean ports can accommodate.

Project Promises to Buoy Local Economy

Aside from its own needs, Royal Caribbean seems eager to upgrade the guest experience and help the local island economy.

“By providing elevated experiences for our guests while also paying respect to the local culture and delivering significant economic benefits to the community, we can collectively usher in a new future for US Virgin Islands,” said Melissa Morales, senior director of destination development for the Americas, Caribbean, and Europe at Royal Caribbean Group.

Port authority officials touted the project’s investment in the island, saying the redevelopment reflects the future of tourism in the USVI.

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The third partner in the deal, Cruise Terminals International (CTI), is an independent cruise terminal developer, 10% owned by Royal Caribbean Group. It is 90% owned by the London-based investment firm ICONInfrastructure.

Cost of the Project Is Not Yet Revealed

No investment figure was floated in the announcement, but a major undertaking to transform a port is an expensive proposition. In the case of the Falmouth Cruise Port in Jamaica, for example, Royal Caribbean invested about $170 million — nearly 15 years ago. 

However, that development included the construction of a two-ship berth, something that Crown Bay likely will not need. Also, presumably the local port authority and CTI will be investors, too.

St. Thomas has two cruise ports. In addition to Crown Bay, the authority operates Havensight. It is already a vibrant, modern facility with commercial spaces and is closer to downtown Charlotte Amalie than Crown Bay.

Ships from scores of cruise lines call at St. Thomas, including the Royal Caribbean Group brands. In December 2025, for instance, Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas will call, as will Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Xcel.

Crown Bay Cruise Port Set for Major Redevelopment With Royal Caribbean