The Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) has secured plenty of requires the upcoming season which indicators an uptick in cruise transport actions throughout all cruise ports island broad.
This augurs nicely for Jamaica as in the course of the previous yr, the PAJ, with the steering and help from the ministry of well being and wellness (MoHW), has been systematically devising and implementing mechanisms and options to make sure a protected and safe restart of the cruise transport sector inside the Covid-19 operational context.
A few of these calls that are scheduled to begin in mid-November, embody inaugural visits in addition to calls from ultra-luxury premium cruise traces.
The depth could also be partly attributed to the profitable restart in actions on the Port of Ocho Rios which noticed the return of cruise ships to the nation after a 17-month suspension as a result of restrictions arising from Covid-19 protocols.
Moreover, the state-of-art modernised world-class cruise ports and services contribute considerably to our attractiveness and beneficial international stature which in tandem with the attract of our cruise product, resulted within the recognition of 4 World Journey Awards this yr.
Jamaica itself took the title of Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination, whereas Port of Falmouth has been honoured with the trophy for Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Port.
Port of Montego Bay took Caribbean’s Leading Home Port, whereas the Historic Naval Dockyard at Port Royal was recognised with the prize of Caribbean’s Leading Tourism Development Project.
The Port of Ocho Rios has loved a gentle schedule of calls because the restart in September by Carnival Dawn and MSC Meraviglia which ought to proceed all through the season.
Port Royal will play host to plenty of ships from ultra-luxury premium cruise traces this season together with ship calls from Holland America Cruise Line (Nieuw Statendam and Nieuw Amsterdam), Crystal Cruises (Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony), Seabourn Cruise Line (Seabourn Ovation) which is a brand-new ship from Saga Cruises (Spirit of Journey) and Marella, the primary line to name on the Historic Naval Dockyard, which returns with 4 extra calls this season.
Plenty of inaugural calls are additionally scheduled together with one of many latest ships from MSC Cruises, the MSC Seashore, which can name on the Historic Falmouth Port in November in addition to a primary name by the Spirit of Journey which can name at Port Royal in March.
In accepting the World Journey Awards at a digital ceremony held lately, Gordon Shirley, PAJ chief govt, expressed his delight on the recognition and commented that “though the awards emanated from a interval of challenges, we’re starting to see cruise restored to normalcy and bookings are on the rise”.
He additionally used the chance to remind cruise fans globally of the good worth to be obtained from an award-winning cruise vacation spot like Jamaica.
He said additional that “the PAJ are much more hopeful that because of the investments the organisation has made in cruise infrastructure this yr, the requires subsequent yr’s season will surpass these slated for this yr”.
William Tatham, vp, cruise transport and marina operations, PAJ added: “I’m happy with the progress of the PAJ’s cruise restart actions, and I’m assured that we are going to ship a protected and rewarding cruise passenger expertise within the upcoming season.”
He additionally famous that most of the common ships will return this season together with vessels from Disney Cruise Traces and indicated that the Disney Fantasy is scheduled to name on the Historic Falmouth Port in December.
Arising from a profitable assembly with Disney Cruise Line’s executives on the lately concluded Seatrade Cruise World Convention held in Miami, United States, plenty of calls from tis line have been secured for the season.
