On Tuesday, December 6, 2022, Antigua & Barbuda celebrated the official opening of the 2022/2023 cruise season on the fifth berth at St. John’s Harbour.
5 ships had been in port on this special day, in line with a press launch, a which additionally served because the formal opening ceremony of the fifth berth, which was accomplished in December 2020.
The Seabourn Ovation and Marella Explorer had been berthed on the Nevis Pier, whereas the Norwegian Daybreak and AIDAperla had been moored on the Heritage Pier.
The Superstar Millennium was docked alongside the fifth berth. Collectively, these vessels introduced an estimated 6,700 passengers to the port.
The dual island nation’s prime dignitaries had been amongst the invited visitors together with Governor Common, Sir Rodney Williams; Prime Minister, Hon. Gaston Browne; Hon. Charles Fernandez, Minister of Tourism and Funding; Hon. Maria Browne, Minister of Housing and City Renewal; and Hon. Mary-Claire Hurst, Minister of State within the Ministry of Tourism.
A number of audio system together with Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Hon. Charles Fernandez, Mrs. Dona Regis-Prosper, Common Supervisor of Antigua Cruise Port, Mr. Colin James, CEO of Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and Mr. Percy Rhoden, Supervisor of Meridian Development Co. Ltd., and Blue Ocean Marine Firm, mirrored on the progress of the port and the resilience of the business post-COVID-19. Additionally they expressed pleasure and optimism in regards to the nation’s cruise tourism outlook and the expansion of the partnership between native stakeholders and the cruise business.
“Thirty-three months, in the past, on March 14, 2020, we acquired the dreadful information of the closure of the cruise business, after solely 4 months of operations in Antigua,” Regis-Prosper shared. “The weeks that adopted had been amongst essentially the most difficult that I had skilled in my lengthy profession on this business – cancellation after cancellation of cruise calls, passengers caught at sea and crew determined to get dwelling to their households. Regionally my crew questioned about their jobs and tenants about their companies and livelihoods. The prospects of a restart seemed daunting. Nonetheless, I knew that this business was down and never out. In spite of everything, it had survived 911, monetary crises, affect of hurricanes, storms, and lots of different setbacks.
“And 28 months in the past,” she continued, “on July 15, 2021, we reopened the cruise business with a name from the Windsurf welcoming a modest 85 passengers. The remainder of the yr would proceed to be challenged with variants, altering protocols and naturally cancelled calls. Nonetheless, it was these months the place I personally skilled excellence in management and teamwork, and should take the chance to thank Hon. Charles Fernandez, and crew Tourism. This cruise season, we predict not solely transit calls however for the first-time scheduled homeporting requires one of many world’s largest cruise vessels, Arvia, starting in January 2023. By the top of the height season, October 2022 – April 2023, Antigua Cruise Port may have welcomed over 600,000 passengers and in the course of the 2023 summer time months over 30,000 passengers!”
Hon. Charles Fernandez famous that the mixed development of the fifth berth and dredging of the harbor basin had been accomplished in December 2020. He added that St. John’s Port had elevated in capability to not solely accommodate 5 vessels in port concurrently, but additionally the biggest cruise vessels on the planet. The pre-pandemic numbers totaled roughly 800,000 passengers yearly however upon the settlement held with International Ports Holding, the vacation spot would be capable of function many as 1 million passengers per yr as a result of completion of the fifth berth.
Minister Fernandez additionally commented that the Arvia would ship a projected 1,000 passengers to port per flip from January to March 2023. After this era, homeporting operations would resume in November 2023.
Emerald Cruises and SeaDream are additionally scheduled to start homeporting in November 2023. He defined that the terminal constructing can be accomplished by November 2023 and would adequately facilitate transit and homeporting operations. Its distinctive design would characteristic over 10,000 sq. ft of area which might comfortably accommodate areas for Customs, Immigration, Port Well being, safety screening, baggage dealing with, restrooms, and handy purchasing
