CRUISE SHIP arrivals for Ocho Rios recorded a 9.6 per cent decline in the year 2001 when compared to figures for 2000.
There are indications, however, that there will be some improvement in 2002, with the sector poised to return to normality by the start of the next cruise ship season on October 1, 2002.
According to chairman of the newly-formed Cruise Ship Committee of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce, Mark Melville, Ocho Rios received 303 cruise ship calls with a total of 714,636 passengers in 2000 against 652,147 passengers from 278 calls last year.
"I am happy to report that this year the passenger arrivals for Ocho Rios are on the way back up. There are 290 calls projected with 680,000 passengers expected by 2002," he said.
One of two mega-liners from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, the "Navigator of the Seas", which was scheduled to start calling in Ocho Rios in November, has been delayed until about February 2003 because of problems associated with the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Melville said the other RCCL mega-liner "Explorer of the Seas", is slated to start calling at Ocho Rios in April 2002.
Noting that the Cruise Ship Industry had to respond with major price cuts to keep their volume of passengers up after the September 11 tragedy, he said there are now some good reasons to be optimistic.
Melville was speaking at a press appreciation function which was held at Villa Viento in Tower Isle, St. Mary, on February 10.
The function was organised by the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce. Commenting on reports that many passengers were not leaving the cruise ships when they are in port, he said the opening of the new Island Village theme Entertainment Park in Ocho Rios will make a major difference.
"I can't verify any of these numbers, but I can tell you, if the lure of Margaritaville, or a tour through Reggae Explosion don't pry them off the ship, I don't know what will," the Chairman of the St. Ann Chamber's Cruise Shipping Committee concluded.
