Minerva II from the Swan Hellenic line called at Port Antonio on Tuesday with 600 passengers aboard. The ship is sold to vacationers as "your floating country house hotel". - Contributed FOR THE first time in Jamaica's history all four ports have had cruise ships in port on any one day. On Tuesday the island welcomed cruise ships at Kingston, Port Antonio, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay.
The Princess Danae called in Kingston, the Minerva II docked at Port Antonio, the Navigator of the Seas and the Imagination visited Ocho Rios and the Norwegian Sun and The Seven Seas Mariner were in Montego Bay.
Together the cruise passenger complement numbered more than 9,200 persons.
Earlier in December, Jamaica celebrated another milestone the arrival of the one millionth cruise passenger, the first time that this has happened in any one calendar year.
"We at the Port Authority are of course very proud of this achievement," said a release quoting William Tatham, vice-president of Cruise Shipping & Marina Operations at the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ).
"However, we see this as just another step in Jamaica becoming a major player in the marketplace. In light of this, we will continue to aggressively market Jamaica as well as address the concerns of the cruise industry in 2004 to make Jamaica one of the most sought after cruise destinations of the future."
The arrival of Princess Danae, owned by Arcalia Shipping, with 469 passengers aboard is considered one of the most exciting developments given Kingston's low tourist numbers in the past.
This was the second cruise ship to visit Kingston for 2003 with the Vistamar bringing some 260 passengers to the port in March.
Tatham explained that Arcalia's decision to visit Kingston began with a meeting with the Portugal ship's owners in Lisbon a year and a half ago.
WORK STILL NEEDED
"Arcalia were insistent that they wanted to stop in Kingston even though we advised them that much work still needs to be done to make it a cruise-friendly port," said Tatham. "But, like many of the European lines, Arcalia's clientele are interested in visiting ports such as Kingston that have a rich history and many cultural attractions."
Tatham reported that passengers aboard the Princess Danae had been taken on tours of Devon House, Hope Gardens, Port Royal and Spanish Town. In addition, passengers aboard the Minerva II, which docked in Port Antonio, visited these popular Kingston attractions as well as those in and around the resort town.
Swan Hellenic's Minerva II is one of several luxury cruise vessels that have visited been calling at Port Antonio over the winter season.
With the 2002 refurbishment of the Ken Wright Cruise Terminal, Port Antonio can now accommodate smaller vessels of the boutique cruise lines, up to 650 feet. The PAJ is planning to dredge the harbour to accommodate vessels of 720 feet.
