THE MV BRITANNIA will be ruling the waves in the Caribbean this winter season.
The 1 083-foot long flagship of P&O Cruises sailed into Barbados early this morning, where it will homeport for the winter season and conduct 14-day cruises throughout the Caribbean.
In welcoming the vessel to Barbados, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Richard Sealy, expressed pleasure at the fact that the Britannia was based in Barbados at the beginning of what was projected to be a highly successful tourist season.
“We are going to see a 17 per cent increase in our home porting activity which will have a larger impact on the local economy. I am very pleased with what is happening with our home porting area,” he stated.
He also commended the workers at the seaport for their hard work in ensuring that operations run smoothly. “The average Barbadian probably doesn’t realise what this little country is able to do. This vessel carries about 4 000 passengers and we have to ground 4 000 people and their luggage, which is not easy…. It is an amazing effort on the part of port officials, on the part of cruise agents, on the part of transportation providers and on the part of our friends at the airport as well.
Eleven wide-bodied air craft will be landing in Barbados between today and tomorrow bringing persons to start their cruise period here and taking those who have completed their experience back home,” he noted.
Governor General, Sir Elliott Belgrave, was also onboard to welcome the ship, as well as top tourism officials. (BGIS)
