LOCAL CRUISE TOURISM is on the increase and Barbados is set for a major push with today’s docking of global brand Regent Cruises – Seven Seas Explorer.
Today during a plaque ceremony and tour of the 375-suite ship at the Bridgetown Port, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy called the docking opportunity an excellent economic break especially at a time when the Ministry was placing a great deal of emphasis on port tourism.
“This is a ship well known for very high quality cruise experience and it fits in perfectly with what Barbados offers as a high quality destination. We are thrilled, and dare I say honoured, that on your first mission to the Caribbean you sought to have Barbados as a port of call,” he said.
Sealy added all of that indicated the potential for more jobs to boost the Barbadian economy.
Captain Stanislas de Lacombe said he counted it an honour to be able to dock on the very beautiful island within the Caribbean archipelago.
Captain of Regent Seven Seas Cruises Stanislas de Lacombe (left) accepts a ceremonial plaque from Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy (right) during today’s plaque ceremony.
“We hope that we will be able to come often. You know it was very nice and this is actually the inaugural call of the cruise ship in the Caribbean and this is one of the first Caribbean islands that we have visited,” he added.
The ship, which has capacity for 809 passengers on its 11 decks, is currently in transit on its “Miami to Miami” excursion.
It ship departed Florida on December 4 and is scheduled to return on December 18. It will depart Barbados for Martinique tomorrow. (MR)
