Port Castries came alive as it hosted a first-time visiting cruise ship berthed at Pointe Seraphine, Castries.

The Viking Orion made its inaugural voyage into Saint Lucia and was welcomed by the officials from the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and other industry partners – the Ministry of Tourism, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), Invest Saint Lucia and the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association (SLHTA).

This maiden visit brought with it an air of enthusiasm, following a near 18-month halt in official cruise visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and a slow start to the new season. Agents for the cruise line Platinum Port Agency participated in the customary exchange of plagues led by SLASPA and the Ministry of Tourism.

Senior Manager for Business Development and Corporate Communications, Mr. Gasper George, said: “We are delighted to witness another cruise ship at Port Castries. The restart of the cruise sector in Saint Lucia brings hope that the industry will reenergize related sectors and the economy in general. The Authority continues its engagement with local and international industry stakeholders and agencies to increase the annual cruise calls to the island. As a collective, we hope to leverage the destination’s natural beauty and other emerging and tourism-related products to make Saint Lucia a preferred destination for all cruise lines. The cruise schedule will see itself being more populated over the next few months, indicating increasing arrivals.”

The forecasted increase is even more important considering the challenges faced by tourism-dependent businesses as a result of the pandemic. The hope that the cruise sector will rebound a reason for optimism for the industry. Stakeholders in the Tourism industry are encouraged to visit SLASPA’s website (www.slaspa.com) for updated cruise schedules as the season unfolds.