Tag Archives: Caribbean

St. Kitts’ Cruise Ports See Busiest Week Since 2020

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P&O Britannia in St. Kitts with 2 Oasis Class ships and the Celebrity Edge, Photo credit Spacejunkie2

This week will be the busiest in terms of cruise travel for St. Kitts since the island reopened its borders to international visitors.

According to a press release, 21 cruise ships will have arrived by the end of the week across the island’s four ports: Port Zante, Basseterre Harbour, Deep Water Harbour and South Friar’s Bay.

The ships arriving include the Enchanted Princess, Seabourn Ovation, Viking Sea, Allure of the Seas, and the third visit of the Explorer of the Seas. Dec. 16 marked the first day with five ships in port, St. Kitts Tourism Authority wrote.

“This week comes as an optimistic sign that the cruising industry is making an unstoppable comeback in St. Kitts. We see the number of ship arrivals growing weekly,” said the Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports, Lindsay F.P. Grant. “Our commitment to safety paired with our exceptional tours and on-island experiences are driving high demand for the destination on cruise itineraries, and we expect this to continue well into 2022.”

This record number of ship arrivals comes in conjunction with changes to the destination’s arrival requirements. As of Dec. 11, Port Zante is completely free-flow, enabling cruise passengers to seamlessly integrate into the federation and providing nationals and residents with access to the port. Travel Approved tours, attractions, restaurants and bars are now open to all fully vaccinated travellers, nationals and residents.

“This busy cruise week shows that demand for our destination continues to grow,” said Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “The reduced travel restrictions make it easier for cruise and international air travellers to engage their senses and seamlessly immerse themselves in our quintessential Caribbean escape.”

After pausing cruise travel when borders closed in March 2020, St. Kitts and Nevis welcomed back its first ships last July. Since then, the twin-island federation has hosted a steady increase in ship arrivals and has allowed passengers to explore the destination via “Travel Approved” tours and attraction sites.

Holland America Line Restart: Six Ships in Service by January

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Continuing its restart plans, Holland America Line will see six ships sailing with guests by early 2022. The Carnival-owned premium brand first resumed service in July, offering a summer program in Alaska with the Nieuw Amsterdam.

Four Ships in Service in North America

Currently, five vessels are in service in North America, including the new Rotterdam.

The 2021-built ship debuted in October, sailing a transatlantic crossing before kicking off its inaugural season in the Caribbean.

The Eurodam, the Nieuw Amsterdam, the Nieuw Statendam and the Koningsdam are also presently operating, offering cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and the West Coast from two different homeports.

Here are the details:

Eurodam
Capacity at 100%: 2,104
Date: In service since August 15, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 7 to 10 nights
Itinerary: Panama Canal, Southern and Eastern Caribbean    

Koningsdam
Capacity at 100%: 2,650
Date: In service since October 10, 2021
Region: West Coast
Homeport: San Diego (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Mexican Riviera  

Nieuw Amsterdam
Capacity at 100%: 2,100
Date: In service since July 24, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 5 to 9 nights
Itinerary: the Bahamas, Western and Eastern Caribbean

Nieuw Statendam
Capacity at 100%: 2,650

Date: In service since November 21, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Bahamas, Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean

Rotterdam (VII)
Capacity at 100%: 2,650
Date: In service since October 20, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 10 and 11 nights
Itinerary: Eastern and Southern Caribbean

Zuiderdam Returns in December; Balance of the Fleet in 2022

While the balance of the 11-ship fleet is set to return in the first half of 2022, the Zuiderdam is resuming service in December.

The 2002-built ship is set to offer additional itinerary choices in North America, with a series of West Coast, Panama Canal and the Caribbean.

Here are the currently planned service resumption dates for the remainder of the fleet:

Zuiderdam
Capacity at 100%: 1,916

Date: December 23, 2021
Region: West Coast
Homeport: San Diego (United States)
Length: 10 nights
Itinerary: Guaymas, Loreto, Topolobampo, La Paz, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas

Noordam
Capacity at 100%: 1,918
Date: April 24, 2022
Region: Panama Canal
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) to San Diego (United States)
Length: 17 nights
Itinerary: Cartagena, Panama Canal, Panama City, Puerto Caldera, Corinto, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Chiapas, Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Luas

Oosterdam 
Capacity at 100%: 1,916
Date: May 1, 2022
Region: Mediterranean
Homeport: Civitavecchia (Italy) to Venice (Italy)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Salerno, Messina, Corfu, Kotor and Zadar

Volendam
Capacity at 100%: 1,432
Date: May 1, 2022
Region: Northern Europe
Homeport: Rotterdam (Netherlands)
Length: 14 nights
Itinerary: Arhus, Warnemunde, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn and St. Petersburg

Westerdam
Capacity at 100%: 1,916
Date: May 8, 2022
Region: Alaska
Homeport: Seattle (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Victoria, Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka

Zaandam
Capacity at 100%: 1,432
Date: May 12, 2022
Region: Canada and New England
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) to Montreal (Canada)
Length: 9 nights
Itinerary: Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney and Quebec City

Royal Caribbean’s New Wonder of the Seas Comes With New Features

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Being the largest ship in the world means plenty of space for new features.

The 5,480-guest Wonder of the Seas – like all Royal Caribbean International Oasis-class ships – encompasses the neighbourhood concept, albeit with the addition of the Wonder-special eighth neighbourhood called Suite Class Neighborhood.

The eighth neighbourhood offers Royal Suite Class guests an elevated Suite Sun Deck in a new location, complete with a plunge pool, bar and plenty of loungers and nooks.

Also new onboard the ship is Wonder Playscape, an underwater-themed play area for kids that features slides, climbing walls, games, puzzles, an interactive mural activated by touch, as well as scenic views.

The new cantilevered pool bar named The Vue offers panoramic ocean views from high above on the pool deck all day. After sunset, The Vue shines bright with a colourful mosaic canopy overhead.

The Wonder of the Seas will debut in the U.S. and Europe instead of previously announced China. The ship is set to sail from its home in Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean on March 4, 2022, before making its way to Barcelona and Rome for a summer European season.