KINGSTON, Jamaica— Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has emphasised that Jamaica’s tourism sector will cross a major threshold in its recovery tomorrow with the Montego Bay Cruise Port set to welcome its first cruise ship since the re-opening of the local cruise industry.

In welcoming the return of cruise to the tourism Mecca he underscored that “it will mark the return of operations to all the island’s major cruise ports.”  

The conquest-class cruise ship heading to the island is Carnival Glory, operated by Carnival Cruise Line. The vessel has a maximum capacity of 2,980 passengers and 1,150 crew members.

“I am delighted to welcome cruise back to the tourism capital of Jamaica – Montego Bay. I am certain that this will be a welcome move for our stakeholders, especially our small and medium tourism enterprises, who earn significantly from cruise passengers. We certainly look forward to welcoming Carnival passengers to our shores and assure them that this will be a memorable but very safe experience,” said Bartlett.

The return of cruise to the second city is being managed by the Port Authority of Jamaica, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the Jamaica Vacations Limited.

“Within the Resilient Corridors, travellers will be able to tour facilities and participate in pre-arranged excursions. Our first objective was, and continues to be, instilling confidence in travellers. We want our visitors to feel comfortable and secure when they visit us while also ensuring that their experiences are enjoyable and that our vivid Jamaican personality shines through,” Bartlett stated.

Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise line, recently committed to sending 110 or more cruises, by its various brands, to the island between October 2021 and April 2022. The announcement followed discussions between Bartlett, local tourism officials, and senior Carnival Corporation executives during recent meetings. The meetings formed part of a major marketing blitz, which saw the Minister and his team visiting the main tourism source markets of Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom and the emerging market of the Middle East.