BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CRUISE passengers aboard the 2 124-passenger vessel Carnival Miracle were able to disembark to Port Zante safely after a challenging berth this morning (Jan. 28) that left the hull of the ship damaged.
SKNVibes responded to reports that the cruise ship collided with the pier at Port Zante around 11:00 a.m. Upon arriving on the scene, there was no permitted entry into the arrival hall, but the cruise ship had a visible blackened dent on the right side.
Port officials at the arrival hall refused to comment but SKNVibes contacted Denzil Crooke, Chief Executive Officer of Delisle Walwyn & Co. Ltd, the St. Kitts handling company for Carnival Cruise Line, and he confirmed that both the 12-deck cruise ship and the port facility were damaged during this morning’s berthing.
“According to information received, while the ship was berthing a gust of wind thrust the ship to hit one of the dolphins and it subsequently hit a one of the fenders on the pier. The dolphin and fender were damaged and the ship also sustained damages,” Crooke told this media house.
Crooke was unable to give further information regarding the extent of the damage to the port facility or the vessel but stated that an evaluation of damage is being done.
Public relations officials at Carnival Cruise Lines told this media house that they have not yet received any information on the damages but would issue a statement at the earliest possible time.
SKNVibes contacted the Head of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations at the St. Christopher Air and Sea Port Authority (SCASPA) Delcia Bradley-King who informed that a team of welders from Puerto Rico have begun work on the vessel so that it can leave St. Kitts as early as tomorrow morning (Jan. 29). It is expected to sail back to Fort Lauderdale.
At this point, the cost of damage is unknown.
On the ground, tour operators and taxi drivers on Port Zante suspect that the cruise ship may remain in port for another day and they anticipate increased business with the visitors.
