Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, October 10, 2022 -- The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew attended the Seabourn Venture Plaque Exchange Ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, this morning (October 10, 2022) at Carambola. The ceremony was held to commemorate the first visit of the Seabourn Venture to the federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Mr. Ellison Thompson gave the opening remarks and alluded to a new initiative, the Venture Deeper Campaign, which aims at encouraging visitors “to fully immerse themselves in all the destination has to offer, experience the essence of our people, and explore the rich heritage, thereby discovering the soul of the destination.”
Seabourn, whose parent company is Carnival Corporation, is a luxury cruise line who according to CEO Thompson, has been a longstanding partner of our twin island federation for “roughly sixteen (16) years. We’ve welcomed the Seabourn Legend, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Spirit, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Sojourn, and the Seabourn Ovation”.
The Prime Minister gave brief remarks at the ceremony on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Marsha Henderson, who is currently representing the federation at the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Conference with the Heads of Government and cruise executives.
Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew took the opportunity to thank the management and staff at the ministry of tourism for the creative efforts to bolster tourism within our federation. “I must commend the honourable minister and her team for the tremendous job they have done thus far. I am proud of the work the Ministry has conducted over the past months and I look forward to the new tourism season.”
The Prime Minister also thanked the captain for the commitment of the cruise line to our destination and the stakeholders and people of St. Kitts and Nevis for their hospitality and high service standards.
“The Seabourn Venture, a ship that offers the comfort and amenities of a four-star hotel; and its guests desire ultimate luxury and exclusivity. I am also aware that after our lock downs due to COVID-19 and we began courting the cruise lines to return, Seabourn was the first line to visit the destination back in July 2021.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the line and to commit our continued support of the partnership we have developed over the years… Clearly the destination has a very special relationship with the Line because this is the eighth ship from their line to visit. This to me is remarkable and shows confidence in our people to deliver at a very high standard.” Seabourn Venture is led by Captain Stig Betten, who was also the captain of Seabourn Ovation when it made its inaugural call back on 25th November 2021.
The captain, crew, and passengers of the Seabourn Venture were encouraged by the Prime Minister to explore the island and indulge in our rich history and culture. “St. Kitts is known as the colony of the West Indies due to the early settlements of the British and the French. We encourage your guests to venture deeper beyond the sun sea and sand and fully immerse themselves in all we have to offer, Brimstone Hill Fortress, a World UNESCO Heritage Site, Romney Manor the home of Caribelle Batik or take a ride on the Scenic Railway the only scenic passenger train in this part of the Caribbean.”
The Prime Minister spoke of “the economic tragedy experienced by the lines and destinations at the hand of the COVID-19 pandemic” over the past two years and the readiness of our federation for the tourist high season. “During this past summer we began to see the unfolding of a positive future with the decline in COVID-19 cases and cruiser confidence return. It is for this reason that my government thought it critical to remove all COVID-19 restrictions and increase accessibility to the destination and ease of entry. I am proud to say that St. Kitts and Nevis is fully open for business. All tours are operating at full capacity.”
Several stakeholders and staff from the Ministry of Tourism were present at the ceremony including Mrs. Diannille Taylor-Williams, Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, Mr. Olonzo Alexander, Manager of Port Services at Delisle Walwyn, Mr. Joseph Wilson, Sea Ports Manager at the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority, Mr. David Brandy, President of the Liamuiga Taxi Association, Mr. Thyrone Richardson, President of the St. Kitts Taxi Association, and Mr. Sylvester Hodge, President of the St. Kitts Taxi Co-Operative. Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew also commended the stakeholders of the tourism industry for their resilience over the past two years.
“Today we can look towards the future with hope and anticipation for better days. I want to also thank everyone who played a role in the return of the cruise sector for the 2022-2023 season and encourage us to work together to offer our visitors a rich authentic Kittitian experience. Together, and I mean TOGETHER we can shape the future and revitalize our economy.”
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