Norwegian Star makes inaugural visit to St Kitts

BASSETERRE (3rd November, 2010): Another cruise ship has made an inaugural call at Port Zante, St Kitts. Minister of Tourism & International Transport, Senator Ricky Skerritt led a delegation on board the ‘Norwegian Star’ on Monday November 1st. The Norwegian Star, with a capacity of 3000 passengers, visited just weeks after the start of a cruise season that promises to bring close to 600,000 passengers to St. Kitts.
 
In presenting a gift to the ship’s captain, Minister Skerritt personally welcomed him to the island and said, “Your sister ship the ‘Norwegian Dawn’ came here last year for 11 calls, after not having been here for more than five years. That same ship will be making 14 calls this season, and also the Norwegian Spirit is making one call. So for us it is 16 calls this year, versus 11 from last year, and zero from the year before that from the Norwegian Cruise Line. So in the context of the bigger picture of the Norwegian Cruise Line, we are very pleased with this trend of increased tonnage to our Port.”
 
Accompanying the Minister onboard the Norwegian Star was Patricia Martin, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport, and the Assistant Permanent Secretary in that Ministry, Diannille Taylor. From the St. Kitts Tourism Authority was Melnecia Marshall, Manager of the Product Standards and Cruise department, the Assistant Manager of that department, Goldha Franks and Saju Ng’alla the Marketing Communications and Support Manager. The Minister’s personal assistant, Naevisia Smith, was also present to witness the short but impressive ceremony to commemorate the inaugural visit of the Norwegian Star.
 
Captain Carl Gunnar Hammerin said he was delighted to bring such a wonderful ship to St. Kitts, and thanked the Minister and his delegation for such a warm welcome and for the gift of a plaque to highlight the visit.  
 
“We are certainly very glad to be here,” Captain Hammerin said. “You have a most enchanting and lovely island, and so we hope to come back very soon.”
 
The 2010-2011 St Kitts cruise season promises to be the fourth consecutive year of significant growth, with 299 cruise ships scheduled to call on St. Kitts.