Back to business: All Jamaica’s main cruise ports reopen after Hurricane Melissa
/ Our Today
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Durrant Pate/Contributor
Jamaica’s cruise shipping is back in business, as the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) is reporting that all of the main cruise ports have reopened after Hurricane Melissa.
Port Royal, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Falmouth are ready to welcome ships and guests following the Category 5 storm, one of the strongest on record, wreaked havoc on the island on Tuesday, October 28, damaging ports and other infrastructure mostly along the south and west coast of the island.
The full resumption of cruise business was marked by operations in all ports on Monday, which were described as a “powerful display of national resilience, collaboration and world-class readiness”.
The recovery and coordinated reopening were made possible by the PAJ, Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism and its agencies, as well as Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC), Jamaica Cruising and the Destination Assurance Councils (DACs). Other entities involved in the operation include municipal corporations, emergency teams and other supporting partners. Among the vessels that visited Jamaica on Monday was the Resilient Lady, which docked in Ocho Rios as part of a seven-night cruise to the Western Caribbean.
Sailing from Miami, the itinerary also features visits to George Town in the Cayman Islands and Bimini in the Bahamas. The Mein Schiff 1 also sailed to Jamaica on Monday, visiting Montego Bay during a 14-night cruise that sailed from La Romana, in the Dominican Republic. In addition to Montego Bay and other seven ports of call, the itinerary also featured a visit to Ocho Rios on Sunday.
The Jamaican authorities are highlighting new homeporting operations with the arrival of the Vasco da Gama. Visiting Port Royal on Monday, the Nicko Cruises vessel was the first ship to embark guests at the port since the country’s reopening. The Jamaican authorities say this is a “clear signal of the direction Jamaica is heading” as part of its strategy to attract high-value cruise business.
They say homeporting is directly tied to higher economic impact, highlighting the increases in passenger and crew spending with services, transport and accommodation. Homeporting will bring increased business from essential services including bunkering, provisioning, freshwater supply, waste and sludge removal.
In a statement, the authorities say, “Every sector put hands on deck and hearts into the mission, ensuring that Jamaica could welcome visitors again in record time after the passing of Hurricane Melissa.”
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