Cruise operations began this week at two Caribbean ports, with Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Equinox calling at Antigua Cruise Port on August 19 and Norwegian Gem calling at Belize’s Harvest Caye port on August 18, the first significant cruise activity at either port since the outbreak.
Celebrity Equinox arrived at St. John’s Harbour on Thursday, carrying “almost 2,000 guests,” according to Antigua Cruise Port, Antigua & Barbuda Port Authority, and Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority officials.
Celebrity Equinox is the “first big vessel to dock in St. John’s since the start of the Antigua and Barbuda cruise season in July,” according to a statement from port officials. “Passenger disembarkation was carefully controlled to minimize the possibility of COVID-19 spreading,” stated Dona Regis-Prosper, the port’s general manager.
“We continue to maintain and improve our COVID-19 risk mitigation processes on a daily basis to ensure the safety of every passenger on every voyage,” she added. “We have sorely missed the magnificent sight of the enormous, bigger cruise ships docked here at the harbor, and we are overjoyed to welcome Celebrity Equinox.”
Antigua and Barbuda recently amended its COVID-19 procedures to demand vaccination of all travelers above the age of 12, officials stated. Passengers above the age of two who have not received all needed vaccinations prior to embarkation must show a negative RT PCR COVID-19 test prior to boarding their ship.
Regis-Prosper stated that shore excursions and tours for cruise passengers will “[Follow] the government’s set standards to the letter [and] will only operate as a bubble or small group tours.” Crew members who are fully vaccinated will be let ashore on pre-approved tours,” she added. “We’ve also organized escorted private excursions with Heritage Quay merchants.”
“The Antigua and Barbuda government is dedicated to expanding cruise calls to our port,” said Mary-Clare Hurst, minister of state in the Tourism and Investment Ministry. “Throughout the epidemic, we have collaborated with appropriate authorities and cruise lines to ensure that we continue to be a key center for safety, synergy, and innovation,” she said.
“We are thrilled to return to Antigua and to continue assisting our Caribbean family in reclaiming the advantages of tourism for their communities,” said Dimitris Manetas, Celebrity Equinox’s captain.
Norwegian Gem made her first stop to Norwegian Cruise Line’s 75-acre Harvest Caye dedicated cruise port and a private island off the coast of Placencia on August 18, marking the port’s first call since it was closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. The ship accommodated 1,262 passengers and 1,067 crew members.
Norwegian Gem, according to local news sources, is operating at 60% of capacity due to the COVID standards, according to Abil Castaneda, the Belize Tourism Board’s head of quality management and capacity development.
Norwegian, Castaneda explained, is “very strict in terms of their procedures, and they have stated that they would ease their capacity as the epidemic advances.”
“All [passengers] have had their complete vaccinations, and there are no positive instances on board, so we are all quite pleased with the measures that have been implemented,” he said.
Additionally, the Norwegian Gem’s itinerary includes stops at Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, Mexico. Belize’s health and safety regulations, according to Castaneda, were created in collaboration with the Cruise Tourism Task Force.