The largest cruise ship MSC Seashore to visit Port of Spain is expected to dock at the Port of Port of Spain tomorrow with an estimated passenger capacity of 5,877 and crew of 1,680.
Tourism Trinidad Ltd yesterday said this arrival comes as Trinidad has begun a robust return to the cruise ship season as the 2022-2023 season was officially launched on November 22nd and continues until April 2023.
TTL said there are expected to be ten individual ships making 29 calls, four of which are inaugural sailings to Trinidad.
“It is estimated that this will see a total of approximately 66,000 passengers and 23,000 crew members coming to Trinidad. The busy season will see two ships docking in one day on December 30, and February 4, 2023,” it outlined.
Tourism Trinidad will be rolling out the red carpet for the MSC Seashore and there will also be a ceremonial exchanging of crests between the ship’s captain and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Senator Randall Mitchell.
Interim chief executive officer of Tourism Trinidad Carla Cupid noted: “The wait for the pandemic to cool down was a tough one but we spent this time negotiating and preparing for this. It is then I must say an exciting time for us but with the excitement comes a measured amount of responsibility to ensure that passengers are taken care of, and a bigger brighter future is secured for this country’s tourism sector.”
As the season gets busier, Mitchell said everyone must also remember the vendors and industries being positively affected by this strong flow of passengers and crew.
“Right there at the Cruise Ship Complex, we have a lot of vendors returning to their stalls after a 32-month forced hiatus. You also have an entire supply chain that goes beyond the complex that will benefit from every ship that docks here,” Mitchell said.
There are 18 permanent tenants inside the Cruise Ship Complex, plus 43 registered vendors in the craft market and tents outside. Their fare includes doubles, local wine, convenience store with liquor licence, artisans, local fashion, art gallery, calabash artistry, local health care skin products, Carnival souvenirs, steelpan music, a wide selection/array of locally produced clothing, footwear, handbags, souvenirs.
There will also be a wellness fair for the passengers of the MSC Seashore at the complex as the celebrations for Caribbean Tourism Month come to an end.
