Photo 1 – Harmony of the Seas
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 27th 2017 – When the Royal Caribbean International-owned, Harmony of the Seas, the world’s cruise ship, makes its inaugural call and berths at St. Kitts’ Port Zante next week, it will continue to highlight the hard work and significant contribution of former Minister of Tourism, Mr. Richard “Ricky” Skerritt, to the Federation’s tourism industry and in this case, the cruise sector.
The visit of the Harmony of the Seas on May 3rd follows the inaugural visits and later scheduled calls of two other Oasis-class ships – the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas.
The Harmony of the Seas has 2,747 staterooms ranging from small interior rooms to larger rooms and suites and has an overall length of 362.12 metres (1,188.1 ft), eclipsing the Allure of the Seas.
The Harmony of the Seas can accommodate 5,478 passengers (double occupancy) and a maximum of 6,780 passengers and a crew of 2,300.
Photo 2 – Allure of the Seas berthing at Port Zante on December 30, 2011 watched by hundreds of residents
The Allure of the Seas, the second oasis-class ship, made its inaugural call to St. Kitts’Port Zante 30th December 2011, with 5,400 passengers and 3,000 crew members, paving the way for the Oasis of the Seas and the Harmony of the Seas.
Photo 3 – Basseterre taken from aboard the Allure of the Seas in December 30, 2011
Both the Allure of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas can accommodate 5,400 passengers (double occupancy) and a maximum of 6,296 passengers.
The Allure is 50 millimetres (2.0 in) longer than her sister ship Oasis of the Seas and both have been eclipsed by her sister ship, Harmony of the Seas, which is 1,188.1 ft in length.
The success of the first two Oasis-class ships led Royal Caribbean Cruises to order a third ship of the type in December 2012. Harmony of the Seas was floated out on 19 June 2015, began her first sea trials on 10 March 2016, and was delivered to Royal Caribbean on 12 May 2016. After a construction time of 32 months, the ship first set sail on 15 May 2016 from the STX France docks in Saint-Nazaire, viewed by some 70,000 people. Her first destination was Southampton, England, although her home port was Barcelona until 23 October 2016 when she crossed the Atlantic.
In September 2014, Director of Government Relations for Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, Federico Gonzalez-Denton, who was visiting St. Kitts and has always being in discussions with Mr. Skerritt, extended congratulations to St. Kitts and Nevis for targeting the one million cruise guests milestone.
Following on-going talks it was announced that St. Kitts is to handle calls from Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas in the summer of 2016.
“Royal Caribbean is very proud to announce that the world’s two largest and most innovative cruise ships, Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas, will call at the beautiful port of Basseterre in St. Kitts during summer 2016,” said Federico Gonzalez-Denton, associate vice president of Government Relations LAC for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
It was also announced that St. Kitts will handle six calls from Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas as part of her inaugural 2014-2015 season and will welcome seven visits from the line’s latest new build, Anthem of the Seas, during her maiden 2015-2016 season.
Other Royal Caribbean International cruise ships that have been visiting St. Kitts over the years are Adventure of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas.
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